Genesis 17:5
Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made you.
It’s commonly taught and believed that Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was scheming and acting in a devious way when she told Abraham to have a baby with Hagar. I’m not entirely sure that is what the Bible actually says, though. I guess the question that begs to be asked here is this: if she wasn’t scheming (and plotting to consciously act outside of the will of God) then why did she have this plan to have Abraham have a baby with Hagar?
In short Sarai (her name at the time) was acting on human knowledge. Abram (his name at the time) had no doubt told her that the Lord had come to him and proclaimed that his descendants would outnumber the stars. I know that if God had come and told me that I would have wasted no time telling my wife! But God never told Abram that Sarai would be the mother. (It’s okay, go look it up to see for yourself.)
Naturally, Sarai and Abram must have assumed that it would be through them, but after trying time and time again, humanity got the best of them. Frustration coupled with questions like “how” and “when” cluttered their minds and consumed their thoughts until finally Sarai gave up hope that she would be the mother. She went to her husband Abram with a plan in mind: maybe I’ll be a mother through my servant.
Was it malicious? Was it sinful for Sarai to have this thought? I don’t see how it could have been. She hadn’t been told that she was going to be the one to bear the child. She only knew half of the plan; Abram was going to be the father. Sarai was simply trying to work out the will of God through her own understanding. She didn’t have all of the information yet.
God designed this story to unfold exactly how it did, not to show us how working outside His will always causes us problems, but to reveal a snapshot of the good to come through Jesus Christ. After Abram and Hagar conceived and had a baby, God was able to fully reveal Himself to Abram and Sarai.
It wasn’t until doing (and therein lies the secret) things their way failed that God was able to show them that things done (past tense) His way always work. Abram and Sarai couldn’t have the child of promise before God inserted His grace into their lives, specifically into their names. (Before they conceived God changed their names by adding a simple letter,ה [H]. The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Hei. Five is the number of grace and Hei is the letter of grace. It means “lo and behold”. Its pictograph is usually a man standing with arms raised or an open window.) It was then, after grace had been placed in their lives, that God declared that Abraham and Sarah would have Isaac, the son of promise.
The same holds true for us today, in reference to grace. Each and every one of us has unknowingly acted outside of the will of God in an attempt to obtain the promise through our own works and deeds, our doings. But, just like Abraham and Sarah, it’s not until God puts (continually) His grace, Jesus Christ, into our lives that we are able to receive the promise. When Christ died on the cross He became a physical manifestation of the letter “H”. The people cried out “look” as He hung on the cross. He was a man standing with His arms raised and His death opened the windows of heaven for all mankind to see.
The beautiful picture of God’s love and plan for salvation that is cleverly hidden within the story of Abraham and Sarah is just one of the many hidden treasures cleverly concealed within the pages of the Bible. Without grace there is no reward.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Your heart's desire.
Psalm 20:4
He will give you your heart’s desire and carry out all your plans.
Frankly, I’m tired of the “we’re not worthy” attitude that so many Christians cling to and so many preachers extol from the pulpit. Yes, it’s true that given our sinful nature we’re not worthy of God or His Glory, but the truth of the matter is we’re made new according Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. What Jesus did for us on Calvary covered any and all transgressions that we have committed, are committing, or will commit. Christ’s overpayment for our sin debt, His physical and spiritual reversal of the curse, has opened up the windows of heaven to us according to His riches in His glory (Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 3:16).
While it’s true that we need to seek and work within God’s will for our lives, the truth still remains that He wants to give us what we desire; He wants to make our plans succeed. What does this mean to our Christian way of life? Simply put, it means that as long as what we are doing isn’t sinful by nature (plotting a murder and raping people are good examples of sinful activities), God wants to help us do it.
Do you want to be a cross country runner? Well, God wants to give you your heart’s desire and help you carry out your plans. Sure, you’ll have to put the time and effort into a training routine, but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). The asthma you believe is holding you back has already been defeated by Christ on the cross. Believe that you have received healing already (Mark 11:24) and talk to God about your desires. Allow His power, which has defeated what you believe is holding you back, to make you who you want to be.
This isn’t just about your gym routine, though; it’s about your everyday life. God wants to see you satisfied, completed, and happy; He loves you. That is why He gave us Christ. It wasn’t so we could trudge through life with our heads down singing “praises to the King” while believing that we’re not even worthy to sing the very praises we just sang. That’s a crazy mindset! No, through the cross of Christ and His finished work we have the right, the justification, and the privilege to boldly come before God and ask Him to help us succeed, to give us what we desire.
Honestly, isn’t that what grace is about: the getting of something completely without deserving it? If God so loved the world that He was willing to die for our salvation (John 3:16), if He came to give us life abundantly (John 10:10), then why aren’t we receiving it? Because we’re still believing that we’re not worthy of it.
There has to be a change in our believing before there will be a change in our receiving. If we continue to believe that we’re not worthy of the blessings that Christ has bestowed upon us through the cross, then we will continue on not receiving those blessings. But, when we realize that we are worthy of those blessings, not through our works or deeds, but through the once and for all atoning and justifying sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will receive them in abundance.
Grace isn’t just a pretty name for a girl. It isn’t just what gets us to heaven. It is what sustains us through life; it brings us health, wealth, friendships, prosperity, happiness, joy, love, and peace. It is the full unbridled love of God made manifest for all mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is what gives us the confidence to say, “He will give me my heart’s desire and carry out all my plans.”
He will give you your heart’s desire and carry out all your plans.
Frankly, I’m tired of the “we’re not worthy” attitude that so many Christians cling to and so many preachers extol from the pulpit. Yes, it’s true that given our sinful nature we’re not worthy of God or His Glory, but the truth of the matter is we’re made new according Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. What Jesus did for us on Calvary covered any and all transgressions that we have committed, are committing, or will commit. Christ’s overpayment for our sin debt, His physical and spiritual reversal of the curse, has opened up the windows of heaven to us according to His riches in His glory (Philippians 4:19, Ephesians 3:16).
While it’s true that we need to seek and work within God’s will for our lives, the truth still remains that He wants to give us what we desire; He wants to make our plans succeed. What does this mean to our Christian way of life? Simply put, it means that as long as what we are doing isn’t sinful by nature (plotting a murder and raping people are good examples of sinful activities), God wants to help us do it.
Do you want to be a cross country runner? Well, God wants to give you your heart’s desire and help you carry out your plans. Sure, you’ll have to put the time and effort into a training routine, but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). The asthma you believe is holding you back has already been defeated by Christ on the cross. Believe that you have received healing already (Mark 11:24) and talk to God about your desires. Allow His power, which has defeated what you believe is holding you back, to make you who you want to be.
This isn’t just about your gym routine, though; it’s about your everyday life. God wants to see you satisfied, completed, and happy; He loves you. That is why He gave us Christ. It wasn’t so we could trudge through life with our heads down singing “praises to the King” while believing that we’re not even worthy to sing the very praises we just sang. That’s a crazy mindset! No, through the cross of Christ and His finished work we have the right, the justification, and the privilege to boldly come before God and ask Him to help us succeed, to give us what we desire.
Honestly, isn’t that what grace is about: the getting of something completely without deserving it? If God so loved the world that He was willing to die for our salvation (John 3:16), if He came to give us life abundantly (John 10:10), then why aren’t we receiving it? Because we’re still believing that we’re not worthy of it.
There has to be a change in our believing before there will be a change in our receiving. If we continue to believe that we’re not worthy of the blessings that Christ has bestowed upon us through the cross, then we will continue on not receiving those blessings. But, when we realize that we are worthy of those blessings, not through our works or deeds, but through the once and for all atoning and justifying sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will receive them in abundance.
Grace isn’t just a pretty name for a girl. It isn’t just what gets us to heaven. It is what sustains us through life; it brings us health, wealth, friendships, prosperity, happiness, joy, love, and peace. It is the full unbridled love of God made manifest for all mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is what gives us the confidence to say, “He will give me my heart’s desire and carry out all my plans.”
Thursday, September 22, 2011
God or Jehovah?
Psalm 18:3
The `Praised One' I call Jehovah, And from my enemies I am saved.
David calls God Jehovah. Apparently other people called Him “Praised One”. There was something different about David’s name for God, Jehovah, that couldn’t be found in the term “Praised One” and I think there is a lesson in this for us all.
We live in a church age where it seems that God’s true nature has been overlooked, as indicated by the trend to substitute His definitive name for others like Praised One, praise worthy, or just plain old God. While He is and always will be worthy of praise, that is not what or who God is at all. The word Jehovah means more than just the politically correct, somewhat generic “God”. It [Jehovah] encompasses who He is, Creator, with what He does, saves; Jehovah is the creating savior. He is always with us, always creating, and continually saving (Psalm 46:1, Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, Revelation 21:5).
That being the case, there needs to be a correction in our thinking, in our understanding of who God is and what He is doing, did, and will do. For far too long now there has been an attitude among believers that the cross gets us into heaven, where we’ll finally be saved, but life still stinks. This belief that “I’ll have my healing when...” has allowed the Devil a loophole back into the lives of Christ followers. How?
Christ Himself told us that what we hold true on earth, He will hold true in heaven (Matthew 16:19). If we believe we’re eventually going to be saved, but for now we have to suffer, then according to the word of Christ Himself, that is what will happen. If, however, we believe that the sacrifice Christ made on the cross was for us now, on earth as well as after death, imagine the difference that will make in our lives. Jesus said “It is finished!” (John 19:30) when He died on the cross. Take note that He didn’t say “It will be finished.” or “It is almost finished.” Why then do we continue to live as though it isn’t finished?
David knew God as Savior. Not only that, David understood how God was working in his life. He realized that God was a present tense savior, not an eventual savior, and he boldly proclaimed it. When I look at the church and see people burdened with disease, depression, and addictions with the hope that maybe someday they’ll be healed, I’m sad. I want to scream out that Christ already healed us. He didn’t just take on our sins; He restored our lives, renewed our spirits, and gave us peace. Speak the Word, proclaim the truth, “from my enemies I am saved!”
The `Praised One' I call Jehovah, And from my enemies I am saved.
David calls God Jehovah. Apparently other people called Him “Praised One”. There was something different about David’s name for God, Jehovah, that couldn’t be found in the term “Praised One” and I think there is a lesson in this for us all.
We live in a church age where it seems that God’s true nature has been overlooked, as indicated by the trend to substitute His definitive name for others like Praised One, praise worthy, or just plain old God. While He is and always will be worthy of praise, that is not what or who God is at all. The word Jehovah means more than just the politically correct, somewhat generic “God”. It [Jehovah] encompasses who He is, Creator, with what He does, saves; Jehovah is the creating savior. He is always with us, always creating, and continually saving (Psalm 46:1, Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, Revelation 21:5).
That being the case, there needs to be a correction in our thinking, in our understanding of who God is and what He is doing, did, and will do. For far too long now there has been an attitude among believers that the cross gets us into heaven, where we’ll finally be saved, but life still stinks. This belief that “I’ll have my healing when...” has allowed the Devil a loophole back into the lives of Christ followers. How?
Christ Himself told us that what we hold true on earth, He will hold true in heaven (Matthew 16:19). If we believe we’re eventually going to be saved, but for now we have to suffer, then according to the word of Christ Himself, that is what will happen. If, however, we believe that the sacrifice Christ made on the cross was for us now, on earth as well as after death, imagine the difference that will make in our lives. Jesus said “It is finished!” (John 19:30) when He died on the cross. Take note that He didn’t say “It will be finished.” or “It is almost finished.” Why then do we continue to live as though it isn’t finished?
David knew God as Savior. Not only that, David understood how God was working in his life. He realized that God was a present tense savior, not an eventual savior, and he boldly proclaimed it. When I look at the church and see people burdened with disease, depression, and addictions with the hope that maybe someday they’ll be healed, I’m sad. I want to scream out that Christ already healed us. He didn’t just take on our sins; He restored our lives, renewed our spirits, and gave us peace. Speak the Word, proclaim the truth, “from my enemies I am saved!”
Saturday, September 17, 2011
You're outta here!
Revelation 12:7-8
Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer.
It seems to be that when our lives aren’t working out, when the world around us is falling apart, when bad things are happening, we turn to God to console us through Job. We look at Job’s struggles and trials and try to compare our current state to his former state. I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with learning about what Job went through and how his standing with God was tested, but we are not Job.
Job was lacking one crucial element in his life that we Christians are not: Jesus as advocate. During Job’s day the Devil (Satan, the Dragon, Serpent) still had a place in the throne room of God (Job 2:1) where he could come and bring accusations against mankind. The Devil had a legal right to harm and cause harm to God’s people. Even though Christ had not yet come, however, God graciously limited the Devil’s actions (Job 2:6) and spared Job’s life.
We are not like Job. We, the post-cross believers, live in a greater time and have a greater blessing in our lives than Job could have. In fact, Job knew of our time and of our blessings and of the redemption of Jesus Christ that would someday come (Job 19:25), but he did not possess it. Job didn’t have the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which cries greater things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:24), sprinkled in the throne room of Heaven, blocking the Devil’s access.
When we compare ourselves and our struggles to Job, we’re insulting the cross of salvation, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Instead of comparing ourselves to Job when we’re in times of struggles we need to remind ourselves that God compares us to Jesus (...as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17) and sees us as perfect through His blood.
The Devil has no right to accuse you and bring curses on you through the throne room of God. He has been cast out, forever vanquished by the saving power of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, he still thinks he has the right to come to you directly. When he does, he’s hoping that you’ll forget the fact that Jesus paid the price and redeemed you to perfection. He’s hoping that you will believe the lies he tells and fall victim to a defeated foe.
That is why it is so very important to daily, hourly, every minute, remind ourselves of the abundant life that we have been freely given through the cross of Christ. We must remain strong in our faith that when Christ cried out “It is finished”, He meant everything. Disease, sickness, depression, sadness, addictions, sin, and death were all conquered on the cross. The Devil was cast out of heaven and has no right to stand where the blood of Christ has been sprinkled.
Friends, we are washed completely in the very same blood, covered from head to toe in the protecting, purifying blood of Christ. The Devil has no right to us! We are victorious through Jesus and we are blessed through His grace. So when the Devil comes to trick you, don’t remind him of who you are; remind yourself of who you are. Don’t even give Satan the satisfaction of hearing your voice; he has no right to you, your health, or your life.
Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer.
It seems to be that when our lives aren’t working out, when the world around us is falling apart, when bad things are happening, we turn to God to console us through Job. We look at Job’s struggles and trials and try to compare our current state to his former state. I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with learning about what Job went through and how his standing with God was tested, but we are not Job.
Job was lacking one crucial element in his life that we Christians are not: Jesus as advocate. During Job’s day the Devil (Satan, the Dragon, Serpent) still had a place in the throne room of God (Job 2:1) where he could come and bring accusations against mankind. The Devil had a legal right to harm and cause harm to God’s people. Even though Christ had not yet come, however, God graciously limited the Devil’s actions (Job 2:6) and spared Job’s life.
We are not like Job. We, the post-cross believers, live in a greater time and have a greater blessing in our lives than Job could have. In fact, Job knew of our time and of our blessings and of the redemption of Jesus Christ that would someday come (Job 19:25), but he did not possess it. Job didn’t have the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which cries greater things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:24), sprinkled in the throne room of Heaven, blocking the Devil’s access.
When we compare ourselves and our struggles to Job, we’re insulting the cross of salvation, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Instead of comparing ourselves to Job when we’re in times of struggles we need to remind ourselves that God compares us to Jesus (...as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17) and sees us as perfect through His blood.
The Devil has no right to accuse you and bring curses on you through the throne room of God. He has been cast out, forever vanquished by the saving power of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, he still thinks he has the right to come to you directly. When he does, he’s hoping that you’ll forget the fact that Jesus paid the price and redeemed you to perfection. He’s hoping that you will believe the lies he tells and fall victim to a defeated foe.
That is why it is so very important to daily, hourly, every minute, remind ourselves of the abundant life that we have been freely given through the cross of Christ. We must remain strong in our faith that when Christ cried out “It is finished”, He meant everything. Disease, sickness, depression, sadness, addictions, sin, and death were all conquered on the cross. The Devil was cast out of heaven and has no right to stand where the blood of Christ has been sprinkled.
Friends, we are washed completely in the very same blood, covered from head to toe in the protecting, purifying blood of Christ. The Devil has no right to us! We are victorious through Jesus and we are blessed through His grace. So when the Devil comes to trick you, don’t remind him of who you are; remind yourself of who you are. Don’t even give Satan the satisfaction of hearing your voice; he has no right to you, your health, or your life.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Never forget
Psalm 9:11
Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.
My sister-in-law recently pointed out to me an interesting fact. She explained to me her disdain for the way society dwells on the negative events of our lives. She vocalized her thoughts as we, the United States, approached the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Her basic point was this: why do we spend so much time celebrating the memories of horrible events and holding those horrible events dear to our hearts as if they were some form of security blanket?
I’ve got to be honest, it’s a darn good question. While the concept of “Never forget” is good, the way society goes about never forgetting is just sick. I think this was her point as well. We get together and hold memorial services where we cry and lament and relive the events as though it just happened. Sure, it is good to remember the sacrifice and the heroics, but the way our society chooses to do it gives the very people who caused us such great loss another day of celebration.
While citizens gather around the WTC Memorial in New York City with their somber attitudes and tear filled eyes, the terrorists, no doubt, sit in their compounds gloating. I’m sure their conversations revolve around how “scared” the Americans are that there will be a security breach on this day of remembrance. I’m sure they gloat as they watch the live coverage of people crying and sobbing over their losses. And I’m pretty sure that their intentions to terrorize and manipulate our way of living are fully realized as they see the state of the people and find joy in knowing that they did this to us. They made us sad; they hurt our nation; they killed our loved ones, and we continually give them the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurts.
(Please do not construe this as some form of unpatriotic rambling by a psycho who doesn’t care about the loss and tragedy of 9/11/2001. I am an American, a patriot, and a citizen of these United States. I believe in our freedoms, our Constitution, and our status as the greatest nation on the planet.)
My sister-in-law had a brilliant idea: what if on that day we celebrate the good in our lives instead? I thought, even beyond celebrating the good in our own lives, we could spend time dwelling on our good as a nation. What if instead of celebrating the horrible events of September 11 every year, we celebrated the good events that make us the greatest nation in the world? What if we had live coverage all day about how we liberated concentration camps during WWII? What if we aired programs that showed the world what the United States has done for humanity? What if we broadcast a running tally of all of the aid we’ve sent to hurting and dying people around the globe? What if we sent pictures of Americans on the shores of foreign lands protecting the hurting, the broken, those who are unable to protect themselves? What if we threw our status as a superpower back in the faces of the terrorists on September 11 every year and said to them, “You can’t beat us!”?
Then it occurred to me: the devil constantly reminds us of what he’s done to make us fall short. He’s always telling us where we’ve failed, where we’ve fallen short in our marriage, parenting, or career. The devil is like the Taliban of the spiritual realm. He’s a coward and he is nothing compared to our God! The Bible says that Satan is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), meaning that he isn’t really a lion at all! But Jesus, He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
So how fitting for it to be that Psalm 9:11 tells us to proclaim to all the nations what He [God] has done. If you’re not sure what Jesus has done, here’s a start. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. He never sinned, He never failed. Jesus healed the sick, made the blind see, gave the deaf hearing, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. Jesus bore the sins of man on His shoulders, the diseases of our bodies on His back, and went to the Mountain of Calvary where He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to atone for everything man has ever done, is doing, or will do. He made an exchange before God on our behalf imparting His righteousness to us and taking our sin upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ restored our status with God and justified us through His blood.
Thank you, Beth, for the insight!
Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.
My sister-in-law recently pointed out to me an interesting fact. She explained to me her disdain for the way society dwells on the negative events of our lives. She vocalized her thoughts as we, the United States, approached the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Her basic point was this: why do we spend so much time celebrating the memories of horrible events and holding those horrible events dear to our hearts as if they were some form of security blanket?
I’ve got to be honest, it’s a darn good question. While the concept of “Never forget” is good, the way society goes about never forgetting is just sick. I think this was her point as well. We get together and hold memorial services where we cry and lament and relive the events as though it just happened. Sure, it is good to remember the sacrifice and the heroics, but the way our society chooses to do it gives the very people who caused us such great loss another day of celebration.
While citizens gather around the WTC Memorial in New York City with their somber attitudes and tear filled eyes, the terrorists, no doubt, sit in their compounds gloating. I’m sure their conversations revolve around how “scared” the Americans are that there will be a security breach on this day of remembrance. I’m sure they gloat as they watch the live coverage of people crying and sobbing over their losses. And I’m pretty sure that their intentions to terrorize and manipulate our way of living are fully realized as they see the state of the people and find joy in knowing that they did this to us. They made us sad; they hurt our nation; they killed our loved ones, and we continually give them the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurts.
(Please do not construe this as some form of unpatriotic rambling by a psycho who doesn’t care about the loss and tragedy of 9/11/2001. I am an American, a patriot, and a citizen of these United States. I believe in our freedoms, our Constitution, and our status as the greatest nation on the planet.)
My sister-in-law had a brilliant idea: what if on that day we celebrate the good in our lives instead? I thought, even beyond celebrating the good in our own lives, we could spend time dwelling on our good as a nation. What if instead of celebrating the horrible events of September 11 every year, we celebrated the good events that make us the greatest nation in the world? What if we had live coverage all day about how we liberated concentration camps during WWII? What if we aired programs that showed the world what the United States has done for humanity? What if we broadcast a running tally of all of the aid we’ve sent to hurting and dying people around the globe? What if we sent pictures of Americans on the shores of foreign lands protecting the hurting, the broken, those who are unable to protect themselves? What if we threw our status as a superpower back in the faces of the terrorists on September 11 every year and said to them, “You can’t beat us!”?
Then it occurred to me: the devil constantly reminds us of what he’s done to make us fall short. He’s always telling us where we’ve failed, where we’ve fallen short in our marriage, parenting, or career. The devil is like the Taliban of the spiritual realm. He’s a coward and he is nothing compared to our God! The Bible says that Satan is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), meaning that he isn’t really a lion at all! But Jesus, He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
So how fitting for it to be that Psalm 9:11 tells us to proclaim to all the nations what He [God] has done. If you’re not sure what Jesus has done, here’s a start. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. He never sinned, He never failed. Jesus healed the sick, made the blind see, gave the deaf hearing, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. Jesus bore the sins of man on His shoulders, the diseases of our bodies on His back, and went to the Mountain of Calvary where He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to atone for everything man has ever done, is doing, or will do. He made an exchange before God on our behalf imparting His righteousness to us and taking our sin upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ restored our status with God and justified us through His blood.
Thank you, Beth, for the insight!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
sabbath/Sabbath?
Exodus 20:8
Remember to keep the Sabbath holy.
Most “Christians” go to church on Sunday. Most [practicing] Jewish people go to synagogue on Saturday. Which day is the sabbath? I guess if you want to be legalistic about it, Saturday is the sabbath. Saturday is the last day of the week, Sunday is the first day of the week. Saturday is believed to be the day in which God rested from creating (Genesis 2:3). But I’ll ask the question: does it really matter?
Is God really concerned with a particular day? I like to think that there is more to this, the fourth commandment, than just a simple day in which we “rest” from our work. Honestly, there are the legalistic believers out there who would say that on Saturday (Sunday, Monday, Friday...I don’t really care) while observing the sabbath you shouldn’t do any work. In Jesus’ day these people were called Pharisees. They were the ones who religiously and legalistically observed the sabbath, to the point of getting upset at Christ and His disciples for picking grain to eat or healing the lame on the sabbath (Luke 6:1, Mark 3:2). These people exist today, getting all riled up when we don’t observe a day of rest on Saturday or when we work on Sunday. It’s religion, folks, and Jesus didn’t come to give us religion; He came to give us life (John 10:10).
So what of the sabbath? Well, in order to answer that question we have to first capitalize the Sabbath. You see, with a small “s”, the sabbath is just another day. But the True Sabbath is much more than a day. Going back to Genesis, we learn that God made the Sabbath holy because in it He rested from His work (Genesis 2:3 “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God had created and made.”) I guess this may be getting a little spiritually deep here, but where else did God rest from His work? The answer is on the cross. It was on the cross where Christ finally found rest from His work, saving humanity.
Christ, before His death, gave His disciples an order: (I guess you could say it was a command) “...this do in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19) He broke the bread and poured out the wine and told them to get together and do the same in order to remember Him. In that word, remember, is hidden the secret to the Sabbath. It’s not a day; it is Christ.
God never intended for us to remember a specific day of the week; He intended for us to remember Jesus. Jesus showed us that the sabbath (as observed by tradition and religion) was just another day, that it was okay to do work on the sabbath. He healed the lame, in church, on the sabbath. He watched as His disciples picked grain on the sabbath and didn’t rebuke them for working.
Jesus not only fulfilled the Ten Commandments, He became them. He is our Sabbath. Remember Jesus? He died on the cross for your sins! Remember Jesus? He bore your sickness on His back! Remember Jesus? He told you He’ll give you rest from your works (Matthew 11:28).
I don’t think God cares one bit what day you go to church, what time you get there, or what denomination to which you belong. I don’t think it bothers Him when you have to work on Sunday morning (as some of us do) or if you tear your toilet paper ahead of time, on Saturday afternoon (yes, I have known people who went this far to avoid work on the sabbath). No, what God is really concerned with is whether or not you remember His Son, Jesus Christ. He’s concerned with your realization that in Christ you can rest from your works and attempts to be justified through them.
Jesus Christ is the True Sabbath.
Remember to keep the Sabbath holy.
Most “Christians” go to church on Sunday. Most [practicing] Jewish people go to synagogue on Saturday. Which day is the sabbath? I guess if you want to be legalistic about it, Saturday is the sabbath. Saturday is the last day of the week, Sunday is the first day of the week. Saturday is believed to be the day in which God rested from creating (Genesis 2:3). But I’ll ask the question: does it really matter?
Is God really concerned with a particular day? I like to think that there is more to this, the fourth commandment, than just a simple day in which we “rest” from our work. Honestly, there are the legalistic believers out there who would say that on Saturday (Sunday, Monday, Friday...I don’t really care) while observing the sabbath you shouldn’t do any work. In Jesus’ day these people were called Pharisees. They were the ones who religiously and legalistically observed the sabbath, to the point of getting upset at Christ and His disciples for picking grain to eat or healing the lame on the sabbath (Luke 6:1, Mark 3:2). These people exist today, getting all riled up when we don’t observe a day of rest on Saturday or when we work on Sunday. It’s religion, folks, and Jesus didn’t come to give us religion; He came to give us life (John 10:10).
So what of the sabbath? Well, in order to answer that question we have to first capitalize the Sabbath. You see, with a small “s”, the sabbath is just another day. But the True Sabbath is much more than a day. Going back to Genesis, we learn that God made the Sabbath holy because in it He rested from His work (Genesis 2:3 “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God had created and made.”) I guess this may be getting a little spiritually deep here, but where else did God rest from His work? The answer is on the cross. It was on the cross where Christ finally found rest from His work, saving humanity.
Christ, before His death, gave His disciples an order: (I guess you could say it was a command) “...this do in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19) He broke the bread and poured out the wine and told them to get together and do the same in order to remember Him. In that word, remember, is hidden the secret to the Sabbath. It’s not a day; it is Christ.
God never intended for us to remember a specific day of the week; He intended for us to remember Jesus. Jesus showed us that the sabbath (as observed by tradition and religion) was just another day, that it was okay to do work on the sabbath. He healed the lame, in church, on the sabbath. He watched as His disciples picked grain on the sabbath and didn’t rebuke them for working.
Jesus not only fulfilled the Ten Commandments, He became them. He is our Sabbath. Remember Jesus? He died on the cross for your sins! Remember Jesus? He bore your sickness on His back! Remember Jesus? He told you He’ll give you rest from your works (Matthew 11:28).
I don’t think God cares one bit what day you go to church, what time you get there, or what denomination to which you belong. I don’t think it bothers Him when you have to work on Sunday morning (as some of us do) or if you tear your toilet paper ahead of time, on Saturday afternoon (yes, I have known people who went this far to avoid work on the sabbath). No, what God is really concerned with is whether or not you remember His Son, Jesus Christ. He’s concerned with your realization that in Christ you can rest from your works and attempts to be justified through them.
Jesus Christ is the True Sabbath.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sow what
Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Sowing and reaping, harvest preaching, what is the Bible really teaching? Our society is rooted in a belief system based on works, getting what you give. Do a good job at work, get a raise. Do a good job in school, get a new car at graduation. Honestly, there is nothing inherently wrong with this mindset; it allows goals to be set and gives us motivation to accomplish the daily grind. But when it comes to God and understanding His teaching, His ways, we have to get outside our worldly paradigms and start viewing life from a spiritual standpoint.
Take sowing and reaping as an example. This point has been pounded into the ground by the church and to what end? The more it’s preached, the more people shut down and don’t want to hear it. Why do you suppose that is? Because the emphasis is always put on what you have to give in order to receive. Whether it’s a sermon on tithing (“‘Test Me,’ sayeth the LORD,” says the preacher) or on service, the focus is always on you doing to get. Is that what Jesus taught? Is it what He said?
An examination of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower and His subsequent explanation clearly shows us what Jesus thinks about sowing and reaping. He wasn’t referring to giving money, time, or goods; He wasn’t talking about more rules and laws to live in to. Christ was talking about sowing the Gospel (Matthew 13:18). Jesus was telling His disciples to sow the Word [Christ], not more works, in order to reap a 30, 60, or 100 fold harvest.
I’m not saying that tithing, giving, or service are wrong by any means. What I am saying is those things are products of faith, not works by which to grow faith. (Faith comes by hearing the word of God, not by works. [Romans 10:17]) When we spend our time focusing on works and receiving rewards (a harvest) through our works, we make Christ’s sacrifice worthless (Galatians 5:4).
When we take the time, however, to sow Jesus and what He has done, will do, and is doing we reap the true harvest of His grace. It is not through our works, our sacrificial giving, or our “faith” seed that we receive the abundant life that Jesus came to bring, but simply by sowing Jesus. The more we proclaim Jesus, His healing, and His salvation through the cross, the more abundantly we receive a harvest of all that He has to offer in our own lives. It’s not about what we can sow to reap, it’s all about what we have already reaped to sow.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Sowing and reaping, harvest preaching, what is the Bible really teaching? Our society is rooted in a belief system based on works, getting what you give. Do a good job at work, get a raise. Do a good job in school, get a new car at graduation. Honestly, there is nothing inherently wrong with this mindset; it allows goals to be set and gives us motivation to accomplish the daily grind. But when it comes to God and understanding His teaching, His ways, we have to get outside our worldly paradigms and start viewing life from a spiritual standpoint.
Take sowing and reaping as an example. This point has been pounded into the ground by the church and to what end? The more it’s preached, the more people shut down and don’t want to hear it. Why do you suppose that is? Because the emphasis is always put on what you have to give in order to receive. Whether it’s a sermon on tithing (“‘Test Me,’ sayeth the LORD,” says the preacher) or on service, the focus is always on you doing to get. Is that what Jesus taught? Is it what He said?
An examination of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower and His subsequent explanation clearly shows us what Jesus thinks about sowing and reaping. He wasn’t referring to giving money, time, or goods; He wasn’t talking about more rules and laws to live in to. Christ was talking about sowing the Gospel (Matthew 13:18). Jesus was telling His disciples to sow the Word [Christ], not more works, in order to reap a 30, 60, or 100 fold harvest.
I’m not saying that tithing, giving, or service are wrong by any means. What I am saying is those things are products of faith, not works by which to grow faith. (Faith comes by hearing the word of God, not by works. [Romans 10:17]) When we spend our time focusing on works and receiving rewards (a harvest) through our works, we make Christ’s sacrifice worthless (Galatians 5:4).
When we take the time, however, to sow Jesus and what He has done, will do, and is doing we reap the true harvest of His grace. It is not through our works, our sacrificial giving, or our “faith” seed that we receive the abundant life that Jesus came to bring, but simply by sowing Jesus. The more we proclaim Jesus, His healing, and His salvation through the cross, the more abundantly we receive a harvest of all that He has to offer in our own lives. It’s not about what we can sow to reap, it’s all about what we have already reaped to sow.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Revelations
Revelation 3:21
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
“You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means.” A great line from The Princess Bride, and an appropriate statement to use here. The word to which I am referring is overcome.
Now, don’t start with the opinion that I think Christ doesn’t know what He is talking about; that is not at all accurate. What I am saying, however, is that in translating the word overcome, or rather using the word overcome, a meaning has been implied that isn’t necessarily true.
Whenever I read the word overcome, my mind instantly goes to thoughts of conquering and battle. The idea of overcoming an opponent and winning the battle puffs up my ego; it makes me feel powerful and mighty. But is that really what Jesus is telling me? Is Christ telling me, telling us, that we have to fight, battle, and overcome the enemy in order to have what He has already promised us?
I’ve said it before and I guess it needs repeating, the translation from original text to English (yes, even the king’s English) sometimes gives us the wrong impression. Take this word, overcome, which is Strong’s word number 3528, the Greek word nikao. While it’s true that it does in fact mean to conquer and be victorious, that’s only one of its meanings. The fact is that there are three meanings to this word and two of them directly relate to Christ and His followers (Christians). The first, in reference to Christ, means exactly what we thought, conquering and victorious. The second, however, which is in reference to Christians, means “to hold fast to faith even through persecutions and trials”.
What I’m getting at here is Christ isn’t telling us to fight, wage war, or go out as if to conquer; He already did that for us at the cross. He’s telling us to remain faithful, to hold on to hope (a joyful expectation of eternal salvation), and to allow that hope to produce the faith which is what will bring us to the grace that saves. (Ephesians 2:8)
Christ is saying that our victory through faith in His work will enable us to sit with Him on His Father’s throne. It is not our ability to overcome the enemy that will enable Christ to grant us this privilege; it is our faith in His ability!
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
“You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means.” A great line from The Princess Bride, and an appropriate statement to use here. The word to which I am referring is overcome.
Now, don’t start with the opinion that I think Christ doesn’t know what He is talking about; that is not at all accurate. What I am saying, however, is that in translating the word overcome, or rather using the word overcome, a meaning has been implied that isn’t necessarily true.
Whenever I read the word overcome, my mind instantly goes to thoughts of conquering and battle. The idea of overcoming an opponent and winning the battle puffs up my ego; it makes me feel powerful and mighty. But is that really what Jesus is telling me? Is Christ telling me, telling us, that we have to fight, battle, and overcome the enemy in order to have what He has already promised us?
I’ve said it before and I guess it needs repeating, the translation from original text to English (yes, even the king’s English) sometimes gives us the wrong impression. Take this word, overcome, which is Strong’s word number 3528, the Greek word nikao. While it’s true that it does in fact mean to conquer and be victorious, that’s only one of its meanings. The fact is that there are three meanings to this word and two of them directly relate to Christ and His followers (Christians). The first, in reference to Christ, means exactly what we thought, conquering and victorious. The second, however, which is in reference to Christians, means “to hold fast to faith even through persecutions and trials”.
What I’m getting at here is Christ isn’t telling us to fight, wage war, or go out as if to conquer; He already did that for us at the cross. He’s telling us to remain faithful, to hold on to hope (a joyful expectation of eternal salvation), and to allow that hope to produce the faith which is what will bring us to the grace that saves. (Ephesians 2:8)
Christ is saying that our victory through faith in His work will enable us to sit with Him on His Father’s throne. It is not our ability to overcome the enemy that will enable Christ to grant us this privilege; it is our faith in His ability!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Mountains
Matthew 17:20
“Because you have little faith,” he said. “I assure you that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Go from here to there,’ and it will go. There will be nothing that you can’t do.”
We all too often take Jesus’ words “little faith” as an insult. Here He was, apparently rebuking His disciples for their little faith, but He was actually telling them how strong their little faith was (or could be). They were trying to cast out a demon and couldn’t do it; Jesus had to do it for them.
It wasn’t their lack of faith that hindered them from casting the demon out of this poor child; it was their little faith in the Scriptures and the promises of God to bring healing and salvation to His people. Instead of using their little faith and trusting in God Almighty, they were using their little faith in themselves, which proved to be useless. They were trusting in their own abilities to cast out a demon, not in the authority of Jesus Christ, Son of the One true God, to cast out demons. This is evidenced in their [the disciple’s] statement in verse 19 “Why couldn’t we throw the demon out?”
Their thought was that they would be able to cast out the demon with their own power. How often today do we think that we can win battles with the enemy through our own power, through our faith in ourselves? Oh sure, we have the 12 steps and 8 principles that we can throw ourselves into. We have faith to believe that if we follow these rules and regulations we’ll be able to find healing with the help of Jesus. It seems that the idea of healing by Jesus has always been pushed aside for healing with His help. There is, in fact, a huge difference. One is attempted through works, the other by grace alone.
But all that isn’t really the point I’m getting at here. I want to talk about Jesus’ analogy. He says to His disciples (and to us through the Bible) that with faith [in Him is implied] as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. The literal thinking mind finds this thought outlandish to say the least, but is Jesus really referring to literal mountains? Yes and no! I love God because He’s just that cool.
I wonder what mountain Jesus pointed to when He said “this mountain”. Could He have been looking out and seen the range of mountains that Mount Sinai was in? Could He have been making a reference to the upcoming change in our lifestyle that was about to be made manifest at the cross of salvation? I think yes! What if Jesus pointed to Mt Sinai (where the Law was given)? I think that He was telling the disciples, telling us, that with just the smallest bit of faith in Him we could move mountains. We could move from the Mountain of Law (Sinai), the mountain where 3000 people died, to the mountain of grace, Zion (some think Calvary and Zion are the same mountain), where salvation and life are to be found.
Jesus used literal mountains and a tiny seed to give us the understanding that we no longer need to dwell at the foot of the mountain of death, where the law was given, where sin has its strength. He said that we, with just a little tiny glimmer of faith in Him, can move mountains and arrive directly on the mountain of His grace.
The words of Christ are true and strong. With just a small bit of faith it is possible to say to this mountain (the law): Move, get out of my way, fall to the sea, crumble before me! I am moving to the mountain of Grace, where my God, my Savior, my King has made all things new for me! The mountain where Jesus accomplished all that I could not, where my healing was completed, where disease was removed from me, where He, with authority stated, “IT IS FINISHED!”
“Because you have little faith,” he said. “I assure you that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Go from here to there,’ and it will go. There will be nothing that you can’t do.”
We all too often take Jesus’ words “little faith” as an insult. Here He was, apparently rebuking His disciples for their little faith, but He was actually telling them how strong their little faith was (or could be). They were trying to cast out a demon and couldn’t do it; Jesus had to do it for them.
It wasn’t their lack of faith that hindered them from casting the demon out of this poor child; it was their little faith in the Scriptures and the promises of God to bring healing and salvation to His people. Instead of using their little faith and trusting in God Almighty, they were using their little faith in themselves, which proved to be useless. They were trusting in their own abilities to cast out a demon, not in the authority of Jesus Christ, Son of the One true God, to cast out demons. This is evidenced in their [the disciple’s] statement in verse 19 “Why couldn’t we throw the demon out?”
Their thought was that they would be able to cast out the demon with their own power. How often today do we think that we can win battles with the enemy through our own power, through our faith in ourselves? Oh sure, we have the 12 steps and 8 principles that we can throw ourselves into. We have faith to believe that if we follow these rules and regulations we’ll be able to find healing with the help of Jesus. It seems that the idea of healing by Jesus has always been pushed aside for healing with His help. There is, in fact, a huge difference. One is attempted through works, the other by grace alone.
But all that isn’t really the point I’m getting at here. I want to talk about Jesus’ analogy. He says to His disciples (and to us through the Bible) that with faith [in Him is implied] as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains. The literal thinking mind finds this thought outlandish to say the least, but is Jesus really referring to literal mountains? Yes and no! I love God because He’s just that cool.
I wonder what mountain Jesus pointed to when He said “this mountain”. Could He have been looking out and seen the range of mountains that Mount Sinai was in? Could He have been making a reference to the upcoming change in our lifestyle that was about to be made manifest at the cross of salvation? I think yes! What if Jesus pointed to Mt Sinai (where the Law was given)? I think that He was telling the disciples, telling us, that with just the smallest bit of faith in Him we could move mountains. We could move from the Mountain of Law (Sinai), the mountain where 3000 people died, to the mountain of grace, Zion (some think Calvary and Zion are the same mountain), where salvation and life are to be found.
Jesus used literal mountains and a tiny seed to give us the understanding that we no longer need to dwell at the foot of the mountain of death, where the law was given, where sin has its strength. He said that we, with just a little tiny glimmer of faith in Him, can move mountains and arrive directly on the mountain of His grace.
The words of Christ are true and strong. With just a small bit of faith it is possible to say to this mountain (the law): Move, get out of my way, fall to the sea, crumble before me! I am moving to the mountain of Grace, where my God, my Savior, my King has made all things new for me! The mountain where Jesus accomplished all that I could not, where my healing was completed, where disease was removed from me, where He, with authority stated, “IT IS FINISHED!”
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Three little words...
John 19:30
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
“IT IS FINISHED!” These may very well be the greatest three words ever spoken. I know, you were expecting to see “I love you”, but these three words, spoken by Jesus on the cross, far surpass “I love you.” I guess, if you think about it, they define “I love you.”
The way I see it, these words are the foundation of a grace-filled, faith-centered, hope-inspired Christian life. If these words aren’t taught and understood, how is it possible to ever truly come to trust and believe in Jesus Christ? In order to believe that Christ did everything required by God the Father to redeem mankind, we must have a firm understanding of the qualification made to both God and man by Jesus Christ: “IT IS FINISHED!”
First and foremost Jesus was speaking to the Father when He uttered these words. In essence Christ was telling God that all of His [God’s] requirements had been fully satisfied by His [Christ’s] perfect life and death. Jesus lived the law; He became the Ten Commandments (and the 613 other laws). Not only that, He became sickness and disease. Each and every time He was struck with the Roman whip healing blood and restoration flowed from His back. (Isaiah 53:5 “...and by His scourging we are healed.” [NASB]) Christ drank the full cup of God’s wrath (Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”) and exhausted the Father’s anger with mankind. He did this because His heart has been bent towards us since the beginning of time (Proverbs 8:30-31 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men.) and His desire was to see mankind redeemed.
Not nearly as important as what Jesus had to say to the Father, but nearly as important for us to understand, is that Jesus was telling us, “IT IS FINISHED!” Christ was putting an end to the law-centered “do to earn favor” mentality that had been established through the covenant with Moses. He was giving us the hope of salvation that would produce faith in Him (Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.). He had to proclaim it, out loud, for everyone to hear: the work is done. If He hadn’t, we could not have faith (Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.), and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.).
Sadly, Christ’s words of completion have been overlooked and under-preached. Instead, they’ve been replaced with a teaching style that returns us to the Ten Commandments. The grace that He extended through His suffering on the cross has been made of little or no effect to His church (Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.) because of religious rule-teaching and Law-thumping from the pulpit. The faith that is guaranteed to come by the hearing of the word(s) of God is being voided by the messages of “salvation through grace but justification and blessings through works” that are being preached every day, around the world. People are buying into this doctrine, this false doctrine, and wondering all the time, “Where’s God?” Well, the fact is Christians are so busy trying to be justified by their works that they’ve voided their faith and made Christ’s redeeming sacrifice of no effect (Romans 4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect) Harsh words, but it’s the truth.
So what are we to do? We need to revolutionize the way the Gospel is presented. Billy Graham said “The Bible is full of Good News, not good advice.” and that is what we need to get back to telling people: Good News. Forget the how-to’s of everyday life. Rest in the knowledge that it is all finished. Your punishment, your disease, your sin, your fear, your anxiety, you name it; it’s finished, dealt with, removed, carried away, lifted from you. Christ has completed every good work and has given us right standing in the presence of God Almighty. There is no work left for us, it is finished. Let’s start to proclaim that for a change!
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
“IT IS FINISHED!” These may very well be the greatest three words ever spoken. I know, you were expecting to see “I love you”, but these three words, spoken by Jesus on the cross, far surpass “I love you.” I guess, if you think about it, they define “I love you.”
The way I see it, these words are the foundation of a grace-filled, faith-centered, hope-inspired Christian life. If these words aren’t taught and understood, how is it possible to ever truly come to trust and believe in Jesus Christ? In order to believe that Christ did everything required by God the Father to redeem mankind, we must have a firm understanding of the qualification made to both God and man by Jesus Christ: “IT IS FINISHED!”
First and foremost Jesus was speaking to the Father when He uttered these words. In essence Christ was telling God that all of His [God’s] requirements had been fully satisfied by His [Christ’s] perfect life and death. Jesus lived the law; He became the Ten Commandments (and the 613 other laws). Not only that, He became sickness and disease. Each and every time He was struck with the Roman whip healing blood and restoration flowed from His back. (Isaiah 53:5 “...and by His scourging we are healed.” [NASB]) Christ drank the full cup of God’s wrath (Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”) and exhausted the Father’s anger with mankind. He did this because His heart has been bent towards us since the beginning of time (Proverbs 8:30-31 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men.) and His desire was to see mankind redeemed.
Not nearly as important as what Jesus had to say to the Father, but nearly as important for us to understand, is that Jesus was telling us, “IT IS FINISHED!” Christ was putting an end to the law-centered “do to earn favor” mentality that had been established through the covenant with Moses. He was giving us the hope of salvation that would produce faith in Him (Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.). He had to proclaim it, out loud, for everyone to hear: the work is done. If He hadn’t, we could not have faith (Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.), and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.).
Sadly, Christ’s words of completion have been overlooked and under-preached. Instead, they’ve been replaced with a teaching style that returns us to the Ten Commandments. The grace that He extended through His suffering on the cross has been made of little or no effect to His church (Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.) because of religious rule-teaching and Law-thumping from the pulpit. The faith that is guaranteed to come by the hearing of the word(s) of God is being voided by the messages of “salvation through grace but justification and blessings through works” that are being preached every day, around the world. People are buying into this doctrine, this false doctrine, and wondering all the time, “Where’s God?” Well, the fact is Christians are so busy trying to be justified by their works that they’ve voided their faith and made Christ’s redeeming sacrifice of no effect (Romans 4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect) Harsh words, but it’s the truth.
So what are we to do? We need to revolutionize the way the Gospel is presented. Billy Graham said “The Bible is full of Good News, not good advice.” and that is what we need to get back to telling people: Good News. Forget the how-to’s of everyday life. Rest in the knowledge that it is all finished. Your punishment, your disease, your sin, your fear, your anxiety, you name it; it’s finished, dealt with, removed, carried away, lifted from you. Christ has completed every good work and has given us right standing in the presence of God Almighty. There is no work left for us, it is finished. Let’s start to proclaim that for a change!
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