In Phil 1.6, Paul says “I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.” If this sounds familiar, it’s because he said something very similar in II Timothy 1.5 — “I remember your true faith. That kind of faith first belonged to your grandmother Lois and to your mother Eunice. I know you now have that same faith.”
The confidence motif is repeated in both passages. It’s something Paul seems to say to give the person he’s correcting the benefit of the doubt. He also starts off his correction in both letters by saying something genuine and positive about their character.
When we have to correct another member, we should never start with an accusatory tone. We should highlight the positive aspects of a person’s value and character and practically smother them with encouragement first. When Paul handles this uncomfortable situation he doesn’t say, “I’m sure you’re doing a great work, but…” He doesn’t tell Timothy, “I’m sure you still have faith, but…” The hug-followed-by-a-slap-to-the-face method does not and has not ever been effective.
Instead, Paul encourages them by saying, “These are your positive attributes,” and then shifts his focus to positive examples of other people. It really is a masterful approach, but that makes perfect sense. God formatted both letters, so of course it was excellent. This also shows us that if we want to know how we’re supposed to do something difficult, we should look for a biblical example first. Chances are, God’s already given us a blueprint.
We’re not told exactly what Euodia and Syntyche were fighting about, but there are some hints. The selflessness theme suggests a struggle with self-centered living. Love that hasn’t fully matured seems to evident from verse 9. Focusing on unimportant issues is also suggested in Paul’s prayer. Whatever it was, the root of their issue was a lack of selflessness.
Down in verse 25, Paul talks about his struggle — he wants to leave this life and be with Jesus, but he knows the church at Philippi still needs him. He wanted to help them grow and find purpose through faith — evidently something that wasn’t already in place.
There are a plethora of men and women in the Old Testament who we can look to as an example of faith. Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Sarah, and many more. However one of the strongest examples of true faith in God is found in the book of Daniel. Daniel is someone we would say was a faithful servant of God. No matter the circumstances, he would put his trust in God. Even in the toughest times, Daniel remained a servant for the Father. One instance where Daniel showed this incredible trust is found in Daniel 6.
Daniel was apart of the kings appointed wise men. However, the other wise men in the kingdom were jealous of Daniel and wanted to have him killed. So they went to the king and asked for a decree to be made which stated that only the king could be prayed to. they did this knowing that Daniel prayed constantly to God. Despite this decree, Daniel trusted in God even though he faced dire consequences if he prayed to God.
Daniel 6:10-11, 16-17, “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.”
The king banned prayer to anyone other than himself, but upon learning this Daniel still fell to his knees and prayed. In fact, the moment he learned that the document had be signed, he left and went to go pray to God.
In a culture that is consistently moving further and further from Gods Word, how will His people respond? In our lives today do we show this kind of faith and trust in God? Do we understand the consequences, but still choose to obey God? Sadly many today have a faith that is dependent on circumstances. But we must be like Daniel. We should have a full trust in God to deliver us in our trials and understand that He is in control.
If prayer was outlawed, would you publicly show your faith in God? If going to church was made illegal, would you still show up on Sunday morning? These are situations that will hopefully never happen, but if they do I pray that we will be like Daniel in our response.
Names are hard. You can forget names, mix up names, and mispronounce names.
But there’s a subject in scripture that is described many different ways, and it is given multiple names. The word “gospel” appears 101 times in the Bible. Some have described this word as meaning, “a reward for good tidings.” The basic meaning of the word “gospel” is “good news.”
It is the good news about the benefits we receive from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fundamental facts of the gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These facts are found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Notice what else we learn about the gospel from this passage,
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
In this text we see what the gospel can do in the hands of a faithful Christian:
First, Paul preached this gospel.
Second, they received that message.
Third, they were standing in that message. That is, they were following the gospel.
Fourth, they were saved by that message.
Fifth, they would continue to be saved as long as they held fast to that message.
Sixth, these facts were true if they truly believed those facts.
Seventh, he delivered what he had received. He didn’t make-up this message. In Galatians 1:12 he explained, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Eighth, what he delivered was of most importance which was that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (according to what had been foretold in the Old Testament).
Ninth, Christ was buried.
Tenth, Christ was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures – according to the Old Testament prophecies.
That is the gospel. That is what we are commanded to proclaim. So let’s share the good news with our lost and dying world.
We established last week that our existence just is. We can’t control that, so we must accept it and make the best of it.
For this question there are two options: do what God wants, or don’t.
If we choose to do what God wants, then we’ve chosen to believe that he exists and has some expectations. We’re going to love people, which is not a natural response. We’re going to pray for our enemies. We’re going to do good things for people who hurt us. Our focus isn’t going to be on stuff that exists on this earth, but on the cosmic (Col 3.2). This lifestyle gives us a passport to the new earth.
If we choose not to do what God wants, we’ll live by our own rules. This lifestyle is focused on happiness and feeling good. It avoids suffering at all costs. It typically rejects any absolute moral standard. All Christians sin (I Jn 1.8), but that’s not what we’re talking about here. This is a lifestyle obsessed with self and with chasing happiness. It concerns itself only with this earth.
Our purpose is to get through this trial period — our first life — with character intact. Our purpose is to help other people. Our purpose is to search for God and all that that entails. Our purpose is to anticipate the next life. This one means nothing to the Christian, aside from being a force for good on a dysfunctional planet. Our purpose is to get home.
On June 14, 1921, Winston Churchill warned the British House of Commons about a looming threat that took a little over 80 years to see come to fruition in a graphic way: “The Wahabis profess a life of exceeding austerity, and what they practise themselves they rigorously enforce on others. They hold it as an article of duty, as well as faith, to kill all who do not share their opinions and to make slaves of their wives and children” (Churchill, “Never Give In,” p. 83). These ones he called “bloodthirsty” were ancestors of many of today’s radical Islamic fundamentalists.
It is eerie to see how accurate Churchill’s concern was and how timeless his warning. He warned of a threat that few saw as looming in the days immediately following World War I. If politicians and military strategists had given deeper consideration to his warnings, lives would have been saved. Often, though, warnings are more dutifully considered in the rearview mirror.
In the last chapter of the Bible, John relays a heavenly warning and an invitation. The warning is against tampering with the word of God (18-19). It will bring about spiritually fatal results, whether one adds to what God says (cf. Prov. 30:6) or takes away from what God says (Deut. 4:2). Adding to divine truth adds torment to the soul; taking away from divine truth results in one having taken away from him the promises and hope of heaven. In both testaments, God warns man not to change His word.
Yet with this warning is also an invitation (17). It is an invitation to share in a gift undeserved and yet unreservedly given. It is for all who are willing and who come. Those who hear this invitation and properly respond need not worry about the warning. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” will be with them (Rev. 22:21). We are wise to consider the validity of the warning and prepare our lives convicted of its power and reality. In turning from iniquity, though, let us turn toward the one who invites and live.
I Thessalonians 2.17-3.5 proves that Satan will always try to interfere with our work. He will do everything within his power to keep us from encouraging each other. It’s very interesting that of all the things to target, he’s identified our encouraging each other as most threatening to his goals.
He’ll also do everything in his power to destroy our confidence in God. For reasons I don’t fully understand, Satan has it out for the human race. This is pure conjecture, but perhaps jealousy has something to do with it. We know from scripture that angels really wanted to know what God was doing with his plan to save humanity (I Pt 1.12). Angels don’t get any kind of grace when they mess up (Jd 6; II Pt 2). Maybe Satan – as a bad-guy angel – doesn’t like that God gives preferential treatment to inferior living beings.
1 Thessalonians 3.6-13 contains a guide for avoiding burnout in our faith. If we start to run out of steam, we should remember how important our work is. It’s also encouraging to think about the lives we’ve impacted. This is grounding, and it’s a tangible reminder of how important our work is. We also learn that it’s important to focus exclusively on other people. This is even used in behavioral therapy to help manage depression and anxiety–doing things for others is very beneficial for our own mental health.
When we start to burn out, we can also pray constantly. Even though the conversation is one-sided (from our perspective at least), prayer is how we communicate with God. When we get burnt out. God will give us the oomph we need if we just ask for it. Our ultimate goal is to be morally pure when Jesus comes back, and the only way we’ll be able to make that happen is with his help.
I Thessalonians 2.1-6 reminds us that our motivation for staying faithful shouldn’t be selfish. We’re not here to gain a following or expand a financial portfolio. Those things aren’t intrinsically wrong, but using Christianity as an opportunity for financial gain is terrible. We’re faithful because it’s what God wants, and because we want to live with him forever.
The application of 2.7-12 is that God expects us to tell people about his son’s return, even if we have to do it alone. This means we don’t expect financial help as a condition for service. This means we teach with great patience. It means we share our time generously. It means we work hard. It means we invest all of our emotional resources into the work.
2.13-16 teaches that our message originated with the creator. It has a powerful effect on people who believe it. It also draws negative attention from people who find it too otherworldly to accept. For the most part, people find it difficult to accept the idea of a God. Beyond that, most find it even harder to believe that this God will destroy the planet, and will only rescue those who follow him. To most it reads like science fiction. As with other things that don’t fit a naturalistic narrative, our worldview is attacked as bring fringe or fantasy or irrational. But God will handle those who try to stop his message from spreading, so our job is to keep at it until our time is up!
In southern Peru, there is a massive area of geoglyphs carved into the ground and rock. They are named for the area, called the Nazca Lines. There are humongous carvings of people and animals, National Geographic reporting that “in total, there are over 800 straight lines, 300 geometric figures and 70 animal and plant designs, also called biomorphs. Some of the straight lines run up to 30 miles, while the biomorphs range from 50 to 1200 feet in length (as large as the Empire State Building)” (NAT GEO). There are so many theories about the meaning and purpose of these etchings, made by a people who could not have seen the entirety of figures that require aerial view to take in. It is suggested that these geoglyphs were formed between 500 BC and 500 AD by people from at least two distinct cultures. Overall, they have been well-preserved (aided by lowest annual rainfall rates in the world) and their authenticity is indisputable.
While this massive ancient project raises more questions than answers, it points to an effort that was done by a people whose work could not be appreciated in their own lifetime. The time, calculation, effort, and plotting required to draw these figures in the ground is awe-inspiring. We could argue that their work did not have the significance of medical breakthroughs, ingenious inventions, and literary brilliance, but they are still impressive. They could not see the fruits of their own labor, yet they continued to diligently work.
When it comes to matters of faith, how hard it is to labor with such foresight. The decisions we make every day, the priorities we map out for ourselves and our families, even the seemingly insignificant choices definitely impact ourselves. But, we are also building for the future in ways that we may never see in our lifetime. They will eat the fruit of the trees we are planting today.
Asaph urged an investment in the faith of one’s descendants. He says, “For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children, That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Ps. 78:5-8).
When we write God’s love and His will on the hearts of our children, it increases the likelihood that generations yet unborn will trust, remember, and obey God (cf. 2 Cor. 3:2-3)! That’s profound! New Testament Christianity extends back several generations on my mother’s side. The same is true of Kathy’s father’s side of the family. We pray daily for our children’s faith and their children’s faith. Won’t it be wonderful to spend eternity with descendants, maybe many generations removed from us, who “saw” our faith and imitated it? That is a wonder that far exceeds any archaeological find!
Live your faith! Not only will it save you, but may contribute to the salvation of many generations yet to come. Keep writing on tablets of human hearts. The future will see it and marvel!
In I Thessalonians 1.2-3, we’re motivated to work for each other for three reasons. First is our faith, which is a confidence that Jesus is coming back for us. It’s enough to make us go out of our way for each other. Our love for God is another motivator. We love God because he promised us a life with Jesus forever. Because he showed this kind of love, we show the same love to each other. Our hope is the last motivator listed in this section. A better word for this is anticipation. According to research led by Dr Andrew Huberman (neurobiologist and behavioral scientist at Stanford School of Medicine), anticipation is one of the strongest human emotions. This makes perfect sense, as our anticipation of Jesus’s return is why we live the Christian life. This is almost a word-for-word parallel to I Corinthians 13.
I Thessalonians 1.4-6 reminds us that God loves us, so he chose us to be rescued. A few thousand years ago, God chose Israel to be his special people. When they were faithful to him, they enjoyed physical blessings and a relationship with him. God chose us to live with him forever. We’re his special people. Paul also points out that we can trust God to deliver on his promise. This will show up again later in the letter. God promised that we’ll live with him forever when his son comes back for us. Faith means confidence or trust. When we trust God to deliver on his promise, we’re demonstrating faith.
This section also teaches that we can find happiness while we’re suffering. The anticipation we have of Jesus’s return is the only reason this statement is true. If this life is all there is, we’re the most miserable group of people in the world. What makes death, suffering, and anxiety worth the pain? How can we have any semblance of sanity when all the bad stuff happens? We keep going because he promised he’d come back for us, and because this life is short any way!
The concept of righteousness is quite similar to holiness; both terms refer to a state of being morally upright and emotionally attuned to God’s will. It comprises all that we term justice, honesty, morality, and affections of the heart; in a nutshell, it is true religion. And while there is this type of righteousness to emulate, there are other types of righteousness to avoid.
The first type of righteousness we need to avoid is that which originates in a person’s mind, which is distinct from the righteousness that originates in God. We identify this type of righteousness as “self-righteousness.” Self-righteousness, often born out of pride, is when a person relies on his or her sense of morality to judge right and wrong.
Another example of false righteousness is John Calvin’s teaching on imputed righteousness. By imputed, Calvin meant that God credited the elect sinner with Christ’s righteousness. As a result, God shifted His attention away from the sinner and toward Jesus, whom He acknowledges to be sinless. Consequently, Calvin believed that a person God has chosen for salvation does not need to worry about living a good life. When God looks at him, he can only see Christ. (As a side note, it is expected that the one chosen by God will seek a life of righteousness. But the truth is that according to the doctrine, it’s possible to be a willful sinner and still have the righteousness of Christ imputed to them.)
There are seven occurrences of the word “impute” in the KJV. None of these verses suggests that a person can appropriate Christ’s righteousness as their own. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ allows for the transformation of sinners into saints through forgiveness. Entrance to the heavenly kingdom is granted only to those who do God’s will (Matthew 7.21–23). Thus, while imputation suggests that God finds one without guilt and blame, it does not mean that a person can take on the righteousness of Jesus Christ and expect to gain entrance into heaven.
A sinful man becomes righteous through faith in God, not through any meritorious works he can perform. But faith does not exclude human participation. Man must do something. James 2 and Hebrews 11 remind us that faith works the works of God (Ephesians 2.10). A sinner becomes righteous, sanctified, and justified by God’s grace. God gave him his righteousness, and God counts it as his righteousness, not on account of the goodness of Christ or anyone else, living or dead.
Abraham is a great role model for how to achieve righteousness. First, Paul says that Abraham believed in God, which God credited him as righteousness (Romans 4.3–9, 17–22). Second, it is also important to note that Abraham’s righteous status was independent of his being circumcised (Romans 4.10–12). Third, Abraham’s faith was active, working by grace (Galatians 3.6–9; James 2.21–23).
So, it was Abraham’s faith in God rather than Jesus’ own sinless life and obedience that God credited as righteousness. Even though Abraham’s efforts would have been futile without Jesus’ perfect life and obedience, he could not leave everything to be accomplished by God. This truth meant that God gave Abraham the tools he needed, but Abraham was the one who had to use them.
We must do as Abraham did. And just as God will not credit us with Christ’s righteousness, neither will He credit us with the righteousness of anyone else (e.g., a parent or spouse). Our evaluation before God is personal (2 Corinthians 5.10). We must avoid doing as Paul did before his conversion, seeking righteousness contingent on anything other than Christ (Philippians 3.9).
Jesus chose imperfect, flawed people like you and me to help Him spread the gospel. It is easy for us to think that only the super-spiritual, seemingly-perfect can be effective, but the opposite is true. None of us is too spiritual or perfect, though we should always be striving to be better and do more for the One who gave everything to save us.
Paul is continuing his discussion about the ministry he and his co-workers have when he pens 2 Corinthians 4. As he does, he speaks candidly about himself and them–the messengers. As Christians charged with carrying out the Great Commission, we should all put ourselves in his shoes and understand better who God uses in His service.
GOD USES PEOPLE OF INTEGRITY (1-4)
Character does not demand perfection, but it does require a conscience shaped by Scripture and a heart softened by it. This leads one to stay encouraged no matter what is encountered (1). It also leads to honesty and trustworthiness (2). We will conduct our lives righteously, and we will handle God’s Word faithfully. People can trust who we are and, thus, what we say. We may be rejected by the spiritually blind, but we won’t be a roadblock to their faith.
GOD USES PEOPLE OF HUMILITY (5-7)
Paul gives a helpful reminder. It’s not about us, it’s about Christ. He’s the source of light, glory, and power. We’re the plain, fragile pottery God uses to demonstrate His surpassing greatness.
GOD USES PEOPLE OF DURABILITY (8-12)
To be His servants, we have to weather storms. Those storms may be those we would avoid if we didn’t serve Him, but we understand the importance of our mission. We won’t let affliction, perplexities, persecution, and threats keep us from doing His work! God does not need spiritual sissies in His service. We draw our courage and strength from Him, and it causes Him to shine out through us!
GOD USES PEOPLE OF STABILITY (13-15)
What causes us to be stable? Faith! Because we are truly convicted of the truth, we cannot help but speak. We have faith in the reality of the resurrection, so we teach and share the message that brings grace to more and more people. This leads more people to give thanks to God and causes God to be glorified.
If I want to be a faithful servant of Jesus, I need to watch my personal conduct, lower myself, endure, and be trustworthy. That does not require perfection, but it does require dedication! But God depends on imperfect people like you and me! We cannot let Him down.
If you want to win on the battlefield, you need to know your enemy and yourself, as Sun Tzu outlined in The Art of War. We are engaged in a spiritual conflict (Ephesians 6.11–13). As a result, in order to arm ourselves against sin, we must first recognize sin and its nature. Additionally, we need to be aware of how God will respond to any sin not atoned for by the blood of His Son. Finally, we must also properly respond to sin’s threat.
How can sin be identified?
First, it is a transgression of the law (1 John 3.4). By definition, transgression is “the act of passing over or beyond any law or rule of moral duty; the violation of a law or known principle of rectitude; breach of command” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary). Accordingly, “transgression” describes instances in which we break the law, whether on purpose or accidentally. This infringement only needs to happen once to be considered a transgression.
Second, all unrighteousness is regarded as sin (1 John 5.17). Looking back to Webster’s original definition, we can see that unrighteousness “may consist of a single unjust act, but more generally, when applied to persons…denotes a habitual course of wickedness.” In other words, this is a condemnation of willful sinners. This is more than just breaking the law; it’s a deliberate decision to disobey God.
Third, anything not of faith is a sin (Romans 14.23). As Burton Coffman observes: “Where the conscience is in doubt, the definition of proper conduct must be made on the basis of what the word of God says; and, lacking any clear knowledge of what the word says, or, if knowing it, lacking full confidence and faith in it, the person is bound by his scruples.” This principle does not extend to situations where the conscience is not threatened.
Contextually, Paul is referring to the consumption of meat offered to idols. Meat offered to idols was technically forbidden (Acts 15.20). However, if the origin of the meat was unknown, you could gladly accept it. If, on the other hand, your host identified the meat source as coming from a pagan sacrifice, you couldn’t eat it for the sake of your conscience and the consciences of those who might see you and stumble as a result (1 Corinthians 10.27–29).
Fourth, God defines sin as not doing something. “So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin” (James 4.17 NASB). This sin is the most concerning of all the ways we fall short. We’re aware of potential threats, but can we also spot opportunities? We can become so preoccupied with avoiding what is wrong that we miss out on what is right.
Now that we have identified sin, what is its nature?
First, sin is deceptive (Hebrews 3.13). You’ve probably heard the phrase “bait and switch.” That is what sin is. It makes promises that it cannot keep. It lures us with the appearance of pleasure, success, and freedom only to enslave us with guilt, shame, and emptiness.
Second, sin hardens the heart (Hebrews 3.8). It’s worth noting that the original Webster’s Dictionary from 1828 contains a definition for “harden” in this context. To harden means “to confirm in wickedness, opposition, or enmity; to make obdurate.” Oxford Dictionary defines obdurate as “stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action.” As a result, the practice of sin causes one to become stubborn and reject God’s goodness in favor of the allure of sin.
Third, sin progresses (2 Timothy 3.13). David is a fantastic example of this. When one reads 2 Samuel 11, he finds David atop his palace when he should have been in the field with his soldiers. David could see into Bathsheba’s courtyard from his rooftop. He was moved with lust when he saw her bathing and had her brought to him. He had an affair with her, and she became pregnant.
Instead of admitting his sin, David brought the woman’s husband home, assuming they would have marital relations and that others would perceive his illegitimate child as her husband’s. Because he was such a great soldier, the woman’s husband forsook home comforts while he and his comrades fought. As a result, David orchestrated his death on the battlefield. When David paused atop his roof that fateful day, he had no idea what would happen. We can see, however, how quickly and far sin led him.
Fourth, sin’s pleasure is fleeting (Hebrews 11.25). Consider the phenomenon of intoxication. While under the influence, one may feel giddy or relaxed, but when sobriety returns, there may be things to deal with, such as headaches and the stupid things you did while drunk.
Fifth, sin’s price is astronomically high. (Romans 6.23). What a dreadful boss! Sin rewards you with death for your faithful service.
Sixth, sin dulls the conscience (1 Timothy 4.2). Paul depicts a conscience seared with a branding iron. He is discussing false teachers in the immediate context. One might wonder if such a person would repent if lovingly shown the truth. Unfortunately, there are times when one’s conscience is seared. They continue to teach falsehoods despite knowing they are false.
Note how God responds to sin.
God takes vengeance upon it (2 Thessalonians 1.7-9). We find this thought-provoking discussion about vengeance in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:
“The infliction of pain on another, in return for an injury or offense. Such infliction, when it proceeds from malice or more resentment, and is not necessary for the purposes of justice, is revenge, and a most heinous crime. When such infliction proceeds from a mere love of justice, and the necessity of punishing offenders for the support of the laws, it is vengeance and is warrantable and just. In this case, vengeance is a just retribution, recompense or punishment. In this latter sense the word is used in Scripture, and frequently applied to the punishments inflicted by God on sinners.”
God punishes it (Matthew 25:46). This outcome is because, as Webster stated, God’s actions are just. God does not punish sinners because He is sadistic or because He can. Instead, God takes action because the punished person has done something deserving of the punishment. And this punishment is eternal (Matthew 25:46). Words like “eternity” are mysterious to us as beings defined by time. However, from our perspective, even one second of our skin’s exposure to fire feels like a long time. Consider a scenario in which the flames never die, and one cannot escape them.
Now is the time for a proper response to sin and its character.
We must adequately address sin. (Proverbs 28.13). However, hiding sins will not remove them. God reminds us that sin will eventually betray us, revealing its presence to all (Numbers 32.23). We can’t avoid our sins by pretending they don’t exist (1 John 1.8–10).
No, God has provided the means to save us. This method is known as the plan of salvation. “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,” Peter says (Acts 2.38 NASB). We must walk in the light of God once He adds us to Christ’s body (1 John 1.7; Acts 2.41, 47).
However, because everyone has sinned, including God’s children, repentance never loses relevance (Acts 8.22). Similarly, we must confess our sins (1 John 1.9). By doing so, we have the assurance of Christ’s cleansing blood.
Lastly, keep away from sin by obeying the Lord’s command. “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9 NASB). Paul also urges us to “abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5.22 NASB). Trust in the Lord and obey Him to cleanse your life of sin and receive your soul’s salvation.
Acts 20:22-24 says, “And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
From these verses we understand that the local preacher must learn to trust in the Lord to take care of them no matter what happens in their ministry. We read here of Paul and the affliction and imprisonment he faced in every city. Paul had his priorities in order, he did not wish to save his life, but to lose it for Christ (Matthew 10:39; Galatians 2:20). As a local preacher we may face trials in our ministries, but if there is a trust in the Lord to get you through, then there is always hope.
Notice that Paul says, “Not knowing what will happen to me there…” Another quality we must have as preachers is that we must fully rely on God. Even when we don’t know what will happen to us. Applying this practically, we should rely on God even when we don’t know where our next paycheck is coming from. We must rely on God when we travel overseas to foreign countries. Many in the world react harshly to Christianity and we may not know how they will receive us. Do we trust in God when the world hates us? How will the members of the congregation act when they see a man who puts that much trust in God? It will inspire them to do the same thing. Their trust in God will grow through our example.
There were times in Paul’s life when he had no idea what the outcome would be. Sometimes he did not even know whether or not he would die, but he kept on in the service of the Lord regardless of his circumstances. That is faith, and that is the kind of faith we need as ministers for the church in the 21st century. We serve a God that promises a great reward if we live a faithful life, so there is no reason why we shouldn’t trust in Him the way Paul did.
We also learn from verse 24 that the local preacher must put the Word of God first in life. By doing this, the most important piece of life is given the attention that it needs. Many ministries fail because of a lack of putting God’s Word first. We could never help a local church the way it should be helped without God’s Word. Also, ministers must not fret over the physical. Being so focused on what could happen, or what has happened could cause a train wreck for both the preacher and the congregation. Many ministers are focused on what people want to hear rather than what they need to hear. From reading the writings of Paul we can see that he preached and taught some very difficult topics. As preachers today we need to preach an unadulterated gospel. We should teach those hard topics. We should teach even when we may be the only one willing to stand by the scriptures.
A congregation must feel some growing pains in order to be strengthened. They need to hear the hard lessons and as preachers we need to be preaching to ourselves as well. When we study the Bible, we should be applying the lessons to our lives first. People will not listen to a preacher who is not living what he is preaching.
Galatians is written to a group of non-Jewish Christians. Paul converted them with a simple message: Jesus came to earth to give us grace and immortality. We get that by believing what we’ve heard about him coming back to life and by being baptized into his grace. At some point, Jewish converts infiltrated their church and started aggressively promoting Jewish traditions. They told the Galatian Christians that if they really wanted to be saved, they needed to follow certain Jewish customs. The entire book is both a refutation of that teaching and a dire warning to any Christian who tries to add to God’s requirements.
Jesus’s sacrifice was to free us from this evil world we live in. Romans 8.22-25 says, “We know that everything God made has been waiting until now in pain like a woman ready to give birth to a child. Not only the Earth, but we also have been waiting with pain inside us. We have God’s Spirit as the first part of his promise. So we are waiting for God to finish making us his own children. I mean we are waiting for our bodies to be made free. We were saved to have this hope. If we can see what we are waiting for, that is not really hope. People don’t hope for something they already have. But we are hoping for something we don’t have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently.”
The whole purpose of Christianity is to anticipate Jesus’s return, and help the rest of the world face that day prepared. Paul reminded the Galatians that they weren’t saved by any old human way. The only legitimate source of truth and hope is God.
Do you have a “debt problem”? According to credit service, Experian, the average credit card debt per household is $5,315 (Wallethub puts it at $7,849). Renting money comes at a high cost with exorbitant interest. Perhaps you or a loved one have faced an enormous debt, medical costs, business or student loans, or a mortgage that made for uncomfortable living? Most of us know how that feels, to one degree or another. We don’t like the thought of owing someone. It gives them power and control over us (read Prov. 22:7). Perhaps you are one of those who can say that you don’t owe anyone–not the credit card companies, the mortgage company, the automobile dealers, etc. But you are still in debt! So am I.
Luke reveals a dinner party with a very diverse cast of characters (Luke 7:36-50). There’s Simon, a Pharisee, who plays host (36). There are several dinner guests (49), but sinless Jesus, God in the flesh, is the guest of honor (36). Then, there was a woman who crashed the party, whose name Luke doesn’t give us but who instead is identified by her lifestyle–“a woman in the city who was a sinner” (37). The Pharisees were the custodians of the Old Law (Mat. 23:2). Simon would be a man of great reputation, one who we’d think would not be the indebted type. This unnamed woman was the opposite.
Such is the setting that allows Jesus to drive home a powerful point about debt. The woman, with a visibly enormous, spiritual debt, spends money (Mark and John record a similar incident where the contents were worth as much as 300 denarii, or almost a year’s wages), sacrifices dignity, submits humble service, and shows significant emotion (37-38). Apparently, “who” she was was well-known and she had nothing to lose and everything to gain. She is the picture of transparency and need.
Apparently, Simon is at the other end of the spectrum, physically, socially, and, at least on the surface, spiritually. In fact, he sits in judgment of Jesus for allowing the woman to be so familiar with Him, thinking to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who & what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner” (39).
Jesus, able to read Simon’s thoughts, uses them as a launching point to teach that vital point about spiritual indebtedness. He shares the parable of two debtors. There was a disparity between the two debts, but neither could repay what they owed. The lender forgives both debts, no strings attached. Who would feel the greater depth of gratitude and affection? The answer is obvious, and Jesus makes application.
He points to how humbly and freely the woman expresses her love and appreciation to Jesus, while Simon is negligent in all the ways she was demonstrative. Jesus points out that this is about faith and forgiveness (47-50). The Lord doesn’t deny that the magnitude of the woman’s sinfulness is enormous (47), but He fully and freely forgives her. Simon’s disadvantage is not as apparent, but is definitely serious. Was he prideful? Self-righteous? Judgmental? There are definitely signs of such struggles in his life.
It is dangerous to live a life of sin and rebellion against God’s will. Too many never come to grips with their need for faith and forgiveness. But, it is at least as dangerous to be blind to our sin problem or to rationalize and minimize its effect upon our lives. This woman teaches us to be transparent with God and others, to acknowledge our debt, to ask the only one capable of forgiving it to do so, and then to live with humble gratitude and renewed resolve and purpose. Because, whether we admit it or not, we all have an insurmountable debt we cannot repay without His help.
I’ll be repeating the book of I John in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today.
This is not an “essentially literal” translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
Love, Pt. 2
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the king who came from God should also love everyone who belongs to God. When we love God and practice what he commanded, that’s how we know we love his family, too. We prove that we love God when we do what he’s commanded, and those commands aren’t difficult to live out.
If you’re a part of God’s family, you’ve already beaten the world. Our faith is how we’ve won — if you believe that Jesus is God’s son, you’ve won in our spiritual battle against the world!
“But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.” (Ecclesiastes 12.12 NASB1995)
As Solomon reaches the end of his treatise as “The Preacher,” he expresses his feelings, using his life as an example. During his life, as today, people wrote on many topics. If there is a difference between our two eras, it must be that more people today have access to education and can read all of the books that people write. Otherwise, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1.9). Yet, with education comes self-reflection. And self-reflection often prompts men to take pen to page and write in poetry and prose. Even so, that self-reflection brings melancholy, as with men like Edgar Allen Poe.
And this is where we find Solomon. But even though cynical at this point, Solomon still sounds as if he could have found a home among the other literary figures of the Romantic era, like Alfred Lord Tennyson or Henry David Thoreau. When it is fashionable for men to be scholarly, one notes more men willing to put thoughts and feelings into words. Whatever the rationale, whether to be praised, make money or achieve catharsis, it spawns one of the hallmarks of culture: literature.
Generally speaking, literature and its study are positive. From those writers in the past, concepts have been communicated through time, influencing future generations. Before the Romantic era, the West went through the Age of Enlightenment. Academics and thinkers drew ideas from the classical thought of ancient Greece. Some thinkers in this epoch penned literature the American Founding Fathers read and sparked a revolution. Others, like Sir Isaac Newton, were inspired to unlock the secrets of the cosmos.
But then there is another class of literature written by men with a deleterious effect on the reader. No, I am not just talking of the smut peddler, though that is terrible. Instead, I am referring to those like Karl Marx or Adolph Hitler, who took to pen to write dangerous, subversive ideas that upset the course of civilization. Although World War 2 effectively destroyed Hitler’s brand of fascism, Marxism still flourishes in the ivy-covered walls of U.S. colleges and universities. And we have not even mentioned those like Friedrich Nietzsche, who was desirous of taking away his reader’s hope in God.
Even so, the written word remains one of man’s greatest inventions. And it is apropos that the first book produced by a printing press was a copy of God’s Word. That book, the Bible, is itself a compilation of 66 books. And think of the diverse and storied men who wrote those books’ words through the Holy Spirit’s influence: shepherds, kings, tax collectors, tent makers, doctors, et al. So the final product is something we can even enjoy as literature, despite being written for our moral guidance.
In this Information Age, as some have dubbed it, we still have our writers. They may write as I do for a blog, a funny-sounding word that didn’t even exist a half-century ago. It is short for “weblog.” Or they may write for journals, newsletters, and books. But men still write. You may have never guessed that it is a tiresome task, especially when dealing with the denizens of the interwebs. These readers crave new content, not unlike the way the ancient Athenians daily gathered on Mars’ Hill to hear some new thing (Acts 17.21). And if you don’t keep your content fresh, you lose readers. So even if you do not monetize your blog, as this is a non-monetized blog, one still wants to have readers to make the endeavor worthwhile. It is not necessarily a numbers thing, but more eyes ensure that more seed-casting and watering can occur so that God brings an increase (1 Corinthians 3.5-7).
Hence, there is wisdom in distributing this chore to five men, each bringing their perspective to the task. As one who has repeatedly tried and failed at blogging because of physical infirmity and ADHD, one article a week is a fantastic achievement. However, I get tired at even the thought of multiplying that effort by five weekdays. But Solomon pointed out that writing is tiring. Yes, this is not a book, per se. But it is still wearisome. Some may mock how something like preaching, teaching, or writing devotional content could be tiring since it is not blue-collar work. The answer lies within physiology since even the brain of a resting person requires about 20% of the body’s energy.1
There are also emotional highs and lows. Sometimes you become sad like Solomon. When you realize, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10.31 NASB1995), you want to figure out how to convince the most stubborn person of their need to obey God. Sometimes you must surmount cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, and generational differences to do this. So how do I tailor a message to convince this man or woman I desire to win for Christ?
At other times you encounter a gold nugget, something that had never caught your attention in your prior readings through the Scriptures. So, naturally, you want to drop everything and research it, plumbing its depths. But maybe your search leads nowhere. And you end up tossing it upon that humongous pile of things that are the secret things known only to God (cf. Deuteronomy 29.29). Then again, you might hit the Comstock Lode. In this case, not only do you learn something new, but it may even be something that corrects you from the error you ignorantly embraced and taught. At the end of the day, one realizes that he will never exhaust his capacity to learn something from God’s Word. And that should be something that humbles you.
No wonder Solomon ends his message by saying one should not try to tackle the wisdom that we see residing beyond God’s Word. If it can be wearisome to study the Bible, imagine trying to wrap your head around fields of study that are contingent on theories since no one can prove what they believe. For example, just recently, the James Webb Space Telescope showed no signs that the universe is expanding, something necessary if the big bang occurred. There is also no red shift in those galaxies farthest away, indicating no cosmic expansion. So now cosmologists and physicists will go back and have to come up with a new explanation for the universe’s origin. How frustrating, even panic-inducing.2
Solomon sums everything up after the “wearied Preacher’s” last admonition against too much study and “excessive devotion” to books of no eternal value. Our purpose is to fear God and keep His commandments because He will be judging us (12.13-14). If you know enough to save your soul from hell, you are indeed a wise man or woman.
In the next several weeks at Lehman Avenue church of Christ, there are several big events occurring. In two weeks, we’re having our Vacation Bible School (which we’ve even advertised on TV). The following Sunday is our “Friends And Family Day.” Then, a couple of weeks after that, we’re having a “Widowhood Seminar” with Dean Miller. A month after that, we’re having our Fall Gospel Meeting with Robert Hatfield. There are other things that affect part of the congregation during this time, but it all makes the point that these are potential opportunities to be involved, to invite non-Christian friends and family, and encourage our immediate families.
The apostle Paul asks the church at Galatia to consider each other within the body of Christ. They had a responsibility to help pull each other out of spiritual darkness (Gal. 6:1), to support each other (Gal. 6:2), to strengthen his or her own faith (Gal. 6:4-5), to support Christian teachers and preachers (Gal. 6:6), and to sow the right kind of spiritual seed (Gal. 6:7-8). They were not to lose heart in doing good (Gal. 6:9). It is in this context that Paul makes this statement: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10). In this short statement, Paul shares six truths about opportunities.
Opportunities Are Conditional. Paul says, “As we have opportunity.” When should we walk through doors of opportunity? When they are open. Don’t force something that is not there, but don’t shun or avoid what is placed before you. Consider that this might well be the providence of God.
Opportunities Are Communal. “As we” implies that God wants His people working together. He does not desire one or a few to be involved in any area that He has designed the church to do. While opportunities are also personal, and each of us must seek opportunities. But, from the beginning, we see the church working together (Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:3ff).
Opportunities Are Tangible. An opportunity is an event, a person, a place, a need, etc., that can be weighed, evaluated, and engaged in. It’s not a wish, hope, or idea per se. It’s something you can put your hands on.
Opportunities Are Practical. Seeing the opportunity, we are to “do.” Engage your brain power, think it through, seek counsel, and the like, and put them to work. In the end, it will not be “well said” or “well intended,” but “well done” (Mat. 25:21,23).
Opportunities Are Impartial. Let us do good to everyone. That’s people like us and people nothing like us. It’s for people easy to serve and people difficult to serve. God demonstrates impartial goodness and kindness (Acts 10:34-35; Mat. 5:45; Acts 14:17). That’s what He wants from us.
Opportunities Are Special. We are to exercise opportunities “especially to those who are of the household of faith.” God wants us to focus on helping our brethren in a special, prioritizing way in the midst of our searching for opportunities. Don’t neglect opportunities with those in the world, but keep your sharper eye on helping your spiritual family.
In the light of all that God is affording us the opportunity to do in the near future, let’s consider what Paul says in this text. Apply it to your situation, wherever you are and whatever is going on. God doesn’t expect you to do it all or more than your fair share, but He makes clear that He has expectations of you in this realm of opportunities. Who knows what good thing He will do through you, if you are ready to meet the opportunity head on.
A law enforcement officer interviewed on a Chicago news station was commenting on the most recent, tragic shooting, this one in the Windy City’s northern suburb town of Highland Park. He began talking about root causes of these shootings, comparing these shooters to weeds that pop up various places. In the midst of this, he made an incredible statement: “Let’s go back to church.”
I got to thinking about what, if any, connection these shooters had with organized religion. Is there a trend? In 2018, John Lott, President of Crime Prevention Research Center, wrote, “What is most shocking is how few of these killers appear to be religious, let alone Christian. Just 16 percent have any type of religious affiliation at the time of their attacks, with a slight majority of those being Muslims” (https://dailycaller.com/2018/05/26/religion-of-mass-public-shooters/). His criteria was a mass public shooting in which at least four people were killed. He counted 69 killers in 66 shootings from 1998-2018. Just four of these identified themselves as Christians and just three were “clearly regular church goers” (ibid.).
On the other side of the coin, The New York Times shared the results of a study done by the University of Kentucky of 3000 participants in 13 countries. The lead paragraph by writer Benedict Carey states, “Most people around the world, whether religious or not, presume that serial killers are more likely to be atheists than believers in any god, suggests a new study, which counters the common assumption that increasingly secular societies are equally tolerant of nonbelievers. Avowed atheists exhibited the same bias in judging sadistic criminals, the study found” (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/health/atheists-religion-study.html).
But, truly this is not about finger-pointing. For those with a biblical worldview, we can see a connection between society’s that violate God’s will and a great many consequences (Prov. 14:34). That is perhaps a needed point for a different article. Instead, consider something about the wisdom of God in how He intended the church to function and behave. From the very beginning, the church was established to be a place of community and fellowship (Acts 2:42). It was also designed to be a place of internal accountability (1 Cor. 5; Gal. 6:1-2; Jas. 5:19-20). In Christ, the individual is given a better, more positive view of self (1 Pet. 2:5,9; 1 John 3:1-3), of fellow-believers (John 13:34-35), and even those who are different than them and even persecutors of them (Mat. 5:38-48).
I would argue that there are so many more reasons why one should consider attending church. There is an eternal gain that makes anything which happens in this life bearable (Rev. 2:10). There are spiritual blessings in such abundance that it’s hard to count them all (Eph. 1:3ff). There I a joy in serving with others and in the serving of others (Gal. 5:13; John 13:12-17). Yet, there is also an antidote to isolation and the frightening results of the echo chamber that occurs in the absence of others to help balance and challenge us to be better and live better. Isolation and loneliness seem to be occurring in epidemic proportions. This certainly is a scourge on mental health, but it also has social, emotional, spiritual, and even physical consequences. Perhaps that law enforcement expert is right. Maybe the answer is as simple as, “Let’s go back to church.”
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:23-25).
The first miracle of Jesus is found in John chapter two. While many won’t give much thought to the servants in this account, let’s place the focus on them here.
John 2.1-11
“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.
When Jesus refers to His mother as “woman” He was using a term of respect in that day and age. John writes that the hour of His death had not come because that is an underlying narrative of his book.
Continuing on,
“Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”
Now, notice the response of the servants.
“So they filled themup to the brim.”
They never questioned why they should fill these jars with water. This was no simple task and it was no doubt a time consuming chore. The jars held anywhere from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and eighty gallons of water. They likely drew the water out of a well— one bucket at time.
Jesus then tells the servants,
“Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.”
Once again, notice the response of the servants.
“So they took it.”
The servants didn’t ask why they should draw the water out or even why they should take it to the master of the feast. They don’t seem to hesitate even though it could have been a humiliating experience to serve water to the head of the wedding feast. They just took it! They simply listened to what Jesus told them to do.
The servants and their unquestioning obedience is praiseworthy. As servants of Christ, we should do whatever He tells us. We shouldn’t do the bare minimum but we should, in a spiritual sense, fill our jars to the brim. We should live our lives completely dedicated to fulfilling His commands, even if it’s difficult or when it doesn’t make much sense to us.
The Preacher Pollard Blog 