Strength keeps us standing against forces that would knock us down, or pull or push us off course. Paul tells the Philippians that Epaphroditus was sick (2:26). The word sick here is the Greek work asthenesen (unstable--here of health). The same word is used for the pliable layer underneath the lithosphere on earth, the aesthenosphere, which allows the earth's plates to shift. Weakness means movable. There are cultural and political forces today causing Christians all over the world to shift away from Christ.
Christians are called to be steadfast and immovable (1 Corinthians 15:58), calling only Jesus our Lord. We are to grow up in our faith (Ephesians 4:14, Hebrews 5:12-14, I Corinthians 3:1). This requires intense Bible study--not only going to a study once a week, as is the habit of some, but actually plugging into the Bible in the times when most plug into TV shows, music, or video games. The vast majority of our time needs to be occupied with growing in our faith. We are called to put Christ first always. If we are willing to live this kind of Christian intentionality, we will be strong and immovable. We will know falsehoods when we encounter them because our pallet will be tuned to the truth. This week Donald Trump created an infomercial hawking a Bible with The Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution inside. Putting these documents together in one volume creates a sense of parity--equal status.
But nothing is to be compared to the Bible. The Word of God is unique. It is where God spoke to mankind, showing us the way of salvation, culminating in His incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection. This same Bible calls Christians to put aside nationalism (Philippians 3) and embrace their "citizenship in Heaven." (Philippians 3:20). The Lee Greenwood, Trump-endorsed Bible is an affront to Christians everywhere. Christian Nationalism is an oxymoron. It's like saying we can be of the world and of Christ at the same time. James makes it very clear that this is not possible (James 4:4). Christians need to read and study their Bibles. Understand this new life we were given. Embrace putting aside the things of the flesh and walking in the Spirit. We have only one Lord, one country. Paul calls us to live like it (Philippians 1:27). The phrase here, translated "conduct yourselves worthy" (NIV) is actually, "act like citizens." We are called to live out a citizenship of the gospel, the good news of a new Kingdom inaugurated by our only Lord and King. Today is Good Friday, the day people remember the death of Jesus. They bring it to mind. It has not really been on their radar, but this day reminds them. It is like Martin Luther King Day. We honor it, but his death, as tragic as it was, is not on our daily radar. But for Christians, every day is Good Friday. Every day we wake up and declare that we are dead, we have died with Jesus in His death. We do this to remind ourselves that our life before Christ, everything we were in this world and in the flesh, is gone. This is who/what we were in Adam. Jesus' resurrection is also ours. We are new creations, God's own children. Family. We are members of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, the people God holds dear. If we live this reality, our daily Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, then we live in the power and presence of the Spirit, a life that exudes the fragrance of Christ. Happy Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, no matter what day you are reading this.
Eternal Identity
One of the most important things for Christians to do is to develop an eternal mindset. The Bible tells us that there are temporal realities and eternal realities. The temporal is everything in this life. It includes your family upbringing, your enculturation, your national identity, and everything you think of yourself related to this life. The eternal realities include everything connected to what you have become in Christ by virtue of being born again and in the Kingdom of Christ. It also includes everything you have in heaven (your inheritance, your coming perfection, and an eternity with your heavenly Father and family). The author of The Book of Hebrews reminds us that the things of this realm will be shaken away (Hebrews 12:27-29) leaving only those things of the Kingdom of Christ that cannot be shaken. Our calling is to live every moment according to the eternal things, not the things of this temporary realm. Live only for the eternal and you will be living according to those things that will endure. Loyalty
In our political world there are some leaders who demand absolute loyalty. They expect their followers to bow to them, to express how wonderful they are, and to do everything in the leader’s best interest. And to never criticize them or point out their inconsistencies. When any person or organization is considered disloyal, they become an enemy and are targeted for attack. They are delegitimized, threatened, and sometimes actually physically assaulted. There are two things we can learn from this. Firstly, this total heart-mind-soul allegiance, this complete obedience is how every Christian should respond to our God. Jesus modeled this for us (Hebrews 10:9). As F. F. Bruce wrote, “Wholehearted obedience is the sacrifice that God really desires, the sacrifice which He received in perfection from His Servant-Son when He came into the world.” (The New International Commentary On The New Testament: Hebrews). We are called to follow Jesus’ example of complete loyalty and obedience to the Father. Secondly, we can see why, when we are single-minded in our devotion, only being loyal to God, those other forces that demand our loyalty will consider us as the enemy. This is why so many have suffered since the time of Christ in totalitarian nations. Any country that slides into authoritarianism will demand complete loyalty from all and will attempt to crush Christians who give their allegiance only to God. Be ready for this. As Peter said, it is not unusual (1 Peter 4:12). It is inevitable. We get vaccines to prevent infections. We wash our hands and use hand sanitizer to keep from spreading germs to ourselves or others. So what are the infections that Christians must guard against?
Echo-chambers. An echo-chamber is a world created in a bubble. It has its own look, feel, vibe, vocabulary, community, and shared purpose. There are political echo-chambers (Trumpism, Fox News, Right-wing media, and Bidonites, MSNBC, CNN, and their media machine). There are commercial echo-chambers run by large corporations to win allegiance from their consumers. There are racial subcultures, class subcultures, and cliques of all kinds. These echo-chambers reinforce feelings of fear, inadequacy, being slighted, etc. They offer a sense of belonging and identity. They promise to make you someone. There is only one echo-chamber that Christians should belong to. That is the echo-chamber of faith, reinforced by our personal relationship with God, the Word of God, our faith rituals, and the fellowship with have with other saints. This is an eternal echo-chamber--the only one that will endure forever. We are called to be in the world, but not of it. We are not to be worldly. This means that we are not to become part of any other echo-chamber. We are to stand aside, disconnect, keep our distance from all of these in order to remain faithful to Christ. Only then can we begin to present something of the Kingdom of God to others, inviting them to leave their echo-chamber, which offers life but cannot deliver, and join Christ's Kingdom, an echo-chamber of hope, love, and true identity. Oh, the riches that are ours in Christ! Use the brain God gave you. I see so many Christians and others who are mindlessly going through life, swallowing every conspiracy and making themselves (and often God) look stupid. John Stott wrote a wonderful little book called, You Mind Matters. It showed with Scripture that Christians are called to be thinking people. Some Christians act as if God wants us to risk everything (even our lives and souls) on the slimmest of evidence possible. The less the evidence, the more the faith. Nothing could be further from the truth. God calls us to faith in Him, then He goes on to prove that He is there (the Bible), that He wants to be with us (Jesus), and that he values us (Jesus dying on the cross). All this happened in history. He is not hiding from us. What honors God is when we have better answers than those in the world. The Bible gives us a higher wisdom--God's. Jesus was never at a loss for words. He knew just what to say. So should we. Paul didn't give up his mind when he accepted Christ, he reasoned with it in God's service. Ask yourself what you think and believe. Then see if there is sufficient evidence to believe it. This will mean reading and listening to those who disagree with you. They might be right. If they are, follow truth. If you follow truth, you will always find God. Beware of those with agendas--who need your vote, or your money. People around you have opinions. They will challenge you. What do you think will raise your esteem in their eyes--if you shrug your shoulders and say, "I just believe it." Or if you can give real reasons backed up with facts for the things you believe? God gave you a brain and the answers. Use them!
The key to Bible Study: Some just don't get Bible study. Why study a book written over two thousand years ago? Is the book going to magically give me spiritual power? And, let's face it, the book is hard to understand. A lot of it just doesn't make much sense. After all, what do I have in common with people who lived in the first century?
The first thing we have do realize is that when we study the Bible we are reading someone else's mail. Imagine you moved into a new home and found a personal letter written to the former owners. It would be full of things you wouldn't understand. You're not part of their family, their relationships, their world. Same with the Bible. This is why it takes study to understand it. There are three parts to Bible study: 1. What does the text say? 2. What does the text mean? 3. What does this mean to me? All three are vital to powerful Bible study. The reason many people have trouble with Bible study is they stop at number 1. They read what the Bible says and then they stop. This is shallow and does not produce any effect in our lives. It is sustained only out of habit or duty. You will never fall in love with the Bible this way. The juice comes with numbers two and three. More about that later. |
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