Gadfly's Muse

Revelation 03: Solemn Words of Love and Concern

Image: "The Creation of God", 2021, "Lone Mountain" (11,166') near Big Sky, Montana

Revelation 3:2  Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

Revelation 3:9–10 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 3:17–18  Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see.

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In chapter 3 the Spirit addresses three churches: Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.   Here we have a very insightful perspective on the character of various churches down to this day. 

Sardis is a church that has a reputation for vitality, energetic works, and "life".  Perhaps it shows forth a flamboyant worship program complete with sterling quality performances both in music and from the pulpit.  Yet the Spirit says: "you are dead!" (vs. 1)  Jesus' parable of the four seeds told of one that fell on shallow soil and grew up fast and spectacularly.  However, when dry season came it was the first to wither because it had no deep roots.  Such, I think, is Sardis.  Jesus does not entirely condemn it.  After all, the seed was planted.  They had some acquaintance with the truth and perhaps even a few who sincerely held the faith.  Jesus calls on such a church to "hold fast", don't lose any further ground, and "repent" (vs. 3) so as to become more firmly rooted in Christ.  We should take this to heart.  Perhaps our individual Christian lives have more in common with this than we like to admit.  Should we ask the question?  "Am I just 'show'?"  If, in our heart of hearts, the answer is that we are more like Sardis than not, then we "got some work to do."

Then there is Philadelphia, the youngest of the seven churches addressed in these two chapters.  It is interesting that this church, along with Smyrna, does not receive virtually any criticism.  Perhaps there is a slight concern that their strength is "small" (translated as "little" above), but that evidently had been sufficient for they have not "denied" the Lord's name and have "kept" His word.  I think there is a deliberate contrast here with the church at Sardis which had just been roundly criticized.  I remember how Jesus had commended the young children and spoke about how our faith has to be as "naively" trusting as a child if we are to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.  Perhaps Philadelphia ( which means "city of love") lived up to its name!  Certainly, they received the promise that their enemies would come and "worship" (read "fall prostrate in submission") at their feet.  Because of this pure spirit, though they had not registered any huge reputation for good works or mighty signs, they received the signal comforting assurance that the world would know that "I have loved you." (vs. 9)  

And then there is the church at Laodicea.  What a sad commentary these verses make.  There is no specific reference to the attributes Jesus displayed in 1:16-18 as there were in the other letters to the churches.  Jesus is rather characterized as the "Amen", the "Faithful and True Witness", and "the Beginning of the creation of God."  Jesus is here solemnly warning this church that their lamp is indeed close to being removed from the circle.  He points the Church's eyes toward the witness of creation, the "Amen" of His own Person being the incarnation of God the Father, and the "Witness" of His earthly ministry, perfect life, atonement, and resurrection.  In other words, Jesus is here almost issuing forth an Evangelistic message, calling for them to repent of their vile "lukewarm" love and to get the true "eye salve" of faith which will allow them to see their own wretchedness.  Truly Jesus spoke of how hard it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven and this church "suffered" from an abundance of wealth and power.  It was the single most important church in the region.  

Yet for all their abundance and riches, they were feasting alone behind a closed door on which Jesus was knocking.  Their comfort actually testified to their perilous condition because Jesus said that "as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" and this church was not feeling the sting of chastening at all.

Perhaps we should learn that we must take heed when all men speak well of us. (Luke 6:26)

Taking all three of these churches together, we see continuity with chapter 2 in general and yet very clear individuation among the recipients.  Every church is addressed by speaking straight to its core personality and character.  Jesus sees us in terms of our "angel", our core moral and spiritual being.  It was said of Him in His earthly ministry that He knew what was in a man's heart (John 6:64) and it is also true of His knowledge of His Churches.  

What we must understand is that any "Church" is made up of people just like us.  We are our Church and it is the unique nature of each Church to reflect the character of its members and the quality of their faith.  Pogo once said, "we have met the enemy and he is us!"  This is so true of our churches also.  If our church is uncomfortably close to the negative qualities of the churches in these chapters then "repentance" is the order of the day and it must be comprehensive.  Each and every one of us must add our repentance to those of our brothers and sisters.  Similarly, it is not enough for some of us to love... we must exhort each other to love and good works and so earn the commendation that Jesus gives to churches like Smyrna and Philadelphia.

Christ is among us... He knows us... and though He rebukes and chastens, as appropriate, yet these are expressions of His love and concern and that is our comfort and encouragement.

 

 

1 Peter 5: Humble Opposition

Image: "Humility", 2020, Hofskirkja Turf Church, Öræfi, Iceland,  (Link) Photo credit: Dave Johanson

1 Peter 5:2–4 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

1 Peter 5:5–7  Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:9–10 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

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Two main themes are readily apparent in these verses: the call to humility and the exhortation to resist.

Peter's readers are living at risk.  They know it and he knows it.  The world, under Satan's hidden reins (vs. 8), is always looking for an opening, an opportunity, to rip the little churches apart.  This, as Peter well knew, is what it means to "embody Jesus" or "walk in His footsteps."  The more Jesus and His message took root in ancient Palestine, the more enraged and jealous were His enemies.  They were constantly watching Him, seeking to entrap Him, catch Him in an indiscretion.  They feared Him because they could not control Him.  They were terrified of Him because it was clear, by His teaching and example, that they should submit to Him.  This was intolerable to them... as it always is intolerable to pride-soaked mankind and its aspirations for autonomy.  Peter knew that the Church, as the continuing ministry of Jesus, was also the focus of Satan's continuing hatred.

So Peter called his first readers, even as he is calling us, to follow Jesus in dealing with this opposition.  Right in the center of this chapter, signaling emphasis, we find Peter's exhortation to humility.  He calls us to be "clothed with humility" (vs. 5)  He began this verse speaking to the younger folks but he expands his scope to "all" in the requirement to be "submissive to one another."  Then, after quoting Proverbs 3:34, he calls on us to "humble" ourselves "under the mighty hand of God." (vs. 6)  

Here again, our thoughts are drawn to the comparison with Jesus.  Did He not exhibit humble submission in the face of all His enemies?  Did He not clearly see that, like Joseph, though those enemies meant their efforts for evil, yet God meant them for good?  Did He not rebuke Peter himself for suggesting that God surely would not want Jesus to suffer?  Peter points through the rolling battle drums of the enemy hordes bearing down on the little church and shows them the sovereign Hand of God in the background.  This "mighty hand of God" (vs. 6) was supervising the course of history in general and the particular expressions of trials that the church must face.  There was a necessity to it.  As the Christ had to suffer unto the end of God's glory (vs. 10,11), so the suffering ahead of Christ's church was necessary also.

This is the core of Christian humility.  It is the exact opposite of downcast defeatism and despair.  Christian humility is the willing and even energetic embrace of God's purposes for our lives.  It is always characterized by a certain acceptance that those purposes are hidden from our view.  We don't know the "why" of our situation but we readily recognize the "what."  God leads us to face perils, particularly those arrayed in the battle colors of the enemy, and calls on us to trust Him.  There is no place here for self-pity.  Christian humility understands the privilege we have been accorded.  We have been called, along with untold thousands of other brothers and sisters across the world (vs. 9), to suffer... for a while... unto the end that we may be exalted in due time. (vs. 6)

Here is the apparent paradox.  Willing submission to the hand of God in the face of enraged enemies is opposition to those evil men and the demonic powers behind them.  It is God who is actually fighting and it is He who is resisting the proud. (vs. 5)  He is not absent from the conflict but rather is present to give grace to the humble.  He is not like a callous general throwing his soldiers into battle as so much "cannon fodder."  Rather, He cares for us. (vs. 7)  It is His intention to carry us through our struggles and then usher us into "eternal glory" after our short while of suffering, and, through those trials, perfect and establish us in His Kingdom and His blessing.

Christian humility is realizing and accepting that we are God's "pawns" if you will, to be used as He sees best, to attain His ultimate victory.  However, unlike pawns in a chess game, our sacrifice does not mean we are removed from the board and cast aside.  It means that, as would happen with a pawn advancing to the last row, we will be elevated to royalty as part of God's eternal family.

Christian humility is grounded in the conviction that "it doesn't get any better than this."

 

 

 

 

James 5: What Are Friends For?

Image: "Friends", 2017, Tanger Family Gardens, Greensboro, NC

James 5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

James 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:19–20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

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Friends are not optional... they are essential.  

No matter how romantically the American myth of the lone cowboy/mountain man facing the vastness of the western plains or the awe-inspiring reaches of the Rocky mountains is painted, yet it remains that those who chose such a solitary life paid a price for it.  Extended solitude can warp a man's mind and living at constant risk of life and limb, with no one to help, is not good for the soul.  "Man" was created in the image of God, not as a rugged individual, but rather in "community" as the Triune God Himself is Community.  Thus man and woman were created in the image of God, together, and designed to provide overlapping support for each other.  They were mutual helpmates.  They were, first and foremost, friends.

Sin made this necessary relation even more critical.  Our spiritual battles are just too overpowering to be faced alone.  In 1 Corinthians Paul told his readers that prolonged abstinence between a man and a wife would lead to temptation and certainly that is true.  However, it goes beyond that.  Men and women need help facing all kinds of temptations as well as discovering the deeper treasures of human life.  Humans are designed to flourish, as humans, in relationships.  We need other people to bring out the best in us even as, in God's providence, others need us to do the same for them.  

Throughout history, men and women developed and treasured special "friends."  Montaigne devoted an entire essay to it, Dr. Johnson valued his Boswell, and our Lord Christ valued His disciples whom He called "friends."  

The point of this extended introduction is that in this Facebook era, the term and the concept of "friends" have suffered greatly.  We may elevate some people to BFF status but even then there is a superficial quality to the relation.  God intends more for us because the question: "what are friends for?" is not trivial at all.

Notice how, in this chapter, James situates his readers within a web of relationships that are far more intimate and trusting than mere acquaintances.  

He calls on us to recognize, like the old mountaineers, that we live at risk every day.  The entire world is teetering on the brink of the Lord's return. (vs. 8)  He is "standing at the door" as our Judge.  James points to this reality and says that we need patience and endurance.  To develop these things we need "friends" around us to encourage us and to be encouraged by us.  He specifically warns against "grumbling" against one another because that undermines the whole web of organic support that we need.

Rather than grumbling, we should be praying.  Nothing so seals a relationship as committed mutual prayers.  To effectively pray for another person (vs. 16) we have to possess some degree of intimate knowledge of the other person's weaknesses and needs.  This requires a trusting relationship that goes far beyond superficial disclosures.  James calls on us, as friends, to confess our sins to one another (vs. 16) as well as to be honest about our "suffering" (VS. 13).  I do not think that this means that we bare our souls before the entire congregation as a common practice.  That would promote gossip as well as hypocrisy.  What James is exhorting is, that as our Lord Christ with His inner circle of three disciples, that we have a smaller group of brothers/sisters who have proven trustworthy and are transparent about their lives also.

Friendship is equally mutual or it is not friendship.

It is within the sphere of friendship that James' closing statements have the clearest impact.  It is love that pushes a person to reach out to their brother or sister who has become ensnared by Satan. (vs. 19-20)  It is only when a bond of trust has been previously established that a man, often already deeply ashamed, is open to listening to exhortation and admonishment.  It is only when a deep affection is already present that words that may cut to the bone can be received as loving.  How much more can the office of friendship be promoted than to know that, within it, a multitude of sins can be "covered."

We can think of Christian "community" as a ladder of godly friendships.  Marriage/family is the foundational order.  Then comes the brotherhood (Biblically called "koinonia") and the structured community of elders/lay leaders who have been given authority to facilitate godly relationships both vertically and horizontally in God's kingdom.

It is a beautiful thing to live in a web of friendships... you would think that God designed us that way!

 

 

James 4: Choose Your Friends Wisely

Image: Textures, 2021, Greensboro, NC

James 4:4  Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:7–10  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

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It's pretty hard imagining a modern pastor speaking these words, using this tone, to his congregation.  Now, that's not necessarily a good thing.  Jesus certainly didn't shy away from "firing for effect" when the situation demanded it.  He turned to Peter, after his somewhat condescending comments regarding Jesus' future, and soundly rebuked him:  "Get behind me Satan!"  Talk about being set back on your heels!  Jesus was actually showing mercy to Peter.  He was awakening him to the subtlety which Satan can use to lure us away from right thinking.  James is doing nothing less here.

James is worried about his people.  His central concern is "double-mindedness" ( ch. 1:7, 4:8), the deadly trap of trying to live with one foot in each world: the world of Christ's Kingdom, or the world of the flesh and the devil.  We must not think that this circumstance is unusual.  Every church is infected with this plague to some degree and, truth be told, perhaps the majority of so-called Christian congregations are dominated by it.  Again, like with Peter, the essential problem is the subtlety of the sin.

Every time a Christian gathers with his brothers and sisters, he brings worldly thinking to the gathering.  Christians live the majority of their lives engaging the world.  They live in secular neighborhoods among very worldly neighbors.  They work in the fiercely competitive economy for people and among people, who are actively devoting their lives to Mammon.  They cannot escape the political environment and they have been mostly educated in institutions that sneer at the Christian faith.  The most common coping mechanism Christians employ is to "bifurcate" their worldview.  They put their Christianity in a little box marked "private" and they only open that box when gathering with their brothers and sisters in the church. 

Necessarily this results in "double-mindedness".  Keeping their faith "private" means that Christians actively "make friends" with the world. (vs. 4)  When the world is "at ease" with a person it is because that individual poses no threat to it.  There are no points of friction.  There are no distinctions made within the group.  The Christian, though perhaps unconsciously, is influenced by the worldly values, opinions, and priorities that control his worldly circle.  Since in normal practice, he spends much more time in that world than in Christian fellowship, he is deeply impacted by worldly thinking.  This is what he brings to the Christian fellowship.  This is how an entire Christian congregation can, and not uncommonly, does become dominated by worldly thinking.

How else can it happen that a church can be ripped apart by "wars and fights" within it? (vs. 1,2)  There can be no unity where worldly thinking predominates.  Look at the world itself!  Is there unity there?  Do we see peace in the sphere of the flesh and the devil?  Of course not.  Thus we can be certain that when Christians are dominated by impulsive passions ("pleasures", vs. 3), of whatever type, rather than sober consideration grounded in a thorough submission to God and His Scriptures, then Satan not only has a foothold, he may be in their master.

That is why James calls on his flock to "draw near to God."(vs. 8)  They must "resist the devil" (vs. 7) because he is certainly present.  They must choose: either to be friends with God through Jesus Christ, or friends with Satan and enemies of Christ.  There is no middle ground and James cuts them no slack at all. (vs. 4)  No sane person would consciously choose Satan as a friend over God.  But that's the whole point.  It is seldom "conscious" and it is always insane.  We must be awakened to our deadly peril.  "Double-mindedness" is so common as to be just part of the air we breathe.  Like the proverbial frog in a pot that doesn't sense the rising temperature of the water in which he is immersed, we are imminently at risk of spiritual death.  

Therefore we must heed James' admonition.  We must awaken to the tokens of worldly thinking in our individual and corporate lives.  We must resist the temptation to "judge" in the sense of negative assessments of other Christians' worth.  We must actively pray for humility even while trembling at how God might answer the prayer.  But most of all, we must take Christian thinking and Christian teachings into our secular precincts.  It may cost us a few "friends" but we can bet that those were the very ones who had been leading us astray.  Christ deserves our entire person and His church deserves our utmost concern for her purity and peace.  Let us put away "double-think" in all its forms and serve our Christ in single-minded devotion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

James 3: Wisdom and Its Fruits

Image: "Desiring Wisdom", 2012, Garden near Great Wall, PRC

James 3:13  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

James 3:15–18 This wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

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There are "smarts" and there are "street smarts."  Someone may be "really smart" in academics and yet not very "savvy" in their everyday life.  Most of us readily accept that intelligence does not necessarily equate to wisdom.  We don't think about it often but we acknowledge that truth when it comes up.

We are less and less precise in the use of language as time goes on.  We blur meanings and attach names to things and situations so as to sound more sophisticated or, all too often, to obscure some events.  "Illegal immigrants" become "undomesticated workers."   "Freedom of choice" shifts the conversation away from the "right to abort."  Language takes on a "dulling" effect as we lose conceptual and analytical tools.  In this environment "wisdom" suffers.

James and the other Biblical authors go to some lengths exhorting us to desire and attain "wisdom."  There was little confusion about that term in those times.  "Wisdom" was not at all isolated to what we would call "book learning."  A person was not "wise" because they had attained comprehensive knowledge of a subject leading to a Ph.D.  "Wisdom", as classically understood by the ancients, from the Israelite prophets through Plato and Aristotle and carrying through to the middle ages, is the "art of living well."  It included practical skills, such as how to fix a plumbing problem, to astute business practice.  The ancients, far more than we, understood this in terms of "going with the flow" in nature.  All the great religions, including ancient Israel, understood all aspects of life through an "ethical framework."  This was not entirely a question of "right and wrong" though the idea of "justice" was never absent.  Rather it was a question of "you reap what you sow."  This is because there was a moral law inherent in nature.  If a person aligned themselves with that moral "flow" then the prospect of a good outcome was greatly enhanced.  We see this in the Pagan ideas of "fate" and "karma" as well as the Biblical teachings.  The difference, of course, was in the Judeo-Christian revelation that all "ethics" were grounded in a Personal God Who governed His creation with equity and justice and required His people to conform to His righteousness or live in peril.

With those ideas before us, we can generalize about "wisdom."  We can say that it is the "art of living well."  It is an "art" not a skill because it is a conditioned achievement.  It requires practice, discipline, and discernment.  "Wisdom" is developed in Christians by the inworking Holy Spirit guiding us in the pathways of wisdom and, beyond question, it is the "art of living well" in whatever our circumstances, no matter how dire or difficult, because it is the pathway of blessing.

James expands our understanding by distinguishing two types of "wisdom": "earthly" and "heavenly."  Now proponents of each type of wisdom would agree with the above, at least to some extent.  Those who align themselves with "earthly" wisdom will argue that it is exactly the way to live "well."  The way to flourish in a "dog-eat-dog" culture is to be the top dog.  Money may not buy everything but it makes "not having everything" a lot better than otherwise.  The fundamental idea of earthly wisdom is that it is grounded in "pleasure" and therefore hearkens back to Epicurus and his followers.

But let's scan what James says are the actual fruits of earthly wisdom.  He says that it harbors or produces "bitter envy... self-seeking... boasting... lying against the truth... confusion... and 'every evil thing'."  Quite frankly, if we detach ourselves from our passions and lusts, this kind of life doesn't sound like "living well" at all.  In contrast, James teaches that the "wisdom that is from above" is "pure... peaceable... gentle... full of mercy... good fruits... without partiality and without hypocrisy." (vs. 15-18)  While we readily acknowledge that a person who is filled with heavenly wisdom might very well be suffering persecution, or hunger, or ill-treatment that would not be the case if they pursued "earthly wisdom", yet, we must see that this is the entire point.

"Living well" means being at "peace" in the world.  Heavenly wisdom produces the "fruit of righteousness" which sows peace in the world... its practitioners "make peace."  (vs. 18) It is the earthly wisdom that breeds all the chaos, confusion, pain and suffering in the world.  Those who earnestly pursue heavenly wisdom are the "peacemakers" whom Jesus promised would receive peace.  

How does a person seek and attain "heavenly wisdom."  It is found in Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the Scriptures.  "Wisdom" is a Person.  When we open our eyes and our minds to embrace Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, as the incarnation of heavenly wisdom, then we start seeing things differently.  We live more and more each day "in Christ" which means that we live and move and have our being in the sphere of Christ.  We see the world through His eyes as it were.  We begin to understand the forces that impact us and bear down on us, both for good or ill, more accurately.  We undertake to align ourselves with God's will so that it is done on earth as it is in heaven.  In doing so, as the Psalmist sang, we are led in "green pastures" and by "still waters."  "Our cup overflows" as "peace" rises to encompass our souls.

This is not some esoteric, mystical mind-game.  This is living in the real world as God, through Christ, has revealed the real world exists.  

 

 

 

 

 

Hebrews 13: Awaiting His Return...

Image: "Awaiting the Return", 2013, Vicinity of Bar Harbor, Me

Hebrews 13:1–2  Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:13–16 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Hebrews 13:20–21 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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In this chapter, we have a summary exhortation to closeout a letter which the author himself calls "the word of exhortation". (vs. 22)   This beautiful epistle is addressed to the saints of every age, standing like the pier above, waiting for the refreshing tide to return again.  Our Lord has come in the flesh and gone in the flesh (though still with us in Spirit).  Sometimes, as we scan the horizon, it may appear as if the "times of refreshing" (Acts 3:19) are gone forever, but our author calls us to persevering faith.  We have a High Priest Who has entered into the Holiest of Holies, through the veil of His own flesh and sanctified us by washing us with His very own blood.  He has saved us to the uttermost and, having paid such a high price, He will certainly not forget us or His promise to return.  It is our call to wait patiently and expectantly and... in holiness.

This last call to holiness before the Lord is the subject of this last chapter.  The author is convinced that God has called His Church to be always prepared for His Son's return.  Jesus taught us this in many parables such as that of the ten virgins. (Mat. 25:1ff)  He wants us to be "complete in every good work" in doing His will and thus to be "well-pleasing" in His sight. (vs. 21)  This is to be evident in all of our individual lives but particularly in our corporate witness.  

God's command to individual holiness is unto the end that there will exist an entire body of people, collectively recognized as the Church of Jesus Christ, that commends to the world a lifestyle of holiness.  To this end, as in this chapter, His commands are addressed to an entire body of believers.  These believers will be organized, administered, and disciplined under leaders who are designated "rulers." (vs. 7, 17)  Thus, there will not be chaos and disunity in faith and practice but rather there will be a "separate people", a culture, a social order, that displays the hallmarks of grace (vs. 9).  

This witness of holiness will not, and cannot, be that of absolute sinlessness.  Rather it will be recognized by their attitude toward sin, forgiveness, and love.  They will guard against sin in the home and their marriage beds. (vs. 4)  They will strive to be worthy of the sacrifice offered up on their behalf (vs. 13) and recognize their common bond in sharing in that sacrifice.  Therefore their brotherly love will rise above petty covetousness and sincerely rejoice in others' special blessings and providential supply. (vs. 5)

Most of all, however, even in the face of fearsome persecution and spiritual warfare, this society will resound in continual praise.  They will offer up the "fruit" of their lips in this "sacrifice" in the full knowledge that their God is "well pleased" in such things. (vs. 15)

Thus, unlike the rather bleak, static, pier in the image above, this "nation" will be dynamic and bright.  They will wait in hope, having a taste of God's blessings now and knowing that a full feast awaits.  Their eyes are indeed on the horizon, beyond which they know they have a "continuing city" that is to come. (vs. 14)  They may be temporally in rags, bleeding from wounds, grieving over their loved ones, or otherwise subject to trial, but they are never defeated.  They cannot be defeated because Jesus Christ "is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  He is as He was.  He will be as He is now.  He cannot change, He cannot lie and He will ultimately prevail over all His enemies in time as He prevailed over them on the cross.

This is the Spirit of Hope and "He" is the animating power that enables and empowers the witness of God's special people.

 

 

 

Hebrews 6: Broken Beyond Repair

Image: "Beyond Hope", 2013, Peggy's Cove, NS

Hebrews 6:4–6  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Hebrews 6:9–10  But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Hebrews 6:17–18 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

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This chapter contains one of the more difficult passages in all Scripture.  The questions raised by verses 4-6 occasioned much discussion in the earliest days of the Church, specifically with regard to those who, under torture or the threat of it, denied Christ and/or performed pagan worship practices as proof.  The "Novatians" argued that apostasy, for any reason including torture, was an unforgivable sin.  It was and is a prickly question.  On the other side, some early Fathers of the Church did not think the entire epistle should be granted canonical status because of this verse.  

But the church came to recognize the obvious power of the Holy Spirit in this epistle and has, for 2000 years, embraced it, and with good reason.  But that makes it even more important that we face the challenge of these verses and learn from them.

The key point to keep in mind, I think, is the centrality of Christ.  This is the principal doctrine of this entire epistle and it is certainly central here.  So, let's distinguish a couple of things.  This passage does not mean that committing external sins, under coercion, is unforgivable.  A Christian may find some threats intolerable.  Perhaps the idea of having his family slaughtered before his eyes is just too horrible to allow.  Yet, in his heart, he does in fact believe.  I do not think external acts, though they will be a great burden on his conscience, in such circumstances means the individual is eternally lost.  He does not have to "crucify Christ" again.

So, the issue then resolves to those people who truly, in their heart of hearts, turn away from Christ as their only hope for salvation.  These folks may have been raised in the faith by Christian parents, or had an emotional "conversion" and displayed the zeal of those discovering something "new."  But, like the second seed in Jesus' parable, the gospel did not find fertile ground and in time, they departed for some other "new" idea or returned to their old sinful lives.  

These folks have cut themselves off from Christ because they know the truth, to some extent, but reject it.  It is an act of their will. What this passage teaches is that as long as they reject Christ as He is offered in the gospel, as the One who has once died for the sins of His people and has thus offered up the only sacrifice there is for sin, then no other pathway is open to them.  Jesus would have to be sacrificed "again", in other words, He would have to offer some other sacrifice beyond what He has already accomplished.  This is blasphemy.

Therefore, we have to be careful with this passage.  We must not allow those, perhaps weaker, brothers and sisters, who have fallen into sin after confessing faith, to believe that they have no hope for salvation.  As long as there is faith, even that of a grain of mustard seed, repentance is possible and the joy of their salvation can be renewed.  God has sworn (vs. 17-18) that He will welcome all of those who flee to Him for refuge.  That refuge is found in Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, and His perfect sacrifice on behalf of our sins.  If that hope remains in us, if we cling to it, though battered by Satan, tempted in the extreme, and sometimes falling, then we are not "broken beyond repair."  This is the strong "anchor of the soul" that safely moors us to our eternal inheritance.

However, returning to those whose apostasy is total, we must not hold out false hope.  If they have departed the true faith and laid hold on one of the many false religions clamoring for their souls, then they must be told that Christ has offered only one sacrifice for sins.  There is no other "way" to God.  No matter how strictly moral they are (eg. the Novatians mentioned above were strict moralists), their external "goodness" will be as filthy rags when standing before the judgment seat of God.  Their boat is, indeed, broken beyond repair.

 

 

 

 

Philemon: Intercession & the Death Knell of Slavery

Image: "Awaiting Day", 2009, Millersville, Md.

Philemon 8–11  Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

Philemon 15–16  For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Philemon 17–18  If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

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Paul's epistle to Philemon is perhaps the most intimate of all his writings.  Certainly, we see Paul's zeal and penetrating insights to a far greater extent in other writings, but in this letter, we see Paul the man, Paul the pastor, Paul the brother.  

Onesimus was Philemon's slave.  We don't know exactly how he came to Paul.  He "departed" from Philemon (vs. 13) for some reason.  I doubt Philemon, whom Paul holds in great affection, was all that terrible a master, at least by Roman standards.  It's possible he was abusive but Paul does not address him with heated rhetoric or implied condemnation.  Onesimus may have simply wanted to spend time with Paul, to be taught, not as a slave but as a welcome friend and brother.  It's possible he snuck off to learn more about the risen Jesus.  This last certainly accords better with the fact that Paul's affection for him is plain.  He calls Onesimus "my own heart." (vs. 12)  So, in this passage we see Paul, as a Christian, dealing with a rather complex social issue of his day that had presented itself in the form of very personal issues.

Let's focus on the underlying principles on which Paul builds this letter.

The surface account is straightforward.  Paul comes to Philemon as an intercessor, "praying" for Philemon to receive Onesimus back into fellowship with forgiveness and joy rather than anger and condemnation.  In the process, Paul offers himself as a substitute, or better yet, a guarantor of reparation for any "harm"  that Onesimus caused Philemon. (vs. 17-18)  And finally, Paul implicitly calls Philemon to account for viewing Onesimus as a slave rather than a "beloved brother." (vs. 16)  

What we see here is Paul showing Philemon and us, what it means to emulate our Lord Jesus Christ.

Did our Lord not come into this world to befriend and comfort those whom the institutions of oppression had worked great harm?  Philemon was a Christian but evidently, his eyes were not opened to his own unconscious furthering the demonic agenda.  Our Lord came to not only free those enslaved to Satan openly and explicitly.  He also came to free those of us who were blind to our own participation in that agenda.  Paul, here, beautifully fulfills his Lord's purpose by following in His footsteps.

Our Lord is our great intercessor, our High Priest, Who continuously intercedes for us before the throne of God.  As such He pleads our cause and begs forgiveness for our sins and has already voluntarily taken upon Himself the full and complete penalty for those sins.  He has completely satisfied our God's honor as well as His justice.  Thus Paul is implicitly reminding Philemon of what his own Lord, Jesus, had done for him.  It is a beautiful thing.

And lastly, as the goal and purpose of intercession, Paul is, like his Master before him, tearing down strongholds.  By pointing Philemon toward the fundamental truth of Jesus Christ, that in Him there are no status differences, no slaves or free.  There is only a sublime brotherhood that welds us together as a family.  Paul asks Philemon to no longer treat Onesimus as a slave but as a brother... a beloved brother.  Here we see Paul ringing out the death knell of slavery.  How can a man hold down his own brother in slavery apart from sin?  He can't.  Joseph's brothers sinned mightily when they sold him into slavery.  No Hebrew could coercively obtain another Israelite as his slave.  That doesn't mean that a poor Israelite might not voluntarily "enlist" as such to another man but in the year of Jubilee, that bond of slavery was severed.

God did not design human beings to "own" other human beings and it is entirely counter to the gospel of Jesus Christ to call it "good."  Like polygamy, God tolerated it for a while, but in Jesus Christ, God has called us to a higher life and a more beautiful set of social institutions.  

So, in this concise yet marvelously profound epistle, Paul gives us an example to emulate.  We too should engage the world and oppose the demonic institutions persisting in it.  We also should learn the value of intercessory prayer, both directed toward God and toward people in authority.  Paul shows us that we do not always have to fight with clubs.  And lastly, Paul shows us that the gospel is the answer to all the social sins still prevailing among us.  It is the power of God to bring about the righteousness of God.  We need to trust it and put it to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Timothy 3: Perilous Times Indeed

Image: "Standing Tall", 2013, View of "Angels Landing", Zion National Park, Utah.  

2 Timothy 3:12–13 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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Anyone so foolish as to think the Bible to be an archaic work of fiction with no relevance to the present day should be stopped dead in their tracks by the opening verses in this chapter.

2 Timothy 3:1–5  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Are these words not an apt summary of our modern ethical context?  Do we not see these behaviors present all around us?  Worst of all, do we not have to acknowledge that in movies, TV shows, and even politics, these behaviors are celebrated?  Americans love success and we are, as a people, often quite content to not care a great deal about how success was obtained.  One of the most brilliant movies Hollywood ever produces was "The Godfather."  Let's confess.  Did we not "root" for the Corleone family?  Did we not approve of the murderous conclusion?  And that movie debuted in 1972, 40 years ago!  We watch "entertainment" now that is lightyears beyond that story in celebrating violence, lawlessness, and perversion.

We live in a social order given over to the "despisers of good", the "lovers of pleasure", etc.  In many of our modern "churches", especially those completely sold out to cultural accommodation, can we not say that they "have a form of godliness but deny its power?"  Any objective analysis would have to affirm Paul's words as describing our times.

If so, what "times" are these?  Paul calls them "the last days" and he says that they are "perilous" indeed.

So, what are we to do?  Do we just throw up our hands and declare that the world is "going to Hell in a hand-basket" and retreat into our little pious enclaves and celebrate ourselves for escaping these things (if indeed we have)?  Paul does say "from such people turn away" doesn't he?  We might be inclined to accept this except for Paul's further statements in the chapter.

Paul says that "turning away" means that we are not to align ourselves with these people.  We are not to be identified with them, even by association.  We certainly are not to compromise with their values by allowing their moral pretensions to be tolerated within our community.  We must see them as those whose "folly will be manifest to all" as was that of Jannes and Jambres. (vs. 9)  But we must also recognize that our witness to another rule of life and practice must be made clear.

We must be visibly different among them but not with them.  We should participate in our social context in an active manner, standing tall, in our corporate reality, as a rock-solid alternative. We have to be seen as different, every day.  This is even more stringent as we see "evil men and imposters" growing "worse and worse" all around us.  The tide of depravity must flow around us like a boulder in the midst of a rapid stream.  But like that boulder, we must, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, not be moved.

The inevitable outcome will be that we are noticed and resented.  Some will be inspired by our solid foundation and wish to align themselves with us.  This is the cutting edge of God's gospel power.  But others will be infuriated and we will find ourselves cruelly despised, castigated, and perhaps mistreated.  Paul says clearly: "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (vs. 12)  So be it.  Our calling is to obedience.  Godliness, in this life, is its own reward and we should not look for any other rewards from the culture.  It cannot award them to us and remain true to itself.  Therefore, we must embrace the reality and strengthen our weak knees to persevere under whatever God's providence brings our ways.

We have not been left without guidance.  Paul's famous teaching in vs. 16-17 tells us that we have all that we need to live obediently in God's Holy Word.  There we will find the wisdom we need to equip us "for every good work."  Now is the time, perilous though it may be, for all Christians to embrace their Christ and follow His footsteps in the light He has provided for our walk.

It's not at all a call for despair.  It is a call to hope, for ourselves and for the wicked world around us.  How can they hear if no one "preaches' to them, both through the spoken word and by the example of godly living?  Our song must always be: 'To God be the glory...", no matter what.

 

 

2 Timothy 2: The Twin Pillars of Christianity

Image: "Twin Pillars", 2013, View near Rainbow Point, Bryce Canyon Nat. Park, Utah.

2 Timothy 2:11–13 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

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I think Paul was a "mite" concerned that he would not see Timothy again.  I believe he had a strong, fatherly affection for the young man whom he had nurtured in doctrine and whose companionship had meant so much throughout the years.  Certainly, this epistle has a "last word" type of tone.  After all, Timothy was carrying on Paul's work, Paul's testimony to the succeeding ages was vested in him.  At least, this is the frame of mind I attribute to Paul.

When giving "parting instructions", it is important to be clear and concise; to state things in an easy-to-remember form.  Paul does that.

He reminds Timothy of a fundamental creedal affirmation. (vs. 11-13)  We can imagine this snippet being chanted or sung as part of primitive Christian worship.  It probably meant a lot to Paul personally when fortifying himself to endure hardship or persecution.  "If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him... endure with Him, reign with Him, deny Him and He will deny us, but if we are faithless, He remains faithful."  I can envisage one of our ancient brothers walking out onto a coliseum grounds, to endure unspeakable horrors for the amusement of bloodthirsty citizens, chanting these words to himself over and over.

When it comes down to it, Christian hope is rooted in this fact.  Jesus cannot "deny Himself." (vs. 13)  He is the Savior of His elect (vs. 10) or He is not.  If He is not then He is denying everything He ever said about Himself... He would be denying Himself... and this He cannot do.  Here is our hope.

As we live in that hope, Paul's admonition to "present ourselves approved to God", as he said to Timothy, again rings true.  It is easy to remember.  It strikes right at the heart of our calling.  We are to demonstrate God's stamp of approval on our heads and our hearts.  He has certified us as authentic Christians: men and women who do need to be ashamed of their calling.  His Holy Spirit indwells us as is evident by how we conduct our lives.  We "rightly divide the word of truth", governing our conduct, conversation, and hidden thoughts by the teachings of Scripture.  We are equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:15ff) and show surprising wisdom even silencing the mouths of false intellectuals who spout "profane and idle babblings." (vs. 16)  A beautifully simple exhortation, one that any disciple can file away in his/her heart and gain great reward from its guidance.

But it is the last "bon mot" that caps them all.  In verse 19 Paul shares what we can call the "twin pillars of Christianity."  He describes it as "the solid foundation of God" which, if embraced and constantly kept in memory, comforts and emboldens our every Christian endeavor.  (1) The Lord knows those who are His, and (2) Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Think of how clearly this directs our steps.  Through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, sealed to our conscience and knowledge by the gift of faith, we can know that we belong to Christ.  We are His!  If we grant this full credibility then can there be any danger, difficulty, challenge, or other hardship that we cannot face with a measure of confidence?  Certainly not.  We have confessed that through faith we died with Him and therefore we will live with Him.  As He lives so shall we live, now and through eternity.  Here is the first pillar.

The second pillar follows close on to the first.  If we belong to Christ; if He is present with us always, then how can we smear His name or His presence with the smut of foul iniquity?  The testimony of our lives, as mentioned above, is to show forth our "authentic Christianity."  Iniquity has no place in this and therefore, from the heart, we should long to distance ourselves from it.  Satan is subtle beyond measure but by rightly dividing the word of truth, we can withstand his wiles, (vs. 26) and we must.  This is the second pillar.

So Paul gives us and Timothy some very memorable instructions to guide our daily journeys.  They may be somewhat challenging to obey in certain circumstances but they are solid gold in value.  Let's embrace them all and show the world what "authentic Christianity" is all about.