Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
21 Ἐμοὶ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος.
This passage is part of a discourse Paul has about his life and ministry. Paul's desire is to depart and be with Christ, but he concedes that God is keeping him around for the benefit of the Philippians. Here he says that τὸ ζῆν Χριστὸς. This is an infinitive, so the translation is very literal. τὸ ἀποθανεῖν is as well. The process of living is Christ, but dying is actually gain.
This is one of those real gut-check verses. When I read verses like this I wonder how well this applies to me. Do I believe that living is Christ? What does that even mean? If we look at the surrounding verses we learn about the fruitfulness of Paul's ministry. He is advancing the kingdom of Christ with his life. That seems to be what he means. Am I doing that? Maybe a little, but as I wrote yesterday I am often convicted about how much more I could be doing.
And what about this dying business? I'm 36, so death seems very far away. However, I am aware enough of the news to know that I am one blown tire away from my death. Or maybe I'm one reckless truck driver at a red light away from death. Traffic accidents are the common example, but all kinds of things could happen to me. I run a lot, but I could easily have a heart attack while climbing a hill. These things happen. Am I ready for that?
When I contemplate death I think of how I would leave my family behind and that is what bothers me. However, the idea of meeting the Lord face-to-face excites me. I do not look forward to dying and want to live as long as I can, but I have no fear of death either. Why should I? To die is gain!
Can you say that? If not, I urge you to come to know Jesus. There is hope for eternal life in Him. Otherwise you are rightly afraid to die.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Prayers for Boldness
Ephesians 6:19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
19 καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου, ἐν παρρησίᾳ γνωρίσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, 20 ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.
This is at the very end of the passage on the armor of God. Paul gives his readers a prayer request. He needs prayers to declare the gospel boldly. Think about this for a minute. This is the Paul who converted jailers because he would talk to them about the gospel while they were chained to him. This is Paul the missionary church planter who suffered all kinds of hardships so that he could spread the gospel. He still wanted prayers so that his mouth would be opened ἐν παρρησία, or in boldness. After all, that was how he had to speak.
It's fascinating to me that I read this today. I've been having conversations with a coworker who has been exhorting me to spend more time witnessing. He is absolutely right, though I'm still not convinced that million dollar bill tracts really do anything positive and may indeed be more of a negative than anything. Nevertheless, at least he's doing something. He sees a lost world and looks for opportunities to have his mouth opened boldly.
I do not shy away from opportunities to have spiritual conversations with people. I'm just not very good at bringing it up. I don't think it is very effective to force it, but I also know that people need to brought to these conversations. I don't think it is reasonable to expect to be like Philip finding the Ethiopian eunuch trying to figure out the book of Isaiah.
I want desperately to have opportunities to talk to people about Jesus. After all, that's one of the reasons why I'm in seminary. So what I get from this passage is that I also need to be more intentional in my prayers that "words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly." Quite convicting.
19 καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου, ἐν παρρησίᾳ γνωρίσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, 20 ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.
This is at the very end of the passage on the armor of God. Paul gives his readers a prayer request. He needs prayers to declare the gospel boldly. Think about this for a minute. This is the Paul who converted jailers because he would talk to them about the gospel while they were chained to him. This is Paul the missionary church planter who suffered all kinds of hardships so that he could spread the gospel. He still wanted prayers so that his mouth would be opened ἐν παρρησία, or in boldness. After all, that was how he had to speak.
It's fascinating to me that I read this today. I've been having conversations with a coworker who has been exhorting me to spend more time witnessing. He is absolutely right, though I'm still not convinced that million dollar bill tracts really do anything positive and may indeed be more of a negative than anything. Nevertheless, at least he's doing something. He sees a lost world and looks for opportunities to have his mouth opened boldly.
I do not shy away from opportunities to have spiritual conversations with people. I'm just not very good at bringing it up. I don't think it is very effective to force it, but I also know that people need to brought to these conversations. I don't think it is reasonable to expect to be like Philip finding the Ethiopian eunuch trying to figure out the book of Isaiah.
I want desperately to have opportunities to talk to people about Jesus. After all, that's one of the reasons why I'm in seminary. So what I get from this passage is that I also need to be more intentional in my prayers that "words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly." Quite convicting.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Imitating the Father
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
1 Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητὰ
As I started to look through this chapter to pick something to write about I realized that this verse pretty much says it all. We are to be μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ. I'm pretty sure that the word μιμητης is where we get our word "mimic" from. We are to mimic God because we are His beloved children.
This has far-reaching implications, doesn't it? As children of God we see Christ as an example for us. He is certainly more than an example as He was the perfect lamb that was slain for our sins, but He is also an example of how we are to behave. He is certainly not less than an example. Christ's life shows us how to live ours.
This also has implications for me as a father. My son is naturally going to imitate me. I can see where he already does. What kind of an example am I setting for him? The old phrase, "Do as I say, not as I do" is absurd. It didn't work for me as a child and I don't think it works for any other child. It's just an excuse to tell our children that grownups can be hypocrites. I certainly do not want to communicate that to them.
Read the rest of the chapter and you will see how this plays out. Paul gives several tangible examples. And note how he ties this back to the end of chapter 4 as well. That also gives us some examples. If you are in Christ you see the expectations of you. This does not merit our salvation, but is the natural result of it.
How does this verse hit you?
1 Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητὰ
As I started to look through this chapter to pick something to write about I realized that this verse pretty much says it all. We are to be μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ. I'm pretty sure that the word μιμητης is where we get our word "mimic" from. We are to mimic God because we are His beloved children.
This has far-reaching implications, doesn't it? As children of God we see Christ as an example for us. He is certainly more than an example as He was the perfect lamb that was slain for our sins, but He is also an example of how we are to behave. He is certainly not less than an example. Christ's life shows us how to live ours.
This also has implications for me as a father. My son is naturally going to imitate me. I can see where he already does. What kind of an example am I setting for him? The old phrase, "Do as I say, not as I do" is absurd. It didn't work for me as a child and I don't think it works for any other child. It's just an excuse to tell our children that grownups can be hypocrites. I certainly do not want to communicate that to them.
Read the rest of the chapter and you will see how this plays out. Paul gives several tangible examples. And note how he ties this back to the end of chapter 4 as well. That also gives us some examples. If you are in Christ you see the expectations of you. This does not merit our salvation, but is the natural result of it.
How does this verse hit you?
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The New Self
Ephesians 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
22 ἀποθέσθαι ὑμᾶς κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἀναστροφὴν τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης, 23 ἀνανεοῦσθαι δὲ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν 24 καὶ ἐνδύσασθαι τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν κατὰ θεὸν κτισθέντα ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ὁσιότητι τῆς ἀληθείας.
Paul is cranking up the exhortations in this book. He spent the first three chapters covering the gospel and now he starts getting into commands. It is vital that we do not read any of these commands in a vacuum. The assumption for all of these is that we will have appropriated the first half of the book before we try to apply the second half. This is vital or else we are straying into legalism, which Galatians tells us does not save us.
I love this passage because of its implications for personal transformation. I've been through some pretty serious sins in my life and I still find them tempting. However, I do not subscribe to the AA model of "once a always a " where you fill in your personal sin (i.e. drunkenness, gluttony, lust, etc.) Instead, I take the command of this passage to heart.
Paul is saying that we have an old self. Remember from the early part of chapter 2 that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were like the prodigal in the parable of the two sons. We were lost. But God transformed us from the inside-out. He made us alive together in Christ. That is what Paul refers to here as well. We are to put off the old self, be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and then put on the new self.
I think that the middle is key. How are we renewed? We spend time in God's Word. We spend time with God's people. We sing songs that tell us more about God. We avoid things that pollute our minds. I am not a hardcore separatist, but I don't watch any TV either. There is just too much on TV to pollute my mind. I have to be careful when I am online (more careful than I am sometimes) so as not to feed the lust of the eyes. It is an ongoing battle to be sure. The word ἀνανεοῦσθαι is a present passive infinitive. As an infinitive it is difficult to pin down exactly how to take this, but the fact that it is in the passive tells me that this is something that happens to my mind.
What are you doing to renew the spirit of your mind? It forces me to ask myself the same question. Sure, I have my daily quiet times and read good books, but I also know that there are more positive things I can do and I can avoid some negative things as well. How about you?
22 ἀποθέσθαι ὑμᾶς κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἀναστροφὴν τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης, 23 ἀνανεοῦσθαι δὲ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν 24 καὶ ἐνδύσασθαι τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν κατὰ θεὸν κτισθέντα ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ὁσιότητι τῆς ἀληθείας.
Paul is cranking up the exhortations in this book. He spent the first three chapters covering the gospel and now he starts getting into commands. It is vital that we do not read any of these commands in a vacuum. The assumption for all of these is that we will have appropriated the first half of the book before we try to apply the second half. This is vital or else we are straying into legalism, which Galatians tells us does not save us.
I love this passage because of its implications for personal transformation. I've been through some pretty serious sins in my life and I still find them tempting. However, I do not subscribe to the AA model of "once a
Paul is saying that we have an old self. Remember from the early part of chapter 2 that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were like the prodigal in the parable of the two sons. We were lost. But God transformed us from the inside-out. He made us alive together in Christ. That is what Paul refers to here as well. We are to put off the old self, be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and then put on the new self.
I think that the middle is key. How are we renewed? We spend time in God's Word. We spend time with God's people. We sing songs that tell us more about God. We avoid things that pollute our minds. I am not a hardcore separatist, but I don't watch any TV either. There is just too much on TV to pollute my mind. I have to be careful when I am online (more careful than I am sometimes) so as not to feed the lust of the eyes. It is an ongoing battle to be sure. The word ἀνανεοῦσθαι is a present passive infinitive. As an infinitive it is difficult to pin down exactly how to take this, but the fact that it is in the passive tells me that this is something that happens to my mind.
What are you doing to renew the spirit of your mind? It forces me to ask myself the same question. Sure, I have my daily quiet times and read good books, but I also know that there are more positive things I can do and I can avoid some negative things as well. How about you?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Doxology
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
20 Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν, 21 αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.
This is arguably the end of the doctrinal half of Ephesians. I might argue that it continues until 4:16, but the point is that this kind of a doxology typically marks a break. Paul is again emphasizing the majesty and glory of God. This glory is manifested in the church and in Christ Jesus. Note that I write church with a small c. The church is τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ (dative form). It is not that body that has its headquarters in a small country inside Rome. It is the body of believers throughout the world.
What I want to emphasize is the phrase Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ. The gloss I have for ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ is "exceedingly abundantly." Whenever I come across one of these phrases in Paul I tend to think of Luke Skywalker convincing Han Solo to go into the detention area to rescue Princess Leia. he tells him that "the reward will be...well, much more wealth than you can imagine." Han Solo replies, "I can imagine quite a bit."
God can deliver more than we can imagine. It is more than αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν. I take that in two directions. One is that we cannot ever out-imagine God. He has blessings in store that we cannot comprehend. However, the second direction modifies the first. When I think of blessings I tend to think of material things. I think that goes with being an American. It's really very short-sighted as well. God's blessings go beyond what we ask our think. We know from Romans that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us because we do not pray as we ought. I think this is similar. God will give us more than we ask or think because we do not ask or think rightly.
You may recall that Han Solo ended up getting tremendous blessings, but not what he signed up for. He was in it for the money, but he ended up getting dear friends and a wife. Plus, he got to be part of something much bigger than himself. The metaphor falls short because the gospel is so much more than that and the church is even more glorious than the Rebel Alliance. But I think that you get the idea.
Are you in awe of how much God has in store for you as a believer? Are you satisfied when your best life now does not involve material things?
20 Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν, 21 αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.
This is arguably the end of the doctrinal half of Ephesians. I might argue that it continues until 4:16, but the point is that this kind of a doxology typically marks a break. Paul is again emphasizing the majesty and glory of God. This glory is manifested in the church and in Christ Jesus. Note that I write church with a small c. The church is τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ (dative form). It is not that body that has its headquarters in a small country inside Rome. It is the body of believers throughout the world.
What I want to emphasize is the phrase Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ. The gloss I have for ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ is "exceedingly abundantly." Whenever I come across one of these phrases in Paul I tend to think of Luke Skywalker convincing Han Solo to go into the detention area to rescue Princess Leia. he tells him that "the reward will be...well, much more wealth than you can imagine." Han Solo replies, "I can imagine quite a bit."
God can deliver more than we can imagine. It is more than αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν. I take that in two directions. One is that we cannot ever out-imagine God. He has blessings in store that we cannot comprehend. However, the second direction modifies the first. When I think of blessings I tend to think of material things. I think that goes with being an American. It's really very short-sighted as well. God's blessings go beyond what we ask our think. We know from Romans that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us because we do not pray as we ought. I think this is similar. God will give us more than we ask or think because we do not ask or think rightly.
You may recall that Han Solo ended up getting tremendous blessings, but not what he signed up for. He was in it for the money, but he ended up getting dear friends and a wife. Plus, he got to be part of something much bigger than himself. The metaphor falls short because the gospel is so much more than that and the church is even more glorious than the Rebel Alliance. But I think that you get the idea.
Are you in awe of how much God has in store for you as a believer? Are you satisfied when your best life now does not involve material things?
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