FAITH HAS CONSEQUENCES (NOVEMBER 27)
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"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8).
THERE IS A “JUDICIAL” ASPECT TO THE GOSPEL, BUT SALVATION IN CHRIST INVOLVES FAR MORE THAN GOD’S PRONOUNCEMENT THAT WE ARE “JUSTIFIED.” Having obeyed the gospel we do indeed stand in a right relationship with God, having been pardoned from our past sins (Romans 5:1,2). At that point, however, we begin learning to be very different people than we used to be. As forgiven ones, living under God’s mercy, we participate in the process of “bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
In particular, we begin living on the basis of faith. Paul was quoting from Habakkuk when he said, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). In contrast to our previous self-will, our decisions are now governed by God’s will. Our operative principle is confidence in the One “whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12).
As we learn to live by faith, things begin to happen that would not happen if it were not for faith. For one thing, faith commits us to a life of spiritual growth. It is the foundation upon which all of the Christ-like qualities of character are built — and the addition of these virtues to our faith is not optional. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10,11).
Believing, then, is not a simple one-time decision after which we drift through life automatically, taking it for granted that we have been saved. True faith is a “walk,” a way of living (Colossians 2:6,7). At the heart of it all is a trust in God that causes us to obey Him readily and reverently. It is a soul-deep dependence on the Father who has loved us and saved us. To believe is not only to believe, but to take the risks that only trust will take.
"The temptation to make our relationship to God judicial instead of personal is very strong. Believing for salvation has been reduced to a once-done act that requires no further attention" (A. W. Tozer).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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HONEST ABOUT OUR TRANSGRESSIONS (NOVEMBER 26)
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"For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long" (Psalm 32:3).
WE NEED TO ACCEPT THE LORD’S VERDICT CONCERNING OUR SINS. Our sins can be forgiven if we accept His plan for their forgiveness, but a part of the plan is repentance — and repentance includes taking honest responsibility for what we’ve done. To the best of our present understanding, we must see the seriousness of our sins and enter a plea of “guilty as charged.” When we fail to do this, by hiding our sin or trying to minimize it, our situation just keeps getting worse. “When I kept silent,” David said, “my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.”
It is interesting to contrast the honesty of David (2 Samuel 12:13) with the excuse-making of Saul (1 Samuel 15:15,24). Unlike Saul, who wanted to rationalize his deeds and soften the blow as much as possible, David wanted to hear the worst-case indictment of his character by the God of truth — so that he could repent. The truth can be painful, as we all know, but David wanted only the truth. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12 NKJV). “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23,24).
All of us want other people to see us favorably, but I’ll tell you something else: we want to see ourselves favorably. When we have sinned, we will spare no effort to make the situation seem as innocent as possible in our own thinking. What we did may not have been the best, we think, but the “mistakes” we made were “understandable.” But the more time we waste trying to spin the story to our advantage, the longer it will be before we can be forgiven.
Thanks to the gospel of Christ, there is no sin we can’t be forgiven of. But forgiveness is only for the honest. Like the penitent tax collector in Luke 18:9-14, we must be willing to say, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” It may seem more comfortable to stay in the darkness and try to preserve our flattering self-image with denials of the truth, but there is nothing but death in that cave. To be forgiven, we’re going to have to come out of hiding. In Jesus Christ there is life — but it is only in the light of truth that we can live.
"If my hangups and negatives are called sin by our Lord, then sin it is" (Bob Turnbull).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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IF WE HAVE DIED TO SIN (NOVEMBER 25)
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"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1,2).
ONE OF OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES IS TO RESPOND RIGHTLY TO GOD’S GRACE. Surely there is no greater gift than the forgiveness of our sins in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. But we must determine not to “receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).
In Romans 6:1,2, Paul was dealing with the false notion that if God forgives our sins by grace then it doesn’t matter how we live: we may sin with impunity, knowing that grace will save us anyway. But if a Christian thought this way, he or she would obviously have a confused concept of what it means to obey the gospel. “How,” Paul asks, “can we who died to sin still live in it?”
When we are baptized into Christ, we are baptized into His death. We die to the sins that separated us from God, and we dedicate ourselves to walking in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). But what does this mean at the practical level? What qualities of character will regulate the life of one who is obeying the gospel?
COMMITMENT. At the very least, we must commit ourselves to obedience to Christ. Words like “promise” and “vow” are not too strong to describe the decisiveness of our new life in Christ.
CONFESSION. When we fail to think or act as we know Christ would want, we are to confess our sin to Him honestly. Most of us would do well to make the specific confession of our actual sins more of a daily practice. Dying to sin means confessing our sins.
REPENTANCE. Just as confession should be our habit, so should repentance. Like David, we should seek God’s help in seeing our sins so that we can correct them immediately (Psalm 19:12-14). In this life, dying to sin does not mean perfection — it means repentance.
If commitment, confession, and repentance are not a part of our daily walk with God, we need to go back and remember the “death” we died when we were baptized. If at that time we did not honestly decide to turn our backs on sin — no ifs, ands, or maybes — then we need to do so. There is no hope of defeating the enemy if we still dine at his table from time to time. If we have died to sin, the only word sufficient to keep it out of our hearts is “No!”
"It is the great moment of our lives when we decide that sin must die right out, not be curbed or suppressed or counteracted, but crucified" (Oswald Chambers).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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A SOBERING (AND ENCOURAGING) THOUGHT (NOVEMBER 24)
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"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:7-9).
IDEAS HAVE EMOTIONAL CONSEQUENCES, AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON US CAN BE COMPLEX. Sometimes a single idea may produce effects that are on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. For example, there are a number of ideas that are both sobering and encouraging at the same time. This is not a problem; it is a blessing.
Writing to the Galatians, Paul wanted to encourage them to remain faithful and keep doing the Lord’s work even when they were persecuted. But he also wanted to warn them of the consequences of unfaithfulness. So he pointed to the process of sowing and reaping: “whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” What emotional effect would it have on these Christians to realize that we will reap what we have sown? If they thought about it, they would be both sobered (a person can’t sow to the flesh and not reap corruption) and encouraged (if we keep sowing to the Spirit, we will reap eternal life; so whatever happens, we must not give up).
Why do texts like this have such a balanced effect on us? It is because both of their points of emphasis are inherent in the character of God. A simplistic view of God would see Him as either a God of love or a God of judgment. The truth, however, is that He is both, and if either component of His character is left out of our thinking, we will be worshiping not the real God but an imaginary God that we have constructed in our own minds.
Even after obeying the gospel, we still need to be reminded of the sobering side of God’s truth (1 Corinthians 10:12). But what if you have not yet obeyed the gospel? What do you need to hear? You need to hear all of the truth that God has revealed about Himself. So study all of the Scriptures. You will be encouraged, but you will also be sobered. To repeat, this is not a problem; it is a blessing.
"The judgment of God is the reaping that comes from sowing and is evidence of the love of God, not proof of his wrath. The penalty of an evil harvest is not God’s punishment; it is the consequence of defying the moral order which in love he maintains as the only environment in which maturity of fellowship and communion can be achieved" (Kirby Page).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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OBEDIENCE IS A CHOICE (NOVEMBER 23)
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"Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him" (Hebrews 5:8,9).
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM JESUS IS THE LESSON OF VOLUNTARY OBEDIENCE TO GOD. Even with His unique relationship to the Heavenly Father, Jesus still had to choose to obey. “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” In making this difficult choice, “he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.”
In the New Testament, we are urged to have the same attitude toward obedience that Jesus had, even if it means setting aside personal preferences (Philippians 2:5-8). We can’t claim to be Jesus’ followers if we don’t emulate His reverence in doing what is right. For Jesus, the question “What is God’s will?” was the only question worth asking. It was the end of every discussion.
But also like Jesus, we must understand the decisiveness of obedience. If He always did what was right, it wasn’t because He was carried along by some irresistible force. Instead, he “learned obedience,” freely and voluntarily making the choice to submit to God’s will. And nowhere do we see His agony in this choice any more painfully than in Gethsemane: “And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done’” (Luke 22:41,42).
No matter how complicated the scenario, doing what is right is always an option. When we face hard decisions, it will be helpful if we’ve established habits of obedience previously. But even so, obedience is a choice that must be made moment by moment. In the life of obedience, there is no such thing as “autopilot.”
There is no way around it: obedience requires discipline. And discipline comes from deciding what is most important to us. So if you’re a Christian, I recommend that you meditate on Paul’s exhortation: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). Valuing our hope more highly than anything else, we will pursue that hope with passionate discipline. Turning back is a choice we will choose not to make — period.
"The Christian life is never automatic" (Erwin W. Lutzer).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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O TO BE LIKE THEE! (NOVEMBER 22)
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"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure" (1 John 3:2,3).
IN HIS DEALINGS WITH US, GOD HAS A GREAT GOAL. It is not merely to rescue us but to reform us. For all who will accept His plan, God intends to repair the damage sin has done to our character and make us into nothing less than perfect reproductions of His gloriously perfect Son: “Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). Making this possible is why Christ died for us. And whatever secondary or intermediate blessings may be involved, we ought never to lose sight of what God is really after: our likeness to Jesus Christ, His Son.
We see this in the life-choices of Paul. He wanted to be like Christ in everything, even in suffering: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10,11).
Today, we would do well to ponder the advice of the 18th-century Anglican, William Law, who said, “From morning to night keep Jesus in your heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing, but to have all that is within you changed into the spirit and temper of the Holy Jesus.” If this is not a driving force within us, we are settling for something less than the gospel of Christ.
To the Christians in Corinth, Paul wrote, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Far more than comfortable circumstances or emotional inspiration, to be conformed to the virtues of Christ’s character is what we want — at any cost. And not only is this our highest hope; it must be the goal we pursue more actively and energetically than any other. What did John say in our beginning text? “Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and pray’r;
Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
(Thomas O. Chisholm)
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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HAVE WE "PUT ON" CHRIST? (NOVEMBER 21)
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"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27).
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, ONE WAY CHRISTIANS ARE DESCRIBED IS TO SAY THAT THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE “PUT ON” CHRIST. The image, of course, is that of taking off one set of clothes and putting on another. In his new relationship with Jesus Christ, the Christian has “put on” His Lord — he has adopted the characteristics of Christ in such a way as to have “clothed” himself in Christ.
(1) BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST. Paul wrote that “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Attempts to explain away this clear statement are futile. It is in baptism, and not before, that we enter into this new relationship with Christ, not because it earns us salvation as a meritorious work, but simply because Christ commanded it as a condition of His grace (Acts 2:38).
(2) PUTTING ON CHRIST. Baptism is followed by the living of a new life (Romans 6:4), so there is a vital link between baptism and putting on Christ. But the second does not automatically follow from the first — it is a choice on the part of the one who has been baptized. For that reason, the Christian is not just said to have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27), but he is commanded to do so (Ephesians 4:24). In Colossians 2:6, Paul put it simply: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.”
Suppose a person studies Jesus’ teachings and emulates His character, but does not obey the command to be baptized for the remission of his sins. He will have a better life in this world (and others will benefit from that), but he will die with no scriptural basis upon which to expect anything but separation from God in eternity.
But turn the situation around. Suppose a person is baptized but never chooses to “put on” Christ. His lifestyle would suggest that, despite his baptism, his heart still belongs to the devil. His old rebellious self was not “buried” as it should have been (Romans 6:1-4).
So for those who have been baptized, the critical question is this: have we put on Christ? Have we been truly converted to Him, discarding our old life and clothing ourselves with the fresh, clean garments of our Lord’s heart, mind, and character? If not, perhaps our commitment to Christ is lacking. He deserves better from us.
"Christianity can be condensed into four words: admit, submit, commit, and transmit" (Samuel Wilberforce).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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JESUS CHRIST, OUR EXAMPLE (NOVEMBER 20)
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"For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you" (John 13:15).
CERTAIN PARTS OF JESUS’ WAY OF LIFE ARE POPULAR AND FREQUENTLY PRAISED. When we want support for our viewpoint, there always seems to be some aspect of Jesus’ teaching and lifestyle that we can appeal to. And whatever our theology or sociology, we can find a favorite angle from which to admire Jesus.
The problem is, we tend to “cherry pick” the examples of Jesus, taking the ones we like and leaving the others aside. If there is something Jesus did that seems extreme, unrealistic, or unreasonable, we respond to that text with a quick “yes but.” To an objective outsider, it would almost seem that we limit our imitation of Jesus’ example to what is “trending” at the present moment.
Today, of course, we face many dilemmas that have no specific precedent in Jesus’ life two thousand years ago. “What would Jesus do?” is always the right question to ask, but getting a helpful answer to that can be difficult. It requires wisdom and discernment — and these things come from much study, thought, and prayer, not to mention a good deal of hard and painful experience.
Rightly answering “What would Jesus do?” requires, above all, learning the character of Jesus. When we study the stories of His teaching and His behavior, we are wanting to learn His principles, His values, His likes and dislikes. We won’t follow Jesus’ example faithfully if we haven’t learned to think as He does. And learning to think as He does is what growth in Christ is all about.
Jesus, however, must be more than just our Example. He came into the world, first and foremost, to be our Savior. And if we have not accepted His salvation from our sins, His example will do us little good. But if He is first our Savior and then our Example, look at what happens. By coming penitently to Jesus — seeking first the forgiveness of our sins and then committing ourselves to live by His example — we become an example that helps other people come to Christ. The process repeats itself from person to person.
In his life, Christ is an example, showing us how to live.
In his death, he is a sacrifice, satisfying for our sins.
In his resurrection, he is a conqueror.
In his ascension, he is a king.
In his intercession, he is a high priest.
(Martin Luther)
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WHEN THE FEELING OF SALVATION FAILS US (NOVEMBER 19)
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"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior" (Titus 1:1-3).
FEELINGS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY ARE NOT INFALLIBLE. If our feelings are based on erroneous thoughts, those feelings will be inappropriate. So the constant challenge in life is to make sure our thoughts (and our actions) are based on truth and not on fiction.
As indicated in the text above, the hope of eternal life rests on the promise of God. (What Paul says about it here is similar to what Peter said in 1 Peter 1:3-5.) And dependence on God’s promise is the main component of faith — the decision to trust His promise.
Since life can be a hard business, there are times when we won’t “feel” forgiven. What should we do at such times? We should go back to the Scriptures. It is only in the Scriptures that we will find a dependable, objective assessment of our relationship to the Lord.
Looking into the Scriptures, we may find that having accepted God’s salvation on His terms, our hope in Him is well-founded. Despite our feelings, we must count on the dependability of what God has said.
But looking into the Scriptures, we may find that we are not, in fact, in a right relationship with the Lord. In that case, we need to repent and seek His forgiveness. When Paul said, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5), he raised the possibility that some of his brethren in Corinth might not have as secure a relationship with Christ as they thought they had.
Either way, the Scriptures need to be our guide. Our feelings may err on the high side or the low side, but the only reliable basis for our confidence is God’s promise. And never forget: the only thing we know about God’s promise is what we find in the Scriptures.
Someone asked Luther, “Do you feel that you have been forgiven?”
He answered: “No, but I’m as sure as there’s a God in heaven.
For feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God, naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned for want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word till soul and body sever;
For though all things shall pass away, his Word shall stand forever!”
(Martin Luther)
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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CONFIDENT IN CHRIST . . . AND CAREFUL (NOVEMBER 18)
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"Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward" (2 John 8).
TOWARD THE END OF JOHN’S LIFE, THE CHRISTIANS IN ASIA WERE IN DIRE STRAITS. Threatened with persecution, heartbroken at the doctrinal apostasy that was taking place, disturbed about the prevalence of moral corruption among Christians, and concerned about the complacency of so many churches, the faithful brothers and sisters were hard pressed. And John was concerned about these faithful disciples: “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”
To be watchful does not mean to be afraid. It does not require paranoia, anxiety, or uncertainty as to our salvation in Christ. But it does require vigilance. Given the problems that confront us (no less today than in the first century), it would be dangerous not to guard our faith carefully — there are none more vulnerable to the devil’s malice than those who are not paying attention.
Like it or not, we have an enemy whose intent is to destroy us. Peter compares him to a lion looking for his next meal. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy is no match for the power of the King, of course. But until the last battle has been fought, we need to be cautious. As long as it is possible for us to become lackadaisical and drift away from the Lord (Hebrews 2:1), we need to be very careful (Ephesians 5:15).
In Christ’s letters to the seven churches of Asia, we hear Him warning even the most faithful of these churches to be steadfast. To Philadelphia, He said, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11). The “armor” that Christ has given us (Ephesians 6:10-20) is quite capable of guarding us against the devil, but only if we strap it on . . . and use it.
Unguarded strength is double weakness, as the saying goes. Even with our strengths, blessings, and advantages, we must take care. Being naive is not a virtue. So Jesus said to His apostles, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
"The thing we have to watch most of all is our strength, our strong point. We all tend to fail ultimately at our strong point" (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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EVEN IN CHRIST, WE ARE NOT YET FULLY ALIVE (NOVEMBER 1)
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"And this is the promise that he made to us -- eternal life" (1 John 2:25).
WHEN GOD ENTERED THIS WORLD AND TOOK UPON HIMSELF HUMAN FORM, A NEVER-BEFORE THING BEGAN TO HAPPEN. The miracle of the Incarnation was not just that God became man but that in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, God brought into this world a new kind of life. This new life is nothing less than the kind of life that God Himself has always had, and based on what Jesus did, God has been offering this life to all who will agree to be delivered from the death of sin and made alive in this new way. “This is the promise that he made to us — eternal life.”
When we obey the gospel of Christ, we receive the forgiveness of our past sins and there is a sense in which we pass, at that point, from death to life. We who “were dead . . . God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). But there is a greater sense in which obedience to the gospel puts us into a process of growth that will lead to life, the kind of life that, in its fullness and perfection, will only be ours when Christ returns. “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3,4).
Right now, God is working on our character with a hammer and chisel, as it were. The ravages of sin are being chipped away, sometimes painfully. The hearts we were meant to have are being created anew by our Father. What a thrill it is to get a glimpse of the joy that will be ours when the process has finally been completed and we think and act as creatures perfectly alive in every way. No more damage, no more death — just perfect, unending life.
In Christ, therefore, we live in great anticipation. And since we live in anticipation, we also live with focused concentration and resolute patience. Excited, enticed, and intrigued by the foretaste of what real life will be, we can hardly wait. But wait we must. So Peter says, “Preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
"This world is a great sculptor's shop. We are the statues and there is a rumor going around the shop that some of us are someday going to come to life" (C. S. Lewis).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK GOD (NOVEMBER 16)
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"For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you while there is a window of opportunity" (Psalm 32:6 NET).
GOD GRANTS US THE TIME TO SEEK HIM, BUT THE SPAN OF THAT TIME IS NOT UNLIMITED. Eventually, our time in this world comes to an end; after that, there will be nothing left but the rendering of God’s judgment on the way we responded to His salvation. “Just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27,28).
In Hebrews 3:13, the writer encouraged his fellow Christians with these words: “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” There are many reasons to do what is right in a timely way and not postpone it, but one of the most practical reasons is that waiting to obey God always puts us in danger of being hardened by our sin. The longer we delay, the more our conscience becomes callous. For all practical purposes, our window of opportunity begins to close on the day when we start telling those who try to help us to mind their own business.
Just days before His death, Jesus stood outside Jerusalem, surveying the city: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:37,38). To be lost, then, is a double tragedy. It is to have separated ourselves from God by our sins and then to have refused the salvation which He tried to offer us.
If we are cut off from God, standing under the penalty of eternal death which He has justly decreed, we need to obey the gospel of Christ. But, to use an old idiom, we need to “strike while the iron is hot.” If we fail to use the opportunity which His grace has provided, the word “regret” will crush us with horrible force. There is no love more painful than a love that dies untold. So tell Jesus Christ that you love Him. Tell Him today — by your obedience.
"You cannot repent too soon because you do not know how soon it may be too late" (Sir Thomas Fuller).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
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THE CHURCH IN SPLENDOR (NOVEMBER 15)
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". . . so that [Christ] might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27).
IT IS INTRIGUING TO THINK OF CHRIST “PRESENTING THE CHURCH TO HIMSELF.” The basic image is that of a bride being presented to her bridegroom (as in 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:2), but here Christ is pictured as presenting His own bride to Himself. Christ gave Himself up for His bride, in the words of Richmond Lattimore’s translation, “so as to set the church next to himself in glory, with no spot or wrinkle or anything of the sort upon her, but to be holy and without flaw.” Or as Ronald Knox renders it, “[Christ] would summon it into his own presence, the Church in all its beauty, no stain, no wrinkle, no such disfigurement.” The idea is that if the church is at any time to be a bride worthy of the Lord’s own purity, He Himself will have made her so.
In the ESV, “splendor” is the word used to describe the Lord’s bride, the church. Other possible translations would be “glory” or “radiance.” These are words that all refer, in their literal sense, to things that shine brightly, but we often use words like “glory” to mean “majestic beauty” (American Heritage Dictionary). And that phrase — majestic beauty — wouldn’t be a bad way to characterize the church which Christ died to cleanse and set apart for Himself.
The object of Christ’s sacrifice was a bride “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” This object will be fully realized in heaven, but even now those who have been washed from their sins in baptism (Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26) are in a process leading to that goal: “beholding the glory of the Lord, [we] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). For after all, Jesus Christ is the key to the church’s splendor, both now and in eternity. The bride’s beauty is that of her Bridegroom.
"The enemies of Christ are triumphant, Christianity is a failure, they say, and the church of God herself looks on in pain at the shortcomings in her midst. But lo, at length from the very heart of the shadows appears the majestic figure of Jesus, his countenance is as the sun shining in his strength, around those wounds in brow and side and hands and feet -- those wounds which shelter countless thousands of broken hearts — are healing rays" (Oswald Chambers).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
THE POWER (AND BEAUTY) OF COMMITMENT (NOVEMBER 14)
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"But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you'" (Ruth 1:16,17).
THERE IS NOT IN THE SCRIPTURES A MORE BEAUTIFUL EXPRESSION OF FAITHFUL “FOLLOWERSHIP” THAN THE WORDS OF RUTH TO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW, NAOMI. Not knowing what the future might hold, she pledged to stay with Naomi and help her — no matter what might happen. And while this is a touching statement of the faithfulness of one human being to another, it reminds us of the even greater power and beauty of our commitment to God.
For one thing, Ruth’s commitment did not depend on whether it would be easy to keep. And just as Ruth’s commitment to Naomi was unconditional, our commitment to God needs to be so. We will surely fail in our discipleship to Christ if we’re not willing to bind ourselves with a do-or-die pledge of faithfulness.
All of the serious commitments in life are costly. They rarely end up being kept if we’re not willing to make significant sacrifices. Jesus had sacrifice in mind when He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). What that cross will require of us, we don’t know. What we do know is that heaven will be worth more than anything it may cost us in this world (Mark 10:28-31).
It is obvious that Ruth loved Naomi very dearly — and her pledge to follow Naomi was motivated by a love that showed up in faithful action rather than mere feelings. In the end, it is only love for God that will hold us steady as we make life’s hard choices.
Most of us (or at least many of us) will do what is right in the big tests of life, especially if the test is public and other people are watching to see what we will do. But it may be that the truly “big” tests of life are the “little” ones, the many daily decisions that call for us to remember our promises to the Lord and faithfully do the best we can do. Over the long haul, that is how godly character comes into being. And that is how, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, most of the good is done that we hope to do in our lives.
"Faithfulness in little things is a big thing" (John Chrysostom).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
THE GOSPEL IS TRUE, BUT WE MUST PAY ATTENTION (NOVEMBER 13)
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". . . how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will" (Hebrews 2:3,4).
THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY STRUCK ME. In a recent poll, people in Western Europe who have abandoned religion after being raised in a religious home were asked why they became unreligious. The most frequent reason, cited by 68% of those surveyed, was that they just “gradually drifted away from religion.”
In the New Testament, the Letter to the Hebrews was written to a group of Christians whose commitment was wavering. In 2:3,4, there is a reminder of the strong foundation on which the gospel of Christ rests. Whether we are Christians or we’re just considering Christianity, we would do well to ponder these points:
DECLARED AT FIRST BY THE LORD. Jesus preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14,15). But Jesus said not only that the “good news” had come to pass, but that, in fact, He was the good news. “Come to me,” He said, “and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
ATTESTED TO US BY THOSE WHO HEARD. The apostles were eyewitnesses. They had been with Jesus for three years, hearing everything He said, and they had seen Him after His resurrection. Even under threat of persecution, they could not remain silent: “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
GOD ALSO BORE WITNESS. Paul said that he had performed the “signs of a true apostle” (2 Corinthians 12:12). So the witness of the apostles to the gospel’s truth was further backed up by the miracles they could perform. These miracles provided a final, conclusive proof, one in which God Himself was saying, “This message is true.”
Shall we neglect such a great salvation and simply drift away from it? The evidence that the gospel is true has never changed since the days of Jesus and the founding of His church. Our circumstances may have altered. Our emotions may have fluctuated. But here is one thing that has not changed: the powerful three-fold witness to the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
"If you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?" (C. S. Lewis).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
NO CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT CORRECTABILITY (NOVEMBER 12)
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"They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth" (Amos 5:10).
THE PROPHETS SENT BY GOD TO CALL FOR REPENTANCE IN ISRAEL DID NOT ALWAYS FIND A RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE. Israel, desperately in need of a radical return to God, often rejected the pleas of the prophets for a change of heart. Apparently this was characteristic of the attitude of many of them about correction in general. Even when it came to listening to the daily wisdom of their elders in the community, they were incorrigible. “They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.”
In the New Testament, we hear Jesus lamenting the fact that Jerusalem had for so long rejected those sent by God to call them back from their sin, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37).
But what about you and me? Are we innocent of this error? Honestly, can any of us say that we’ve listened any more openly when confronted with the need for change at the deepest level? Israel’s tendency to “abhor him who speaks the truth” is, unfortunately, a human tendency. Every one of us resists being reproved.
And if the Hebrew prophets were hard to hear, the gospel of Jesus Christ is hard also — for the very same reason. It requires enough honesty to admit that our fellowship with God is broken: unless we change direction and seek God’s forgiveness on His terms, we will remain alienated from Him forever. Frankly, not many people are “correctable” enough to listen as humbly as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11: “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Wisdom is a curious thing in that it hurts us before it helps us. Although its benefits are enjoyable, wisdom usually requires some painful adjustments at first — starting with the admission that our present situation is not all right. And so it is with the gospel of Christ. It promises eternal salvation, but only to those bold enough to leave behind their current state. It’s a journey that many will not make because it is far too uncomfortable and costly.
"Wisdom is a good purchase though we pay dearly for it" (Old Proverb).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
DON’T LIMP! DECIDE! (NOVEMBER 11)
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"And Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.' And the people did not answer him a word" (1 Kings 18:21).
ELIJAH DID NOT PULL ANY PUNCHES. Challenging the people to choose between the worship of God and the worship of Baal, he mocked their wishy-washy attitude: “How long will you go limping between two different opinions?” Or as the ERV so colorfully paraphrases it: “You must decide what you are going to do. How long will you keep jumping from one side to the other?”
In this book, we’ve been discussing the importance of obeying the gospel of Christ — both the “how” and the “why” of that obedience. I hope I’ve made it clear that the commitment to follow Christ is not one to be entered into lightly. The question of whether the gospel is true is extremely — indeed, eternally — important and should be considered carefully. But sooner or later, a decision has to be made. If you’ve seen that the gospel is true, and you know what the New Testament teaches about how to obey it, the question is unavoidable: What do you choose to do? You can’t waver between obeying the gospel and rejecting it any more than Israel could waver between God and Baal. You must decide.
When we’re faced with momentous decisions, we sometimes think we have decided when, in reality, we have not. Often, we think we’ve decided when all we’ve done is congratulate ourselves on knowing what we should do, thinking, “I’ll do it as soon as a good opportunity presents itself.” In an age that worships feelings (substituting feelings for thinking and even for action), we suppose that we’ve made a choice simply because we feel a certain way. But ponder this statement by Eric Greitens, with which I agree: “Remember that deciding is not doing, and wanting is not choosing. Transformation will take place not because of what you decide you want, but because of what you choose to do.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said, “It is the characteristic excellence of the strong man that he can bring momentous issues to the fore and make a decision about them.” The weak vacillate and procrastinate. But the people of strong character decide. And they know that backing away is always the wrong decision.
"Not to decide is to decide" (Harvey Cox).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
THE SAMARITAN SYNDROME (NOVEMBER 10)
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"So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children's children -- as their fathers did, so they do to this day" (2 Kings 17:41).
THE PEOPLE DESCRIBED IN THIS TEXT ARE THOSE WHOSE DESCENDANTS WERE KNOWN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD AS THE SAMARITANS. Descendants of intermarriage between Israelites and the foreigners imported by the Assyrians in 722 BC into Samaria, the central section of Israel, the Samaritans practiced a religion that was a mixture of elements from Judaism and the religions of the lands from which the foreigners had come.
Today, we might say the approach of the Samaritans to the worship of God was eclectic (“combining elements from a variety of sources”). A religious historian might call it syncretism (“reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief”).
By whatever name it might be called, however, it was a dishonor to God and a clear violation of the covenant He had made with Israel at Sinai: “The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, ‘You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them . . . you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods’” (2 Kings 17:35-38). It might have been expected that the polytheists imported into Israel would incorporate the God of Israel into their pantheon of deities, but for the Israelites to reciprocate by adding the practices of these nations into their worship of God was the very kind of idolatry they had been warned against for centuries. Before they even crossed the Jordan, Moses had said, “If your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish” (Deuteronomy 30:17,18).
But what bearing does this have on our study of obeying the gospel of Christ? Just this: Jesus calls on us to make a radical choice. The choice Israel needed to make was a prefiguring of the greater choice that confronts us today. The very worst decision we can make is to try to have every possibility at once. It is no more possible to serve two masters now (Matthew 6:24) than it was in Samaria ages ago.
"Progress always consists in taking one or another of two alternatives, abandoning the attempt to combine them" (Albert Schweitzer).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
A DECISION ONLY WE CAN MAKE (NOVEMBER 9)
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"'Return to me . . . and I will return to you,' says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 1:3).
THE MESSAGE PREACHED BY THE PROPHETS WAS THE MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE. Despite their blessings, Israel had frequently strayed from God, and they needed to turn back. This was not a popular message. Nobody ever likes to be told that they have departed from God, but in Israel’s case, this would have been especially true. Given the privileges of their role in God’s plan to save the world, there would have been many who presumed that Israel’s unique relationship with God guaranteed that His favor was automatically theirs. So when the prophets called upon the Jews to return to God, many in the audience might have said, “What in the world are you talking about? We’ve never left God.”
Yet Israel did need to return to God. The preaching of the prophets was desperately needed (even if it was not wanted). And today, we need to hear God’s appeal no less: “Return to me . . . and I will return to you.” It does no good to suppose that (a) we have such a privileged status before God, or (b) we are such good people, there could never be a breach between us and God. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1,2; 4:17), Peter preached repentance on Pentecost (Acts 2:38), and Jesus even called upon several of the congregations in Asia to repent (Revelation 2:5; etc.). And not only is there a universal need for repentance; there is a universal possibility of repentance. The fact that it is commanded presumes that it is possible for us to do it. While there is still breath in our lungs, none of us is a hopeless case. We are never so distant from God that, by His grace, the trip back home can’t be made.
As long as we sojourn in this world, God will never give up on us. He will always, always, always be calling us to come back home, just as He called Israel through Zechariah. Since God gave us a free will, the decision to return is one that only we can make, but we shouldn’t underestimate the desire with which He longs for us to make that choice. He loves us more than we can imagine, and He will pursue us down all the hard pathways of life, persistently pleading, “Return to me . . . and I will return to you.”
"I strayed, and yet I remembered you. I heard your voice behind me, telling me to return" (Augustine of Hippo).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU (NOVEMBER 8)
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"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).
THE INVITATION OF JESUS IS AN INVITATION TO THE WEARY. The satisfied may find Him “interesting,” if even that, but those who recognize the toll that sin has taken upon them are desperate for relief. Poor in spirit, mourning for their sins, and hungering and thirsting for righteousness (Matthew 5:3-6), they long to hear more of what He meant when He said, “I will give you rest.”
It may seem odd that what Jesus offers to the weary is a yoke. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” But He knows the nature of our problem. We have worn ourselves out running away from reality and refusing to accept the rule of our Creator. Rebellion is, after all, an extremely exhausting enterprise, and we have found it to be so (despite the lie we were told by the tempter, who said that disobedience would be the way to real “life”). So what we need is not the “freedom” of more lawlessness; we need to return to the will of God and find our rest therein. In comparison to the yoke of the enemy, the yoke that Jesus offers is easy. It requires nothing but what contributes to our true and lasting good.
Jesus’ invitation is to learn from Him. The rest and refreshment He wants to give us can only be ours if we learn to think differently. Untruth must be replaced by truth. Dysfunctional concepts must be replaced by healthy ones. In short, we must learn a new “mind” (Philippians 2:5). “Do not be conformed to this world,” Paul wrote, “but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
The truth will liberate us from what has enslaved us (John 8:32), but only if we submit to it — not just intellectually but in our deeds. Submission is hard, at least at first, since old habits die hard. But if rejecting the King’s rule is what killed us in the first place, we should not expect peace of mind if we won’t relearn the laws of obedience.
"It is not in understanding a set of doctrines, not in outward comprehension of the scheme of salvation, that rest and peace are to be found, but in taking up, in all lowliness and meekness, the yoke of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Frederick William Robertson).
Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com