I already talked about what God did for us - how He sent Jesus to die for us taking away our sins and making it possible for us to live a new life. This was all done while Jesus died on a cross, was buried and rose again. This was all God's work for us. So now the question becomes, "How should we respond?"
The New Testament emphasized three steps to a proper response.
1. Admit the Problem.
2. Turn Your Life Around.
3. Get Baptized.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Jesus' Resurrection
Jesus laid in a grave from Friday night until Sunday morning when God raised him from the dead and when Jesus was risen, God raised us from the dead as well. Here is why:
When Jesus died, was buried and rose again, he was representing us. In God's mind He was placing us side by side with Jesus, dying, being buried and rising again. So then, you have died and a new life has begun in Christ. You have been born again.
Because you have died you are no longer a slave to sin or to the powers of this world which I will talk about in future blogs. You will belong to Jesus and only Jesus. You will follow only Him.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
Even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 2:5).
When Jesus died, was buried and rose again, he was representing us. In God's mind He was placing us side by side with Jesus, dying, being buried and rising again. So then, you have died and a new life has begun in Christ. You have been born again.
Because you have died you are no longer a slave to sin or to the powers of this world which I will talk about in future blogs. You will belong to Jesus and only Jesus. You will follow only Him.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
Even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 2:5).
Jesus' Death
Between earth and heaven there is a cross, and on that cross God meets with humanity.
When Jesus came to earth he literally emptied himself of his power and status, becoming a human being in the midst of poverty. He accepted his destiny to stand before his nation's rulers to be beaten and crucified as criminal on a Roman cross. This was his destiny because God had designed from all eternity to set Jesus up as a sacrifice - one who would take our sins upon himself so that those sins might be destroyed with Jesus as he died. God placed all of our sins on Jesus and therefore all of our sins died with him. Because our sins were crucified with Jesus on the cross, God can and does offer us the gift of forgiveness.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
There is another way to look at the work of God through Jesus. Jesus represented all of humanity as he was beaten and as he died. He represented all of humanity when he was buried and when God raised him from the dead. The early Christian writer Paul used this idea for the very core of his teaching. In the letter that Paul wrote to the Roman church of his day he said, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him...(Romans 6:5-8)."
When Jesus came to earth he literally emptied himself of his power and status, becoming a human being in the midst of poverty. He accepted his destiny to stand before his nation's rulers to be beaten and crucified as criminal on a Roman cross. This was his destiny because God had designed from all eternity to set Jesus up as a sacrifice - one who would take our sins upon himself so that those sins might be destroyed with Jesus as he died. God placed all of our sins on Jesus and therefore all of our sins died with him. Because our sins were crucified with Jesus on the cross, God can and does offer us the gift of forgiveness.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
There is another way to look at the work of God through Jesus. Jesus represented all of humanity as he was beaten and as he died. He represented all of humanity when he was buried and when God raised him from the dead. The early Christian writer Paul used this idea for the very core of his teaching. In the letter that Paul wrote to the Roman church of his day he said, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him...(Romans 6:5-8)."
Friday, May 6, 2011
Jesus in History
Most historians (believers and unbelivers) agree that there was a man named Jesus who grew up in a small village called Nazareth in Galilee, working and learning until he was ready to travel and to preach.
Jesus' early years are a mystery. Although there have been many attempts to discover what Jesus did when he grew up or where Jesus learned what he knew, the life of Jesus before his ministry remains a ministry. Some have suggested that Jesus traveled to other countries, others suggest that he learned while working as a carpenter in the local Roman city working with people from many other countries.
Because Jesus was baptized by a desert preacher named John, there is a strong possibility that he followed John the Baptist for some time before he began his own ministry.
When Jesus was around 30 years old he began a ministry of healing, teaching and leading a group of disciples. His popularity grew enough for him to alarm the religious authorities who saw him as a threat to the well-being of their country. Together with the local Roman officials, the leaders of Israel tortured Jesus and hung him on a Roman cross, nailing him to it by his hands and feet.
Several days later rumors traveled around Jerusalem that the body of Jesus was stolen. Weeks later Jesus' followers were making bold claims that God raised Jesus from the dead and that over 500 people had seen him.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Although the Gospels are placed first in the New Testament, they are not the earliest writings in the New Testament. Before the Gospels were written, Paul wrote much of what we now call the New Testament.
Less than 20 years after Jesus died, Paul went to Corinth and started a successful church. While he worked with the Corinthians, he shared with them a creed that he learned from the early church in Jerusalem. The creed that Paul taught them was given to him by the first generation Christians of Jerusalem...people who lived with and heard Jesus.
A few years after Paul had been in Corinth, he wrote them a letter reminding them about the creed he once shared with them, saying:
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 Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers 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... (1Corinthians 15:3-7).
Jesus' early years are a mystery. Although there have been many attempts to discover what Jesus did when he grew up or where Jesus learned what he knew, the life of Jesus before his ministry remains a ministry. Some have suggested that Jesus traveled to other countries, others suggest that he learned while working as a carpenter in the local Roman city working with people from many other countries.
Because Jesus was baptized by a desert preacher named John, there is a strong possibility that he followed John the Baptist for some time before he began his own ministry.
When Jesus was around 30 years old he began a ministry of healing, teaching and leading a group of disciples. His popularity grew enough for him to alarm the religious authorities who saw him as a threat to the well-being of their country. Together with the local Roman officials, the leaders of Israel tortured Jesus and hung him on a Roman cross, nailing him to it by his hands and feet.
Several days later rumors traveled around Jerusalem that the body of Jesus was stolen. Weeks later Jesus' followers were making bold claims that God raised Jesus from the dead and that over 500 people had seen him.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Although the Gospels are placed first in the New Testament, they are not the earliest writings in the New Testament. Before the Gospels were written, Paul wrote much of what we now call the New Testament.
Less than 20 years after Jesus died, Paul went to Corinth and started a successful church. While he worked with the Corinthians, he shared with them a creed that he learned from the early church in Jerusalem. The creed that Paul taught them was given to him by the first generation Christians of Jerusalem...people who lived with and heard Jesus.
A few years after Paul had been in Corinth, he wrote them a letter reminding them about the creed he once shared with them, saying:
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 Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers 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... (1Corinthians 15:3-7).
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
What Is Sin?
In my last blog I made a connection between sin and self-centeredness. They are not the same because some things self centered can be good. But sin finds it's home in self centeredness. Self centeredness is the stream in which sin spawns. I also made a sin connection between self, group and country. Sin affects all of these. Although Eve sinned alone, Adam waited for others to sin before he did, thus hiding behind numbers.
Finally, I mentioned that sin is falling short of God's requirement to love Him above all and to love others as we love ourselves.
Here are some other facts about sin:
-"Sin" is a state of being in which we all exist; "sins" are actions and thoughts or lack of actions and thoughts that radiate naturally from the state of sin. In other words, we sin because we are sinners.
-Sin deceives us hiding behind self justifications (Ex: "Everybody else does it!" or "Just as long as it doesn't hurt somebody."), excuses (Ex: "I didn't have a choice"), and blaming others (Ex: "It was her fault for getting me mad."). Sin can also hide behind selective memory... that is we focus on the good things we do and skim over or ignore those not so good areas of our lives.
-Part of sin's deception is that we think we can control sin and that it does not control us. In reality sin cannot be controlled. We are slaves to sin. We cannot choose not to sin.
-The end result of sin is death. It may promise better life in the short run, but will always end up in death.
-Some sins destroy us physically, some emotionally, but all sins destroy us spiritually - seperating us from God.
I need to repeat that we sin because we are sinners. I can find temporary or even permament solutions to individual sins such as drunkenness or adultery, but because I am a sinner, other sins will crop up in other areas of my life whether I know it or not, whether I like it or not. I will sin because I am a sinner!
Finally, I mentioned that sin is falling short of God's requirement to love Him above all and to love others as we love ourselves.
Here are some other facts about sin:
-"Sin" is a state of being in which we all exist; "sins" are actions and thoughts or lack of actions and thoughts that radiate naturally from the state of sin. In other words, we sin because we are sinners.
-Sin deceives us hiding behind self justifications (Ex: "Everybody else does it!" or "Just as long as it doesn't hurt somebody."), excuses (Ex: "I didn't have a choice"), and blaming others (Ex: "It was her fault for getting me mad."). Sin can also hide behind selective memory... that is we focus on the good things we do and skim over or ignore those not so good areas of our lives.
-Part of sin's deception is that we think we can control sin and that it does not control us. In reality sin cannot be controlled. We are slaves to sin. We cannot choose not to sin.
-The end result of sin is death. It may promise better life in the short run, but will always end up in death.
-Some sins destroy us physically, some emotionally, but all sins destroy us spiritually - seperating us from God.
I need to repeat that we sin because we are sinners. I can find temporary or even permament solutions to individual sins such as drunkenness or adultery, but because I am a sinner, other sins will crop up in other areas of my life whether I know it or not, whether I like it or not. I will sin because I am a sinner!
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Unforgivable Sin
Sometimes there are reasonings and emotions that affect us deeply that simply are not true, but somehow the feelings get a hold of us and will not let go. For example, I have heard many people say that they believe that they have committed some unforgiveable sin. Nobody has ever told me what the particular evil was committed, but I'm sure it was pretty nasty.
In truth, every person that has told me that he/she has committed that unforgivable sin was mistaken. How did I know that? I knew they had not committed the unpardonable sin because they were concerned.
When Jesus talked about the unforgivable sin he was addressing relligious leaders who had called the Holy Spirit a demon. That and that alone was the unforgivable sin. And because they had committed the unpardonable sin, the had no more desire to know the truth...their hearts were hardened...they were unconcerned about the health of their spiritual lives because they thought they were o.k. God was no longer drawing them to Him.
When people tell me that they are afraid that they have committed that unforgivable sin, they are always concerned. They are concerned because God is still working in them drawing them to the truth...giving them a hunger to know Him; but they have done something that they regret and have not been able to let go. In reality, they have committed a sin for which they cannot forgive themselves. God can forgive, but they cannot.
God can and will forgive any sin that you have done. One of the kings in the Bible (King David) was known to serve God with his whole heart, and yet he committed adultry and killed his lover's husband to cover up his crime. King David faced serious consequences for what he did (rightly so), but did find God's forgiveness.
After David was faced with his own evil, he wrote about the feelings of regret for what he did. This writing is found in the Bible in Psalm 51 (part of which is quoted below). In Psalm 51 we see that David regretted what he did, admitted the depths of how horrible his acts were, faced the consequences, but knew all along that God forgives even the worst of sinners.
What is the sin that you consider unforgivable? Are you willing to be freed from it? You can be and if you are reading and following this, you will be.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
(Psalm 51:1-3)
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 (1 John 1:8-9).
In truth, every person that has told me that he/she has committed that unforgivable sin was mistaken. How did I know that? I knew they had not committed the unpardonable sin because they were concerned.
When Jesus talked about the unforgivable sin he was addressing relligious leaders who had called the Holy Spirit a demon. That and that alone was the unforgivable sin. And because they had committed the unpardonable sin, the had no more desire to know the truth...their hearts were hardened...they were unconcerned about the health of their spiritual lives because they thought they were o.k. God was no longer drawing them to Him.
When people tell me that they are afraid that they have committed that unforgivable sin, they are always concerned. They are concerned because God is still working in them drawing them to the truth...giving them a hunger to know Him; but they have done something that they regret and have not been able to let go. In reality, they have committed a sin for which they cannot forgive themselves. God can forgive, but they cannot.
God can and will forgive any sin that you have done. One of the kings in the Bible (King David) was known to serve God with his whole heart, and yet he committed adultry and killed his lover's husband to cover up his crime. King David faced serious consequences for what he did (rightly so), but did find God's forgiveness.
After David was faced with his own evil, he wrote about the feelings of regret for what he did. This writing is found in the Bible in Psalm 51 (part of which is quoted below). In Psalm 51 we see that David regretted what he did, admitted the depths of how horrible his acts were, faced the consequences, but knew all along that God forgives even the worst of sinners.
What is the sin that you consider unforgivable? Are you willing to be freed from it? You can be and if you are reading and following this, you will be.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
(Psalm 51:1-3)
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 (1 John 1:8-9).
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Hound of Heaven
In 1893 Francis Thompson wrote a poem called the "Hound of Heaven" with these opening lines:
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
The poem is a look at a person who - like Jonah on a ship running away from God - tried to run from God only to find that God was hounding him down. There are many people facing this experience. If you are running from God, then there are certain common experiences you may be going through. It is not certain any one or all of these will happen, but you will probably experience one or more of the following:
1. No matter how many excuses you offer, you cannot shake the feeling that God wants something more from you.
2. Things go wrong with you over and over - unusually so.
3. You feel a cloud of despair that won't lift when it ordinarilly would.
4. You see the same verse, message, sign or whatever over and over. For example, if you go to church you may hear the pastor speak about the same subject you and your friends talked about recently. It may seem coincidental at first, but then another event takes place taking it further out of the realm of coincidence.
5. You have a nagging feeling that something is wrong that you can't put your finger on. It has been with you for quite some time, and only one answer comes to your mind. You reject it and reject it and reject it. But still the one answer haunts you.
There is good news for you. You are being hounded by God. You may not think that is good, but it is in fact awesome. It means that God has chosen you to be His.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you (John 15:16).
God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4).
I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
The poem is a look at a person who - like Jonah on a ship running away from God - tried to run from God only to find that God was hounding him down. There are many people facing this experience. If you are running from God, then there are certain common experiences you may be going through. It is not certain any one or all of these will happen, but you will probably experience one or more of the following:
1. No matter how many excuses you offer, you cannot shake the feeling that God wants something more from you.
2. Things go wrong with you over and over - unusually so.
3. You feel a cloud of despair that won't lift when it ordinarilly would.
4. You see the same verse, message, sign or whatever over and over. For example, if you go to church you may hear the pastor speak about the same subject you and your friends talked about recently. It may seem coincidental at first, but then another event takes place taking it further out of the realm of coincidence.
5. You have a nagging feeling that something is wrong that you can't put your finger on. It has been with you for quite some time, and only one answer comes to your mind. You reject it and reject it and reject it. But still the one answer haunts you.
There is good news for you. You are being hounded by God. You may not think that is good, but it is in fact awesome. It means that God has chosen you to be His.
SCRIPTURE FOR CONSIDERATION
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you (John 15:16).
God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4).
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