Your Works of Love…

Hebrews 6:10 (NIV)

God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.

Our Verse of the Day made me pause to think about what the writer is really saying with regard to our “work” for God. So, I want to review the context of this passage:

Hebrews 6:1-12 (NIV)

Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death (useless rituals); and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites (baptisms), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age – and if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

In the context, we see an exhortation to achieve maturity in the faith. He contends that believers have received sufficient knowledge to walk in the light of truth. And so, his concern is for those who fall away from what they know. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, to ‘fall away’ is a “phrasal intransitive verb” and it conveys a processing of diminishing … decreasing in size … eroding. If something such as a sound or feeling falls away, it becomes weaker and disappears. If something falls away, it breaks off from the thing it was attached to. To fall away from faith in Christ Jesus is tantamount to severing your personal relationship with Him … the One to whom you are attached. In the context here, the inspired writer warns that people who have been enlightened and repent … people who have been born of the Word of God and come to a knowledge of the truth … people who have received the Holy Spirit … people who engage in the spiritual conflict between light and darkness … can enter a place of no return if they “fall away” or “renounce their faith.” He indicates that a faith that is focused on the promise of salvation … a faith that is patient and mature … remains alive and active! In short, faith has no place for laziness at all…. Consider what Peter advises in this regard:

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, what is a faith that is alive and growing? Well, it is a faith that is engaged! It is a faith that manifests itself in good works and service to the Kingdom of God. It is a faith that we keep “adding” to – through bearing the fruit of the Spirit. It is a faith that is effective and productive! As Paul wrote: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) A growing faith … a mature faith … is attending to the business of the Father who saved us in Christ Jesus to fulfill His purposes. And He has equipped us to accomplish it! And here is the point that I want us to see: “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” What you and I do when we help one another … when we love one another and continue to do so … is how we show our love to God! The Father does not forget our expressions of love but remembers each one. But if we should fall away … if we should become lazy in our faith … if we fail to persevere in the faith we have received, we essentially tell God that His salvation means nothing. As the author of Hebrews admonished: “To our loss we are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace….”

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race (of faith) marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 10:36-37

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.”

James 1:12

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

My friends, I want to encourage you to not grow weary as we do good for those around us. Such works do not save us; rather, they are the expression of love and a grateful heart for the salvation God promised to us through His Son … our Lord Jesus. I pray these verses I have shared will comfort you. Indeed, there is great reward for perseverance in faith!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. ~ Galatians 6:8-10

Happy Mother’s Day!

Proverbs 31:10, 27-28, 30 (NIV)

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Our Verses of the Day come from the well-known, often quoted, Proverb 31. It is usually a launching text for Mother’s Day messages or sermons; and it presents some lessons for our consideration. I thought that I would simply reprint the entire Proverb for your reference and reading pleasure. I can certainly relate to its message to honor and appreciate all godly women everywhere … and especially those who are our own wives, mothers, or grandmothers.

The sayings of King Lemuel—An inspired utterance his mother taught him.

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!

³Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel—it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,

⁵Lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish!

⁷Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

⁹Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

¹²She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

¹³She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²²She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹ “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

My friends, it is my hope that you will have a wonderful time of remembrance, recognition, appreciation, and celebration of our mothers and the grace of motherhood. We are commanded by God to honor our mothers; and I am happy that we have a special day appointed for us to do so. It is my prayer that all mothers everywhere will be blessed for their faithfulness and devotion to their families.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants. Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. ~ Psalm 116:15-18

Forgive Each Other…

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Our Verse of the Day continues to address the subject of interpersonal relationships; and the issue of forgiveness is a prominent target….

If you think about it, forgiveness is one of the most important ways that we express and demonstrate love in our relationships. Indeed, forgiveness is the most fundamental way that God demonstrated His personal love for us. Romans 5:8 affirms that “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And the Apostle John declared:

1 John 4:9-11 (NIV)

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

It is evident that God’s expression of love is inseparable from His act of forgiveness of our sins; and I believe we would do well to keep that principal in mind.

Colossians 3:1-14 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive … someone with whom you need to be reconciled? Think deeply about that question for a moment because the depth of our need for reconciliation and healing can extend far into our pasts … even to the moment of our births. Past physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds, if not forgiven and released, WILL develop into roots of bitterness that can lead to anger, rage, and other behaviors that can constrict or inhibit the healing we so desperately need. Unforgiveness will lead our own hearts into sin because we have in essence rejected the command of Jesus to love as we have been loved.

When we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts, it will lead to inward thoughts that precipitate behaviors which manifest themselves as addictions and all kinds of self-harm. Roots of bitterness and unforgiveness can ultimately manifest themselves in physiological and neurological disorders. If feelings of stress can debilitate a person’s body, it should come as no surprise that feelings of bitterness and anger can do the same. Our emotions are embedded in our bodies and souls. They are the expressions of our inner beings. So, we simply cannot underestimate the immeasurable toxic effects of unforgiveness on our bodies, spirits, or souls.

Father God wants us all to experience healing and deliverance in our lives … to receive the fullness of joy and peace in our lives … to be healthy and whole in our spirits, souls, and bodies. I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul prayed in intercession: “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) So, this is my prayer for us, that the God of peace … the God of reconciliation … the God of all comfort … the Father of Compassion … would instill in each of our hearts the transformative power of forgiveness! If we do not walk in forgiveness … we do not walk in love.

My friends, I am convinced that forgiveness is integral to the process of healing! It is the path that will lead to peace with others and within ourselves! And, again, let me remind you that forgiveness does not condone, excuse, or undo the sin or harm that was done; rather, it means we release the debt that person owes to us for the trespass committed. Just as the Lord Jesus paid our debt through the cross for our sins and released (redeemed) us from the penalty (death) required for our offenses; we are commanded to do the same in our relationships with one another. This is what is means to be forgiven … to be set free! Therefore, I encourage you to release those who have sinned against you. Set them free from their debt to you. For in doing so, you will set your own body, spirit, and soul free at the same time! I cannot explain how this happens; I just know that it does. Healing is the supernatural power of God, and we can experience it in our lives if we would obey His command: “Forgive, just as in the Lord Jesus, God forgave you!”

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The Message of the Cross

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Our Verse of the Day tells us the message of the cross is considered foolishness to those who are perishing. What is the “message of the cross”? Why would it be considered foolishness? Well, let’s put this verse in its context and see if that will help us:

1 Corinthians 1:17-25 (NIV)

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (Citing Isaiah 29:14) Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

What I think Paul is trying to drive home is that it was incomprehensible to most Jews (and certainly to most non-Jews) that a Messiah … a Warrior King … a Savior and Deliverer sent by God to His people would have been mightier than to have suffered a torturous, humiliating death on a cross. What kind of Messiah could Jesus have been to have suffered such a fate? Why would anyone believe in such a weakling? Such thinking is foolishness … beyond irrational. Perhaps this was the mindset that drove Paul (formerly Saul) to persecute the “fanatical” Christian Sect before He encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. They were dangerous “lunatics” subverting Judaism and had to be stopped. Yet, we have to keep in mind what caused the earliest believers to persist in their faith was the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus had not been resurrected … this “foolishness” would have long since abated. Indeed, if Jesus were not resurrected … our faith would be in vain. It would be foolish and we would still be in our sin. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:12-17)

As Paul reasons, God ordained for His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Jesus had to die … to pay the debt of sin (death) on our behalf. This appeased the justice requirement of a Holy God; and also demonstrated the incomprehensible love of God for us. He paid the debt for us! Thus, in Christ Jesus, we see the wisdom of God because the resurrection demonstrates the sovereign power of God. Those who reject the grace of God as foolishness will perish in their pride and arrogance. But those who believe in Christ Jesus, the power and wisdom of God, receive His gift of grace, salvation, and eternal life. Again, the Prophet Isaiah comes to mind. The Jews should have known from their own Scriptures that the Messiah would suffer and die for their transgressions. Their blindness became their foolishness….

Isaiah 53 (NIV)

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

To the world, the death of Jesus upon a cross is meaningless and foolish. A victorious, warrior King would not have let that happen … certainly not the Son of God. But the wisdom of God required a demonstration of His wrath against sin and iniquity. Sin is an affront to His holiness and to those created in His image. Sin stains and mars. It kills and destroys the souls of man. But Father God loved us too much to allow such devastation and destruction to annihilate our souls. So, He ordained His own plan of salvation for us through His Son. Through faith, we just need to trust in Jesus; His finished work on the cross; and receive His gracious offer of forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. Our faith in Christ Jesus is the life changer; and you can rest assured, He is the wisdom and power of God.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The message of the cross is love! Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10

The message of the cross is forgiveness! Acts 10:39-43; Acts 13:32-39

The message of the cross is reconciliation! Romans 5:10-11; Colossians 1:19-23

The message of the cross is liberty! Romans 6:1-14; 8:1-4; Galatians 5:19-25

The message of the cross is power! Romans 1:15-17; 1 Corinthians 2:3-5; 2 Peter 1:3-4

The message of the cross is triumph! Colossians 2:13-15; Revelation 12:10-11

The message of the cross is hope! Acts 26:4-8; Romans 8:19-25

When We Were Powerless…

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Our Verse of the Day has been cited and used in commentaries numerous times. Still, this passage from Romans 5 is just as powerful today as it was when the Apostle Paul penned it for the Church!

As I read it again, Verse 6 has captured my attention: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” As King David observed: “The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside. They have together become corrupt; there is none who does good … No, not one!” (Cf. Psalm 14:2-3; Psalm 53:2-3; Romans 3:11-12) Indeed, we are powerless. We are helpless and without hope. But God….

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the sinful nature and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Our power … our strength … our redemption and deliverance come only by the mercy of God! Yes, the riches of His mercy can be received only through His Son … Jesus! He died for the ungodly … He died for us! He alone atoned for our sin to present us righteous and holy before God. He secured our eternal redemption! (Cf. Hebrews 9:12) Hallelujah! Praise His Name!

A second thought came to mind: “What kind of love would compel Jesus to die for the ungodly?” As I thought about this a moment, I remembered what Jesus told His disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35) And it convicted me with the question: “Can I love others who are ungodly and sinners – just as Jesus loved and died for me?” Maybe it was this question that inspired Paul to write: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship … your true and proper worship.” (Cf. Romans 12:1)

Matthew 5:43-48 (NLT)

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Luke 6:27-36 (NLT)

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most-High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

There is no ambiguity here. Love is not earned. Love is not based on merit. Love is. Love acts. It is the mind-set of God … for He is love. It is the state of being in which we are called to live as His children. This is the heart of God! This is the heart of Jesus! Jesus said, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one that this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. And you are my friends if you do what I command. (Cf. John 15:12-14) I pray we will love like Jesus loved … willingly and sacrificially. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. ~ 1 John 4:10-16

You Are Chosen…

Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Our Verse of the Day draws our attention to the types of conduct (virtues) we should exhibit as believers. Since the verse begins with the word “therefore,” I would like us to review the preceding context to better understand what it is “there for”:

Colossians 3:1-14 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming (on those who are disobedient). You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

From the context, we can readily see that our relationship with God the Father is predicated upon our identity in His Son – Christ Jesus. We were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life – a resurrected life. (Cf. Romans 6:4) And Paul reiterates this metaphor in his letter to the Colossians as well.

Colossians 2:11-14 (NLT)

When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

Paul admonishes us to “put to death” whatever belongs to our sinful nature … the earthly ways in which we used to lived … and to put on the new self, made in the image of our Creator. This new creation is who we are now … chosen people … holy and dearly loved. We have been resurrected with Christ into newness of life. He has forgiven us all our sins and commuted the penalty of sin against us. That payment … that purchase of judicial pardon … was paid through His blood atonement upon the cross. And so, our new life in Christ calls us to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Cf. Ephesians 4:24) … and which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Indeed, the new self … will clothe itself with the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … with an attitude of forbearance and forgiveness … with a mindset and disposition of love to activate and bind them all together in our inner being.

As another observation, I want us to see that this inspired message from Paul is quite consistent with the inspired teaching shared by Peter in our previous study:

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The new life that we receive through faith in Christ Jesus calls us to change and transformation. The process of sanctification begins at the new birth … and continues as we add to our faith and put on the garments of our new nature. It is a spiritual process that engages us through the renewing of our minds so that we do not conform to the pattern of this world. (Cf. Romans 12:2) Yes, my friends, let us walk in step with the Spirit of God as chosen and dearly loved children. And in view of God’s mercy, let us offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—which is our true and spiritual worship….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ~ 1 Peter 2:9-10

His Divine Power…

2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)

Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Our Verse of the Day seems to be missing something. It begins with “through these.” Perhaps we should ask: “through these what?” Let’s go back to the beginning of the passage and look at the context:

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

³His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. ¹⁰Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I would like to outline this passage in order to better understand what Peter wants to communicate to us. His assertion in Verse 3 is quite powerful, and it is a concept I believe we need to incorporate into our own theologies. Peter states that the divine power of God has given us EVERYTHING we need to live a godly life. We should probably stop right there and reflect on the sufficiency of His power to equip us to walk in righteousness and holiness. And Peter indicates that it is through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness, our Creator, that we have received this power to live in godliness. To me the key thought here is our KNOWLEDGE of God. It is our knowledge of Him that activates this divine power we need to live; and this knowledge is imparted through His Word – revealed in His Son and by His Spirit…. Yes, His power has been given through Christ Jesus. It is available to us who believe in Him!

Inn the context, I believe that “through these” is referring to His “glory and goodness.” Our call to salvation in Christ Jesus expresses both the glory and the goodness of God! The Father is glorified in the Son. He is exalted with honor and praise for this gift of His grace in which we stand through faith. (Cf. Romans 5:2) And the eternal life we have received in Christ Jesus demonstrates the goodness and love of God. Peter continues, and he declares it is through the glory and goodness of God we have been given His very great and precious promises. Oh, can we even fathom what has been said here? The promises of God in His Word are too numerous for me to begin to recount here. Dr. David Jeremiah counted nearly 7,500 promises of God in the Bible! Indeed, it is because of His Being … His Glory … His Name … His Goodness that we even have His great and precious promises to trust!

Now, notice that Peter affirms that “through them” … His great and precious promises … we are invited to participate in the divine nature. Do we comprehend what this means? To participate in the divine nature … to live in godliness, God-likeness, holiness? Well, that is what happens when are born-again of the Spirit and become a new creation in Christ! We receive His divine power to overcome the darkness of our sinful nature. Peter articulates it: “we have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” Although we are IN the world … we are not OF the world any longer. We do not belong to the world because we have been called out of the world. (Cf. John 15:19) And it is through this understanding that we begin to abide in our Lord Jesus. Apart from Him and His divine power we can do nothing. (Cf. John 15:5)

My friends, as we abide in Christ and He in us, the process of sanctification begins its transformation within us. And I think that Peter does a great job describing how His divine power works within us … building upon our faith in Jesus (His greatest and most precious promise to us) so that we can participate in the divine nature of God. The Holy Spirit leads us to make every effort to add to our faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if we possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through abiding in Christ, our knowledge of Father God will be completed. Perhaps this is why Paul petitioned God to fill believers with the knowledge of His WILL through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. (Cf. Colossians 1:9) I believe it is vital in order for us to have an effective and productive life in the Kingdom of God.

Well, these are some thoughts on divine power and promises we have received through Jesus Christ. May they inspire and encourage you to “add to your faith.”

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. ~ Romans 5:1-5

Love In Action…

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

As we examine our Verse of the Day, we see that love must move from the abstract to reality … it must move from a thought to an action. The concept of love is a noun … but the demonstration of love is a verb. Love is something you DO! No matter how much we profess to love God or to love one another, the evidence of love is in the actions taken to demonstrate it. God not only tells us that He loves us, but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8). And here, John reminds us that actions speak louder than words. Even Jesus requires action on our part to show or demonstrate our love for Him: “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Cf. John 14:15 and 1 John 5:3) Indeed, love is a verb! Love is service oriented. Love is something we DO!

As we have studied, the Apostle John exhorted in 1 John 3:16-18: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Thus, love must be genuine. It must be authentic. It cannot be mere lip service; rather, it must be tangible … intentional … and outcome oriented!

Paul, likewise asserted, “Love must be sincere.” (Cf. Romans 12:9) And Paul will go on to explain how sincere love will manifest itself in real action:

Romans 12:10-18 (NIV)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people willing to do menial work. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

On a similar note, I am reminded that the Apostle James frankly addresses a similar point with regard to our faith. Faith is not merely profession alone either. No matter how much we “believe,” the evidence of faith is in the actions to demonstrate it as well. Here, James distinguishes between faith as a concept and faith as a reality:

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

We also find the Apostle Peter addresses the same issues in his epistle:

1 Peter 3:8-14 (NIV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good;they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (Peter quotes Psalm 34:12-16) Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

My point is that the apostles emphasized the importance of love in action … love that is operational and effectual. And I surmise it was because the apostles observed the greatest demonstration of love in action when they walked and talked with our Lord Jesus. They were eye witnesses of His compassion and came to understand the personal, sacrificial nature of love in its highest form. The personal example of Jesus speaks volumes with regard the application of love. To me, it is in this context that we must consider what Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35)

So, I pray that as we begin our day … and each new day … that we will commit ourselves to love one another in action and in truth. I pray that we will be sincere and sacrificial. I pray that the love we have and share with others will be a true reflection of what lies within our hearts. My friends, let us not love with words only, but let our actions demonstrate love in truth. Indeed, that is how love moves from a thought to an outcome! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. ~ 1 John 4:19-21

How Love is Made Complete…

1 John 4:11-12 (NIV)

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.

We have included our Verse of the Day in previous commentaries over the past week or so as we have studied the love of God for us … and the command to love others to demonstrate our love for God. These concepts are imperative to our understanding of God, and they are foundational to the formation of our faith in Him. Though life is filled with questions and mystery, there is one thing that does not have to be questioned or remain unknown. We can always be assured of God’s love … because He has made it known to us! The Apostle John affords us great insight into what we need to understand in this regard:

1 John 4:7-21 (NIV)

Knowing God Through Love

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

Obeying God Through Love

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made complete in love. We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

It is clear to me that we cannot comprehend the love of God without understanding and embracing what Jesus accomplished through His death upon the cross. The love of God has been demonstrated … it is seen through the blood atonement offered and accepted through His Son, Christ Jesus. As Paul articulated: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) Until we see the depths of mercy His love poured out upon the cross, we will not see HOW to love one another as He has loved us. Yes, I love how Paul urges us to imitate and practice merciful love: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Cf. Romans 12:1) Indeed, we will become humbled, and love others in truth, when follow the example of Jesus. I pray in our relationships with one another, we will have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. (Cf. Philippians 2:1-8) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

When He had finished washing their feet, Jesus put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. ~ John 13:12-17

This Is The Message…

1 John 3:11 (NIV)

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Our Verse of the Day continues to affirm the message for us to love one another. Indeed, this is the highest command of God: to love Him and to love one another. To love others is not optional! It is an intentional action that comes from hearts that have been changed by the love of God.

1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Philippians 2:1-5 (NIV)

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

If we truly believe God at His Word, then our faith will be seen through its response of love. Yes, “As I have loved you, so you MUST love one another. By this everyone will know that you ARE my disciples – if you love one another. (Cf. John 13:34-35) Jesus once asked His followers: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Cf. Luke 6:46) It is a penetrating question for us to answer as well; and yet, Jesus affords us some insight into what it means to be obedient to His Word:

Luke 6:47-49 (NRSV)

I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the waters pressed against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground (sand) without a foundation. When the floodwaters pressed against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.”

Oh, Lord, I pray that each one of us will embrace the knowledge that love is the fulfillment of Your commands to us. Yes, love is your expressed will for our lives as believers! Let us, therefore, be imitators of You and follow Your example. As beloved children, let us walk in the way of love, just as You loved us and gave Yourself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God the Father. (Cf. Ephesians 5:1-2) Oh, Lord, I pray that love will be the foundation upon which we build our lives. Indeed, let us be wise when we call you, “Lord!” And may we endeavor to be like you, Lord Jesus, in this world! In Your Mighty Name, I pray. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

This is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. ~ 2 John 1:6