Luke 20:17 But he looked directly at them and said, "What then is this that is written: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."
17 ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπεν· τί οὖν ἐστιν τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο· λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας; 18 πᾶς ὁ πεσὼν ἐπ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν λίθον συνθλασθήσεται· ἐφ᾽ ὃν δ᾽ ἂν πέσῃ, λικμήσει αὐτόν.
Continuing our theme of stones from yesterday here we see Jesus quoting Scripture to confound the Jewish leaders. Here he quotes Psalm 118:22, as Peter would later. This is a damning quote to them. He is explaining to them that He is the one that they've been looking for, but they have rejected Him. They thought that they were the leaders, but really He is telling them that they are leading their people to hell. Obviously, this did not go over well.
When I read passages like this I can't help but wonder how the "Jesus meek and mild" stereotype got propagated so far. Clearly Jesus is not a hippie in a pink dress as He is often portrayed. He was a carpenter and worked with His hands for a living. He probably looked more like this than an emaciated hippie. Physical attributes notwithstanding, He also was not as mild as He is often portrayed.
Let's look at the imagery in His exposition of this verse. What will happen to those who do not follow Him? They will be crushed to pieces. Think of pulverized gravel. Think of the rock crusher in Temple of Doom. That's what's going to happen to those who do not follow Him.
This flies in the face of the happy hippie inclusivist Jesus. "Turn or burn" is a bit cliche. Let's say "turn or be crushed" instead.
Showing posts with label repentance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label repentance. Show all posts
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Joy in Heaven
Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
7 λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας.
I want to write about this verse because it is one that pains me almost every time I see it. You know how hearing a song may remind you of an awkward moment at a junior high dance? Or maybe seeing a landmark reminds you of a time in your life when you did or said something you regret? Reading this verse does that to me.
Here Jesus is in the great "lost" parables of Luke 15. If you want to know the love of Christ this is a great place to go. Here you see the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (otherwise known as the parable of the Prodigal Son). The point is that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. In other words, people like me.
I cam remember reading this verse in my limbo state where I made a confession of faith, but I was still living in habitual sin. I think I was converted because I had the Holy Spirit working in my life to convict me of sin and lead me to repentance. Nevertheless, I was pretty arrogant with the head knowledge I had acquired. I can remember reading this verse and thinking that it did not apply to me. After all, I was in the fold, wasn't I?
On one level, I was right. But the more I encounter this verse the more I realize how much of a wandering sheep I can be. I know my heart and I know how wicked it really is. Jeremiah wasn't kidding. It's relatively easy for me to live an outward life of godliness and my inward life isn't bad, but I know that it falls short of the command to be perfect as the Father is perfect. Fortunately, I have Christ's righteousness covering my sins.
My exhortation is to consider this verse. Where do you need to repent? How are you a wandering sheep? As you read this parable, you see that the sheep are in the fold. They are the shepherd's sheep. These are not foreign sheep that he has to acquire. In other words, I think that we can take this parable to refer to Christians. Therefore, we need to examine where we must repent.
And if you're a leader of any kind, what sheep do you need to pursue? A shepherd knows and loves his flock. Are you pursuing the wayward sheep or leaving them for the wolves?
Not an easy verse, is it?
7 λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας.
I want to write about this verse because it is one that pains me almost every time I see it. You know how hearing a song may remind you of an awkward moment at a junior high dance? Or maybe seeing a landmark reminds you of a time in your life when you did or said something you regret? Reading this verse does that to me.
Here Jesus is in the great "lost" parables of Luke 15. If you want to know the love of Christ this is a great place to go. Here you see the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son (otherwise known as the parable of the Prodigal Son). The point is that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. In other words, people like me.
I cam remember reading this verse in my limbo state where I made a confession of faith, but I was still living in habitual sin. I think I was converted because I had the Holy Spirit working in my life to convict me of sin and lead me to repentance. Nevertheless, I was pretty arrogant with the head knowledge I had acquired. I can remember reading this verse and thinking that it did not apply to me. After all, I was in the fold, wasn't I?
On one level, I was right. But the more I encounter this verse the more I realize how much of a wandering sheep I can be. I know my heart and I know how wicked it really is. Jeremiah wasn't kidding. It's relatively easy for me to live an outward life of godliness and my inward life isn't bad, but I know that it falls short of the command to be perfect as the Father is perfect. Fortunately, I have Christ's righteousness covering my sins.
My exhortation is to consider this verse. Where do you need to repent? How are you a wandering sheep? As you read this parable, you see that the sheep are in the fold. They are the shepherd's sheep. These are not foreign sheep that he has to acquire. In other words, I think that we can take this parable to refer to Christians. Therefore, we need to examine where we must repent.
And if you're a leader of any kind, what sheep do you need to pursue? A shepherd knows and loves his flock. Are you pursuing the wayward sheep or leaving them for the wolves?
Not an easy verse, is it?
Saturday, January 08, 2011
The Call to Sinners
Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
32 οὐκ ἐλήλυθα καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.
This is Jesus' explanation of why He spent time at Levi's dinner party for his fellow tax collectors and other assorted sinners. This story is a favorite of missional types who want to spend time with those "in the culture." I can't really fault them, provided that they don't come home with stains from the culture. I know that I can't do it in many cases.
What I find fascinating is how Luke phrases this. Jesus did not come to call the δικαίους. Rather, he called ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν. I find it interesting that the preposition εἰς appears here. The translation "to repentance" is perfectly good, but I think that it may stop a bit short of the full meaning.
When I see εἰς I think of the Thayer definition as "a preposition governing the accusative, and denoting entrance into, or direction and limit: into, to, toward, for, among." Now if Jesus wanted to communicate the idea of an action that must be taken once there could be an infinitive here. But there isn't. Instead we have the noun that means "repentance."
I think Jesus is telling us that our lives are to be characterized by repentance. The idea of filling out a card, praying a prayer, or raising a hand and then living as if nothing was different would be foreign to Jesus. Jesus calls us into repentance. We are to enter a state in which we are repenting.
This of course convicts me. If it convicts you I suggest you spend some more time introspectively examining your heart. We all need to repent. Where are you going to start?
32 οὐκ ἐλήλυθα καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν.
This is Jesus' explanation of why He spent time at Levi's dinner party for his fellow tax collectors and other assorted sinners. This story is a favorite of missional types who want to spend time with those "in the culture." I can't really fault them, provided that they don't come home with stains from the culture. I know that I can't do it in many cases.
What I find fascinating is how Luke phrases this. Jesus did not come to call the δικαίους. Rather, he called ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν. I find it interesting that the preposition εἰς appears here. The translation "to repentance" is perfectly good, but I think that it may stop a bit short of the full meaning.
When I see εἰς I think of the Thayer definition as "a preposition governing the accusative, and denoting entrance into, or direction and limit: into, to, toward, for, among." Now if Jesus wanted to communicate the idea of an action that must be taken once there could be an infinitive here. But there isn't. Instead we have the noun that means "repentance."
I think Jesus is telling us that our lives are to be characterized by repentance. The idea of filling out a card, praying a prayer, or raising a hand and then living as if nothing was different would be foreign to Jesus. Jesus calls us into repentance. We are to enter a state in which we are repenting.
This of course convicts me. If it convicts you I suggest you spend some more time introspectively examining your heart. We all need to repent. Where are you going to start?
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Found Worthy
Matthew 10:38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
38 καὶ ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω μου, οὐκ ἔστιν μου ἄξιος.
There is a trend started by men like Charles Finney and DL Moody to hold "revival meetings." They are different in style today, but the underlying form is the same. You get a bunch of people together, have them sit under a charismatic speaker, and get them to make a "decision for the Lord." You then count up the incredible harvest and feel good about the work you're doing for the Lord. Of course, some have perverted this for selfish gain, but I believe that in general the folks who have meetings like this mean well.
The problem is that "making a decision" is antithetical to the gospel proclaimed by Jesus. In a few weeks we're going to get to the commission with which Jesus left the church. There is nothing easy about any of this. Becoming a Christian is easy in the sense that it is all about grace. But it is difficult in the sense that we need to repent of our pasts and turn to the Lord.
There is no mystery in the Greek here either. Jesus calls us to radical discipleship. It is not a matter of simply filling out a card or raising a hand during a corporate prayer time. No, Jesus is serious about this. We are to follow Him with all we've got.
Where are you? Are you playing games with the Lord? Or are you pursuing Him with all you've got? Understand that we will still do this imperfectly. We will have times when we feel like we aren't even Christians. I am not saying that Jesus demands perfection. However, He does demand that we take up our cross and follow Him.
38 καὶ ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω μου, οὐκ ἔστιν μου ἄξιος.
There is a trend started by men like Charles Finney and DL Moody to hold "revival meetings." They are different in style today, but the underlying form is the same. You get a bunch of people together, have them sit under a charismatic speaker, and get them to make a "decision for the Lord." You then count up the incredible harvest and feel good about the work you're doing for the Lord. Of course, some have perverted this for selfish gain, but I believe that in general the folks who have meetings like this mean well.
The problem is that "making a decision" is antithetical to the gospel proclaimed by Jesus. In a few weeks we're going to get to the commission with which Jesus left the church. There is nothing easy about any of this. Becoming a Christian is easy in the sense that it is all about grace. But it is difficult in the sense that we need to repent of our pasts and turn to the Lord.
There is no mystery in the Greek here either. Jesus calls us to radical discipleship. It is not a matter of simply filling out a card or raising a hand during a corporate prayer time. No, Jesus is serious about this. We are to follow Him with all we've got.
Where are you? Are you playing games with the Lord? Or are you pursuing Him with all you've got? Understand that we will still do this imperfectly. We will have times when we feel like we aren't even Christians. I am not saying that Jesus demands perfection. However, He does demand that we take up our cross and follow Him.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Are You Sick?
Matthew 9:12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
12 ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν· οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
The Pharisees didn't like the company that Jesus kept. It made no sense to them that He would associate with prostitutes and the hated tax-collectors. After all, a good teacher would not do such things. They certainly wouldn't. Then Jesus hits them with this saying. He did not come for ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες, which literally means having "strong" or "able," but He did come for οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες, or the ones having badness.
This is a message that I think the American church needs to consider today. I am all for the principles of Fundamentalism. We should stick to the text, though of course we all have traditions that color our hermeneutics. If the Bible says so then that should be enough for us. These are good things about Fundamentalism.
But the bad is the isolationist tendencies. In one sense, Jesus does set up an "us vs them" world. However, He also makes it clear that we are to evangelize. That's hard to do when we refuse to spend time with οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες. It's also hard when we think ourselves to be ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες. Until we identify first as being sick or sinful we will never ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες.
Where are you? Are you resting in your own righteousness? Or are you resting in the care and ability of the Great Physician who came to heal the sick? I urge you to repent of your self-sufficiency and rely solely on the work of Christ.
12 ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν· οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
The Pharisees didn't like the company that Jesus kept. It made no sense to them that He would associate with prostitutes and the hated tax-collectors. After all, a good teacher would not do such things. They certainly wouldn't. Then Jesus hits them with this saying. He did not come for ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες, which literally means having "strong" or "able," but He did come for οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες, or the ones having badness.
This is a message that I think the American church needs to consider today. I am all for the principles of Fundamentalism. We should stick to the text, though of course we all have traditions that color our hermeneutics. If the Bible says so then that should be enough for us. These are good things about Fundamentalism.
But the bad is the isolationist tendencies. In one sense, Jesus does set up an "us vs them" world. However, He also makes it clear that we are to evangelize. That's hard to do when we refuse to spend time with οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες. It's also hard when we think ourselves to be ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες. Until we identify first as being sick or sinful we will never ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες.
Where are you? Are you resting in your own righteousness? Or are you resting in the care and ability of the Great Physician who came to heal the sick? I urge you to repent of your self-sufficiency and rely solely on the work of Christ.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Godly Grief
2 Corinthians 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
9 νῦν χαίρω, οὐχ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν· ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ θεόν, ἵνα ἐν μηδενὶ ζημιωθῆτε ἐξ ἡμῶν. 10 ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται.
I'm not sure why, but I don't get a ton out of 2 Corinthians when I go through it. However, this short passage is one of the most important passages in my life, so I guess it kind of balances out. I think that this passage tells us much about effective Christian discipleship as well as what the Christian life should look like.
First we see how Paul addressed the Corinthians. He knows that he caused them pain. He does not rejoice because of their pain, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν. What I get out of this is that there is a time when our message must cause a little pain. My stepdad just had a hip replaced. It hurts. But it will ultimately hurt a lot less than his bad hip did. In the same way, we need to preach a tough message sometimes. In the same way, we need to hear a tough message sometimes too. What does this buy us?
It brings us to godly grief. Paul contrasts τοῦ κόσμου λύπη with ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη (it's hard to pick apart the phrase for godly grief from Greek to English). Worldly grief leads to death. Godly grief leads to repentance, which leads to life.
My daughter provided a good example of worldly grief this morning. She had a terrible attitude and eventually called her mother an "idiot," which is something that leads to a spanking in our house. Then she hit me after I spanked her, which led to another spanking. We went through this about four times total, which was not much fun for either of us.
What was interesting is that she yelled "Sorry!" when she realized that each infraction was leading to another spanking. I later explained to her that if she was truly sorry then she would stop doing it. She had worldly grief in that she wanted to avoid the consequence of her actions, but she wanted to keep doing it.
Frankly, that's where most of us are most of the time, aren't we? We hate the consequences, but we don't mind the intrinsic sinfulness of some action. Godly grief is getting to the point where we realize how our sin offends a holy God. I believe that we get to that place as a result of the Spirit's work in us. Also, I can tell you from experience that it is quite dangerous to pray for godly grief because it is terrible to experience. Yet it is something we must go through if we are to walk with Christ.
9 νῦν χαίρω, οὐχ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν· ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ θεόν, ἵνα ἐν μηδενὶ ζημιωθῆτε ἐξ ἡμῶν. 10 ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ κόσμου λύπη θάνατον κατεργάζεται.
I'm not sure why, but I don't get a ton out of 2 Corinthians when I go through it. However, this short passage is one of the most important passages in my life, so I guess it kind of balances out. I think that this passage tells us much about effective Christian discipleship as well as what the Christian life should look like.
First we see how Paul addressed the Corinthians. He knows that he caused them pain. He does not rejoice because of their pain, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐλυπήθητε εἰς μετάνοιαν. What I get out of this is that there is a time when our message must cause a little pain. My stepdad just had a hip replaced. It hurts. But it will ultimately hurt a lot less than his bad hip did. In the same way, we need to preach a tough message sometimes. In the same way, we need to hear a tough message sometimes too. What does this buy us?
It brings us to godly grief. Paul contrasts τοῦ κόσμου λύπη with ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη (it's hard to pick apart the phrase for godly grief from Greek to English). Worldly grief leads to death. Godly grief leads to repentance, which leads to life.
My daughter provided a good example of worldly grief this morning. She had a terrible attitude and eventually called her mother an "idiot," which is something that leads to a spanking in our house. Then she hit me after I spanked her, which led to another spanking. We went through this about four times total, which was not much fun for either of us.
What was interesting is that she yelled "Sorry!" when she realized that each infraction was leading to another spanking. I later explained to her that if she was truly sorry then she would stop doing it. She had worldly grief in that she wanted to avoid the consequence of her actions, but she wanted to keep doing it.
Frankly, that's where most of us are most of the time, aren't we? We hate the consequences, but we don't mind the intrinsic sinfulness of some action. Godly grief is getting to the point where we realize how our sin offends a holy God. I believe that we get to that place as a result of the Spirit's work in us. Also, I can tell you from experience that it is quite dangerous to pray for godly grief because it is terrible to experience. Yet it is something we must go through if we are to walk with Christ.
Monday, May 31, 2010
The Reason for Grace
Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
4 ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει;
Paul is building his argument about the sinfulness of mankind and the desperate need we all have for God's grace. Here he asks something of a rhetorical question because the answer should be "no." Of course, it's not. It's not for his readers and it certainly isn't for me.
God's grace must lead us to repentance. If we call ourselves saved and stay exactly where we are then we do not really understand salvation. We may have drawn a "get out of hell free" card, but we don't really understand salvation. That is not to say that God demands perfection. We are always going to be works in progress. However, we must not be stationary in our pursuit of godliness. It just is not meant to work that way.
Some of you may wonder why I harp on this so much. One of the few practices in professing Christendom that upsets me as much as the prosperity gospel is the quest for decisions. Charles Finney really popularized this. The idea is to get people to make decisions for Christ and then assure them of their eternal future with God. That is the most extreme version of decisionism, but it is still quite common in some circles. Salvation is not a purely emotional decision. If we are going to make a decision to walk with Christ it has to come with counting the cost of that decision. Nothing is ever the same once we decide to walk with Him. Repentance is a part of salvation. Paul makes that clear here.
I am not saying that works have anything to do with our salvation. They are a result of it. They are the fruit that shows what kind of tree we are.
What kind of fruit are you bearing?
4 ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει;
Paul is building his argument about the sinfulness of mankind and the desperate need we all have for God's grace. Here he asks something of a rhetorical question because the answer should be "no." Of course, it's not. It's not for his readers and it certainly isn't for me.
God's grace must lead us to repentance. If we call ourselves saved and stay exactly where we are then we do not really understand salvation. We may have drawn a "get out of hell free" card, but we don't really understand salvation. That is not to say that God demands perfection. We are always going to be works in progress. However, we must not be stationary in our pursuit of godliness. It just is not meant to work that way.
Some of you may wonder why I harp on this so much. One of the few practices in professing Christendom that upsets me as much as the prosperity gospel is the quest for decisions. Charles Finney really popularized this. The idea is to get people to make decisions for Christ and then assure them of their eternal future with God. That is the most extreme version of decisionism, but it is still quite common in some circles. Salvation is not a purely emotional decision. If we are going to make a decision to walk with Christ it has to come with counting the cost of that decision. Nothing is ever the same once we decide to walk with Him. Repentance is a part of salvation. Paul makes that clear here.
I am not saying that works have anything to do with our salvation. They are a result of it. They are the fruit that shows what kind of tree we are.
What kind of fruit are you bearing?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Hated
John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
7 οὐ δύναται ὁ κόσμος μισεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἐμὲ δὲ μισεῖ, ὅτι ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστιν.
I've always found this verse to be a bit convicting. I don't really enjoy being hated. Jesus didn't seem to mind. He loved the world and knew that it hated Him. Why did it hate Him? He testified about it that τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστιν. No one likes to hear that his works are evil.
This is the lot of the preacher. He is going to have times where he ruffles some feathers because he stands behind the truth of God's Word. In fact, this is really what should happen to every professing Christian, but it will certainly happen to the preacher as he unpacks God's Word for his congregation.
This passage also explains why someone walking in holiness upsets those walking in evil. He doesn't have to say or do anything. His very presence will upset folks. Take someone who used to drink to excess and bring him back to the bar. His old friends likely will have a hard time with him because he silently convicts them of what they're doing in their drunkenness. The same goes for the man who repents of gluttony and then hangs around his old friends. His newfound fitness silently convicts them.
Yet we are to be witnesses. Let us not shy away from our stories if God has transformed our lives. However, let us also be careful because of the truth of this verse. Whether we say anything or not we are going to get some hatred from the world.
7 οὐ δύναται ὁ κόσμος μισεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἐμὲ δὲ μισεῖ, ὅτι ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστιν.
I've always found this verse to be a bit convicting. I don't really enjoy being hated. Jesus didn't seem to mind. He loved the world and knew that it hated Him. Why did it hate Him? He testified about it that τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστιν. No one likes to hear that his works are evil.
This is the lot of the preacher. He is going to have times where he ruffles some feathers because he stands behind the truth of God's Word. In fact, this is really what should happen to every professing Christian, but it will certainly happen to the preacher as he unpacks God's Word for his congregation.
This passage also explains why someone walking in holiness upsets those walking in evil. He doesn't have to say or do anything. His very presence will upset folks. Take someone who used to drink to excess and bring him back to the bar. His old friends likely will have a hard time with him because he silently convicts them of what they're doing in their drunkenness. The same goes for the man who repents of gluttony and then hangs around his old friends. His newfound fitness silently convicts them.
Yet we are to be witnesses. Let us not shy away from our stories if God has transformed our lives. However, let us also be careful because of the truth of this verse. Whether we say anything or not we are going to get some hatred from the world.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Doing the Words
Matthew 7:24-27
(24) "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
(25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
(26) And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
(27) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
There are still some smoldering embers of a debate over what is sometimes called "Lordship Salvation" as opposed to "Free Grace." In summary, the Free Grace folks believe that a profession of faith is all that is necessary for salvation, whereas the Lordship folks believe that evidence of a changed life is necessary.
To me, this passage as well as others in the Sermon on the Mount lead me toward the Lordship side. It seems to me that the idea of salvation apart from making Jesus Lord of your life is a foreign concept to Jesus. To truly know God means to love Him with all you have.
Of course, there will still be sin in our lives. The question is about our focus. Are we turning from sin and running to God? Are our lives characterized by humility and repentance, or by sin? What delights our hearts? Do we agree with the Psalmist in Psalm 119 or do we not really care about God and His Word?
It seems to me that the biblical record is clear that we are to make Jesus Lord of our lives if we are truly saved. The book Desiring God bears this out or, if you prefer a shorter read, check out Crazy Love by Francis Chan.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Know His Word
Hosea 14:9
(9) Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
It's incredible to see just how many exhortations there are in Scripture about the value of knowing God's Word. This whole book has been about the unfaithfulness of Israel to the covenant they had with God. Chapter 14 speaks to God's amazing grace in still keeping His side of the covenant and the offer of restoration if they would repent and return to Him.
This is the last verse of the book. Life is very simple really. We just need to know what God's Word says and then obey it. Of course, that is much easier said than done. We can know what to do and fail to do it. But if we are in Christ we have a Helper in the Holy Spirit. He will help us to walk in God's ways. After all, He wrote the book.
This all presupposes a knowledge of God's Word. What are you doing to learn more about what it says?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Prepare the Field
Hosea 10:12
(12) Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
I think it is sometimes difficult for me to really grasp all the agrarian imagery of the Bible. I grew up in a suburb and the closest I've come to farming is when I would visit my grandparents' house in SW Ohio. My dad grew up on 65 acres and they farmed the land, though that was not their sole source of income. I have some agrarian roots, if you will, but I don't have much experience with it.
What I do know is that this verse reminds me of the parable of the four soils. I have put in a couple of new lawns in my day and I have been amazed at how grass seed will grow even on the cracks in the sidewalk. It will even grow briefly on the sidewalk if there is just a tiny bit of soil there. However, it does not last.
I think of how hard my own heart is. I certainly spend regular time scattering seed in it. I read Scripture daily. I review my memorization work. I attend church. I listen to good podcasts of sermons and other Christian discussions. With all of that I feel like my life should produce a lot more fruit. I feel like there should be much less sin in it. Yet I still see a dearth of fruit and more sin than I feel like there should be.
I need to have my fallow ground broken up. This is a hard lesson for me! I've been through brokenness and I don't want to go through it again. Yet the commands of Scripture are inescapable.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Repent and Believe
Hosea 5:11-15
(11) Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth.
(12) But I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah.
(13) When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
(14) For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.
(15) I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.
Here God is speaking to the nations of Israel and Judah. When you read "Ephraim" here you should think "Israel," or the Northern Kingdom. Clearly things are not good for either kingdom based on how God says He will act toward them.
What is the solution? They had to repent and believe. They needed to acknowledge their guilt and then earnestly seek God's face. I don't think that is just for those people at that time. It is the same thing that God calls us to. We need to repent and believe.
We are destined for God's wrath apart from the saving work of Christ. We must repent and believe if we are to be saved from the judgment that is to come. This does not mean giving mere intellectual assent to the truth of the gospel, nor does it mean just feeling badly about our sin. It means that we are to earnestly pursue God with everything we've got. He cannot just be one part of our lives. He demands it all and He deserves it all.
Where are you? Are you ready to repent and believe? Have you believed in the past but need a fresh spirit of repentance? I know that I often do. Jerry Bridges says that we are to preach the gospel to ourselves daily. It's a great reminder for me and one of the reasons why I maintain this blog. I need the reminder to zealously pursue the Lord.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
God is Love?
Lamentations 2:2
(2) The Lord has swallowed up without mercy all the habitations of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.
I continue discussing the nature of God with some folks at an online message board. The leader of that board insists that his view of God is correct. He sees God as love, but not necessarily as personal. He also sees all religions as basically the same. Of course, these things aren't true, though there are elements of truth to his belief. I am trying to give a biblical view of who God is. Hopefully someone will listen there.
This verse really turns the whole "God is love" concept on its ear, doesn't it? Yes, there are two verses that describe God this way in 1 John, but to see Him simply as love at the exclusion of His other traits is a big mistake. Here we see that God is just. In fact, we see that He "has swallowed up without mercy." That doesn't sound like the God we know, right?
We must remember that God is holy. He is also just. His holiness and justice demand satisfaction for sin. That is what Christ accomplished on the cross. He did not show mercy to His Son, but let Him bear the curse of the Father's wrath. What a Savior!
And, lest we think that the Old Testament God is somehow different than the New Testament God (which of course is ridiculous since God doesn't change), there is this verse:
Lamentations 2:19
(19) "Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street."
This is a call to repent and prayerfully seek God's mercy. That was all that they could do in the face of His judgment. That's all we can do too. The good news for us is that on this side of the cross we are certain that there is grace.
(2) The Lord has swallowed up without mercy all the habitations of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.
I continue discussing the nature of God with some folks at an online message board. The leader of that board insists that his view of God is correct. He sees God as love, but not necessarily as personal. He also sees all religions as basically the same. Of course, these things aren't true, though there are elements of truth to his belief. I am trying to give a biblical view of who God is. Hopefully someone will listen there.
This verse really turns the whole "God is love" concept on its ear, doesn't it? Yes, there are two verses that describe God this way in 1 John, but to see Him simply as love at the exclusion of His other traits is a big mistake. Here we see that God is just. In fact, we see that He "has swallowed up without mercy." That doesn't sound like the God we know, right?
We must remember that God is holy. He is also just. His holiness and justice demand satisfaction for sin. That is what Christ accomplished on the cross. He did not show mercy to His Son, but let Him bear the curse of the Father's wrath. What a Savior!
And, lest we think that the Old Testament God is somehow different than the New Testament God (which of course is ridiculous since God doesn't change), there is this verse:
Lamentations 2:19
(19) "Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street."
This is a call to repent and prayerfully seek God's mercy. That was all that they could do in the face of His judgment. That's all we can do too. The good news for us is that on this side of the cross we are certain that there is grace.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Prayer for Repentance
Lamentations 1:18
(18) "The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word; but hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity.
Metaphorically speaking, Jerusalem realized her folly. She understood that she had rebelled against the Lord and His Word. She did not plead for an end to suffering, but asked that her suffering be used as an example to others. She wanted to use it to glorify God. In other words, she got it right after she had got it wrong for so long.
I think this is a much-needed reminder in Evangelicalism today. We need to remember that repentance is not just punching our tickets to heaven. It is a matter of realizing the folly of our sin against the Word of God. It is a matter of not just being sorry, but actually turning away from it.
I rejoice for the fact that I will have a chance to share my testimony at the fall convocation this semester at school. The reason is because I am quite certain that there will be men in attendance who struggle with sexual sin. Also, I won't have to look too far to find men who struggle with gluttony. My prayer is that my example can help others to turn from their sin and to the Lord. All I can do is put it out there. It is up to the Lord to make the seeds grow.
(18) "The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word; but hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity.
Metaphorically speaking, Jerusalem realized her folly. She understood that she had rebelled against the Lord and His Word. She did not plead for an end to suffering, but asked that her suffering be used as an example to others. She wanted to use it to glorify God. In other words, she got it right after she had got it wrong for so long.
I think this is a much-needed reminder in Evangelicalism today. We need to remember that repentance is not just punching our tickets to heaven. It is a matter of realizing the folly of our sin against the Word of God. It is a matter of not just being sorry, but actually turning away from it.
I rejoice for the fact that I will have a chance to share my testimony at the fall convocation this semester at school. The reason is because I am quite certain that there will be men in attendance who struggle with sexual sin. Also, I won't have to look too far to find men who struggle with gluttony. My prayer is that my example can help others to turn from their sin and to the Lord. All I can do is put it out there. It is up to the Lord to make the seeds grow.
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