eldendaniel

How Does a Person Come to God?

Second Edition: I have started editing posts from several years ago and reposting them. I am doing this for two reasons: (1) to make them more easily available and (2) to “spruce” them up a little. Enjoy!

From time to time, I see news articles of someone relating their experience of coming to God. Sometimes it is expressed as coming to faith or how their faith has been so beneficial. Other times, the experience is expressed as finding God. I sometimes smile and wonder did they think God was lost or hiding. I know that is not what they meant. Finding God is equivalent to coming to God. I like these stories, and whatever is happening, I am pleased to hear the person is headed in the right direction.

As we pursue an answer to the question in our title, we will begin by looking at the word, come. The word come indicates movement. When we come, we move from one location to a new location. Illustrations will be helpful.

When my children were small and starting to crawl or walk, I would often ask them to come to me. I would say, “Come to Daddy.” With a great celebration, the child would move from where they were located to where I was located. I had a lot of children in my household, and the request for them to come happened frequently. “Come to dinner.” “Come to bed.” Come and get in the car.” The response would always involve movement as each child would move from where they were located to the table, to their bed, or to the car.

Another illustration. Twice in my teaching career, I taught elementary students. In elementary school, we had recess. I am sure you remember that recesses were timed. When recess time was over, I would take out my whistle and blow some loud blasts, and the students would move toward me. They came from where they had been playing, from the basketball court, from the tetherball court, from the baseball game or football game, or a huddle of girls just talking. The point is, they moved from wherever they were located to a new location by me.

Coming involves moving from point A to point B. Conclusion: If a person is to come to God, they will need to move from where they are presently located to where God is. We will explore this further.

In both of my illustrations, the response to move and come to me started with a call, either my voice or my whistle. This brings up a new question: When a person makes a move to come to God, are they responding to a call from God? Next question: Does God call people?

When we look at the story of Jesus, we see the event of His birth, Christmas, and a little later, the family went to Egypt to escape Herod. The next account in the story finds Jesus in the Temple as a boy of twelve, amazing priests with His knowledge. Many years pass, and when Jesus begins His ministry, we see Him calling disciples. We will look at some of those verses.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” (John 1:43 NLT).

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Mark 1:17 NLT).

He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men (Mark 1:20 NLT).

Are there other examples in Scripture of God’s calling persons?

We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12 NLT).

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 KJV).

We see the pattern. People who came to God were called.

What we have learned so far. Coming means movement from one place to another. Coming can be in response to a call. My children and my students moved from where they were to me. The disciples moved from where they were to Jesus. In the verse we just looked at, the people that God called moved from where they were to share in his Kingdom and glory, coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence, called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

It is timely to reflect on these verses as evidence of God’s calling and people responding by coming to God. These verses do not address the “how to” of our title. These verses were a record of people having been called. This is past tense. These people had already come to God. Their coming to God was a done deal!

Now we come to this question. Is the calling an invitation or a command? In the examples of my children and my students, I might use an inviting tone but my expectation is obedience. In that sense, it is a command. I am coming from a position of authority. Failure to obey will result in consequences

However, when Jesus made His call to the disciples it was an invitation. Ironically, Jesus who has all power and authority did not command.

Jesus made this statement before He ascended into heaven after the resurrection when He was pronouncing the Great Commission to His disciples.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18).

Curiously, Jesus does not use His authority when He calls people. He invites. God wants people to come to Him willingly.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me (Mark 8:34).

The decision to follow Jesus in response to His invitation is to be made by “Whoever wants to.”

This is an important discovery because we see that those who come to God must want to and they are not being made to come to God.

A closer look at coming in response to the calling. Why might my children or my students not come when called?

It is possible that they might not come out of defiance. They simply chose to disobey the call. Perhaps they did not want to stop what they were doing in the location where they were. They chose to not come.

It is possible they did not hear my call or my whistle. There may have been competing sounds that overwhelmed the sound of my voice or the sound of my whistle. They may have been listening to music. Maybe they were wearing headphones. They may have been playing with other children with a lot of shouting and yelling. Whatever the reason, they apparently did not hear.

They may not have been listening. I can remember giving exhortations. “Listen for my voice.” “Listen for the whistle.”

Is it possible that some people fail to come to God because they are not listening for the call?

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them (Mark 4:25 NLT).

You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all? (Mark 8:18 NLT).

As a child, I can remember being scolded for not listening. I can remember scolding my children and students for not listening. I can remember being asked to repeat back to my parents the instructions to check to see if I had been listening. I also remember doing the same thing with my children and students.

Again, Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this (Mark 17:4).

Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand (Mark 4:9 NLT).

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said (Luke 10:39).

These are only a few examples from Scripture of the importance of listening to God. Listening requires attention. A good listener is attentive and focused.

We conclude that moving to God includes listening for His call. It is time to look into Scripture to discover specifics of the “how to” of coming to God. We will start in Hebrews and see the essentialness of faith.

The Scriptures help us with that. However, before we look at the Scriptural definition of faith, we will look at the importance of faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

Faith is essential because it is the only way to please God. The very logical starting point is to believe in His existence. Then we see a promise for those who earnestly seek Him. They will receive a reward. What is that reward? Whenever a person is seeking something, they are rewarded by finding what they were seeking. What the earnest seekers will find is God and specifically Jesus.

Anything that is done earnestly is done with intensity and resolve. We will now define faith.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).

“Things not seen” is speaking of something invisible but still real and something that really is there. God is invisible. God can only be seen with the eyes of faith.

Notice that faith is confidence and assurance that what we hoped for even though it cannot be seen is true and real. There is no maybe, perhaps, or probably.

Now, where does this essential faith that is necessary to please God come from?

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Romans 10:17).

The faith in seeking God will be found in the Word of God, the Bible. The Bible reader must “hear” what the Bible says and believe it. We are seeing the value of listening and having hearing ears.

The “how to” come to God is found in believing what the Word of God has revealed about God and it starts with acknowledging God’s existence and moving on to seeking to know Him. As mentioned, this search will include realizing that God is the creator of everything and that the visible creation came from the invisible. This is foundational because it explains a person’s very origin and existence.

The seeking will reveal the entrance of sin into the world and that everyone is a sinner and they need a Savior. The seeker will find that God has provided a Savior with the gift of His only begotten son, Jesus. The seeker will discover the good news, what we call the Gospel, the seeker can come to God through their belief in Jesus and His saving work through His substitutional sacrificial death on the cross.

The way to come to God is found in coming to God in the way He has provided. The coming is rewarding because perishing is avoided and eternal life is the reward. The benefits of eternal life are beyond human imagination in this life and the life to come.

I will close with a few Scriptures that really make sense in the context of what we have learned about coming to God. Enjoy!

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 NLT).

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:20).

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT).

It is wise to come to God. God is calling. God has prepared a way to come to Him through Jesus. God is waiting to receive those who will come. Each person gets to ask themselves, “Do I want to come to God?” If you do, now you know the way.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

The Prodigal Son

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

Jesus taught in parables. One of the most familiar of the parables is the story of the Prodigal Son. The story contains three characters: the Prodigal, the bad son, his brother, the good son, and their father. Jesus used stories as an instructional technique to provide an illustration from which His hearers could learn the principles, He wanted them to know.

I have heard many sermons and read many accounts in Christian books in which lessons from this story are being presented. Let us explore these lessons by looking at each of these characters.

The prodigal son is an example of the wayward sinner who has made decisions and choices that have led to a path of personal destruction. Rather than take his place in the family business, he chose to ask for his share and left on his adventure, where he “blew” it in a lifestyle of debauchery. The consequences of these choices led to a point of despair that triggered repentance. As a response to the repentance, the prodigal returns to the father asking for a position as a servant, surrendering his position as a son with the hope of being able to survive. He was joyously received by his father.

The older son remained loyal to the family business and faithfully went about his responsibilities. However, he was not pleased with his father’s response to the return of his wayward brother and became angry. When his father invited him to the celebration of the return of his younger brother, he let his father know about his displeasure. He referred to his brother as, “this son of yours” rather than my brother. He was distancing himself from a relationship with his brother. He contrasted his loyal faithfulness to the family business with his brother’s disloyalty and unfaithfulness. He felt slighted and unrewarded.

Some commentators have been critical of the older brother and have attempted to contrast the older brother as an example of a works kind of salvation with the younger brother’s repentance and seeking grace. There may be something there, but I think the old brother’s reaction was very understandable. We are not told about the impact on the family business that resulted from the younger brother’s taking capital from the business. Surely, the older brother felt that he had to work harder because his brother was not there to share the load.

What about the father? What was Jesus’ point in the story concerning the father? It is safe to assume that the father in this story is a type of the Heavenly Father. We know that the Heavenly Father rejoices over sinners who repent.

tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:7).

However, I want to focus on a part of the story that I have not heard any commentary or discussion. The father let him go! I am sure that the father knew that his younger son was not making a wise choice. I am indulging in speculation, but I am guessing that the younger son’s behavior and attitudes had been on display. Perhaps he was rebellious. Perhaps he was selfish. Perhaps he was disrespectful.

Another thought: he younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate (Luke 15:12).The Prodigal was asking for his inheritance while his father was still living. He could not wait for his father to die. It was like he was telling his father he wished he were dead. How brash!

Whatever the circumstances, there is no indication that the father pleaded with him to reconsider and to stay. We know that in reference to the older brother’s refusal to come to the celebration, the father came out and began pleading with him.

Hmmmm! This is very interesting. What are the implications? Obviously, the father was willing to let the Prodigal go. If we accept that the father in this story is a type of our Heavenly Father, the implication is that when people choose to go in a wrong and possibly destructive direction the Heavenly Father will let them go.

Here is an interesting example: In the Corinthian church, there was a man who was involved in sexual sin. Paul gave this advice: “let him go”!

hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:5).

What are the implications for us? Are there situations in which we should let someone go? Do we need to let go and allow consequences to do their work? I suspect that the father in the story knew that his younger son would not listen to anything the father said in objection or warning concerning his choice to leave. However, the father was willing to plead with the older son about joining the celebration. I am wondering if the father sensed that the older son would listen to his father’s reasoned explanation.

My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found (Luke 15:31-32).

Could it be that the decision whether to let go or not to let go is linked to whether the person will listen? Receiving instruction is wise and can save hardship and failure, while refusal to receive instruction can result in negative consequences.

Here is an application and a dilemma. When we are in a relationship with someone is there a time to let go? Parents face this decision with their children, especially adult children. This can be a decision to be made when seeking to help a struggling friend or relative. Here is a verse that may provide some guidance.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

The keyword seems to be asks. The assumption is if someone asks, they are ready to hear what you have to say. The decision to let go or not to let go needs to be prayerfully reached. I am sure no one would want to interfere with the need for a person to experience consequences like the Prodigal who, when he came to his senses, repented and sought restoration. Interference can come in the form of a rescue or attempts to mitigate the impact of the consequences. Sometimes this can become enabling. Much to think about! Meanwhile, we are prepared and ready to help when they asked.

Points to ponder: What was the main point that Jesus was teaching in this story? The main point is stated: For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate, and this is reason to rejoice. Let us look at the context of Jesus’ teaching. Just before this story, Jesus told the story of the lost sheep. The shepherd left the ninety and nine and went searching for the lost sheep. When the lost sheep was found, there was rejoicing. Then he told the story of the lost coin. After a diligent search, the coin was found and there was rejoicing.

Jesus’ conclusion of the story of the lost sheep was:

I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7).

Jesus’ conclusion of the story of the lost coin was:

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10).

Three stories, three celebrations, each about the finding of the lost. But notice, the shepherd searched for the lost sheep, and the woman searched for the coin. They did not let go. In contrast, the father of the Prodigal did not search for him. The father waited for his son to come to his senses. Observation: the lost sheep and the lost coin could not find their way back, but the lost son could.

Let us speculate a little about what happened next in the story of the prodigal son. It is important to be cautious when speculating about what was not stated in any story, and particularly in a teaching story by Jesus. That being said, what was the prodigal’s new status? The father referred to him as this son of mine. From the father’s perspective, sonship was restored. The prodigal had returned and was asking to become an employee of the family business. Did he become an employee? The father had a history of giving him what he asked. He had given him his share of the business back when he asked for it at the beginning of the story.

Here is evidence that he was not restored to the position of partner or shareholder. This is what the father told the older brother: All that is mine is yours. If the older brother were to receive all, there would be nothing else for the prodigal. My conclusion is that the consequences of the prodigal son continued even though his status had changed.

Closing thought for meditation: The father let go. Where do you and I need to let go?

Passage

The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

Hear My Voice

In Psalm 23, the Psalmist, David, is speaking from a sheep’s perspective about his Shepherd: “The Lord is my Shepherd”. In John 10, Jesus is speaking from the perspective of the Good Shepherd about His sheep, “I am the Good Shepherd”.

David elaborates about the Lord as his Shepherd, as a sheep. The Shepherd provides necessities: food, water, care, and protection. Jesus elaborates on the close personal relationship He has with the sheep. Although David was very familiar with being a shepherd and caring for the sheep, he knew in this Psalm that he was not a sheep; he was a man. Although Jesus describes believers as sheep, He knew that the sheep are really mankind. Just in case there is any confusion, Jesus used the word man in John 10:9 KJV: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture”.

In both passages, the Shepherd is the provider and protector. In both passages, the Shepherd is the leader. In both passages, the Shepherd is with the sheep forever. If you want to review these passages before reading further, they are located at the end of this document.

We know that Jesus taught in parables, and these stories make a connection with the hearers in relation to their lives. My wife has often said that there are parables all around us. We can see them in events, activities, and scenes. That is what I will be doing by relating some experiences that demonstrate biblical truths and principles.

To clearly tell the story, I have to build some background to set the stage. Jesus in the stories of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Sower, and other parables, built background. Some background connects closely with the hearer’s own experiences, but some background needs to be more developed if the hearers are less familiar with the story’s setting. Just in case my stories are set in an unfamiliar setting, I will elaborate more extensively.

My wife and I operated a small commercial sheep operation. Starting in the spring of the year, I would go almost weekly to the local livestock auction to buy feeder lambs. Feeder lambs are smaller lambs that have not yet grown to market weight. In the fall, I would sell the lambs at the livestock auction after they had grown all summer. We have some pasture where the lambs grazed and some hay that they were fed.

When I purchased the lambs, I became their shepherd and they became members of my flock. The person who sold the lambs had been their shepherd, and they had been members of his flock. The exchange of possession means a change of location and a change in kingdoms. The lambs move from the seller’s kingdom to the buyer’s kingdom. The lambs were bought at a price in dollars to become my possession.

Here is the first application:

you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20).

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings (1 Corinthians 7:23).

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Believers become members of the flock of Jesus because they were purchased by His blood, not money. Being members of His flock means the sheep have the Good Shepherd and live in His Kingdom.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young (Isiah 40:11).

More background. Because of the risk from predators, we locked our sheep up in the corral (the fold) each evening, where they are kept until morning. Usually, they came in from the pasture to the corral without any assistance, but if they did not, I had to go bring them into the corral. Each morning, the lambs were released from the corral, and they would go out to the green pasture.

Second application:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18).

The lambs were captives in the corral and remained confined until I delivered them by opening the gate. Each person can be captive in a corral that keeps them from entering the good green pasture. This captivity hinders the person from enjoying the good that the Lord has for them. Jesus has come to open the gate to allow us in our captivity to be delivered from the issues of life that are represented by confinement in the corral. Released to receive the good that He has for us.

More background. We also have two horses. From spring until late fall, the horses are released to pasture. Each morning and each evening, they go to pasture for around two hours. The reason for the restriction on pasture is to keep the horses from becoming overweight. We have a pasture north of the horse corral and a pasture south of the corral. Sometimes they go north and sometimes they go south. The first thing on my morning chores is to let the horses into the pasture. As I leave the house each morning, I choose which direction to go.

The horses are in their corral or barn. The pattern that has developed is that as I leave the house and head in the direction of the pasture that I have chosen, I begin to shout out, “Horses, horses”. They respond by beginning to move in my direction and move toward the pasture gate. Often, they may respond with a whinny.

After I had released the horses to the pasture, my next task was to go feed the lambs some hay. This is the interesting pattern that develops. Remember, these purchased lambs were getting used to having me as their “new” shepherd. In my relationship with the lambs, I began as a stranger. However, as the lambs heard my voice calling out to the horses, they connected my voice with their soon-to-be-provided hay. They stirred from their beds; some began calling and moved to the feeding area.

…the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice (John 10:3-5).

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand (John 10:27-28).

Third application:

The lambs have learned to connect my voice with a provision of food and care for them. Believers learn to connect the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, with his provisions for them. These provisions start with salvation and include blessings, protection, and care. Interestingly, though the lambs initially were very cautious and sometimes spooky around me, over time, they began to calm down. I become less of a stranger and more of their shepherd. They seem to develop a sense of trust. The more closely believers come to their Good Shepherd and the closer they follow and the more intently they listen to His voice, the more their trust grows.

Only occasionally did the lambs receive a name from me but the Good Shepherd knows the name of each of His sheep.

One more thing. I sell these lambs. They will have a new owner, a new shepherd. Ultimately, the lambs will go to market and become meat for customers at the grocery store. That is just the way the business works. However, the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, will never sell me. Not only will I not lose my life, but I will receive eternal life. I will never perish. Besides that, I have the assurance that no one will pluck me out of His hand or the Father’s hand.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand (John 10:29).

One last application:

I was a shepherd for my lambs, and I strived to provide quality care for them, but I had no intention of laying down my life for them. However, the Lord Jesus, who is my Shepherd, did lay down is life for me and for you.

The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

John 10:1-18

Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore, Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

John 10:27-30

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

This story takes place in the Upper Room before the Last Supper. Jesus knew that the time had arrived when He would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified. This is a very solemn time for Jesus. Then Jesus does something surprising to the disciples.

so, he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 11:4-5).

This is what one would expect a servant to do. The disciples recognized Jesus as their leader and called Him Master. Peter, being Peter, began to protest. He did not want Jesus to wash his feet. It just did not seem to be right. When Jesus explained that Jesus needed to wash Peter’s feet, Peter, being Peter, wanted Jesus to wash all of him, his hands and head.

Jesus gently explained that the disciples would not understand the significance of what Jesus was doing until later. Jesus explained that as Jesus followers, the disciples were already clean. Only their feet needed to be washed. Then Jesus added that the disciples should wash each other’s feet.

Once again, we see Jesus teaching with an example. Jesus sums up this lesson with the assurance that blessing follows obedience.

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:17).

Profound Truth: Believers are clean. The analogy implied here is that dirtiness represents sin and cleanness represents forgiveness. The dirty feet speak of the daily walking in a sin-filled world that leaves contamination that needs to be washed off. John comes to understand the issue is a matter of fellowship, and he explains it in 1st John.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 5-10 KJV).

These verses speak of the process of cleansing. This next verse speaks of the process of washing each other’s feet.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself (Galatians 6:1 NLT).

Profound Truth: No servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. This truth puts things in order. This concept is played out in these verses.

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me (John 15:18-21).

Interesting Point: Jesus loved His own to the end. The time was approaching when Jesus would be separated from His disciples. They had roamed about together for three years, and now that was coming to an end.

My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come (John 13:33).

Interesting Point: Jesus knew exactly who He was. Then He became a servant.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God (John 13:3).

I like to paraphrase this verse by saying, Jesus, being fully cognizant of who He was, began to wash the disciples’ feet. Jesus knew He was God. Jesus knew He was the Son of God. Jesus knew He had come from God. Jesus knew He was returning to God. Yet, He humbled Himself and washed the disciples’ feet.

The Passage

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so, he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:1-17).

Figuring It All Out

When I was deciding on a title, I had several alternative titles come to mind: Making Sense of Our World and Organizing Our World. As you follow along, think about which title you may have chosen. All three titles give clues to the nature of the topic.

Interestingly, it all started when I was thinking about a general science principle. As I thought about this principle, additional applications came to mind. Then, bit by bit, patterns began to develop and a structure emerged which led to this topic and hopefully a coherent set of connections that will be meaningful.

The principle had to do with cold and heat. Actually, cold is the absence of heat. Heat can be measured. If we want something to be warmer, we add heat. If we want something to be cooler, we take heat away. In the kitchen, we use our stove to add heat and our refrigerator or freezer to remove heat. It has been explained to me that the refrigeration process involves the removal of heat.

I began to think of other examples. Darkness is the absence of light. Light can be measured. If you want less darkness, you add light. Flip the light switch. If you want more darkness, you take light away. Close the curtains. Then I thought about dryness or humidity. Humidity can be measured. If something is too dry, just add water. If something is too wet, just take the water away. In the kitchen, we start with dry powdered flour and then add liquid, and biscuits appear. Of course, you need to add some heat before they are ready to eat. After we wash our clothes, we put them in the drier.

Then I thought about death. Death is the absence of life. Death can be measured. Remember the dramatic flat line on the monitor in the operating room scene. Remove life and death appear, but we cannot add life to death. Once any part of God’s creation that has life dies, there is no way to add life.

Notice my pattern with cold and hot, dark, and light, and dry and wet would no longer fit. I realized that I need more categories to help organize these patterns. Here are my categories.

Number One: There is a category with degrees. There can be increases or decreases, as with cold and hot, dark, and light and dry and wet.

Number Two: There is the category of either/or. For example, a creature that has life either has life or the creature is dead. Anyone who has been around at the time of the passing of a person or even a pet knows this is so. One minute they are still alive and the next they are gone.

Number Three: I came up with a third category, which I would simply label “other” because I am not sure the pattern would fit in either of the first two categories.

What followed as I considered where this thinking was leading me was how important categories are for figuring things out. Categories are great for sorting. Categories indicate likeness. Some items or concepts fit in a labeled category, and some do not. Either they belong or they do not. If not, they belong in another category. Categories can also be grouped into larger categories to form a category of categories. This is a way to organize our world.

Perhaps an illustration will be helpful. Occasionally, actually rarely, I help my wife empty the dishwasher. The dishwasher has a little basket where the silverware goes. Silverware is a category. We have a silverware drawer. In the drawer are little trays divided into compartments. Each compartment is a category. There is a compartment for teaspoons, soup spoons, forks, salad forks, and knives. There is even a compartment for teaspoons with longer handles. When I take the silverware from the dishwasher basket, I place each item in the proper category.

There is more. The dishwasher also has many other items that belong in categories. There are categories of plates, bowls, glasses, and coffee cups. These all fit into a larger category labeled glassware.

You may be thinking, “So what?” “This is so elementary.” Stick with me. God has given His creation senses with which to become aware of their environment. For humans, we recognize five senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching. Other parts of creation also have senses, some more developed than humans and some less developed. Even plants have senses. Watch a flower move to face the sun as the sun crosses the sky.

Our senses are a key source of input into the world around us. God also equipped mankind with a mind for processing and organizing this input. Categories become a tool for organizing. Questions are a tool in determining which category each item or concept belongs to. When putting away the silverware, I ask myself Is this a spoon or a fork? Is this a dinner fork or a dessert fork? Once I have the answer, I can place the spoon in the correct compartment, the category to which it belongs.

How is this relevant to figuring it all out? Starting with our senses, we begin to generate questions that are relevant to understanding our environment, our world. Here is a long string of questions that came to my mind. Maybe you can think of others. Concerning stuff: What is it? How does it work? Why is it here or there? Does it matter to me? Is it important? What do I do with it? Concerning others: What is my role? Who am I?

The seeking of answers to questions begins at birth. The newborn baby begins by seeking the answer to Who is my mother? It is fascinating to watch newborn lambs or calves immediately upon getting on their feet after birth begin seeking their mother. A connection is formed, and when you see them moving through the pasture, the baby is closely following the mother. As the human baby’s life journey moves along, there are more questions and more searches for answers. Answers that are placed in categories. Categories that organize.

Back to categories. Remember the three categories. We will explore many concepts and assign them to categories. Our goal is to contribute to figuring it all out.

Number One: There is a category with degrees. There can be increases or decreases, as with cold and hot, dark and light, and dry and wet.

Number Three: I came up with a third category, which I would simply label “other” because I am not sure the pattern would fit in either of the first two categories.

Hate is the absence of love. Love can be measured in terms of little love or great love. Love can be increased or decreased. Love can be added or removed. This fits in category two.

Some thoughts from Scripture.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:20-21).

Notice for the Jesus follower, loving God requires loving their brothers and sisters.

Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (1 John 3:15).

Yikes! Hating is equated to murder.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15).

When it comes to measuring love, Jesus proclaimed what was the greatest love, and then He demonstrated it.

Cruelty is the absence of kindness. Kindness can be measured. We can be kinder or less kind. We can increase our kindness or we can decrease our kindness. This fits in category two.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

Neglect is the absence of caring. Caring can be measured. We can be more caring or less caring. We can increase caring or decrease caring. This fits in category two.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7 NLT).

Unbelieving is the absence of believing. Believing can be measured. There is strong belief and weak belief. We can increase or decrease our belief. This fits in category two.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

Betrayal is the absence of trust. Trust can be measured. There is great trust and little trust. There can be no trust. We can increase or decrease trust. This fits in category two.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

Lost is the absence of salvation. Salvation can be measured. You are either saved or you are lost. This fits in category one.

The message about the cross doesn’t make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God’s power at work (1 Corinthians 1:18 CVE).

Perishing is the absence of eternal life. You either have eternal life or you are perishing. This fits category one.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Evil is the absence of goodness. Goodness can be measured. Goodness can be increased or reduced. But evil is contrary to goodness. I am not sure about being less evil because evil is always wrong. I think this fits in category three. What do you think?

Ignorance or not knowing is the absence of knowing or knowledge. Knowledge can be measured. Ignorance can be decreased, and knowledge can be increased. There is a cure for ignorance, and it is knowledge. The wise guy saying is, “There is a cure for ignorance, but no cure for stupid.” Perhaps that is correct. This is category two.

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11.25).

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives (Colossians 1:9).

Yours is an absence of mine. Mine is an absence of yours. Ours includes both yours and mine. Something may be yours and not mine, and something may be mine and not yours, but something could also be both yours and mine, and then it would be ours. This has to be category three.

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed (Romans 13:11).

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken (Psalms 62:2).

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28).

Let us be reminded of the categories. Here are my categories.

Number One: There is a category with degrees. There can be increases or decreases, as with cold and hot, dark and light, and dry and wet.

Number Two: There is the category of either/or. For example, a creature that has life either has life or the creature is dead.

Number Three: I came up with a third category, which I would simply label “other” because I am not sure the pattern would fit in either of the first two categories.

The Kingdom of the world is the absence of the Kingdom of God. Both the Kingdom of the world and the Kingdom of God can be measured. This is definitely category two because the two kingdoms are incompatible. A person is either in one or the other. However, it is possible to be more worldly in the Kingdom of the world and to be more godly in the Kingdom of God. This increase-decrease characteristic makes it seem to be able to fit into category one. We will have to look at this more closely.

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36).

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them (1 John 2:15).

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4).

In the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters five through seven and also found in Luke chapter six, Jesus explains some of the differences between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the world. We notice that Jesus repeats this phrase, “but I say unto you,” as he contrasts what is the current belief with what the Kingdom of God is like. Here is an example.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell (Matthew 5:21-22).

I suggest you read through the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and notice the compare and contrast style of teaching that Jesus uses. He clearly is describing some major differences between the two kingdoms.

The significant understanding to take away is that born-again believers are members of the Kingdom of God, and seeking the Kingdom of God is the top priority. Here is that verse again.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

What does that look like? We look at our pattern.

Not a disciple is the absence of being a disciple. You are either a disciple or you are not a disciple. This is category two. This is made clear by these verses.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings (John 8:31 NLT).

Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] (Mark 8:34 Amplified).

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27).

Oswald Chambers in Still Higher for His Highest states:

Jesus Christ always talked about discipleship with an ‘If.’ We are at perfect liberty to toss our spiritual head and say, “No thank you, that is a bit too stern for me,” and the Lord will never say a word, we can do exactly what we like. He will never plead, but the opportunity is there, ‘If…’

After all, it is the great stern call of Jesus that fascinates men and women quicker than anything. It is not the gospel of being saved from hell and enjoying heaven that attracts men, saving a very shallow mood; it is Christ crucified that attracts men; Jesus said so—“I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Me.” Jesus Christ never attracts us by unspeakable bliss of Paradise; He attracts us by an ugly beam (page 71).

When we reflect back to when Jesus first began His ministry, we recall that His invitation to the disciples was to follow Him. Therefore, we conclude that a disciple is a Jesus follower. The expectation of Jesus is for born-again believers to become Jesus followers.

Now reflect back to the famous Great Commission from the end of the book of Matthew. The charge that Jesus gave to the disciples was to go to all nations, making disciples and teaching them to obey all His commandments.

Therefore, disciples, Jesus followers, will be obedient to the teachings from Scripture. A Jesus follower will have a biblical worldview as opposed to a worldly worldview. However, it is also clear that a born-again believer who is a member of the body of Christ, a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and assured of going to heaven when they leave their earthly body may not be a disciple, a Jesus follower.

It has to do with that little word ‘if.’ Deciding to be a disciple, a Jesus follower, is a choice for each individual to make. So why choose to be a Jesus follower?

First of all, choosing to be a Jesus follower would be pleasing to Jesus.

Second, it is a reasonable decision.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him (Romans 12:1 NLT).

Third, it demonstrates love for Jesus by being obedient.

“If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15).

Fourth, many Scriptures give guidance about the behaviors of children of the Kingdom of God required of a disciple or Jesus follower.

Fifth, the decision to be a Jesus follower is the right thing to do if a person is seeking the Kingdom of God.

In light of all we have been considering, let us go back to those questions proposed earlier and create answers from the perspective of being a Jesus follower. This is what a biblical worldview looks like.

Q: What is it?

A: It is something that God created or something that man created out of what God had already created.

Q: How does it work?

A: It works according to the design and principles that God built into His creation.

Q: Why is it here or there?

A: Everything is placed exactly where God wanted it to be placed according to His design and purposes.

Q: Does it matter to me?

A: Everything God made and does matters. God is purposeful. Some things seem to matter more to each individual than some other things.

Q: Is it important?

A: Everything that God does is important, whether we can understand it or not. Our understanding is limited. If it is important to us, the Lord will reveal that to us.

Q: What do I do with it?

A: When the Lord created each one of us, He equipped us with a body and brain so that we could figure out what to do with them. This includes asking others for help in understanding.

Q: What is my role?

A: My role is glorifying God.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind (Ecclesiasticus 12:13).

Q: Who am I?

A: To answer this question, we need to ask some other questions. Are you a born-again believer in Jesus Christ? Yes or no. Have you committed to being a disciple, a Jesus follower? Yes or no. If you are a born-again Jesus follower, you have received eternal life, you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you are a member of the body of Christ, you have received the Holy Spirit and He dwells in you, and you have received many other benefits of being a child of God in His family.

If you have committed to being a Jesus follower, you are actively seeking His will and faithfully seeking to obey His commandments. This means you are fervently seeking to know Him and know His will by diligently seeking guidance from the Scriptures. This means you will be actively praying for direction in your life and how to relate to fellow Jesus followers. This means you will be operating your life out of a Christian biblical worldview. This means you will be experiencing spiritual formation and growth by which you become more and more Christ-like. This means you will follow Jesus based on faith in Him.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2).

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV).

Do you see how categories are useful in organizing the world we live in? I am sure many more categories can be considered. Do you see how categories fit within other categories? Did you see how some categories are major categories and of great importance, while other categories are trivial and mundane? Do you see the major importance of being in the category of the Kingdom of God? Do you see that many other categories belong in the major category of the Kingdom of God? Chambers, O., (1970). Still higher for his highest, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI

There Is a Difference

What is the difference between a shepherd and a sheep herder?

Background

My wife and I had sheep for over twenty years, although we are no longer in the business. At times we have had as few as two, and at other times have had up to eighty. We like sheep and had a micro-operation. We have operated two different programs: a breeding program with a small flock of ewes that have lambs each spring, and we sell lambs in the fall, and a feeder program where we buy light lambs and pasture them until they reach market weight, and then we sell them.

Where we live, we are surrounded by neighbors who are sheep producers. Two of our neighbors are macro producers with flocks of several thousand head. Our closest neighbor is a smaller producer with a flock close to five hundred after the lambs are born.

Relevance to the Question

Part of a sheep operation necessarily requires moving the flock of sheep from one place to another. There are two methods for moving the sheep. The sheep can be led or they can be driven. When sheep are being led, they follow the shepherd. When sheep are being driven, they flee from the sheep herder.

Sheep are prey animals and are therefore vulnerable to predators. When a shepherd leads the sheep, the sheep are not afraid of the shepherd. There exists a relationship of safety, so the sheep are willing to follow and choose to follow. When a sheep herder drives the sheep, the sheep are afraid of the sheep herder. There exists a prey animal—predator animal relationship between the sheep and the sheep herder. Sheep want to get close to the shepherd, and they want to get away from the sheep herder.

Interestingly, the macro-operations often use dogs to help them move the sheep. A popular breed of herding dog is the Border collie, although there are some other herding breeds. The sheep are afraid of the herding dogs because the herding dogs will chase them and may nip them. The goal of the sheep herder and his herding dogs is to put pressure on the sheep, for the sheep to yield to that pressure and move in the direction that is desired. In this situation, the sheep experience an external motivation for movement (fear). Often, these dogs are well-trained in the commands of the sheep herder. A well-trained herding dog is amazing to watch.

As an aside, these large sheep operations also have guard dogs that stay with the flock to protect the sheep from predators. A popular breed of guard dogs is the Great Pyrenees, although there are some other guard dog breeds. The guard dogs stay with the flock, night and day. The sheep are not afraid of the guard dogs. The guard dogs will very calmly walk through the flock, and the sheep are not disturbed. I have seen guard dogs and sheep lying side by side.

In our micro flock, sometimes we were shepherds and sometimes we were sheep herders. The flock was small, and we were close to them every day. We would let them out to pasture in the morning and close them in the corral in the evening. We did this to protect them from predators because we did not have a guard dog. The sheep were used to being handled, and they knew us well. We talked to them. They were dependent on us, and we could walk through the flock without disturbing them.

However, there were times when we became sheep herders and drove the sheep. This usually happened when we were sorting them or loading them into the stock trailer. This explanation about the distinctions between a shepherd and a sheep herder is not a judgment matter. This simply is the way it is.

Application

The Bible teaches us the Lord is our Shepherd. Think of Psalms 23, The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalms 23:1-3). Notice the words “leads” and “guides” in bold and observe that only sheep who feel safe will lie down.

Now we will look at John chapter ten where Jesus declares Himself as the Good Shepherd. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:4). Notice He owns the sheep, He goes before them, the sheep follow Him, and the sheep know His voice. One more verse, He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young (Isaiah 40:11).

Clearly, a shepherd has a positive trusting relationship with the sheep. The sheep’s motivation to follow the shepherd is an internal motivation. These sheep proactively choose to move toward the shepherd because they feel safe. We know that the Lord, as the Good Shepherd, loves the sheep and gave His life for the sheep. In turn, the sheep love the Shepherd. The Good Shepherd cares for the sheep. He protects, feeds, guides, and treats them very gently. It is a good thing to be one of the Lord’s sheep.

This lengthy discussion about sheep, shepherds, and sheep herders came about as an application to what I was experiencing as I read Christian writers and listened to some sermons. In Ephesians four, we read about gifts given to the church for the building up of the body.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

I have heard these gifted people given by the Lord referred to as “under shepherds.” I think this is a good characterization. Perhaps you have heard of pastors referring to “their flock.” What I began to become aware of as I read some Christian writers or listened to some preachers was that sometimes they were sounding like shepherds leading the flock, and sometimes they were sounding like sheep herders driving the flock.

Some writers and speakers were predominantly sounding like shepherds, while others were predominantly sounding like sheep herders. Often, it seems like the writers and speakers move back and forth between being shepherds and being sheep herders.

What I noticed when they sounded like sheep herders there was a lot of exhortation. The exhortation was filled with injunctions, words like “should, have to, make, and must.” There may be a tone of “ain’t it awful.” The implications seem to be that the readers or listeners are falling short and are not being “good” Christians or not being “good” church members.

The message is there: a need to “shape up.” The message is one of pressure. The message may be one of imposed guilt and shame or maybe even fear. The readers or hearers are set up to feel like failures who are somehow letting the Lord and others down. There is also a heavy emphasis on “doing.”

In contrast, when the Christian writer or speaker sounds like a shepherd, the Lord is lifted up in a way that is inspiring to the reader or listener. Presentations about who the Lord is and what He has done for the sheep create feelings of thankfulness, love, praise, and worship. The reader and listener feel an internal desire to know the Lord better and move closer to Him. A love motive is stirred up in the heart of the reader and listener. There is a heavy emphasis on “being.”

I find that I prefer to be led rather than driven. How about you?

Raising Lazarus from the Dead

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were followers of Jesus and friends. Lazarus became sick and died. When Lazarus became sick, his sister sent for Jesus to come and heal him. When Jesus received the message, His response was to explain that the sickness would not end in death but God’s Son would be glorified in it. Since we know the rest of the story, we understand, but the disciples did not. The disciples did not want to go back to Bethany because they thought it would be too dangerous.

Jesus waited two days and then told His disciples it was time to go. He added that Lazarus was asleep and Jesus would wake him up. The disciples thought that if Lazarus was sleeping that he would be fine, so there was no need to go. Jesus clarified that Lazarus was dead.

When Jesus and the disciples arrived in Bethany, they found out that Lazarus had been dead for four days and had been placed in a tomb. Martha came to meet Jesus, and Mary stayed at home. Martha told Jesus that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died, but she went on to say that she knew God would grant anything that Jesus asked. Jesus reassured her that her brother would rise again. Martha thought Jesus was speaking of the resurrection on the last day, but Jesus’ answer was these famous verses.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Martha made this declaration in response.

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:27).

Mary comes on the scene and, just like her sister, Martha, she tells Jesus that had He been there, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus was very moved by her sorrow and asked where Lazarus’ body lay. The next thing in the story is the shortest verse.

Jesus wept (John 11:35).

Some of the crowd saw Jesus’ weeping as evidence of how much He loved Jesus. Others were less generous and wondered if Jesus could return sight to the blind, why could He not have prevented Lazarus from dying?

Now comes the main event. Jesus asked to have the stone removed from the tomb amid Martha’s protest that Lazarus’s body would be starting to smell because he had been dead for four days. Here is what happened next, directly from Scripture.

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So, they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:40-44).

The story has a happy ending.

Profound Truth: What God does is done for His glory. Jesus deliberately timed His arrival to be after Lazarus was dead and buried. He has a purpose in mind. The purpose was so that the people who witnessed the event may believe that you sent me. The takeaway is to remember God has purposes that we do not understand.

Interesting Point: The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Lazarus, too. The evidence of Jesus raising Lazarus was such strong proof that Jesus was the Messiah that the strategy was to have been removed.

So, the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well (John 12:10).

Interesting Point: The disciples were very concerned about safety. They wanted to stay away from Jerusalem. The stage was being set for the crucifixion.

and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” (John 11:7-8).

Passage

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So, the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So, then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Then Thomas (also known as Didymus ^a ) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles ^b from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So, they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face (John 11:1-44).

Experience Love—Express Love

Love is a transaction. Someone gives love, and someone receives love. It is nonsense to think about the concept of love without a giver or a receiver. I think that almost everyone loves somebody and somebody loves them. Actually, for most people, many people love them, and they love many people. Among Jesus followers, the experience of being loved and expressing love is a way of living. Loving and being loved is a primary characteristic of Christian fellowships. When that is not the case, this is a grave concern.

What can we learn from Scripture about God’s plan for love to be experienced and expressed? Let us begin by looking at the famous love chapter from 1 Corinthians 13.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

The way love is experienced or expressed varies. Since love is a relationship matter, the nature of the relationship shapes the way love is experienced or expressed. In a family, the expression and experience of love from parents to their children is different from the expression and experience of love from children to their parents. The expression and experience of love between a husband and wife are unique from any other experience or expression of love. The experience and expression of love among Jesus followers are different than the experience and expression of love among unbelievers.

Without going into the many other combinations of differing experiences and expressions of love in other categories, it is clear that a relationship is the major factor in the experience and expression of love

When love is expressed, the one doing the loving does something. Love is an action or activity that is visible. However, love is also an attitude of the heart and may not be visible. Love is also a decision, a choice. At some point, each individual who loves decided to love someone. Hopefully, everyone has received love from someone.

There is an emotional component to love. There is a feeling attached to giving love and feeling attached to receiving love. These feelings are positive. These feelings carry a sense of belonging, caring, support, and safety. Love is a good thing.

What can we learn about how God considers love from the Scriptures? First from the mouth of Jesus:

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these (Mark 12: 28-31).

Simply, love God and love your neighbor. This has been characterized as vertical love, love God, and horizontal love, love your neighbor. God is to be loved intensely. with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ Jesus uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to define who is your neighbor.

Jesus further deepens the horizontal love for others with this commandment:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35).

The new standard for horizontal love is to go beyond loving others as you love yourself to loving others as Jesus loves them. Since to love as Jesus loves is the new standard, this is a good place to explore what the Scriptures tell us about how God loves us. The best place to start is with a verse most Jesus followers have memorized: John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

First, we see whom God expresses His love, the world. Second, God expresses His love by giving. We see God’s expression of love being an act. We see God’s expression of love having a purpose. God’s love gift is an intervention to keep the world and everyone in it from perishing. God’s love gift is a rescue. Although the love gift is given to everyone, only those who receive the gift benefit from the intervention, the rescue. The condition is that whoever, anyone, is the only one who will receive the benefit of not perishing but instead receive eternal life.

An insight gained here is that expressions of love may not be received and experienced by the intended person. This is a universal principle. Love given may not be received, and this can occur not only between God and man but can happen between two people. In this situation, we can say, “the love was rejected”. Perhaps this has happened to you, or maybe you have rejected someone’s expression of love toward you.

Join me in enjoying some verses that proclaim how the Lord loves us.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him (1 John 4:9).

neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1).

And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16).

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:5).

How can Jesus followers demonstrate their love for God?

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

The Scripture speaks of the importance of Jesus followers loving others, horizontal love.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death (1 John 3:14).

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18).

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other (1 Thessalonians 4:9).

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16).

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:12).

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

When you read the Old Testament repeatedly, you will see petitions to the Lord for deliverance from their enemies. They call for the Lord to take vengeance and destroy their enemies. The wretchedness of their enemies is described in great detail. This pattern is very apparent in the Psalms. Imagine the shock when Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount said this:

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:27-36).

This must have been a great shock. Jesus gives the rationale for loving your enemies. Do it because, as children of the Most High, you will be following His example (because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked). Being merciful, His love is expressed to enemies (Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful). Jesus goes into details: turn the other cheek, give your shirt also, lend without expecting repayment, do good to your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. Then He declares that your reward will be great.

The Lord’s kindness toward His enemies has a purpose.

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).

This passage with this instruction from Jesus is a great example of loving like Jesus loves that we learned earlier from John 13:34-35. This passage also reflects the love gift of John 3:16. We also see that the Lord expects His children to express love like God does in reference to others, even when the others are enemies. Look at these verses and hear more about the heart of God and how He expresses His love.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4).

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent (1 Peter 3:9 NLT).

who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).

…He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45).

Have you noticed that often in Scripture we see categories of opposites? Here are some examples.

Two categories: Perishing vs Not perishing in John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Two categories: Believe in the Son and receive eternal life vs reject the Son and not see life.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

Two categories: With Jesus vs against Jesus. Gathers vs scatters.

He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth (Luke 11:23 KJV).

Two categories: Yes vs no.

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).

See what I mean? The two categories are mutually exclusive. Everyone is either in one category but not the other. No one could be in both, and everyone is one or the other. Probably you can think of other examples of two opposite and mutually exclusive categories in Scripture.

We see this “two-category” mutually exclusive model come into play when we examine the experience of love and expression of love in reference to the Jesus follower, in which failure to love is equated to hate. Scripture indicates that there are only two categories: love or hate. Loving has an opposite, and it is hating. It is impossible to love and hate at the same time.

Let us explore some more, but first, let us flashback to the beginning of our exploration of love. Remember the first and second greatest commandments: love God, vertical, and love others, horizontal.

The book of 1 John gives guidance in understanding the two categories of love versus hate. Follow along as we look through several verses.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them (1 John 2:9-11).

Two more mutually exclusive categories are introduced: light vs darkness. Many places in Scripture talk about light as being where God and His children are contrasted with darkness, where sin, death, and judgment by God are. Haters are in darkness and do not know where they are going. Lovers will not stumble.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (1 John 3:14-15).

Two more mutually exclusive categories are introduced: death and life. Hate is equated with murder. Haters are in death versus lovers who are in life.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us (1 John 4:7-12).

Two more mutually exclusive categories are introduced, born of God and know God, versus not knowing God. Then the Scripture turns us to logic. Even though we have not seen God, we still love Him, and when we do, God lives in us.

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:19-21).

More logic. We love because God loved us first. If a person claims to love God and yet hates others, they are lying about loving God. Two more mutually exclusive categories are introduced, claiming to love God versus hating others. Again, the idea is emphasized, how can you say you love God who you have not seen, and still hate your brother, whom you have seen?

Following the logic that you either love or hate and they are mutually exclusive, then we conclude that those who do not love God hate Him. Allow me to share a personal experience. Over half of my professional career was spent serving in Christian organizations where my colleagues and the people we served were all believers. All of my university experience was in secular universities. I remember so clearly that in one of my classes, religious issues came up in a classroom discussion. I was shocked when I realized that some of those fellow students actually hated Jesus. It was emotional for me because it hurt to hear someone hate the Lord Jesus, whom I dearly loved. I realized that my daily experience had sheltered me from the reality that is out there in the world. Listen to these verses from John 15 as Jesus was preparing the disciples for His departure.

Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father (John 15:23-24).

This is very sobering. Let us continue.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:1-3).

More logic. Now the logic goes into the family relationship. Children of God love other children of God, which is a demonstration of loving Jesus and includes obeying His commandments. Oh, by the way, the commandments are not burdensome.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18).

In the search for a conclusion, God has given us understanding that is summed up in these verses. Then there is a warning: anything that replaces God in our attention, focus, commitment, and loyalty is an idol.

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:19-21).

Word Study in Hope

Generally, when we use the word, hope, we believe something may or may not happen. For example, if I say, “I hope I catch some fish” when I am going fishing, I realize that I may catch some fish, but I may not catch any. However, when we see the word hope, in the Bible, it means something completely different. Hope in the Bible is a sure thing. Hope in the Bible has not happened yet, but it will happen for sure.

The Way Hope Works

Let us start by examining this passage.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently (Romans 8:24-25).

If we already have what we hoped for, we no longer hope for it. If I catch a fish, I am no longer hoping to catch one. If I am still waiting to catch a fish, I am still hoping to catch a fish.

The context of the passage pertains to the Lord’s return and the resurrection of the bodies of born-again believers in Jesus. This has not happened yet, but it will happen for sure. The verse says to wait patiently.

When we are hoping for something, we are hoping for something that is desirable. We see what we are hoping for as good.

Since the hope we are looking for in scripture is guaranteed, it is actually a promise. We will look at these hopes that are promises.

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled (Romans 15:4 NLT).

In this verse, we see that things hoped for are God’s promises, and we can find them in the scriptures. Like the previous verse, we see a role for being patient. There is a factor of waiting in hoping.

Enduring Hope

As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT).

This is a hope that will last. It is a hope based on the believer’s confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Confidence in Hope

Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true (Hebrews 6:11 NLT).

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory (Hebrews 3:6).

Believers have confidence that what they are hoping for will come true and is something they will hold on to.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).

In this verse, hope and faith are linked. Faith is simply believing in God and what He says.

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary (Hebrews 16:19 NLT).

The sailor is confident that the anchor will hold and keep the ship in the desired place. Hope provides that confident assurance for the believer.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:5).

Hope prevents the believer from being ashamed because of the confidence the believer has that their hope is based on the truth and further evidenced by the love given by the Holy Spirit.

Hope Through Grace

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

Hope comes through grace, and anything received by grace is a gift from God and was not earned by the receiver.

List of Specific Hopes

Joyful Hope

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Hope in Righteousness

For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope (Galatians 5:5)

Hope in Being Called

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people(Ephesians 1:18).

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called (Ephesians 4:4).

Hope in the Gospel

if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel (Colossians 1:23).

Hope in Glory

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Hope in Salvation

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

Hope in Lord Jesus Christ

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope (1 Timothy 1:1).

Hope of Eternal Life

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time (Titus 1:1).

so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7).

Hope in Jesus Christ Appearing

while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

Living Hope by the Resurrection of Jesus

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

Hope In God

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God(1Peter 1:21).

Hope in You

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1Peter 3:15).

Hope Set Before Us

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged (Hebrews 6:18).

Hope Laid Up in Heaven

the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel (Colossians 1:5).

Sadly, No Hope

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12).

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope (1Thessalonians 4:13).

Hear Ye

The Burning Bush

There are many great stories about Moses, a baby in the rushes found by the Princess, the confrontation with Pharaoh and the plagues, crossing the Red Sea, receiving the Ten Commandments, and the burning bush. Let us look closer at the burning bush.

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God (Exodus 3:4-6).

I do not want to look at the conversation between Moses and God or proceed in the account to view the message. I want to look at the event. The God of the universe, the Divine Creator, spoke to a man. This direct contact was a holy event. Don’t get too close and do take off the sandals. This is holy ground. God’s revelation to His creature, man, is to be taken seriously.

Thus, Saith the Lord:

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you,… (Jeremiah 45:2).

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Because you think you are wise, as wise as a god (Ezekiel 28:6).

This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: (Exodus 7:17).

This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt (1 Samuel 15:2).

This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites (2 Chronicles 11:4).

The point of these verses is “This is what the Lord says. These verses are only a small sampling of the many times this phrase appears in the Scriptures. The Lord is revealing Himself to mankind in the Scriptures. Here is a sobering thought: Every time a person reads or hears a verse from the Bible, there is a preceding phrase: This is what the Lord says. Since the Word of God is God’s revelation, every word is directly to each person as This is what the Lord says.

Speak, Lord for Thy Servant Is Listening

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening (1 Samuel 3:10).

In this story, the prophet, Samuel, is just a boy serving the priest, Eli. The Lord calls out to Samuel, and Samuel thinks it is Eli calling him. Eli perceives that it is the Lord speaking to Samuel and instructs him to reply. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (Samuel 3:9). Earlier, when we saw Moses at the burning bush, Moses said, “Here I am.” What is the point? The point is that the appropriate response to This is what the Lord says is Speak, for your servant is listening.

When we open the Scriptures, the Lord is speaking to us, and we want to be listening. This is a holy transaction that is humbling and very thankworthy.

Example:

About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

“‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me (Acts 22:6-11).

This is the story of the Apostle Paul’s conversion. The Lord Jesus revealed Himself to Paul, named Saul at the time, in a very dramatic way. Paul’s response to the revelation was appropriate because Paul asked, “What shall I do, Lord?”

In summary, the Lord’s revelation of Himself is a serious and wonderful happening. Receiving His revelation puts us on holy ground, and the proper response is to be listening and asking What should I do. Praise the Lord, believers have ready access to the Word of God and the glorious provision of the Holy Spirit within them to provide understanding.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope (Romans 15:4).

We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things (2 Peter 1:19-20).

Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

The story begins with Jesus leaving where He was because the Pharisees were debating about who was doing more baptisms, John the Baptist’s disciples or Jesus’ disciples. I have to wonder about the Pharisees. What was that issue to them?

Jesus headed back to Galilee and passed through Samaria. As they traveled, Jesus became tired and thirsty. While the disciples went into a nearby town to buy food, Jesus sat down by a well. A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Here is the scene: just Jesus and just this woman are at the well. Jesus asked her for a drink of water. The woman was surprised that a Jew would ask a Samaritan for a drink. I am sure she was even more surprised when Jesus spoke of living water.

We can assume she didn’t understand what Jesus meant by living water because she pointed out He had nothing with which to draw the water out of the well. So, Jesus explained that living water was linked to eternal life, and by drinking it, a person would never thirst again. She still didn’t get it because she wanted that water so she would not have to go for water again.

Jesus changed the subject and asked her to go call her husband. This must have seemed strange to the woman, but she admitted she had no husband. She must have been shocked when Jesus, a stranger to her, told her that although she had no husband, she had had five husbands and that the man she was currently living with was not her husband.

The woman begins to get the picture now about who Jesus was because she identified Him as a prophet. She began to talk about spiritual things by noting that the Samaritans worshiped God on this mountain and the Jews worshiped God in Jerusalem. She was in for another shock from Jesus because He told her:

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

The woman is thinking in spiritual terms now and mentions that she knows the Messiah is coming. Then Jesus does the reveal.

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he (John 4:26).

Then the disciples returned and saw that Jesus had been talking to this woman, but they didn’t ask any questions. The woman left for town, leaving her water vessels. When she arrived in town, she declared the question, Could this man be the Messiah? She went on to explain that Jesus had told her everything she ever did. We know that is not exactly true because, as far as we know, Jesus had only addressed the multiple husband issue. It probably seemed like Jesus had told everything she had ever done. She made an impression on her audience because they went out to meet Jesus.

Change of scene. The disciples encouraged Jesus to eat something. After all, that was why they had gone into town. Jesus’ reply must have been mystifying to them.

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” (John 4:32).

The disciples were confused and wondered if someone had brought Him something to eat. What Jesus said next must have been even more mystifying to them.

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work (John 4:34).

Change of scene: The Samaritans urged Jesus to stay with them, and He stayed for two days. Many initially believed that Jesus was the Messiah because of the woman’s testimony about Jesus’s knowing about her past, but came to believe more after hearing Him. Don’t you wonder what Jesus taught them?

Profound Truth: Worshiping in Spirit and in truthis not place-specific. These are the true worshipers that the Father is seeking. This means that God can be worshiped anywhere and at any time. Jesus is introducing the concept of a personal relationship between the worshippers and God.

Profound Truth: Doing the will of God is spiritual food. We eat food to get energy for life. Doing the will of God provides the energy for a believer’s spiritual life.

Profound Truth: Jesus introduces the concept of living water. This speaks of God-given spiritual life. We understand that He is referring to eternal life that comes from being born again and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) (John 7:39 NLT).

Interesting insight: Jesus walked away from the conflict about whose disciples were doing the most baptisms. This is a good example for us to follow in some conflict cases.

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people (2 Timothy 2:24 NLT).

Interesting insight: Jesus was tired and thirsty. In the incarnation, we recognize that Jesus was both God and man. This is not easy to understand, but it is to be believed. This is an example of His humanity.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Interesting insight: One of the confirmations of the authenticity of Scripture is the details. We see a description of where Jesus and His disciples were and where they were going. The specific well was identified, Jacob’s well, and the exact time of day Jesus sat down by the well.

Interesting insight: Again and again, we see examples of the foreknowledge of Jesus. He knew about the woman’s past. This is evidence that Jesus is God.

Interesting insight: Jesus reveals His identity as the Messiah to a person of low social order. This woman with a “reputation” would not have been accepted by the other women. Commentators have suggested that the fact that she was at the well alone in the middle of the day is evidence of not being accepted by others. Apparently, the custom was to go to the well in the cool of the day.

Interesting insight: The Samaritan woman’s name was not revealed. Don’t you wonder why, sometimes in Jesus’ encounters with people, their names are revealed, and other times the names are not revealed?

Passage

Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So, he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So, when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:1-42).

Delivered

The Way Things Work

Thing one: I have been re-reading Eugene Peterson’s Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places. I was reading in the section on salvation, and he was using the story of the plagues in Egypt and the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery as an example. This is a very familiar Bible story. Often, the subject of Sunday School lessons.

If you want to refresh your memory, review Exodus 3-14.

Thing two: In our local fellowship, we have been studying the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew. We are very thorough and very slow. Sometimes we joke about how slow. These passages are a familiar topic of sermons and Christian writers.

If you want to refresh your memory, review Matthew 5,6, and 7.

Thing three: In my daily Bible reading, I was in the book of Hebrews, where the distinction between the old and new covenants is made clear.

If you want to refresh your memory, review the book of Hebrews, particularly chapters 7-10.

When you consider these three things, you can see why a person might wonder how they coalesce.

First, thing one and thing two. God takes the initiative.

Moses is out going about his business as a shepherd when he sees a bush burning that is not consumed. Curious, Moses approaches the burning bush, and God speaks. God reveals the name he gives himself: “I am that I am.” In the conversation with Moses, the Lord proceeds to tell Moses what He is going to do and what role Moses will be playing, and the rest is history.

Mary looks forward to an upcoming marriage when she receives a message from the Lord by way of an angel. She is to become the mother of Jesus. We all know about what follows because it is the Christmas story. The baby grows into a boy, and the boy grows into a man.

Fast forward to the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, and we find Him speaking the Sermon on the Mount. We see this phrase repeated, “But I say unto you.”

In both thing one and thing two, God takes the initiative, and God speaks. To be sure, we can assume that the Hebrew slaves were hoping for a deliverance, and we know the Jews were expecting a Messiah. However, it was God who chose the time and place in which He would insert Himself into human history, and it was God who chose the revelation that He was bringing.

Both events resulted in a major paradigm shift. The Hebrew slaves became the nation of Israel and Jesus announced that the Kingdom of God was coming to earth. The nation of Israel would receive the laws of Moses with a defined way of life. God introduces a new covenant to them, which we now know to be the old covenant. When Jesus introduces the Kingdom of God coming to earth, He establishes a new covenant and declares that He has fulfilled the old covenant law.

Here is where thing three comes into the picture. The author of the book of Hebrews, speaking to the Jews, goes into great detail to explain the passing away of the law and the establishment of the new covenant. He explains the role of sacrifices in both covenants and how there was a need to repeatedly offer sacrifices in the Old Covenant, but the one-time sacrifice of Jesus ended the need for further sacrifice. He explains the role of blood in the two covenants. He explains the superiority of the new covenant.

With this background, let us look at the issue of culture. Everyone is part of a culture, often more than one culture. There is the family culture, the community culture, the national culture, and the current culture, and often many subcultures within each culture. Culture influences how we think and how we behave. Adapting and complying with a culture is necessary for survival and helpful in prospering. Every culture has a system of rewards for adapting and complying and a system of consequences for not adapting and not complying.

The core concept for understanding a culture can be stated thus: “There is a way things work.” You may have heard this statement before. Babies go through the experience of learning “the way things work” in their family. Words of praise, “Good baby,” and words of correction, “No, baby.” “The way things work” becomes a pattern of life for every setting. Universities have a new student orientation. Employers have a new employee orientation. The purpose is to explain “the way things work.”

Here is the rub. The way people tend to think “the way things work” is not the way God tells us is “the way things work.” The Lord revealed to Moses “the way things work” in His covenant for creating the nation of Israel. The Lord’s way did not match what the Hebrews from their slave culture understood about “the way things work.”

The Jews in the time of Jesus had created a whole culture in which there was established “the way things work” that did not match “the way things work” in the Kingdom of God. Jesus revealed these conflicts, emphasized by His phrase, “But I say unto you.”

The change in “the way things work” was a radical change for the Hebrew slaves. They had lived in a culture where the powerful Egyptian masters seemed to be prospering in their system of pagan Gods and idols. The Egyptian’s “the way things work” seemed to be right. The Hebrews had been slaves for 430 years and knew nothing different. God would reveal Himself and His “way things work” to be very different.

The Lord started by demonstrating that He was more powerful than Pharaoh with the plagues. The Lord was alive. He was not a dead idol. The Lord demonstrated His presence with the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day. The Lord spoke and delivered the ten commandments. The Hebrews needed to gain the knowledge that the Lord’s “way things work” was a way of dependence on Him.

The Lord demonstrated His power over creation with signs and wonders. To be sure, the signs and wonders were amazing. The plagues, parting the Red Sea, manna, etc. But let us get a little perspective. These wonders are small change in comparison to creating everything. The Lord was establishing His credibility. In future years, the Lord would repeatedly establish His credibility with the Jewish nation by His words and His deeds.

The Jews in the time of Jesus lived in a culture steeped in tradition and under the teaching and control of the Pharisees. A rigid and detailed Rabbinical code ruled their lives and dictated “the way things work.” Jesus, by His words and deeds, challenged this status quo of “the way things work” by declaring a new and different explanation of “the way things work” in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus demonstrated His power over creation with signs and wonders. To be sure, the signs and wonders were amazing. Water into wine, healing the sick, lame, and blind, feeding thousands with just a few loaves and fishes, calming the storm, and raising the dead. But let us get a little perspective. These wonders are small change in comparison to creating everything. The Lord established His credibility. Then Jesus topped off everything by His resurrection from the dead.

With both Moses and Jesus, the Lord established His credentials with signs and wonders. Moses and Aaron delivered messages from God to Pharaoh and the Hebrews with the phrase: “Thus says the Lord.” In contrast, Jesus delivered messages with the phrase, “But I say unto you.” Moses and Aaron were spokesmen. Jesus was God. See the difference?

When we have lived in a culture and to some degree mastered “the way things work” in that culture, change is hard. To change seems risky. The instruction to change really “rocks the boat.” If I decide to embrace a different “way things work,” what will happen to me?

We have to pause and talk about knowledge. Our understanding and commitment to “the way things work” is based on a set of knowledge content. This knowledge content tells us what to do and what not to do. It tells us what to say and what not to say.

The Lord’s invasion in human history with Moses and the burning bush and what followed brought with it a new set of knowledge content, a new knowledge content about what to do and what not to do. It tells what to say and what not to say.

We can say for the Hebrew slaves, “This is a whole new ballgame.”

The invasion of Jesus into human history with a virgin birth, a ministry of teaching, healing, and signs and wonders, including His death and resurrection, brought with it a new set of knowledge content, a new knowledge content about what to do and what not to do. It tells what to say and what not to say.

We can say for Jesus followers, “This is a whole new ballgame.”

Now we have to talk about belief. The new knowledge content of “the way things work” that God revealed to Moses and that Jesus revealed requires that the new “the way things work” be believed. If the new “way things work” is believed, it will drive the believer’s practice. The new practice is a change that complies with the new “way things work.”

The history of mankind has been marred with people choosing to either not acquire the knowledge from God about “the way things work” or choosing not to believe what God says about “the way things work.”

Here is a prime example: The Lord created everything, including the Garden of Eden. He placed Adam and Eve in the garden and told them (knowledge content) “the way things work”. Simply, all this is yours with one condition: the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, and the Lord added, if you do, you will die. We all know how that turned out. Adam and Eve had the knowledge content of “the way things work.” Eve chose to believe Satan’s explanation of “the way things work” rather than follow the Lord’s direction on “the way things work.”

Back to deliverance. If a person is delivered, they are saved. Clearly, the Hebrew slaves were not only delivered physically from the oppression of the Egyptians but were also delivered from the Egyptian’s “the way things work.” The Lord’s revelation through Moses about Himself and the Mosaic law became a new“way things work.”

Jesus came to deliver us from death. As we learn in John 3:16, belief in Jesus will keep a person from perishing and will give them eternal life. John 3:16 declares, “the way things work.In some ways, this declaration is as simple and clear as the declaration given to Adam and Eve. We also learn from this verse that love and giving are “the way things work”in God’s plan, and love is His motivation.

However, it would be negligent not to spend some time exploring “the way things work”in salvation through Jesus Christ. We have the teachings of Jesus (knowledge content) about “the way things work”in the Kingdom of God. Included in this teaching is revelation about “the way things work” in terms of God’s relationship with mankind.

Jesus revealed “the way things work”in terms of God’s dealing with sin and death. This revelation included the total intolerance for sin because of God’s holiness. The issue of sin had to be addressed, and a suitable sacrifice had to be provided. The practice of sacrificial death to address sin was first established with the animal sacrifice that God provided to address Adam and Eve’s nakedness in the original sin. The repeated practice of sacrifices of animals was built into the Mosaic Covenant. In Hebrews, we learned that these sacrifices were not sufficient and a better sacrifice was needed.

We know that Jesus was the better sacrifice. His sacrifice was so sufficient that there will never need to be another one. The sacrifice of Jesus came at great cost to Him but provided great benefit to those who believe in Him.

Scripture in the New Testament provides the knowledge content needed to know, understand, and practice “the way things work”for followers of Jesus. Let’s highlight a few key points of “the way things work” for followers of Jesus. We learn that believers possess eternal life and will never die (1 1 Cor. 15:53, Rom 6:22, 1 Jn 2:25). We learn that believers are born-again (Jn 3:3, 1 Pet 1:23, 1 Pet 1:3). We learn that believers are changed into new creatures (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15). We learn that believers have renewed minds (Eph 4:23, Rom 12:2). Amazingly, we learn that believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19, Jn 14:26, Eph 1:13). We learn that believers are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29, Eph 4:15 NLT).

This only mentions a few of “the way things work”for those born into the Kingdom of God and are followers of Jesus. The New Testament Scriptures continue to provide information about “the way things work”through instructions and stories. The guidance provided about “the way things work” and following “the way things work” is all the information that believers need to please the Lord and know how to live while still here on earth. There is also information about “the way things work” for the believer’s future.

A brief summary about “the way things work”.

For thing one, if the people of Israel had faithfully followed “the way things work” as outlined by the Lord through Moses, Israel would have been a holy and blessed nation showing forth the glory of the Lord. This did not happen because the people did not follow “the way things work”. The Old Testament is a story of the ups and downs of the nation in its struggle to follow “the way things work”. However, the Lord preserved them to provide a nation from which the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, would come.

For thing two, to the extent that individuals follow “the way things work” in the Kingdom of God, individuals become Godly and more like Jesus. This is “the way things work” in the Kingdom of God. This is a growth process for each individual, and this is clearly revealed in “the way things work”. Ultimately, the change will be completed when the followers of Jesus are with Him.

For thing three, the movement from the old covenant represented in the Mosaic law to the new covenant revealed in the saving work of Jesus is explained by “the way things work” in this change. Understanding this “the way things work” is a critical step for those who want to follow “the way things work” in the Kingdom of God.

It is important to remember two major factors in “the way things work” in the Kingdom of God. The question is: What is important that followers of Jesus know about “the way things work” while the follower is still here on earth in their body? Said another way: What major thing is happening within the followers of Jesus in “the way things work”?

One major thing is that the followers of Jesus have received eternal life and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The thing that is happening is the follower is being changed into the image of Christ. The follower will be becoming more Christlike. This is an individual, personal, and exclusive activity. Here are some verses that confirm this “the way things work”.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29).

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4: 22-24).

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate ^a the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

Another major thing is that the followers of Jesus are a part of the body of Christ, the church. “The way things work” for the follower is that they are becoming one with other followers. Unity is “the way things work” in the body of Christ. This is a collective, a community, and an inclusive activity. Here are some verses that confirm this “the way things work.”

that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me (John 17:21).

so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (Romans 12:5).

so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4: 11-13).

Do we see a lot of Christlikeness in the followers of Jesus? Perhaps not so much. Followers need to follow Jesus and His “the way things work.”

Do we see the body of Christ demonstrating oneness? Definitely, not so much. Followers of Jesus need to live together by following “the way things work” in the body of Christ as taught in the Scriptures.

Did we see the Hebrew nation exhibit the characteristics of a Godly nation following the Lord’s commands? Perhaps not so much. The Hebrews needed to follow the Lord’s “way things work.”

One more thought: Jesus identifies Himself as the “way” in this familiar verse: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Also, in the early years of the church Jesus community was known as “The Way.”

I Am’s of Jesus

When you read the title, I am guessing your mind might have gone to the Lord’s declaration as being the I am. If that is where your mind went, that is a good thing, and you probably thought of this verse:

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” (Exodus 3:14).

Perhaps your mind may have gone to what is called the seven I am’s of Jesus from the Gospel of John. If that is where your mind went, that is a good thing. Let’s review those seven I am’s of Jesus:

1. Bread

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).

2. Light

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

3. Gate

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture (John 10:9).

4. Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

5. Resurrection and Life

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die (John 11:25).

6. Way, Truth, Life

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

7. True vine

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener (John 15:1).

However, you and I were created in the image of God. Therefore, every individual, including you and me, has a personal awareness that creates their own “I am” and you also have your own “I am”.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

A.W. Tozer, in his opening prayer of the fifth chapter of Knowledge of the Holy said:

Lord of all being! Thou alone canst affirm I AM THAT I AM; yet we who are made in Thine image may each one repeat “I am,” so confessing that we derive from Thee and that our words are but an echo of Thine own. We acknowledge Thee to be the great Original of which we, through Thy goodness, are grateful if imperfect copies. We worship Thee, O Father Everlasting. Amen.

Think about it. Each one of us has an identity. We have a name, a body, a mind, a soul. At any given moment, we are in a specific location. You have heard the silly saying, “Wherever you are, that is where you are”. Much of my sense of identity, who I am, may be private and personal. But we all are aware that we have formulated in our mind answers to the question, “Who am I?” We answer those questions with, “I am _______”.

I am guessing that you have some questions in your mind right now. You may be asking, “Where is he going with this?” You may be saying, “so what”? No more guessing. I am headed toward exploring what the Scriptures say about the answer to “Who am I?” for every believer and follower of Jesus. The answers will be answered with this phrase, “I am _______”.

Before I go there, I want to develop a concept that will really make sense after we review some of the “I am’s” as a follower of Jesus. Recently, I was reading Jonathan Cahn’s book, The Oracle, and he made a statement, almost in passing, that really caught my attention. The statement went something like this: “The only real time is now.”

This turned my brain on as I explored the implications of this statement. This is so obvious; the present is the only time that is really real. The past is history, as we often say. We can’t change the past; it is over and done. We can only remember the past. The future has not happened yet so we can only imagine or speculate about what is in the future. I can think of the future events that I anticipated and worried about that never happened. Another perspective: Regret is about the past, fear is about the future, but the present is about what is happening now.

We must note that “I am” is the present tense. I like continuums. Look at these:

Past/Present/Future

Memory/Awareness/Imagination

A simplified example of this for followers of Jesus is:

Lost sinner/Saved believer/Ever with the Lord

Before we explore the Scriptural, I am statements of Jesus followers, let us go a little deeper into these ideas about time. I want to deconstruct a very familiar verse and pursue some grammatical points about tenses (past tense, present tense, future tense). I want to use a very familiar verse.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

We notice there are three characters in the verse, God, the only begotten Son, and whosoever. God “loved” (past tense). God “gave” (past tense). Whosoever “believes” (present tense). “Shall not perish” (future tense). “Have eternal life” (present tense).

We also notice that there is a conditional proposition stated. God’s gift of His Son is offered to “whosoever”. Whosoever includes you, me, friends, relatives, or strangers. The condition is “believes in him”. There is the option to believe or not to believe. Those who choose not to believe shall perish (future tense). Those who choose to believe have eternal life (present tense).

We must not leave this verse without making note that God loved the world. Therefore, the gift of Jesus is offered to everyone. We must also note that whoever includes anyone.

Before moving on, let us go through the same process with another familiar passage.

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Romans 10:9-10).

These verses are often used to explain the process of becoming a believer: “declare with your mouth” (Present tense), “believe in your heart” (Present tense). “God raised him from the dead” (Past tense). “will be saved”. (Present tense). “believe and are justified” (Present tense). “with your mouth that you profess” (Present tense). The “you” in this passage is the “whoever” of John 3:16. What they are doing, confessing and believing, is happening in the “now” real time.

For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

We all experience life in the now, the real time. I received the Lord when I was twelve and have known Him for many years. All the time since then, up to now, is in the past and is filled with wonderful memories of my relationship with the Lord. But my life with Him is in the now. Right now, as I type this document. If you know the Lord, your life with Him is experienced right now as you read this. I also have anticipations about my relationship with the Lord tomorrow and all the tomorrows that make up everlasting. But the fellowship with the Lord is only real in the now. You will see why all this reasoning is important as we move into our next part.

Interlude: I want to pause briefly and tickle your mind. We are aware that time has movement. We say things like, “Just passing time,” or “Where has time gone?” or “Time seems to fly.” Now here is the question to ponder: Are we moving into the future or is the future moving toward us? The answer to this question has no relevance to our previous or future discussion about time and the present, but this can be fun to think about. Now, to get serious, back to the main and important points.

Jesus Followers’ I Am’s

The Jesus follower’s response to the question, “Who am I?”, that is a declaration of identity, is always in the present tense because “I am” is present tense. The answer is not past tense, who was I. The answer is not future tense: who will I be? The answer to “Who am I?” will always be in the “now”, the right now. Not a few seconds ago. Not a few seconds from now. The answer will always be who I am at this very moment. This model is important to keep in mind as we look at some of the Biblical “now” statements. We are ready to explore the Scriptural “I am” statements of Jesus followers. Remember, the “I am” statements are true of the only time that is real, now, the present.

Well, not quite ready because I want to set the stage. Those in authority give proclamations. When a proclamation is given, it becomes what “is.” There are many examples of this, but let me set the stage from my background as an educator. The authority for schools is a Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors operates from Board Policy, which is official and definitely recorded. In my experience, the Board Policy Book was very thick. The official policy gave direction for how the Board operated, how school operations work, and employee expectations and requirements. Every Board member and every administrator had a copy. Usually, a Board Policy document was maintained in some central location so all employees would have access. I am guessing that many schools now have the policy book on their webpage.

Although current Board Policy is written in stone and the law of the school, sometimes there is a need to revise, update, or create new policy. There are very specific protocols for making these changes, and the protocols are dictated by Board Policy. The changes may be driven by changes in state or federal law or incidents, or potential incidents that need to be addressed. Interestingly, each Board Policy is assigned letters according to categories and specific numbers for each policy in that category. It reminds you of chapter and verse in the Bible. The Board Policy Book, with its “current” policy, becomes the last word and is sort of like the Bible for the district. Interestingly, the policy becomes both accuser and defender. As the accuser, the statement is, “You didn’t follow school policy.” As the defender the statement is, “I was following school policy.”

One of the sections of Board Policy is job descriptions. Each category of school personnel has their own specific official job description. The job description will include a position title, minimum requirements for the position, which may include specific degrees, licenses, or certifications. The job description details granted authority, assigned duties, and responsibilities. General examples: Teacher, Principal, Superintendent, Clerk, Secretary, Custodian, Cook, Bus Driver etc.

These job descriptions are proclaimed by the school board in the School Policy. Therefore, if a person were to meet someone associated with the school and were to ask them what they do, they would reply something like this, “I am a teacher and not a cook.” Another person might reply, “I am a cook and not a teacher.” The key point is each individual would be able to clearly state their current position as I am _______. The answer would be based on the authority of current Board Policy, and they could show you the written documentation to substantiate that position.

You may be able to think of one or more scenarios that illustrate the policy drama. However, I want to emphasize the term “current” policy because it relates to the “now”, the “present”. The policy scenario is meant to be an introduction to the concept of authoritative proclamation and the relation of proclamation to the present.

The Lord has given proclamations. He is the ultimate authority. He has given His proclamation in His Word. The Lord has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind to tell us what He wants us to know. He reveals who He is (always), what He has done (past), what He is doing (present), and what He will do (future). He has also revealed to us what is needed to know about mankind. Because of who He is, there is never a need to revise, update, or create new policy.

The Scriptures in the Bible contain the words of God spoken to mankind. Since you and I are members of mankind, those words are spoken directly to you and me. Think of it, the God of the universe, the creator of everything, the sustainer of life, the Savior of the world, is speaking directly to you and me. His speaking to mankind is inclusive. His speaking to you and me is personal.

We are told that the Scriptures were written by inspired writers to whom God was dictating what He wants you and me to know.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

Now we are ready to explore the Scriptural “I am” statements of Jesus followers that I have selected. There are more. Perhaps you will think of some. Remember, the “I am” statements are true of the only real time, now, the present. These statements are true of those who believe in Jesus and are His followers.

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am chosen.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (Ephesians 1:4).

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you (1 Thessalonians 1:4).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am predestined to be a child of God.

he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will– (Ephesians 1:5).

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30).

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:11).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am redeemed and forgiven from my sins.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7).

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12).

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors (1 Peter 1:18).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am the possessor of an inheritance and a joint heir with Christ.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Romans 8:17).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am sealed with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit dwells in me.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am a purchased possession of the Lord and valuable to Him. (Value is measured by the price paid.)

who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:14).

you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:20).

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation (Revelation 5:9).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am loved by the Lord.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16).

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am accepted.

to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves (Ephesians 1:6).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am saved.

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him (Romans 5:9).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am without blame.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (Ephesians 1:4).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am forgiven.

I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name (1 John 2:12).

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins (Colossians 2:13).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am sanctified, holy.

… But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11).

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5).

Proclamation: SinceI have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, I am a new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We have been exploring some of the Scriptural answers given to the question of “Who am I?” to those who have chosen to believe in Jesus and become His followers. This list of answers to the question, “Who am I?” has been very reassuring and is a concrete blessing. But what about those who chose not to believe in Jesus and chose not to become a Jesus follower? The answer to their question of “Who am I? basically they are a person who is perishing. They are perishing right now in this present moment.

The full perspective for those who have chosen not to believe in Jesus and not become a follower of Jesus is that they were perishing in the past, yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Similarly, those who have chosen not to believe in Jesus and not become a follower of Jesus will be perishing tomorrow and the next day and the days that follow. The focus, however is that they are perishing right now, in the present, in the only time that is really real.

The seriousness and finality of not believing are stated in these verses.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (John 3:36).

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

They are part of the world that God loved and to whom He gave His only begotten Son. But they are not part of the “whoever” that chose to believe. Remember the two alternatives given in John 3:16. There was perishing or eternal life. The deciding factor was believing or not believing. Because of their choice not to believe they are part of the perishing. If you are one of those who have chosen not to believe in Jesus and not become a follower of Jesus, this is very scary and sobering news.

The good news is that the choice not to believe that results in perishing can be rectified. Perishing can be avoided. The variable is to choose to believe. A loving God will gladly receive you.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Repentance simply means to change your mind. Move from not believing to believing. Earlier, we saw the verse that said “now” is the day of salvation.

The closing thought for those who have chosen to believe in Jesus and become His followers is the answer to “Who am I?” It is repeated and clearly stated in the Word of God. Every believer can look in a mirror and boldly state all of those proclamations that the Lord has said about them. The believer in Jesus, the follower of Jesus can boldly say: I am chosen, predestined to be a child of God, redeemed and forgiven from my sins, the possessor of an inheritance and a joint heir with Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit with the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, a purchased possession of the Lord and valuable to Him, loved by the Lord, accepted, saved, without blame, forgiven, sanctified, holy, and a new creation.

This really feels good and is a great protection from doubts and attacks that may enter minds that diminish the wonder of belonging to the Lord

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

Story

This story takes place at night. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and apparently had an important position. He seems to have been curious about Jesus, but also a little cautious because he probably did not want his colleagues to know what he was doing. However, Nicodemus had the integrity to seek Jesus out and inquire from Him directly.

Nicodemus addressed Jesus as a teacher and observed that He had come from God based on the miracles that Jesus was performing. I wonder what Nicodemus had planned to ask Jesus, but we do not know because Jesus took the conversation in a different direction.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3).

I think we can assume that Nicodemus was taken by surprise with this question and responded the way most anyone would. How could a person be born again? There was no way a person could enter into their mother’s womb and be born again. It would be impossible.

Jesus graciously explains that He is talking about a Spiritual rebirth and that it was invisible as the wind. Then Jesus tells Nicodemus that he should have known this. Jesus explains that Nicodemus (you people) do not know because you do not believe what Jesus says about earthly things or heavenly things.

Then Jesus explains further using a comparison between Moses lifting up the snake in the wilderness with Jesus being lifted up. The story ends here.

We hear of Nicodemus again, and he is defending Jesus against some other Pharisees.

Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” (John 7:50-51).

Then Nicodemus was again mentioned at the burial of Jesus.

He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds (John 19:39).

Profound Truth: You must be born again. Must is an injunction! Must is a “have to”! Must is imperative! Must is emphatic! What happens if a person is not born again? They perish! Must is an either/or!

The verse following Jesus’ last statement is the famous verse John 16, and it is the Apostle John speaking.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

These verses are a summary of what Jesus said in the last part of our story.

Profound Truth: To not perish and have eternal life, you must be born again. There is no other way. That is why it is a “must.”

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

From John 3:16, we see clearly two categories: perishing and having eternal life. The one variable is believing in Jesus. It is important to note that the whole world (everyone) is already perishing. Perishing can be avoided only by believing in Jesus. John confirms this reality in another verse.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (John 3:39).

The Father, in an act of love, sent His only Son, Jesus, as an intervention so that whoever (anyone) could avoid perishing by believing in Jesus. By believing in Jesus, they not only would avoid perishing but would receive eternal life.

Interesting Point: What does belief in Jesus mean? The answer is captured in these verses.

Believe in your heart what Jesus said about Himself. Believe in your heart what Jesus said about the value of His sacrifice. Believe in your heart in the resurrection. Profess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

Listen-believe-profess.

Interesting Point: Jesus compared and likened the serpent raised up on a pole to Jesus being raised up on the cross. For the children of Israel in the wilderness, it was look and live, and for us, it is believe and live.

Background:

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So, Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived (Numbers 21:4-9).

The main characters in the story are the people, the snakes, Moses, and God. The event is the people are grumbling about the conditions. They accuse Moses and God of bringing them into the wilderness to die, and they detested this miserable food, manna.

The Lord’s response was to send a judgment of poisonous snakes among the people and they bit the people, and many people of Israel died. The people wisely repented and asked Moses for help. Moses responded by making a bronze snake and putting it on a pole so that it was lifted high and could be easily seen. Then an amazing thing happened if a person would look at the bronze snakes as Moses had told them: when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. What is the significance of this story?

The significance of this story is that Jesus referred to this story in our story about Nicodemus. Let us look at Jesus’ reference to the snake.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him (John 3:14-15).

We notice the word: as. This little word tells the two things have a similarity. What two things? Moses lifted up the snake and the Son of Man must be lifted up. There is an equivalency to be explored. The result of looking upon the serpent by the person who was bitten was he lived. The result of looking unto Jesus and believing is eternal life.

A.W. Tozer explains this equivalence in a scenario that occurs when a person is looking at the verses, John 3:14-15, and rightly concludes:

Our plain man, in reading this, would make an important discovery. He would notice that look and believe are synonymous terms. “Looking” on the Old Testament serpent is identical with “believing” on the New Testament Christ. That is, the looking and believing are the same thing. And he would understand that, while Israel looked with external eyes, believing is done with the heart. I think he would conclude that that faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God. (p. 295).

Here is a sobering thought. What happened to those who were bitten by the snake? They died. What happens to those who do not believe in the only begotten Son (Jesus)? They perish. In each situation, a choice is made. A decision is made. There is an “either/or.” To look or not look. To believe or not believe.

I pondered why the Lord did not just eliminate the snakes. Then I realized that the continued presence and threat of the snakes met another parallel in the verses. Judgment and death, as represented by the presence of the snakes, still reign in this present world setting, where belief in Jesus is offered as the rescue.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:17).

Passage

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You ^c must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit. “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:1-15).

Think—a Word Study

I conducted a word search for the word, think. As you would expect, the word appears many times. I selected verses that relate to the renewed mind of the born-again believer seeking to be an obedient follower of Jesus. Although most of the passages were familiar, I did not realize how many there were. I found it helpful to consider them. The Lord provides guidance for our thinking that pleases Him. I hope you will also find this helpful.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

The Mind

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30).

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phillipians 2:5-8).

It seems to me to be clear that in both of these references, the word mind indicates a way of thinking.

Have you ever explored what the Bible says about thinking? Here is guidance from scripture about what to think and what not think. Notice the guidance for the renewed mind.

The List

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you (Romans 12:3).

Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill (Acts 17:29).

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).

If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load (Galatians 6:3-5).

Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults (1 Corinthians 14:20).

Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know (1 Corinthians 8:2).

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:18-21).

So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? (Romans 2:3).

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night (Psalms 63:6).

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think(Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time (Ecclesiastes 7:4 NLT).

The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words (Proverbs 15:28 NLT).

In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable (Romans 14:5 NLT).

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth (1 Corinthians 1:26).

But then I recall all you have done, O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty work (Psalms 77:11-12).

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit (Romans 8:5 NLT).

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking (2 Peter 3:1).

Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all (Romans 12:16 NLT).

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude (Psalms 4:4 NLT).

A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2).

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (1 Corinthians 13:5 KJV).

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth (Colossians 3:2 NLT).

Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long (Psalms 119.97 NLT).

Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others (Proverbs 12:17 NLT).

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2 NLT).

Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires (Romans 13:14 NLT).

Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness (Proverbs 13:16 NLT).

Counterfeit Righteousness vs Real Righteousness

My idea for this topic came while reading Dallas Willard’s Renovation of the Heart, and it triggered my thinking. Dr. Willard observed that those who reject God’s authority believe that their view of righteousness exceeds God’s righteousness.

The idea for the title came from a comment that a Christian brother made in a Bible Study a few years ago. He had the insight that Satan produces counterfeits of God’s ways.

A counterfeit twenty-dollar bill is meant to look like a genuine twenty-dollar bill. The counterfeit is exposed when it is compared with a real twenty-dollar bill.

A counterfeit is a lie, but what is real is truth. A counterfeit is phony; it is a fake. A counterfeit deceives.

When we explore the concept that counterfeit righteousness is considered by its proponent to exceed the righteousness of God, we find many examples from history. Hitler presented his superior race dogma as being righteous. Karl Marx and the communists presented their theories of rescuing workers as righteous.

More recently, we have the example of the environmentalist activists and their campaign to save “Mother Earth” as a righteous movement.

Most recently, we have seen the growth of the woke movement with several features. These features include critical race theory, social justice, diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI).

Counterfeit righteousness movements have common characteristics. They all have a religious flavor. The advocates of each one are sure that they are right and anyone who questions them is wrong. Their cause is their dogma. It becomes a religion.

They are so convinced that their cause is righteous and the answer to a perceived crisis that their solution must be imposed upon others. Those who disagree or are opposed to their cause become the enemy and must be dealt with, and often harshly. Those who disagree are called deniers, and their opinions are called disinformation. Those who are opposed are considered evil because they are seen as being against counterfeit righteousness.

The counterfeit righteous cause is proclaimed, followers are recruited, often an organizational structure emerges, and champions and heroes are identified as spokesmen. If they can infiltrate governments and existing organizations, they can begin to influence policy and enact laws and regulations.

Because counterfeit righteousness advocates are so adamant about their views, it becomes essential to impose those views on others no matter what the cost. When we see how counterfeit righteousness has played out in history, as seen in world religions, or with governments such as Germany, Russia, China, and Cambodia, the loss of life goes into the millions.

The drive to impose their counterfeit righteousness is very strong and is driven by an illusion of urgency that it must be embraced and received by all, at any costs and all cost.

With that as an overview, I want to focus briefly on the woke movement and particularly diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). I will not go into the ways it has invaded society and culture, but rather look at some of its tenets. The focus of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) is mostly on race issues, income, and gender. There seems to be a sense that diversity has an innate value and benefit, that equality is necessary and appropriate for there to be social justice, and that gender is something other than biological sex and is open to the choice of individuals.

The proponents of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) believe that when these tenets are not honored, victims are produced. Therefore, those who do not adhere to these tenets are the enemy and the oppressors, and the abusers.

I do not wish to dwell on the counterfeit righteousness, but I want to focus on the real righteousness. Before I move on, I want to present Dallas Willard’s insights into the plague of counterfeit righteousness and the conflict with real righteousness.

Quote:

Now, modern humanity—say since the late 1800s—has lived in a rage of self-righteousness. In its intellectual leaders, it has lived in an attitude of superiority and condemnation toward the morality of the culture that is supposedly “Christian.” Its “greatest prophets—a line of those thought to be among our greatest thinkers—have weighed Jesus in the moral balances and found him wanting.

In fact, they have found ways of treating him as inaccessible and have then concentrated on finding those who profess to be his followers wanting.

Willard continues:

Meanwhile, all of the horrendous political movements of the twentieth century, from the Soviet form of communism to Hitler’s Fascist state, from Maoism to Pol Pot—pled moral righteousness on their side and unrighteousness in their opponents as the justification for brutalities that no one would have thought possible before the fact. And the leaders of worldwide terrorism do the same. (The Nazi, for example, saw himself as morally superior to the Jew, the Gypsy, and others. That was his basis for his actions toward them. If there is to be an accurate history written of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it will have to give prominence to the fact the highest–ethical teaching the world has ever been given was rejected by the intellectual leaders of humanity in favor of teachings that opened the way to forms of human behavior more degraded than any the world had seen to that point.

Willard concludes:

Still today those who are concerned about contemporary culture do not seem to fully realize what has happened—that those identified with Christ, and Christ himself, have come to be seen as morally inferior. They do not realize that the attacks on what we might call traditional Christian morally—or just “traditional values”—is a moral attack: and from the point of view of (supposed) moral superiority (pages 229-230).

Counterfeit is a lie. Counterfeit is untrue. Counterfeit is phony. Counterfeit is a fraud. Counterfeit is dangerous. Real is true. Real is genuine. Real is sure. Real is safe.

We will pause and backfill with information that is probably obvious. Righteousness has its opposite, unrighteousness. We usually think in terms of good as opposed to evil or right as opposed to wrong. Whoever proclaims their position as righteous believes that those who do not agree are unrighteous. They see themselves as good and those who do not agree as evil. They see themselves as right and those who do not agree as wrong.

A fourth of a mile from our house is an irrigation reservoir stocked with trout, where I often like to go fishing. Upon returning home, my wife often asks me how many fish I caught. Suppose I said, “I caught five.” Suppose I said, “I caught two.” Suppose I said, “I caught none.” Suppose I said, “I caught one.” Only one answer could be real, could be true. It is even possible that none of these answers were true, were real.

The point of this example is that counterfeits can come in many forms, but there can only be one real, one true. There is only one real, true answer to the question of how many fish I caught. This makes it prudent to focus on discovering the real righteousness rather than exposing the untruth of the many counterfeit righteousnesses.

More backfill. Those who proclaim their position as righteous also claim the status of the authority on their position. They have identified or created their position as righteous and do not tolerate opposition. They believe their position is righteous and represents reality.

However, counterfeit righteousness is not based on reality because there is only one reality, and the reality is God’s reality.

Tozer defines reality.

What do I mean by reality? I mean that which is existent apart from any idea any mind may have of it and would exist if there were no mind anywhere to entertain a thought of it. That which is real has being in itself. It does not depend upon the observer for validity (page 260).

Our source for information on real righteousness will be the Scriptures.

God’s reality is the true reality. It is the real reality, and it follows that God’s righteousness is the real righteousness.

For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face (Psalm 11:7).

The Lord is the creator; therefore, it is only fitting that He is the authority that can determine what is righteous.

Throughout the scriptures, again and again, there is the proclamation that God is the creator. That is how the Scriptures begin.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

This is also how the Scriptures end.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone (Revelation 21:1 NLT).

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness (2 Peter 3:13 NLT).

This is reality, God’s reality. Any position that declares itself as righteous but does not conform to God’s righteousness is counterfeit. Since the Lord is the ultimate authority, to speak plainly, what the Lord says is what goes. We are talking about obedience.

Since we are talking about obedience and its links to the Lord’s righteousness, we must consider the context of disobedience.

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:10-18).

This is a very sobering passage. Notice the all-inclusive terms in bold. This means that only God is righteous. At first glance, this stirs a feeling of hopelessness. We read on and find good news, the gospel.

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:22-28).

Since all (everyone) has sinned and fallen short, God found a way to give righteousness to those who had no righteousness. Sin and falling short carried with it a death sentence. At great cost to him, God sent Jesus to pay the penalty (be an atonement) for those under the death sentence. In the last part of the passage, we see the explanation for how God could give righteousness to those who believe in Jesus without tarnishing His own righteousness. In simple language, those who have faith in Jesus are given righteousness because all their sins, all their falling short that would require judgment and death, have been paid for by Jesus.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Hear the good news: those who have faith in Jesus trade death for eternal life. Why would God do this?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

There you have the answer. God loves the world. Although the world was under condemnation for falling short, God had a plan and made a provision for salvation, but it requires believing in Jesus. Now everyone falls into one of two categories: those who are perishing and those who have eternal life.

Scripture goes on to identify those who have eternal life in several ways: citizens of the Kingdom of God, parts of the body of Christ, children of God, children of light, and members of God’s flock with Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Each of these relationship descriptions provides a deeper understanding of their relationship with God. In each of these descriptions, there is information about God’s expectations for those who have been given God’s righteousness as to how to live righteously. These instructions can be found in the New Testament and are expected to be obeyed. Obedience is a demonstration of love for God.

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3 NLT).

A primary point to remember is that in God’s Kingdom and His righteousness, love is involved. We mentioned God’s love in sending Jesus, and believers’ love for God shown by obedience. Remember the two greatest commandments.

The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27 NLT).

We have discovered real righteousness, and it comes from God. What about counterfeit righteousness, and how does it differ from real righteousness? God’s gift is offered to all, but it is not required to be received. Remember, the gift of eternal life is offered to whoever will believe. God respects the dignity of the people He created to choose to believe; they are not required. Although those who choose not to believe will ultimately face God’s judgment because His righteousness requires it, there is no effort to force compliance, as is typical in counterfeit righteousness. As long as a person is alive on this earth, the invitation to believe remains open, and eternal life is the gift.

Why would anyone not prefer and accept God’s real righteousness?

Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness (Romans 10:3).

The answer is simple: they want to establish their own righteousness. Remember how we explored this pattern earlier?

What about diversity in God’s kingdom? We already discussed the invitation to whoever.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

How could it be plainer? There is diversity in God’s Kingdom of righteousness.

What about equality? In God’s creation of mankind, everyone is equal because all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Everyone single one needs to be saved. All who believe in Jesus will receive eternal life. Every believer receives a spiritual gift at the Holy Spirit’s discretion and although the gifts differ, each one is important to the whole of other believers.

What about inclusion? Once again, all who believe are included in God’s kingdom. Notice this reprimand for believers who had not been careful about inclusion and had been discriminatory.

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? (James 2:1-4 NLT).

Another evidence of inclusion and equality in God’s righteousness is belonging to His family. Notice the verse began by addressing brothers and sisters. Each one has the same Father.

We noted that counterfeit righteousness often involves anger that can progress into hate. It will not result in real righteousness.

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires (James 1:20).

Conclusion:

We started the discussion about counterfeiting with the example of a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. We concluded that the counterfeit would be recognized by comparing it with a real twenty-dollar bill. The same principle will work for distinguishing between counterfeit righteousness and real righteousness. The critical piece is the necessity of knowing the real righteousness. That means knowing God’s righteousness. This knowledge will be found in the Holy Scriptures.

The task is clearly to study the Scriptures.

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT).

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5).

The Lord Jesus demonstrated His commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion in His instruction to His followers. Look at these passages.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone (Mark 16:15 NLT).

Notice: Diversity: all nations and all the world. Equality: go and make disciples of all nations, Go into all the world and to everyone. Inclusion: all nations and all the world.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Notice: Diversity: not wanting anyone to perish. Equality: everyone to come to repentance. Inclusion: anyone and everyone.

When Peter realized that the good news of Jesus was not for the Jews only but also for the Gentiles, this is what he said.

So, Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34 ESV).

The Lord’s real righteousness is for everyone and anyone. The Lord’s provision of salvation is for everyone and anyone. The Lord’s real righteousness is meant for everyone and anyone. That includes you and me.

The Names of Jesus

Why names? What’s in a name? I have one. You have one. Everybody I ever met had one. Simply names are used for identification. Looking at basic grammar and parts of speech, we learn that a noun names a person, place, or thing. Please bear with me as I spend time talking about the obvious because I am building background.

Places have names, the White House, the Golden Gate Bridge. Streets and roads have names, which is how we gain an address. Events have names: the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl. Some animals have names. Our horses and cats have names. Exclusive names are proper nouns and must start with a capital letter. Our horses’ names are Sash and Flicka. They are exclusive because there is only one Sash and one Flicka. However, names sometimes are about categories. The word, horses, names a category and is inclusive of all horses. Hence, the category, horses, includes Sash and Flicka.

I have a first name, a middle name, and a last name. These further clarify identity. These make me exclusive because there is only one me. However, the inclusion of a last name moves into a category of inclusion because it connects with a family with the last name of Daniel. Actually, it is also a category of exclusion because anyone without the last name of Daniel is excluded. To be more precise, or more confusing, subcategories are involved. There is the exclusive Daniel name category that includes only my family of origin, Dad, Mom, and siblings. There is also the Daniel name category that includes my children and my siblings’ children, and our children’s children. This could go on and on by looking backward with the category of my Dad’s family of origin, etc. You get the picture.

Another feature of names includes the addition of a rank or title linked to a position. These features provide greater detail. Examples: President Trump, Judge Roberts, Congressman Tipton, Governor Newsom, Commissioner Jones, Pastor Stanley. Sometimes it is a matter of rank. Examples: Col. Tucker, Commander Wolfe, Master Sargent Hopkins, Captain Copley, General Flynn.

In my experience, I have had the titles of Principal Daniel, Superintendent Daniel, Professor Daniel, and others. These additions indicate what the named person does or did. As we examine the names of Jesus, we will see that His names are always exclusive and tell about what He does or did. We will also see that His names address the issue of rank and position.

As we explore the many names, titles, and descriptions of Jesus, it is good to reflect on the fact that the Lord has chosen to reveal Himself to us. The many names and descriptions provide multiple perspectives and views of who He is, so that He becomes more real, and then we can love him more.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2).

Immanuel

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) (Matthew 1:23).

This is a message in a dream from an angel to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, telling him to take Mary to be his wife. The angel is quoting Isaiah 7:17. This is a message of the arrival of the promised Messiah. Just think of it, “God is with us”. What a wonderful message and blessing. Jesus is God, and He is with us. This makes Him more real and more loved.

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

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. (Isaiah 9:6).

These names for the Lord Jesus take away my breath. The name Wonderful speaks of worthiness to receive worship. Somehow Wonderful is inclusive of all He is and all He has done. Counselor speaks of one who comes close providing guidance and advice for facing the challenges and troubles of life. The Mighty God speaks of His great power. The word, Mighty, is awe-inspiring.

The Everlasting Father assures that He is forever and ever and that He will not be leaving or going away. Prince of Peace tells of relief from war, conflict, and turmoil. These names make me feel really safe and at rest. Each of these names makes Him more real, and each makes me very thankful to be His child, and it really makes me love Him more.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

Can you read this verse without thinking of the Hallelujah Chorus? These names fill my heart with worship, and I cannot hear these names without tears. Contrast this with the humiliation of Jesus in the way He was treated before Pilate and His suffering on the cross. He is our hero and, in these names, He is being honored. Once again, He becomes more real and I love Him more.

Lamb of God

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29).

John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God. He also proclaims the mission of Jesus. Clearly, this name signifies Jesus as the sacrificial lamb. We may have images of a lamb as weak, soft, and cuddly. Certainly, we would never think of a lamb as dangerous. But this lamb is the Lamb of God, and although He humbled Himself to be the righteous sacrifice, He is not weak. Take heed to this series of verses from Revelation where His name as the Lamb is repeatedly used. This Lamb is not meek and mild!

They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings–and with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers(Revelation 17:14).

All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! (Revelation 6:16).

and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations (Revelation 16:13).

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1).

Son of God and Loved Son

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).

But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am. (Luke 22:69-70).

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! (Matthew 17:5).

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:16-17).

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).

Jesus is identified as the Son of God both as a title and as a Son in a relationship with the Father. The Father calls Jesus his beloved Son. I am my father’s son, and sometimes he addressed me as son, but my name is Elden. I am known as a son of Arvy. Son of God is a title that declares a relationship. As a son of Arvy, I am of the same nature, two human beings with the last name of Daniel. In that sense, we are equal. Jesus, as the Son of God, is equal, and the Father and the Son are God.

Here is an interesting point. The Father declared Jesus as His Son. Jesus declared Himself as the Son. Believers recognize and proclaim Jesus as the Son of God. Notice that Satan and his demons also identify Jesus as the Son of God.

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3).

If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'” (Matthew 4:6).

When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Matthew 8:28-29).

Chief Cornerstone

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).

For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone (1Peter 1:6-7).

Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone. A cornerstone represents the initial starting place in the construction of a monumental building and is considered essential, indispensable, or basic. This name declares that Jesus is most important and that everything rests on Him. Without Him, there is no building. This declaration of importance makes Jesus more real and makes us love Him more.

Alpha and Omega

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8).

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End… (Revelation 21:6).

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13).

I picture alpha and omega as two bookends. Everything starts and begins with Jesus, and everything will end with Jesus. Everything else fits within these two ends. Clearly, Jesus is the preeminent One. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). This name, like Chief Cornerstone, proclaims the essentialness of the Lord Jesus. This essentialness makes Jesus more real, and hence we can love Him more.

Son of Man

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man (Mark 2:10).

I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (Luke 12:8-10).

So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28).

Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20).

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Luke 7:34).

As you know, the Passover is two days away–and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified (Matthew 26:2).

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40).

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners (Matthew 26:45).

but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? (Luke 22:48).

The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him! (Luke 22:22).

…Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62).

If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” (Luke 22:67-70).

Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:27).

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

Are you wondering why so many verses are about the name Son of Man? You probably noticed in reading these verses that Jesus is doing the talking. I am sure you noticed that I put Son of Man in bold font. Jesus identified Himself most often in Scripture as the Son of Man. The name declares that He is both God and man. He is declaring the incarnation. As man, He is able to connect with mankind, as God, He is able to be our Savior. The power of this name makes Jesus more real and also creates deeper love from those who know Him.

Jesus (Yeshua)

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

The name for Jesus was given by an angel in a dream to Joseph. The name Jesus comes from a Hebrew word, Yeshua. The word comes from a verb, yasha, which means to deliver, save, or rescue. Greek translations list the yeshua as yesous from which we derive the name Jesus. Sometimes the name Jesus is associated with the name Joshua. In some English Bibles, Joshua is stated as Jeshua. Of course, Joshua, along with Moses, was a deliverer or savior for the Jewish people out of Egypt. Jesus is a personal name and speaks of Him as our Savior. The name makes Jesus seem closer and more real and more loved.

The Word

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life (1 John 1:1).

The Lord Jesus is identified as the Word. The significance of this name is reflected from the beginning when the Lord spoke creation into existence. “And God said…” (Genesis 1:3). “And God said…” (Genesis 1:6). “And God said…” (Genesis 1:9). “Then God said…” (Genesis 1:11.) “And God said…” (Genesis 1:14). “And God said…” (Genesis 1:20). “Then God said…” (Genesis 1:26.) Get the picture?

There is power in God’s words. Interestingly, Jesus is identified as the Word. Jesus is also truth and truth is proclaimed with words. “in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left” (2 Corinthians 6:7). “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:18). Picturing Jesus as the Word makes Him more real and we love Him more.

Master

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm (Luke 8:24).

Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” (Luke 9:49).

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18 KJV).

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee (Matthew 12:38 KJV).

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. (Matthew 23:8 KJV).

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. (Matthew 23:10 KJV).

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. (Matthew 26:25 KJV).

As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters–one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) (Luke 9:33).

Look at all these verses where Jesus is addressed as Master. Other translations sometimes use the word Teacher instead of Master. This is a term of respect and honor. Notice that Jesus is the only one to be recognized as the Master. Interestingly, both those who are friendly to Jesus and those who are unfriendly called Him Master. Knowing Jesus as Master makes Him more real and more loved.

Messiah/Christ

He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah ” (which translated means Christ) (John 1:41 NASB).

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us (John 4:25-26).

Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else? (Matthew 11:3 NLT).

If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded (Mark 9:41 NLT).

We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago (Luke 24:21 NLT).

Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory? (Luke 24:26 NLT).

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation (Colossians 1:15 NLT).

Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything (Colossians 1:18 NLT)

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory (Romans 5:2 NLT).

This is a sampling of verses in the Bible where Jesus is given the title of Messiah or Christ. Messiah is the Hebrew term, and Christ is the Greek term. The meaning is the Anointed One. This is the name given to the expected Savior that God would send as prophesied in the Old Testament. There are many Old Testament prophecies predicting the coming of the Messiah, but I have chosen not to include them.

As we read through the verses, you can see that the people were expecting the appearance of the Messiah. We also see that Jesus acknowledged that He was the Messiah. We see references back to the prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament, including that He would suffer. We also see the great blessings that come with being connected to the Messiah/Christ. These verses and the information that comes with them make Jesus more real, and so we love Him more.

Savior

to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Jude 1:25).

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:18).

and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:11).

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20).

but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10).

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).

Savior is a name of Jesus that highlights what He did. He came to rescue us from sin and death. The Father gave His one and only Son so that we would not perish but have eternal life. Each of His names expands our understanding of who He is, but Savior drives home what He accomplished for every believer that each could not do for themselves. Ponder the thought of not perishing. Ponder the thought of eternal life. For each member of mankind, it is one or the other.

Think about this and be amazed. Think about this and feel loved. Each believer is part of His joy.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

Books Published by Elden in 2025

I published one big book and two little books. The big book is available in print and ebook formats. The little books are available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

The big book: Adventures in Biblical Thinking –Second Edition (350 pages)

Description

Adventures in Biblical Thinking, Second Edition, is a compilation of previously published documents from my website, https://adventuresinbiblicalthinking.home.blog/, from my Adventures in Biblical Thinking Series, and also some excerpts from my other books. Each of the 85 chapters is a standalone, one-topic document.

A reader might choose to read through the book chapter by chapter or use it as a daily devotional because most of the chapters are short. In addition, a person might use it as a reference book and pick and choose which topic they wish to study. The book would be helpful for new or young believers who are not very familiar with what the Scriptures teach.

I have placed the chapters into categories. It was clear which category many of the chapters belong to; however, sometimes I found assigning some chapters challenging because it seemed they might belong in more than one category.

I have chosen to quote many Scripture passages in their entirety. If there are multiple verses, I present them as one passage. I believe this supports the continuity of the passage.

A little book: Exploration and Examination of Some Familiar Words in the Bible (27 pages)

Description

This book is about some words. The subtitle states that words are very important. This statement is hardly profound. We think in words. We communicate with each other in words. I am writing words, and you are reading words.

The words we use are important. We think in words. We use words to describe our feelings. We use words to communicate with one another and with God. We use words to describe what we see and hear. Parents are thrilled when their babies begin to speak words.

The Bible is referred to as the Word of God. God spoke creation into existence. The first chapter of John begins with the Lord identified as the Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:1-5).

However, linking “familiar” and “words” may not be profound, but it is unusual. Specifically, we will be considering the impact that the “familiar” can have on words. I have been thinking about this for several years and decided to formalize those thoughts into a little book.

In the title, I use the word, explore to indicate looking out to see a broad application, and I use the word, examine to indicate a closer, focused, detailed application.

The words I have selected are gospel, Christ, church, and minister. These are very familiar in the Christian community and are found in the Bible and used frequently in conversations, in preaching, Christian writing, and Christian music. The last chapter takes a slightly different approach to exploring and examining the “familiar,” but it still involves words.

The target audience is born-again Jesus followers. These are people who are committed to reading and studying their Bible. They like to read Christian authors and listen to good sermons. They are often thinking and talking about Jesus and the Word of God. The words we are considering are very “familiar” to them.

If this is not who you are, you are welcome to read this book. Who knows how it may impact you?

The other little book: Upper Room Messages – What About the Disciples? (46 pages)

Description

This book is for 21st-century Jesus followers. It is not about 21^st-century Jesus followers. It is about the eleven disciples and Jesus. It takes place in the upper room. Why eleven? Judas had left the group on his way to betray Jesus.

The account is found in the Gospel of John, Chapters 13-15. These chapters are packed with information that was important for the eleven to know. They would not be together again until after the resurrection.

Specific consideration will be made about the contrast between what the eleven knew at that time and what the 21st-century Jesus followers know today. Of course, Jesus knew everything.

We will find much said about love, obedience, and relationships, Jesus, the Father, and the eleven. We will discover that Jesus specifically states that the 21st-century followers are included in His instructions, promises, and provisions. Most of these truths highlighted have been very precious to all Jesus followers through the years.

I believe the 21st-century Jesus will discover a new perspective on the message presented in the upper room. My desire is that they will come away with a deeper sense of what was happening then and a deeper appreciation of Jesus. I did while writing this book.

What Do You Believe?

Either you believe Jesus is God or you don’t.

Either you believe the Bible is God’s revelation to man or you don’t.

Either you believe Jesus loves you, this I know because the Bible tells me so, or you don’t.

Either you believe that salvation is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ or you don’t.

Either you believe that acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior is important or you don’t.

Either you believe that you are saved through your belief in the sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross, or you don’t.

Either you believe that eternal life is found in Jesus Christ or you don’t.

If you don’t believe any of these propositions, you believe in something, and it doesn’t matter what that belief is, because you are lost and without hope. What a person believes is very serious and important. Literally, it is a matter of life and death.

What do you believe?

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Bottom Line

Joy and Glory or Sorrow and Torment

Continuum

Strongly agree
Slightly agree
Neutral
Slightly disagree
Strongly disagree

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise, you will be condemned (James 5:12).

YES

NAY

YEA

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (Matthew 12:30).

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do (James 1:8).

The Christian who compartmentalizes his or her life into two sections of the religious and the nonreligious has failed to grasp the big idea. The big idea is that all of life is religious or none of life is religious. To divide life between the religious and the nonreligious is itself a sacrilege.

FROM R.C. Sproul Nov 13, 2017

What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

A.W. Tozer (Knowledge of the Holy)

God’s Economy

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalms 24:1).

Image Bearers

By the word, economy, we simply mean the way things work in God’s system. First, we will look at God’s economy in relation to theology. The scriptures teach basic concepts and basic relationships that are involved with God’s relationship with mankind. A fundamental concept is that God created everything, including man. Man is a unique creation in that man was created in the image of God.

Let us pause and look more closely at what it means to be created in the image of God. J. I. Packer in. Knowing God (1973)gives us some insight:

This is what the Bible means when it tells us that God made man in His own image (Gen. 1:26f.) –namely, that God made man a free spiritual being, a responsible moral agent with powers to choose and action, able to commune with Him and respond to Him, and by nature good, truthful, holy, upright (cf. Eccles. 7:29): in a word godly.

The moral qualities which belonged to the divine image were lost in the Fall; God’s image in man has been universally defaced, for all mankind has in one way or another lapsed into ungodliness. But the Bible tells us that now, in fulfilment of His plan of redemption, God is at work in believers to repair His ruined image by communicating these qualities to them afresh. This is what scripture means when it says that believers are being renewed in the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18) and of God (Col. 3:10) (pages 89-90).

There is a way that image-bearing works in God’s economy.

Property Rights

Aligned with the fact of creation is the principle that that which is created is the property of the creator. This property right of the person who creates something is still in practice in cultures today (patents, trademarks, copyrights). The creator has no need to consult the creation about how the creation is created.

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this? Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? (Romans 9:20-21).

God is sovereign, and He can do what He pleases with His creation. Clearly, it is not ours to question. A clear application is that the way we were made was God’s prerogative. This includes the sex, the race, how tall, what we look like, the color of our eyes, the size of our ears, and the family of origin we were assigned. The truth is, we are to accept how God made us, and even when He made us. The choice about all of these details of “who we are” was His choice, not ours.

There is a way that property rights work in God’s economy.

Sin and Redemption

In the Garden of Eden story, the scriptures explain the original sin and how sin came upon the human race–complete with the fall, death, and the curses. The doom of man could only be averted by a saving act by God. Early on we see that a blood sacrifice was required to provide redemption. Throughout the Old Testament, there is a pattern of animal sacrifice for atonement that was clearly defined in the details of the Law of Moses. Scripture clearly explains that these blood sacrifices were only temporary and had to be repeated. These redemptive practices foreshadowed the advent of Christ’s final and complete sacrifice of Himself that provided the complete salvation.

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

In book after book in the Old Testament, we see the struggle with sin and disobedience of mankind. We see God’s intervention and action both in rescue and in judgment. These lessons tell us much about both the nature of God and the nature of man, the sinner. The application for today is for us to better understand who God is and how He interacts with mankind, and to see how it applies in our personal lives and in the world around us today. This knowledge becomes part of our belief system.

In the New Testament, much explanation is given to contrast the ways God related to the nation of the Jews with how He is relating to believers today. Scripture talks about the new covenant and the old covenant. The role of the law and how it relates to believers is discussed. We learn that no one is saved by the keeping of the law and that by the law is knowledge of sin. We also learn that the law is holy and true and that God has not recanted on the principles of holy behavior that the law requires. However, we learn that with the advent of the Holy Spirit dwelling in believers a new and wonderful capacity has been given to enable believers to live godly lives.

We also learn that in God’s economy, there is a very big story of redemption and restoration. We learn there will be a new heaven and a new earth. There will be a restoration of all things. There will be a final judgment and removal of evil. There is the big picture of what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen. With the study of the scripture, we can identify where we fit into this big picture in this present time. All of this information provides the context that we need to formulate our belief system. God has not left us ignorant and unprepared to know Him and to live lives pleasing to Him.

There is a way that sin and redemption work in God’s economy.

Faith

The importance of faith as a factor in God’s economy is critical in establishing our belief system.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

…everything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews goes on to list a great honor roll of Bible characters who were examples of people demonstrating faith.

There is a way that faith works in God’s economy.

Structure

We see structure in creation. What we know about atoms and molecules indicates specific and often precise structure. The Periodic Table from chemistry is organized around these structures. Our bodies and the bodies of plants are intricately structured, both from the skeletal aspects and the various “systems”: digestive, respiratory, circulatory, nervous, reproductive, excretory, etc.

The geographical terrain has structure. We see structure and symmetry in the shapes of plants. Think of the shape of trees. Look at the details of a flower. How about root systems? Consider seeds.

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these (Luke 12:27).

There is structure in families. Parents and children, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and in-laws. We can even diagram a family tree. Our dwellings have structure, and we even call them “structures.” Both the tabernacle and the temple had specific structural details from God.

The universe, as best we can understand it has structure and operates under specific structural principles. What we call natural laws or scientific principles have structure, and the structures are so reliable that these are predictable. Because of the reliable structure, we can harness our world for our benefit with machines and other utilitarian purposes that make our lives easier and more comfortable.

There is a way that structure works in God’s economy.

Sequence

Things happen in a specific order. The seasons come in order: summer, fall, winter, spring. Night follows day, or perhaps we can think that day follows night. The GPS on the mobile phone has a little voice that gives directions for how to get from point A to point B. Birth follows conception. Metamorphosis follows in order: egg, larva, pupae, butterfly. Seed, new plant, mature plant, fruit.

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come (Mark 4:26-29).

Salvation follows belief in the Lord Jesus.

Peterson identifies this sequence: creation, salvation, and blessing.

Born-again, babe in Christ, growth in Christ, mature believer, translated believer.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 2:2).

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ (Ephesians 4:13 (NLT).

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23).

There is a way that sequence works in God’s economy.

Summary

We have looked at just a few examples of segments of God’s economy to illustrate, there is a way things work. It only makes sense that the God of the universe would have proper and effective ways that things work in His universe. It makes sense that it would be wise for each individual to get in sync with the way things work. Fortunately, the Lord has not left us without directions about how things work. Try framing your thinking to discern how things work as you arrive at decisions and make choices. This just makes sense. Perhaps you can think of other elements of God’s economy.

Note: Some excerpts of God’s Economy were taken from my book, The Mystery of Godliness (2019).

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

This story contains important teaching by Jesus, the wonder of healing, the tension of confrontation with the Pharisees, and the changes in the man who was healed.

Jesus and His disciples are just walking along, and they see a blind man. His disciples ask a simple question, “Is he blind because of his sins or his parents’ sins?” Jesus corrects their assumption and informs them that he is blind to demonstrate the works of Jesus. Jesus proceeds to heal the blind man.

Observers noticed the change and wondered if this man was the same man they were used to seeing begging. The blind man assured them that He was the same man. Naturally, they asked how it came to pass that he could see. We recounted his healing story, a man called Jesus, put mud on his eyes, told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, he did what he was told, and now could see.

The curious people wanted to know where Jesus was, and the healed man simply replied, “I don’t know.” But that is not the end of the story because the people brought the healed man to the Pharisees, and they wanted to know what had happened. Besides, the healing had taken place on the Sabbath. Once again, the blind man told the story of his healing.

Then the Pharisees get into a debate among themselves about whether Jesus came from God. Some thought He had not come from God because He healed on the Sabbath, and others wondered how He could heal if He had not come from God. So, they asked the healed man. His simple reply is, “He is a prophet”.

The Pharisees decided that the man had not really been blind, so they investigated by asking his parents. His parents confirm that he was their son and had been born blind. When they asked his parents about how he could now see, they said they didn’t know. They did not want to risk the punishment from the Pharisees by acknowledging in any way that Jesus was the Messiah because they feared them. So, they replied, “Ask him”.

So, the Pharisees decided to interrogate the healed man some more and made the statement that Jesus was a sinner. The formerly blind man gave his now-familiar reply.

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25).

The healed man gave a lengthy response to the question of whether Jesus was a sinner, ending with a clear and decisive response.

If this man were not from God, he could do nothing (John 9:33).

The Pharisees turn on the man and angrily throw him out, and our story takes another turn.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (John 9:35).

In the following conversation, Jesus reveals Himself to the healed man. The man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped Jesus.

Profound Truth: God’s purposes are not the same as our purposes. The disciples, based on the belief that being born blind is really bad and based on the assumption that bad things are caused by sin wondered if it was his sins or his parents’ sins that were the cause of blindness. Jesus corrected their assumptions. God’s purpose was to show the works of Jesus. The takeaway for each of us is that making assumptions concerning cause and effect about situations and events is risky and can easily be inaccurate. To be candid, why God does things is really not our business. Unless the Lord chooses to tell us why, we are simply to trust that He knows what He is doing. That is a safe trust because He does know what He is doing.

Interesting insight: We are never told the blind man’s name. He was a beggar, which would place him in the lower, if not the lowest, level of society. Yet Jesus sought him out to heal. The blind man did not ask to be healed.

Interesting insight: After the blind man’s ordeal with the Pharisees, Jesus sought him out again, but not for healing but for revealing. This healed blind man without a name has the personal attention of Jesus and the special treatment of Jesus, revealing Himself as the Messiah.

Interesting insight: The healed man believed and worshipped. Years of blindness and begging ended with a personal connection with Jesus. He received much more than his sight.

The Passage

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So, the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So, I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So, they were divided. Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains (John 9:1-41).

For Our Pleasure

For Our Pleasure

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV).

So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27 KJV).

This Revelation verse is a worship verse. We love to sing it. Notice that the verse is all about the Lord. It is not about us, except as part of His creation of all things. However, the Genesis verse is about us.

Consider some deductive reasoning. Since we are created in God’s image, then we too must have some creative capacity. The Lord is Creator, capital “C,” and we are creators, lower case “c.” However, we do all our creating by using the “all things” that the Lord has already created. The Lord’s “all things: are our resources. I will be creative about exploring mankind’s creation and looking at expressions of this creativity.

Thoughts

I will start with a free flow of thoughts about what appears to be creativity. Mankind procreates (after its kind). Many, if not most, vocations and avocations require creative activity to be successful. We have hobbies. We make pretty things. We work at creating beauty in art and music, in home decorating, in landscaping, and our choices about the clothes we wear. Entertainment and stories involve creativity. Cooks use creativity in preparing a dish. Where do recipes come from? How do inventions and new tools come to be?

We use creativity to solve problems. Then we use these same problem-solving skills to improve on our creations. Besides using creativity for beauty, we use creativity to increase utility and add value. We have a saying, “build a better mousetrap.”

Examples

My Grandma Jones sewed children’s clothes for the missionary barrel. People would give her pieces of cloth and discarded clothes, and she would go into action and produce lovely little dresses and shirts. She was creative in action. I can remember my Grandpa Jones coming out to the farm to visit and announcing that Grandma was busy sewing for the heathen.

I teach professional development courses to teachers. I had to be creative in my design of the courses. In the courses, the teachers learn how to be creative in designing their lessons, how to be creative in increasing student engagement, how to develop creative methods of assessment, how to create a good learning environment in the classroom, and how to creatively motivate students to learn. All of this for the purpose of increasing student performance and learning.

Process

How does creativity happen? I believe creativity starts with an idea or vision. Ideas require thinking, and thinking requires words. Follow along with me by looking at God’s creation in Genesis. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Notice God said words. When the Lord said Let there be light, He knew what light was. For God to create, all He had to do was speak. Usually, it is not so easy when we create; however, we begin with an idea that can be expressed in words and sometimes can be illustrated with a drawing. We have some idea of what we want to create. We could communicate this idea to others. The creativity emerges in our plan for how to produce the idea. Stephen Covey uses the phrases, begin with the end in mind and backward planning.

For creative activity to produce the envisioned product, it takes energy. For God, the energy was in His spoken word. For us, it takes more than that. The amount of energy required depends entirely on the complexity of the envisioned product. For us, the process may turn out to be a challenge with trials and multiple attempts before completion. I have had a number of “good” ideas that did not work. We have heard of plan A and plan B.

Rest

On the seventh day, the Lord rested. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work (Genesis 2:2). Do you think the Lord was resting because He was tired? This does not make sense because we know that an attribute of God is limitless power. In fact, limitless means that even after the power the Lord might use, He still has no less power available. We are not like that. Here is the clue: Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array (Genesis 2:1). He rested because He was finished. The Lord considered what He had created and stated: God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day (Genesis 1:31). Creation was finished, and it was very good; therefore, there was nothing more to do, and so it was time to rest.

When we have completed our creation and we are satisfied with it, then it is time for us to rest. Unlike the Lord, we may want to rest because we are tired from the energy expended in our creative activity. We realize that in this time of rest, we experience joy, satisfaction, and pleasure. The created product is its own reward. Now, things get interesting because after this time of rest, we may find we want to create again and probably try to create an even better product. This leads to wanting to share what we created with others. We may want to teach others how to create what we created.

Owned

The creator owns what was created. The creation is the property of the creator. Since the Lord created all things, all things are His property. Since He created us, we are His property. The Lord says, For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalms 50:10). What we create is ours, and sometimes we protect it with trademarks, patents or copyrights. There is dignity in owning what a person creates. There is a positive sense of worth that comes from this experience, but the believer understands that since they were created by the Lord, any praise or honor really belongs to Him.

Artists sign their work so we know they did it and it belongs to them. I encourage students to sign their assignments before handing them in but also so they can claim it as their work. I read about a teacher who had students sign their papers at the bottom of the page rather than the traditional name at the top. The theory was that the student was identifying the product they were submitting as their completed work, much like the artist who signs their work when they are finished. This practice would emphasize ownership for what the student had created.

Multiplied

What is created is meant to be shared. The Lord has shared His creation with us. Although the Lord’s creation was for His pleasure, the benefits, and pleasures that we receive from His creation must multiply His pleasure. Likewise, as we create our stuff, we want to share it with others. What is the motivation for sharing? It is love because love shares and wants to have others enjoy the pleasure of creation. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house (Matthew 5:15). Love gives. We want others to be able to experience, consume, and be blessed with our creation. First, ponder all of the creations of the Lord that give you pleasure. Next, ponder all the creations of mankind that give us pleasure. The pleasure may be experienced as beauty, utility, or comfort.

Driven

As part of being created in the image of God, I believe we are driven to create. Think about how little children play. They creatively use their imagination as they play with their toys. They build things, they dress up, and they create stories. The minds that the Lord gave us when He created us are busy thinking and imagining, searching, and wondering. Somehow, the very act of creating is its own reward. There is a saying, Inward impression without outward expression leads to inward depression. When our creativity begins to bear fruit, it must find expression in something that we create, and then there follows a need for expression in sharing with others. This is a beautiful thing. Think of the song, I Can Only Imagine. The song and the movie were based on the true story of Bart Millard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lrrq_opng Try to listen to this song without crying in thankfulness. I cannot do it.

Part of Us

In a wonderful way, what we create is part of us. What we create reveals us, who we are, and what we think and do. We become part of our own creation, not materially but as an expression. This is not surprising since we are created in the image of God, because it is true of God’s creation. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20). He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).

The Reality

Here is a sobering thought. What would have happened if the Lord had not created all things? If there were not all things, there would be nothing. There would be no you and me. There would not be those people and things that we love and give us pleasure. But praise the Lord, He did create all things, and He created all things for His pleasure. Including in the category of all things is His creating of you and me and those people and things that please us. Therefore, we can sing with joy.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV).

The Big and The Little

I recently published a really big book and really small book. The big book is 8 ½ X 11, has 85 chapters, and 350 pages. It is titled Adventures in Biblical Thinking, Second Edition. The big book is a second edition because all of the content has been previously published. The chapters are taken from posts on my website from earlier years, chapters from my study series, or from my other books. The chapters are short, and some are very short. It is in print and ebook formats.

The little book is 6 X 9, has 5 chapters, and only 27 pages. However, it has a big title, Exploration and Examination of Some Familiar Words in the Bible. It is based on the premise that the familiar may rob us of richer and deeper understanding and appreciation. It is in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Bonus

It occurred to me that it had been almost a year and a half since I had posted a list of the books I have published.

Elden’s Published Books

Books in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Adventures in Biblical Thinking Study Series Volumes 1-3
Be Ye Thankful
In This Family, We ______(Fill in the Blank)
Outside the Camp Where Jesus Is
Profound Truths from the Gospel of John
Servants Serve
What Was She Thinking?
What Does It Mean to Be Saved? A Study in the Wonderfulness of Salvation
The Unsearchable Riches for Those Who Are “in Christ”
What Is the Mystery of Godliness?
A Disciple Is a Jesus Follower and a Jesus Follower Is a Disciple: A Study in Discipleship
Profound Truths from the Gospel of John
The Issue Is Not the Issue: Seeking the Truth About God’s Ways
Profundity in Proverbs: Exploring Fools, Liars, Ander and Hate, Leadership and Teachable Spirit
What You Think Matters, What You Believe Matters, and What You Do Matters: Proper Thinking About God
Regeneration in the Jesus Follower
Battle for Your Mind
What Is In “It” for Jesus
More Love-More Real – More Real-More Love
Exploration and Examination of Some Familiar Words in the Bible

Books in print and ebook format

An Adventure in Following the Holy Spirit’s Leading: Research in the Words in the New Testament Used to Identify and/or Address Those Who Are Saved
The Mystery of Godliness
Adventures in Biblical Thinking-Second Edition

Books in audiobook format

The I Am’s of Jesus
The Names of Jesus
Adventures in Biblical Thinking Series Volumes 1-4
Adventures in Biblical Thinking, Think About Series Volumes 1-4
More Adventures in Biblical Thinking Study Series Volumes 1-6

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

Here is the scene. A large crowd has gathered, attracted by Jesus’s healing miracles. Jesus sat down on the mountainside and observed that the great crowd had nothing to eat. So, Jesus asked Phillip where they could buy food to feed the crowd. Phillip was alarmed and said it would take half of a year’s wages to buy enough for each one to get one bite. This was Phillip’s way of saying it would be impossible. Andrew commented that there was a boy who had five loaves and two fishes, but that would not be enough to feed the crowd. Can you see the stage being set for a great drama?

Jesus takes charge. He has the people sit down. It was a grassy place, and there were about five thousand men. Then Jesus took the loaves and fishes and gave thanks. He had the disciples distribute the loaves and fishes, and everyone received as much as they wanted. Jesus had the disciples gather up the remains, and there were twelve baskets.

The people were amazed, and Jesus left the place. He knew they would want to make Him king. I can’t help but wonder if the people were thinking they had discovered a way to get free lunches. We know that Jesus had a plan for why He came to earth, and this was not it. The plan involved a cross and a resurrection.

Profound Truth: Jesus prayed, and what was not there before now appeared. When God speaks and Jesus is God, what did not exist can now come into existence. This is the pattern we saw in the original creation. God said Let there be and there was. God is the great initiator.

Profound Truth: Out of little, Jesus can make much. Five loaves and two fishes became enough to feed the 5000 with leftovers.

Interesting Point: Jesus knew what He was going to do, yet He tested Phillip with a question. I think this was a faith builder for Phillip and probably for Andrew, too.

Interesting Point: Jesus had the leftovers gathered up. Despite the abundance that Jesus had created, He still did not want waste. This is a lesson in the stewardship of what God has provided.

Passage

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself (John 6:1-15).

Birth and Family

Jesus answered him:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3).

The response from Jesus was understandably very puzzling to Nicodemus. Nicodemus, trying to grasp what Jesus had just said, asked a very reasonable question.

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4).

Clearly, Nicodemus understood how birth works and how babies come into the world. His question was very logical. Any one of us might have asked a similar question in reaction to the words of Jesus. But let us back up for just a second. Nicodemus did not start the conversation with any thought or indication about birth. He simply stated that God must be with Jesus based on the works Nicodemus had seen Jesus do. Yet Jesus went a different direction with the shocking statement of the necessity of being born again.

Then Jesus explained what He meant by being born again:

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-8).

At this point, we can now understand Jesus’ meaning. There is a physical birth that involves an earthly mother (flesh), and there is a spiritual birth that comes from the Spirit. This second birth of the Spirit is invisible to the eye. Hence, the comparison with the invisible wind.

Just as a natural birth provides an entrance into a family, a Spiritual birth provides an entrance into a family. This new Spiritual family is the Kingdom of God. The concept of the birthing event to enter into this new Spiritual family is declared in these famous verses:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3).

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

In this verse, we can see the critical fact that must be believed, resulting in the experience of being born again. The choice to believe in Him requires receiving the gift of God’s Son. Receiving is implied in believing. Do you think Nicodemus received the gift of the Lord Jesus and was born again? I think that Nicodemus probably did receive Jesus as his Savior and was born again because later we see him first defending Jesus against the Pharisees and then bringing spices for Jesus’ burial. For clear identification, Nicodemus is the one who “had gone to Jesus earlier.”

Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” (John 7:50-51).

He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds (John 19:39).

This new Spiritual life that begins with being born again starts with this new believer being a baby. Just as natural parents seek to shape their baby to have a family resemblance based on family values, practices, and goals, our heavenly Father seeks to shape the new Spiritual baby to have a family resemblance based on family values, practices, and goals. This movement toward family resemblance in earthly families is a process that develops over time as the child grows. Similarly, the movement toward family resemblance in the Spiritual family is a process that develops over time as the new believer grows.

Let us pause for a minute and consider the life source for the earthly baby and the life source for the Spiritual baby. The life source for the earthly baby begins at conception when the mother’s egg and the father’s sperm unite. The life source for the Spiritual baby occurs when the Holy Spirit comes to unite with the soul of the believer and begins dwelling in the newborn again believer: “born of the Spirit.”

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16).

…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:13).

Before we go on, let us pause and think about the amazing fact that believers are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit actually dwells within us. Think of the magnificence of the temple in the Old Testament. Think of the importance of the temple and the Holy of Holies. God’s glory was in the temple. Paul is telling the Corinthians that they are God’s temple and reminding them of the temple’s importance. Wow! It is so amazing to think that being born again means God the Holy Spirit is in you!

In the Spiritual family, we can refer to this process as the movement toward godliness. Since this is God’s family, it only makes sense to grow into a godly resemblance, which requires us to be transformed by a renewed mind in Christ.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Let us back up and look more closely at what becoming a member of an earthly family results in for us. We have already mentioned that family members share a family name. This is an identifier that indicates each member belongs to and is part of a specific family. A typical family membership includes a father, a mother, and children. A child in a family may have siblings. A child in a family should have the benefit of nurturing parents who seek to provide the comforts and necessities the child needs: food, shelter, safety, and comfort.

Nurturing parents will also seek to train the child in preparation for the child’s ability to survive and prosper in the world. Ideally, this is accomplished in a spirit of love and acceptance. Nurturing parents have a plan or vision for the prosperity of their children. As a general practice, membership in a family also carries with it the benefit of being an heir to the family fortune upon the passing of the parents.

Let us explore the concept of nurturing a little further. Nurture is a beautiful thing. A nurturer will seek to provide and protect. Good parents nurture their children by seeking to provide for their physical and emotional needs. Nurturing includes instruction designed to protect the child from dangers, including the danger of harming themselves. Nurturing requires vigilance and awareness. Nurturing includes guidance toward wisdom and prosperity.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road when you lie down, and when you get up (Deuteronomy 11:18-19).

The Lord is also a nurturing parent. We know He is a provider and protector. We know that He has provided guidance in the Scriptures. These Scriptural facts are a focus of this book. Now is a good time to look at two examples from the Scriptures comparing the care and nurturing of earthly parents to the intensity and quality of the Lord’s nurturing of His children.

First, a mother:

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! (Isaiah 49:15).

We are asked to imagine a mother actually forgetting her nursing child and failing to have compassion for her child. Our immediate response: How could this possibly happen? Just think of the discomfort the mother would experience from the baby, not nursing. Surely, this would remind her to remember her nursing baby. And yet, this inconceivable forgetting could take place, but the Lord will not forget His child. This is one of those how much more moments we experience when contemplating the difference between earthly parents and our heavenly Father.

Second, a father:

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11).

We are asked here to consider a pair of hypothetical situations for comparison purposes. Can you imagine any father being so mean and cruel that, after his child asks for bread or a fish, he would give his child a stone instead of bread or a snake instead of a fish? If earthly parents who are evil (sinful people in other translations) know how to give good things to their children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give good things to His children when they ask? This is another how much more!

Now, let us consider what it means to be a member of the family of God in His Kingdom. Let us look for some parallels with being a member of an earthly family. We already mentioned that entrance into both the earthly family and the Spiritual family occurs with birth and, for the earthly family, actually begins at conception. We also looked at the matter of family resemblance.

In the earthly family, there are usually some physical features that members have in common. It is true in my family of origin; all of the children have some resemblance to each other and also have features that resemble our parents. The same thing can be said for my natural children. People who meet us recognize that we are related. However, the earthly family resemblance goes beyond physical features. The family members will have a common language. There will be common patterns of expression and common idioms. There may be common gestures and mannerisms. There may also be common behaviors, both good and bad, that occur in the family. This makes sense because the family members share so many common experiences and so much time together.

I have observed earthly families where all the members are positive, optimistic, and light-hearted. In others, the members are quite reserved and a bit withdrawn. In some earthly families, the members are loud, rude, and obnoxious. I have also seen earthly families where all the members tend to be sweet, kind, and busy helping others. Sadly, I have also seen earthly families where the members are cruel and vicious to other family members as well as to people outside the family. Then there are those earthly families where the members seem to be eccentric or “out of the ordinary.” In my observations of different earthly families, I am not trying to be judgmental or even critical, but I am illustrating different types of family resemblance. Can you think of any earthly families you know that fit any of these descriptions?

As we look for parallels between the characteristics of earthly families and Spiritual families, although similar, we see distinctions. Some of these distinctions are: members of the Spiritual family have a Father who is the Lord God. It should be noted that He has knowledge and capacities that exceed those of an earthly father. The Lord has a plan and a vision for His children to be changed into His image. Mankind was created in the image of God, but when sin entered the world, that image was marred. That is why it became necessary for a new birth.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

New believers start as spiritual babies, and all babies need to grow. Because these new babies have been marred by sin, there is a need for a new mind and a transformation, as we read earlier. How do babies grow? Babies have to be fed. The Lord has provided our spiritual food: the Scriptures.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 2:2).

Conscientious earthly parents are very particular about the quality of the food they give their babies. High-quality food is important for the baby to grow properly. In like manner, the Lord feeds His born-again babies the proper food for growth in His family. That food is the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures as food have a built-in quality because the Word of God is truth, but the quantity of food is also a factor in the rate of growth. Both earthly babies and Spiritual babies need to receive the right amount of food. Earthly babies rely on their parents to feed them, and usually, they grow based on how much they are fed. For Spiritual growth, how much “food” we get—the reading and studying of the Scriptures—is a choice of the individual believer. Again, there is a correlation between how much is consumed and how rapidly growth happens.

For His Pleasure

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV).

This verse is a worship verse. We love to sing it. Notice that the verse is all about the Lord. It is not about us, except as part of His creation of all things. The verse answers the question, Why did God create? The answer is simple and clearly stated: for His pleasure.

All Things

“All things” is a totally inclusive phrase. Clearly, everything that exists was created. “All” means the total, and “things” covers everything. However, we are motivated to give the Lord glory, honor, and power because we realize that we are one of those created things. When we consider our unique individuality in how and when we are created, we must realize that His purpose for creating each one of us was for His pleasure. Then humbly we must acknowledge that our creation has to do with a very important and valuable purpose- the Lord’s pleasure.

Are and Were

Notice that the verse uses both are and were created. This speaks of present creation and past creation. This speaks of the current and the historical. In a general way, we can see that “all things” are both as current observable creation and the historical creation of what existed in the past. Personally, the application is I am experiencing His current creation, and also, I have a history of His creation. In a way, are and were are an amplification of “all things.”

Just Creation

Notice that this worship, giving the Lord glory, honor, and power, is only addressing His creation. Since the creation involves “all things,” then everyone living or who ever lived has reason to worship and praise the Lord because they are part of the “all things” creation. Eugene Peterson, the author of The Message, makes this statement: The Lord creates, saves, and blesses. This verse in Revelation does not address salvation and blessing. We must acknowledge that both salvation and blessing are valid reasons to declare the worthiness of the Lord to give the Lord glory, honor, and power in worship. Yet, the verse only mentions creation. I believe that is because the Lord, as Creator, is foundational to His revelation of Himself and our understanding. Without creation first, there would not be salvation or blessing to follow. Before a person could be saved, they would have to be created.

Our Pleasure

Although we were created for the Lord’s pleasure as part of the “all things”, we also have the pleasure of being created. There are trials and testing in our lives, and there are also pleasures. The Lord has created everything that gives us pleasure. One of the pleasures we have is to enjoy the “all things” of His creation, including loved ones, beauty, pets, food, sunsets, hobbies, and the things that we create. I believe He delights to give us pleasures from His creation. I close with simple, mundane examples of little pleasures He has provided just for me. I go into Baskin-Robbins and as I look at the list of flavors on the wall, I am asked, “What is your pleasure?” I answer, “pralines and cream”. I go into Dairy Queen and look at the Blizzard menu, and I am asked, “What is your pleasure?” I answer, “turtle pecan”. I go into Starbucks and look at the list on the wall, and I am asked, “What is your pleasure?” I answer, “white chocolate mocha”. My life and yours are filled with many pleasures, both great and small, that are all part of the creation of “all things”. These thoughts about “all things” fill my heart with gratitude. How about you?

Jesus Changes Water into Wine

(The complete passage is located at the end of the chapter)

The Story

The scene is a wedding in Jana, and among the guests are Jesus, His mother, and His disciples. A problem arose when the celebration ran out of wine. Mary somehow became concerned and told Jesus that there was no more wine. Remember, Jesus was a guest, so we wonder why this would be a concern for Him.

Allow me to take some liberties in speculation. Mary knew who Jesus was. She had been there at the conception. She was there at the birth when the shepherds came, and later the wise men showed up. She would remember the incident in the temple when Jesus was twelve and Jesus had said that He was about His Father’s business.

but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often (Luke 2:19 NLT).

For Mary, an opportunity had arrived to show who her son really was. I can help but think she was proud of her Son. She was the only mother who had raised a perfect Son.

Can you just hear the tone in her voice as she told the servant to do what He tells you? Even though Jesus had told her that His time had not yet come, He still complied with her request.

The servants followed Jesus’ instructions and filled the six stone bottles with water, and when they drew out from the bottles, it was wine.

Profound Truth: Jesus is the Creator, and the Creation is subject to His wishes.

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him (John 1:3).

for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together (Colossians 1:16-17 NLT).

It seems to me that since Jesus was involved in the creation of all things, that would include changing water into wine. For the Creator of all things, it would be an easy thing to do.

Interesting insight: The master of the banquet did not know where the wine came from, but the servants knew. As far as we know, the other guests did not know. The servants were on the low end of the social ladder. I think it is special that they were privileged to know about Jesus and what He was doing. Remember the shepherds at His birth? They, too, were on the low end of the social ladder, yet they were the ones whom the angels declared the announcement of His birth. The Lord is not a respecter of persons.

Interesting insight: The wine was the choice wine, not the cheap wine. The custom was to serve the best wine first, and after the guests were somewhat drunk, bring out the cheap stuff. When the Lord creates, He does it best.

The Passage

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so, they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him (John 2:1-11).

Think about Faith

What do the Holy Scriptures say about faith?

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV).

The Word of God clearly states that you cannot please the Lord without faith. Faith begins with believing in God’s existence and follows with the assurance that diligently seeking Him will be rewarded. Faith is just believing. There is a chorus with the phrase, “faith is just believing what God says is true”. I think that faith and belief are synonyms. We cannot ignore that there is a relationship between sin and faith.

…everything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

The Word of God proclaims that belief in Jesus is essential to escape perishing and to receive eternal life. Once again, we have John 3:16. Remember: Spiritual perishing stops and eternal life begins when we believe in the one and only Son whom God gave to the world that He loves.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).

For we live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The Word of God explains that faith is based upon what God has said, not our sight. Faith has content (substance) and has the integrity of evidence. Simply, believing God is a sure thing!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– (Ephesians 2:8).

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ(Romans 10:17).

The Word of God tells us that faith is a gift and that we get it by hearing the Word of God.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith (Romans 1:16-17).

and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24-26).

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God(John 1:12-13).

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith (Philippians 3:9).

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood–to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- (Romans 3:25).

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe(1 Corinthians 1:21).

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 1:18-21).

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).

The Word of God repeatedly links faith and believing as a requirement for receiving salvation and it also links faith and believing with the benefits of salvation.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith (Galatians 3:26).

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25).

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16).

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free(John 8:31-32).

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful(1 Corinthians 4:2).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law(Galatians 5:22-23).

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

Now we who have believed enter that rest…There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works just as God did from his(Hebrews 4:3, 9-10).

The Word of God demonstrates that faith and believing are an integral part of living as a child of God. This faith is in the presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer. This faith equips the believer for walking an obedient, godly life. This faith produces Spiritual fruit and equips believers for the warfare they face with their enemies and God’s enemies. This faith equips believers for understanding and enduring the trials of earth. This faith is the vehicle for knowing and receiving God’s love. The faith provides an entrance into Godly rest.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God(John 6:68-69).

The Word of God speaks of the words of eternal life that are connected to believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame (Romans 10:8-11).

The Word of God speaks of the words of faith, and the words are near, in the mouth and in the heart. These passages are the classic gospel message of how to come to Christ, confess with the mouth, and believe in the heart. Then there is the promise that believers will never be ashamed.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4: 11-13).

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings(1 Peter 5:8-9).

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus(1 Timothy 3:13).

The Word of God speaks of “the faith” in a collective sense. I think this is a reference to the church, the body of Christ, the company of believers.

Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19).

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith (Matthew 8:10).

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment (Matthew 15:28).

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, (Ephesians 1:15 (NLT).

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”(Luke 17:5)

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing (2Thessalonians 1:3).

Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand (2 Corinthians 10:15).

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters(Romans 14:1).

The Word of God indicates that faith can be quantified. These verses use several words to indicate intensities of faith: great faith, strong faith, growing faith, increasing faith, and weak in faith. However, Scripture clearly teaches that there is the issue of either having faith or not having faith, or either believing or not believing. This is crucial!

Either you believe Jesus is God or you don’t.
Either you believe the Bible is God’s revelation to man or you don’t.
Either you believe Jesus loves me, this I know because the Bible tells me so, or you don’t.
Either you believe that salvation is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, or you don’t.
Either you believe that acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior is important, or you don’t.
Either you believe that you are saved through your belief in the sacrificial work of Jesus on the cross, or you don’t.
Either you believe that eternal life is found in Jesus Christ or you don’t.

For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed(Hebrews 4:2).

The Word of God declares that there is no profit if knowledge is not mixed with faith. It is not enough for you to hear and know; you must also believe.

Faith-trust-believe-trust—you do or you don’t –Everything in the Bible is true—so believe it or don’t —Are you offended when someone doesn’t believe something you have said? They are questioning your veracity. We take it personally. Don’t you suppose it is offensive to God when His children don’t believe Him? God is a person, not like us, but similar because we are made in His image. He is a believer’s Father, and believers are His children. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. Remember to read Hebrews eleven to review those listed in the Faith Hall of Fame.

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious… (1 Peter 2:7 KJV)

The Word of God summarizes with this verse.

What others are saying:

Oswald Chambers, in the book My Utmost for His Highest says:

Every man lives by faith, the nonbeliever as well as the saint; the one by faith in natural laws and the other by the faith in God. Every man throughout his entire life constantly accepts without understanding. The most learned sage can be reduced to silence with one simple question, “What?” The answer to that question lies forever in the abyss of unknowing beyond any man’s ability to discover. “God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof,” but mortal man never. (p. 40).

You will have noticed that the content for this thinking adventure is very long, with many verses cited. In the Pursuit of God, Tozer, while describing an intelligent plain man with a Bible, elaborates:

Our man is finding out what the Bible actually teaches. High up on the list of things which the Bible teaches will be the doctrine of faith. The place of weighty importance which the Bible gives faith will be too plain for him to miss. He will very likely conclude that faith is all-important in the life of the soul. “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith will get me anything, take me anywhere in the kingdom of God, but without faith there can be no approach to God, no forgiveness, no deliverance, no salvation, no communion, no spiritual life at all. (page 292).

Oswald Chambers has some thoughts on faith:

The life of faith is the life of a soul who has given over every other life but the life of faith. Faith is not an action of the mind, nor of the heart, nor of the will, nor of sentiment, it is the centering of the entire man of God. (page 110).

The business of faith is to convert Truth into reality (page 111).

There is only one way to live the life of faith, and that is to live it. (page 112).

Believers Receive Forgiveness for All Their Sins

What does it mean to be forgiven? There is the forgiveness of financial debt. Simply, it means that you do not have to repay what is owed. There could be several reasons behind the forgiveness of debt. A couple of reasons come to mind. Perhaps the person who was owed just wanted to be kind. Perhaps some other person wanted to be kind, so they paid the debt for you. The result was that the debt was forgiven.

There is forgiveness given because one person offended another person. These offenses can range all the way from a rude or unkind remark all the way to physical injury or destruction of property. You may not have ever had a debt forgiven, but everyone has had a situation where they were forgiven or had to forgive because of an offense.

It is clear that forgiveness is a relationship matter. The act of forgiveness is an act of restoration of a relationship. In the forgiveness of a financial debt, the relationship of debtor has been removed. Whatever relationship remains is no longer one based on debt and owing. The impact on a relationship disrupted or broken by an offense is usually linked to the importance of the relationship.

Family relationships broken by offenses can be very significant. The offenses may be very big or there may be repeated offenses. Offenses that lead to divorce by a married couple are very significant. It is easy to see that the matter of forgiveness can really be a big deal.

Since relationships involve two people, we have the forgiver and the forgiven. The forgiver is usually in the role of initiator, and the forgiven is usually in the role of receiver, but not always. There is a giving and a receiving. The forgiver is in the role of the injured in some way, and there is a need for them to be made whole. The giving of forgiveness and the receiving of forgiveness is a transaction, and both parties have a role.

Another factor in the transaction is the role of asking. The offender can be motivated to ask the offended to forgive the offending act. However, sometimes the offended can confront the offender and request that the offender ask for forgiveness. From whichever direction the transaction is initiated, the objective is reconciliation and restoration of the relationship.

Before we move into the important topic about the importance of forgiveness in the relationship between God and man, let’s briefly look at the word “all.” One of the gentlemen in our local fellowship has commented when contemplating some Bible verses that, “In the Greek, all means all.” We often laugh and joke about this. “All” is one of those words that we often use but may have never stopped to really think intensely about it.

“All” is the totality. “All” is the sum. Whatever the “all” is representing, every member is included in the set (that is, mathematics lingo). It could be represented graphically by drawing a circle, and every member is within the circle, and there are no members not in the circle.

Now, some similar illustrations. My wife and I would shut our sheep in the corral every night after bringing them in from the pasture. Question: “Are all the sheep in the corral?” Answer: “Yes”. That means that every sheep is in the corral, and there are no sheep still in the pasture. Another example: Mom says to the son, Question: ‘Are all your clothes hung up in the closet?” Answer: “Yes”. This means that every item of clothing that belongs in the closet is hung up in the closet, and there are no items of clothing that belong in the closet that are not in the closet.

Now, this verse:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins (Colossians 2:13).

There you have it, the word “forgave” and “all” in one sentence of one verse. The phrase, all our sins, means every sin a person has ever committed or will ever commit in the future has been forgiven. It means that there are no sins that have been committed or might be committed that are not forgiven. Again, “In the Greek, all means all”. As a matter of fact, all means all in every language.

Since all sins are forgiven by the Lord, this includes those sins that we were consciously aware of and those that we are not consciously aware of. So, in terms of the offense of our sins being a barrier and issue between us and the Lord, His act of unilateral forgiveness has removed the barrier.

To emphasize the thoroughness of the forgiveness of all our sins, Scripture makes these emphatic statements.

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Hebrews 8:12).

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:12).

I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus (1 John 2:12 NLT).

Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven; whose sins are covered (Romans 4:7)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7).

This is just a sampling of the many verses in Scripture that reference the forgiveness of sin. This is a priority in the understanding of mankind because mankind desperately needs forgiveness. The availability of forgiveness from the Lord is good news and is called the gospel. For understanding, we need to look at the details.

Let’s pause and think about the declaration from the Lord that He will remember their sins no more. You and I have the capacity to fail to remember something. We simply state that we have forgotten. But we cannot just decide to not remember. We don’t have that capacity, but God does.

Oswald Chambers, in his devotion book Still Higher for His Highest, explains it this way:

It is impossible for a human being to forgive, and it is because we do not realize that we fail to understand that the forgiveness of God is a miracle of Divine grace. Do I really believe that God cannot, dare not, must not forgive me my sin without its being atoned for? If God were to forgive me my sin without it being atoned for, I should have a greater sense of justice than God. It is not that God says in effect, “I will pay no more attention to what you have done.” When God forgives a man, He not only alters him but transmutes what he had already done. (p. 178).

You may want to go back and read this quote again. I want to elaborate a little. Suppose you commit an offense against me and I appropriately forgive you as a Jesus follower should. Believers are to forgive each other as God has for Christ’s sake forgiven them. My act of forgiveness simply restores our relationship and it means I will not hold the offense against you as a barrier to our relationship. There is no assurance that I will forget the offense. There is no provision for atonement. There may be an element of restitution demanded for the offense, but that is not atonement because the offense is not removed.

Now, when God remembers sins no more or when God transmutes the sins, as Oswald says, because the sins have been atoned for by Jesus, those sins are gone, gone. It is as if they never existed. So, if the question is asked about a believer’s sin, past, present, or future, the reply is “what sin?” All of those sins have been atoned for by Jesus. God’s holiness, which has no tolerance for even one sin, remains intact because the sin has been atoned for by the sacrifice of Jesus. This is what Oswald calls the Divine miracle.

How was forgiveness accomplished? Remember the illustration about the forgiveness of debt? The debt went away because someone absorbed the debt. The person owed the debt may have absorbed the debt by an act of kindness, or someone else paid the debt as an act of kindness.

In the case of the debt of sin owed by all mankind, the debt was paid by an act of kindness by the Lord Jesus. Two important issues must be considered in the payment of this debt. First, it was impossible for mankind to pay it, and second, the debt carried with it a sentence of death that meant eternal separation from God. We will come back to these two issues later.

Another important factor to keep in mind is that it only took one sin to create the unrepayable debt, and it only took one sin to acquire the death penalty. Let’s look at some foundational theology. There is the matter of original sin, the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They disobeyed the one commandment they were given: don’t eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The result was expulsion from the Garden of Eden, specific curses on the man, specific curses on the woman, and the earth was cursed, ultimately leading to physical death. Because of the principle of reproducing “after its kind”, the effect of the fall in the garden came upon all mankind, including you and me.

Now let’s support these concepts with Scripture and look at the two Adams doctrine, Adam of the Garden being the first Adam and Jesus Christ being the second Adam.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— (Romans 5:12).

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Adam, through his sin, brought death into the human race, and Jesus, through His sacrificial death, brought life for mankind. This lengthy passage explains the doctrine of one man’s sin and one Man’s righteous act (death on the cross). Man’s sin brings judgment and death, while Christ’s righteous act brings justification and life.

Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:16-19).

David sums up the dilemma of mankind and original sin in this verse, and he does not mean that his mother was misbehaving in some way.

Surely, I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me (Psalms 51:5).

Hopefully, we have established that we came on the scene in this world in need of forgiveness for an inherited sin. Our own personal sins followed. Look at the rescue and the condition of mankind.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6).

Why would the Lord do this? What is His motivation? We find His motivation reveals the Lord’s heart toward mankind.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

We can recognize both the motivation and the reconciling forgiveness transaction in this famous verse. We also see an important caveat.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

The motivation: God so loved

Transaction: gave his one and only Son

Caveat: whoever believes

Looking closer, we see that the gift of the only Son was to the world that God loves. The gift of the only Son was given for everyone. However, “everyone” becomes divided into two categories. There is a category of those who don’t believe and will perish under God’s judgment. There is a category of those who do believe and have eternal life.

These verses state this distinction of categories very clearly.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (John 3:36).

Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:10-13).

There you have it. Either a person believes in Jesus or they don’t. Either a person is doomed to perish or is blessed with eternal life. No in-between area. A quick look at “all” using the circle illustration. All who don’t believe are in the circle of those perishing, and all who do believe are in the circle of those receiving eternal life. There are no other circles.

We have established that mankind is powerless to save themselves and achieve forgiveness from the Lord, and the fact that the death penalty that sin carries can only be avoided with God’s forgiveness. Mankind lacks the capacity for holiness that a Holy God requires.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).

We have also established the Lord’s actions and plans to grant that forgiveness from John 3:16. Here is a sobering fact: Although only believers received forgiveness for all their sins, the forgiveness is available to the world, which includes everyone and anyone. The determining variable is believing in God’s one and only Son, Jesus.

It is appropriate to clarify that believing in Jesus includes all that He says about Himself, accepting His teaching and all that He is, has done, and will do. There is that word “all” again.

Of course, there is no way that we can know all of that. Believers will spend eternity gaining in knowledge of God. The key is to accept and believe in Jesus. The benefit of believing is now in this life; eternal life begins when a person first believes, hence becoming a believer.

Now that a person has become a believer, been born again, and their sins have been forgiven by God, then what? What happens? Changes occur:

Born of the Spirit:

The Holy Spirit lives in the believer:

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own (1 Corinthians 6:19).

A Believer is a member of God’s family:

So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith (Galatians 3:26).

Believers are co-heirs with Christ:

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Romans 8:17).

Believers are members of the body of Christ, the church:

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:12).

These verses highlight only a few of the changes that occur when a person becomes a believer. The next question to be considered is: How should a believer live?

So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

Simply, the believer’s manner of life becomes consistent with the teaching in the New Testament rather than in a manner contrary to the teachings of the New Testament. The believer needs to know what those New Testament teachings are. This is why believers read and study their Bibles. As they do this and begin to obey and follow these teachings, they can now be identified as Jesus followers.

You will recall that when Jesus was recruiting his disciples, He said, “Follow me”.

As believers start on their individual life journey as a Jesus follower, they encounter an awareness that, in spite of their best intentions, they continue to sin. The Holy Spirit within the Jesus follower convicts their conscience. Now, what do we do about this?

We find the answer in Scripture. First, we must acknowledge the change in the relationship that has occurred. The Jesus follower is now part of God’s family and has entered into a fellowship relationship. Reflect on the beginning of this writing to the transaction of giving and receiving forgiveness to restore the relationship. This comes into play here and is spelled out very clearly in these verses:

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us (1 John 1:5-10).

Let’s unpack this. Fellowship with God is conditional on walking in the light, which means not walking in sin. Makes sense. God is sinless, so fellowship with Him is conditional on also being sinless.

Intervening fact: the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Another fact: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Clearly, Jesus followers do sin, and the passage ends with this warning about the fact of us.

sinning: If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. What is to be done? Confession: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. But you ask: “I thought all of a believer’s sins were forgiven?” Of course, they were; this is the basis for being able to become a child of God. We are now discussing fellowship within the family of God. The sins that we confess are already forgiven. Remember, we just looked at this fact: the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

What we are looking at is a matter of relationship maintenance. The sin that was confessed was interfering with the relationship between the Jesus follower and Jesus. To reassure the Jesus follower that the relationship will be restored, we read: he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Look at the reassurances. First, he is faithful. This speaks of the Lord’s character. Second, and just. This speaks of the fact that because the sin has already been paid for with Christ’s blood, He is faithful to honor the resulting forgiveness of sin. Third, and will forgive us our sins. This word “will” speaks of His volitional act in the transaction of relational forgiveness. Fourth, and purify us from all unrighteousness. This speaks of a renewal of the relationship. The King James Version uses the word cleanse.

We use the common question used between people who have reconciled, “Are we good?” When the Jesus follower goes through the process disclosed in this passage, he can ask the Lord, “Are we good?” and the Lord’s answer will certainly be “Yes, my child.” The key to the transaction of relationship restoration is to confess the sin. Confession is the Jesus follower’s role, and Jesus will faithfully grant restoration and purification.

We must point out that the Jesus follower is not asking for forgiveness. Forgiveness is a done deal, a closed book. We have already established the granting of forgiveness for all sin by the saving work of Jesus. Rather, we confess the specific sin that is impeding fellowship. That means we name it. I heard it said that this is keeping “short accounts with God”.

Can you see how this relationship restoration transaction works with Jesus and the Jesus follower, just like in relationships between persons? The significant difference is that these verses assure us that Jesus will respond favorably to the confession, and that doesn’t always happen between people.

There is another problem that sometimes occurs for Jesus followers. Tragically, as the Jesus follower progresses on their journey seeking to be a faithful follower, they forget the very important fact we have been exploring, that all their sins are forgiven. How can such a critical and important matter be forgotten? You would think that the relief of having all your sins forgiven and the benefit of becoming a child of God would create such a sense of thankfulness that it would be unforgettable.

We have not mentioned the important fact that God’s enemy is also the enemy of the Jesus follower. I am speaking of Satan. Remember, the sin issue all started in the Garden of Eden with Satan tempting Eve. Jesus followers are at risk of Satan undermining their confidence in the Lord. The serpent asked Eve, “Has God said?” We can rest assured that we will be tempted to doubt that all our sins are really forgiven.

Another factor that enters into our doubting that all our sins are forgiven is an emotional awareness of the seriousness of sin. We can feel really bad that we disappointed the Lord. We can feel really bad about the negative effect of our sin on others. The really bad feeling is a matter of guilt feelings. Guilt feelings are often very heavy and oppressive. Guilt feelings can make a person feel dirty and defiled. The Lord’s response to confession with forgiveness, and purifying or cleansing, is such a comfort because now the Jesus follower can know that she or he is clean and free from guilt.

The guilt feelings can come to occupy a person’s mind. Interestingly, in efforts to relieve the burden of guilt feelings, we generate some kind of compensating action. We could go off into some kind of psychological diagnosis and perhaps treatment plan for this disorder, but that is not the purpose here. Rather, we want to explore the fellowship implications between Jesus and the Jesus followers by looking at some verses from 2 Peter chapter one. To set the scene, Peter is aware that his death is coming up soon, and he wants to make sure that those to whom he is writing will remember certain things.

We will start with this verse:

But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins (2 Peter 1:9).

We ask what the “them” whoever does not have. But first, we look at the reason they do not have them, they are nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. They are forgetting that their sins are forgiven and they have been cleansed. This is serious because Peter says they are nearsighted and blind. Nearsighted people cannot clearly see things in a distance, and blind people cannot see at all. Since the word, but, is a transition word and the word, them, is a pronoun referring to something previous, we will look at verses that came before to discover what the “them” is.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3-8).

This is a long passage, so let us unpack it. We are assured that the Lord has given us everything we need. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Also, he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. We have received great and precious promises so that we may participate in the divine nature, which is what members of God’s family desire to do.

Following these wonderful provisions from the Lord, we see the exhortation: For this very reason, make every effort to add. Those wonderful provisions are the reason. Then we are given a long list of what to add. Notice that the addition is an accumulation. I like to visualize the list as a stack or pile. One on top of another. Each virtue is enhanced by the addition.

Let’s look at the list: faith + goodness, + knowledge, + self-control, + perseverance + godliness, + mutual affection, + love. Can you sense a growing crescendo capped with love? Then we have the assurance that: For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This all leads up to the word “But” from verse nine. Remember, the “but” tells us that all of these wonderful virtues cannot be developed if the Jesus follower has failed to remember that all of their sins are forgiven.

What conclusion should we draw from these passages? It is very important that the Jesus follower live with a full awareness that all of their sins are forgiven. Peter continues to emphasize its importance.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:10-11).

Then Peter gets very personal.

So, I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things (2 Peter 1:12-15).

Capture the scene. Peter is very aware that he is going to die soon. He wants to stress this last message to his brothers and sisters. He acknowledges that they already know these truths, but he will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

The Jesus follower can stand firm with the assurance that all their sins are forgiven. This prepares the Jesus follower for living a Godly life that is pleasing to the Lord. Also, we read:

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

The Jesus follower becomes a warrior:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6: 10-11).

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us (2 Corinthians 1:21).

Does it make a difference if a Jesus follower believes and lives in the reality that all of their sins are forgiven? Yes, it makes all the difference! There we have that “all” word again. Besides, even if the Jesus follower forgets that all of their sins are forgiven, all of their sins are still forgiven.

The Peace of God

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

Let’s unpack this verse. There is the peace of God that believers can receive. God’s peace is beyond our understanding. However, there is an understanding of peace that we have, even though God’s peace is beyond our understanding. This special piece of God will guard believers’ hearts and minds. The source of God’s peace is linked with Christ Jesus.

Let’s begin with exploring the understanding of peace that believers currently have. Notice that there are two levels of peace in this verse. Looking closer at the concept of levels of understanding peace, let’s create a continuum. Starting with no peace, followed by a little peace, some peace, more peace, a lot of peace, complete peace, and then the ultimate peace, God’s peace that is beyond understanding.

Peace is very desirable. Peace is a state of being. Peace can be a fact, as in the case of an absence of controversial or conflicting issues. Peace can be a state of mind with an absence of concerns. Peace can be an emotional feeling, as in I feel peaceful. Quiet can be peaceful. Sometimes being alone is peaceful. Being a peacemaker is very honorable and valuable.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:18).

Peace has been described as the absence of war. War is conflict, often armed conflict. Broadly speaking, peace can be defined as the absence of conflict.

Many times, a term or concept can be better understood by exploring what it is not. In teaching, determining what a term or concept is not is a very effective instructional strategy. The contrast between what a term or concept is with what it is not makes the concept clearer. So, by looking at conflict, which is not what peace is, we can understand peace more clearly.

It follows that if we say peace is the absence of conflict, then we conclude that when conflict is present, we no longer have peace. Maybe peace already exists before conflict arrives. We have heard the phrase, “Disturbing the peace”. Sometimes disturbing the peace is a crime.

Clearly, when there is an armed conflict (war) and people are shooting at each other, there is no peace. Sometimes peace will come with a peace treaty. This is not what I want to consider.

Looking at peace in a less violent setting, we talk about peace of mind. This can be something as simple as making a decision in which we are conflicted. Do I buy this new car or do I not buy this new car? After carefully researching and weighing the pros and cons, we have come to a decision. Once the decision is reached, whether it is to buy or not to buy, we say that we have peace of mind. This scenario plays out in our lives around many decisions, and we all know what the conflict feels like and what the peace of mind feels like.

As mentioned earlier, there is the elements or facts around an issue that involve peace. There is also an emotional piece to peace, just as there is an emotional piece to conflict. This is not an unusual or foreign experience for us. But let’s continue.

Let’s explore some examples of situations or incidents from Scripture where conflict interfered with peace.

Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do (James 1:8).

A double-minded person is certainly unstable. We think of such a person as being indecisive. We say they can’t make up their mind. We can observe that double-mindedness is a conflict. The conflict means no peace. Perhaps you know someone like this. Perhaps sometimes that someone is you. We must ask what is the context of this statement about being double-minded and unstable.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:5-7).

Double-mindedness is the conflict between believing and doubting. In this case, it involves believing God or doubting God. Serious business. The doubter receives nothing.

Notice in the following verse from Romans that there is peace in believing God, and also, there is a bonus of joy and hope included. No conflict and double-mindedness here.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Here is an interesting verse indicating a conflict between two women in the body of Christ.

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord (Philippians 4:2).

Don’t you wonder what the conflict between Euodia and Syntche was all about? The history of the church has many cases of believers not being of the same mind. I feel sure Paul was pleading for peace. We can see that an ingredient for peace is being of the same mind.

In Acts 15, we read about a conflict that arose in the early church. Some Jewish believers wanted to impose some Jewish customs upon the Gentile believers. It must have been a pretty big deal because several leaders of the early church held a conference in Jerusalem. Some of those attending named specifically were Paul, Barnabas, Peter, and James. The issue was resolved and they managed to come to the same mind. Ultimately, James pronounced the conclusion and decision that settled the conflict, but notice how this verse explains the atmosphere.

And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me (Acts 15:13 KJV).

Another conflict that is common to man and brings with it a lack of peace is the fear of death. This is clearly stated in these verses.

My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me (Psalms 55:4).

and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).

The conflict around the fear of death has to do with the unknown. Will it hurt to die? What happens after I die? What about my stuff? What about those I am leaving behind? But probably most importantly, where will I go and what will happen to me? In our culture, often extreme measures are taken to delay death. Delay does not avoid death. Everyone will die someday.

In the conflict between the known and the unknown comes a lack of peace. Notice that in Hebrews 2:15, the verse begins: and free those. This indicates a conclusion. What precedes that will do the freeing? We look to Hebrews 2:14 to find the answer.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— (Hebrews 2:14).

The Lord Jesus became a flesh and blood man, shared believers’ humanity, and died. However, he rose again and lives. This transaction broke Satan’s power of death. Death was the sentence for sin, but Jesus paid the sentence for believers’ sin. The sentence of death is no longer in effect because the death sentence was paid by Jesus, and His resurrection is proof that His sacrifice was acceptable. In Hebrews 2:9, we see further elaboration.

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9).

Conclusion: Believers are at peace because they will never die. Look at this verse:

we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

We can see that believers can be at peace about the issue of death because of what Jesus has done; they will never die. This feels like part of that peace of God that passes understanding.

The fear of man can result in a loss of peace.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe (Proverbs 29:25).

We can be afraid of actually being physically harmed or even killed by someone.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So, don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:28-30).

However, personal bodily harm may be remote, but the fear of not having the approval of someone can be upsetting, and peace is gone. In this passage, we see that believers in Jesus would not admit their belief because they feared the Pharisees. The dilemma is that the fear of men can keep a believer from trusting in the Lord. Peace is lost.

Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43).

In these verses, the exhortation is for the believer who is a slave, think employee, serves their master, think employer, out of the higher motive of serving the Lord rather than just pleasing the employer. This perspective is particularly helpful when the employer proves to be unkind, demanding, or unreasonable. When the obedience to the employer is framed as serving the Lord, peace is there.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord (Colossians 3:22 NLT).

Another example of conflict found in Scripture: In the Corinthian church, some of the believers had conflicts and issues between them, and they were taking each other to court. Paul rebukes them for going to the local civil courts to settle the issue. There was no peace in this fellowship, and Paul had a rather severe approach to being a peacemaker. I have to admit there is a part of me that is somewhat amused by Paul’s words. Maybe it is because I have both given and received rebukes. Although we don’t know what the issue was, look at Paul’s rebuke.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 6:1-8).

One more look from Scripture at the conflict that destroys peace. There was a problem with false teachers and troublemakers in the early church. That has been true through the ages and is true today. Such people bring conflicts that disturb the peace in the fellowship of believers. Notice the strong warnings.

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves (1 Peter 2:1).

These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed (2 Peter 2:12).

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people (Romans 16:17-18).

Now let’s shift gears and get away from looking at what peace is not and away from examples of things that disturb and destroy peace. We will look at the positives of peace and dwell on God’s peace that is beyond our understanding but within our experience.

Safety and security are elements of peace. We know this because when we are in fear of danger, we are not at peace. Rest in this verse.

In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety (Psalms 4:8).

One of the names of Jesus is Prince of Peace.

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 (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus said:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

Notice the word peace in these verses of greeting.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:3).

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:2).

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:2).

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:3).

Notice the word peace in these benediction verses.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

The God of peace be with you all. Amen (Romans 15:33).

Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:23).

who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance (1 Peter 1:2).

Notice the word peace in these verses of exhortation.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6).

Notice the word peace in these verses of instruction.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:17-18).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22).

Earlier, we looked at some examples of conflict within the local assemblies of believers. You remember a couple of women were not of the same mind, and there was an issue in another assembly of believers concerning taking each other to civil court rather than settling the issue among the believers themselves. Those are negatives used to show a lack of peace. We also looked at verses about being peacemakers. What about positive guidance from Scripture about keeping the peace among believers?

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited (Romans 12:16).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).

Since no two people are alike and the Lord made individuals, obviously, there are differences between people. Also, believers have had different experiences in their lives and had different Bible teachers, both face-to-face and through books and other media. Another factor is differences in spiritual maturity. Add to this, believers live in different cultures. What do we do about these differences? In answering this question, we are assuming that we are not talking about blatant sin or heresy.

Read through this passage and see if you can pick out the qualifying phrase that is helpful in keeping the peace and being able to maintain fellowship. It is a long passage that contains many examples. Be thinking about some people you know.

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore, do not let what you know is good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us, therefore, make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So, whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:1-23).

The key concept in this long passage is that what each is doing is an act of faith, and they believe they are doing it to please the Lord. Here is another helpful verse.

Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:23-25).

We can be tempted to believe our way is the only way, and we feel very righteous. This can lead to foolish and stupid arguments that are not really important. The key is to be kind and accepting and not trying to force anyone. If it is an issue where a believer feels a need to do some teaching, the people must be gently instructed. This is how to keep the peace.

If that were not enough about differences, we find that as members of the Lord’s body (the church), the Lord has given individual members different gifts. Once again, we can look at another long passage. See if you can count how many gifts are mentioned specifically. See if you can count how many body parts are mentioned specifically.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:4-27).

How did your counting go? I counted nine gifts and six specific body parts mentioned. Notice that each believer is a part of the body. Notice that each gift is given by the Holy Spirit as He determines. Notice each gift is given for the common good. Notice that if one part suffers, all suffer. Notice that there is an expectation of concern for each other among the body parts. Notice some parts are apparently more visible or may even be considered to be more glamorous. To keep the peace, we are warned not to disregard or disrespect the other parts and to recognize that every part is valued. The point being made is that all the parts are essential. I want to emphasize that it is clearly part of a design by the Holy Spirit.

In using the analogy of a body, the Lord has presented a familiar and visible model to help us understand the concept of different gifts given and distributed by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ. The purpose of this giving and distributing is also clearly stated (for the common good).

I want to close with a consideration about peace of mind. Who would not want to have peace of mind? I am sure everyone has experienced a lack of peace of mind. I want to have a little fun with alliteration. But first feast on these verses.

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you (Isaiah 26:3).

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:27 NLT).

Probably because my wife and I had sheep for over twenty years, I am especially fond of the Good Shepherd passage found in John 10. I suspect that the people Jesus was talking to at that time could relate to and understand His analogy. This is another long passage. Read it through, and then we will look at it more closely.

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore, Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (John 10:1-18).

Provision: The Good Shepherd provides provision for His sheep. He leads them out to the pasture. Since provisional needs are covered, His sheep have peace of mind.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (I Peter 5:7).

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Protection: The Good Shepherd is the gate to the fold. A little elaboration may be called for here. The fold is the corral or sheep pen where the sheep are kept at night for their safety from predators or thieves. The closed gate prohibits access to the sheep and keeps them safe. Remember in Psalms 23 that the Shepherd’s rod and staff are comfort.

Presence: The Good Shepherd is present when He is the gate. He is also present when He is leading His sheep. Get the picture, the Shepherd is walking and His sheep are following closely behind. This is presence.

Personal: The Good Shepherd calls His sheep by name. He knows their names. His sheep are listening to His voice, and they recognize His voice and will ignore the voice of a stranger. Speaking and listening are personal. Jesus said, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me”. Now that is personal.

Property: The Good Shepherd says that the sheep are His own sheep. He is the owner of the sheep. The sheep are His property. Later in the passage, Jesus refers to other sheep that He also owns. At the time of the narrative, Jesus was speaking to Jews, and the other sheep are Gentiles. These other sheep will have the same relationship with Jesus. That includes me.

Propitiation: The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (1John 2:2).

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God (Romans 3:25).

There is more!

Permanence: The Good Shepherd is always with the sheep. He is there as the gate at night, and He is there leading out to pasture in the day.

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So, we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6 NLT).

Purpose: The Good Shepherd has purposes for each of His sheep. We already looked at the varying gifts in the body. He has specific works designed for each of His sheep.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).

Practice: What can we do to practice peace of mind? What guidance do we get from Scripture? Remember, we think with our minds.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-2).

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Picture this scene. A small child is suddenly frightened or perhaps is hurt. What is their response? They run, usually crying, as fast as they can into the arms of their nearest parent. I am sure you have witnessed such a scene. Perhaps you have experienced it. As a parent, I can remember my children running into my arms when frightened or hurt. Why do the little children do this? Simply, they are fleeing to a place of safety and security.

The year 2020 was a frightening time. Covid 19, mass demonstrations and rioting, and election controversy, all leaving uncertainty, confusion, and chaos. This was a year unlike any that I have experienced in my eighty-plus years of life. How can a person find peace of mind?

Just like a little child, a person can flee into the arms of the God of Creation, who is the God of Salvation. Believers are children of God. They belong to the family of God. God has revealed Himself as Father. Soak in this verse and find peace of mind, God’s peace:

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure (1 John 3:1-3).

Back to the Shepherd and sheep.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

Find safety, security, and peace of mind in the character, nature, and Kingdom of the Shepherd.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young (Isaiah 40:11 NLT).

Remember in Psalms 23:The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever (Psalms 23:1-6).

All Alone-Not Alone

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

When you are the one and only, you are alone. Consider the concept “only.” Looking at the math concept of sets as represented by a parenthesis, we would write (1). The parentheses are a border or boundary. Sets have members, and a set of “only” would have one member. Looking at the concept of categories represented by a circle, the circle is a border or boundary. In the circle, there would be only one member. Both sets and categories have names. Using our John 3:16 verse, the name of the set and category would be Jesus. Only Jesus is the one and only Son of God. Jesus is alone in the set and in the category.

Are you curious about where I am going with this topic? I am planning on exploring the concept of alone. I have started by introducing the concept of “only” and will develop it further. There is only one me, and there is only one you. We are individuals. We are unique. We are alone in our set and category.

In my family of origin, I am the firstborn. There is only one firstborn. I am the only firstborn. I have a brother who is the secondborn. There is only one second-born. I have a brother who is the third born. There is only one third born. I have a sister who is fourth born and the only girl. There is only one fourth born and only one girl. I have a brother who is the fifth born and the last born. There is only one fifth-born and only one last-born. I bet you are glad that I did not have more siblings, but I made the point. Being only is a factor in being alone.

Part of being alone is that we can each have secrets. Secret thoughts that nobody knows. Secret deeds that nobody knows. Secret fears that nobody knows. Secret special desires that nobody knows. Secret forbidden desires that nobody knows. These secrets are secrets that we do not want anyone else to know. These secrets are personal, and we want to keep them hidden. These secrets are ours alone. Said another way, we are alone in our secrets. This is true for everyone.

Jesus was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. His disciples went to sleep.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” (Matthew 26:36).

Jesus was alone on the cross. There was no one else on the cross with Him.

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha) (John 19:17).

There is only one God alone and one Jesus alone.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3).

Everyone has alone times. During my working years, I commuted to work. My longest regular commute was over thirty miles. So, I traveled alone each morning to work and back home alone. My shortest commute was about three blocks, and I often simply walked, but I walked alone. Sometimes I hunt or fish alone. Often, I work alone. My wife and I love to do things together, but we still have our alone times. We live in the country and the nearest town is thirteen miles away. I am alone when she does her weekly shopping. She is alone when I go to town for coffee with my cronies or go get a haircut. You have your alone time list as well. These alone times are not a bad thing or a problem. This is just the way life is.

However, being alone can sometimes be scary. This story is an example of scary. Many years ago, I lived in a country home on Colorado’s eastern plains. The home was at the dead-end of a road a mile from the highway. At that time, I had seven children. One Sunday, the family was going to drive to the nearest town, seven miles away, to meet some fellow believers for worship. We took two vehicles. The older boys took the pickup, and I followed in the van. When we arrived at our destination, we realized that we did not have five-year-old Amy. We had just assumed that she was in the other vehicle. Needless to say, I hurried back to get Amy.

Switch to Amy’s side of the story. The house had a nice porch at the front of the house where the children liked to play. Amy was out there playing all by herself. The family exited the house through the back door located on the other side of the house. As we drove off, no one noticed Amy frantically waving as she watched the vehicles drive away. Although she is a grown woman with three adult university graduate children, when she tells this story of being left alone, her voice changes to that of a frightened little girl. This was very scary for her.

Maybe you have your scary story of being all alone. Sometimes, when I am hunting alone, even though I have hunted in the same woods for sixty years, I become aware that I am not sure where I am or where the pickup is parked. Usually, this happens if I have been tracking big game. My manliness self-image keeps me from admitting that I am lost and a little bit afraid. I just think that I am not lost, I just do not know where I am. But truthfully, just between you and me, for a little while, I am concerned because after all, I am all alone.

Another situation that can be unnerving and scary is if you find yourself in an unfamiliar place where you do not know anyone. There may be a crowd of people, but they are all strangers, and you still feel like you are alone. In my professional career, I have attended many classes and conferences full of strangers. I feel alone, but sometimes I will see and recognize someone that I know. I must admit that when this happens, there is a little relief from the alone feeling of being alone. I am guessing that something similar has happened to you.

Belonging is a relief from being alone. The Lord’s design is for his creation to live in families and communities. That means we were not meant to be alone. Think about belonging. I belong to my family of origin. I belong in my marriage. I belong in my local Christian fellowship. In a broader sense, I belong to the entire body of Christ, the church. I belong in my neighborhood and community. I could go on and on, and so could you, in listing settings in which you belong.

Going back to our original model of sets and categories, notice that when we bring belonging into the model, the sets and categories have more than one member. No one in the set or category is alone.

Remember the scary alone times. There is a sense of safety that comes with belonging and escaping being alone. In each of the belonging settings, there is some sense of caring as a sense of someone else having your back. In many of these belonging settings, the care is characterized as love. This is all a very good thing. Once you belong, you are no longer a stranger.

Let us look to the very beginning to look at God’s response to being alone. This story takes place in the Garden of Eden. The Lord has created Adam and given him the task of naming the animals. I picture the animals parading by Adam much as we see pictures of Noah loading up the ark with the animals entering the ark in pairs. Adams goes about naming the animals, saying you are called elephants, you are called cats, you are called robins. I am using imagination here. Perhaps the animals passed by in pairs or maybe small groups, but however, they passed Adam noticed, each kind of animal was not alone. It occurred to him that in his kind, humankind, he was all alone.

.He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still, there was no helper just right for him (Genesis 2:20 NLT).

This explains the deep desire in people to pair up and find a mate. This desire is much deeper than just physical sexual desire. I often tell my wife that there is a lonely place inside of me that is beyond words, and she is the relief for it. This is all part of God’s plan for creating a special place where a man and a woman can belong and belong to each other.

This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one (Genesis 2:24 NLT).

The Lord’s plan was for persons not to be alone. He created relational beings. God is relational. Think of the Trinity. God’s intention was for mankind to have a relationship with Him. Mankind is made in the image of God.

So, God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27).

Relationships are based on love. Just look at His commandments. You cannot show love and be alone.

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Luke 10:27).

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34).

But what if we are not alone? The Lord created us. The Lord knows everything. Therefore, the Lord must know us. The Lord is everywhere. We are somewhere. Somewhere is part of everywhere. So, the Lord is where we are. That being true, no one is ever really alone. God is there. This is true for every person that God created.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:13).

However, we see in Scripture that there is a special relationship for those who are believers in Jesus Christ, for Jesus followers. There is a special not being alone for believers. Some special connections and benefits are a promised reality. We will look at some of these relationships and belongings.

Back to the basics. Remember John 3:16 back at the beginning.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Initially, we looked at this verse to look at the concept of only and its relationship to alone. Now, we will examine the people in this verse. Who is the “world” that God loves? The world is everybody. This world is perishing because everyone is a sinner and under the judgment of death. Then this large category of everybody is divided into two categories: those who are perishing and those who are not perishing but have eternal life. The path to getting out of the category of perishing is to take advantage of God’s intervention of giving His one and only Son, Jesus, and believing in Him. This new category is the “whoever” of the verse, and the wonderful thing is that anybody can become part of the “whoever”.

The relationship with God in the perishing category and the eternal life category is very different. Look at this distinction clearly stated in the next two verses.

The perishing category remains separated from God, and those in that category have no personal relationship with God, even though God knows all about them and He still loves them.

The eternal life category is a completely different story. The Jesus follower is never alone again because Jesus has promised to always be with them. Look at these promises.

Look at the end of the Great Commission.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 NLT).

This verse is an assurance that the Lord will be there for the believer. Notice the word “never”.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).

When a person becomes a Jesus follower, they are born again as explained in John chapter three. In that born-again experience, each believer receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit actually is in the believer.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own (1 Corinthians 6:19).

This is what Jesus told the disciples before He went to the cross and promised them the Holy Spirit.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17).

Notice that the Holy Spirit is actually in the Jesus follower. If God is in the Jesus follower in the form of the Holy Spirit, the Jesus follower cannot be alone. This is wonderful news. What does the presence of the Holy Spirit mean for the Jesus follower? Let us explore.

The Holy Spirit is a teacher.

All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:25-26).

The Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus.

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me (John 15:26).

You may have heard the phrase, “Signed, sealed, and delivered”. This is what the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Jesus follower does for the Jesus follower.

Earlier, we explored how belonging keeps a person from being alone. Scripture shows belongings for the Jesus follower. Let us look at some of these not alone categories. The Jesus follower is a member of God’s family. In God’s family, the Jesus follower has many brothers and sisters.

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17 NLT).

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure (Ephesians 1:5 NLT).

In the Good Shepherd analogy found in John 10, Jesus followers are identified as sheep. Although each individual sheep is in a personal relationship with Jesus, there is a flock of sheep. The Jesus follower is part of that flock, not in the ” alone category.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

The fellowship of Jesus followers is identified as the body of Christ. Their gathering together in assemblies is what is called the church. In this not alone category Jesus followers demonstrate loving, caring, supporting, and teaching each other.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27).

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:6).

Another not-alone category for Jesus followers is as members of the kingdom of God, sometimes referred to as the kingdom of heaven. We already saw that it was the Lord’s good pleasure to assure the little flock that he would give them the kingdom. Notice some characteristics of the kingdom and the Jesus followers that are in the kingdom. Notice that Jesus followers are trusting as little children, thankful worshipers, humble, and willing to suffer for righteousness.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:8).

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:14).

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).

“God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! (Matthew 5:3 CVE).

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10).

The good news for the Jesus followers is that they are not alone because the Lord is always with them. Even though a Jesus follower may feel that they are disconnected from others, they are not alone. Even though a Jesus follower may find themselves in physical isolation, they are not alone. There could be no safer place than being in the category with Jesus.

A Disciple is a Jesus Follower

What is a disciple? What does a disciple look like? What does a disciple do? What does a disciple not do? Why would I want to become a disciple? How do I become a disciple? Are there other disciples? How many disciples are there? What are the benefits of being a disciple? What is the decision to become a disciple?

So many questions! I discarded the question-answer format in favor of going on an explorative adventure, looking at what the Scriptures say about disciples and discipleship, starting with the Great Commission from Matthew 28. The Great Commission was given by Jesus after His resurrection and before He returned to heaven. Today, we would call this a Mission Statement.

Jesus begins by establishing the basis upon which He is giving these orders. Jesus has all authority both in heaven and on earth. There cannot be a higher authority and a more inclusive and exclusive authority. The order is to go and make disciples. This was to be in every nation.

Pause: Did this happen? When we look at the history of Christianity, we see that it absolutely happened. It is still happening today. Just think of all the missionary efforts that we read about. The tremendous courage of missionaries. The multitudes that have come to know Christ through these efforts. Think of all the translations of the Bible into other languages. Think about the health care, education, feeding, and other provisions administered by disciples. These efforts are still going on today.

After people were made into disciples, they were to be baptized in the name of the Trinity. This part of the command teaches the unity of the Trinity and that each, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is involved in this mission.

Why baptism? A baptism is a symbolic act of identification. When a person is baptized, they are openly declaring that they have made the decision to believe in Jesus and now belong to the category of those who believe in Jesus. In believer baptism, often the person being baptized gives a statement that is a profession of faith. It goes something like this, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was crucified in payment for my sins, and then He was resurrected, and I am now saved and have received eternal life.” Sometimes the person doing the baptizing will ask some questions to the person about their profession of faith. The baptism ceremony is a time of celebration, and other believers are there rejoicing.

However, if persecution were to come to a community of believers, having been baptized would be the identifying act to mark a person as a believer. That is okay. A believer who loves Jesus and is thankful for their salvation has no desire to hide their identification with Jesus.

In immersion baptism, the believer is symbolically buried when they go under the water and are symbolically resurrected when they come up out of the water. Paul explained it this way.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:4).

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead (Colossians 2:12).

The mission is to make disciples, to baptize disciples, and to teach disciples. What were the new disciples to be taught? The disciples will be taught to obey every one of Jesus’ commandments. Think of it. Obey every commandment. Now, a little logic. Before the new disciples could obey the commandments, they would need to know what the commandments were. So, the sequence is that they are to be taught the commandments and then taught to obey the commandments. Knowledge precedes obedience.

Dallas Willard, in Renovation of the Heart, gives us a definition of a disciple.

Disciples of Jesus are those who are with him, learning to be like him. That is, they are learning to lead their life, their actual existence, as he would lead their life if he were they (page 241).

The disciple is a learner. Since their goal is obedience, it is important to know what and how to obey. Dallas Willard, in his writing, often refers to a disciple as an apprentice. This makes sense because the effect of obeying Jesus’ commandments is that the disciple becomes more and more like Jesus in their behavior before God and man. Caution here. Becoming like Jesus does not mean the disciple will ever become God, but they will become more godly in their manner of life.

Let us look closer at this learning process. How does an apprenticeship work? Example: A person wants to become a plumber. They will receive training and experience in the journeyman stage, working under the supervision and instruction of a master plumber. When they have acquired the required knowledge and skills, they will become a master plumber and be able to train journeyman plumbers. The learner becomes like their teacher and hence can teach others. This is the disciple-maker process. A disciple makes another person into a disciple, and the chain reaction begins.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children (Ephesians 5:1 NLT).

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12).

Big Picture View

Jesus followers (disciples) become disciple-makers who then also become disciple-makers. This is God’s plan for growing His Kingdom.

The Great Commission closes with the wonderful assurance that Jesus will be with the disciples always, and an extra point is made that being with them will last until the end of the age.

I like this visual of the Great Commission. There are two bookends. One bookend is: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. The other bookend is: And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. In the middle, we see these four books:(1) go and make disciples, (2) of all nations, (3) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (4) teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Using logic, we notice the audience Jesus was addressing with the Great Commission. The audience was His disciples. So, disciples are going to be making disciples. So, there are going to be many disciples. Conclusion: It takes a disciple to make a disciple.

Dallas Willard, in The Divine Conspiracy, elaborates and explains being a disciple.

And of course, it is discipleship, real-life apprenticeship to Jesus, that is the passageway within The Kingdom Among Us from initial faith in Jesus to a life of fulfillment and routine obedience. That is precisely why Jesus told his people, when they saw him for the last time in his familiar visible form, to make disciples, students, apprentices to him from every ethnic group on earth. And to make disciples, they would certainly have to be disciples (page 281).

Big Picture View

Can you see disciples making disciples is like a chain reaction? One disciple makes another disciple, who in turn makes another disciple, and on and on it goes. That is exactly what we can see has happened through the ages and is still happening today.

A teacher is an instructor. Teachers instruct students to become learners. I prefer the term “learner” rather than student because learning is the purpose and goal of teaching. Our Amish neighbors use the term “scholars” for the students. I like this idea because it sets up a high expectation for the learners.

First, let us list the characteristics of an ideal learner. The learner wants to learn and has that as a personal goal. The learner wants to succeed and is compliant with the teacher’s leadership. The learner asks good questions and is attentive to the lesson. The learner completes assignments and is faithful to the teacher. The learner is honest and gets along with the other students. The learner is punctual and reliable.

Second, list the characteristics of the ideal teacher. The teacher has clear goals and objectives about what they want the learners to learn. The teacher knows the content and skills they want the learners to learn and presents lessons clearly and understandably. The teacher expects high learner achievement and will reward the slightest try of the learner. The teacher commends and rewards learner success and effort, and is faithful to the learners. The teacher tells meaningful, relevant stories and presents clear illustrations and examples. The teacher is impartial and fair and answers questions. Perhaps most importantly, the teacher loves the learner and is pleased with the learner’s successes.

You might think of other characteristics of an ideal learner or an ideal teacher. But here is an important fact that every teacher learns: you cannot make people learn. The best the teacher can do is set up an environment and culture with a quality presentation of the content and skills as the best possible condition for learning. Also, teaching and learning are activities. It is not a passive experience.

With this information as a foreshadowing, be watching for examples and illustrations of ideal teaching and ideal learning. I will guarantee you that Jesus was an ideal teacher, and there are many examples of ideal teaching in the Scriptures.

Big Picture View

There is the best and most effective way to teach and to learn. Disciples are to be teachers and learners.

Being a disciple must be very important. When Jesus began His public ministry, one of the first things He did was choose and call His disciples. The last thing He did before departing was give the instruction to make disciples. To me, it is clear that the Lord Jesus intended that every believer was to become a disciple.

I want to start our exploration of discipleship with the accounts of Jesus calling His disciples. Here is the roster for the twelve.

Afterward, Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:13-15 NLT).

Here are the names of the twelve apostles:

first, Simon (also called Peter),

then Andrew (Peter’s brother),

James (son of Zebedee),

John (James’s brother),

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew (the tax collector),

James (son of Alphaeus),

Thaddaeus,

Simon (the zealot),

Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him) (Matthew 10:2-4 NLT).

Let us look at some accounts of Jesus calling His disciples. Notice how Jesus addresses them with invitations and notice the disciples’ response. I have highlighted it in bold font.

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.” (John 1:35-51 NLT).

Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So, they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So, they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him (Luke 5:1-11).

Following Requires Leaving

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men (Mark 1:16-20 NLT).

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him (Luke 5:11).

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Matthew 4:18-22).

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him (Luke 5:27-28).

When a Jesus follower begins to follow Jesus, they must leave whatever they have been following. The fishermen left their nets and followed Jesus. Matthew left everything and followed Jesus. This is what Jesus told the person who had an excuse for not following Jesus.

But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22).

This is what Jesus said about commitment.

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62).

To not leave what you are following and still claim to be following Jesus places a person into the category of trying to serve two masters or being double-minded. Look at these passages as reminders.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8 KJV).

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:38).

Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me (Matthew 12:30 NLT).

The choice to follow Jesus is an absolute choice. It involves leaving something. The something is to be doing our own thing, to be doing our own will. The proper attitude for the Jesus follower is to say, “Not my will but thy will be done.” Remember Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane just before He was arrested. This is the model.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42).

Peter had the proper attitude for a Jesus follower.

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-69).

Big Picture View

The Jesus follower, in order to follow Jesus, must leave anything else that they are following. This is a good thing to do because it is the best thing to do and the right thing to do. Since Jesus can be fully trusted and has the best for the Jesus follower, it is also the safest thing to do.

Think about Abiding

What do the Holy Scriptures say about abiding?

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming (1 John 2:28).

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

The Word of God in these verses, in a very comforting way tells the Lord’s children to simply abide in Him. In a very loving way, the Lord’s children are called “little children.” Some suggested definitions of abide are: “to wait for”, to accept without objection”, “to remain stable in a fixed state”, “to exist for a period of time or indefinitely”, “to live or stay somewhere”, “to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship”, “to accept without opposition or question”, “to remain steadfast or faithful to; keep”. His children are to be content because we brought nothing into this world and will take nothing out. Rather, as a matter of fact, be satisfied with food and clothes.

All these definitions are similar and all work for the concept of the abiding we will explore. I see abiding as comfortably passive and very restful. My wife and I went on a twenty-four-hour train ride from our home to California. We were able to abide on the train. Someone else did the driving. Someone else knew the route. Someone else prepared our meals. All we had to do was go along for the ride.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3).

I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death (Philippians 3:10).

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day (2 Timothy 1:12).

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

The Word of God tells about knowing Him. When a person knows something, then a sense of “settledness” follows. Okay, I know it, and it is settled. All of these verses speak to knowing the Lord Jesus. These “knowings” express confidence. Knowing has content. It would be meaningless to just say, “I know”. To be meaningful, we need to say, “I know something or I know somebody.” Knowing creates knowledge, and knowledge has an object. However, just declaring that we know something does not make the “what” we know necessarily true.

When a believer’s “knowing” flows from faith, it is anchored to truth. Faith also has an object. Faith believes in something or someone. Truth also has an object. Truth is about something or someone. Jesus is the truth, and His Word is the truth. This knowing also links up with trusting. Trusting has an object. Trust is in something or someone. Since knowledge, faith, truth, and trust are all based on having an object, the object is indeed a fact. Frances Schaffer says, “There are no neutral facts, for facts are God’s facts.” (page 138). This comes from his book, The God Who Is There.

Here is the package: truth, faith, knowing, and trusting. This package becomes a way of life for the believer in Jesus Christ. Their walk of faith, their walking in the Spirit, happens based on this package. This knowing has a solid basis.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32).

And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:15).

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands (1 John 2:3).

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8).

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:18).

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2).

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8).

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (Philippians 1:9).

But since you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you –see that you also excel in this grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7).

The Word of God in this set of verses repeatedly shows the value of knowing and having knowledge about the Lord Jesus and the benefits received. Can you see that knowing and knowledge form a foundation for abiding? Can you see that it is essential to believe the Scriptures?

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Corinthians 4:7).

The Word of God says simply that all that believers “have”, they have received. So, not to glory in ourselves.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you(John 15:7).

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (John 15:10-11).

The Word of God shows the abiding relationship between a vine and the branches as an illustration of an abiding relationship between the Lord Jesus and the believer. The vine provides the life and nourishment that the branch needs to exist and be fruitful. There are benefits to abiding. There is the production of “much” fruit and the warning that without the vine, the branch can do nothing. The unattached branch is lifeless and unfruitful. The abiding connection provides the branch with the ability to ask from the vine and to receive. The abiding branch is obedient and loving, resulting in receiving joy, so much joy that the branch is “full” of joy. What a beautiful picture.

…he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice(John 10:4).

…and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10:3).

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me– (John 10:14).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

The Word of God uses the analogy of the Good Shepherd (Jesus) and sheep (believers) to demonstrate an abiding relationship. Because I am a sheep, I need a shepherd. The Lord Jesus is my Shepherd, and He is a Good Shepherd. The Lord Jesus knows me, and I know Him. He calls me by name, I know His voice, and He leads me to good pastures, and I follow. I know His voice speaks the truth.

The Lord Jesus as my Shepherd protects me, and I belong in His fold. He goes before me, and I follow. The Lord Jesus as my Good Shepherd, gave His life for me and provided the salvation I so desperately needed. The abiding believer trusts the Shepherd. There is the old saying, “You can trust the Man who died for you.” Jesus, as the leading Shepherd, knows where to go. Jesus knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him. Hence, many times, believers identify as followers of Jesus. The refrain from Ernest Blandly’s hymn, Where He Lead Me goes:

Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

Remember the comfort in “knowing”. Good pastures mean health and prosperity for the sheep. The abiding sheep are completely dependent on the Shepherd, much like the branches are dependent on the vine.

For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:25)

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young(Isaiah 40:11).

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom(Luke 12:32).

The Word of God in these verses shows the Shepherd leading, comforting, providing, and protecting His sheep. He is portrayed as a gentle, tender Shepherd who reassures His “little flock” not to be afraid because they will receive the kingdom. These verses are loving and reassuring about the safety of abiding. My wife has made the observation that sometimes we live as if we had no shepherd. It is during these times that we are not abiding because we are not hearing the Shepherd’s voice, and we are not following.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night(Luke 2:8)

The Word of God gives us a picture of abiding. Just picture the shepherds calmly resting and watching. Abiding is a supernatural walk with the Lord that we call walking in the Spirit. Abiding is effortless except for the effort to keep abiding.

What others are saying:

John Eldridge, in his daily devotion book, Restoration Year, provides delightful considerations about the importance of abiding:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you,” Jesus said (John 15:4 NLT). A simple command, it seems. And yet we overlook it.

If Jesus must tell us to remain in him, then he seems to be assuming that it’s quite possible not to remain in him. The common life is, in fact, a life lived separate from him, which is a dangerous place to live. An old saint once said to me that the devil doesn’t so much care what particular thing, we fall prey to as long as it’s outside Christ, for then we are vulnerable.

I want two things that are mutually opposed—I want to live a nice little life, and I want to play an important role in God’s kingdom. And it’s in those times that I am trying to live a nice little life that I make decisions and choices that cause me in small subtle ways to live outside Jesus.

You cannot enjoy the fellowship of God, or his protection, or all the benefits of his kingdom unless you remain in him—that is, live in him—in your day-to-day life. Vine and branches, Shepherd and sheep. Stay close. Stay with me. Jesus is saying. (page 28).

Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest explains abiding:

Our Lord did not say, ‘Ask God that you may abide in me,’ He said, “Abide in Me,” it is something we have to do. Abiding in Jesus embraces physical, mental, and moral phases as well as spiritual. (page 2).

We have to form the habit of abiding until we come into the relationship with God, where we rely upon Him almost unconsciously in every particular. (page 2).

Of ye abide in Me, and My word abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will.” i.e.,what your will is in. There is very little our wills are in, consequently, it is easy to work up false emotions. (page 377).

Death Then Life

Death, then life, seems to be backwards. This goes contrary to what we see. We are accustomed to seeing life begin and then life ends with death. We get a cute little puppy or a cuddly little kitten amid much joy and excitement. We watch them grow to adulthood and become part of the family. Each has its own special characteristics. Then they grow old and begin to fail physically. Then, amid great sadness, the time comes when they die.

Death is all around us, and it is assumed that death was preceded by life. We attend funerals where someone has prepared a video of the deceased’s life. We see still pictures of them younger and with family and friends. We see movies of them laughing and playing. But we are also aware that the deceased’s body is lying in a coffin up front.

My grandfather, near the end of his life, would tell me that he attended funerals of friends often every week, and some weeks more than one funeral in a week. He added that some of them were younger than him. I find myself checking out the obituaries in the local paper to see if I recognize the names of anyone. I also checked to see if they were younger than me.

If you have ever walked through a cemetery, you will notice that the tombstones have engraved two dates. There is a year of birth and a year of death. Between the two dates, there is a dash. That dash represents that person’s life. Do quick math and you calculate how long their dash was. The dates represent a beginning and an end.

Actually, often the beginning and end of life are recorded more precisely. In the delivery room, an hour and minute are noted for the birth certificate. We have all seen the drama of the operating room where the patient passes away and the doctor solemnly looks at the clock on the wall and tells the nurse to call it. Then the hour and minute are recorded.

We see the life-to-death pattern play out in nature. The cycle goes on and on. Plants appear, grow, and then die. Each spring, I plant flowers around our house. They grow and bloom and are enjoyed. Then the fall frost comes, and I gather them to be burned.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30).

Nature programs on television tell stories of the unique ways plants and animals seek to survive. There is camouflage, flight, and fight. Many animals have a hyper capacity of senses of smell, sight, and hearing. All of these features can only delay the reality of death.

Life is characterized by a struggle to survive. A struggle to avoid death or at least delay it. Realistically, it cannot be avoided. We build healthy practices, safety measures, and health care into the routines of life. This is all part of survival.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

In sharp contrast, we see Jesus. He was born of a virgin, grew up in a carpenter shop in Nazareth, chose His twelve disciples, went about doing His mission, and then was brutally murdered on a cross, was buried, and then He arose from the dead. For Jesus, it was death then life. This change in sequence must be looked into and have an explanation. Our experience, based upon what we see, says that dead people do not live.

First question: Did it really happen? Here is the apostle Paul’s testimony.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

Paul knew all of the people he named by name, Cephas (Peter), and the twelve. In the gospels, we read about Jesus appearing after the resurrection. He appeared to Mary. He appeared to Peter. He appeared to the two on the road to Emmaus. He appeared to the disciples in a room. He appeared to the disciples by the sea, and they had a fish breakfast with Him. We are familiar with these stories but notice that He was also seen by over 500 people at one time. Eyewitnesses are important in confirming an event, and there certainly are many eyewitnesses to a living resurrected Lord.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:6).

Looking more closely at the death-to-life sequence, we discover that every person is born dead. That may seem absurd at first because we think of life beginning at birth. Actually, life begins at conception. But looking even closer, we can identify two kinds of death. There is physical death that we have been discussing, and there is spiritual death. The “every person born dead” speaks of spiritual death.

When you stop and think about this, it really makes sense. Flash back to Genesis and the Garden of Eden and the fall of mankind. Remember, Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord and ate of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. The penalty for that disobedience was the curse, driven from the garden and ultimately physical death. But the immediate effect of that sin of disobedience was spiritual death.

Another principle of Genesis is reproducing after their own kind. Every person since Adam and Eve had been born spiritually dead, just like their parents. Every person is born with a death sentence upon them. Every person is born without a spiritual life.

Do not get sidetracked by wondering if this is fair to be penalized like this. God is holy, and He cannot dwell with the unholy. Sin separated mankind from the Lord. Before we get too critical of Adam and Eve, every person has sinned in their own right.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1).

Since the penalty for sin is death, the penalty must be paid. Each individual had no escape from the penalty, but the Lord had a remedy. The remedy came at great cost to Him. Look carefully at these Scriptures.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6).

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18).

Why? Why would He do this?

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

To discover the basic motivation of the Lord, we go to a very familiar verse.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

We immediately see that the motivation is love. Love who? The world (everyone). The motivation of love leads to giving. Giving what? Only begotten Son. Why? So that whoever (anyone) believes in the only begotten Son will first of all receive a guarantee to avoid perishing, but also receive a promise to receive eternal life.

We must look more closely at the concept of perishing. People under the death penalty who have no spiritual life are perishing. God did not want anyone to perish.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

We do not want things or people that we value to perish. We work to save, protect, and care for things we love. Think of perishable food products. We value them so we refrigerate them, freeze them, can them or seal them. First responders and the Coast Guard, with great bravery and personal risk, rescue those in danger of perishing. We have already established that no one has the capacity within themselves to prevent their own perishing. We must repeat that the love of God gave Jesus so that those who believe in Him should not perish.

There is urgency in perishing. There is urgency to avoid perishing, and it is a “whoever” problem. There is a time factor because if there is not timely intervention to prevent perishing, perishing turns into perished. Love motivated God to give His only Begotten Son as an intervention provided for “whoever.”

For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2).

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law (Galatians 4:4).

Although the verses we examined earlier proclaimed that Jesus’ death was a substitute payment for the sins of each individual, notice that John 3:16 does not mention sin. It does specify whoever believes in him. Believing in Him means believing in who He is and what He has done, and includes acknowledging that He is the Son of God and that His death was in payment for the sins of the world (everyone) and His resurrection confirmed victory over death.

Death then life.

This same chapter in John gives the explanation of how those who believe can receive the promised eternal life. Remember the story about the Jewish leader, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night. Here is what Jesus told him:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again (John 3:3).

Jesus went on to explain:

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”(John 3:5-8).

Here is a marvelous thing! When a person believes in Jesus, they are born of the Spirit. The Spirit of God enters into them. Perishing has been avoided, and eternal life has begun.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Let us admit it, there are elements of the wonder of salvation offered through Jesus that are beyond our understanding. Even though the truth of becoming a child of God through God’s plan is clearly stated and proclaimed repeatedly in Scripture, there still is mystery. In seeking some comparison of the wonder, I came up with this homely comparison. I acknowledge that it falls short, but I found it helpful. Maybe you will too.

My computer has life because all that is necessary for it to have life was already taken care of by someone else. I do not know or understand the details of what has been done, but the important thing to me is that my computer has life and it works for me. I know a little about parts, hard drive, keyboard, monitor, motherboard, operating system, software, and hardware.

Jesus has done all that is necessary for me to not perish but have eternal life, and that began when I was born again at the age of 12. I know some of what is involved in my receiving eternal life, salvation, reconciliation, restoration, repentance, substitution, propitiation, sacrifice, suffering, forgiveness, renewal, and transformation.

Although I know some about what it takes for my computer to have life, and I know some about what it takes for me to have eternal life, I do not need to know all or understand all in either case to receive the benefits.

John 3:16 declares a sharp contrast between perishing and receiving eternal life. Perishing is a disaster unmeasurable. Eternal life is blessing unmeasurable.

In closing, let us go back to the cemetery scene. Recall the two dates on the tombstone: a birth date and a death date. Recall the dash between the dates that represents the life of the person buried. In geometry, we would call the dash a line segment ( ). A line segment has two end points, birth date and death date. Now, imagine a geometrical representation of the new life of a born-again believer. The geometric symbol would be a ray ( ). A ray has one end point, born-again date, and the other end, represented with an arrowhead head has no end point but goes on to infinity, eternal life. Physical life line segment. Spiritual life ray.

Death then life.

Physical death for the believer in Jesus who has spiritual life simply means a change of location.

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Think about that! Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (John 3:36).

The Unnecessary Burden of Guilt and What Not to Forget

What does a believer do when they recognize that they have sinned? This will happen. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 KJV). The Holy Spirit that indwells believers will convict the believer when they sin. The conviction of sin disrupts the believer’s walk with the Lord. The believer “feels” guilty, and they are guilty. A sense of loss of peace occurs. There is an uneasiness. The Holy Spirit, through the renewed mind, will then reveal the sin to the believer.

Again, what is a believer to do about this sin that they are now aware of? Praise God, there is an answer from Scripture. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We start by confessing. “Lord, I confess that I have sinned by _________. It may be a sin of commission or omission. The key is to name the sin. The matter may be major or minor. What has happened is that sin has interrupted a close relationship with the Lord.

Now, a wonderful thing happens; after the believer has confessed, the Lord forgives and cleanses. To make the confessing, forgiving, cleansing even more sure, the verse affirms that the confessing, forgiving, cleansing is guaranteed by the faithfulness of the Lord. To make it even more clear, the verse tells us that He is just in forgiving and cleansing. He is just because the confessed sin, along with all the other sins of the believer, were paid for by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross.

Here, there can be a problem. As believers become aware of their sin, they feel guilty and in the sorrow of repenting and confessing, the guilty feelings and perhaps the dirty feelings linger. Also, sometimes the guilty feelings are accompanied with a sense of shame. When this happens, there is a tendency to try to hide from God. Remember that is exactly what Adam and Eve did after they sinned in the Garden of Eden. The Lord went looking for them and found them.

While we are on the subject of the bondage of guilt, let’s look at another kind of guilt that can capture a person. This is false guilt. What is false guilt? Simply put, false guilt is feeling guilty for something for which you are not guilty. How can a person be forgiven for a sin that they did not commit?

Hence, there is no relief from the guilt, and self-imposed punishment follows. To make matters even worse, since the self-imposed punishment is based on false guilt, the punishment can never be sufficient because the false guilt remains. Therefore, punishment must go on and on. What bondage!

Here is another opportunity to exercise faith and believe the Scripture. The Lord’s forgiveness and cleansing are guaranteed by His faithfulness and justice. It is embarrassing to contemplate, but the believers’ failure to believe that they are forgiven and cleansed is actually another sin. Remember that which is not of faith is sin.

This provision from the Lord is wonderful because by exercising 1 John 1:9, a believer can enjoy living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. To grasp the full context of 1 John 1:9 and verify that the issue being discussed is a fellowship relationship with the Lord, here are the complete related passages. Read it!

Now let’s come at this issue of guilt from another angle by exploring what it looks like to be enjoying the fellowship of a walk with the Lord. We will also look at some warnings. Follow along as we explore this passage of Scripture.

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:1-2).

This is a position of truth for every believer. Peter starts by identifying himself with others: To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours. He goes on to mention grace and peace that come through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

This is a possession truth. Believers have a divine nature, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and because of this, His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. Think of it. Believers are fully equipped to lead a godly life. If that were not enough, there is more: he has given us his very great and precious promises. One more thing, believers are rescued from sin, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desire.

Remember in verse two: “Grace and peace be multiplied”? Notice the word “add”. Faith+virtue+knowledge+temperance+patience+godliness+brotherly kindness+charity = never be barren or unfruitful. This formula provides a guarantee abounding in a useful and fruitful walk with the Lord.

But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins (2 Peter 1:9).

Here is a warning and a rebuke. If these things listed in the formula above are lacking, the believer has forgotten If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The believer is acting like their sins are not forgiven. They are living under the burden of guilt. What a shame to be carrying such a burden.

What is sad is that the believer keeps thinking about and emphasizing their sin in their thinking. It is also sad because thoughts of Lord Jesus are colored by a sense of unworthiness and guiltiness instead of the wonderful, exceedingly great, and precious promises. Also, the wonderful fruit of the Spirit listed in the formula is not on display.

Here is a serious consideration. There is the guarantee: if you do these things, you will never stumble. There is the implied warning: confirm your calling and election. It is possible that if a person is not doing “these things,” they may not be a believer? However, if a person is doing “these things” then you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things (2 Peter 1:12-15).

Peter summarized by pointing out that he is bringing these things into remembrance for the believers, even though he knows that they already know them. He goes on to state that as long as he is alive, he will continue to remind the believers about these things. He goes further to say that he wants them to be remembered even after he has passed. I assume that is the purpose for the letter.

Let’s review what important things believers are to remember:

Believers have a divine nature given by the power of God
Believers have received exceeding great and precious promises
Believers who are on the path to godliness have that wonderful fellowship restoration formula
Through the divine nature, believers can do the formula with a guarantee that they will be successful and be effective, and productive
If these things are not characteristic in the life of a believer, it is because they are blind and have forgotten that their sins are forgiven and are living a life of guilt.
If these things are not characteristic in the life of a person, they may not be a believer (by their fruits you shall know them)
It is very important to remember these things

Closing thought: As I reflected on Peter’s emphasis on remembering not to forget that our sins are forgiven, I wondered. I wondered if the Lord Jesus asked believers to remember His sacrifice in the communion ceremony of the bread and cup to help them remember that their sins are forgiven.

This communion ceremony, called by different names: The Lord’s Supper, the breaking of bread and the cup, the remembrance time, is celebrated throughout Christendom. I read recently that the communion ceremony is the one thing that is held in common throughout all the divisions within Christianity.

The very act of participating in physically taking of the bread and the cup necessitates a focus on the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. The activity of taking the emblems of bread and wine into our bodies is a very tangible connection. This creates a personal connection to the death of Jesus and the atoning work of His death on the cross. It seems strange that believers would forget that they are forgiven but yet it is true. Hence, the reminder not to forget.

The Inheritance

Excerpt from What Was in It for Jesus

My parents have passed, and my wife, Karen’s parents have passed. We were our parents’ heirs. We received an inheritance that was shared with our siblings. The inheritance consisted of money and stuff. The money was shared equally, and stuff was divided up based on what individuals wanted. Some of the stuff was sold, and the money was distributed equally. We were blessed because all of the heirs were cooperative and no one was contrary. I am sure you have heard horror stories of heirs contesting the division of the inheritance.

That is the way inheritance is supposed to work. You can see that each heir received value from their part of the inheritance. Each heir has a feeling of being valued by being a recipient of the money and stuff. The stuff is in a special category of value. There is an emotional component. That special value is linked with the fact that it was the property of someone we loved and who loved us. Often, there may be special memories linked with the stuff.

My wife has some jewelry that was her mother’s. Like many men, my tools are important to me, and I have some tools that belonged to my dad and some tools that belonged to my father-in-law. It doesn’t matter to me that they are duplicates of tools that I already have. Those tools are special because of who they belonged to. I carry a pocket knife that belonged to my father-in-law. Parts of it have fallen off, but it is still functional. I have other pocket knives, but that is the one I carry because it is special. In summary, an inheritance has both material value and emotional relationship value.

With that background, let us look at the verse from Ephesians 1.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).

As the inheritance of Jesus, believers have value to Him. Notice that His inheritance is described as rich and glorious. These words quantify and qualify the value with words that are superlatives. The inheritance that my wife and I received from our parents was nice, and it was valuable, and some of the stuff was special, but I would never describe it as rich and glorious, and this is no disrespect to our parents. Our parents would never have described the inheritance they left as rich and glorious. We would not describe the inheritance that we will leave to our heirs as rich and glorious.

I conclude that the inheritance that Jesus receives in his believers is of very high and unique quality. This requires some looking into further. But before we do, let’s look further into the inheritance transaction. To receive an inheritance, a person has to be a designated heir. Was Jesus an heir?

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Romans 8:17).

This verse clearly states that Jesus was an heir. It also identifies believers as God’s children. Here I begin to scratch my head. In my wife’s family and my family, the children were the heirs. However, our parents passed away before we received the inheritance. God the Father did not die. This raises a further question. Who had to die for believers to become Christ’s inheritance? If Jesus is the heir, why is He the one who died? Of course, He rose from the dead and is now alive forevermore.

More considerations. Clearly, in Scripture, we see the Father-Son relationship between God the Father and God the Son. In John 3:16, the Father gave the Son so that those who believe will not perish. Those who believed and do not perish are Jesus’ inheritance. The Son was obedient to the Father. Look carefully at these verses in which Jesus is describing His relationship with the Father and the Father’s relationship with believers.

The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him (John 8:29).

For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say (John 12:49-50).

I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them (John 17:6-10).

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world (John 17:20-24).

We can see that Jesus is saying that believers were given to Him by the Father. Jesus wants believers to see the glory He has received from the Father. Jesus has also given believers the glory He received from the Father. Jesus says He has received glory through believers. There is a lot of glories mentioned. Remember, believers are a glorious inheritance for Jesus.

Absolutely Necessary and Beyond

For there to be an inheritance, there has to be an heir. To be an heir, there has to be an inheritance. Heir and inheritance are a set. You cannot have one without the other. It just would not make sense. As an heir, Jesus had an inheritance, and that inheritance is me and all other believers. Full understanding is “beyond” mankind’s understanding and is part of the deep things of God. We do not have to completely understand it. Our task is to believe it. The “beyond” indicates that there is a “more than”.

By the way, believers also have an inheritance, but that is another story for another time.

always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light (Colossians 1:12 NLT).

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Also, Jesus as heir and believers as an inheritance have a personal relationship component. Jesus’ inheritance is His holy people, not money and stuff. It is people, His people. In our earthly experience, there almost always is a personal relationship between the heir and the person who was given the inheritance.

Two Adams

Excerpt from Battle for Your Mind

The gospels present the genealogy of Jesus. To Jews, their ancestry was important because they were linked to one of the twelve tribes. Often, they would express themselves as being of the line of such and such. For example, the Apostle Paul was of the line of Benjamin. With that as a background, consider that everyone is in the line of Adam; we are descendants of Adam in the flesh. Hence, Adam is considered the first Adam, so we are all children of Adam. Now Christ is the second Adam, so those who believe in Him become Jesus followers and are all the children of God.

Notice that our life in First Adam’s line began when we were born in the flesh with flesh and blood parents, but those born in the Second Adam’s line were born by the Spirit and have God as a parent. This means that both lines started with a birth. Clearly, these lines are distinctly different and separate.

The reason for spending time on the two Adams doctrine is to help see the big picture. Think of what God is doing as the big story, and your part and my part is a little story in the big story. Although our little story is only a small part of the big story, it is still very important to us because it is our story, and we live in it. Our little story is also important to God because all parts of the story are important to God and necessary for the story to be complete. Also, our little story is important to God because we are important to God. Remember, God loves us and cares for us. Now let’s look at the verse that explains the doctrine of the two Adams.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all people, because all sinned—To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:12-21).

The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever (1 Corinthians 15:45-50 NLT)

Follow along as I recap the two Adams doctrine. The Lord gave Adam and Eve only one commandment: to not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We know that they disobeyed. The penalty for disobedience would be death. As we review the drama of that first sin, we remember that Adam and Eve tried to hide from God. They had a guilty conscience because they now knew both good and evil. The death that was experienced was immediate spiritual death, followed later by physical death.

There was a principle in the creation that each living creature was to increase or reproduce after their kind. This principle applied to Adam and Eve, so since they now were sinners their offspring would also be sinners. One of their sons became a murderer. The result is that all the descendants of Adam and Eve have been born sinners and would experience physical death. Their descendants would also experience the effects of the curse. Adams would experience resistance from his labor efforts, and Eve would have pain in childbirth and be subject to her husband. Adam’s line results in Adamliness.

We do not have to look too far to see evidence of a sinful nature. If we are honest, we can easily see it in ourselves. We can see it in others and certainly in the daily news and the record of human history. The sinful nature manifests early. Small children just learning to talk will defy their parents’ authority with a strong “no”. They will grasp some object and determinedly pronounce it, “mine”.

A.W. Tozer in The Knowledge of the Holy summarizes:

Yet the change is deeper and more basic than any external act can reveal, for it includes also the reception of the life of another and a higher quality. The old man, even at his best, possesses only the life of Adam: the new man has the life of God. And this is more than a mere manner of speaking; it is quite literally true. When God infuses eternal life into the spirit of a man, the man becomes a member of a new and higher order of being (page 58).

However, Jesus was not born of Adam’s line. He was not born a sinner. His father was the Holy Spirit. His mother was a virgin, and this is important. Therefore, those born again of the line of Jesus can be partakers of His line. We wonder, how is this possible? It is possible because the death-producing sin factor has been removed. After all, Jesus paid for that sin on the cross. Jesus tasted death for everyone.

What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9 NLT).

Born-again Jesus followers now experience the after its kind principle of being after Jesus’ kind. The Holy Spirit in Jesus followers is producing Godliness.

Regeneration and Relationship

Excerpt from Regeneration – Battle for Your Mind

We will conclude our exploration and discussion about regeneration with the concept of relationship, more specifically, a personal relationship. Of course, this relationship is the relationship between the believer and Jesus. This relationship is better framed as the relationship between a Jesus follower and Jesus. Somehow, the title Jesus follower better portrays the relationship with Jesus than the title believer, though both are true statements. Being a Jesus follower expresses commitment. It fits better with the concept of being transformed into the image of Christ and being a disciple.

The Jesus follower is a new person; the old has gone away. The Jesus follower has a renewed mind. The Jesus follower walks by faith, not by sight. The Jesus follower wants to demonstrate their love for Jesus by obedience to His word.

Relationship speaks from person to person. The Jesus follower is a person, and Jesus is a person. And the relationship is personal and exclusive. One Jesus follower and one Jesus. In this personal relationship experience, it is only the Jesus follower and Jesus. And it is in this personal relationship with Jesus that the regeneration of the Jesus follower takes place.

It is safe to conclude that of all the main things, this is the most main thing. Said another way, the personal relationship between the Jesus follower and Jesus is the most important main thing. It is also valued by both the Jesus follower and Jesus.

An essential component of a personal relationship is communication. Another essential component is time together. Always, there is the essential component of love. All of this is wrapped in an envelope of belonging to each other. Therefore, it is appropriate for the possessive pronoun “my” to be used. The Jesus follower says, “My Savior, my Shepherd, my Lord, my Redeemer, my King, my Friend”. Jesus answers back, “My child, my sheep, my heir, my bride, my friend, my follower”.

The relationship is sure, secure, and safe. Jesus knows all about the Jesus follower and still loves the Jesus follower. The Jesus follower knows that Jesus cares, provides, and protects. The Jesus follower knows that Jesus is always with the Jesus follower. The Jesus follower knows that Jesus has an individual plan for the life of the Jesus follower. The Jesus follower knows Jesus is all-powerful and therefore has the capacity to do anything and everything. I have been using the term “Jesus follower” repeatedly on purpose because it helps in understanding the main thing, the regeneration process, and experience.

For there to be a personal relationship with Jesus, there has to be that initial meeting, which is being born again. A prerequisite to that meeting is an acknowledgment of the existence of Jesus, followed by acknowledging His existence as a person. Here is where the comparison of personal relationship “person to person” with a personal relationship “person to God” takes a turn. Jesus followers are visible, but God is invisible. Also, a Jesus follower in a personal relationship with Jesus is not equal to Jesus. Mankind and God are not equal.

A follower has a leader. The believer is the follower, and Jesus is the leader. Picture the sheep following the shepherd. Picture baby ducks walking along behind their mother in a line. The shepherd and mother are leaders. The sheep and ducklings are followers. The leader knows where they are going, and the followers trust the leader. That is why they are willing to follow. This is such a basic concept that sometimes we can fail to apply it to following Jesus. The follower must just do the next thing as the leader leads.

Since the leader knows where they are going, there is movement. The leader/follower model requires motion, or it doesn’t make sense. The leader is doing and the follower is doing. The followers’ doing is obeying the leader. Can you see how significant this is for a relationship with Jesus? Can you see that following Jesus is the main thing for the believer?

One thing is for sure, the Jesus follower following Jesus will go places and do things differently than if they were not following. I am eighty years old at the time of this writing, and as I reflect back over those years, I can see multiple examples of ways following Jesus was the deciding factor in what happened to me and what I did.

Children and parents have personal relationships, and the child and parent are not equal. Ideally, the parent is the leader. As the leader, the parent knows where they want to lead and this is in the direction of the best interests of the child. The child’s responsibility is to obey and follow.

This dynamic is also true in the personal relationship of the Jesus follower and Jesus. The Jesus follower is identified as a child of God. Just like a child sometimes fails to obey and follow their parent, the Jesus follower fails to obey and follow Jesus. The responsible parent will discipline the child as an act of love because the parent knows the child’s disobedience and failure to follow is not in the best interest of the child.

From time to time in the regeneration journey, the Jesus follower will receive discipline from Jesus. This is an important and good thing, although it may not be pleasant. The discipline from Jesus is personal. These verses explain discipline from Jesus very clearly.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:7-11).

A wise Jesus follower will recognize that when Jesus is disciplining them, it is an act of loving and caring, and then they will respond to the discipline as a learning experience. This is just another part of the regeneration journey.

Though redeemed and on their way to heaven to always be with Jesus, the Jesus follower will still sin at times. The Jesus follower has with other people, some people may also be Jesus followers, and some not. Though both people in any personal relationship are sinners. Jesus will never sin. This is just one way that a personal relationship with Jesus is not equal. What is the Jesus follower to do when their sin interferes with their relationship with Jesus?

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).

This is a broken fellowship issue. The Jesus follower still belongs to Jesus when this happens, and that is solid. The personal relationship has only been interrupted by sin. Stop and think about how that any personal relationships you might have has likely experienced a time when one or maybe both parties have offended the other. How is the issue resolved and fellowship restored? Things are made right between the parties with a recognition of the offending issue followed by an apology and forgiveness. Then comes a question, “Are we good?

When a Jesus follower sins and has been convicted of the sin, they need to make it right with Jesus. This verse explains how it works.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

The directions are clear and tell us what we are to do upon our awareness of sin, and then what God will do in response. Our part is to confess the sin. That means to name the sin. Then God’s part is to forgive us and cleanse us. God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us.

The justice in God’s forgiveness is based upon the historical fact that Christ died for our sins, and the cleansing is a restorative act. This exercise is an act to restore and maintain the relationship. As the Spirit of God guides us into all truth on our regeneration journey, He convicts us of a sin and wants us to pause, confess, and be cleansed so we can continue on down the road of our journey in fellowship with Jesus. The Jesus follower wants to keep short accounts and make maintaining fellowship the main thing. This is a terrific provision for us.

Positional Benefits of Believers

Excerpt from Regeneration – Battle for Your Mind

I want to insert some benefits of the position believers have in Christ. I am going to create a conversation format. Enjoy and rejoice!

Chosen:

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you (1 Thessalonians 1:4).

Jesus says, “I have chosen you.” The believer responds, “You have chosen me.”

Predestined:

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:11).

Jesus says, “I predestined you according to my plan.” The believer responds, “I am predestined according to your plan for me.”

Redeemed:

In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7).

Jesus says, “You are redeemed, and your sins are forgiven.” The believer responds, “I am redeemed, and my sins are forgiven.”

Heir:

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Romans 8:17).

Jesus says, “You are the possessor of an inheritance and a joint heir with Me.” The believer responds, “I am the possessor of an inheritance and a joint heir with you.”

Sealed:

…When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

Jesus says, “You are sealed with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit dwells in you.” The believer responds, “I am sealed with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit dwells in me.”

Purchased:

you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Jesus says, “I purchased you.” The believer responds, “You purchased me.”

Loved and kept:

…To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1).

Jesus says, “I love you and will keep you.” The believer responds, “You love me and keep me.”

Saved:

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Jesus says, “I saved you.” The believer responds, “You saved me.”

Blameless:

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (Ephesians 1:4).

Jesus says, “You are blameless.” The believer responds, “I am blameless.”

Forgiven:

…He forgave us all our sins (Colossians 2:13).

Jesus says, “You are forgiven.” The believer responds, “I am forgiven.”

Sanctified:

… But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Jesus says, “You are sanctified.” The believer responds, “I am sanctified.”

New creation:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus says, “You are a new creation.” The believer responds, “I am a new creation”.

Meant for Believers

Excerpt from Regeneration – Battle for Your Mind

It is helpful in knowing about the main thing, as a believer feeds on the Word of God to recognize the intended audience. A writer or speaker has an intended audience. As I write, my intended audience has been Jesus followers. I am guessing that is obvious. As a believer reads the Word of God to gain knowledge about God and to come to know God for the purpose of identifying the main thing that they will want to keep, it is important to rightly divide it.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

Other Bible translations say correctly handling the word of truth. There are divisions in the Scriptures that need to be recognized. That means that the audience being spoken to falls into categories. The Bible is divided into an Old Testament and a New Testament. The word testament comes from the word covenant. Hence, there is an old covenant and a new covenant. In the Old Testament, there is the Abrahamic covenant which applies to all of mankind, and there is the Mosaic Covenant that applies to the nation of Israel. Simply, the Abrahamic covenant is about having a relationship with God based on faith. The Mosaic Covenant was about the law given to Moses by God that provides instruction for the Jewish nation about their relationship with God and with each other. The Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional and therefore permanent. The Mosaic Covenant was temporary and was conditional and therefore dependent on obedience by the Jewish people.

Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” (Galatians 3:8).

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring–not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all (Romans 4:16).

However, in the New Testament Jesus brought a new covenant. A new covenant means that the old Mosaic Covenant is replaced with the new.

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you (Luke 22:20).

By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear (Hebrews 8:13).

That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant (Hebrews 9:15 NLT).

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

Upon closer review, you will see that all three covenants contained promises from God. Only in the Mosaic Covenant were the promises conditional because obedience by the Jews was a requirement. The main thing to take away from the covenant inquiry for a believer is to gain the knowledge that it is the New Covenant that applies to believers. To rightly handle the Scriptures, a believer must discern when what they are reading applies to them as believers under the New Covenant or does the Scripture belong to someone else of another category and time.

Another consideration in correctly handling the Scriptures is for the believer to determine if the audience being addressed is believers or others. Sometimes the others are a different category than believers, and sometimes the others include everybody. Two distinctions to be aware of are believers and non-believers. We have seen many examples of this in the Scriptures that have been cited earlier. Here are two prime examples:

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (John 3:36).

Here is a verse that demonstrates the inclusion of two categories.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).

Therefore, believers wishing to know, believe, and do the main thing want to be sure to recognize if the verses are meant for them. Most of the epistles are centered around instruction and guidance for believers to know what they are to be doing and being. Sometimes there are instructions about what not to be doing.

Great Commission

Excerpt from my book, The Issue Is Not the Issue (2022)

Throughout this book, we have quoted the Great Commission

several times. I want to close with just one more look at the Great Commission.

I want to focus on the part about making disciples. Jesus set the example by calling His disciples. The call to the disciples was to follow Jesus. Jesus was the leader, and the disciples were Jesus followers. This was to be accomplished by teaching them to obey everything that Jesus commanded. God’s plan for growing His Kingdom was disciple-making. This would produce a Kingdom of Jesus followers. Remembers followers follow a leader, and the designated and appointed leader is Jesus.

The disciple-makers were not to create disciples to be following the disciple-maker. The teaching of the new disciple would always point them to following Jesus in obedience to Jesus’ every commandment. This points the new disciple away from the disciple-maker to Jesus. Can you see that this process creates each individual Jesus follower to be dependent on Jesus’ leadership and not anyone else?

The commission given by Jesus was a plan for reproduction disciple by disciple, and each new disciple would in turn also become a disciple-maker. As the number of disciples increased the number of disciple-makers increased. It is easy to visualize a marvelous growth and increase.

To strengthen the commission Jesus proclaimed that All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. To reassure the disciple-makers He promised: And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Jesus identified the scope of the disciple-makers’ commission with these words: go and make disciples of all nations.

Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy, elaborates on being a disciple and the Great Commission.

And of course, it is discipleship, real-life apprenticeship to Jesus, that is the passage way within The Kingdom Among Us from initial faith in Jesus to a life of fulfillment and routine obedience. That is precisely why Jesus told his people, when they saw him for the last time in his familiar visible form, to make disciples, students, apprentices to him from every ethnic group on earth. And to make disciples they would certainly have to be disciples (page 281).

Perhaps you have heard it said that the Great Commission is to go into the world and preach the gospel.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15).

This commission has been followed through by believers throughout the years and is still happening today. There are many wonderful stories about missionary’s efforts and adventures demonstrating great faith and the mighty works of God.

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it (Matthew 16:15-18).

Jesus and all His followers through the ages can be assured that final victory rests with the assembly of Jesus followers.

The Change Process, Transforming and Growth

Excerpt from my book, The Issue is Not the Issue (2022)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When a person is born again as a believer in Jesus, they become a new creation. Before becoming a believer, they were perishing. Let us review the teaching of that famous verse, John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Notice again there are only two categories, those who are perishing and those who have eternal life.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

These verses declare that the transforming into the image of Jesus is happening as a work of the Holy Spirit as believers contemplate the Lord’s glory. This happens as believers worship and meditate on who Jesus is, what He has done, is going to do and the wonder of salvation. This is

a process and it is escalating with ever-increasing glory.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

As new creatures, believers have a renewed mind. Believers are thinking differently than unbelievers. Believers have a Kingdom of God mindset. Believers have a family of God mindset. Believers have a body of Christ mindset. Believers are to choose to not be conformed to the world. What does this mean? Believers choose to not have a worldly mindset. Refer back to earlier from first John.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).

Can you see the difference? Can you see how belief drives practice applies? The thoughts of the renewed mind generate the beliefs that drive the practice of doing his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal(2 Corinthians 4: 16-18).

Believers are encouraged to not be discouraged as they become aware of an outward wasting away because there is a renewing that is happening continually. For believers the current troubles are nothing compared to the glory to be received. Once again believers are seeing the invisible where reality is.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8: 29).

This is very reassuring and comforting because in God’s plan believers were predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. We can say, “It was a done deal!” “It is going to happen!”

Growth

When we were looking into the process of becoming more like Jesus it was clearly to be a process but now, we see statements that confirm that the change is a matter of growth.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (2 Peter 3:18).

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:2 NLT).

Notice grace and knowledge are the ingredients for growth. The knowledge to be gained is in the knowledge of God and Jesus. This knowledge comes from studying the Word of God and also experientially from walking in obedience to God.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8).

so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10).

Growth in Christ results in more valued productivity. I grew up on a farm. As I grew bigger in stature and knowledge my value and usefulness as a farm hand increased for my family. This really makes sense and links back to the good works we looked at earlier.

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness (1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT).

This verse talks about starting as babies but growing up because of a proper diet, and pure spiritual milk. This verse is an exhortation.

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food (Hebrews 5:12 NLT).

This verse is a rebuke. It can be assumed that these believers had not been growing as expected and need to go back to the basics.

Here we see that trials that test believers will have a maturing effect as they continue to grow. Once again, growth is a process. Growth is a change.

Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy describes the change.

God’s way of moving toward the future is, with gentle persistence in unfailing purpose, to bring about the transformation of the human heart by speaking with human beings and living with them and in them (page 380).

What you think, believe, and do matters

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

The importance of the Word of God

Excerpt from my book, What Does It Mean to be Saved? (2022)

Those who are saved grow in their understanding of the things and ways of the Kingdom of God. This makes sense because those who are saved start by being born again. When a person is born whether physically or spiritually, they start as babies.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT).

Pure spiritual milk is the Word of God.

The Scriptures were dictated by the Holy Spirit and God has worked wonderfully to preserve the Scriptures through the ages.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT).

Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God (2 Peter 1:20-21 NLT).

Tozer in Knowledge of the Holy says:

What God declares the believing heart confesses without the need for further proof. Indeed, to seek proof is to admit doubt, and to obtain proof is to render faith superfluous (page 43).

In his book, Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson has many insights into the Word of God:

But here’s the thing: every part of the revelation, every aspect, every form is personal—God is relational at the core—and so whatever is said, whatever is revealed, whatever is received is also personal and relational. There is nothing impersonal, nothing merely functional, everything from the beginning to end and in between is personal, God is inherently and inclusively personal.

The corollary to that is that I because I am a person, am personally involved in the revelation. Every word I hear, and everything I see in my imagination as this story unfolds, involves me relationally, pulls me into participation, and matters to my core identity, who I am, and what I do (page 27).

Peterson continues:

This may be the single most important thing to know as we come to read and study and believe these Holy Scriptures: this rich, alive, personally revealing God as experienced in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, personally addressing us in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, at whatever age we are, in whatever state we are—me, you, us. Christian reading is participatory reading, receiving the words in such a way that they become interior to our lives, the rhythms and images becoming practices of prayer, acts of obedience, and ways of loving (page 28).

Ideally, when a person is saved and born again and just starting as a Jesus follower, they will be eager to be learning Jesus’s commandments so they can obey them. This doesn’t always happen and probably for many reasons. Scripture gives an example of this in an early church. Here is an example of failure to grow.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (Hebrews 5:12).

The Jesus follower commits themselves to studying their Bible. They understand that the Holy Spirit dictated the Bible and the Holy Spirit that dwells in them will be teaching them. Only those who are saved have the God-given capacity to understand the truths that the Holy Spirit is teaching them.

But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means (1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT).

Dallas Willard in Hearing God addresses the question about the role the Bible plays in

transformation:

How do such Bible stories help? Upon a realistic, critical, adult reading, by those prepared to be honest with their experience, the Bible incisively lays bare the depths and obscurities of the human heart. This is why it continues to play the decisive role it does in human history and culture and why it is fitted to the perpetual instrument of the Spirit of God for human transformation, as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 indicates (page 69).

Tozer in his book, The Pursuit of God, highlights that the Bible is the voice of God:

If you would follow on to know the Lord, come at once to the open Bible expecting it to speak to you. Do not come with the notion that it is a thing that you may push around at your convenience. It is more than a thing; it is a voice, a word, the very Word of the living God (page 290).

The Scriptures teach who God is and who a man is. Dr. Francis Schaeffer states:

The Scriptures give the key to two kinds of knowledge—the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of man and nature (page 218).

Dr. Frances Schaeffer in Escape from Reason explains it this way:

…we do not have exhaustive truth; we have from the Bible what I term “true truth.” In this way, we know true truth about God, true truth about man, and something truly about nature. Thus, based on the Scriptures, while we do not have exhaustive knowledge, we have true and unified knowledge (page 218).

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

From What Is The Mystery of Godliness

Excerpt from my book, What Is the Mystery of Godliness.

Chapter 20

Cause and Effect

Every why hath a wherefore. (William Shakespeare).

Now let us examine how this plays out on a daily basis in our lives. There is a principle that operates in how the world works and in some ways in discovering who we are. This is the principle of cause and effect. Actually, our principle of belief drives practice operates on the cause and effect principle. The belief is the cause that activates the drive to produce the practice which is the effect. Everyone operates on this principle many times each day.

When we see an effect (result) we look for the cause. We have words we use in the search for the cause: explore, investigate, research, diagnose, inquire, assess, and search i.e. If the effect that occurred is desirable, we search for the cause so we can repeat the cause to ensure continued desirable results. However, if the effect is undesirable, we search for the cause to discover what is to be avoided to remove the undesirable result.

Operating with the cause-and-effect principle begins early in life. Let me explain. A newborn baby cries and the baby’s mother hears the crying. The mother assumes that there is a cause for the baby crying. The crying of a baby is not desirable. The mother goes to the baby to seek to determine what is causing the crying.

The baby may be hungry, may need to be changed, maybe too cold or too hot, may have a tummy ache and need to be burped, or may have been frightened. Whatever the cause, the mother will seek to eliminate it. When the cause has been addressed the baby will stop crying and all is well. Now the baby soon learns that if the baby cries (cause), the effect will be for the baby’s mother to come to the rescue and fix the problem. The cause-and-effect principle works for both the baby and the mother.

This simple illustration is useful but when you think about it our lives are permeated by the cause-and-effect principle. As I type and view the screen, I note that my pressing a key (cause) produces the appearance of a letter (effect) on the monitor. Perhaps it would be helpful to think of the concept of one-to-one correspondence. Essentially one cause produces one effect. One push on a keyboard key produces one letter to appear.

Let’s explore a little deeper. How to go about discovering causes? Generally, we use our physical senses: sight (eyes), hearing (ears), smell (nose), taste (mouth) and sense of touch. Our bodies are wonderfully made with a system of nerve endings that work as sensors.

Messages are sent to our brains where they are processed and the whole brain system discussed earlier does the processing. With these inputs, we are prepared to respond to addressing the cause. You are probably thinking that this really makes sense and is very obvious. Please tell me something I don’t know or haven’t thought about before.

What if the cause is invisible and not detected by our physical senses? There can be emotional causes that we really do sort of feel in our bodies and we certainly are aware of them but it is hard to identify which of the five physical senses are in play. What about fear? What about joy? What about pleasure? What about sadness? These could all definitely be causes that have results. Some results that we see as good and others we see as bad.

Looking closer at an example of an invisible cause, pause and think of the wind. We cannot see the wind even though we can sometimes feel it on our skin but we can see the effects of it. Knowing about the wind as the cause is important in so many ways. Pilots need to know about the wind’s speed and direction. Instruments have been developed to measure both the speed and direction of the wind. People in sailboats are concerned about the wind as are firemen. Weather forecasters include wind speed and direction in their forecasts. Interestingly, the Spirit of God is compared to the wind in the scriptures.

Which leads me to a critical point. There are mysterious invisible causes that originate with God that are active in our world and our individual lives. Also, there are mysterious invisible causes that originate in the world, the flesh and the devil that are active in our world and our individual lives. It is critical in the development of our belief system that we acknowledge that these invisible forces are active in our lives and influence our journey to godliness.

The closer we look at our transformation and renewing of our minds as believers the more we see how complex, comprehensive, and involved the process is. We also can see that without the enabling of God, the journey is impossible. This speaks to our need to be completely dependent on God and to be assured that the Lord can bring it to pass.

We can also rest in the assurance that it is the will of God to create this change in each one of us. Ultimately, each believer will be changed to the extent that each will become a spotless bride of Christ. It is good to keep in mind that what we are seeing and experiencing here is not all that there is. There is more to come and it will be wonderful for those that are in Christ Jesus.

The Mystery of Godliness

Excerpt from my book, What Is the Mystery of Godliness.

The New Testament contains many mysteries. Let us examine some of them by category and focus on the mystery of godliness.

The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven:

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (Matthew 13: 10-11 KJV).

The mysteries of the kingdom of God:

And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable mean? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand (Luke 8:9-10 KJV).

The mysteries of the wisdom of God:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).

The Mysteries of God:

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1).

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance and understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3).

The revelation of the mystery:

Now to him is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept since the world began (Romans 16:25).

The mystery of the rapture:

Behold I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

The mystery of His will:

Having been made known unto us the mystery of his will according to the good pleasure which he hath purposed himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are in the earth; even in him (Ephesians 1:9-10).

The Mystery of Christ:

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:3-5).

Withal praying also for us, and God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds (Colossians 4:3).

The mystery of Christ as Creator:

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:9).

The mystery of the gospel:

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known themystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19).

The mystery of Christ in you the hope of glory:

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest in the saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:25-27).

The mystery of faith:

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (1 Timothy 3:9).

The mystery of iniquity:

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way (II Thessalonians 2:7).

The mystery of godliness:

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory (1 Timothy 3:16).

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

The Unsearchable, Endless, Boundless Riches and Treasures “in Christ”

(Excerpt from The Unsearchable, Endless, Boundless Riches and Treasures “in Christ”, 2021)

Introduction

Notice the long title. Do you see three concepts? Riches and treasures jump out. Riches and treasures speak of great value. Now, look at the descriptors for riches and treasures, unsearchable, endless, boundless. These words enhance and enlarge the value of riches and treasures.

Consider the phrase, “in Christ.” This is the qualifier. The very valuable unsearchable, endless, boundless riches and treasures belong to those who are “in Christ”. Those who are in the category of “in Christ” are in an exclusive group. Those who are not “in Christ” will not receive the very valuable unsearchable, endless, boundless riches and treasures.

In Scripture, we see that mankind is divided into two categories. The famous verse John 3:16 says it clearly.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

The two categories, those who are perishing and those who have eternal life. The two categories are mutually exclusive. Everyone starts out in the perishing category. However, the good news, we call the gospel, provides the opportunity to move from the perishing category to the eternal life category. The variable is the “whoever” believes. The “whoever” believes enters into the “in Christ” category and receives the unsearchable, endless, boundless riches and treasures.

Unsearchable

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8 KJV).

What does unsearchable really mean? Let’s start by thinking about searchable. If “something” is searchable, we assume that there is the potential for finding that “something”. If “something” is unsearchable, we assume that the “something” cannot be found.

We will look closely at the search by an example of silliness. I have developed a silliness that I use when I observe someone searching for something. For example, they are searching for their keys or their cell phone but it could be anything. What I do is say, “I know where you will find it.” Almost always they will reply, “Where?” Then I cleverly replied, “In the last place your look.” Although this is true it is not helpful. Recently, a friend provided an addendum to my silly remark that is even more silly. His addendum is, “You should have looked there first.”

Silliness aside, everyone has experienced searching for something and finding it. Occasionally, the lost something is never found. But, think of the contrast, unsearchable. If it is unsearchable, “the something” cannot be found no matter how long or hard one looks. That means “the something” is beyond finding. In this case, we are talking about riches, the riches of Christ. Since these riches are unsearchable, what must they be?

Endless

Another translation.

Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ (Ephesians 3:8 NLT).

In this translation the riches are treasures and the treasures are endless. Treasures are always very valuable. Think about what endless means. It means there is no end. When there is no end, the treasures go on and on. Believers in Jesus will keep receiving these treasures without stop. Notice these treasures are available to those who are “in Christ”.

Boundless

Another translation.

Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8 NIV).

We have riches again but this time they are boundless. With the term boundless we think of the absence of boundaries. The riches are without boundaries. We live in a world where we are familiar with boundaries. The oceans are huge and when a person is on the ocean in a boat beyond the sight of land, the ocean seems to be boundless but we know it isn’t. There is a shore somewhere if you keep traveling in any direction you will come to shore and the end of the ocean.

When I was thinking about boundless a circle came to mind. But a circle is not really boundless because if you travel around the circumference, you will eventually come back to where you started and that is kind of a boundary. If you were traveling around a circle finding riches you would eventually come to the same riches. In this verse, the sense is that riches just keep right on coming.

Unimaginable

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— (2 Corinthians 2:9).

Just try to think of “things” that are beyond what your mind can conceive. It can’t be done. To further clarify the “things” God has prepared no one has seen or heard these “things”. Yet these “things” are real because God has prepared them for those who love Him. We can be sure that they are wonderful. We can assume that we currently lack the capacity to receive them but they are there for those who love Jesus.

Likeness

So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT).

Jesus followers are being changed into the image of Christ. All mankind was created in God’s image but Jesus followers are being changed into the image of Christ. This glorious change for those who are “in Christ” is unsearchable, boundless, endless riches and treasures.

Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy describes the change.

To add to the unsearchable, boundless, endless riches and treasures for those “in Christ” there is yet more in the future.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2).

Clearly, this is a future event. Clearly, there will be a great change for the children of God. The change will be dramatic because although Jesus followers are in the process of becoming more and more like Jesus as they grow in Him, they are not there yet. What a great thing to be looking forward to happening.

In The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard sums up.

The most exalted outcome of submersion in the risen Christ is the transformation of the inner self to be like him (page 280).

Daily

Excerpts from Chapter 18, Daily, in What Does It Mean to Be Saved?

We all live one day at a time. We remember yesterday. We anticipate tomorrow. But we live today. Each day comes moment by moment. We live in the present moment. In these present moments, we make decisions. Life is a sequence of events. That is the way it works for everyone.

What does it look like for those who are saved as Jesus follower on a daily basis? How does the Jesus follower run a race? One step at a time. Just put one foot in front of the other. How does the Jesus follower fight a war? One battle at a time. How does the Jesus follower as a sheep follow the shepherd? The shepherd takes a step and the sheep takes a step. Sometimes a Jesus follower will become distracted by trying to look around or past the Shepherd rather than following one step at a time. Not a good idea. It boils down to this, “Just do the next thing.”

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).

Following Jesus is a trust relationship. Trust is based on faith and faith is based on belief. The Jesus follower is trusting the Lord through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to reveal to them what the next thing is. The next thing is the next step. The next thing only comes one at a time.

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives (Galatians 5:25 NLT).

I have quoted an illustration of doing the next thing from my book, A Disciple is a Jesus Follower and a Jesus Follower is a Disciple. I admit the story is long and gets a bit tedious but this helps to make the point about doing the next thing.

I will illustrate this experience with a story. First, I must set the scene and give background for the story to help you understand what is happening. This setting the scene is similar to what I have done again and again by looking at the setting in which the Jesus follower is learning, applying, and obeying the commands of Jesus.

My wife and I live in a rural community. It is the same location in which I was raised. The area is a farming community. We have a small town located 14 miles north of us, a small town located 15 miles south of us, and a slightly large town located 13 miles east of us. My wife and I moved to what was “back home” for me in 2006 after my parents passed. We purchased the farm from my siblings and settled into the farm. After a year we replaced the old house built in the 1930s with a new house. An Amish neighbor was the builder for our new house.

However, things had changed over the years, and beginning about the year 2000 Amish began to move into the area. Over the years the Amish community has grown to approximately 30-40 families within a ten-mile radius of our home. The Amish community has continued to develop through the years. If you were to draw a straight line, there are three Amish-owned stores within a mile of our home, a grocery store, a bakery, and a variety store. Our nearest neighbor is an Amish family and they have been wonderful friends we not only socialize with them from time to time but also have helped each other many times.

This story involves an Amish man named Edie who at the time of this story was operating a dairy of about 100 cows. I first met Edie when he was helping in the building of our new house. Edie’s dairy was located about a mile and a half from our home. My wife and I fellowship with some other families in a small house church. We take turns hosting the Sunday worship times. As we were en route to the meeting, we passed Edie’s dairy and his cows were out of their corral and some were on the highway and others were in a neighboring alfalfa field. Those on the road were in danger of being hit which would not be good for the cows or the drivers. Those in the fields were at risk of bloating and dying from eating green alfalfa.

The “pop in” next thing for Karen and me to do was we had to tell Edie. Now a little more background. The Amish do not have a church building. They take turns hosting the Sunday meetings. We were used to this happening because on Sunday morning we would see lines of buggies going north, south, east, or west heading to that Sunday’s meeting place. We concluded that Edie was at church somewhere. That morning we had not noticed the usual string of buggies and had no clue where their church might be meeting.

Now the next thing to do was to find out where the Amish were holding Sunday services. However, the actual next thing was to call the folks in our fellowship to tell them the situation and that we would be late. So, we started driving around in search. The clue would be finding a place where there are many buggies parked. We drove and looked and drove and looked some more. We calculated later that we must have driven 10-15 miles looking for them.

Finally, about a mile and a half south of our house we spotted an Amish man who hadn’t gone to church standing out in his yard. He told us where the meeting was located. Ironically, in our searching, we had passed the location. They were meeting in a roof truss manufacturing facility that is located half of a mile off of the main road. It was hard to see all the buggies when we passed by on the road. Actually, measured in a straight line this place was only a little over a mile from our house.

The next thing was to go to their meeting place. I went to the door and my next-door neighbor; Roy saw me and came to see what I wanted. I told him about Edie’s cows and Roy went back inside and found Edie and told him what was happening. Edie came out with his son. Later Roy told me that he thought we had come to get him because his horses were out. That had happened before but that is not part of this story.

The next thing Karen and I did was drive Edie and his son over to their dairy. Edie speculated on how the cows were able to get out of their corral. I don’t remember what his theory was. When we arrived at the sight of the great cow escape, Edie climbed out of the car and begin herding the cows toward the driveway to his house and dairy. We dropped his son off by the driveway so he could direct the cows to where they were supposed to go.

Before we proceeded on to our fellowship, we asked Edie if we could help him with the cows. He answered no, he could get them. You see both Karen and I and Edie understand the shepherd and sheep principle as it relates to livestock. Let me explain. Remember in John 10 in the story of the Good Shepherd that the sheep are owned by the shepherd, the sheep follow the shepherd, the sheep know the shepherd’s voice, the shepherd calls them by name. The sheep will not follow strangers. They are afraid of strangers. The same principle is true of cattle, particularly dairy cattle which are used to being handled daily. Edie’s cows knew him. Karen and I were strangers. Not only did Edie not need our help but we might have been a hindrance to the roundup because we were strangers and the cows would be afraid of us. This story is charming and light in many ways. This story had a happy ending and no people or animals were injured. The folks in our fellowship were understanding. They were familiar with the dairy because they drove past it when we were meeting at our house. They were also generally familiar with Amish customs and ways.

But looking closer at the next thing principle in following the guidance of the Holy Spirit we see that when the Jesus follower is responding the next thing becomes the only thing. The Jesus follower’s response to the next thing the Spirit has revealed their obedience. Obeying the next thing is the right thing. The sheep following the shepherd is obeying the shepherd (pages 83-87).

Finding Edie was a demonstration of loving your neighbor. Finding Edie was the next thing for that moment in time. Finding Edie was the only thing in obedience to the Spirit’s leading. Finding Edie was the right thing to do.

Often doing the next thing comes with a cost of time, effort, and resources. But the committed Jesus follower will follow that leading and do the next thing.

Elden’s Writing Adventure

There is an old saying and I don’t know where it comes from, “Inward impression without outward expression leads to inward depression.” I have found this to be true.

I have been very blessed in my over 70 years as a Jesus follower to receive many wonderful impressions about the Lord Jesus and the valuable truths of the Word of God. I was raised in a Christian home, enjoyed rich fellowship with fellow Jesus followers, and received valuable Bible teaching. I have had the privilege of working in two Christian organizations. I like to read and study and I have read and reread my favorite Christian authors, such as A.W. Tozer, Francis Schaeffer, Dallas Willard, John Eldredge, Eugene Peterson, H.A. Ironside, as well as others.

A few years ago, I began writing thoughts and meditations on these impressions. After retiring in 2012, I found I had a lot of time to read, study, and do some writing. I had accumulated many files with my thoughts and one day it occurred to me that maybe the writing could become a book. After struggling to use an agent and find a publisher, I was introduced to what has worked out to be a better way. The better way for me has been what is known as “self-publishing.”

I have been working with two very user-friendly companies that provide tools and support for creating and publishing books. These companies provide distribution of the books on many sites on the internet. I have no marketing responsibilities at all. Author’s Republic publishes audiobooks and IngramSpark publishes print and e-books.

My outward expression has taken me to produce the library below. I have found the whole adventure to be a very enjoyable personal blessing and a great way to further my study and understanding of the Word of God and find that I have come to love and appreciate the Lord Jesus even more.

My prayer is that what the Lord has shown and blessed me will also be a blessing for others.

Elden’s Library

Books in print, ebook, and audiobook format.

Adventures in Biblical Thinking Study Series Volumes 1-3
Be Ye Thankful
In This Family, We ______(Fill in the Blank)
Outside the Camp Where Jesus Is
Profound Truths from the Gospel of John
Servants Serve
What Was She Thinking?
What Does It Mean to Be Saved?: A Study in the Wonderfulness of Salvation
The Unsearchable Riches for Those Who Are “in Christ”
What Is the Mystery of Godliness?
A Disciple Is a Jesus Follower and a Jesus Follower Is a Disciple: A Study in Discipleship
Profound Truths from the Gospel of John
The Issue Is Not the Issue: Seeking the Truth About God’s Ways
Profundity in Proverbs: Exploring Fools, Liars, Ander and Hate, Leadership and Teachable Spirit
What You Think Matters, What You Believe Matters, and What You Do Matters: Proper Thinking About God
Regeneration in the Jesus Follower
Battle for Your Mind
What Is In “It” for Jesus
More Love-More Real – More Real-More Love
Exploration and Examination of Some Familiar Words in the Bible

Books in print and ebook format

An Adventure in Following the Holy Spirit’s Leading: Research in the Words in the New Testament Used to Identify and/or Address Those Who Are Saved
The Mystery of Godliness
Adventures in Biblical Thinking-Second Edition

Books in audiobook format

The I Am’s of Jesus
The Names of Jesus
Adventures in Biblical Thinking Series Volumes 1-4
Adventures in Biblical Thinking, Think About Series Volumes 1-4
More Adventures in Biblical Thinking Study Series Volumes 1-6

Dr. Daniel has a website: https://adventuresinbiblicalthinking.home.blog/ where he posts short articles about adventures in Biblical thinking. Please feel free to subscribe.

Better is Better

Better is a term of comparison. That which is better has some qualities, characteristics, or values that what it is being compared to does not. It seems obvious that one would choose the better over that which is not better. Throughout my life, I have discovered many ways of doing something better and made a change to it. I have also found better products and made a switch. Why would anyone not choose better? I am sure this is true for everyone.

The Book of Hebrews uses the term, better, many times. We explore some of these uses of the term, better. My format will be to cite the verse or passage where the term, better, is used and then follow with some comments. The reader may find it helpful to follow along in the Book of Hebrews to capture context for the verses and passages Here goes!

Verse: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they (Hebrews 1:4 KJV).

Verse: So, he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs (Hebrews 1:4 NIV).

Comment: This is speaking of the Lord Jesus who ranks higher than angels in God’s order of beings. The rest of the chapter continues to elaborate on this difference mentioning the Father-Son relationship and the fact that the angels worship Jesus.

Verse: Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation (Hebrews 6:9 NIV).

Comment: In the preceding verses the author is talking about those who have rejected the saving work of the Lord Jesus and here is commending the people he is addressing for not rejecting Jesus.

Verse: And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better (Hebrew 7:7 KJV).

Verse: And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater (Hebrew 7:7 NIV).

Comment: The context is the discussion of the priest Melchizedek blessing Abraham. Blessings are bestowed from a higher rank to a lesser rank.

Verse: The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God (Hebrews 7:18-19 NIV).

Comment: The law was weak and useless for having a relationship with God because that relationship is only made possible by Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.

Verse: Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22 NIV).

Comment: The context is the superiority of Jesus as High Priest resulting in a better covenant between God and mankind. To better understand this superiority, I have included his passage:

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:23-25 NIV).

Verse: But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises (Hebrews 8:6 KJV).

Verse: But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises (Hebrews 8:6 NIV).

Comment: Two betters in this verse. The new covenant of grace brought by Jesus is better than the old covenant of the law and with it, better promises. In the new covenant people are saved by grace based on the finished work of Christ not by works as under the old covenant of the law.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

Verse: It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these (Hebrews 9:23 NIV).

Comment: Once again, there is a comparison between the blood of animals used in the days of the Tabernacle with the blood of Jesus. The contrast is with the earthly and the heavenly.

Verse: You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions (Hebrews 10:24 NIV).

Comment: This is referring to a commendation to believers who had been experiencing persecution and their awareness that their heavenly possessions were better than earthly possessions. Earthly is temporary and heavenly is lasting.

This is what Jesus said:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6: 19-21 NIV).

Verse: By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead (Hebrews 11:4 NIV).

Comment: Abel understood that a blood offering was required as an offering for sin. Cain instead brought examples of his own works from his field as an offering. God rejected Cain’s offering and in resentment and anger, Cain killed Abel.

Verse: Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:16 NIV).

Comment: Hebrews chapter 11 lists what has been called the heroes of the faith because of their noteworthy acts that demonstrated their strong faith. This verse explains their motivation. The contrast is between an earthly city and a heavenly city.

Verse: Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35 NIV).

Comment: These were those people who rather than deny their faith in God refused to be released. Their motivation was for a better resurrection in their identifying themselves with God.

Verse: These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39-40 NIV).

Comment: These heroes of the faith were all before Jesus came to earth. Born-again believers know about Jesus and His atoning “better” blood than that of bulls and goats and the heroes did not know but because of their faith, they too will be made perfect like born-again believers.

Verse: You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24 NLT).

Comment: The blood of Jesus speaks of redemption, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Abel’s blood speaks of vengeance.

Conclusion: Better is better. If you are a born-again believer, you are a beneficiary of “better.” As a child of God, you are in the family of “better,” not only for the present but forever. Actually, it turns out that God’s “better” is “best.”

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12 NLT).

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too (1 John 5:1 NLT).

To Obey or to Not Obey?

Excerpt from In This Family We ———-(fill in the blank) 2021

…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15)

In chapter one, we mentioned the dilemma that comes from being in two families. All believers who are children of God and members of God’s family are members of earthly families as well. Earthly families are very complex because, besides the simple family of father, mother, and children, there is the issue of extended family: grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and in-laws. In some way, each person is a member of all these family combinations. Each parent, each grandparent, and each in-law had a family of origin. Each of these family units had its unique set of “In this family, we ______.” Let’s pause for a story to illustrate the impact of these family standards and traditions.

This story takes place in 2018 in England and relates to the marriage of Prince Harry and an American woman, Meghan Markel. I personally have not had much interest in following the adventures of the royal family, but I have noticed many headlines about “errors” that Meghan Markel had made in what she said or the clothes she wore. However, I did look more closely at one of these articles. What I discovered was she had made an indiscretion by painting her fingernails a color. Apparently, the proper protocol for women in the royal family is to not have colored fingernails. Those of us looking on may think this is pretty petty, but family rules are family rules.

We may chuckle at this story, but each person has a maze of expectations based on “In this (earthly) family, we ____” that come from multiple sources. Let’s analyze this with an example. The person I will create for our example is a forty-year-old married man. He will have received “In this family, we ____” messages from many sources. Follow along as we explore them. He will have received “In this family, we ____” messages from his family of origin, his mother and father. He will have received “In this family, we ____” messages from both his maternal and paternal grandparents. He will have received “In this family, we ____” messages from his wife based on the “In this family, we ____” messages she received from her parents and her maternal and paternal grandparents.

The intensity of the “In this family, we ____” messages is increased by the degree and frequency of contact with these extended family members. It is not hard to imagine that the “In this family, we ____” messages from such a variety of sources may sometimes be in conflict. For instance, what was common practice in his family of origin may be forbidden in his wife’s family of origin.

So, the question becomes: to which “In this family, we ______” message does this poor fellow yield? In-law jokes have some basis in personal experiences. Some family members may put great pressure on others to yield to their “In this family, we ____” messages. You can see that it could become difficult to sort out how and when to comply.

Since this book is about God’s family, why have I developed all this “stuff” about earthly families? I am guessing that you have figured out the answer. The “In this family, we ____” expectations for God’s children do not always match the “In this family, we ____” expectations of earthly families. This is the dilemma.

Ideally, if the members of the extended earthly family were all believers and had committed their lives to the “In this family, we ____” expectations of God’s family, there could be a great hope for harmony and little conflict. What are the chances? Yet there would still be a dilemma even if this proposed possibility of all members being committed to “In this family, we ____” expectations of the Lord were true because each member of the extended family is still a sinner in their flesh. Each believer is left with the task of addressing the conflict between the “In this family, we ____” expectations that come from their earthly extended families and the “In this family, we ____” expectations for the Lord’s children that are revealed in Scripture. The transformation through a renewing of the mind in each believer is a process that is in progress, contributing to our dilemma.

Let’s pause and address a factor that has been implied but probably not clearly addressed. Whether we are talking about earthly families or Spiritual families, there is an expectation of obedience or compliance with every “In this family, we ____” message. There is also the consideration that failure to obey or comply will have some kind of consequence. That consequence may be severe. The severity could include punishment, expulsion, rejection, shunning, withdrawal of affection, loss of status, or loss of membership. (Quick point: In the Lord’s family, there is no danger of loss of membership or loss of affection.)

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6 KJV).

It is important to recognize that when we comply or obey, we have acknowledged the existence of authority. We have acquiesced or surrendered to this authority. This is not necessarily bad. If the authority we are acquiescing to is the Lord, it is a good thing. If the authority is the earthly family system, it may be good or bad. (Another quick reminder: when the authority of the Lord and the authority of the earthly family system clash, this creates the dilemma that we will explore further in Chapters 4 and 5.)

Let’s insert here an example of authority from a story in Scripture.

There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So, Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well (Luke 7:2-10).

The centurion recognized how authority works and he also recognized that the Lord Jesus had authority. Jesus commended the centurion for his faith in the authority of Jesus. “I tell you; I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”

This story shows us that when a person submits to authority, that person is doing what the authority orders. “‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” I suspect that most of us do not really understand how authority works even though we frequently submit to it.

Let’s take a little sidebar here and look at Romans chapter 6. Another word for comply or obey is the word yield. I am going to list some verses from this chapter where the word yield is used. Sometimes the word yield indicates what should be yielded to and other times it is used to indicate what not to yield to. Think about this matter for the word, yield.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God (Romans 6:13 KJV).

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (Romans 6:16 KJV).

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness (Romans 6:19 KJV).

Let’s look a little closer at the act of complying or obeying. Generally, we have a belief or faith that the authority knows best or is right. The exception may be if our compliance has been coerced by fear or intimidation. However, by faith, we assume that submission is the best and right thing to do. This is a safe assumption if the submission is to God. Interestingly, we may not be very aware of an actual willful decision on our part to comply or obey. Why is that?

Remember, we are members of an earthly family unit. Someone before our time made decisions about what fills in the blank for “In this family, we _____.” By the time we came along, the “In this family, we _____” had become part of the status quo. In other words, in this family, this is the way things are done. We were never given a say in establishing the expectations. Unless we choose to be rebellious, we just “go with the flow.”

One of the natural experiences of being part of a group is the development of “group think.” Since everyone in the group thinks alike, the thinking is reinforced and left unquestioned. Compliance is assumed and lack of compliance is addressed by correction. Compliance seems easy, convenient and appears to be safe. Again, this observation is not considered to be a bad thing but it will be a factor as we analyze the dilemma in Chapters 4 and 5.

So, what is the motivation for obedience or compliance? Let’s look first at our earthly family. In light of our earlier discussion about consequences for noncompliance or disobedience, we must conclude that one motivation could be the negative motivation of fear. However, often the reward of being accepted and belonging is a powerful motivator for compliance. It feels good to be on the inside and bad to be on the outside.

Love and respect can be a positive motivator for obedience. A desire to honor others and be respectful is another positive motivation. Generally, within the family context, the perceived reward for compliance and obedience to the earthly family expectations outweighs the pull to be non-compliant or disobedient. Can you sense the pressure to comply in your family?

We cannot leave this discussion without addressing the motivation of those who are sending the message of expectation with the desire for earthly family members’ compliance. There are two parties in these transactions, you and them. We examined your motivations for compliance and now let’s look at theirs. Thinking positively, we will assume that mostly their motivation is based on their concern for your best interests in safety and prosperity. But the bottom line is, either consciously or subconsciously, they want you to be like them. They want to make you in their own image. Aha!

Look at the significance of this “aha” when we think of being a member of the Lord’s family. First of all, by the act of creation, God chose to create mankind in His own image. When sin entered into God’s creation in the Garden of Eden, the image became marred. God’s solution was to rescue mankind by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross as a payment for the sins of mankind. Because God is Holy, the debt (penalty) of sin needed to be paid.

Since mankind was created in the image of God, mankind has a free will. This free will is what allowed sin to happen in the first place. God mercifully offers salvation and re-entrance into God’s family with the offer to be born again given to whosoever will come. The goal of the Lord’s “In this family, we ______” is to change His children into the image of Christ. There is much more on His plan for change in His children in Chapters 4 and 5.

Let’s look at our Spiritual family. Since The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10), we cannot rule out fear of consequence for noncompliance or disobedience to the Lord’s, “In this family, we_______.” There is clearly a loss of blessing for not being compliant or obedient because we know there is a reward (blessing) for being compliant and obedient. One of those rewards, according to this verse, is knowledge of the holy (God). However, earlier, we mentioned that love is the common characteristic in the Lord’s “In this family, we_______.” “If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15). I would conclude that a desire to show love for the Lord and to the Lord and to please Him is the proper motivation for the Lord’s children to comply and obey. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

What else could contribute to the dilemma? We have looked at the pressure in our earthly families for compliance and obedience to many mostly unwritten messages coming from a variety of family members. Could there be more? What about friends and associates? What about peer pressure? All of these relationships seem to have rules or guidelines connected with membership. Hence, “In this friend group, we ______” tends to happen.

Again, these rules or requirements are not generally written but compliance is linked to belonging. We have the issue of “in-group” and “out-group.” We have all experienced these pressures. If the expectations are positive and productive, this may not be much of a problem. However, if the expectations are negative and nonproductive, this is a problem. Have you heard of gangs? Can you sense the pressure?

All earthly families are set in a culture. Individual family members may be set in several cultures. Cultures have norms. These norms are really expectations of “In this culture, we_____.” Membership in a culture carries with it the expectation of compliance and obedience. A person can be a member of several cultures at once. Some cultures even have uniforms. The media is a major player in culture. In both news and advertising, the media is trying to influence us. The place of employment has a culture. Have you heard of workplace culture? Can you sense the pressure?

Let’s discuss norms a little more. With the use of the word “norm,” I am sure you are thinking it means what is normal, right? I teach courses in classroom management for teachers and one of the recommended practices is to clearly establish classroom norms for student behaviors. Whenever I taught a face-to-face class, I established norms in the first session. Similarly, the recommended practice for leading a professional development seminar is to establish agreed-upon norms and write them down for the group at the very beginning of the session. With adults, this can be handled as a group discussion to set agreements about acceptable behavior. These can be very mundane things: turn off cell phones or set them on vibrate, leaving for the restroom, etc., or they can be behavioral: no sidebar conversations while someone else is talking or simply talking one at a time. You can see that establishing norms can create stability and enhance productivity. Norms are meant to be followed by members of the group. Can you sense the pressure?

We’re not through yet. Most earthly families live in a community. You guessed it! Communities have a culture. As members of a community, people are exposed to “In this community, we ______.” Status as a good citizen of the community may be based on compliance and obedience. Have you heard of HOAs? Can you sense the pressure?

Another example. Most earthly families are citizens of a governmental entity. For most Americans, this consists of city, county, state, and federal governments. Many of their expectations are in writing and are recognized as ordinances, regulations, and laws. Compliance is expected and there are consequences for noncompliance. The result is “In this governmental entity, we______.” Have you heard of police and courts? Can you sense the pressure?

One more source of influence and messages for most people is their educational experience. The schools we attend and their teachers have provided messages about expectations for attitudes and behaviors. The teachers function from a position of authority and students are a captive audience. Compliance with what is taught is expected. Students are tested because they are expected to know what was taught. Can you sense the pressure?

Wow! As we set out to solve the dilemma between the earthly family’s “In this family, we______” expectations and the Lord’s “In this family, we______” expectations that we encounter in this world, we can grasp the magnitude of the dilemma. To be clear, when I refer to the earthly family’s “In this family, we______” expectations, you understand this phrase is representative of not only the messages and expectations of our family of origin but includes the whole package of influencers. The milieu of the family of origin, extended family, peers, friends, community, culture, government, and schools is complex, convoluted, and confusing. This milieu is often identified in Scripture as the world. The choice to prefer and comply with the Lord’s “”In this family, we______” creates an unavoidable confrontation with the earthly family’s “In this family, we______” expectations.

I am sure that I have not included all categories of influencers and perhaps you can think of others. We have already mentioned that these sources are not necessarily in agreement. What about those who have the family name but don’t seem to demonstrate family characteristics? What about family members who are estranged and disloyal? Of this we can be sure, they too are shaping your and my perception of who we are as individuals.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

A Disciple is a Jesus Follower

Excerpt from A Disciple Is a Jesus Follower and a Jesus Follower Is a Disciple (2022)

So many questions! I discarded the question-answer format in favor of going on an explorative adventure looking at what the Scriptures say about disciples and discipleship starting with the Great Commission from Matthew 28. The Great Commission was given by Jesus after His resurrection and before He returned to heaven. Today we would call this a Mission Statement.

Pause: Did this happen? When we look at the history of Christianity, we see that it absolutely happened. It is still happening today. Just think of all the missionary efforts that we read about. The tremendous courage of missionaries. The multitudes that have come to know Christ through these efforts. Think of all the translations of the Bible into other languages. Think about the health care, education, feeding, and other provisions administered by disciples. These efforts are still going on today.

Why baptism? A baptism is a symbolic act of identification. When a person is baptized, they are openly declaring that they have made the decision to believe in Jesus and now belong to the category of those who believe in Jesus. In believer baptism often the person being baptized gives a statement that is a profession of faith. It goes something like this, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was crucified in payment for my sins and then He was resurrected and I am now saved and have received eternal life.” Sometimes the person doing the baptizing will ask some questions to the person about their profession of faith. The baptism ceremony is a time of celebration and other believers are there rejoicing.

However, if persecution were to come to a community of believers, having been baptized would be the identifying act to mark a person as a believer. That’s okay. A believer who loves Jesus and is thankful for their salvation has no desire to hide their identification with Jesus.

In immersion baptism, the believer is symbolically buried when they go under the water and are symbolically resurrected when they come up out of the water. Paul explained it this way.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:4).

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead (Colossians 2:12).

The mission is to make disciples, to baptize disciples, and to teach disciples. What were the new disciples to be taught? The disciples will be taught to obey every one of Jesus’ commandments. Think of it. Obey every commandment. Now a little logic. Before the new disciples could obey the commandments, they would need to know what the commandments were. So, the sequence is they are to be taught the commandments and then taught to obey the commandments. Knowledge precedes obedience.

Dallas Willard in Renovation of the Heart gives us adefinition of a disciple.

Disciples of Jesus are those who are with him learning to be like him. That is, they are learning to lead their life, their actual existence, as he would lead their life if he were they (page 241).

The disciple is a learner. Since their goal is obedience, it is important to know what and how to obey. Dallas Willard in his writing often refers to a disciple as an apprentice. This makes sense because the effect of obeying Jesus’ commandments is the disciple becomes more and more like Jesus in their behaviors before God and man. Caution here. Becoming like Jesus does not mean the disciple will ever become God but they will become more godly in their manner of life.

Let’s look closer at this learning process. How does an apprenticeship work? Example: A person wants to become a plumber. They will receive training and experience in the journeyman stage working under the supervision and instruction of a master plumber. When they have acquired the required knowledge and skills, they will become a master plumber and be able to train journeyman plumbers. The learner becomes like their teacher and hence can teach others. This is the disciple-maker process. A disciple makes another person into a disciple and the chain reaction begins.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children (Ephesians 5:1 NLT).

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12).

Big Picture View

Jesus followers (disciples) become disciple-makers who then also become disciple-makers. This is God’s plan for growing His Kingdom.

*****

The Great Commission closes with the wonderful assurance that Jesus will be with the disciples always and an extra point is made that being with them will last until the end of the age.

I like this visual of the Great Commission. There are two bookends. One bookend is: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. The other bookend is: And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. In the middle we see these four books:(1) go and make disciples (2) of all nations (3) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (4) teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy elaborates and explains being a disciple.

And of course, it is discipleship, real-life apprenticeship to Jesus, that is the passageway within The Kingdom Among Us from initial faith in Jesus to a life of fulfillment and routine obedience. That is precisely why Jesus told his people, when they saw him for the last time in his familiar visible form, to make disciples, students, apprentices to him from every ethnic group on earth. And to make disciples they would certainly have to be disciples (page 281).

Big Picture View

Can you see disciples making disciples is like a chain reaction? One disciple makes another disciple who in turn makes another disciple and on and on it goes. That is exactly what we can see has happened through the ages and is still happening today.

*****

First, let’s list the characteristics of an ideal learner. The learner wants to learn and has that as a personal goal. The learner wants to succeed and is compliant with the teacher’s leadership. The learner asks good questions and is attentive to the lesson. The learner completes assignments and is faithful to the teacher. The learner is honest and gets along with the other students. The learner is punctual and reliable.

Second, list the characteristics of the ideal teacher. The teacher has clear goals and objectives about what they want the learners to learn. The teacher knows the content and skills they want the learners to learn and presents lessons clearly and understandably. The teacher expects high learner achievement and will reward the slightest try of the learner. The teacher commends and rewards learner success and effort and is faithful to the learners. The teacher tells meaningful relevant stories and presents clear illustrations and examples. The teacher is impartial and fair and answers questions. Perhaps most importantly the teacher loves the learner and is pleased with the learner’s successes.

You might think of other characteristics of an ideal learner or an ideal teacher. But here is an important fact that every teacher learns, you can’t make people learn. The best the teacher can do is set up an environment and culture with a quality presentation of the content and skills as the best possible condition for learning. Also, teaching and learning is an activity. It is not a passive experience.

With this information as a foreshadowing, be watching for examples and illustrations of ideal teaching and ideal learning. I will guarantee you that Jesus was an ideal teacher and there are many examples of ideal teaching in the Scriptures.

Big Picture View

There is the best way and most effective way to teach and to learn. Disciples are to be teachers and learners.

*****

Being a disciple must be very important. When Jesus began His public ministry one of the first things He did was choose and call His disciples. The last thing He did before departing was give the instruction to make disciples. To me, it is clear the Lord Jesus intended that every believer was to become a disciple.

I want to start our exploration about disciples with the accounts of Jesus calling His disciples. Here is the roster for the twelve.

Here are the names of the twelve apostles:

first, Simon (also called Peter),

then Andrew (Peter’s brother),

James (son of Zebedee),

John (James’s brother),

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew (the tax collector),

James (son of Alphaeus),

Thaddaeus,

Simon (the zealot),

Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him) (Matthew 10:2-4 NLT).

Let’s look at some accounts of Jesus calling His disciples. Notice how Jesus addresses them with invitations and notice the disciples’ response. I have highlighted it in bold font.

Following Requires Leaving

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him (Luke 5:11).

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Matthew 4:18-22).

But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22).

This is what Jesus said about commitment.

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62).

To not leave what you are following and still claim to be following Jesus places a person into the category of trying to serve two masters or being double-minded. Look at these passages as reminders.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8 KJV).

And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:38).

Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me (Matthew 12:30 NLT).

The choice to follow Jesus is an absolute choice. It involves leaving something. The something is to be doing our own thing, to being doing our own will. The proper attitude for the Jesus follower is to say, “Not my will but thy will be done,” Remember Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane just before He was arrested. This is the model.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42).

Peter had the proper attitude for a Jesus follower.

Big Picture View

The Jesus follower in order to follow Jesus must leave anything else that they are following. This is a good thing to do because it is the best thing to do and the right thing to do. Since Jesus can be fully trusted and Jesus has the best for the Jesus follower, it is also the safest thing to do.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Quotes from A.W. Tozer

Tozer is one of my favorite authors. I make it a practice to read through three of his books every year. I have the three books in one volume: Three spiritual classics in one volume, (2018). Moody Publisher, Chicago. The books are The Pursuit of God (1948), God’s Pursuit of Man (1950) and Knowledge of the Holy (1961).

I have used many quotes from his writing in the books I have written and published. I also have made it a practice to keep a file of quotes from these books. I have decided to post many of these quotes for readers of my website to enjoy. The quotes are not listed thematically but are simply presented as I recorded them through the years.

My suggestion is for the reader to read through them and perhaps meditate on the ones that seem to speak to them personally or that seem to increase their understanding of the ways of God. You may need to re-read some of them and ponder them. I know I do. I think you will be in store for some blessings.

A.W. Tozer in Knowledge of the Holy.

What comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us (p 13).

Without doubt, the mightiest thought the mind can entertain is the thought of God, and the weightiest word in any language is its word for God. Thought and speech are God’s gifts to creatures made in His image; these are ultimately associated with Him and impossible apart from Him. It is highly significant that the first word was the Word: “And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We may speak because God spoke. In Him word and idea are indivisible. That our idea of God corresponds as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us (p 14).

We may speak because God spoke. In Him word and idea are indivisible (p 14-15).

Among the sins to which the human heart is prone, hardly any other is more hateful to God than idolatry, for idolatry is at bottom a libel on His character. The idolatrous heart assumes that God is other than He is—in itself a monstrous sin—and substitutes for the true God one made after its own likeness. Always this God will conform to the image of the one who created it and will be base or pure, cruel of kind, according to the moral state of the mind from which it emerges (p 16-17).

Then followed the worship of idols fashioned after the likeness of men and birds and beasts and creeping things. But this series of degrading acts began in the mind. Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which polluted water of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true.

Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear. The long career of Israel demonstrates this clearly enough, and the history of the Church confirms it (p 17).

If we insist upon trying to imagine Him, we end with an idol, made not with hands but with thoughts; and an idol of the mind is as offensive to God as an idol made of the hand (p 24).

What God declares the believing heart confesses without the need for further proof. Indeed, to seek proof is to admit doubt, and to obtain proof is to render faith superfluous (p 43).

The doctrine of the Trinity, as I have said before, is truth for the heart. That fact that it cannot be satisfactorily explained, instead of being against it, is in its favor. Such a truth had to be revealed; no one could have imagined it (p 49).

In our effort to discover the origin of things we confess our belief that everything was made by Someone who was made of none. By familiar experience, we are taught that everything “came from” something else. Whatever exists must have had a cause that antecedes the greater. Any person or thing may be at once both causes and the cause of someone or something else; and so, back to the One who is the cause of all but is Himself caused by none.

The child by his question, “Where did God come from?” is unwittingly acknowledging his creaturehood. Already the concept of cause and source and origin is firmly fixed in his mind. He knows that everything around him came from something other than itself, and he simply extends that concept upward to God. The little philosopher is thinking in true creature-idiom and, allowing his lack of basic information, he is reasoning correctly. He must be told that God has no origin, and he will find this hard to grasp since it introduces a category with which he is wholly unfamiliar and contradicts the bent toward origin-seeking ingrained in all intelligent beings, a bent that impels them to probe ever back and back toward undiscovered beginnings.

To think steadily of that to which the idea of origin cannot apply is not easy, if indeed it is possible at all (p 52).

“It is God who worketh in you.” He needs no one, but when faith is present, He works through anyone. Two statements are in this sentence, and a healthy spiritual life requires that we accept both (p 70).

God’s eternity and man’s mortality join to persuade us that faith in Jesus Christ is not optional. For every man, it must be Christ or eternal tragedy (p 77).

The God of Abraham has withdrawn His conscious Presence from us, and another God whom our fathers knew not is making himself home among us. This God we made and because we made him we can understand him; because we have created him he can never surprise us, never overwhelm us, nor astonish us, not transcend us (p 79).

Infinitude, of course, means limitless, and it is absolutely impossible for a limited mind to grasp the Unlimited (p 81).

When we say that God is infinite, we mean that He knows no bounds. Whatever God and all that God is, He is without limit (p 82).

Again, to say that God is infinite is to say that He is measureless. Measurement is the way created things have of accounting for themselves. It describes limitations, imperfections, and cannot apply to God. Weight describes the gravitational pull of the earth upon material bodies; distance describes intervals between bodies in space; length means extension in space, and there are other familiar measurements such as those for liquid, energy, sound, light, and numbers of pluralities. We also try to measure abstract qualities and speak of great or little faith, high or low intelligence, large or meager talents.

Is it not plain that all this does not and cannot apply to God? (p 83).

…much as we may deplore the lack of stability in all earthly things, in a fallen world such as this the very ability to change is a golden treasure, a gift from God of such fabulous worth as to call for constant thanksgiving. For human beings the whole possibility of redemption lies in their ability to change. To move across from one sort of person to another is the essence of repentance: the liar becomes truthful, the thief honest, the lewd pure, the proud humble. The whole moral texture of a life is altered. The thoughts, desires, the affections are transformed, and the man is no longer what he had been before. So radical is this change that the apostle calls the man that used to be “the old man” and the man that now is “the new man”, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

Yet the change is deeper and more basic that any external acts can reveal, for it includes also the reception of life of another and higher quality. The old man, even at his best, possess only the life of Adam: the new man has the life of God. And this is more than a mere manner of speaking; it is quite literally true. When God infuses eternal life into the spirit of a man, the man becomes a member of a new and higher order of being (p 93-94).

His only begotten Son, when He walked among us, felt our pains in their naked intensity of anguish. His knowledge of our afflictions and adversaries is more than theoretic; it is personal, warm, and compassionate. Whatever may befall us, God knows and cares as no one else can (p 103).

Wisdom among other things, is the ability to devise perfect ends, and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means. It sees the end from the beginning, so there can be no need to guess or conjecture. Wisdom sees everything in focus, each in proper relation to all, and is thus able to work toward predestined goals with flawless precision.

All God’s acts are done in perfect wisdom, first for His own glory and then for the highest good of the greatest number for the longest time. All His acts are as pure as they are wise, and as good as they are wise and pure. Not only could His acts not be better done: a better way to do them could not be imagined. An infinitely wise God must work in a manner not to be improved upon by finite creatures. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! Thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches (p 107-108).

Without the creation, the wisdom of God would have remained forever locked in the boundless abyss of the divine nature. God brought His creatures into being that He might enjoy them and they rejoice in Him. “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good (p. 108).

And what are these laws of nature that have displaced God in the minds of millions? Law has two meanings. One is an external rule enforced by authority, such as the common rule against robbery and assault. The word is also used to denote the uniform way things act in the universe, but this second use of the word is erroneous. What we see in nature is simply the paths God’s power and wisdom take through creation. Properly these are phenomena, not laws, but we call them laws by analogy with the arbitrary laws of society.

Science observes how the power of God operates, discovers its regular pattern somewhere, and fixes it as a “law”. The uniformity of God’s activities in His creation enables the scientist to predict the course of natural phenomena. The trustworthiness of God’s behavior in His world is the foundation of all scientific truth. Upon it the scientist rests his faith and from there he goes on to achieve great and useful things in such fields as those of navigation, chemistry, agriculture and the medical arts (p 117-118).

When men no longer fear God, they transgress His laws without hesitation. The fear of consequences is no deterrent when the fear of God is gone (p 124).

The teaching of the New Testament is that God created the world by the Logos, the Word, and the Word is identified with the Second Person of the Godhead who was present in the world even before He became incarnate in human nature. The Word made all things and remained in His creation to uphold and sustain it and be at the same time a moral light enabling every man to distinguish good from evil. The universe operates as an orderly system, not by impersonal laws but by the creative voice of the immanent and universal Presence, the Logos (p 131-132).

The goodness of God is the drive behind all the blessing He daily bestows upon us. He felt good in His heart and He redeemed us for the same reason (p 142).

Divine goodness, as one of God’s attributes, is self-caused, infinite, perfect and, eternal. Since God is immutable, He never varies in the intensity of His loving-kindness. He has never been kinder than He now is, nor will He ever be less kind. He is no respecter of persons but makes His sun shine on the just and the unjust. The cause of His goodness is Himself; the recipients of His goodness are all His beneficiaries without merit and without recompense.

This agrees with reason, and the moral wisdom that knows itself runs to acknowledge that there can be no merit in human conduct, not even the purest and the best. Always God’s goodness is the ground of our expectations. Repentance, though necessary, is not meritorious but a condition for receiving the gracious gift of pardon which God gives of His goodness. Prayer is not in itself meritorious. It lays God under no obligation nor puts Him in the debt of any. He hears prayers because He is good, and for no other reason. Nor is faith meritorious; it is simply confidence in the goodness of God, and the lack of it is a reflection upon God’s holy character (p 143).

Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits upon the underserving (p 161).

Instead of straining to comprehend this (grace) as theological truth, it would be better and simpler to compare God’s grace with our need. We can never know the enormity of our sin, neither is it necessary that we should. What we can know is that “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (p 165).

A.W. Tozer in The Pursuit of God:

Another word that must be cleared up is reckon. This does not mean visualize or imagine. Imagination is not faith. The two are not only different from, but stand in sharp opposition to, each other. Imagination projects unreal images out of the mind and seeks to attach reality to them. Faith creates nothing; it simply reckons upon that which is already there (p 263).

Our trouble is that we have established bad thought habits. We habitually think of the visible as real and doubt the reality of any other. We do not deny the existence of the spiritual world but we doubt that it is real in the accepted meaning of the word.

The world of sense intrudes upon our attention day and night for the whole of our lifetime. It is clamorous, insistent, and self-demonstrating. It does not appeal to our faith; it is here, assaulting our five senses, demanding to be accepted as real and final. But sin has so clouded the lenses of our hearts that we cannot see that other reality, the City of God, shining around us. The world of sense triumphs. The visible becomes the enemy of the invisible, the temporal, of the eternal. That is the curse inherited by every member of Adam’s tragic race.

At the root of the Christian life lies belief in the invisible. The object of the Christian faith is unseen reality (p 263-264).

In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1) Not matter, for matter is not self-causing. It requires an antecedent cause, and God is the Cause. Not law, for law is but a name for the course which all creation follows. That cause had to be planned and the Planner is God. Not mind, for mind also is a created thing and must have a Creator back of it. In the beginning God, the uncaused Cause of matter, mind and law. There we must begin (page 271).

The Word of God is quick and powerful. In the beginning He spoke to nothing, and it became something. Chaos heard it and became order; darkness heard it and became light. “And God said…and it was so” (Genesis 1:9). These twin phrases, as cause and effect, occur throughout the Genesis story of creation. The said accounts for the so. The so is the said put into the continuous present (p 283).

Essentially, salvation is the restoration of the right relation between man and his Creator, a bringing back to normal of the Creator-creature relationship (p 305-306).

For four hundred years Israel had dwelt in Egypt, surrounded by the crassest idolatry. By the hand of Moses, they were brought out at last and started toward the land of promise. The very idea of holiness had been lost to them. To correct this, God began at the bottom. He localized Himself in the cloud and fire, and later when the tabernacle had been built, He dwelt in the fiery manifestation in the Holy of Holies. By innumerable distinctions God taught Israel the difference between holy and unholy. There were holy days, holy vessels, holy garments. There were washings, sacrifices, offering of many kinds. By these means, Israel learned that God is holy. It was that He was teaching them, not the holiness of things and places. The holiness of Jehovah was the lesson they must learn.

Then came the great day when Christ appeared. Immediately He began to say, “Ye have heard that it was said of the old time…but I say unto you” (Matthew 5:21-22). The Old Testament schooling was over. When Christ died on the cross, the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom. The Holy of Holies was opened to everyone who would enter in faith. Christ’s words were remembered, “The hour cometh, when we shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father….But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:21, (p 229-330).

A.W. Tozer in God’s Pursuit of Man:

We must constantly keep in mind that the gospel is not good news only, but a judgment as well upon everyone that hears it. The message of the cross is good news indeed for the penitent, but to those who “obey not the gospel” it carries an overtone of warning. The Spirit’s ministry to the impenitent world is to tell of sin and righteousness and judgment. For sinners who want to cease being willful sinners and become obedient children of God the gospel message is one of unqualified peace, but it is by its very nature also an arbitrator of the future destinies of men (p 365).

We are created beings, and as such, are derived, not self-existent. Not to us has it been given to have life in ourselves. For life we are wholly and continually dependent upon God, the Source and Fountain of life. Only by full dependence upon Him are the hidden potentialities of our natures realized. Apart from this we are but half-men, malformed and unbeautiful members of a noble race once made to wear the image of its Creator (p 385).

The truest and most acceptable repentance is to reverse the act and attitudes of which we repent (p 406).

The Holy Spirit achieves this inward cure by merging the will of the redeemed man with His own. This is not accomplished in one stroke. There must be, it is true, some kind of overall surrender of the will to Christ before any work of grace can be done, but the full emergence of every part of life with the life of God in the Spirit is likely to be a longer process than we in our creature impatience would wish. The most advanced soul may be shocked and chagrined to discover some private area within his life where he has been, unknown to himself, acting as lord and proprietor of the which he thought he had given to God. It is the work of the in-living Spirit to point out these moral discrepancies and correct them. He does not, as is sometimes said, “break” the human will, but He does invade it and bring it gently to a joyous union with the will of God.

To will the will of God is to do more than give unprotesting consent to it; it is rather to choose God’s will with positive determination. As the work of God advances, the Christian finds himself free to choose whatever he will and he gladly chooses the will of God as his highest conceivable good. Such a man has found life’s highest goal. He has been placed beyond the little disappointments that plague the rest of men. Whatever happens to him is the will of God for him and that is just what he most ardently desires (p 443-444).

When faith becomes obedience then it is true faith indeed (p 454).

The List

Excerpt from In This Family We ———-(fill in the blank) 2021

So, in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith (Galatians 3:26).

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7).

Before we begin to explore the long list of the Lord’s “In this family, we _______,” let’s do something a little unusual. Let’s start with a summary. I know that usually a summary comes at the end and seeks to distill or condense what has preceded, but, as I developed the list and became aware of how long it was becoming, I asked myself, what is this all about? Then it came to me. What was Jesus’s response to the Pharisee’s question about which was the greatest commandment?

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:35-40).

Jesus declares a standard for the kind of love that His children are to show to others. He called it a new commandment.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).

The new standard is to love others as Jesus loves us. Jesus goes on to say that this kind of love will be a testimony, evidence of discipleship. We know that Jesus loved mankind to the extent of giving His life. We know the Father loved mankind so much that He gave His Son so that those who believe in that Son will never perish. Clearly, this is the highest standard of love.

The Lord’s commandments to His children in the Scriptures indicate that, for His “In this family, we ______,” it is all about love. Every instruction about the behavior or attitude of the Lord’s family members is an expression of love or of being loving…because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:5). Of course, this really makes sense. As you read through the verses in the list at the end of this chapter, can you see that love is a family thing with God? God loves us. We love God. We love each other. Can you see that love is relational?

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1).

And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world, we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:16-21).

As I began compiling the messages from the Scriptures about the behaviors and attitudes God is developing in His children, I struggled with how to organize the list. It was tempting to create categories distinguishing between behaviors and attitudes and sorting similar behaviors and attitudes into groups. It was tempting to create positive and negative categories, what to do and what not to do. However, I concluded it may be best to just list the Scriptures as I compiled them and let them speak for themselves. As I compiled this list it seemed to become like ocean waves striking the shore. Blessing after blessing, provision after provision, comfort after comfort. It feels very good! See if you agree!

I also decided not to number the list. Although the list appears to be a list of distinct items, in reality, a child of God is a whole person, not a lot of pieces. Who we are as a child of God is a complex mixture of traits and characteristics. The Scriptures in the list are too complex to completely capture the “whole” of being a child of God, but these verses are still very descriptive and helpful.

I could see other risks in numbering the list. First, there is the risk of thinking somehow numbering implied priorities or a difference in the value of some descriptions of the Lord’s family’s behaviors and attitudes. Second, I was concerned that there might be the temptation to use the list as a diagnostic. A person might be tempted to check off which characteristics were true in their life (or maybe someone else’s) and which were not yet evident. A person might be tempted to generate a “score” to see how “good” a child of God they are.

You will also notice themes even though the list is not grouped into themes. One theme the list addresses is what we do, what we say, and how we think. Another theme has to do with what God does to and for us, what God says to us, and what God thinks about us. There is also a theme about what not to do and how not to act. Perhaps you will notice other themes.

You may be wondering, why such a long list and why at this point in the book. First of all, I suspect that many of the Scriptures will be familiar to you and will make you feel good. Secondly, reading the list will prepare your mind for the critical issues in the chapters that follow.

I am assuming that you, like this writer, will find that some specific Scriptures will speak to your heart in a way that is supportive of what the Lord is currently teaching you. There is some redundancy in the items in the list, but please just go with it and consider the redundancy emphasis. The format that I have used is to first cite the Scripture and then, in a brief statement, describe what the Lord’s children do. Notice there is a flow.

Now, let’s explore the behavior and attitudes in the Lord’s instructions for His children. Remember what we discussed earlier in this chapter about love being a family thing with God? As you read through the following long list of “In God’s family, we____” behaviors and attitudes in these verses, notice that these instructions reflect practical ways in which love can be expressed. The common theme throughout is that the children of God demonstrate their love for Him with obedience.

If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15).

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

The List

So, I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed (Ephesians 4:17-19).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, the Lord’s children don’t walk in the futility of their thinking as the unbelievers do, who have given themselves over to sensuality to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. The Lord’s children are set apart, different than the world.

That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires: to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are renewed in our mind and have put off the old self and have put on the new person created in righteousness and true holiness.

Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body (Ephesians 4:25).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we don’t lie but tell the truth.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry (Ephesians 4:26).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we don’t carry grudges.

and do not give the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we don’t give in to the devil.

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need (Ephesians 4:28).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we don’t steal but rather work with our hands so that we can provide for ourselves and the needy.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we guard our mouths and speak with grace to others.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we do not grieve the Holy Spirit and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (Ephesians 4:31).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are not bitter, angry, evil speakers and are not malicious.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing (Philippians 2:14).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we don’t complain or dispute.

so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky (Philippians 2:15).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we shine as lights in a dark and perverse world.

as you hold firmly to the word of life… (Philippians 2:16).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we practice the word of life.

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:2-3).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we show our love for God by obeying His commandments and the commandments are not hard.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7).

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:14).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we practice love.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit:love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we live in peace.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11).

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love (2 Peter 1: 5-7).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are growing in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness. mutual affection and love.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are kind.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25 KJV)

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we live and walk by the Spirit.

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are not boastful, not aggravating, and not envious.

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:15).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we diligently do not allow any bitterness to trouble us because we could make others unclean.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we walk worthy of our vocation.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2)

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we are humble, gentle, patient, and bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we try to keep unity with other family members with peace.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9).

The obedient child of the Lord understands: In this family, we lovingly live in harmony with others, hate evil, and cling to good.

In this chapter in the book a long list of “In this family we—-” statements continue.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

How Is It Impossible to Please God?

Why would someone do something that would make it impossible to please God?

Who would want to do something that would make it impossible to please God?

Note: We are not talking about something that displeases God. You can probably think of many things that displease God. You can quickly create a list of what other people do that must displease God. You may also name some things that you have done that displeased God.

The topic under consideration has to do with this “something” that results in the impossibility of pleasing God.

Is the “something” that results in the impossibility of pleasing God “something” that people do or is it “something” that they fail to do? Is it a matter of omission or commission? If a person wants to avoid “something” that makes it impossible to please God, and it is “something” they need to do (omission) then they will want to do it. If a person wants to avoid “something” that makes it impossible to please God, and it is “something” they need to stop doing (commission) then they will want to stop doing it.

Let’s discover what the “something” is that makes it impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6 clearly states what the “something” is.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We discover that the “something” is a matter of omission. It is a lack. It is a without. The “something” is faith and faith is simply belief.

The question: believe what? Belief must have an object. If a person believes, they believe something. Simply to say “I believe” without identifying what is believed is nonsense. Much like simply saying “I think” without identifying the thought is nonsense.

Two things are identified that must be believed or it is impossible to please God.

First of all, it is necessary to believe that God exists. What necessarily follows believing in the existence of God? If God exists, He also creates.

God has revealed Himself in His creation. The Old Testament begins with this statement:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

In the New Testament, we find this account of the creation:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1-3).

We read that the God who exists created the heavens and the earth. We also read that the Word (Jesus) is God and that Jesus was with God in the beginning and through Him, all things were made.

“All things” is very inclusive. Everything that a person will encounter including oneself was made by God. Failure to believe this makes it impossible to please God.

Later we will expand on the importance of believing that the God who exists is the God who created everything.

The second thing it is necessary to believe is that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Pause: Before we continue let’s state the obvious. If a person does not believe that God exists, they would not believe that a God they do not acknowledge existing would reward seeking Him. The first necessary belief, the existence of God, is preliminary to what follows in the verse.

Think of it, it pleases God for the people He created to seek Him. So much so, that failure to seek Him results in it being impossible to please Him. Notice the qualifier, they are to earnestly seek Him. The King James Version uses the term to diligently seek Him.

Let’s explore the concept of seeking. Simply when anyone is seeking, they are trying to find or discover something. The something they are seeking may be information or some lost item. With the wonder of the internet these days when we are seeking information, it is often helpful just to Google it. If we are seeking an item we have lost or misplaced a search takes place. The reward is finding what we were seeking.

Let’s look closer at the concept of earnestly or diligently seeking. Here is an illustration: Just suppose you somehow misplaced a nickel. Now suppose you somehow misplaced a $100 bill. How earnestly or diligently would you search for the nickel? How earnestly or diligently would you search for the $100 bill?

Clearly, unless a person is earnestly or diligently seeking God it is impossible to please God.

What do you think God is wanting those who earnestly or diligently seek Him to find? He will reward them for earnestly or diligently by finding Him. It seems to be plainly obvious that what the seekers will find is God Himself.

We have already stated that the God who exists has revealed that He is the Creator. Mankind has been blessed with the Holy Scriptures which God has provided and preserved as revelation of Himself. In the Scriptures, the nature of God and the nature of man is revealed. Also, what God has done in and with His creation including mankind is revealed. God has also revealed His future plans for His creation including mankind.

Very importantly the historical event of sin and the fall of mankind is told and wonderfully God’s good news of providing salvation through Jesus Christ is explained. It is not the purpose of this writing to elaborate on these revelations that can be found in the Scriptures. I must highlight that the result of earnestly or diligently seeking will be the discovery of Jesus Christ and learning about the reconciling, redeeming, and restoration that is offered through Him to anyone who will believe in Jesus, the Father’s only Begotten Son.

The Scriptures also reveal “how things” work in the world and “how things” work in the Kingdom of God. Seeking will result in discovering all the wonderful things that God has provided for His children and provide warning of dangers in the world.

Again, it is not the purpose of the writing to elaborate on all the wonderful things that God has revealed about Himself but I would be negligent if I did include the clue to the question, what is God like? The answer is God is like Jesus.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known (John 1:18).

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work (John 14:8-10).

We have briefly examined the issue about what is necessary to avoid the impossibility of pleasing God. In summary, it is necessary to believe that God exists and that He rewards the earnest and diligent seeking of Him. This discussion has been positive and upbeat. We are now going to turn to a more solemn tone.

What about those persons who do not avoid the impossibility of pleasing God by failing to meet these two conditions: believing that God exists and that He rewards the earnest and diligent seeking of Him?

We identified that foundational to believing in the existence of God is believing that God is the Creator. What does Scripture indicate about those who have chosen to not believe that God is the Creator? There is a thorough and length explanation about “how things work” for those that chose to not believe that God is the Creator found in Romans chapter one. We will spend some time looking at these verses and I am sure you will recognize this in the current world culture.

Before we examine this passage from Romans one, I want to present a lengthy quote from J.I. Packer in his little book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (1961).

The gospel starts by teaching us that, we, as creatures, are absolutely dependent on God and that He, as Creator, has an absolute claim on us. Only when we have learned this can we see what sin is, and only when we see what sin is can we understand the good news of salvation from sin. We must know what it means to call God Creator before we can grasp what it means to speak to Him as Redeemer. Nothing can be achieved by talking about sin and salvation where this preliminary lesson has not in some measure been learned (page 59).

Now the Romans passage: Read through the first three verses.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness since what may be known about God is plain to them because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).

The wrath of God is upon those who suppress the truth in wickedness about God as revealed in Creation. The suppression of the truth of God’s creation is identified as godlessness and wickedness. The reality of creation makes what may be known about God plain to them because God has made it plain to them.

What is being made plain? God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature are what is being made plain. These can be clearly seen and understood by what God has made. These facts leave the suppressors of the truth without any excuse for denying God as Creator and without any excuse for not knowing God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature.

Can you see that not believing God as Creator makes it impossible to please God? Believing that God exists must mean believing in God as He really is not something a person might imagine. God really is the creator and this is the God that exists. Further, God has revealed things about who He is through His creation. Also, these indicators are plainly seen. This leaves suppressors of the truth without an excuse for not knowing about God.

I know I am being a little redundant but this is really important. Think about evidence in a criminal case. With the advent of cameras seemly all over the place, phone cameras, security cameras, body cameras, dashboard cameras, and street corner cameras, their pictures are visual proofs and are often very plentiful and available. What can be seen is visual truth. The pictures make it plain what really happened. This passage is saying, “Open your eyes and look at what is plainly seen in creation as evidence.

Truth stands alone. Truth suppressed or denied is still the truth. Even though some suppress or deny the truth that God exists or that God is the Creator, God really exists and did really create everything. To think and seek to operate outside of this truth is to operate outside of reality.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

Let’s look at the behavior of the wicked, godless suppressors of the truth of God as Creator upon whom the wrath of God lies.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles (Romans 1:21-23).

First of all, we see what appears to be a contradiction. The passage says that knew God yet they are also denying Him. How can this be? Read this lengthy passage.

When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life (Romans 2:12-46).

The context of the passage explains the difference between the Jews who had the law of Moses and the Gentiles who had no history or connection to the law of Moses. The relevance to our subject is found near the end of the passage and I want to focus on the phrase: God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. Because mankind is created in the image of God, all mankind has an internal awareness of right and wrong. The term conscience speaks to this. Simply, deep down within every person is a mysterious awareness of the existence of God. They may seek to fight against this awareness because of the implications of responsibility to the Creator. (Look back to the Packer quote).

Looking back to our Romans one passage. Therefore, the denial of God as Creator is a matter of defiance. We see that the wicked, godless suppressors of the truth of God as Creator are not thankful. Not being thankful for a gift given is offensive. Think about times you have given someone something or done something for someone and they never thanked you. How did you feel? Most parents teach their children to say, “Thank you.” Scripture is filled with many examples of the positive value of thankfulness and also lists not being thankful in lists of sins. However, there is consistency in their behavior, if they have defiantly denied God as the giver of creation, including His creation of them, they have no reason to be thankful.

The suppressors of the truth claimed to be wise and they became fools. Claiming to be wise they are “know it alls.” “Know it alls” are generally irritating and often unteachable. They often appear foolish. Another thing about “know it alls.” is they tend to be prideful. Pride invites the opposition of God.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:6).

Next, we read their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. The NLT states the phrase like this: And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. In essence, these deniers of the God who exists began to create in futile minds and foolish hearts their own definitions or ideas of who God is.

The deniers created their own gods. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. History is full of idol worshipers and they are still in existence today. The religions of the world create their own gods and include rituals and traditions to impose on their followers. Although we usually think of idols as images, actually anything that takes the place of God in a person’s life has become an idol.

You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).

We will look further in the passage. Remember we are looking and God’s wrath on the suppressors of the truth.

Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen (John 1:24-25).

The point we want to capture is that in God’s wrath and judgment, He gives them over to sinful desires. Let’s ponder why. We have already established that they are in a place where it is impossible for them to please God.

Dr. Dallas Willard in his discussion on the Roman one passage states that the suppressors of the truth have become useless. The suppressors of the truth of the truth are broken because the truth is reality and their perspectives and viewpoints are unreality. When something is broken it becomes useless for its intended purpose. I had a fishing reel that was broken and was therefore useless so I threw it away.

Notice: They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator. Here the reason for God giving them over is clearly stated.

We continue.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error (John 1:26-27).

Once again God is giving them over. Their behavior is shameful unnatural sexual lusts.

Continuing to one more God giving them over.

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy (John 1:28-31).

This third giving them over is to a depraved mind. The suppressors of the truth have an attitude, they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. It is plain to see that they have become useless for God’s purposes and they are at a place where it is impossible to please God. The long list of their behaviors is a list of totally undesirable and destructive behaviors. These behaviors not only hurt the suppressors of the truth but also hurt others.

The results of failing to do the two things that are necessary to avoid in order for it to be impossible to please God have very dire effects. It is both very sad and scary. Knowing and responding to the message of Hebrews 11:6 becomes imperative for each of us.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We are not through yet. One more verse from Romans 1.

Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them (John 1:32).

Two things to note: The suppressors of the truth deep down know what they are doing is wrong and contrary to God’s way and they know that they deserve judgment and death. How do they know this? Recall this phrase from Romans two: They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. The mysterious fact is that as image bearers of God, everyone has an internal awareness of right and wrong. There is also an awareness that wrong deserves judgment and punishment. These suppressors of the truth despite this awareness continue to defiantly practice these evil and wicked behaviors. This awareness leaves them without any excuse for not acknowledging God.

The second thing that only adds to their deserving judgment is they also approve of those who practice them. This results in a culture in which those given over by God who are doing their wicked behaviors support each other in their wicked behaviors.

What then is our conclusion? It is best to avoid those two things that make it impossible to please God. Therefore, by faith believe that God exists and believe that He rewards those who earnestly and diligently seek Him.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Birth and Family

Excerpt from In This Family We ———-(fill in the blank) 2021

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:1-2).

Jesus answered him:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3).

The response from Jesus was understandably very puzzling to Nicodemus. Nicodemus, trying to grasp what Jesus had just said, asked a very reasonable question.

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4).

Clearly, Nicodemus understood how birth works and how babies come into the world. His question was very logical. Any one of us might have asked a similar question in reaction to the words of Jesus. But let’s back up for just a second. Nicodemus did not start out the conversation with any thought or indication about birth. He simply stated that God must be with Jesus based on the works Nicodemus had seen Jesus do. Yet Jesus went a different direction with the shocking statement of the necessity of being born again.

Then Jesus explained what He meant by being born again:

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-8).

At this point, we can now understand Jesus’ meaning. There is a physical birth that involves an earthly mother (flesh) and there is a spiritual birth that comes from the Spirit. This second birth of the Spirit is invisible to the eye. Hence, the comparison with the invisible wind.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3).

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

In this verse we can see the critical fact that must be believed, resulting in the experience of being born again. The choice to believe in Him requires receiving the gift of God’s Son. Receiving is implied in believing. Do you think Nicodemus received the gift of the Lord Jesus and was born again? I think that Nicodemus probably did receive Jesus as his Savior and was born again because later we see him first defending Jesus against the Pharisees and then bringing spices for Jesus’ burial. For clear identification, Nicodemus is the one who “had gone to Jesus earlier.”

Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” (John 7:50-51).

He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds (John 19:39).

Let’s pause for a minute and consider the life source for the earthly baby and the life source for the Spiritual baby. The life source for the earthly baby begins at conception when the mother’s egg and the father’s sperm unite. The life source for the Spiritual baby occurs when the Holy Spirit comes to unite with the soul of the believer and begins dwelling in the new born again believer: “born of the Spirit.”

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16).

…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:13).

Before we go on, let’s pause and think about the amazing fact that believers are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit actually dwells within us. Think of the magnificence of the temple in the Old Testament. Think of the importance of the temple and the Holy of Holies. God’s glory was in the temple. Paul is telling the Corinthians that they are God’s temple and reminding them of the temple’s importance. Wow! It is so amazing to think that being born again means God the Holy Spirit is in you!

Let’s back up and look more closely at what becoming a member of an earthly family results in for us. We have already mentioned that family members share a family name. This is an identifier that indicates each member belongs to and is part of a specific family. A typical family membership includes a father, a mother, and children. A child in a family may have siblings. A child in a family should have the benefit of nurturing parents who seek to provide the comforts and necessities the child needs: food, shelter, safety, and comfort.

Let’s explore the concept of nurturing a little further. Nurture is a beautiful thing. A nurturer will seek to provide and protect. Good parents nurture their children by seeking to provide for their physical and emotional needs. Nurturing includes instruction designed to protect the child from dangers, including the danger of harming themselves. Nurturing requires vigilance and awareness. Nurturing includes guidance toward wisdom and prosperity.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6).

First, a mother:

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! (Isaiah 49:15).

We are asked to imagine a mother actually forgetting her nursing child and failing to have compassion for her child. Our immediate response: how could this possibly happen? Just think of the discomfort the mother would experience from the baby, not nursing. Surely, this would remind her to remember her nursing baby. And yet, this inconceivable forgetting could take place, but the Lord will not forget His child. This is one of those how much more moments we experience when contemplating the difference between earthly parents and our heavenly Father.

Second, a father:

We are asked here to consider a pair of hypothetical situations for comparison purposes. Can you imagine any father being so mean and cruel that, after his child asks for bread or a fish, he would give his child a stone instead of bread or a serpent instead of a fish? If earthly parents who are evil (sinful people in other translations) know how to give good things to their children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give good things to His children when they ask? This is another how much more!

Now let’s consider what it means to be a member of the family of God in His Kingdom. Let’s look for some parallels with being a member of an earthly family. We already mentioned that entrance into both the earthly family and the Spiritual family occurs with birth and, for the earthly family, actually begins at conception. We also looked at the matter of family resemblance.

As we look for parallels between the characteristics of earthly families and Spiritual families, although similar, we see distinctions. Some of these distinctions are: members of the Spiritual family have a Father who is the Lord God. It should be noted that He has knowledge and capacities that exceed those of an earthly father. The Lord has a plan and a vision for His children to be changed into His image. Mankind was created in the image of God, but, when sin entered the world, that image was marred. That is why it became necessary for a new birth.

It is important here to understand that my use of earthly family examples is a tool to link with the examples of spiritual family characteristics. In no way are the examples and the lists of traits and characteristics meant to be complete for either family type. However, the comparison of the earthly family and spiritual family is meant to provide a connection that will make the list of Spiritual family member characteristics you will find in Chapter 2 more understandable.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

New believers start as spiritual babies and all babies need to grow. Because these new babies have been marred by sin, there is a need for a new mind and a transformation, as we read earlier. How do babies grow? Babies have to be fed. The Lord has provided our spiritual food: the Scriptures.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 2:2).

Conscientious earthly parents are very particular about the quality of the food they give their babies. High-quality food is important for the baby to grow properly. In like manner, the Lord feeds His born-again babies the proper food for growth in His family. That food is the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures as food have built-in quality because the Word of God is truth, but the quantity of food is also a factor in the rate of growth. Both earthly babies and Spiritual babies need to receive the right amount of food. Earthly babies rely on their parents to feed them, and usually, they grow based on how much they are fed. For Spiritual growth, how much “food” we get—the reading and studying of the Scriptures—is a choice of the individual believer. Again, there is a correlation between how much is consumed and how rapidly growth happens.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Verses on the Lord’s Return

Taken from NIV and NLT

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11).

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:3).

You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I (John 14:28).

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (1 Thessalonians 2:19).

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty (2 Peter 1:16).

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2).

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:7).

Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns (1 Corinthians 5:5 NLT).

Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless (Philippians 2:15 NLT).

For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return (Philippians 1:10 NLT).

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns (Philippians 1:6 NLT).

Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns (1 Corinthians 1:7-8 NLT).

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior (Philippians 3:20 NLT).

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 1:16).

while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:4).

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:13).

But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back (1 Corinthians 15:23 NLT).

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2).

even if you don’t understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you (2 Corinthians 1:14 NLT).

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near (James 5:8).

so, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Hebrews 9:28).

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So, it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man (I Corinthians 15:42-49).

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (I Corinthians 15:50-58).

Thoughts About Suffering for Jesus

It seems it would be negligent to begin the subject of suffering without addressing the suffering of Jesus. The physical suffering of Pilate’s scourging and the crucifixion on the cross is graphically pictured in everyone’s mind who has contemplated the ordeal. No one can grasp what the suffering must have been like for Jesus to bear the judgment for the sins of all of mankind.

We know that physically Jesus suffered from being tired, hungry, and thirsty. We know He rested with sleep, He ate and He drank in response to this suffering. As those who are created in the image of God, all can identify with these experiences. Jesus experienced these kinds of sufferings because He had a body. He was conceived in Mary’s womb, born a baby, and grew up to adulthood.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).

With that as a backdrop, I want to examine this verse.

Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered (Hebrews 5:8 NLT).

Notice three words, learn, obedience, and suffered. Jesus is God’s Son and Jesus is God. As God Jesus has all the attributes of God. Since Jesus is God, He possesses all knowledge. He knows everything and He has always known everything and will always know everything. So, how could He learn? Learning has to do with gaining knowledge. Before a person learns they do not know and after they learn they do know. Think about that.

Consider obedience. An attribute of God is His sovereignty. As a Sovereign God answers to no one. That means God must obey no one. Yet Jesus learned to obey through suffering. Jesus was obedient always.

I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me (John 14:31).

I included this examination of Hebrews 5:8 for reasons that will become apparent.

Now, we explore suffering for Jesus. The first thing that comes to mind is the history of Christian martyrs. Stephen was the first martyr (Acts 6 and 7). Tradition tells us that all the apostles except John were martyred. History is filled with accounts of Christians being martyred. In many parts of the world Christians are still being martyred. To be killed because you are a Jesus follower is the ultimate of suffering. Jesus gave this warning and explanation to His disciples.

Christians have experienced torture and discrimination and this is still happening today. In Hebrews 11, the chapter that is the Faith Hall of Fame, those persons who faithfully experienced suffering are commended.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect (Hebrews 11:39-40).

I am very thankful that I have never experienced any of this kind of suffering. However, I have gained a new concept of what constitutes suffering for Jesus. It begins with an expanded view of what constitutes suffering. Elizabeth Elliot defines suffering as, “having what you don’t want and not having what you want.” It seems natural to want what you want when you want it. Since we all have a will, we exercise it with what we do and what we want to do. I believe that this type of suffering is common to everyone.

How could this kind of suffering be linked to suffering for Jesus? How could this concept of suffering be applied to a Jesus follower? Obviously, a Jesus follower wants to be following Jesus and wants to obey and please Him. Therefore, the will and wants of the Jesus follower want to be aligned with the will and wants of Jesus. Jesus followers dwell in a hostile world that is opposed to God. Jesus followers understand that this world is not their home and they are destined for eternal life in the presence of Jesus where there will be no sin and this place will not be hostile. However, for now, the Jesus follower is in a waiting pattern but God has a plan for them in their present place. The plan is to be conformed to the image of Jesus.

How does suffering play into this transformation? We will look at a couple of passages.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do (James 1:2-8 NLT).

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

When troubles and suffering come into the Jesus follower’s life, they bring an invitation to seek the Lord for guidance and wisdom. This is an act of faith and trust. This is an opportunity to have faith in God alone confident that God who controls everything has allowed the trouble and suffering for the Jesus follower’s good. The good news is the Lord generously will give the requested wisdom.

The troubles and suffering are also purposeful. Look at this list of purposes.

faith grows
endurance is fully developed
you will be perfect and complete
need nothing
receive wisdom
produces perseverance
produces perseverance
produces character
produces hope
produces not ashamed
God’s love poured out into our hearts

In light of all the benefits that are received through troubles and suffering the Jesus follower can look forward to the opportunity to respond positively to these troubles and suffering. Practically, when we don’t receive what we want whether a big deal or little deal we have an opportunity to turn that suffering into a chance to turn to the Lord Jesus in faith. When we receive what we don’t want whether a big deal or little deal we have an opportunity to turn that suffering into a chance to turn to the Lord Jesus in faith.

Interestingly, “something” else is involved. The Apostle Paul could be considered the champion of suffering for Jesus. This is how he described his suffering experiences.

…I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm (2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT).

The “something” else is comfort. There is comfort received in trouble and suffering that comes from a compassionate God. Then the Jesus follower can take the comfort they received from God and use it to comfort other Jesus followers in their troubles and suffering.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Somehow the trouble and suffering become a sharing in the suffering of Jesus. In the process, each Jesus follower learns obedience in their suffering. Remember this verse.

Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered (Hebrews 5:8 NLT).

Responding in faith to troubles and suffering yields obedience and obedience is an expression of love.

If you love me, obey my commandments (John 14:15 NLT).

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3 NLT).

What You Think Matters, What You Believe Matters and What You Do Matters

God created mankind with the capacity to think. What a person thinks matters and what a person believes matters. Anything that matters must be important. People like to know what they think and what they believe is true because that would be important. However, that is not what happens because sometimes, maybe often, people think and believe what is not true. This is a problem.

If a traveler is headed in the wrong direction, they will not arrive at the desired destination. The obvious solution is changing direction and going in the correct direction. The same is true of thinking or believing what is not true. The person will not arrive at their desired destination without a change to correct thinking and believing.

This book is written for three possible audiences.

Jesus followers seeking to increase their knowledge and understanding about God and His ways.
Jesus followers seeking insight into ways they have been influenced or deceived and perhaps contaminated by today’s culture.
Those who are beginning as God seekers and are wanting to become God finders by exploring Biblical alternatives to the beliefs and teaching of the current culture.

This book is about truth and reality. This book is about the importance of God’s truth and God’s reality because God’s truth and God’s reality matter.

This book is about change. A God denier with consequences becomes a God seeker who becomes a God finder who becomes a Jesus follower with blessings and benefits.

This book includes Appendices that are valuable sources of detailed information on what the New Testament teaches about being a Jesus follower.

What you think, believe, and do matters

Counterfeit Righteousness vs Real Righteousness

My idea for this topic came while reading Dallas Willard’s Renovation of the Heart and it triggered my thinking. Dr. Willard observed that those who reject God’s authority believe that their view of righteousness exceeds God’s righteousness.

The idea for the title came from a comment that a Christian brother made in a Bible Study a few years ago. He had the insight that Satan produces counterfeits of God’s ways.

A counterfeit twenty-dollar bill is meant to look like a genuine twenty-dollar bill. The counterfeit is exposed when it is compared with a real twenty-dollar bill.

A counterfeit is a lie but what is real is truth. A counterfeit is phony, it is a fake. A counterfeit deceives.

More recently we have the example of the environmentalist activists and their campaign to save “Mother Earth” as a righteous movement.

Most recently we have seen the growth of the woke movement with several features. These features include critical race theory, social justice and diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI).

They are so convinced that their cause is righteous and the answer to a perceived crisis that their solution must be imposed upon others. Those who disagree or are opposed to their cause become the enemy and must be dealt with and often harshly. Those who disagree are called deniers and their opinions are called disinformation. Those who are opposed are considered evil because they are seen as being against counterfeit righteousness.

The counterfeit righteous cause is proclaimed, followers are recruited, often an organizational structure emerges and champions and heroes are identified as spokesmen. If they can infiltrate governments and existing organizations, they can begin to influence policy and enact laws and regulations.

Because counterfeit righteousness advocates are so adamant about their views it becomes essential to impose those views on others no matter what the cost. When we see how counterfeit righteousness has played out in history as seen in world religions, or with governments such as Germany, Russia, China, and Cambodia the loss of life goes into the millions.

The drive to impose their counterfeit righteousness is very strong and is driven by an illusion of urgency that it must be embraced and received by all and at any costs and all costs.

With that as an overview, I want to focus briefly on the woke movement and particularly diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). I will not go into the ways it has invaded society and culture but rather look at some of its tenets. The focus of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) is mostly on race issues, income, and gender. There seems to be a sense that diversity has an innate value and benefit, that equality is necessary and appropriate for there to be social justice, and that gender is something other than biological sex and is open to the choice of individuals.

The proponents of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) believe that when these tenets are not honored victims are produced. Therefore, those who do not adhere to these tenets are the enemy and the oppressors and abusers.

I do not wish to dwell on the counterfeit righteousness but I want to focus on the real righteousness. Before I move on, I want to present Dallas Willard’s insights into the plague of counterfeit righteousness and the conflict with real righteousness.

Now, modern humanity—say since the late 1800s—has lived in a rage of self-righteousness. In its intellectual leaders it has lived in an attitude of superiority and condemnation toward the morality of the culture that is supposedly, “Christian.” Its “greatest prophets—a line of those thought to be among our greatest thinkers—have weighed Jesus in the moral balances and found him wanting.

In fact, they have found ways of treating him as inaccessible and have then concentrated on finding those who profess to be his followers wanting.

Willard continues:

Willard concludes:

Counterfeit is a lie. Counterfeit is untrue. Counterfeit is phony. Counterfeit is a fraud. Counterfeit is dangerous. Real is true. Real is genuine. Real is sure. Real is safe.

A fourth of a mile from our house is an irrigation reservoir stocked with trout where I often like to go fishing. Upon returning home my wife often asks me how many fish I caught. Suppose I said, “I caught five.” Suppose I said, “I caught two.” Suppose I said, “I caught none.” Suppose I said, “I caught one.” Only one answer could be real, could be true. It is even possible that none of these answers were true, were real.

The point of this example is that counterfeits can come in many forms but there can only be one real, one true. There is only one real, true answer to the question of how many fish I caught. This makes it prudent to focus on discovering the real righteousness rather than exposing the untruth of the many counterfeit righteousnesses.

However, counterfeit righteousness is not based on reality because there is only one reality and the reality is God’s reality.

Tozer defines reality.

Our source for information on real righteousness will be the Scriptures.

God’s reality is the true reality. It is the real reality and it follows that God’s righteousness is the real righteousness.

For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face (Psalm 11:7).

The Lord is the creator; therefore it is only fitting that He is the authority that can determine what is righteous.

Throughout the scriptures again and again there is the proclamation that God is the creator. That is how the Scriptures begin.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

This is also how the Scriptures end.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone (Revelation 21:1 NLT).

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness (2 Peter 3:13 NLT).

Since we are talking about obedience and its links to the Lord’s righteousness, we must consider the context of disobedience.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Hear the good news, those who have faith in Jesus trade death for eternal life. Why would God do this?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

There you have the answer. God loves the world. Although the world was under condemnation for falling short, God had a plan and made a provision for salvation but it requires believing in Jesus. Now everyone falls into one of two categories, those who are perishing and those who have eternal life.

Scripture goes on to identify those who have eternal life in several ways, citizens of the Kingdom of God, parts of the body of Christ, children of God, children of light, and members of God’s flock with Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Each of these relationship descriptions provides a deeper understanding of their relationship with God. In each of these descriptions, there is information about God’s expectations for those who have been given God’s righteousness as to how to live righteously. These instructions can be found in the New Testament and are expected to be obeyed. Obedience is a demonstration of love for God.

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3 NLT).

A primary point to remember is in God’s Kingdom and His righteousness love is involved. We mentioned God’s love in sending Jesus and believers’ love for God shown by obedience. Remember the two greatest commandments.

The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27 NLT).

We have discovered real righteousness and it comes from God. What about counterfeit righteousness and how does it differ from real righteousness? God’s gift is offered to all but it is not required to be received. Remember the gift of eternal life is offered to whoever will believe. God respects the dignity of the people He created to choose to believe, they are not required. Although those who choose to not believe will ultimately face God’s judgment because His righteousness requires it, there is no effort to force compliance as is typical in counterfeit righteousness. As long as a person is alive on this earth the invitation to believe remains open and eternal life is the gift.

Why would anyone not prefer and accept God’s real righteousness?

Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness (Romans 10:3).

The answer is simple, they want to establish their own righteousness. Remember how we explored this pattern earlier?

What about diversity in God’s kingdom? We already discussed the invitation to whoever.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

How could it be plainer? There is diversity in God’s Kingdom of righteousness.

What about equality? In God’s creation of mankind, everyone is equal because all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Everyone single one needs to be saved. All who believe in Jesus will receive eternal life. Every believer receives a spiritual gift at the Holy Spirit’s discretion and although the gifts differ each one is important to the whole of other believers.

What about inclusion? Once again, all who believe are included in God’s kingdom. Notice this reprimand for believers who had not been careful about inclusion and had been discriminatory.

Another evidence of inclusion and equality in God’s righteousness is belonging to His family. Notice the verse began by addressing brothers and sisters. Each one has the same Father.

We noted that counterfeit righteousness often involves anger that can progress into hate. It will not result in real righteousness.

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires (James 1:20).

Conclusion:

The task is clearly to study the Scriptures.

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT).

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5).

The Lord Jesus demonstrated His commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion in His instruction to His followers. Look at these passages.

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone (Mark 16:15 NLT).

Notice: Diversity: all nations and all the world. Equality: go and make disciples of all nations, Go into all the world and to everyone. Inclusion: all nations and all the world.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Notice: Diversity: not wanting anyone to perish. Equality: everyone to come to repentance. Inclusion: anyone and everyone.

When Peter realized that the good news of Jesus was not for the Jews only but also for the Gentiles, this is what he said.

So, Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34 ESV).

How Does a Person Come to God?

From time to time I see news articles of someone relating their experience of coming to God. Sometimes it is expressed as coming to faith or how their faith has been so beneficial. Other times the experience is expressed as finding God. I sometimes smile and wonder did they think God was lost or hiding. I know that is not what they meant. Finding God is equivalent to coming to God. I like these stories and whatever is happening, I am pleased to hear the person is headed in the right direction.

When my children were small and starting to crawl or walk, often I would ask them to come to me. I would say, “Come to Daddy.” With a great celebration, the child would move from where they were located to me where I was located. I had a lot of children in my household and the request for them to come happened frequently. “Come to dinner.” “Come to bed.” Come and get in the car.” The response would always involve movement as each child would move from where they were located to the table, to their bed, or the car.

Another illustration. Twice in my teaching career, I taught elementary students. In elementary school we had recess. I am sure you remember that recesses were timed. When recess time was over, I would take out my whistle and blow some loud blasts and the students would move toward me. They came from where they had been playing, from the basketball court, from the tetherball court, from the baseball game or football game, or a huddle of girls just talking. The point is they moved from wherever they were located to a new location by me.

Coming involves moving from point A to point B. Conclusion: If a person is to come to God, they will need to move from where they are presently located to where God is. We will explore this further.

In both of my illustrations, the response to move and come to me started with a call, either my voice or my whistle. This brings up a new question: When a person makes a move to come to God are they responding to a call from God? Next question: Does God call people?

When we look at the story of Jesus, we see the event of His birth, Christmas, and a little later the family went to Egypt to escape Herod. The next account in the story finds Jesus in the Temple as a boy of twelve amazing priests with His knowledge. Many years pass and when Jesus begins His ministry, we see Him calling disciples. We will look at some of those verses.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.”(John 1:43 NLT).