Isaiah 10:22-23: "Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed upon the whole land."
There is tremendous debate today as to the involvement of God in catastrophic events in our world. Whether packaged as natural disasters like Californian earthquakes or Caribbean hurricanes, man made catastrophes like 9/11, or pandemic illnesses like AIDS, people have passionately argued the reasons for such horrific events. Of course, there have been televangelists in the public eye who have quickly pronounced these events as God's judgment upon the world (and particularly the United States) for flagrantly promoting sinful, profligate lifestyles. And these responses have resulted in a widespread backlash from many as heartless, rancorous words against an already hurting people. Emotions have been heightened against those who would ascribe tragedy as an act of God against the sinful ways of a nation/world.
Whereas we must be extremely sensitive to the needs of a hurting people who have experienced tragedy (and that includes being tactful in sharing our opinions as to the cause of disasters), we must understand that there is Biblical precedent for God interjecting widespread disaster upon a nation for its abject rebellion against His Lordship. One only has to read the first few chapters of the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah to see how debased the people of Israel had become and how God in response enacted his fierce wrath upon these sinful people . Jeremiah 6:13-15 tells us that from the "least to the greatest all were (1) greedy for (personal) gain, (2) practicing deceit, (3) (perpetrating) loathsome conduct, and (4) (having) no shame at all." Israel had become so brazen in her wickedness, that she flaunted her licentiousness ways "on every high hill and under every spreading tree" (Jeremiah 3:6). God told His covenant people that their "own conduct and actions were bringing this (judgment . . . the invasion of the Babylonians) upon (them)" (Jer. 4:18). In their backsliden condition, the Israelites were unresponsive to the prophets of truth that God had sent to them in years past. Now the One True Righteous God was going to bring calamity upon His people for their abject rebellion.
In Isaiah 10:17-19, Isaiah tells these wayward people that God, "a Fire and a Flame" would "burn and consume . . . . the splendor of his forests and fertile fields [i.e. his people]" so that only a small remnant would remain. Some theologians have conjectured that the 18-month siege by the Babylonians [588-586 BC] upon the Judean region was so severe, that the population was reduced by as much as 90%. Many of the inhabitants of Jerusalem died as a result of the invasion, and others were carted nearly 1000 miles away into captivity. Destruction was so pronounced upon the city of Jerusalem that even 140 years later, Nehemiah would mourn that the city walls still had not been rebuilt (Nehemiah 1:4).
After Israel was decimated from the invading armies, God sent prophets to encourage His remnant that His Glory and Divine blessing would again be revealed among His people (see Haggai 2:6), after the people agreed that destruction was brought upon their wickedness by the Lord and responded to His wrath with repentance and submission. God Himself decreed that His words of promised judgment were the key ingredients that brought the utter destruction upon His people (Zechariah 1:6). He used the pagan nations as the instruments to bring disaster upon the Israelites (see Isaiah 10:5-8); still, God was not finished with the Jewish people, but would restore His fellowship with them in years to come.
It is amazing to see how much of the Holy Scriptures (i.e. the Bible) is committed to showing us that God does not tolerate our sin and will introduce disaster as a way to get us to repent of our sins. Time and again, we see the Israelites turning away from the Lord only to see God responding with His wrath and the Israelites then responding with contrition and submission (the book of Judges is a collection filled with this reoccurring cycle). We today need to understand that God is a God of constancy in His Holiness and Righteous. If He did not spare His chosen people (i.e. the Israelites) in ages past for their sins, why should we believe that He would respond any differently to us today?
The only solution to avoiding God's wrath is to forsake our rebellious ways against the Lord and to capitulate to Him as Lord. We must repent of our sins that are in clear defiance against His Sovereignty, and we must receive His grace that is offered exclusively through His own death and resurrection.
Whereas we are not able to arrogantly ascribe all calamity as evidence of God's judgment upon us; we cannot rule out the fact that God does use natural and man made disasters as punitive instruments against wickedness. May we ever avoid His Righteous Wrath by our submission to Him as the One True Lord.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
God Calls Us to His Holy Presence
Exodus 19:10: "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain.'"
The Israelites under the leadership of Moses (and ultimately the power of God) had been delivered from the oppressive bondage of slavery to the Egyptians. They had seen the mighty works of God in the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna and quail for food. Now after three months of travelling in the desert, God directed his covenant people to the mountain called Sinai, to teach them a very important spiritual truth about Himself and His relationship with these descendants of Abraham.
In the directive that God gave to Moses, the Lord communicated to His people that He is transcendent in His holiness; that is, the Lord is the Supreme Sovereign One who reigns over His creation. No one has the right to enter God's presence, for God is not comparable to man. The Lord is highly exalted in majesty above His creation. Furthermore, every person in the Israeli camp had rebelled against the holiness of God by his sinful behavior. Sin is a separator of humanity with the Divine One, for sin is cosmic treason against the rightful reign of the One True God . . . sin is utterly abhorrent to His Majesty.
God stipulated to Moses that anyone who approached the mountain where He determined to present Himself to His people would be subject to immediate death. So egregious would be the sin of the one who arrogantly believed he could walk up the mountain and face God, that God decreed that the Israelites were not to touch the violator; instead, God gave the command that any person or animal that touched the mountain was to be executed from a distance by stones or arrows. God clearly wanted His people to know that He was not conjoined with His creation and thus a trivial deity not worthy of veneration. God communicated to His people that He was distinct (holy) and therefore worthy of their respect, obedience, and worship.
Still, God determined to provide His people an offering of fellowship, but only under certain Divinely determined stipulations. The people were called to purify themselves ceremonially and spiritually for three days, in anticipation of God's invitation for His people to approach the mountain where His glory would be. It was on the morning of the third day that the leaders blasted the ram's horn so that the people could approach the mountain. And it was a rather demonstrative event, with God showering the sky with blasts of thunder and lightning. As God's glory descended upon the mountain, covered by a thick cloud of smoke (to protect the lives of the people who would see it [see Exodus 33:20]), the mountain quaked in response to His advent, in a display of fire . . . with trumpets blasting ever louder to His approach.
Moses was first summoned to the mountain, and when he ascended to the top, God instructed him to tell the people that they still were not to "force their way through to see the LORD" otherwise they would perish. Instead, God called Aaron, the high priest, to the summit in an act of intercession for the people before the Lord. It was then that God would dictate His law to His people as well as the building plans for the tabernacle, where atonement would be given for the sins of the people.
We can find wonderful imagery of God's offering of grace in this historical account. We know from the NT that Christ was resurrected on the third day. He is the horn of Jessie (see Luke 1:69) whose blast of salvation would be made available to all who would approach Him with a spirit of awe, repentance, and submission. It was God's death (i.e. the shed blood of the perfect sacrifice) and resurrection on the cross that paid the penalty for our sins and thus permitted us access to the Lord in His Holiness. Only God could bridge the gap that existed between us and Him. And as the high priest was summoned onto the mountain to act as an intercessor for the people, so too we find that Jesus Christ is our permanent High Priest that offers grace to those who would respond to Him as Lord and Savior (see Hebrews 7:24-25). To be sure, God is "majestic in holiness (and) awesome in glory" (Exodus 15:11); He is distinct from His creation and worthy of our praise and worship. Still, God offers us the blessing of fellowship with Him through the only sufficient sacrifice for our sins . . . Himself.
Interestingly, we find in the subsequent chapter (Exodus 20) that God gives the 10 commandments. Paul tells us in Romans 3:19-20 that the purpose of the law was to silence every mouth who would believe that he could merit God's favor through his own efforts. The purpose of the law was to make man conscious of sin and drive him to a place of utter dependence upon God's mercy and grace. We are unable to climb the holy mountain through our own attainments; rather, we are utterly dependent upon the sacrifice of Christ to give us the hope of reconciliation with the Lord.
Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our our Intercessor and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Israelites under the leadership of Moses (and ultimately the power of God) had been delivered from the oppressive bondage of slavery to the Egyptians. They had seen the mighty works of God in the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna and quail for food. Now after three months of travelling in the desert, God directed his covenant people to the mountain called Sinai, to teach them a very important spiritual truth about Himself and His relationship with these descendants of Abraham.
In the directive that God gave to Moses, the Lord communicated to His people that He is transcendent in His holiness; that is, the Lord is the Supreme Sovereign One who reigns over His creation. No one has the right to enter God's presence, for God is not comparable to man. The Lord is highly exalted in majesty above His creation. Furthermore, every person in the Israeli camp had rebelled against the holiness of God by his sinful behavior. Sin is a separator of humanity with the Divine One, for sin is cosmic treason against the rightful reign of the One True God . . . sin is utterly abhorrent to His Majesty.
God stipulated to Moses that anyone who approached the mountain where He determined to present Himself to His people would be subject to immediate death. So egregious would be the sin of the one who arrogantly believed he could walk up the mountain and face God, that God decreed that the Israelites were not to touch the violator; instead, God gave the command that any person or animal that touched the mountain was to be executed from a distance by stones or arrows. God clearly wanted His people to know that He was not conjoined with His creation and thus a trivial deity not worthy of veneration. God communicated to His people that He was distinct (holy) and therefore worthy of their respect, obedience, and worship.
Still, God determined to provide His people an offering of fellowship, but only under certain Divinely determined stipulations. The people were called to purify themselves ceremonially and spiritually for three days, in anticipation of God's invitation for His people to approach the mountain where His glory would be. It was on the morning of the third day that the leaders blasted the ram's horn so that the people could approach the mountain. And it was a rather demonstrative event, with God showering the sky with blasts of thunder and lightning. As God's glory descended upon the mountain, covered by a thick cloud of smoke (to protect the lives of the people who would see it [see Exodus 33:20]), the mountain quaked in response to His advent, in a display of fire . . . with trumpets blasting ever louder to His approach.
Moses was first summoned to the mountain, and when he ascended to the top, God instructed him to tell the people that they still were not to "force their way through to see the LORD" otherwise they would perish. Instead, God called Aaron, the high priest, to the summit in an act of intercession for the people before the Lord. It was then that God would dictate His law to His people as well as the building plans for the tabernacle, where atonement would be given for the sins of the people.
We can find wonderful imagery of God's offering of grace in this historical account. We know from the NT that Christ was resurrected on the third day. He is the horn of Jessie (see Luke 1:69) whose blast of salvation would be made available to all who would approach Him with a spirit of awe, repentance, and submission. It was God's death (i.e. the shed blood of the perfect sacrifice) and resurrection on the cross that paid the penalty for our sins and thus permitted us access to the Lord in His Holiness. Only God could bridge the gap that existed between us and Him. And as the high priest was summoned onto the mountain to act as an intercessor for the people, so too we find that Jesus Christ is our permanent High Priest that offers grace to those who would respond to Him as Lord and Savior (see Hebrews 7:24-25). To be sure, God is "majestic in holiness (and) awesome in glory" (Exodus 15:11); He is distinct from His creation and worthy of our praise and worship. Still, God offers us the blessing of fellowship with Him through the only sufficient sacrifice for our sins . . . Himself.
Interestingly, we find in the subsequent chapter (Exodus 20) that God gives the 10 commandments. Paul tells us in Romans 3:19-20 that the purpose of the law was to silence every mouth who would believe that he could merit God's favor through his own efforts. The purpose of the law was to make man conscious of sin and drive him to a place of utter dependence upon God's mercy and grace. We are unable to climb the holy mountain through our own attainments; rather, we are utterly dependent upon the sacrifice of Christ to give us the hope of reconciliation with the Lord.
Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our our Intercessor and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
O Immanuel!
Isaiah 8:5-8; 9:2,7,9b-10,12b-13: "The LORD spoke to me again: 'Because this people has rejected the gently flowing waters of Shiloah and rejoices over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the River-the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, O Immanuel!'" . . . . (But) the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned . . . . For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace . . . . the zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this . . . . (yet many will) say with pride and arrogance of heart, 'The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; but fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.' . . . . Yet for all this, God's anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty."
The book of Isaiah forms a double entendre of meaning, first giving to its hearers in its immediate context the coming judgment for sin; and at the same time presenting a grander spiritual revelation of a coming Messiah who would bring deliverance to those who would respond to Him as Lord.
The book of Isaiah forms a double entendre of meaning, first giving to its hearers in its immediate context the coming judgment for sin; and at the same time presenting a grander spiritual revelation of a coming Messiah who would bring deliverance to those who would respond to Him as Lord.
To be sure, the Judeans of Isaiah's day were engrossed in their flagrant sins against the Lord; in fact, they had gotten to a point that their rebellious behavior was not something that they would hide in secret. Instead, they would flaunt their sinful ways in public, openly defying the One True God to whom they were called to submit and obey. God had been quite merciful to the Judeans in sending prophets like Isaiah to warn them to repent of their wickedness, but these people had reached a point of such debasement that God would chose to enact His righteous wrath. Whereas God had given to these Israelites the blessing of the "flowing waters of Shiloah" (i.e. the Promised Land), this covenant people decided that they would long after the pagan ways of the Arameans and the northern tribes ("Rezin and the son of Remaliah"). No longer did they want God's best for them; rather, they desired to satisfy the cravings of their selfish, evil hearts. They chose to worship themselves over God, and they decided to shake their rebellious fists in the face of God just daring that He do something about their sacrilege towards Him.
God gave the prophet Isaiah His word of judgment against the Israelites, and of His judgment upon the people . . . a river would sweep over the people with unexpected fury to the point that they would be up to their necks in the waters of wrath with no apparent rescue. Then God ends the excerpt with the words, "O Immanuel!" or (O God with us!). In the seemingly hopeless circumstance in which the people would find themselves, the "zeal of the Lord" would provide a Deliverer to them. This grace would be manifest in the birth of the God-child who would be the "great light" to those walking in darkness. Of course, the prophecy described in Isaiah 9 of a Savior would ultimately be fulfilled in the Christ child born to the world some 700 years later in Bethlehem, to provide salvation to those who would respond to Him in faith.
Still, some will refuse to receive God's offering of deliverance from His wrath. With pride and arrogance of heart, the people will say, "we've had some misfortune . . . but we can provide our own deliverance. We are in no need of a Savior, for we are our own gods/saviors to whom we will continue to offer our worship." They will continue to seek their own sinful ways over the Lord; and in response, God will serve upon them His eternal judgment, from which there is no escape. God will ultimately thrust these people into the "utter darkness" of hell, from where no remedy can be found (8:22); when this point is reached, His anger will not be turned away, but will fall upon these recalcitrant ones for all eternity.
If there has ever been a presentation of the gospel in Scripture, it is found here, for we all are "ungodly and wicked" (9:17), and are thus in need of God's offering of Himself as our Savior. God has paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins through His death on a cross, and His power over sin and death were demonstrated through His resurrection. Now, His offer of grace is presented to each of us, provided that we respond to His offering with faith, repentance, and surrender. For those who would submit to Jesus Christ as Lord, God imparts the blessedness of His mercy. To those who would continue to assert their own quest for lordship and therefore defy God's offering of salvation, only eternal judgment awaits.
May we all regularly reflect upon the offering of God's grace to us, and may this reflection stir within our hearts the desire to honor the One True God.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
God Gives His Very Best
Isaiah 60:17: "Instead of bronze I (God) will bring you gold, and silver in the place of iron . . . "
Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of watching a lot of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. And as I was reading the above mentioned passage, I could not help but think about the comparison of the Olympic medals and the imagery of God's provision to us.
Are you willing to settle for anything less than God's "best" for you? If your answer is a resounding "No!" then the way to God's offering of grace is through your response to Him. Surrender to Him as Lord, and get connected to Him through His Word (the Bible) and through intimate fellowship with Him (prayer). You will find that He will direct your path through life in such a way that only His best lay before you. And you will never regret the choice that you have made. No one who puts his faith in the Lord will lose the race of life; by God's grace, all who submit to Him will be declared "winners."
Over the past few weeks, I have had the privilege of watching a lot of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. And as I was reading the above mentioned passage, I could not help but think about the comparison of the Olympic medals and the imagery of God's provision to us.
Each athlete at the Olympics works diligently to compete at this most prestigious level of competition, and years of training go into each training regimen in order that the athletes are able to perform at a level that would reap an Olympic medal. What I have found noteworthy are the facial expressions of those athletes who were expected to win a medal (even a gold medal), but were denied such privilege for not winning their respective event. As those athletes finished well behind others in the competition, their eyes told the stories of shock, dismay, and frustration, that years of hard work would not be rewarded. As the cameras zoomed in on the winners, the defeated athletes were left to collect their personal belongings and head for the locker rooms. No ceremonial pomp and celebration was bestowed, only the memory that the 2008 Olympic games were a failure and a disappointment.
When it comes to God blessing those who run the race of life, He always has the very best to offer us. His abundant love showers the gift of redemption to those who would respond to His offering of grace. This is the "gold" and "silver" to which He refers in the passage above; for in the text, God is called the "LORD, the Savior and Redeemer" (Isa. 60:16). It is His immeasurable sacrifice through His death and resurrection that brings to us the hope of His very best for all eternity. For those who would surrender to His Lordship, God will become their "everlasting light and their glory . . . . They will be (declared) righteous and will possess the land forever" (60:19,21). Whereas mankind chose to rebel against the sovereign rule of the Lord, God in turn did not reject His people forever. Rather, He offered Himself as the payment for sin so that we might be restored to the intimate relationship with Him. This is THE ultimate relationship for which we were created and to which we are to enjoy forever in eternity. And unlike the performance-based nature of the Olympics, which awards medals based upon what one does in his respective event, God's grace is unmerited and thus not based upon our performance. Grace is God's gift to those who would respond to Him in faith.
Are you willing to settle for anything less than God's "best" for you? If your answer is a resounding "No!" then the way to God's offering of grace is through your response to Him. Surrender to Him as Lord, and get connected to Him through His Word (the Bible) and through intimate fellowship with Him (prayer). You will find that He will direct your path through life in such a way that only His best lay before you. And you will never regret the choice that you have made. No one who puts his faith in the Lord will lose the race of life; by God's grace, all who submit to Him will be declared "winners."
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Stop Comparing Yourself To Others
Galatians 6:4: "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else . . ."
The letter to the Galatians was written by Paul to address the attempts by certain Judaizers to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Galatians 1:7). Apparently, these Judaizers had infiltrated the Galatian church, and they had begun a campaign to convince the Galatian Christians that the church had to subscribe to the Jewish/Mosaic religious rites to be granted God's favor. God's grace through His death and resurrection no longer was sufficient for members of the Galatian Church; now, fulfillment of certain religious mandates was needed to receive the spiritual blessings of a "Christian."
In his responsive letter, Paul scolds the Galatians for being foolish, asking them "who has bewitched you? . . . For if righteousness could be gained through the law (and your obedience to it) Christ died for nothing" (2:21-3:1).
When one begins to investigate the reasons why the Judaizers would propagate such obedience the religious laws, one implicitly can see that the propagation of "self" was the overarching driver. After all, if a person could better perform the expected rites/rituals than his neighbor, then he could expect to gain the respect and honor from his peers as a spiritual elite. The Judaizers seemed to have that prideful disposition, for Paul warned the Galatians that these people wanted converts to be "zealous for them" (i.e. to control the Galatians and thus boost their positions of power and privilege [Gal. 4:17]). Paul encouraged the church to stand firm, not letting the yoke of performance-based spirituality enslave them again (5:1).
What is rather fascinating in the latter chapters of the book of Galatians is Paul's comments concerning the true reasons for the Judaizer's interjection of the law. Specifically, Paul sees that the egocentric indulgence in the desires of the sinful nature (i.e. the consuming desire for self) is the source which fuels such behavior (5:16-17). Paul then encourages introspection on the part of his hearers to see whether they are filled with the desire for self-adulation or are surrendered as a true slave to God. The apostle charges the members of the Galatian church to test themselves to see what drives them spiritually, and he suggests that any pride that they may have should be in God's saving grace. Paul discourages any comparisons with others to see who may be more spiritual, for that mentality only breeds competitive spirituality; in the end one person invariably attempts to perform more impressively than his neighbor. Ultimately, focus is drawn away from Christ and upon the individual. This is the most debased form of idolatry.
In our churches today, may we stop comparing ourselves with others, for this mindset breeds envy, competitiveness, and strife. Instead, may we find our identity in Christ's saving grace alone, and live lives of humility, appreciation, contentment, and love toward others. Rather than trying to impress others with our spiritual achievements, may we "carry each other's burdens and in this way fulfill the (true) law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Let us express our thanks to God by being an agent of blessing to others, lifting them up in a spirit of love (6:10), and let us never boast in ourselves, but as Paul has so eloquently said, "may (we) boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, (through which) we have crucified ourselves to the world and the world to us" (6:14). When we adopt an attitude of surrender to the One True God, our quest for fame and fortune will be killed (crucified) to the will of the Lord, and we in turn will experience the true "peace and mercy of God" (6:16).
God 's Word summarizes this concept for us very well: "The only thing that counts is faith (i.e. complete commitment to God) expressing itself through love." You're not "number 1." You're not to be consumed with yourself. You're not to compare yourself with others. You're to find yourself hidden within the shadow of the Almighty.
The letter to the Galatians was written by Paul to address the attempts by certain Judaizers to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Galatians 1:7). Apparently, these Judaizers had infiltrated the Galatian church, and they had begun a campaign to convince the Galatian Christians that the church had to subscribe to the Jewish/Mosaic religious rites to be granted God's favor. God's grace through His death and resurrection no longer was sufficient for members of the Galatian Church; now, fulfillment of certain religious mandates was needed to receive the spiritual blessings of a "Christian."
In his responsive letter, Paul scolds the Galatians for being foolish, asking them "who has bewitched you? . . . For if righteousness could be gained through the law (and your obedience to it) Christ died for nothing" (2:21-3:1).
When one begins to investigate the reasons why the Judaizers would propagate such obedience the religious laws, one implicitly can see that the propagation of "self" was the overarching driver. After all, if a person could better perform the expected rites/rituals than his neighbor, then he could expect to gain the respect and honor from his peers as a spiritual elite. The Judaizers seemed to have that prideful disposition, for Paul warned the Galatians that these people wanted converts to be "zealous for them" (i.e. to control the Galatians and thus boost their positions of power and privilege [Gal. 4:17]). Paul encouraged the church to stand firm, not letting the yoke of performance-based spirituality enslave them again (5:1).
What is rather fascinating in the latter chapters of the book of Galatians is Paul's comments concerning the true reasons for the Judaizer's interjection of the law. Specifically, Paul sees that the egocentric indulgence in the desires of the sinful nature (i.e. the consuming desire for self) is the source which fuels such behavior (5:16-17). Paul then encourages introspection on the part of his hearers to see whether they are filled with the desire for self-adulation or are surrendered as a true slave to God. The apostle charges the members of the Galatian church to test themselves to see what drives them spiritually, and he suggests that any pride that they may have should be in God's saving grace. Paul discourages any comparisons with others to see who may be more spiritual, for that mentality only breeds competitive spirituality; in the end one person invariably attempts to perform more impressively than his neighbor. Ultimately, focus is drawn away from Christ and upon the individual. This is the most debased form of idolatry.
In our churches today, may we stop comparing ourselves with others, for this mindset breeds envy, competitiveness, and strife. Instead, may we find our identity in Christ's saving grace alone, and live lives of humility, appreciation, contentment, and love toward others. Rather than trying to impress others with our spiritual achievements, may we "carry each other's burdens and in this way fulfill the (true) law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Let us express our thanks to God by being an agent of blessing to others, lifting them up in a spirit of love (6:10), and let us never boast in ourselves, but as Paul has so eloquently said, "may (we) boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, (through which) we have crucified ourselves to the world and the world to us" (6:14). When we adopt an attitude of surrender to the One True God, our quest for fame and fortune will be killed (crucified) to the will of the Lord, and we in turn will experience the true "peace and mercy of God" (6:16).
God 's Word summarizes this concept for us very well: "The only thing that counts is faith (i.e. complete commitment to God) expressing itself through love." You're not "number 1." You're not to be consumed with yourself. You're not to compare yourself with others. You're to find yourself hidden within the shadow of the Almighty.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Without the Holy Spirit, We're Dead
Job 33:4, 34:14-15: "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life . . . . If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust."
In a somewhat simple but profound way, Scripture presents us with the sobering truth of our utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit for our very existence. If the Holy Spirit determined to withdraw His life-giving breath that brought us to life at the beginning of time (see Genesis 2:7), we would die and disintegrate into the very dust from which we came.
If we believe that we are self-made entities that can wield our own way independently of the Divine One's sustaining power, then we are the greatest fools. It is by God's grace that we have "life, and breath, and everything else" (Acts 17:25). God has chosen to bless us with our existence, for He is a relational God that desires intimate fellowship with the pinnacle of His creation (Matthew 11:28-30). And He wills that our fellowship with Him would continue into eternity. This is why God so chose even before the creation of the world to "lavish the riches of His grace (upon us . . . . of which the benefits will be) put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment" (Ephesians 1:8-10). And what is so amazing about His grace is that He was willing to offer His own life as payment for our sin, even when we were flagrantly hostile towards His Sovereign reign, refusing to submit to Him as Lord (Romans 5:8; 8:7).
In response to the unfathomable gift of physical life and the offering of eternal life by the One True God, we must surrender ourselves to His Lordship and receive His forgiveness of sins. Whereas it was the power of God that brought us from non-existence to physical life, so too it is His "incomparably great power . . . the working of His mighty strength" that will give us eternal life and the blessedness of "his glorious inheritance" (Ephesians 1:18-19).
If you have surrendered to the One True God as your Lord and Savior, then thank Him today that He has given you physical life and the hope of eternal life.
In a somewhat simple but profound way, Scripture presents us with the sobering truth of our utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit for our very existence. If the Holy Spirit determined to withdraw His life-giving breath that brought us to life at the beginning of time (see Genesis 2:7), we would die and disintegrate into the very dust from which we came.
If we believe that we are self-made entities that can wield our own way independently of the Divine One's sustaining power, then we are the greatest fools. It is by God's grace that we have "life, and breath, and everything else" (Acts 17:25). God has chosen to bless us with our existence, for He is a relational God that desires intimate fellowship with the pinnacle of His creation (Matthew 11:28-30). And He wills that our fellowship with Him would continue into eternity. This is why God so chose even before the creation of the world to "lavish the riches of His grace (upon us . . . . of which the benefits will be) put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment" (Ephesians 1:8-10). And what is so amazing about His grace is that He was willing to offer His own life as payment for our sin, even when we were flagrantly hostile towards His Sovereign reign, refusing to submit to Him as Lord (Romans 5:8; 8:7).
In response to the unfathomable gift of physical life and the offering of eternal life by the One True God, we must surrender ourselves to His Lordship and receive His forgiveness of sins. Whereas it was the power of God that brought us from non-existence to physical life, so too it is His "incomparably great power . . . the working of His mighty strength" that will give us eternal life and the blessedness of "his glorious inheritance" (Ephesians 1:18-19).
If you have surrendered to the One True God as your Lord and Savior, then thank Him today that He has given you physical life and the hope of eternal life.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Jesus: Either One's Joy or One's Undoing
Luke 2:11,34: "The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others."
How a person responds to Jesus Christ will determine whether that person will receive God's unimaginable, eternal blessings or His righteous, unending wrath. When mankind fell into willful rebellion against the Lord through their sin against His Sovereign reign, a cosmic verdict was pronounced against humanity . . . and that sentence was eternal death (Romans 5:8).
Because man was not able to justify himself before the One True and Most Holy God, God sought to provide the payment for sin by offering Himself as the only sufficient "atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 2:2). Jesus Christ's death and resurrection is the only perfect remedy for our rebellion against God, and God now offers this gift to each person who would surrender himself to the Lord through faith and repentance.
To those who respond to the Lord's gift of grace, God imparts a living hope and an inheritance for all eternity that will never perish, spoil, or fade . . . and it is this covenantal promise that gives the believer reason to rejoice, for he knows that God's grace has been imputed to him (see I Peter 1:3f). With our declared righteousness, we are adopted by the King of Kings into His royal family, to experience forever the blessings of His presence and His rewards.
Conversely, those who obstinately refuse Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will find that the One who today would offer salvation will one day ultimately be their downfall. These damned souls will "perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:10). The Living Stone, who once offered forgiveness of sins to those who would trust in Him will at the end of time become the Rock that will crush the defiant ones (see I Peter 2:4ff). Jesus will come "from heaven in a blazing fire with his powerful angels (and) He will punish those who do not know (Him) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power" (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
The choice of whether Jesus will be one's joy or one's downfall is available today to all who are alive. As the Scripture says, "now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). Surrender your life to the Lord so that His abundant joy will be given to you.
How a person responds to Jesus Christ will determine whether that person will receive God's unimaginable, eternal blessings or His righteous, unending wrath. When mankind fell into willful rebellion against the Lord through their sin against His Sovereign reign, a cosmic verdict was pronounced against humanity . . . and that sentence was eternal death (Romans 5:8).
Because man was not able to justify himself before the One True and Most Holy God, God sought to provide the payment for sin by offering Himself as the only sufficient "atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 2:2). Jesus Christ's death and resurrection is the only perfect remedy for our rebellion against God, and God now offers this gift to each person who would surrender himself to the Lord through faith and repentance.
To those who respond to the Lord's gift of grace, God imparts a living hope and an inheritance for all eternity that will never perish, spoil, or fade . . . and it is this covenantal promise that gives the believer reason to rejoice, for he knows that God's grace has been imputed to him (see I Peter 1:3f). With our declared righteousness, we are adopted by the King of Kings into His royal family, to experience forever the blessings of His presence and His rewards.
Conversely, those who obstinately refuse Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will find that the One who today would offer salvation will one day ultimately be their downfall. These damned souls will "perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:10). The Living Stone, who once offered forgiveness of sins to those who would trust in Him will at the end of time become the Rock that will crush the defiant ones (see I Peter 2:4ff). Jesus will come "from heaven in a blazing fire with his powerful angels (and) He will punish those who do not know (Him) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power" (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
The choice of whether Jesus will be one's joy or one's downfall is available today to all who are alive. As the Scripture says, "now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). Surrender your life to the Lord so that His abundant joy will be given to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
