"Are you a Christian?"
This was the question asked by a young man armed with several weapons, standing in the doorway of a classroom located on a small Oregon college campus. He asked the instructor first. When she responded affirmatively, he fired a fatal shot. Some of the students also confessed Christ and died almost instantly. Others who did not profess faith received flesh wounds.
In the end, nine were dead and a number of others wounded, some critically.
Almost immediately the story of their courage went viral on social media. A presidential candidate was seen holding a sign in support reading "I am a Christian." T-shirts were made with #IAmAChristian emblazoned on the front, in an attempt to identify with the slain and remember them.
It's not the only time I have thought about my own mortality.
Most of us deal with death by buying life insurance. We do those things that everybody recommends, not able to deny the event intellectually but maybe, just maybe, not acknowledging it in any real way.
Christians know that this life is temporary, but often we live as though it were not. I know that is true for me. The days string along, one after another, and each gray hair or wrinkle just irritates me in a superficial way. Well, what hair dye shall I buy this month?
But when we read the New Testament we see an entirely different attitude. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain, the Apostle Paul wrote. He knew that death was a positive thing because it meant going home. Going home to be with Christ.
Jesus spoke of these matters in very real and graphic terms. He spoke of the the rich man dying and experiencing torments (Luke 16:19-31). He spoke of the Day of Judgment and the Resurrection.
Peter wrote of the heavens "passing away" (II Peter 3:10) and the world burning up. His epistles exhort us to live as "sojourners and pilgrims" (I Pet 2:11)--this place is only temporary, and our "real" home--and our real citizenship--is in heaven.
I needed to be reminded that anything less than a genuine longing for the "blessed hope"--the return of Christ--is an indication of worldliness and spiritual sloth on my part.
He may not return in my lifetime, but in a way, that's irrelevant. I may die today and then I will see Him. I will see the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. For me.
Those who lay dead in that classroom were ushered into glory. They are Home.
#IAmAChristian.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Eunice's Victory
As wives and mothers, we like things to be just right. Floors cleaned. Pantry stocked. Clothes pressed. Children obedient.
In our dreams! In reality, there are spots on the floor, sometimes meals aren't gourmet, laundry piles up, and our children . . . well, raising children is an incredible challenge. We can feed them right, dress them, even teach them right from wrong, but they still often choose to do wrong.
And then there is the challenge of teaching them the Scriptures. The most fundamental thing our children need. The most lasting contribution we can give them. Sometimes it can feel as if we're spinning our wheels. Are they really learning? Will it stick? And what about the influences of the world, some of which may even be rooted inside the family. Family members and friends who oppose any efforts at practical godliness.
I want to tell you about a woman named Eunice. She is referred to three times in the Scriptures (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 3:15). She was the mother of Timothy, the Apostle Paul's "son" in the faith.
Then he[Paul] came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. Acts 16:1
Lystra was a town in modern-day Turkey. Jews were living all over the Roman Empire, speaking the Greek language, and interacting with Greek culture. But they maintained a separate identity and established synagogues for worship. They had the Scriptures, too, written in Greek, which was what they spoke every day. But in Lystra, the predominate religion was the worship of Greco-Roman demi-gods. For devout Jews and later, Christians, there was a tension. Sometimes even persecution.
This is where Eunice lived. Her mother was devout and she learned the Scriptures. But for some reason, she married a Greek. Now some Greeks, hearing God's Word, became "proselytes." They chose to identify with the Jews and obey the Law. But this was not one of them.
We know this because their son Timothy was not circumcised as an infant. A traditional Jew would be horrified at the thought of omitting this important ritual. We don't know what Eunice thought about this. We can guess that she was not pleased. Or, perhaps, she may have wandered from her mother's instruction for a time. It would explain the marriage.
Eunice may have understood that circumcision did not make a person right with God. If not then, she must have learned it eventually, when she heard and embraced the gospel of grace. Even Abraham was justified--made right with God--by faith even before he was circumcised, as Paul explains in Galatians.
Whatever Eunice's thoughts may have been, she did not give up. She taught her son the Scriptures, assisted by her mother Lois. It might have been tough at times. It is quite possible that Timothy's father educated him in the traditional Greek way. This would be like having your child attend a public school all day--then you get the "remnants" of your child's time and attention. But despite these hardships, Paul remembers this mother and grandmother when writing to Timothy:
when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also . . . 2 Tim 1:5
It wasn't the "perfect" Christian family. Such a thing does not exist. Eunice faced unique trials. But she was faithful and is now forever remembered in the annals of Scripture. Her name, translated from the Greek, means, "good victory."
In our dreams! In reality, there are spots on the floor, sometimes meals aren't gourmet, laundry piles up, and our children . . . well, raising children is an incredible challenge. We can feed them right, dress them, even teach them right from wrong, but they still often choose to do wrong.
And then there is the challenge of teaching them the Scriptures. The most fundamental thing our children need. The most lasting contribution we can give them. Sometimes it can feel as if we're spinning our wheels. Are they really learning? Will it stick? And what about the influences of the world, some of which may even be rooted inside the family. Family members and friends who oppose any efforts at practical godliness.
I want to tell you about a woman named Eunice. She is referred to three times in the Scriptures (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 3:15). She was the mother of Timothy, the Apostle Paul's "son" in the faith.
Then he[Paul] came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. Acts 16:1
Lystra was a town in modern-day Turkey. Jews were living all over the Roman Empire, speaking the Greek language, and interacting with Greek culture. But they maintained a separate identity and established synagogues for worship. They had the Scriptures, too, written in Greek, which was what they spoke every day. But in Lystra, the predominate religion was the worship of Greco-Roman demi-gods. For devout Jews and later, Christians, there was a tension. Sometimes even persecution.
This is where Eunice lived. Her mother was devout and she learned the Scriptures. But for some reason, she married a Greek. Now some Greeks, hearing God's Word, became "proselytes." They chose to identify with the Jews and obey the Law. But this was not one of them.
We know this because their son Timothy was not circumcised as an infant. A traditional Jew would be horrified at the thought of omitting this important ritual. We don't know what Eunice thought about this. We can guess that she was not pleased. Or, perhaps, she may have wandered from her mother's instruction for a time. It would explain the marriage.
Eunice may have understood that circumcision did not make a person right with God. If not then, she must have learned it eventually, when she heard and embraced the gospel of grace. Even Abraham was justified--made right with God--by faith even before he was circumcised, as Paul explains in Galatians.
Whatever Eunice's thoughts may have been, she did not give up. She taught her son the Scriptures, assisted by her mother Lois. It might have been tough at times. It is quite possible that Timothy's father educated him in the traditional Greek way. This would be like having your child attend a public school all day--then you get the "remnants" of your child's time and attention. But despite these hardships, Paul remembers this mother and grandmother when writing to Timothy:
when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also . . . 2 Tim 1:5
It wasn't the "perfect" Christian family. Such a thing does not exist. Eunice faced unique trials. But she was faithful and is now forever remembered in the annals of Scripture. Her name, translated from the Greek, means, "good victory."
Thursday, July 16, 2015
A Call to Die
Hedonism. I heard this word the other night, used to explain modern American culture. According to Webster's it means "the self-indulgent pursuit of pleasure as a way of life."
Yes, this does describe the American culture, and it is a universal human failing. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy about evil men who were "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (II Tim 3:4).
What seems different now--as compared to previous generations--is that this goal, this lifestyle, is publicly celebrated as never before. What is pleasurable--what makes you "happy"--is seen as the highest end. It's easy to condemn the results: homosexual "marriage," the sale of fetal body parts. Christians who read their Bibles have no trouble seeing that these things are wrong.
But according to the Apostle Paul, "those who are outside [the church] God judges." (I Cor 5:13) God will take care of the world; we need to look to our own hearts. Peter writes, "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (I Pet 4:17)
Whatever this may mean, we are certainly to remove the "beam" from our own eyes before examining others (Matt 7:3-5).
Do I live for pleasure?
No, I don't do all the outward things condemned in Scripture. I certainly don't engage in sexual perversion or sell fetal body parts. But when Jesus taught his disciples about the Law of God--in the "Sermon on the Mount"--we quickly see that much of the Law is internal, not external. Do you lust? Do you hate? Do you covet?
I have been guilty of coveting time and again. No, I don't wear an embroidered "C" on my chest for all to see. But that lust to have is part and parcel of living for pleasure. For you it might be shoes or the latest gadget. For me it's books or maybe just a healthier body. Our wants are endless.
And what about all those "innocent" pleasures we enjoy day to day? Do I really have to have that dessert? Or watch that movie? The things in themselves may not be especially harmful, but when you realize how easy it is to fall into a lifestyle of living for those pleasures, you understand Spurgeon's railing against the "theatre." He was talking about a pleasure-seeking lifestyle.
Jesus' call to deny ourselves and follow Him is a call to say "no" to hedonism. In order to embrace Christ, to receive life, we must put away death. It is a daily walk, a fellowship. It is a fellowship of joy but also of suffering as we turn aside from our fleshly lusts again and again.
Yes, this does describe the American culture, and it is a universal human failing. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy about evil men who were "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (II Tim 3:4).
What seems different now--as compared to previous generations--is that this goal, this lifestyle, is publicly celebrated as never before. What is pleasurable--what makes you "happy"--is seen as the highest end. It's easy to condemn the results: homosexual "marriage," the sale of fetal body parts. Christians who read their Bibles have no trouble seeing that these things are wrong.
But according to the Apostle Paul, "those who are outside [the church] God judges." (I Cor 5:13) God will take care of the world; we need to look to our own hearts. Peter writes, "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (I Pet 4:17)
Whatever this may mean, we are certainly to remove the "beam" from our own eyes before examining others (Matt 7:3-5).
Do I live for pleasure?
No, I don't do all the outward things condemned in Scripture. I certainly don't engage in sexual perversion or sell fetal body parts. But when Jesus taught his disciples about the Law of God--in the "Sermon on the Mount"--we quickly see that much of the Law is internal, not external. Do you lust? Do you hate? Do you covet?
I have been guilty of coveting time and again. No, I don't wear an embroidered "C" on my chest for all to see. But that lust to have is part and parcel of living for pleasure. For you it might be shoes or the latest gadget. For me it's books or maybe just a healthier body. Our wants are endless.
And what about all those "innocent" pleasures we enjoy day to day? Do I really have to have that dessert? Or watch that movie? The things in themselves may not be especially harmful, but when you realize how easy it is to fall into a lifestyle of living for those pleasures, you understand Spurgeon's railing against the "theatre." He was talking about a pleasure-seeking lifestyle.
Jesus' call to deny ourselves and follow Him is a call to say "no" to hedonism. In order to embrace Christ, to receive life, we must put away death. It is a daily walk, a fellowship. It is a fellowship of joy but also of suffering as we turn aside from our fleshly lusts again and again.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Keeping Silent
There is so much I would like to say.
Hezekiah, a godly king of Judah, knew when to keep silent. And he knew to whom it was important to speak.
You see, the great superpower of his day was at his gates. Sennacherib the king of Assyria was spewing threats. You can read the story in Isaiah 36 and 37.
The Northern Kingdom had already been taken away captive, and many of the walled towns of Judah were overrun. There really was no defense against the might of the Assyrians.
When Sennacherib's captain came within earshot of the walls of Jerusalem, Hezekiah wasn't even there. He instructed his men not to say anything to the enemy. They merely listened as the confident Assyrian mocked the frailty of the Jews. They listened as He mocked their God. They didn't respond.
Then, when Hezekiah received a threatening letter from his nemesis, he didn't whip out writing materials for a quick response. Instead, he took the letter to the house of the Lord. He opened it up before his God and poured out his heart.
Now, Hezekiah had done right in the sight of the Lord. He had led the people in doing right, and in worshiping the Lord according to the Law of Moses. Under his rule the people tore down idols and brought in the tithes. A true revival had broken out in the land. (See II Chronicles 29 for the details of his reign.) I wonder what Hezekiah was thinking at this point. If he doubted or questioned God it couldn't have lasted long, for next we see him in the temple with that letter.
Today I saw something just as alarming to me as that army at the gates of Jerusalem. I saw a picture of the White House all lit up in rainbow colors. The Supreme Court discovery of same-sex "marriage" in the Constitution spelled party time for many, including the president. For the inhabitants of Zion it was like the glint of spears in the distance. We've already seen various legal skirmishes in our country. Anyone who refuses service of any kind to a gay couple wanting to wed can be prosecuted. Even if it's against his conscience or religion. From now on it can only get worse.
It's also been a huge discouragement. For American Christians who love their country, it is grievous to see. The Constitution is godly in the sense that it recognizes that you can't trust people. Human nature is not inherently good. We must be governed by laws, not men. That's what the Founders thought. But John Adams predicted that even this worthy document would not be enough to restrain a people not governed by morality or religion. And so we see his words come to pass. According to our Court, words no longer mean what they say.
What to do? What to say? Hezekiah's example returns to my mind. Clothes torn in grief, he kneeled before the Lord, the letter spread out. And God answered. (Read the story!)
At the same time, the example of his entire life comes to mind: making sure that his own heart--and the choices he made in ruling the people--were right. In the end, my main concern must be how I treat my neighbor, how I love my husband, how I teach my children. Are there idols I allow in my heart and life? There are constant temptations to sin on every hand, and many of these only God can see. All this comes first.
If my own heart is right, then I can say with Esther, "If I perish, I perish." But I'm also going to spread out my "letter." Who knows what God may do?
Hezekiah, a godly king of Judah, knew when to keep silent. And he knew to whom it was important to speak.
You see, the great superpower of his day was at his gates. Sennacherib the king of Assyria was spewing threats. You can read the story in Isaiah 36 and 37.
The Northern Kingdom had already been taken away captive, and many of the walled towns of Judah were overrun. There really was no defense against the might of the Assyrians.
When Sennacherib's captain came within earshot of the walls of Jerusalem, Hezekiah wasn't even there. He instructed his men not to say anything to the enemy. They merely listened as the confident Assyrian mocked the frailty of the Jews. They listened as He mocked their God. They didn't respond.
Then, when Hezekiah received a threatening letter from his nemesis, he didn't whip out writing materials for a quick response. Instead, he took the letter to the house of the Lord. He opened it up before his God and poured out his heart.
Now, Hezekiah had done right in the sight of the Lord. He had led the people in doing right, and in worshiping the Lord according to the Law of Moses. Under his rule the people tore down idols and brought in the tithes. A true revival had broken out in the land. (See II Chronicles 29 for the details of his reign.) I wonder what Hezekiah was thinking at this point. If he doubted or questioned God it couldn't have lasted long, for next we see him in the temple with that letter.
Today I saw something just as alarming to me as that army at the gates of Jerusalem. I saw a picture of the White House all lit up in rainbow colors. The Supreme Court discovery of same-sex "marriage" in the Constitution spelled party time for many, including the president. For the inhabitants of Zion it was like the glint of spears in the distance. We've already seen various legal skirmishes in our country. Anyone who refuses service of any kind to a gay couple wanting to wed can be prosecuted. Even if it's against his conscience or religion. From now on it can only get worse.
It's also been a huge discouragement. For American Christians who love their country, it is grievous to see. The Constitution is godly in the sense that it recognizes that you can't trust people. Human nature is not inherently good. We must be governed by laws, not men. That's what the Founders thought. But John Adams predicted that even this worthy document would not be enough to restrain a people not governed by morality or religion. And so we see his words come to pass. According to our Court, words no longer mean what they say.
What to do? What to say? Hezekiah's example returns to my mind. Clothes torn in grief, he kneeled before the Lord, the letter spread out. And God answered. (Read the story!)
At the same time, the example of his entire life comes to mind: making sure that his own heart--and the choices he made in ruling the people--were right. In the end, my main concern must be how I treat my neighbor, how I love my husband, how I teach my children. Are there idols I allow in my heart and life? There are constant temptations to sin on every hand, and many of these only God can see. All this comes first.
If my own heart is right, then I can say with Esther, "If I perish, I perish." But I'm also going to spread out my "letter." Who knows what God may do?
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
A place to stand
I read an article recently about the "world" creeping into the church. The author made some good points, but I'm just a regular person, not a pastor, and my main concern is myself.
Am I worldly? How do I let the philosophies--the dominant ideas and practices--of this ungodly world influence me?
To begin with, I considered: how does the Bible define worldliness? I found the answer in the book of 1st John:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I Jn 2:15-17
Reading these verses I can see that John is not talking about this physical world per se. There was a heresy back then which said that the spirit is good but physical things are bad, and I suppose it's possible to fall into that trap even today. But clearly, John is talking about something unseen.
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life--this is what worldliness is to the Apostle. By the way, the Greek word translated "lust" simply means to long for. It is used in a good sense in I Tim 3:1 about "desiring" the office of a bishop (elder). It encompasses a lot of things.
What is my heart drawn after? What is my time consumed with? My thoughts? I am beginning to see that outward performance is not the best test of "worldliness." It is actually a matter of the heart--and I find myself guilty as charged.
Even innocent things--good things--can claim the throne of my heart and push out the love of the Father. This is my new litmus test: do I love the Father? Is my love to God and my neighbor flourishing or receding?
When I think of an activity or choice, I ask, "Will this come between me and my God?" Sometimes I can say, "Yes, this is okay, but not too much!" The human heart will fall in love with anything.
Another scriptural test of our hearts is our speech. What do we talk about? Is it easy or difficult to speak about Christ and His redemption? What do we write about or post on Facebook?
. . . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matt 12:34
Meditating on all these things, I found encouragement in John 17:16:
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
This is amazing. Here Jesus is praying for his disciples. He states that they are already--actually and legally--not of this world. From this basis he argues for their sanctification through the Word. I can take encouragement that my Advocate has given me legal standing to live apart from the world.
I'm not of this world. Therefore I should--and can-- live accordingly.
Am I worldly? How do I let the philosophies--the dominant ideas and practices--of this ungodly world influence me?
To begin with, I considered: how does the Bible define worldliness? I found the answer in the book of 1st John:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I Jn 2:15-17
Reading these verses I can see that John is not talking about this physical world per se. There was a heresy back then which said that the spirit is good but physical things are bad, and I suppose it's possible to fall into that trap even today. But clearly, John is talking about something unseen.
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life--this is what worldliness is to the Apostle. By the way, the Greek word translated "lust" simply means to long for. It is used in a good sense in I Tim 3:1 about "desiring" the office of a bishop (elder). It encompasses a lot of things.
What is my heart drawn after? What is my time consumed with? My thoughts? I am beginning to see that outward performance is not the best test of "worldliness." It is actually a matter of the heart--and I find myself guilty as charged.
Even innocent things--good things--can claim the throne of my heart and push out the love of the Father. This is my new litmus test: do I love the Father? Is my love to God and my neighbor flourishing or receding?
When I think of an activity or choice, I ask, "Will this come between me and my God?" Sometimes I can say, "Yes, this is okay, but not too much!" The human heart will fall in love with anything.
Another scriptural test of our hearts is our speech. What do we talk about? Is it easy or difficult to speak about Christ and His redemption? What do we write about or post on Facebook?
. . . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matt 12:34
Meditating on all these things, I found encouragement in John 17:16:
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
This is amazing. Here Jesus is praying for his disciples. He states that they are already--actually and legally--not of this world. From this basis he argues for their sanctification through the Word. I can take encouragement that my Advocate has given me legal standing to live apart from the world.
I'm not of this world. Therefore I should--and can-- live accordingly.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Gospel Motives
I used to hate the Proverbs 31 woman. If you've spent any time pondering this passage of Scripture you'll know what I mean. She's perfect!
Let's make a brief list, shall we? First off, she sees to it that her expenditures are not wasteful--her husband doesn't need a second job. (Okay, I'm translating into 21st century reality here.)
She has a home-based business that pulls in enough income to allow her to purchase land. Because of her carefulness and industriousness, she wears nice clothes and her household are all suitably attired. Her husband is well-respected, and we get the feeling that it is in large part because his wife has things under control at home--he's fed well, and I'll bet his pants have a nice crease. He's happy and can concentrate on things "in the gate"-- public life.
Despite her outside activities, you know her heart is at home. On her tongue is the "law of kindness." Her husband and children love her and she is respected by all.
Do you feel like a loser yet? If you're like me, you're thinking of all the ways you fall short of this standard. Actually, if you think about it, all the commandments of Scripture set an impossibly high bar: . . . thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Lev. 19:18) Thinking about such a command can be discouraging: it reveals our selfishness.
Believe it or not, that is what the law of God is designed to do. The Apostle Paul described it this way: Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Gal 3:24) This "tutor" was a Greek household slave whose job it was to take the child by the hand and lead him to school.
You see, before we get to the "school," we dwell in the house of condemnation. We try to be good, either because our conscience demands it or perhaps we live in a home or church or society that expects certain things of us. Perhaps we even get a glimpse of our sinnership before God. At times, the Word of God can even seem like our enemy. We can only see our sin, and looking at the Scriptures make our shortcomings seem even worse. But that's a good thing. We need to realize the impossibility of earning favor with God. Only then will we desire another Way.
The School of Christ is our liberation from the pit of self-effort. We learn that He obeyed the law perfectly while here on this earth--not for Himself, but for us. We believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not only are our sins washed away, we receive His robes of righteousness. His righteousness was "imputed" to us:
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (I Cor 5:21) This is a real, legal transaction.
The new heart given to the believer no longer desires to sin. True believers will not walk in sin as a habit of life. But sometimes, even true believers will see their shortcomings and make a wrong decision: they go back to the Law for their deliverance.
This is the "try harder" mentality. "But," you may protest, "the Bible says that we should mortify our sins!" In reality, our old man is crucified already. The mortification Paul speaks of is the choice of faith to lay aside the old ways and walk in newness of life.
He doesn't say, "Make sure you feel really bad for a while. Then form resolutions against this sin. After a period of time God will forgive you." That's penance. There is no such thing as penance in the Bible--only repentance, which is a turning away from sin and toward Christ. There are no prerequisites, nothing to earn here. Just look and live--whether it's for salvation, or for the forgiveness of the sins we stumble into so frequently after salvation.
Let's look again at the Proverbs 31 woman. If you are Christ's He will work in you many of these character traits. Not perfectly--there is no perfect woman. But study this passage, asking for the grace to walk in its truth--and notice the last section. The woman that "fears" the Lord shall be praised. This goes to the heart of the matter. What was this woman's motivation? It wasn't to quiet her conscience or to look good before others.
This woman had a gospel motivation: to please her King, the Lord of Life, the One Who forgave her sins. Let's start with that and let the rest follow.
Let's make a brief list, shall we? First off, she sees to it that her expenditures are not wasteful--her husband doesn't need a second job. (Okay, I'm translating into 21st century reality here.)
She has a home-based business that pulls in enough income to allow her to purchase land. Because of her carefulness and industriousness, she wears nice clothes and her household are all suitably attired. Her husband is well-respected, and we get the feeling that it is in large part because his wife has things under control at home--he's fed well, and I'll bet his pants have a nice crease. He's happy and can concentrate on things "in the gate"-- public life.
Despite her outside activities, you know her heart is at home. On her tongue is the "law of kindness." Her husband and children love her and she is respected by all.
Do you feel like a loser yet? If you're like me, you're thinking of all the ways you fall short of this standard. Actually, if you think about it, all the commandments of Scripture set an impossibly high bar: . . . thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Lev. 19:18) Thinking about such a command can be discouraging: it reveals our selfishness.
Believe it or not, that is what the law of God is designed to do. The Apostle Paul described it this way: Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Gal 3:24) This "tutor" was a Greek household slave whose job it was to take the child by the hand and lead him to school.
You see, before we get to the "school," we dwell in the house of condemnation. We try to be good, either because our conscience demands it or perhaps we live in a home or church or society that expects certain things of us. Perhaps we even get a glimpse of our sinnership before God. At times, the Word of God can even seem like our enemy. We can only see our sin, and looking at the Scriptures make our shortcomings seem even worse. But that's a good thing. We need to realize the impossibility of earning favor with God. Only then will we desire another Way.
The School of Christ is our liberation from the pit of self-effort. We learn that He obeyed the law perfectly while here on this earth--not for Himself, but for us. We believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not only are our sins washed away, we receive His robes of righteousness. His righteousness was "imputed" to us:
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (I Cor 5:21) This is a real, legal transaction.
The new heart given to the believer no longer desires to sin. True believers will not walk in sin as a habit of life. But sometimes, even true believers will see their shortcomings and make a wrong decision: they go back to the Law for their deliverance.
This is the "try harder" mentality. "But," you may protest, "the Bible says that we should mortify our sins!" In reality, our old man is crucified already. The mortification Paul speaks of is the choice of faith to lay aside the old ways and walk in newness of life.
He doesn't say, "Make sure you feel really bad for a while. Then form resolutions against this sin. After a period of time God will forgive you." That's penance. There is no such thing as penance in the Bible--only repentance, which is a turning away from sin and toward Christ. There are no prerequisites, nothing to earn here. Just look and live--whether it's for salvation, or for the forgiveness of the sins we stumble into so frequently after salvation.
Let's look again at the Proverbs 31 woman. If you are Christ's He will work in you many of these character traits. Not perfectly--there is no perfect woman. But study this passage, asking for the grace to walk in its truth--and notice the last section. The woman that "fears" the Lord shall be praised. This goes to the heart of the matter. What was this woman's motivation? It wasn't to quiet her conscience or to look good before others.
This woman had a gospel motivation: to please her King, the Lord of Life, the One Who forgave her sins. Let's start with that and let the rest follow.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Low Tide
If you live near a beach, you know that every day the tide rises and falls. The swish of the incoming water rises a little higher with each wave until high tide is reached, and then lower and lower until low tide--all in a 24 hour cycle.
But when the sun and moon are aligned, we get especially high tides--and low ones. The water can retreat quite a distance on some beaches, revealing secrets. Sometimes they are treasures, like the shells a beachcomber might snatch up. But in some places the low tide reveals trash and old shoes.
Lately I've been seeing the old shoes in my life. Somehow the ordinary comforts are withdrawn, and I wonder where God is. I look at myself and there is nothing but trash scattered along a barren, lifeless beach.
The saints of old experienced this. Sometimes the cause was sin: "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me." Psalm 38:4. David cried out under the weight of guilt and God's chastening hand.
Job was not conscious of known sin, yet felt abandoned by God. "I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not." Job 30:20.
Others plead with God in trouble but seem to find no comfort: "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more?" Ps 77:7.
This last complaint was Asaph's. However, he turns himself around and says, "I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." Ps 77:11-12. He turns his eyes from self to God and His works.
Job kept pouring out his soul though the heavens seemed as brass. Finally the Lord answered, though perhaps not in the way the suffering man expected. Job saw God through His work of Creation and suddenly saw himself as vile. He repented in dust and ashes, and the Lord restored him. God had broken him, but in the end Job was richer than ever. Yes, I know, the Bible is careful to detail his restored wealth and children, but there is more: Job knew His Creator--and himself--in a way he had never known before.
David asked for God to restore the "joy of his salvation." What a prayer. David knew that he deserved nothing. Actually, he deserved death under the law for his sin. But Paul explains in Romans 4:6-7 that David understood that he could be justified before God without earning it. That God would "impute" righteousness to him.
How can this be? Jesus said that "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." John 8:56. The saints of old glimpsed the redemption that was in Christ.
Recently I heard a verse expounded that helped to turn away my eyes from dwelling on the old shoes on the beach. "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" Eph 1:4.
Okay, admittedly, this is just part of the sentence---a long sentence. What this means is that the tent peg of our salvation is not anchored in us or even in this time. No, it is fastened in eternity past, in the mind of God the Father. The other end is fastened in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the great End of the Story, given to us in Revelation as if it had already happened--for it is that sure.
How can this be? II Cor 5:21 reveals something quite amazing: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Legally, when God looks at us He sees Christ and His righteousness. Always. Every day. Soak in this truth awhile, and you may also experience what I did. I forgot about the beach, and I also had a renewed desire to serve Him, not in order to be accepted or feel good about myself, but because, wow, who wants to dirty such a beautiful garment?
But when the sun and moon are aligned, we get especially high tides--and low ones. The water can retreat quite a distance on some beaches, revealing secrets. Sometimes they are treasures, like the shells a beachcomber might snatch up. But in some places the low tide reveals trash and old shoes.
Lately I've been seeing the old shoes in my life. Somehow the ordinary comforts are withdrawn, and I wonder where God is. I look at myself and there is nothing but trash scattered along a barren, lifeless beach.
The saints of old experienced this. Sometimes the cause was sin: "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me." Psalm 38:4. David cried out under the weight of guilt and God's chastening hand.
Job was not conscious of known sin, yet felt abandoned by God. "I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not." Job 30:20.
Others plead with God in trouble but seem to find no comfort: "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more?" Ps 77:7.
This last complaint was Asaph's. However, he turns himself around and says, "I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." Ps 77:11-12. He turns his eyes from self to God and His works.
Job kept pouring out his soul though the heavens seemed as brass. Finally the Lord answered, though perhaps not in the way the suffering man expected. Job saw God through His work of Creation and suddenly saw himself as vile. He repented in dust and ashes, and the Lord restored him. God had broken him, but in the end Job was richer than ever. Yes, I know, the Bible is careful to detail his restored wealth and children, but there is more: Job knew His Creator--and himself--in a way he had never known before.
David asked for God to restore the "joy of his salvation." What a prayer. David knew that he deserved nothing. Actually, he deserved death under the law for his sin. But Paul explains in Romans 4:6-7 that David understood that he could be justified before God without earning it. That God would "impute" righteousness to him.
How can this be? Jesus said that "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." John 8:56. The saints of old glimpsed the redemption that was in Christ.
Recently I heard a verse expounded that helped to turn away my eyes from dwelling on the old shoes on the beach. "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" Eph 1:4.
Okay, admittedly, this is just part of the sentence---a long sentence. What this means is that the tent peg of our salvation is not anchored in us or even in this time. No, it is fastened in eternity past, in the mind of God the Father. The other end is fastened in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the great End of the Story, given to us in Revelation as if it had already happened--for it is that sure.
How can this be? II Cor 5:21 reveals something quite amazing: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Legally, when God looks at us He sees Christ and His righteousness. Always. Every day. Soak in this truth awhile, and you may also experience what I did. I forgot about the beach, and I also had a renewed desire to serve Him, not in order to be accepted or feel good about myself, but because, wow, who wants to dirty such a beautiful garment?
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