I've often struggled to understand the book of Job. It is a long book...almost too long...and the vast majority is frankly depressing. I don't need to go over the story because most know the story, but I'm certain that I'm not alone in my questioning of the purpose of Job. I'm currently reading through the book for the umpteenth time...and finally it's occurred to me that perhaps one purpose of the book is to illustrate a common mistake that we all make on a regular basis.
It all revolves around the particular piece of information that every reader has about Job that he doesn't possess. That little tidbit of information is that the direct cause of his woes is not God, but rather Satan. We as the reader know that, but Job doesn't, and it makes all the difference in how he responds. Without that critical awareness, Job is angry at God and naturally blames him for all that he is currently suffering. If only Job knew what the reader knows...we can only imagine how different his response would be...and his ability to trust in God would be strengthened.
The lesson for us is that when tragedy strikes our lives as it inevitably will, there is a difference between God causing an event, and God allowing it. God allows tragedy to strike Job by giving permission to Satan to do as he desires. Now, not all tragedy that occurs in our life is a direct result of the actions of Satan. However, we can all too commonly forget that the tragedy that strikes us is also not the direct action of the God who loves us. Yes, there is no tragedy that can strike us without the sovereign Lord of the universe allowing it, but there is a big difference between God allowing something, and God causing it.
God allows tragedy in our lives in order that we grow, depend on Him more, and many times for reasons that we will never know or understand in this life. As difficult as it may be in the midst of tragedy, we need to work hard at avoiding Job's mistake...blaming God as the direct cause of the tragedy rather than understanding that though He allowed it, that doesn't mean that He wanted it to occur. Maybe, just maybe, if we allow Him, he can turn the tragedy into something of eternal impact and worth.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Judging others
What does it mean to judge someone else?
There are several Scriptural references that prohibit judging, including Romans chapter 2 and James chapter 4. But the confusing thing is that there are also Scriptural commands to confront and rebuke others when needed. Examples are Luke 17:3, 1 Tim. 5:20, and Titus 2:15. The question I'm wrestling with is how do we rebuke without first judging?
Clearly there must be a difference between the discernment and pronouncement of sin in another, and the wrongful action of judging as prohibited in Scripture. But Scripture itself does not elaborate on the distinction. We must seek it out ourselves before we approach someone else to rebuke them for their sin. Here are some principles that I've come up with to this point:
1. The decision to rebuke another for sin should be motivated by a call from God, not a self-centered desire for revenge.
2. The motivation for rebuke should lie in what is best for the one being rebuked, rather than what feels good for the one doing the rebuking.
3. The one giving the rebuke should be very aware of his/her own sinful nature.
4. The rebuke should be administered in love
5. The sin should be self-evident and not debatable.
Thinking through these principles, I realize that the sin of judging lies not so much in action as in attitude because the wrong attitude will bring about the wrong kind of action.
There are several Scriptural references that prohibit judging, including Romans chapter 2 and James chapter 4. But the confusing thing is that there are also Scriptural commands to confront and rebuke others when needed. Examples are Luke 17:3, 1 Tim. 5:20, and Titus 2:15. The question I'm wrestling with is how do we rebuke without first judging?
Clearly there must be a difference between the discernment and pronouncement of sin in another, and the wrongful action of judging as prohibited in Scripture. But Scripture itself does not elaborate on the distinction. We must seek it out ourselves before we approach someone else to rebuke them for their sin. Here are some principles that I've come up with to this point:
1. The decision to rebuke another for sin should be motivated by a call from God, not a self-centered desire for revenge.
2. The motivation for rebuke should lie in what is best for the one being rebuked, rather than what feels good for the one doing the rebuking.
3. The one giving the rebuke should be very aware of his/her own sinful nature.
4. The rebuke should be administered in love
5. The sin should be self-evident and not debatable.
Thinking through these principles, I realize that the sin of judging lies not so much in action as in attitude because the wrong attitude will bring about the wrong kind of action.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The purpose of the Church
I've been reflecting a great deal lately on the issue of the purpose of the local church. Looking at Scripture in order to find a mission statement for a local church, the closest reference I'm drawn to is found in Ephesians 4:11-13 where Paul gives the mission statement of a pastor/teacher. In verses 12 & 13 he writes that the pastor/teacher is "... to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ."
In short, the pastor/teacher is to equip the saints so that they in turn build up the body of Christ. There is an overall goal and purpose that each local church should have, and that is grow in maturity of the members so that they in turn are involved in some ministry that builds up the body of Christ.
That's a different mission than building and organizing the church around the comforts and needs of the congregation. If a church is not constantly looking outward and involved in ministry outside the walls of the church building, it automatically begins to become ingrown. I'm convinced that the natural tendency of all churches is in this direction, seeking to meet the needs and wants of those who complain the loudest. It must be resisted by those in leadership so that the words of Paul can be fulfilled.
Those who are the chronic complainers need to be moved to greater maturity and a servant attitude, and I believe the best way to do that is through service to others. While the words from the pulpit are important, they are often not enough. There is nothing quite as humbling as helping those who are in great need, living in circumstances beyond their control. This is simply known as outreach, and a church without significant personal outreach is a church becoming ingrown.
There is nothing quite like experiencing and understanding the reality of...there but by the Grace of God go I...to help move us along in our maturing process.
In short, the pastor/teacher is to equip the saints so that they in turn build up the body of Christ. There is an overall goal and purpose that each local church should have, and that is grow in maturity of the members so that they in turn are involved in some ministry that builds up the body of Christ.
That's a different mission than building and organizing the church around the comforts and needs of the congregation. If a church is not constantly looking outward and involved in ministry outside the walls of the church building, it automatically begins to become ingrown. I'm convinced that the natural tendency of all churches is in this direction, seeking to meet the needs and wants of those who complain the loudest. It must be resisted by those in leadership so that the words of Paul can be fulfilled.
Those who are the chronic complainers need to be moved to greater maturity and a servant attitude, and I believe the best way to do that is through service to others. While the words from the pulpit are important, they are often not enough. There is nothing quite as humbling as helping those who are in great need, living in circumstances beyond their control. This is simply known as outreach, and a church without significant personal outreach is a church becoming ingrown.
There is nothing quite like experiencing and understanding the reality of...there but by the Grace of God go I...to help move us along in our maturing process.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Principle 4- It is about God's plan
As I write this, fresh snow has fallen, covering all important landmarks that tell us things like the location of our driveway, the roads, and more important, just where the ditch begins at the entrance of our driveway. Carefully placed stakes that rise up out of the snow would be helpful on mornings like this. These principles are like those stakes...rising up out of the clutter, noise and distraction of the world to help us believers know when we're on the road, and when we're about to go into the ditch.
Principle 4 for me is the positive affirmation of just what God is trying to accomplish in this world. If His overall goal is not our happiness, then just what is His goal? His goal is revealed to us in the life of Jesus. God the Father sent His Son Jesus into the world to pay the penalty for our sins so that we may spend eternity with Him. Jesus Himself summarizes this in John 12:47 when He says, "... for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world."
Jesus completed His part, but left some of the work to us. That's why we have the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and why the work still continues today. God is still in the process of saving the world, one soul at a time. He has given us the honor to participate in this grand adventure, which is His overall goal.
Principle 4 is simply that our lives must in some way reflect the fact that we are participating in God's grand adventure to bring those lost souls around us from darkness into light. If we're not in some way involved in that, we've gone off the road and not really living the Christian life.
Principle 4 for me is the positive affirmation of just what God is trying to accomplish in this world. If His overall goal is not our happiness, then just what is His goal? His goal is revealed to us in the life of Jesus. God the Father sent His Son Jesus into the world to pay the penalty for our sins so that we may spend eternity with Him. Jesus Himself summarizes this in John 12:47 when He says, "... for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world."
Jesus completed His part, but left some of the work to us. That's why we have the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and why the work still continues today. God is still in the process of saving the world, one soul at a time. He has given us the honor to participate in this grand adventure, which is His overall goal.
Principle 4 is simply that our lives must in some way reflect the fact that we are participating in God's grand adventure to bring those lost souls around us from darkness into light. If we're not in some way involved in that, we've gone off the road and not really living the Christian life.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Principle 3- It's not about our happiness...
We live in a world that is constantly bombarding us with the message that our lives should be focused on our own happiness and pleasure. This message streams from every commercial we are exposed to...in an effort to induce us to buy whatever product is being featured. We are all impacted by that message, no matter how hard we try to ignore it. For us as Christians, we may seek to avoid overt materialism, or we may unwittingly fall prey to it. But even if we are somewhat successful is putting off materialism, we still subtly begin to get the idea that God's plan should revolve around us and our happiness. As we seek to work out God's will for our lives, we usually begin with the assumption that God wants us happy, healthy and successful. It's not that God doesn't want those things for us, rather, it's just not His number one priority. This means that there may be seasons of our life during which blessings pour forth, but we may also experience seasons of difficulties and trials.
During those trials, it is critical to reflect on what God's priorities are for us. James gives us a clue when he tells us to "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." The good news is that God's priority for us is faith in Him that produces spiritual perfection and completeness. The bad news is...it takes trials and tribulation to achieve those things.
Principle 3 recognizes that God's priority for us is spiritual growth and maturity, not our happiness and pleasure. Therefore, if we are Christians who truly desire to grow spiritually, we must be Christians who are ready to face difficulties in order to grow our faith. When we face those difficulties with the knowledge that spiritual growth will result, not only do the difficulties make sense, but we can more easily move toward counting it all joy!
During those trials, it is critical to reflect on what God's priorities are for us. James gives us a clue when he tells us to "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." The good news is that God's priority for us is faith in Him that produces spiritual perfection and completeness. The bad news is...it takes trials and tribulation to achieve those things.
Principle 3 recognizes that God's priority for us is spiritual growth and maturity, not our happiness and pleasure. Therefore, if we are Christians who truly desire to grow spiritually, we must be Christians who are ready to face difficulties in order to grow our faith. When we face those difficulties with the knowledge that spiritual growth will result, not only do the difficulties make sense, but we can more easily move toward counting it all joy!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Principle 2- Heaven is our true home
Building from the first principle laid out in my last post, if we are to live in this world as exiles, it brings up the natural question of where is our true home. Therefore, principle #2 is that heaven is our true home.
It is one thing to agree with that statement, but a completely different matter to actually live your life that way. A life lived with the knowledge and belief that heaven is our true home is a life dominated by an eternal perspective. In other words, it is a life that is constantly weighing priorities on the basis of what will matter in the light of eternity versus what is important now and in the moment.
It is a life that will have several characteristics including caring less about what other people think and more about what God thinks. It is a life that values relationships and the soul condition of those around us rather than our own image in the world. The life that is lived with an eternal perspective cares less about the accumulation of things and more about meeting the needs of others. It is a life that is open to sacrifice for others and less about self preservation than about truly following God's will for our lives.
Frankly, the life lived with an eternal perspective should be puzzling for those living only for this world. It should not make sense...it should be radical and easily misunderstood. It should stand out and draw questions rather than blend in with the everyday lives of those living only for themselves.
It will be a life that bears eternal fruit. That is, at it's end, the person will be able to look back and see in small ways, lives that they have touched and changed, souls that have been won to the Lord, and disciples that have grown under their influence. The only thing that will last eternally is our works that have impacted another soul, by helping them in their time of need, by leading them to Christ, or by helping them grow closer to their Lord. That's it! Gold, money or treasure will not pass into eternity. Cars, houses, yards, boats, gadgets and all other possessions will all disappear one day. They will not pass into eternity. Only people will pass into eternity, and yes, probably animals as well.
The life lived with the view of heaven as our true home, will be a life focused on helping the lives of those around us, sacrificially, spiritually, and always with God's help.
It is one thing to agree with that statement, but a completely different matter to actually live your life that way. A life lived with the knowledge and belief that heaven is our true home is a life dominated by an eternal perspective. In other words, it is a life that is constantly weighing priorities on the basis of what will matter in the light of eternity versus what is important now and in the moment.
It is a life that will have several characteristics including caring less about what other people think and more about what God thinks. It is a life that values relationships and the soul condition of those around us rather than our own image in the world. The life that is lived with an eternal perspective cares less about the accumulation of things and more about meeting the needs of others. It is a life that is open to sacrifice for others and less about self preservation than about truly following God's will for our lives.
Frankly, the life lived with an eternal perspective should be puzzling for those living only for this world. It should not make sense...it should be radical and easily misunderstood. It should stand out and draw questions rather than blend in with the everyday lives of those living only for themselves.
It will be a life that bears eternal fruit. That is, at it's end, the person will be able to look back and see in small ways, lives that they have touched and changed, souls that have been won to the Lord, and disciples that have grown under their influence. The only thing that will last eternally is our works that have impacted another soul, by helping them in their time of need, by leading them to Christ, or by helping them grow closer to their Lord. That's it! Gold, money or treasure will not pass into eternity. Cars, houses, yards, boats, gadgets and all other possessions will all disappear one day. They will not pass into eternity. Only people will pass into eternity, and yes, probably animals as well.
The life lived with the view of heaven as our true home, will be a life focused on helping the lives of those around us, sacrificially, spiritually, and always with God's help.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Principles for Today's Christians- Living as an exile
I've been a follower of Jesus Christ for over 35 years, and during that time, I've spent a great deal of time thinking through what it means to be a Christian and walk with the Lord in today's world. Just recently, I've been thinking about condensing those thoughts down to a set of principles that come out of the Bible...principles that are thus Biblical and should be remembered by every believer if they truly want to follow the Lord in this life.
These principles are grounded first of all in the belief that God exists and has revealed Himself to the form of the Trinity, i.e. the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This revelation has been through not only creation, but more specifically the Bible, which I believe to be inspired (literally God breathed) and thus inerrant. These principles pre-suppose that those who would follow them have true faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and have submitted their lives to Him, seeking to live the life that God has prepared for them.
With this background, the first principle that I must daily remind myself of is that this world is not my home. It requires daily remembrance because I am created in such a way that where I am, I want to make my home. It is a natural response within me that where I am currently existing should be my home. But Scripture in many places reminds us that the world around us is different than when it was created, thus it is fallen and should no longer be the desire of my heart. Probably one of the best Scripture references is 1 John 2:15-17 where John writes do not love the world or the things in the world.
Thus true Christians must abide in this world not as natural citizens of the world, but rather as living in exile and many have put it. This naturally brings up the question of what it means to live in exile as opposed to living as a citizen. A citizen has an ultimate focus of improving their life in this world, while an exile lives with a focus beyond this world. The success or failure of a citizen's life is based solely on success and failure within this world, while the exile it looking for success in the eyes of the One who made this world. Two very different things, and thus two very different lives.
These principles are grounded first of all in the belief that God exists and has revealed Himself to the form of the Trinity, i.e. the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This revelation has been through not only creation, but more specifically the Bible, which I believe to be inspired (literally God breathed) and thus inerrant. These principles pre-suppose that those who would follow them have true faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and have submitted their lives to Him, seeking to live the life that God has prepared for them.
With this background, the first principle that I must daily remind myself of is that this world is not my home. It requires daily remembrance because I am created in such a way that where I am, I want to make my home. It is a natural response within me that where I am currently existing should be my home. But Scripture in many places reminds us that the world around us is different than when it was created, thus it is fallen and should no longer be the desire of my heart. Probably one of the best Scripture references is 1 John 2:15-17 where John writes do not love the world or the things in the world.
Thus true Christians must abide in this world not as natural citizens of the world, but rather as living in exile and many have put it. This naturally brings up the question of what it means to live in exile as opposed to living as a citizen. A citizen has an ultimate focus of improving their life in this world, while an exile lives with a focus beyond this world. The success or failure of a citizen's life is based solely on success and failure within this world, while the exile it looking for success in the eyes of the One who made this world. Two very different things, and thus two very different lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)