Sundays are special.
It’s a good opportunity to get some rest and reflect on what I’ve accomplished and worship the One Who makes that possible.
It’s an occasion to celebrate a time-honored tradition which has evolved from an ancient Jewish ordinance the Lord gave to his people over five-thousand years ago.
More specifically, He commanded His firstborn Israel not to do any work on the seventh day of their week, but rather to rest [נוּחַ nūach: to rest] and remember that He delivered them from bondage out of Egypt. In doing so, they would sanctify—or dedicate that time to Him. [Deut. 5:12-15]
It was a “decompression” mandate, requiring them unwind and set aside time to worship and reflect upon Him. But it was also symbolic of His creation narrative [see: Exod. 20: 8-11]:
“By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.” [Gen. 2:2-4] [my emphasis]
[שָׁבַת shabath: to cease, desist, rest]
And I’m not sure why, but many of us who live under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ insist that His people are still required to observe a specific time period of complete rest and worship before Him. But neither Jesus nor any New Testament author ever demanded such a thing.
In fact, the Bible doesn’t reveal any other relevant use of the word “rest” until the reader opens up the Book of Hebrews. The author records the Greek noun κατάπαυσις [kâtâpâwsîs; rest, repose] six times, corresponding to the same Hebrew term נוּחַ [nūach: to rest] noted above in the Old Testament Writings.
So I’m convinced the context of these passages in the Hebrew letter would satisfy any questions about whether or not it’s okay to be productive or have fun on Sundays.
Because the issue isn’t about when or how to rest, but rather about “how to enter into it.”
But why would anyone need to “enter into it?” Doesn’t it just roll around every seven days? Not only that, vs. 4:9 clearly states that “…there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” The context of the third and fourth chapters makes it clear. After the author documented the Genesis narrative to the reader [vss. 3:8-11], he then submitted questions:
“For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? [Heb. 3:16-18] [my emphasis]
In this case, being able to enter into the land where God’s people Israel were destined to “receive rest” was clearly contingent upon the absence of their whining and disobedience:
So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.” [Heb. 3:19-4:1] [my emphasis]
Hm-m. The same goes for me, I guess.
The author of Hebrews recognized Christ’s New Covenant “rest” as being a means to the goal of obedience to the Living God:
“For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” [Heb. 4: 10-11] [my emphasis]
Self-sufficiency is the foundation on which disobedience is built and sustained. The ancient tribes of Israel were good at it. It seems that when I decide to “rest” from [or stop relying upon] my own sufficiency to secure righteousness and instead regard Christ’s sufficiency as enough, I’m on the fast track toward entering into the miraculous domain He referred to as “His rest.”
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the concept of rest is clearly perceived by the authors as the ideal combination of security, meaningful fellowship and genuine contentment. Jesus’ parables describing life in the Kingdom of the next age never hinted of idle servants lying around playing harps and sucking on grapes.
On the contrary, His visions portrayed confident, hard-working and obedient servants having great responsibilities and loving every minute of it!
Complete sufficiency in Christ the King allows me to “rest” from the folly of my own.
Besides, I don’t like grapes anyway.
Posted: July 11, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
Living in the Hope of His Presence
Focus and absorb. That’s the ticket.
To the casual Bible reader, the apostle Paul’s first letter to “the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” might easily be overlooked as the literary jewel of hope that it is.
But the serious student of Scripture who applies the inductive study process would no doubt recognize the repeated references to an event the author considered worthy enough to mention five different times in the text:
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father...” [1Thes. 1:2-3]
“For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, before our Lord Jesus in His presence?” [1Thes. 2:19]
“…and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father in the presence of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” [1Thes. 3:12-13]
“For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” [1Thes. 5:2]
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” [1Thes. 5:23-24] [all emphasis mine]
So it’s no coincidence that Paul also chose to expand on some of the specific features of this future event he referred to as “the day of the Lord” by describing in great detail Jesus Christ’s second coming and the subsequent resurrection of the righteous dead and transformation of the righteous living. [vss. 4:13-18] And, here again, the emphasis is on the Lord’s presence and in the spirit of comfort and encouragement:
“…and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” [1Thes. 4:17b-18]
[Read more about this passage: Dead or alive?…Safe in Christ!]
The faithful disciple of Jesus Christ will reshape his life in order to prepare himself for the day his real hope might be realized. Only by developing a standard of integrity for studying the Bible can he achieve a level of spiritual maturity necessary to understand the significance of Jesus Christ’s presence upon His return to the earth.
[How can I develop that “standard of integrity” for studying? see: Inductive Study? Sounds Like a Plan.]
He strives to establish his “heart, spirit, body and soul” [that is, everything he consists of] as holy in order to be found without fault in the presence of his Master when He appears.
Read it and reap!
Last Updated: April 25, 2024 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
Putting “Rest” to Rest
Sundays are special.
It’s a good opportunity to get some rest and reflect on what I’ve accomplished and worship the One Who makes that possible.
It’s an occasion to celebrate a time-honored tradition which has evolved from an ancient Jewish ordinance the Lord gave to his people over five-thousand years ago.
More specifically, He commanded His firstborn Israel not to do any work on the seventh day of their week, but rather to rest [נוּחַ nūach: to rest] and remember that He delivered them from bondage out of Egypt. In doing so, they would sanctify—or dedicate that time to Him. [Deut. 5:12-15]
It was a “decompression” mandate, requiring them unwind and set aside time to worship and reflect upon Him. But it was also symbolic of His creation narrative [see: Exod. 20: 8-11]:
“By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.” [Gen. 2:2-4] [my emphasis]
[שָׁבַת shabath: to cease, desist, rest]
And I’m not sure why, but many of us who live under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ insist that His people are still required to observe a specific time period of complete rest and worship before Him. But neither Jesus nor any New Testament author ever demanded such a thing.
In fact, the Bible doesn’t reveal any other relevant use of the word “rest” until the reader opens up the Book of Hebrews. The author records the Greek noun κατάπαυσις [kâtâpâwsîs; rest, repose] six times, corresponding to the same Hebrew term נוּחַ [nūach: to rest] noted above in the Old Testament Writings.
So I’m convinced the context of these passages in the Hebrew letter would satisfy any questions about whether or not it’s okay to be productive or have fun on Sundays.
Because the issue isn’t about when or how to rest, but rather about “how to enter into it.”
But why would anyone need to “enter into it?” Doesn’t it just roll around every seven days? Not only that, vs. 4:9 clearly states that “…there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.” The context of the third and fourth chapters makes it clear. After the author documented the Genesis narrative to the reader [vss. 3:8-11], he then submitted questions:
“For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? [Heb. 3:16-18] [my emphasis]
In this case, being able to enter into the land where God’s people Israel were destined to “receive rest” was clearly contingent upon the absence of their whining and disobedience:
So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.” [Heb. 3:19-4:1] [my emphasis]
Hm-m. The same goes for me, I guess.
The author of Hebrews recognized Christ’s New Covenant “rest” as being a means to the goal of obedience to the Living God:
“For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” [Heb. 4: 10-11] [my emphasis]
Self-sufficiency is the foundation on which disobedience is built and sustained. The ancient tribes of Israel were good at it. It seems that when I decide to “rest” from [or stop relying upon] my own sufficiency to secure righteousness and instead regard Christ’s sufficiency as enough, I’m on the fast track toward entering into the miraculous domain He referred to as “His rest.”
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the concept of rest is clearly perceived by the authors as the ideal combination of security, meaningful fellowship and genuine contentment. Jesus’ parables describing life in the Kingdom of the next age never hinted of idle servants lying around playing harps and sucking on grapes.
On the contrary, His visions portrayed confident, hard-working and obedient servants having great responsibilities and loving every minute of it!
Complete sufficiency in Christ the King allows me to “rest” from the folly of my own.
Besides, I don’t like grapes anyway.
Posted: May 29, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
Getting a Sense of Sensibleness
I don’t hear anybody teaching about the importance of sound Bible teaching.
So I can assume that being sure about what the Scriptures say isn’t nearly as important as what the plumber says about a leaking toilet, or what the Schwab advisor says about a portfolio.
And that baffles me. Because, behind every offer to increase prosperity usually lies enough reliable information to form a sufficient opinion about the competency of that offer. Of course, sometimes we have to dig deep, but getting accurate information only makes sense.
So I found it interesting that the apostle Paul, in a letter to his “true child in a common faith,” Titus, stated that being sensible was essential for maintaining sound teaching among the congregations at Crete. According to Paul, Titus had a job to do:
“For this reason I left you [Titus] in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you…For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound teaching and to refute those who contradict.” [vss. 1:5,7-9] [my emphasis]
[σωφρόνως: sensible, according to good sense, showing self-control]
According to this passage, sensibleness was a primary attribute needed to be an effective elder in Christ’s Body. Without it, his ability to exhort, teach or refute those who contradicted the truth would have been compromised. Apparently, there were some Jews in the church at Crete who were teaching things that weren’t true.
A few sentences later, Paul wrote that he relied on Titus’ proficiency to articulate the need for a sound understanding of the Scriptures—leaving no “unsensible” stone unturned:
“But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound teaching. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Likewise urge the young men to be sensible…” [vss.2: 1-6] [my emphasis]
So, would it be safe to say that making sense is a Scriptural mandate?
I also have a hunch that if Jesus Christ’s disciple doesn’t have the right stuff to verify what he’s being taught, he’s probably willing to buy whatever anybody throws at him. And it seems that getting together with other men on a regular basis to confirm what he hears might make good sense.
Because if he’s unable to discern truth from fiction, he’s liable to perish in his fantasy.
Am I making sense?
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. [Titus 2:11-15] [my emphasis]
Posted: May 23, 2018 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
Feeling the Animalousity
I’m gonna’ break one of my rules here and voice an opinion.
It’s grounded in a simple, deep-seated conviction that human beings were [and are] created in the image of God and are therefore dominant over every other living creature He formed in the universe.
We used to call that being more important.
Now some of my family and close friends would suggest that I don’t like animals because I rarely ever dote over pets. But nothing could be further from the truth.
When I was growing up, we always had a dog. Everybody had a dog. All the neighborhood dogs followed us kids around in a pack and played with us and we all knew whose was whose. Hardly anyone allowed their pet inside the house because they were filthy and rowdy and couldn’t figure out how to flush the toilet.
These were some of the happiest pets alive. When my twin brother and I were in our early teens, our family got a Dachshund which my parents allowed in the house from time to time. We loved to play with him and carried our “weiner dog” around with his back suspended between our hands which supported either end of his torso.
We called him Count.
Count was entertaining. He could never keep up with the other dogs because of his short legs. Nevertheless, he brought our family a lot of joy and companionship over the years. We’d talk to him and tease him. We’d throw a ball and hug and tickle him when he brought it back. We fed him. We took care of him if he got sick. To us kids, it was like having the ideal sibling around—one that never punched you back or tattled on you or stole your underwear.
We loved him. But, aside from those moments in time when he captivated us with his antics, our lives never revolved around him.
We all possessed varied degrees of affection for him. But when it came to developing meaningful relationships outside of the family, none of us felt it was prudent to include Count in the process. Nor did we feel it was necessary to include him in all the activities of our daily lives.
After all, he was a dog.
As much as we loved him, he didn’t have the capacity to develop and maintain cognitive interaction and respect at the human level. He had rights. He had the right to be loved, taken care of and protected from harm. But he didn’t know how to respect the rights of anyone else. As a result, it was impossible for any of us to try to connect with him on any other caliber than as a tamed animal.
After graduating from high school, I went on to receive a degree in Animal Science. I loved being around and working with livestock, but I never sought to initiate any kind of emotional attachment with an animal.
And I think this was about the time I started to notice that many people were [oddly enough] beginning to place a higher value on any relationships they might have had with animals rather than human beings. I didn’t think much about it at the time, although it was evident what was happening.
Dogs, cats, pets, etc., express gratification or needs through affection toward their caretaker, and it never comes with strings attached or emotional blackmail. They’re never a source of heartbreak to their human companion with their words and [hopefully] only on occasion through their actions. As long as their basic needs are met, they’re remarkably loyal and predictable.
What more could anyone ask for?
But it’s not like I’ve alway been immune to cheap emotional gratification. I used to stuff any thoughts of difficult relationships or memories below my threshold of pain. What I didn’t realize at the time was that, as I was suppressing those thoughts, I was replacing them with something more comfortable to think about.
It was an inherent human character flaw. I sought relationships with things that wouldn’t bite me back.
But they didn’t wear collars and rub their wet noses in my face. Unfortunately though, they did indeed bite back. They were cravings for unwarranted approval at any cost. They were the satiating effects of using alcohol, music or dabbling in immorality. I was no stranger to the same type of impulsive replacement behavior that still seems to run rampant in our culture today.
It took too many years for me to realize that the the Lord’s purpose for human beings to effectively communicate and interact with one another can never be modified, edited or replaced with substitute gratification. The inadequacy of any exchange or omission will eventually be exposed.
The greatest of all relationships are the ones our Creator desires to have with each of us and with each other.
I think we’d all do well to focus on that.
Just my opinion, of course.
Last Updated: July 5, 2024 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
Life Given is Worth Defending
I’ve noticed a disturbing paradigm shift in logic over the years.
When it comes to developing a realistic solution for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families from random episodes of mass murder carried out in public places, every viable resolution digresses back to the subject of installing better door locks or to seeking to try to better understand the nature of erratic, violent behavior.
In other words, how do we second guess the unpredictable?
It’s as if any suggestion to teach potential victims that tactical physical resistance to criminal violence is completely out of the question.
Taking the offensive in a life-threatening situation has been re-defined as a barbaric, risky recourse to criminal activity, especially in a public setting. And, while it’s true that an unprepared response to violence can sometimes trigger a deeper crisis, men who claim to belong to Jesus Christ must seek to protect what is precious in His eyes.
Building a godly family is crucial to sustaining any moral society and is an essential goal for any father in Christ’s Body. To be successful though, he must be able to convey Biblical principles about what’s right and what’s wrong to his children. More importantly, as the object of a male role model, a son will most likely adopt his father’s standards connected to the value of human life.
That would include teaching him about defending his own life and the ones he loves.
If a criminal somehow breaches the inviolable barriers of a family residence with the intent of stealing or harming the occupants, the godly father will engage him with deadly force, because he knows there’s no Scriptural basis for cowardice. The prudent father would already even have devised a rational plan for minimizing loss or injury and be sure everyone was properly trained for the unexpected.
He’d do whatever it takes.
A father is entrusted with the welfare of his children from his Creator. He’s accountable to the Lord for teaching them all he can about Him and His word primarily through his actions as a role model. If an evil man slaps his face, he turns the other cheek. If his neighbor sues him, he gives him more than is demanded.
But if someone wants to kill him, he knows it’s not right to just hand over the goods.
While the Christian model is to tolerate a reasonable degree of unreasonable behavior, neither Jesus Christ nor His disciples ever taught anyone to willingly give up his life to the cruelty of an unsound mind.
A wise father sleeps well knowing that a plan to secure the safety of his children in public institutions has been implemented. The authority of parents to execute whatever strategy is necessary for protecting their children is vested in them both legally and Biblically—regardless of where it is.
My fear is that too many young boys are being taught that violent, psychotic behavior is an ever-increasing fact of life against which there seems to be no recourse, and that when it happens, the only option is to run and hide.
Is it because the sanctity of life is an expendable asset in the face of fear?
May it never be!
Posted: December 24, 2017 by cjournalme 2 Comments
Realistic Visions of Paradise
Most of us look forward to some form of paradise.
But it can mean different things to different people. Some opinions are well-defined. Others are vague.
And most squabbles about what or where it is fall short of any realistic consensus, because traditional beliefs rarely sacrifice their sacred cows without a fight. Many of these visions contrived by men have been firmly embedded in teaching institutions and congregations for centuries.
As a result, the real impact of the term “Paradise” on God’s people is seldom experienced since the unchecked human imagination has no boundaries in the absence of Biblical exegesis.
So then, what can the texts of the Bible itself actually tell me?
Literally translated in the Bible, this Greek word παράδεισος [pará-dā-sôs] is defined as “a place of blessedness, from the base meaning of garden.” And nothing in the three instances of its usage in the New Testament suggests this term to indicate anything other than an incomprehensible but glorified existence or environment in the immediate presence of the Creator. [see: Lk.22:43, 2Cor. 12:4, Rev. 2:7]
So, what’s the important thing for me to understand about ‘Paradise?
In Luke’s gospel account of the crucifixion of Jesus, our Lord’s response to the criminal being crucified beside Him was profound on many levels:
“But the other [criminal being crucified with Jesus] answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You might come in Your kingdom!’ And He [Jesus] said to him, “Truly I say to you today, you shall [future tense] be with Me in Paradise.” [Lk. 23:40-43]
As an inductive reader, it’s critical for me to consider the context of the criminal’s question to Jesus in the preceding sentence. He was painfully aware that both he and this guy they called “King of the Jews” were on the brink of death, yet he made no petition for his “spirit” to be able to accompany that of our Lord’s on any journey into disembodied bliss.
There was, however, a plea to be remembered at the appropriate time, that is, whenever Jesus “might come into His kingdom.” The Greek grammar and the context of the conversation clearly indicate that both he and Jesus perceived His kingdom as something to transpire in the future.
The text reveals nothing about the two criminals regarding their knowledge of the Jews, the Scriptures or its prophesy. It only records one repentant man’s desperate appeal to share in something he could only hope for.
Paradise is surely the sum of unimaginable splendor soon be revealed in all fullness upon Jesus Christ’s return to the Earth, where God, the Father shall ultimately bring together all creation under His direct authority for the purpose of amplifying His glory and Divine objectives. [see: 1Cor. 15]
But perhaps the real significance of Paradise lies more in how it was used rather than its definition.
The Bible only records Jesus promising it to one person.
What kind of person was he?
Posted: November 17, 2017 by cjournalme 1 Comment
His Unkindled Wrath
It must be a signpost of what lies ahead.
The horrifying acts of violence and degenerate behavior have escalated into weekly episodes, searing the conscience of every Godly man, woman and child haplessly sewn up in a culture that continues to celebrate it.
In anticipation of a Divine remedy, prayers abound and weapons are stockpiled as the frightened masses cry out to their Creator. The evangelical community frantically witnesses the Good News to an impatient audience, warning them to trust in Jesus because it’s only gonna’ get worse.
And they need to.
Because it is.
But is the Lord’s due process never administered in real time? In other words, will all repayment for evil conduct be set aside until the day of the “white throne” Judgement the apostle John envisioned in the Book of Revelation? [Rev. 20:11-15]
Or is it not true that the consequences of ungodly conduct in this age very often accompany or quickly follow its commission? For example, at the pinnacle of his reign, King David of Israel poached his good friend’s wife and eventually murdered him to hide the offense. As a result, the Lord took his illegitimate child’s life in return. [2Sam. 11:27, 12:10-14]
On the other hand, it’s also very obvious that the Lord’s scales of justice are routinely set in motion without direct Divine intervention.
If I were to begin reading the apostle Paul’s letter to all who [were] beloved of God in Rome, called as saints, I’d first note that God’s wrath is revealed to everyone He’s made Himself known to but chooses to conceal this knowledge. These individuals refuse to acknowledge the Lord for who He is by exalting Him or giving thanks. As a result, each becomes compromised in his capacity to discern right from wrong. [vss. 1:18-21]
So what does God do about it?
Nothing.
Instead, He “gives them over” to revel in the perversions they can’t seem to part with. As a consequence, they continue to remain well-pleased by “their bodies being dishonored among them,” or with “receiving in themselves the penalty of their error.” [vs. 1:27] [my emphasis]
The Greek grammar here suggests this act of “receiving” isn’t something to be experienced in the future, but rather being experienced in the present.
In other words, they’re constantly experiencing the penalty.
It’s interesting that Paul develops the context of these sentences by focusing on the specific issue of homosexual behavior by example. Maybe this was the most effective way of illustrating a natural principle of God’s created order, that is, that there are serious, real time consequences for seeking insatiable freedom in anything. Consider also that homosexual behavior is perhaps the most abominable attack against the sacred institution of marriage the Lord ordained in Gen. 2: 24-25. [see also: Lev.18; 22; 1Cor. 6:9; 1Tim. 1: 8-11]
But perhaps God’s wisdom to allow swift and painful judgement in the present is characteristic of His merciful nature. Those who choose to turn away from depravity and worship Him are not only saved from the penalty of the second death [Rev. 20:14], but are also viable witnesses in this age for Jesus Christ and the good news about His Kingdom—just like the apostle Paul was.
For the Lord God’s anger has yet to burn in its full fury.
So, I pray that they’ll choose to partake in the heavenly calling and endure until the end in the hope of being transformed into the likeness of their Firstborn Brother and Savior.
I pray they’ll have ears to hear.
“The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous, surely there is a God who judges on earth!” [Psa. 58:10-12]
Posted: November 6, 2017 by cjournalme 2 Comments
Happy to Be Sad
Check it out next time and see for yourself.
Whenever the word “sin” is dropped in casual conversation, the reactions are usually all over the board, ranging anywhere from hysterical snorting to awkward navel-gazing.
I know this because my reactions have been anything but consistent over the years too. But any giggling has become a thing of the past, because I’ve come to understand that sin isn’t a funny topic to the man who really understands the consequences of it.
On the other hand, I’ve learned to salt any knowledge of a brother’s ungodly behavior with a few grains of optimism. Because if he’s done some of the same stupid things that I’ve done, it’s possible the Lord would also allow the necessary circumstances needed for him to decide to change the direction he’s headed—that is, to repent.
[What exactly is repentance? see: Climbing the Ladder of Repentance]
So repentance provides the spiritual infrastructure for the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ to build and demonstrate the changes he professes to have made.
But sorrow is necessary to start that ball rolling.
In his second letter to “the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia,” the apostle Paul clarified the value of repentant sorrow:
“For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. I did regret it, for I see that that letter caused you sorrow—though only for a while. I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance, for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you. What vindication of yourselves. What indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.” [2Cor. 7:8-11] [my emphasis]
The saints in Corinth had shown that they were “innocent in the matter.” In context, the “matter” was godly sorrow, the kind that brings a man to his knees in repentance. Paul used the Greek word ἁγνός [ãgnõs: pure, holy, chaste, innocent] to suggest that they had set themselves apart—or made themselves pure as a result of the sorrow they’d experienced.
Sorrow is an inevitable consequence of living in this age. However, enduring godly sorrow doesn’t make a lot of sense to the world.
But for the disciple of Jesus Christ, there’s only one river where the water of life flows.
And the cup of sorrow is one he had to drink from.
Posted: October 27, 2017 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
The Art of Becoming
It’s finally arrived.
That long-awaited aura of “getevenwithemism” is gaining ground in the American culture today.
We’re quickly regressing to what many of us remember to be a more comfortable era when we didn’t have to walk on eggshells in the course of normal conversation for fear or offending someone with our choice of words or expressing our personal opinions based on core values.
And the change is welcomed. Just ask anybody and they’ll tell you:
“Everybody’s gettin’ too sensitive about stuff.”
I agree. This push to reshape the easily offended mindset of the day is legitimate for the most part because the outrage usually amounts to nothing more than whining and is grounded in ulterior motives.
But to what degree does the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ set his brother straight yet continue to defend his own personal habits under the auspice of his freedom in our Lord?
How easily could this pendulum of sound reasoning cut too wide a path swinging in the other direction, crushing a fragile Christian conscience in the process? After all, we’ve all been vulnerable to unnecessary correction at one time or another. And the reasons were varied and complex.
In his letter to the church of God which [was] at Corinth, to those who [had] been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place [called] on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours…, the apostle Paul warned the reader:
“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak…for through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. [1Cor. 8:9, 8:11-12] [my emphasis]
It seems that the word to remember here is “somehow.” There’s no process set in stone. Nor are there any pocket-sized flowcharts or smart phone apps to help determine when to bring the hammer down and when to let it slide.
So, here’s another thought—not mine, of course:
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more…to the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I might by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I might become a fellow partaker of it. [1Cor. 9:19, 9:22-23] [my emphasis]
Far from being vague in his technique, Paul demonstrated the very essence of what our Lord did for all men and women by being born a man and living on the Earth.
He didn’t act like he was all things to all men. He became those things.
That’s what partakers do.
“Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.” [1Cor. 10:32-33]
Last Updated: July 13, 2024 by cjournalme Leave a Comment
LIFE IN THE BALANCE: Living in Its Source
Life’s what it’s all about!
The desire to live is inherent, whether in the present or in the future.
That’s why essentially every religion that was ever fabricated by the human mind promises some form of rewarded supernatural existence in an “afterlife.” And they all contain a fundamental premise. To be specific, divine authority is prominently established in a sovereign entity.
Yet, any provision to actually experience real fellowship or intimacy with that sovereign authority is mysteriously absent.
[Do you know life’s Source? see: LIFE IN THE BALANCE: Knowing Its Source]
Every created soul longs for a genuine connection to something greater than himself. But even though the hope of Jesus Christ’s disciple lies in a future resurrection of the righteous dead, he seeks reliance and fellowship with the Holy Spirit Himself in real time.
His God doesn’t exist in a shroud of obscurity, only to show up in some form of paradise to repay his behavior. His God has an ongoing, relational investment in him whom He chose to accomplish His own will. And He’s able to demonstrate His very presence in his life for that purpose.
So, if his life is indeed bound up together with his God, what would it look like to the rest of the world?
It would surely be emblematic of the One whose Spirit he chooses to be led by.
Though the world despises the Christ and the ones who love Him, it can’t seem to explain the spectacle of joy and peace so visible in the lives of those it otherwise loathes. It simply cannot comprehend the current magnificence of something which traditions and myths predict to be a future event.
Thus, we rejoice that what Jesus referred to as “life eternal” isn’t merely something we look forward to, but something we presently experience on a certain level.
[What’s “life eternal?” see: The Precious Pearl of Life.]
In his letter to Timothy, [his] true child in the faith, the apostle Paul urged him to convince Christ’s disciples to “store up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they might take hold of that which is life indeed.” The Greek verb ἐπιλαμβάνομαι means to take hold, catch, trap or seize. Nothing in the grammar suggests this to be an action exclusive to the future.
As Jesus Christ’s disciple, my ability to get my hands on this life seems to parallel the sanctifying [or cleansing] process going on in me right now as well as any desire I might have to abide in HIm. To abide in Him means to adhere to the principles He taught.
But in order to do that, I not only need the presence of His Spirit, but also the support and encouragement from His Body. Without this spiritual sustenance, another false doctrine could easily reveal itself as a shinier marble.
The offer from the Source of life isn’t just a promise–like a promissory note to be tucked away and redeemed at the proper time.
But I can certainly take it to the bank.
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