Jeff Ropp – Page 64 – See you in Heaven

Does assurance of salvation hinder or enhance holy living?

“²²Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed pure with water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:22-23

Before we study the verses above, let’s look at the verses preceding them. The Old Covenant animal sacrifices could not “perfect” its worshippers, but instead served as a reminder of sins since they could not remove sins or the guilt that accompanied them (10:1-4). Since these Old Testament sacrifices did not completely satisfy God’s demand to punish sin, Jesus Christ came to do God’s will (10:5-9) and has “sanctified” believers through His death “once for all” so that they are in a permanent state of being separated (“sanctified”) from their sin and guilt before God (10:10).

The author of Hebrews emphasizes that the perfecting of the sanctified believer is accomplished through the finished work of Christ (10:11-14). The writer quotes Jeremiah 31:33-34 to show that the final forgiveness which the New Covenant promised, and Christ’s death provided, meant that there was no other sacrifice which one could turn to for forgiveness (10:15-18).

Think about this for a moment. When you as a Christian sin against the Lord, are you confident that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to pay the penalty for that sin and all you must do is confess your sin to restore your fellowship with the Lord (I John 1:9)? Or do you try to atone for your own sin by spending more time in prayer or Bible study? Do you try to earn God’s forgiveness by feeding the poor or volunteering at an orphanage or by going on a mission trip? Do you punish yourself with negative self-talk instead of resting in the punishment Jesus endured on the Cross in your place? The Bible says, “Now where there is remission [forgiveness] of these (through Christ’s sacrifice – 10:10-14), there is no longer an offering for sin” (10:18). If you turn to some other sacrifice whether it be your own or someone’s other than Jesus,’ your search for forgiveness is futile. Only Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to perfect us and give us total acceptance before God. God wants you to rest in His finished work on the Cross so you can now focus on living a life of faith for Him (10:22-23).

After establishing our total and unconditional acceptance before God on the basis of Jesus’ all-sufficient sacrifice on the Cross (10:1-18), the writer of Hebrews gives us two commands: “Let us draw near…” (10:22) and “Let us hold fast…”(10:23). Let’s look at each one.

We are to “draw near” to God “with a true heart in full assurance of faith” that Jesus Christ’s death has removed our guilt for sin, and has made us acceptable to God (10:22). We can have “full assurance” of our “faith,” since our confidence rests in the sufficiency of what Christ has done for us (John 19:30), not what we do for Him. Knowing that we are totally accepted by God on the basis of Christ’s sufficient sacrifice for our sins invites us to draw near to God without any doubts that we are truly saved and going to heaven when we die. God wants His children to know that they are forever His the moment they believe in His Son Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:12; I John 5:13). Having this complete assurance that we are God’s children empowers us to approach Him with a true heart, not a false or disingenuous heart that withholds our true selves from our Father in heaven. Because of God’s complete acceptance of us in Christ, we are free to present our true selves to God without fear of rejection or shame. Why? Because Christ’s sacrifice completely cleansed us inwardly of all guilt (“from an evil conscience”) and outwardly of all impurity (“our bodies washed with pure water”) so that there is no consciousness of sin or shame.

Many Christians are afraid to draw near to God because they are being taught that they must clean themselves up first before He will accept them. They are told to repent or turn from their sins before God will welcome them into His family. The nagging question they have is, “How many or which of my sins must I turn from before God will accept me?”

Imagine a child doubting that he or she was truly their parents’ son or daughter on the basis of their behavior!?! Think of the insecurities and fear that child would have. Instead of drawing near to his or her parents when struggling with sin or shame, he or she would hide their struggles and try harder and harder to overcome them, only to experience more defeat, fear, and shame. This is a terrible cycle of shame that God never intended His children to endure. Yet Christians are being taught this at many different levels within evangelical Christianity.

Christians are also being told that assurance of salvation keeps believers from living holy lives. In other words, if I can know I have everlasting life which can never be lost, then what is to keep me from living like the Devil the rest of my life? Doesn’t assurance of salvation give me a license to sin? The writer of Hebrews answers these questions in Hebrews 10 with an absolute “No!”

Total acceptance before God is based on the finished work of Christ alone (10:1-18) and trusting in His work alone (John 3:14-15). This truth is foundational for Christians to draw near to God (Heb. 10:22). We can draw near to God with a “true heart” because Christ’s sacrifice has removed our consciousness of sin and shame and has made us acceptable before God. Christ’s death has removed our inward guilt and outward impurity. We are no longer defined by our sin and shame, but by the love and light of Jesus Christ (Ephes. 5:2, 8). We can approach God boldly now because Christ’s perfect love which was manifested when He died in our place (Rom. 5:8; I John 4:9-10) casts out our fear (I John 4:18).

This assurance of salvation that is based on the finished work of Christ, enables believers to obey the second command: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (10:23). Being liberated from our sin and shame through Christ’s death on the Cross empowers us to persevere (“hold fast”) in our Christian faith. Instead of focusing on our past shame and failures, we can now focus on our future “hope” of receiving rewards from Christ “without wavering.” Why? Because “He who promised is faithful.” Our faithfulness to God now is based upon His faithfulness to our future.

The writer of Hebrews warns, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has a great reward” (10:35). To throw away one’s confidence or Christian confession (cf. Heb. 3:1, 14; 10:23) results in the loss of “great reward” which is synonymous with the promised inheritance-rest (4:1, 11: 9:15) and inheritance-salvation (1:13-14; 2:3; 5:9; 6:9; 7:25; 9:28; 11:27) of Hebrews which includes deliverance from Christ’s enemies (Heb. 1:13; 10:13) and sharing in His joyous reign (Psalm 2:7-9; Heb. 1:5-14; 12:1-:2; cf. 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:25-27).

In conclusion, Christ’s sufficient sacrificial death on the Cross (10:1-18) provides both the basis for our confident approach to God (10:22) and our persevering faith which will be richly rewarded (10:23). Instead of undermining holy living, assurance of salvation bolsters holy living by empowering us to draw near to God with boldness to receive the resources we need (“grace” and “mercy”) to finish our Christians lives well for the Savior (Hebrews 4:14-16; 12:1-2).

Prayer: Because of my total acceptance before You, Father God, through the sufficient sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, I can now approach You with full assurance that I belong to You forever. Thank You for paying the penalty for all my sins when You died in my place on the Cross, Lord Jesus. There is no longer anything I need to do to earn Your forgiveness. Because of this complete acceptance before You, I am compelled to persevere in the faith knowing You are faithful to reward those who do so. Help me to give You my very best each day because You alone are worthy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Suffering eternalizes our perspective

“¹⁶ Therefore do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Because of the Holy Spirit’s ministry to the unsaved whereby He opens and transforms their hearts (4:1-6) and to Christians whom He sustains through the many sufferings they may have to endure for the sake of the gospel (4:7-15), the apostle Paul encourages us not “to lose heart” (4:16a). Even though our sufferings cause us to decline physically (“our outward man is perishing”), yet we are “renewed” spiritually “day by day” through God’s Word and the Holy Spirit (4:16b).

Notice the contrasts between our sufferings and our coming glory (4:17-18):

Sufferings Glory

Light	Weight
For a moment, temporary	Eternal
Seen	Not seen

Our sufferings are “light” compared to the “weight” of “glory” (honor/rewards) we will receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ (4:17; cf. 5:10). Because our coming “glory” is so heavy with importance and value, our present “affliction” is ever so slight and insignificant. The eternality (“eternal”) of our coming glory makes our current sufferings seem momentary (“for a moment”). Our present “affliction” is actually “working for us,” not against us, to produce a much greater (“exceeding”) experience of “glory” in the future. What Paul seems to be saying is we can increase our “glory” (rewards) by continuing to suffer as result of faithfully following Christ.

Our present sufferings cause us not to “look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen” (4:18a). God wants us to focus on the invisible things that await us because they are “eternal,” not “temporary” like the things which are seen (4:18b). God uses the difficulties we face now to eternalize our perspective. By keeping these unseen and eternal rewards in mind, we can avoid discouragement when we face hardships in life.

In the above diagram, the dot represents your life. The arrow represents eternity. God wants to use that dot to prepare you for eternity. He will often use difficulties in life to do this. As we grow older and experience more pain, God wants us to think more about heaven than earth so we will be less vulnerable to giving up. By focusing on what is eternal rather than on what is temporary, we will have more motivation to follow Jesus faithfully.

Prayer: Father God, as I face difficulties in my life, help me not to lose heart and give up, but to permit Your Spirit to daily renew me spiritually through Your Word so that I learn to focus more on that which is eternal rather than on that which is temporary. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God finishes what He starts

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

The apostle Paul is writing to Christians in Philippi to thank them for their generosity in sending him financial gifts at the beginning of his gospel ministry when no other church did and even more recently (1:3-5; 4:10-18). Paul expressed his confidence that this “good work” of financial assistance that God began in the Philippians would be brought to completion on “the day” Jesus returns for His church (1:6; cf. 1:10; 2:16; 3:11, 20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). What God began in the Philippians enabled Paul to preach the gospel to hundreds of people in his lifetime and impact millions of people with his New Testament epistles. Think of how many people have been influenced by Paul’s writings the last two thousand years!?! Imagine how many more people will be impacted by his epistles until Christ returns for His church!?! This is staggering. God did not waste Paul’s sufferings and imprisonments when Paul wrote most of his letters. He used that time to advance the gospel for generations to come.

I learned a year and a half ago from my Dad that when I was five years old, I disappeared on our dairy farm in Illinois. So my parents and older siblings looked all over for me and eventually they found me standing on a pile of rocks preaching to the dairy cows. I have no recollection of doing this. But my family confirmed that this did indeed happen.

As I read Philippians 1:6 this morning, God reminded me that He began a “good work” in me back when I was five years old preaching to the cows. Even though I had not yet believed in Jesus for everlasting life at that time, there was a sense of calling on my life to preach God’s Word (cf. Jeremiah 1:5). The Bible says this was a “good” or excellent and distinguished work, not a “bad” or “mediocre” work. God never starts something bad in our lives. He starts something good. So no matter how inadequate or ashamed you may feel inside, be confident that what God has begun doing in your life is good and beneficial for you and others. This work is also beneficial to God. It puts a smile on His face to see His children participate in the spread of His gospel around the world.

The most encouraging part of this verse for me is that God finishes (“complete”) what He starts in us. Even though we may falter or get off track in our Christian lives, God does not give up on us or stop working. He often uses hardships in our lives to take us deeper in our relationship with Him so He can use us even more. He wants us to be confident that He finishes what He begins in us. This will give us hope amidst the storms in our lives so that we do not quit or give up.

Whatever God is doing in your life, He wants to use it to reach other people with the gospel far beyond your lifetime. Just as the Lord used the Philippians’ giving to the apostle Paul’s preaching and writing to impact peoples’ lives with the gospel long after they died, so the Lord wants to use your talents to advance the gospel long after you die. He may use your giving, writings, singing, crafts, film productions, acts of kindness, preaching of the gospel, etc., long after you are gone to lead other people to faith in Christ. Make no mistake about it, God will bring to completion the good work He began in you until the day when Jesus returns for His church.

Prayer: Lord of the Harvest, thank You for starting a good and excellent work in me that is neither bad nor mediocre. Knowing that You will finish what You started in my life until the day when Jesus returns for His church, gives me great confidence and hope. Thank You for not giving up on me even when I may give up on myself. I now give you my voice, my talents, my mind and body to finish what You began in me years ago. I look forward to what You will accomplish all for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Overcoming the weight of shame

“²⁷Make me understand the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate on Your wonderful works. ²⁸ My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word. ²⁹ Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously.” Psalm 119:27-29

The Lord has been teaching me a lot about shame the past few months. Having grown up with shame-based lies in America and having served as a missionary in a shame-based country for several years, this issue of shame has weighed heavily on my soul. In this devotion I will address shame in a Christian’s life.

It is important to understand that shame is not from God. When God made the first man and woman, they were naked and unashamed before the Lord and one another (Gen. 2:25). Even after Adam and Eve sinned, God did not come to condemn them with shame, He came to cover their sin and shame (Gen. 3:9-21). For example, when Adam told God, “I was afraid because I was naked” (3:10). God replied, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat” (3:11)? God never told Adam and Eve they were naked. This was the natural consequence of their sin. Satan also reveals our shame to us when we sin (true shame) or don’t sin (false shame). His accusations against believers produce shame in their lives. The Devil uses shame to isolate Christians from God and one another. Like a roaring lion who focuses on those who are isolated and weak, Satan focuses on believers who are alone and weak (cf. I Peter 5:8).

Guilt says, “You did something wrong.” Shame says, “You are wrong.” Satan uses shame to condemn us and keep us from drawing near to God and one another.

In my devotions in Psalm 119 this morning, the Holy Spirit showed me some truths that I can apply to my battle with shame. The Psalmist writes, “Make me understand the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate on Your wonderful works” (119:27). We need God to help us “understand” or discern the pattern (“way”) of His commands (“precepts”). Take time to invite God to help you understand how to apply His Word to your deep struggle with shame. The Lord wants us to focus (“meditate”) on the “wonderful works” He is doing deep inside of us rather than on our sin and shame. Shame tends to focus on behavior and external reformation. God’s grace and truth focus on the heart and inward transformation.

As God leads me to deal more deeply with my shame, I discover that my “soul melts from heaviness” (119:28a). The word “melts” (dalaph) means “to drip or leak because cracks are not mended.” The idea is that our soul is broken and unable to retain what God gives us. Shame keeps us from believing the truth about God’s love and acceptance of us. As a result, our soul is broken and weighed down with the “heaviness” of sadness and shame. And a cycle of shame develops whereby we mess up, confess our sins, and then try harder, only to repeat the same sin because we continue to believe the shame-based lies that fuel our shame. And we stay bound to this cycle of shame. We cannot break this shame cycle until we deal with the wounds that the shame-based lies are attached to. It takes God’s Spirit to heal these wounds to our souls.

Few things are more unbearable than the heaviness of shame. It is a burden that God never intended for people to bear. Yet Satan will use shame to keep us from becoming the people God intended us to be. What is God’s remedy for this weight of shame in a Christian’s life?

“Strengthen me according to Your word” (119:28b). We do not have the strength to overcome this weight of shame on our own. Only God has the power necessary to win this battle. The word “strengthen” (qum) means “to arise or stand up.” In the context, this refers to God giving us the ability to arise from the depths of our sadness and shame by means of His “word.” The strength we need to overcome shame comes from the truth of God’s Word. If we do not make our home in God’s Word, we will not win this battle with shame. No amount of willpower or “trying harder” will overcome the weight of shame. We must invite God’s Word to do that for us. How?

“Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously” (119:29). Shame is based on lies the enemy has attached to past wounds in our lives. Lies that say:

• “I am bad or unworthy.”

• “No one could love me as I am.”

• “I cannot depend on others to help me.”

• “I am defined by my sin and shame.”

We must ask the Lord to expose and remove the pattern (“way”) of lies that keep us enslaved to the weight of shame. And then ask Him to “grant me Your law graciously,” not harshly. Ask the Lord to gently replace the shame-based lies in your soul with His liberating truth. Truths that say:

• “I am loved and cherished by God.” Psalm 27:10

• “I am totally loved by Jesus just as I am.” Romans 5:6, 8

• “I can depend on others to help me through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

• “I am defined by the Light and Love of Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:2, 8

Prayer: Precious Father God, please give me the understanding and discernment to permit Your Word to speak to my deep struggle with shame. Help me focus on the wonderful work You are doing inside of me rather than on my failings and shortcomings. I confess that my soul melts from the heaviness of my sadness and shame. Please strengthen me as only You can with Your Word so I may arise out of this pit of shame. I pray Your Holy Spirit will expose and remove the shame-based lies that keep me bound to this cycle of shame and replace them graciously with Your liberating truths from Your Word so I may become the person You created me to be. Replace my false identity that is based upon shame-based lies with my new identity in Christ that is based upon Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Faithful to the end

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 5:58

It is important to understand the argument of the entire book of I Corinthians before we look at the end of I Corinthians 15. All of the failings of the Corinthians – their divisiveness, pride, insensitivity to immorality, idolatry, taking each other to court, etc. (1:11; 3:1-3; 5:9-6:20; 11:21-32) – each expressed a tendency to pollute God’s truth with human wisdom. This tendency is again evidenced in I Corinthians 15 by some in the Corinthian fellowship who were doubting the future resurrection of believers from the dead (15:12).

It is no mistake that Paul both begins and ends this epistle with arguments concerning the content of the gospel. In 1:18-25, he showed that their divisions were caused by a misunderstanding of the gospel. Human wisdom said that the message of Christ crucified was foolishness; Paul countered that while the gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing, it was God’s power for those being saved (1:18). At that point in his letter, he only focused on Christ’s crucifixion (1:17, 18, 23; 2:2).

Now, he addresses the questions of some concerning the bodily resurrection of believers, again pointing to the gospel message, focusing here on the resurrection of Christ – to show the error of their thinking (15:1-19). Again, Paul points out that mixing human wisdom with the gospel message, does not result in clarity, but in confusion. In this case, it is the blessed future hope of resurrection that is sacrificed on the altar of human wisdom. The historical bodily resurrection of Christ was central to the gospel message the Corinthians believed. The Corinthians knew the gospel; in fact, they received it, and were standing firm in it (15:1). What Paul really wants to make known to them is that by denying the doctrine of the bodily resurrection of all believers, they are actually denying the resurrection of Christ, and thus the gospel! This had escaped their notice.

Paul wants his readers to know that the good news (euangellion) of Jesus’ death and resurrection is foundational to healthy Christian living. Christians cannot live a victorious life for Christ if they stop believing in any aspect of the good news, especially Jesus’ substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, His soon return, and their own bodily resurrection and acquisition of glorified bodies (15:1-57). This is why Paul concludes I Corinthians 15 by saying, “Therefore…” (15:58a). The word “therefore” refers to all that Paul wrote about the centrality of the bodily resurrection of Christ to the gospel message, Jesus’ soon return, and our own bodily resurrection and acquisition of glorified bodies (15:1-57).

Paul refers to his readers as “my beloved brethren” (15:58b). They were dearly loved by the apostle and by Christ Himself. Knowing we are very much loved by someone gets our attention and opens our hearts to hear more from him.

Paul challenges them (and us) to “be steadfast, immovable” (15:58c). The primary meaning of these two words is to be faithful to the gospel message Paul has handed down to us. Paul is telling us not to stop (“be steadfast”) or move away (“immovable”) from preaching the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even though many theologians, seminaries and churches are mixing good works with the gospel message, we must not move away from the pure gospel of grace message which proclaims faith alone in Christ alone who died for our sins and rose from the dead. No matter how difficult it is to proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection, we must remain firm and unwavering in our commitment to preach the clear and simple gospel message given to us by the Lord Jesus and His apostles.

But there is more. Paul writes, “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (15:58d). The word “abounding” means to serve Christ above and beyond the expected measure. When it comes to preaching the death and resurrection of Christ to a lost world, we are to give Jesus our very best effort, not our leftovers. Notice that this all out effort for Christ is to be given “always,” not just occasionally.

Why are we to always give Christ our very best when we preach His gospel message? Paul tells us in the last part of the verse. “Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (15:58e). Since Christ’s resurrection guarantees our own (15:1-57), our service(“labor”) for Christ is not “in vain” or of no value because at the Judgment Seat, Christ will richly reward those who remain faithful to preach the gospel of His death and resurrection (cf. I Cor. 3:8-4:5; 9:24-27; 2 Cor. 5:9-11).

Prayer: Precious Lord Jesus, thank You that I am dearly loved by You. Thank You for entrusting me with the privilege of proclaiming Your death and resurrection to a lost world. Let me not stop or move away from preaching Your clear and simple gospel message. Knowing that Your resurrection guarantees my own future resurrection and appearance at the Judgment Seat, motivates me to do my very best for You each and every day. Lord, I long to hear You say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Gaining Your approval means more to me than anything else. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Show me a sign for good

“Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.” Psalm 86:17

King David is surrounded by “a mob of violent men” who have rebelled against God and His anointed king (86:14). David appeals to God’s goodness to deliver him from those who “hate” him and want to kill him (86:15-16). He pleads with the Lord, “Show me a sign for good” (86:17a). This sign would be an indication of God’s support of David as His servant. Most likely this is a reference to God’s deliverance of David from his enemies. David wants this rescue by God to be done in front of his enemies so “they may see it and be ashamed” (86:17b). He wants them to see him getting away so they will understand that God has “helped… and comforted” him (86:17c).

Do you ever feel surrounded by those who hate both God and those who serve Him? It may be a family member, an employer, a neighbor, or a waitress at a restaurant. God is inviting you to ask Him for a sign for good so that those who oppose you may see His deliverance of you and be ashamed of what they did to you. God wants to help you and comfort you in the midst of opposition from others.

During one of our mission trips to the Philippines to preach the gospel in public schools, one particular principal of a school told our Filipino pastors that our team could not share the gospel in her school the next day. So we prayed the Lord would some how show us a sign for good. That night, this principal became sick with a very high blood pressure reading and was unable to go to school the next day. When our mission team arrived at the school that day, the teacher in charge gave our team permission to share the gospel with all the people there. God provided a sign for good not only for our team, but also for all the unsaved people at that school who were able to hear and believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer: Precious Lord, please show me a sign of Your goodness so that those who hate me (and You) will be ashamed because of the way You are going to help me and comfort me for Your glory. I pray this sign will also benefit those who do not know Christ as their Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Growing toward Christlikeness in God’s family

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.” I Peter 3:8

I read a story recently about an older lady who was impressed with the nice young man next door. He was extremely helpful to her raking her leaves, mowing her lawn, etc. One day she asked him, “Son, how did you become such a fine young man?” He replied, “It is all due to the fact that I had a drug problem when I was younger.” “Really!?!” the woman exclaimed. “Yeah,” the young man replied, “My parents drug me to church on Sunday morning, they drug me to church on Sunday nights, and they drug me to youth group on Wednesday nights.”

God wants the church to be a place where Christians become more Christlike in our dealings with one another. The apostle Peter speaks of this in I Peter 3:8. He begins by saying, “Finally, all of you…” This is something God wants for “all” believers in Jesus, not just some.

It is important to acknowledge that the church is not a building or a place. The church is a family of people who believe in Jesus Christ. However, being a part of a family can have many benefits and many challenges. Before we look at the benefits of being a member of God’s family, let me address some of the challenges.

The church is comprised of imperfect sinners who are saved by God’s grace. Just as earthly families can struggle to get along with one another, so can church families. There can be misunderstandings and conflict in a church. Personalities can clash with each other. People get their feelings hurt and hold grudges. Selfishness and stubbornness can keep people from growing spiritually.

There is a saying that summarizes these challenges well:

What a joy to love the saints above

When I get home to glory.

To love below, the saints I know,

Well, that’s another story!

The apostle Peter understood these challenges all too well. So he encourages his Christian readers who have been scattered across the Roman Empire (I Pet. 1:1) to obey Christ’s command to love one another as He had loved them (cf. John 13:34). He begins by saying, “Finally, all of you be of one mind.” The word “one mind” (homóphrōnes) means to be like-minded or have the same eternal perspective. Since all Christians are bound for heaven due to their faith in Christ, they are to have this same eternal perspective. This is not our final home. Heaven is our final destination and we are to live like citizens of heaven (cf. Philippians 3:20).

Secondly, we are to have “compassion for one another.” The word “compassion” (sympatheis) is where our English word “sympathy” comes from. This sympathy for one another stems from understanding one another. I cannot sympathize with you if I do not take time to listen to you and understand your needs.

As we listen to one another and understand one another, we will learn to “love as brothers.” The word translated “love as brothers” (philadelphoi) is where we get the word “Philadelphia.” The love God wants us to have toward other Christians is the affectionate love we find between members of a healthy family.

This kind of love is “tenderhearted” (eusplanchnoi) or merciful. Literally this word means to show “gut-level” empathy for others. We care for one another from the depth of our being. We put ourselves in the shoes of the other person and are able to be sensitive to their needs. Rather than make quick judgments about others, we take time to see life through their eyes. We are merciful to them, not merciless.

Lastly, Peter says to “be courteous.” This word (tapeinophrones) means to have a humble opinion of ourselves that is produced by comparing ourselves to the Lord rather than to the shortcomings of others. The more we experience the compassion and grace of Jesus Christ, the more we will be able to offer it to others. We cannot give what we do not possess.

The world is filled with broken and lonely people. God intends for the church to be a safe place where sinners can gather to receive the healing and hope that only Jesus Christ can give. Will you choose to be part of this wonderful process whereby the Lord Jesus heals you from the inside out to display His compassion, comfort, and courtesy to other broken sinners?

Prayer: Father God, please produce in me the same eternal perspective You want all Your children to have, showing sympathy to one another that stems from understanding we are all broken sinners in need of Your grace. Help me to see other Christians as You do so I will love them affectionately and tenderly, withholding any judgment they may deserve just as You have done with me. Grant me to be courteous toward others, having a humble opinion of myself that is produced by comparing myself to Your perfections rather than to the shortcomings of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Where do you look for security?

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

After encouraging his readers to pursue Christ instead of false teachers (2:1-23), the apostle Paul admonishes them to “seek” and “set” their minds “on things above” – namely “Christ” who is seated “at the right hand of God” in a position of power and authority (3:1-2). The reason for this is because they “died” with Christ spiritually when the Holy Spirit joined them to His death and resurrection at the moment of faith in Him for salvation (3:3a; cf. 2:12-13; Rom. 6:3-4; I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Ephes. 1:13). And now their “life is hidden with Christ in God” so that they are safe and secure forever (3:3b).

Rather than focus on the temporary things of this earth (i.e. philosophies, possessions, pleasures, popularity, and power, etc.) to give us a sense of safety and security, we are to seek and think about heaven where our lives are “hidden with Christ in God.” Just as we would hide something of value in a safe place, so God has hidden us with Christ so that no one can steal us away from Him. No one can snatch us out of Jesus’ hands (John 10:28-29)! We are hidden and safe with the Lord. No one and nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39)! Therefore, I do not need to gain a sense of safety and security through the things of this earth because I am already safe and secure forever with Christ. Knowing this amazing truth causes me to prepare for that day when I will “appear with Him in glory” (3:4).

Prayer: Father God forgive me for expending so much energy trying to protect myself or gain a sense of security from the temporary things of this earth. Help me to focus my thoughts on things above where I am hidden with Christ in God. Thank You that I am safe and secure forever with the Lord Jesus. Knowing this motivates me to draw closer to Him and live for that day when I will appear with Him in glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Who are you?

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” I Peter 2:9

If you were asked, “Who are you?” how would you answer that question right now? You may say, “I am a teacher, a farmer, a doctor, a Hawkeye fan, a friend of…, a wife of…, a son of…, a guy who owns that fancy house or boat, a divorcee, an alcoholic, a drug addict, a victim of abuse….” We define ourselves by what we do or what was done to us, our feelings, what we possess, or by our associations with others. The problem with this is that all these people or things can change or be lost. But God wants us as Christians to see ourselves through His eyes which never changes. He has defined who we are in the Bible.

In the book of I Peter, the apostle Peter uses different figures to describe the church consisting of Jewish and Gentile believers (2:9). These descriptions provide a powerful description of how God views each of His children. Seeing ourselves through God’s eyes is essential for Christian growth and victory because we behave in the way we perceive ourselves to be (cf. Proverbs 23:7). Let’s look at how God views us in verse 9:

– “You are a chosen generation.” God has “chosen” you , not overlooked or ignored you. To be chosen means that others want to be with us, to know us and spend time with us. May be you grew up not feeling wanted. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been chosen by God to have a special relationship with Him. Before this world was even made, God chose you to have a special relationship with Him through Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesian 1:4). So many children grow up in homes where their parents tell them directly or indirectly, “We never wanted you. You were an accident… a big surprise.” Child of God, your heavenly Father has always wanted to be in a relationship with you. He chose you for a purpose. He wants you to “proclaim the praises of Him” (2:9). Look in a mirror and say to yourself, “I am chosen by God.” Are you seeing yourself as God sees you? The more you believe what God says about you, the more you will feel it and live it. No longer do you need to seek everyone’s approval to avoid rejection. You are chosen by God which reveals your infinite worth as a person.

– You are “a royal priesthood.” You are “royal,” not inferior. You are a person of high status and importance. Perhaps you have viewed yourself as being a nobody. No one seems to pay attention to you. God wants you to know that you are extremely significant because you are a member of the royal priesthood of God. In the Old Testament, there was a separate class of priests who represented the people of Israel before God, but in the New Testament, all believers are priests before God who worship, intercede, and minister (I Peter 2:5; cf. Revelation 1:6). Say to yourself, “I am a royal priest before God.” You no longer need to work hard to prove yourself to anyone because you are a member of God’s royal priesthood.

– You are part of “a holy nation.” Originally God wanted the nation of Israel to live distinctly “holy” lives before other nations to attract them to Himself (cf. Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6; Isaiah 42:6). But Israel failed to be a Light to the nations because she preferred to be like those nations (cf. I Samuel 8:5), so now God wants His church to be His “holy nation” to go to all the world to preach His gospel to everyone (cf. Mark 16:15) as His ambassadors (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20). We are to “proclaim” His praises because He called us “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9). Say to yourself, “I am a holy ambassador for Christ.” Therefore, you do not need to listen to the voice of this world that calls you to pursue your own sinful desires. God has set you apart to represent Jesus!

– You are “His own special people.” In Christ, we are “special” to the Lord. You are not a nobody. You are a somebody because God has declared you to be special to Him. You are greater than what is usual or common. You may not realize this, but God the Father loves you as much as He loves His own Son! Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father, “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:23). God loves you just as much as He loves His only perfect Son! Say to yourself, “I am special to God.” Therefore, you no longer need to work hard to earn the love of others. You can rest in God’s outrageous love for you!

God wants us to know that we are chosen, royal, holy, and special to Him. Each of these descriptions convey our infinite value and significance to God as His children. The more we see ourselves as God sees us, the more we will fulfill His purpose for our lives which is to proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of the darkness of our sin and shame into His marvelous light filled with His love and hope!

Prayer: Lord God thank you for declaring who I am in Christ. I am chosen, not overlooked; royalty, not inferior; holy, not dirty; special, not ordinary. Please apply these magnificent truths to the depths of my being so I may proclaim Your praises for having called me out of the darkness of my sin and shame into the marvelous light of Your love and hope!!! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Relying on the Holy Spirit for spiritual victory

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

The key to living the Christian life is how a believer relates to the Holy Spirit who indwells him or her. The Bible tells us that “those who are in Christ Jesus” (all believers) who “walk… according to the Spirit” will not experience “condemnation.” Some translations of the Bible do not include the last part of verse 1 (“who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”) This is unfortunate because the majority of Greek manuscripts along with some of the early manuscripts contain these words at the end of verse 1 which fit beautifully in the context (Rom. 8:1-4).

Paul is saying that believers who walk according to the flesh will experience “condemnation.” The word for condemnation (katakrima) means penal servitude in this context which talks about enslavement to sin (Rom. 7:25; 8:2, 4). Paul is not referring to eternal condemnation in this verse which is in the midst of his section on sanctification (Rom. 6:1-8:39). Prior to Romans 8, Paul describes the spiritual defeat of a believer who is trying to grow spiritually by placing himself under the Law (Rom. 7:13-25). Beginning in Romans 8, Paul answers the question, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (7:24).

How can we walk according to the Spirit and not experience slavery to sin? By setting our “minds on the things of the Spirit” (8:5). When we focus our minds on the things of the Spirit recorded in God’s Word, our minds are “renewed” (12:2) by the Holy Spirit Who applies these truths to our thinking so we do not remain enslaved to sin.

It is important to understand that spiritual growth involves a battle of the mind (cf. 2 Cor. 10:3-5). Believers who are enslaved to sin have their minds set upon their sinful flesh, trying to gain victory by living under the Law which arouses their fleshly desires (Rom. 8:1, 5; cf. 7:1-25). But believers who are walking in the Spirit are renewing their minds as they permit the Holy Spirit to apply God’s truth to them.

Our behavior is based upon our thinking (Proverbs 23:7). But some Christians turn that around and believe that their thinking is based upon their behavior. So they focus on changing their behavior to change their thinking. This is called reformation. But God wants to change our behavior by changing our thinking first. This is called transformation. The more God changes our thinking through the Holy Spirit’s ministry of God’s Word, the more our behavior will change and become more Christlike. If we try to change our behavior first like Paul did when he placed himself under the Law, we will experience spiritual defeat and continual enslavement to sin (Rom. 7:1-25; 8:1a). But when we let God change our thinking first by focusing on the Holy Spirit and His Word, we will experience freedom from slavery to sin (8:1), resulting in “life and peace” (8:6).

For example, when we focus exclusively on the command not to commit adultery, our sinful flesh is stirred up to commit adultery (cf. Rom. 7:5-11). Simply trying in our own strength to keep that command will result in spiritual defeat or “death.” Failure to keep the Law produces fear and shame which isolates us from God and others. But when we focus our minds on the things of the Spirit which includes not being given “the spirit of bondage again to fear,” but being given “the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (8:15), we are inclined to trust the Holy Spirit to apply that command against adultery to our thinking, enabling us not to commit that sin (Rom. 8:1-6). Walking in the flesh involves fear. But walking in the Spirit involves faith. The more we perceive God to be our good and loving “Abba Father” (8:15), the more we will trust Him and not be afraid. As we walk in the Spirit we will be convicted of our sin which leads to trusting in the Spirit to make godly changes in our lives. So the key to victory is in trusting (grace), not in trying (law).

When we wake up in the morning we have a choice to either walk according to our sinful flesh or walk according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:1, 5, 12-13). We have the choice to live (in fellowship with God) or die (experience broken fellowship with God).

Prayer: Lord God, please lead me to spiritual victory as I learn to trust Your Spirit to apply Your Word to my thinking instead of trying harder to keep Your Law. In Jesus’ name. Amen.