Becoming the Word

When we devote ourselves in obedience to the will of the Lord, we are actively pursuing Him with a life of dedication and practice in prayer, Bible study, and service.  The Lord is our aim; He is that by which all of our lives are to be focused and fixed upon.  Consistency is key as God requires faithfulness over time, not just single-serving faith but full-on, 24/7 believers.

The reality is that while we are following through in a life of dedication, our lives are being transformed, meaning that the life we live is made wholly different in kind from the life we once lived.  This is the miracle of sanctification: that our fleshly self is, through the power of God by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, replaced with a new sanctified person.

Sanctification finds the flesh, our perishable parts, replaced with the imperishable spirit.  Flesh is grass, it withers and is scorched by the sun; people are like grass in perpetual states of perishing, while the Word of the Lord endures forever (Isa. 40:6-8, Psa. 102:11; 103:15; 1 Pet. 1:24).  Humanity is born in and of the flesh but as our beings are transformed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and as the Scripture becomes the mode of our very cores, we become the spirit.

Our perishing self is to be replaced with the imperishable, which is the Word of God.  In a very real sense, as we engage in regular, dedicated Bible study, the Scripture becomes us.  Our nature, who we are, is reconstructed into the nature that it was intended to be.  Therefore, need to be so intimately versed and connected with the Word that it becomes who we are.

This requires more than mere memorization and intellectual ascent, it requires that we really meditate and dig in to the Word.  To become the Word of God demands that we spend so much time with it that we can speak it in our very own language, that it becomes us.  Although this is a daunting and lifelong process, how beautiful that we would strive to become the people that God desires most of us by the power of His Word and Holy Spirit working in us!

The Exiled Elect

 In the 6th century B.C., the Jewish people were conquered and displaced in an exile of national proportions and theological implications.  The exile was not and should not be thought of as merely one nation conquering another. Instead, the exile is rife with theology and relevance.  moreover, throughout the Scriptures, the language of the exile is sobering and prevalent.

In the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, the Mosaic Law was given and came to be the governing authority and religious framework for all of Israel.  This law was part of a conditional covenant between God and Israel, known as the Mosaic Covenant.  The stipulations and conditions of this covenant are clearly laid out and defined in Deuteronomy.  The striking feature of this covenant is that there are distinct requirements of obedience and devotion.  Plainly stated, if the Israelites were obedient then they would be blessed; however, if they were disobedient to the covenant's requirements, then they would be cursed and exiled in judgment.

Unfortunately, the Israelites fell into continued covenant infidelity and centuries of disobedience.  Because of their disobedience the Israelites were sent into exile, first the ten northern tribes of Israel by the Assyrians followed by the southern Judeans by the Babylonians (by this time the Simeonites had been assimilated into the Judean tribe).  As a result of the exile(s), Israel spent some 70 years displaced from their Promised Land.

It is important to remember that the exile is just about the physical dispersion of Israel out of the Promised Land but, much more so, it is a theological construct, a framework for understanding the nature of God's people in the world, displaced from their Promised Land.  The exile is thus a way to explain the dislocation of believers from the promises of God.

The apostle Peter, in his first epistle, uses the language of exile and dispersion in relation to Christians living in the world (1 Pet. 1:1).  In this, the exile is not just a past event in Israel's history but it is a object lesson for understanding how believers live in the world today.  The exile refers to how believers are separated from the whole fulfillment of God's promises.

As believers, we have been blessed with a right relationship with the Lord.  All this is true, however, the status of our right relationship is only in part while we are still leashed to this fleshly mortal coil.  The reality is that we will not receive the completeness of God's promises until our final rest in death.  In a very real sense, Christians live this life in exile, awaiting our return to the promises of God and our restorations to the wholeness of His grace.  Throughout this, it is vital that we are patient in our waiting,  that we would hold fast to the fulfillment of God's promises and our release from the exile of this world.

Forgiving the Self

Life is hard.  It is full of painful pits, twisting hairpins, unseeable snares, swirling storms, and countless other obstacles that impede our ability to walk the straight and narrow.  Because of the distinct and plentiful complications of life, sometimes, more often than we’d like to admit, we make poor decisions.  Tragically, the repercussions of poor decisions can be painful, if not outright destructive. 

Thankfully, because of sincere confession and belief in Christ, God forgives all of our poor decisions (Psa. 103:12; 1 John 1:9).  Handling missteps and snowballs of sin is not God’s business.  He is in the business of salvation and forgiveness.  However, we still have to deal with our past choices, especially the ones that have lingering scars of remembrance.  It is how we face those decisions, the good and bad, that can reveal something about our reliance on the Lord.

The past, our pasts, usually come to us in emotional vignettes: we remember specific episodes, how we felt, how we made others feel, etc.  These emotional memories, though not always pervasive, linger with us after God has forgiven us.  Simply put, God has forgiven us and, as we live in Him by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we live in His forgiveness.

 

This means that when we feel streams of regret and shame for past sin that has been forgiven, we are bringing up sin that God has already washed clean.  In a sense, replaying sin of the past is disbelief that we are truly forgiven because we, in our flesh, are not able to fully believe the depth of God’s forgiveness.

It is important to note that judgment, in the form of guilt, is always intended to draw us to repentance and sanctification.  When we feel a divine guilt that propels us to seek Him and to repair relationships, this is a beautiful thing.  However, if feelings of regret torment us and hinder our ability to draw closer to Him, we are not living in His grace but wallowing in our own fleshly weakness.  Instead, we must claim our forgiven identity.

Claiming an identity in Christ involves eschewing any and every sin that hinders our sanctification and prevents the Holy Spirit from entering every nook of our lives when every cranny already belongs to Him.  Regret is one of Satan’s ploys and most powerful tactics.  Remember, Satan is the great accuser who tempts people to sin and then perpetually accuses them of that sin (Rev. 12:10).

 

Whenever our pasts, the sin and bad decisions, accuses us with regret and guilt, it is not of God but is the enemy.  The only way to overcome his accusations is to, in the power of Jesus’ name, cast him out.  Remember, our identity is made new in Christ, so any regret of who we once were is not godly but is a hindrance to God’s holy work of sanctification in our lives.

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is marked out for us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2).”  The casting aside of weight and sin does not only refer to the sins of now but also to our past sins.  Let us cast them aside and press forward in steadfastness and perseverance, keeping our gaze fixed on Christ and not allow ourselves to be distracted by ourselves.

Defending from Heresy

The Word of God is clear and perspicuous, meaning that it is accessible to all believers.  Conversely, it is not open to non-believers, because non-believers will not have eyes to see or ears to hear its truth apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.  Although any person with the ability to read can read the Bible, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that illuminates the Word as the divinely-inspired infallible truth that it is.

It is this "second" step of interpretation, the Spirit step, that is oft overlooked.  Without relying on the Holy Spirit to guide interpretation, particularly in regards to application and doctrine, heresy inevitably arises.  Heresy refers to any doctrine or teaching that stands in opposition to the teaching of the Bible.  It is important to note that Christians have been interpreting the Bible for some 20 centuries.  Thus, there is a wealth of tradition and orthodox teaching compiled that can help guide interpretation.

Although traditional doctrine should not be accepted uncritically, many very educated and highly intelligent interpreters have come and gone, leaving valuable Scriptural insights for future generations of believers.  For instance, Paul was one of the first Christian interpreters.  Romans is a veritable theological treatise on Scriptural (OT) interpretation in lieu of Jesus.  Similarly, the writer of Hebrews left an indispensable source of hermeneutical technique in his interpretations.  

These were some of the first people to look to the Hebrew Scriptures and interpret them Christologically, that is to say, through a Christ-centered lens.  Following the first century, there have been hundreds of important individuals that have left important and influential marks on interpretation: Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, etc.  The work of these people, the traditions of interpretation they brought about, should be studied so that we can understand and make the most accurate interpretations possible.

Differences in interpretation will appear; however, when interpretative variants arise, we should not be quick to throw away the interpretations of the past.  For instance, in 19th century Germany, new "critical" approaches to interpretation arose.  Although the techniques were not wholly immoral or useless, they tended towards the very liberal and anti-orthodox.  Unfortunately, many believers were led so astray and liberalized by these techniques that their version of Christianity looked less like the church than it did the world and all its trimmings, thus heresy was formed.  In reaction, fundamentalists rose up to combat the liberal interpretive techniques and modern evangelicals are direct descendants of this reaction.

Paul, Peter, John, and the other first-century Church leaders also had to combat heresy.  In fact, fighting heresy is an essential part of the Christian life.  We, as image bearers of Jesus, must defend that which is essential and orthodox doctrine.  The basics are non-negotiable and should be defended vociferously: Jesus is the risen Son of God, a real human being who lived and died and resurrected so as to take on the sin of all mankind, and through confession and belief, believers are blessed with salvation and deliverance from sin.  Heresy should not be accepted but should be snuffed out.  However, throughout our defense of orthodoxy, we need to maintain the gentleness, kindness, and grace that is becoming of the children of God.

Time for Celebration

God is a God of celebration.  He desires for us to celebrate and praise Him throughout the year.  For the Israelites, celebrations were such an integral part of their religious year.  They were commanded to hold certain feasts and festivals throughout the year in commemoration of the Lord's provision (Num. 28-29).  Feasts of celebration were an important part of God's revelation to the Israelites and still matter to Christians today, although the feast themselves has changed.

For modern-day Christians, the Lord revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus.  All of Christians' holidays are based on the life and work of Christ.  The two most notable and widely celebrated are Christmas and Easter; Christmas being the holiday of Jesus' birth, and Easter commemorating His death and resurrection.  Each of these two are the culminations of seasons of smaller celebrations, like advent and Palm Sunday, etc.  The important thing is that Christians are regularly remembering the life and ministry of Jesus throughout the year.

This is great, but what to do with secular holidays?  These holidays are not evil in and of themselves but, for Christians, they should be sanctified.  Through thankfulness of believers that celebrate those days in a manner that still brings glory to God, holidays can be sancitifed.  New Years Eve/Day, for instance, is a secular holiday but an important one at that.

New Years is a celebration, a holiday for the turning of time and for the renewal that time can provide.  Every New Years, millions of people set resolutions, goals and hopes for the new year that they either hope will occur or that they plan for.  This is not entirely wrong, in fact, this is one of the ways that a secular holiday might be sanctified by the way that Christians handle it.

When New Years comes around, Christians should take is as an opportunity to asses, pray, and set some good goals in spiritual growth for the next year, like Bible reading, prayer, service, etc.  Additionally, New Years is a great yearly time to rededicate to the Lord, to repent of sin and to refocus on the rock, which is Christ.

There is another Christian celebration that comes more regularly than the others: communion.  The Eucharist was always meant to be a time of dedication and celebration of the Lord and His provision.  When we partake of communion, we are meant to examine ourselves and to remember to the Lord (1 Cor. 11).  We should come to the table ready and mindful of the Lord Jesus.

Feasts, festivals, and celebrations are a part of life.  God desires for us to celebrate Him throughout the year and to remember the great things that He has done, how He has provided for and delivered us.  Also, secular holidays such as halloween or july 4th should be taken as opportunities to celebrate Jesus.  Remember, Christians are never obligated to celebrate secular holidays the way that the world does.  Rather, Christians should always celebrate holidays in a thankful and godly manner.  In this way, we can truly be light to the world, shining His nature upon the world and its holidays too.

Rest for the Redeemed

Rest, a time of refreshment, relaxation, and recovery.  The seal of the Mosaic covenant was the keeping of the sabbath. The sabbath represented the seventh-day rest of creation.  On every seventh day the Israelites were reminded of God's sovereign work of creation.  Thus, the cycle of the week was a constant reminder of the Lord and the people's dependence on His provision and sovereignty.

The sabbath day was a day of rest but it served as much more than a mere "day off."  It was a theological construct.  On the sabbath, no work was to be done so that the people could focus on the Lord and His providence.  Sabbath rest was a requirement and a seal of the covenant but it was to be surpassed by another, Promised Rest, that was to accompany the Promised Land.  The Promised Land was to be paired with a Promised Rest.  Unfortunately, due to covenant infidelity, the Israelites never saw the fulfillment of the Promised Rest.

This understanding of rest was amended under the New Covenant.  The sabbath, and its theology, was changed by a new law, the law of Christ and grace.  Under this new law, the rest for believers is not cyclical in the same sense but it is determined and bestowed by the Lord (Matt. 11:28-29).  Rest is no longer dependent on the cycle of the week but is a constant state of being, a state of rest.  Our rest is wholly dependent on the Lord alone.  It is our reliance on the Lord that gives us our rest.

Additionally, the Promised Rest under Christ has a future fulfillment much like the Israelites' rest had a future fulfillment in the Promised Land.  For Christians, rest has its ultimate realization in the eternal presence of the Holy Lord.  This means that the rest we have now is only a part but to be made whole later in the Lord.

Rest, defined, refers to a time of relaxation and relief.  Rest is often understood in relation to a particular activity or time but, as has been shown, rest is not defined in terms of activities or times.  Rather, rest in Christ is a lifestyle, an attitude towards life itself, an utter reliance on the Lord.  Rest is then paired with our understandings of hope and peace.

In Christ, rest is not occasion-dependent but is continuous because it is based on our reliance on the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, Christians live in a state of rest because the Holy Spirit, who dwells within believers, is the giver of rest.  Rest is one of the beautiful gifts that God bestows.  Let us strive to live in the Spirit and thus live continuously in His rest.

Christ's Christmas

Some 2,000 years ago, in a small rural suburb of Jerusalem, a woman and her soon-to-be husband arrive at an inn but there is no vacancy available.  The woman, though a virgin, was quite pregnant and the baby's delivery imminent and near.

Months earlier, an angel of the Lord, Gabriel, had come to the woman and prophesied that the Lord Most High would descend upon her and she would bear a child, the Son of God, and that she would call His name, Jesus, meaning God saves.  The man she was betrothed to discovered that she was with child and, though he thought of divorcing her, when an angel came to him, in a dream, revealed that his betrothed's child was the Christ, the Messiah who would save all mankind from their sin.

At this time, near the end of the young woman's pregnancy, the emperor issued a decree requiring that everyone return to their ancestry's land to be censored.  The man took his pregnant fiance to the place of his ancestry, to Bethlehem.  The trip was arduous and long.  Upon arrival, the woman realized that it was time: she was going to deliver her child.

Although the inn was full, a man offered the couple a cave that served as a stable for livestock for them to stay in.  The woman delivered her child, an infant boy.  She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and placed him in a trough.

Meanwhile, shepherds nearby were watching their sheep by night as an angel of the Lord appeared before them and told them that in Bethlehem a child was born.  The angel told the shepherds to go to the town and to offer praises to the newborn as He was to be the Messiah, the savior of all mankind.  They left their flocks and the fields to find the couple and their child in the stable, the infant resting in a manger, wrapped in strips of cloth.  It was just how the angel had prophesied it to be.

The Christmas story is repeated yearly in the Christian calendar.  It is the beginning of Jesus' life and His ministry.  At this time, the 25th of December, let us take time to remember Christ, to remember the dozens of prophecies that were fulfilled in His birth, let alone His life.  A time to remember that God is sovereign and holy, and that He condescended into humanity for the purpose of redeeming His children from sin.  Now we can enter into right relationship with Him by Him and for Him.  Truly, this is what Christmas is all about.

Responsible Freedom

In Christ, Christians have been freed from the burden of the law.  This means that believers have liberty.  We are no longer slaves to sin but have been freed to righteousness.  In this, Christians have a new found freedom to live.  However, this freedom comes with a certain and definite responsibility.  We are to be responsible so that we do not misuse our freedom to the detriment of others.

When we become disciples of Christ, we become image bearers of God, meaning that we are walking, talking testaments of the Lord.  Becoming a beacon to the Lord, realizing that our decisions act as witnesses that attest to Him, is a lifelong process of realization and sanctification.  Understanding that we are to live every moment to and for Him is what the Christian life is all about.

The freedom that Christians have in Jesus is to be used responsibly.  For instance, if their is any action or behavior that hinders others from drawing closer to God, we need to change in order to help and not obstruct the spiritual growth of others (1 Cor. 10:23-33).  We should never flaunt our freedom in serving our own desires but should always strive to be responsible with our freedom so that it is beneficial to others.

As Christians, our primary aim is to draw people to the Lord, to be salt and light.  If we, in our freedom, become stumbling blocks for others, then we are not being obedient to what the Lord has for us.  We should strive to live lives that are the most effective and beneficial in pointing people to God as possible.  This means that we will practice personal discipline, decency, and temperance.

We are image bearers of God.  Although God is God despite our actions, meaning that we can't, by our lives, make God look better.  We can, by our actions, make God look bad.  This should never be so.  We should always endeavor to be pure and holy and, in so, become living testaments to Him, walking sacraments that point God.  Praise be to God that He would use imperfect vessels such as us to be His image bearers on this earth!

Practicing Righteousness

Practice.  Life is all about practice.  Practice is the action of repeating/rehearsing any activity while improving at doing it, whatever "it" may be.  Nearly everything in life is a practice of some sort or another.  From waking up in the morning, brushing teeth, putting on clothes, driving, or working: everything is a practice.  The odd thing is that we do not always recognize everything that we practice.

John talks about practice in reference to sin and righteousness (1 John 3:4-10).  John is clear that those that practice sinning are lawless and unfaithful.  Additionally, those that make a practice of sinning do not belong to the Father.  Because God is holy, those that practice sin prove that the Father is not in him/her.  

This should not be so.  As John says, the evidence that the Father is in people is the measure of righteousness by which they live their lives.  If we are in Him, we will live and desire to live by His holy standards of righteousness.  This means that we will make an intentional practice of pursuing His righteousness.

There is an old adage: practice makes perfect. This is not correct.  In truth, only perfect practice makes perfect.  In spiritual terms, this means that the manner and method by which we practice righteousness must be righteous in order for it to be right practice.  This means that we will be aware not just of the "what" of practicing righteousness, but also the "how" of practicing righteousness.

In music, perfect practice has two basic features: (1) consistency, and (2) a good teacher.  This is the same for the Christian life.  Consistency means that we read the Word regularly, we are in prayer often, and we seek opportunities to serve.  The second part, having a good teacher, points to the necessity of being tied to a local church.

Local churches, especially the elders/spiritually mature thereof, are responsible for discipling believers and helping them to grow into mature believers.  Getting involved and being committed to local churches is essential for Christian growth.  Remember, practicing, though not always desirable, is both rewarding and challenging but it is required when it comes to righteousness and living out the Christian life.  

Dusting off the Old Testament

The Old Testament was the Scripture that Jesus knew and that Paul and the disciples used to teach the early Church.  The Old Testament is comprised of three major sections: the Law (the first five books), the Prophets (Joshua to Isaiah plus the twelve latter prophets), and the Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, etc).  Jesus often taught that all of the Scriptures (the Old Testament) revealed who He was, most notably after His resurrection when He revealed how the whole of Scripture spoke of Him (Luke 24:27).  Needless to say, this means that the Old Testament warrants examination by Christians.

At the onset, the ancient writing is challenging, "the past is a foreign country: they do things differently there (L.P. Hartley)."  Because of its nature, the challenge is more prevalent with the Old Testament.  The composition of the Old Testament spans many centuries; understanding it requires a bit of study.  The canon of the Old Testament is comprised of a variety of literary styles written by a diverse set of authors that was edited by later scribes. A good study Bible is the first step.

Additionally, the Old Testament is full of stories that reveal that nature of God and His relationship to mankind.  Therefore, understanding the Old Testament can be rewarding but it requires practice.  Although the Old Testament is compiled of episodes, it is not merely about stories: there is much more.  In this, the key is to read from a broad perspective, keeping in mind the forest before getting too fixed on the individual trees; focus on the whole before addressing the minutiae.

For this, reading whole books is in order.  Reading the whole book or major sections helps us to understand the big things.  Then, following the completion, making basic mental outlines and plain synopsis of theme and purpose will help to define the most important elements.  Additionally, understanding why the book was written and for whom is a great way to garner pertinent information that is helpful in interpretation.

Ultimately, the whole Bible is about God, who He is and how He relates to us.  We should dig into it and not shy away from the Old Testament in the process.  The Old Testament is rich with theology and Christology that make it essential study for all Christians.  That being said, it can be difficult to understand and a good study Bible as well as basic hermeneutical technique can go a long way to help.

Not Conformed to the World

The world is full of shimmer and shine, temptations that distract and lead people astray.  John was clear that we should not desire the world and its fleshly desires, and that the love of the world is not compatible with the will of God.  Paul confirms this position as well as giving us further exhortation for handling the world.  "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:2)."  Understanding the richness of this verse and the theology thereof is a multi-faceted venture.

First of all, what is the pattern of this world that we should not conform to any longer?  Although answering this question is complex, a contracted summation could be defined in two words: irreverence & sin.  The most striking feature of the world is its irreverence to the Lord.  And, as a result of this irreverence, the world does not fear the Lord.  This inevitably and without fail leads to sin.

In contrast, Christians are to live a life of fear and reverence to the Lord, which prevents believers from falling into sin.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pro. 9:10; Psa. 111:10).  Therefore, any person that strives to wisdom will begin with this basic assertion and will live in reverence to the Lord.

Moreover, the world defines itself in individuality, autonomy, and independence.  The central theme of the world and those living within it is the "I" and "me."  The individual strives to assert his/her individuality and lives life as if independent and autonomous.  The world's identity is defined by the individualism.  Thus the individual pursues individuality and self-reliance.  The irony is that we can categorize the world's individuals, making them less than unique.  

This is antithetical to Christian life which is defined as dependent.  The Christian is to be reliant on the Lord and dependent on the body of Christ.  The individual in Christianity is established not in terms of worldly identity but in reference to divine design and gifting.  The Christian does not strive for individuality but his/her uniqueness is defined in the body of Christ, not autonomous but contingent.

Understanding the world that we are no longer to conform to is the first step in understanding Romans 12:2.  The next step is the renewal of our minds.  This is essential and not passive.  It requires study and diligence.  Our identities are deeply entrenched in how we think.  When our minds our renewed by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, who we are changes to be inline with the will of God.

Lastly, being able to discern the will of God is the product of the renewal of our minds.  It is important to note that the will of God is not the only will that is presented to us.  When Paul says that we are to discern the will of God implies that we will still have to choose His will among other potential choices.  Not conforming to the world and renewing our minds is the preparation that equips us to be able to choose, to discern, the will of God.

Life Eternal

John 3:16, one of the most known and memorized verses of the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life."  John, more than any other NT author, is clear that the reward given to Christians for belief in Jesus is eternal life (John 10:28; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-12).  Moreover, those that do not have the son do not have eternal life but its converse: eternal death and damnation.

Although eternal life is significant and an essential teaching of the New Testament, it is important to note that eternal life is not the purpose of confession and belief in Christ.  Eternal life is a side effect of a right relationship with God.  Think of it logically, God is life and the Holy Spirit resides in believers; therefore, believers are blessed with eternal life as a result of their relationship with the Lord.

Again, eternal life is not the purpose of belief, it is a side effect of belief.  The purpose and end of belief in Christ is a reconciled right relationship with the Lord.  This, in and of itself, is the most wonderful and amazing gift that confession and belief in Jesus provides for Christians.  It is the right relationship with God that belief offers; a side effect of that relationship is eternal life.

God is the giver, the Lord of life.  Death is a result of sin.  In Eden, Adam and Eve had eternal life because they were in right relationship with God but, due to the Fall, their relationship was damaged and their eternal life revoked as a result.  Because the Lord is life, when we are obedient to Him, His will and Word, we will be blessed.  Part of His blessing is life, eternal life.

Because eternal life is a side effect of right relationship with the Lord, the giver of life, eternal life is not an "after death" venture.  Instead, eternal life is the life we now live in preparation for our lives after the ceasing of this mortal coil.  In essence we should strive to live in a constant state of eternal life.  In reality, this means that we will pursue a right relationship with the Lord.  Remember, not only is eternal life a side effect of a right relationship with God through Jesus, but it is a life to be lived now not after death.  Therefore, let us be diligent to live lives pleasing to Him and to His will.

When in the Wilderness

For the Israelites, the 40 years spent in the wilderness represented more than a topographical designation.  It was a place of sanctification and preparation.  The Israelites had to stay wandering in the wilderness for forty years and, due to their disbelief and unfaithfulness, none of the first-generation exodus survivors were allowed to enter the Promised Land (Num. 13-14).  The wilderness served distinct theological purposes.

Additionally, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness following His baptism and prior to the start of His ministry (Matt. 4).  During His time in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted.  He also had to rely solely on the provision of God to sustain Him through the hardship.  The wilderness served as a training ground, preparing Jesus for His divine work.

We also spend time in the wilderness, although our wilderness experiences are not so geographically delineated as were Jesus' or Israel's.  Sometimes wilderness experiences do depend on actual, physical wildernesses, but, on the whole, the Christian's wilderness is one of the spirit.  Our wilderness is the world, specifically the fleshly world.  When we go out into the world of the flesh, we are entering a wilderness, a wilderness of desolation and of sin.

In these times, we need to be on guard to remain obedient through the hardships that will attack our hearts, our minds, and our souls.  We should rely on God for direction and guidance, for provision and sustenance.  The wilderness is a medium for sanctification.  This is not to say that Christians should willingly leap at every wilderness opportunity without preparation.  The wilderness can be dangerous and preparations need to be made for wilderness experiences.

For instance, the primary mode for making a camping excursion enjoyable is having the right gear: tent, sleeping bag, etc.  Similarly, handling the wilderness means having the right gear.  Since the wilderness for Christians is a spiritual land, this means having the Word of God printed on our hearts, His praises on our tongues, and our spirits fixed on the Lord.

When these components are in place, the wilderness can be a challenging but rewardingly sanctifying experience.  When we are not prepared for the wilderness, it can be dangerous. The wilderness will naturally push us to rely on ourselves for provision and to doubt the Lord, both being unfaithfully treacherous and sinful.  In contrast, the wilderness requires that we rely solely on God and do not doubt.  But thanks be to God for He is always faithful to use the wilderness for our good and steadfast to pull us through and closer to Himself! 

Unshakable Sons & Daughters

This world tosses and turns like waves in a tempest.  Much of life is unsure and instable because of sin and its effects in the world.  There are hidden traps set to trip and ensnare believers and to keep them from goals, purposes, and obedience to the Lord.  Sometime the snares are visible and clear, such as lust or greed or pride.  Other traps are less so, like coveting, envy, or general distractions.  The point is that, although this world is full of waves that can break us, our stability is sure; our stability is Christ.

When we are in Christ, we are set, made secure in Him.  This means that as the tides of this life rise or recede we will be unmoved because our stability is the surest of footings: God.  With God as our rock and stability, no matter what we may encounter, we will not falter, fade, or break away from our course.

Moreover, the Lord is our fortress.  Because our strength is rooted, grounded in Him, nothing in the world can shake us.  There are so many instances and occurrences that happen that can be wholly devastating: divorce, death, disease, etc.  However, when the source of our strength, the very root of our stability is found in God alone, then nothing will be able to rattle us beyond His compassionate care.

There is so much to be said about stability and its importance for believers.  Seizing and claiming the stability is essential in the Christian life.  It affects everything from the joy, peace, and hope that believers are required to live within.  For instance, earthly happiness depends on what happens.  Therefore, what happens can have dramatic effects on people when people's happiness is not grounded in the Lord.  Instead, Christians that are deeply rooted in the Word and in the Lord can be affected by what happens but their happiness and joy is not dependent on what happens; it depends solely and wholly on the Holy Lord.

God is our security.  He is the fortress that we depend upon for our strength and for our stability.  Because He is the rock and the source of our stability, we can be totally assured and secure.  So, when this world throws curve balls we will be able to handle every pitch with ease.  Praise be to the Lord Almighty that He is who He is and that we can utterly depend on Him!

Controlling Self

Self-control: the telltale sign of a devout and maturing Christian.  The term defines a lifestyle, an attitude towards discipline; however, in regards to Christians, self-control could be misleading.  A more correct understanding of what it is to be self-controlled is Spirit-filled and obedient.  In truth, we are called to lead self-controlled, disciplined lives, but our ability to control ourselves does not come from ourselves but is intimately dependent on God.

Controlling self could be synonymous with denying self continually.  When we are asked to control ourselves, it is a request to deny our fleshly selves.  Self-control is not about monitoring our fleshly selves, but replacing them with our spiritual selves by the power of the Holy Spirit.  When we replace our fleshly selves with our spiritual selves we will live self-controlled lives.

Paramount to understanding self-control is temptation.  We would have no need for self-control if not for the power of temptation.  Temptation tugs, it pulls, it compels us to do and think things that are ungodly.  Self-control is about combating temptation.  In this regard, it is essential to remember that self-control, the denial of self to the exaltation of God, helps us to handle temptation.  Moreover, God is faithful to not let us be tempted beyond our ability to deny our selves (1 Cor. 10:13).

Additionally, the grace of God helps us to say "no" to temptation (Tit. 2:11-12).  In many ways, self-control could be described as a tactic, a strategy for dealing with temptation (1 Thes. 5:8).  The enemy of our souls, Satan, prowls around hoping to snare, trap, and devour (1 Pet. 5:8).  Being self-controlled is an attitude, a lifestyle, a tactic of spiritual warfare that helps us to overcome the temptations and snares of Satan and this world.

Self-control is also a practice that requires discipline to grow.  Luckily, we have an advocate, Christ, who is able to help believers to be self-controlled and to overcome temptation (Heb. 2:18).  Furthermore, we have to set our minds, prepare them for action, in order to handle temptation, to become men and women who are self-controlled (1 Pet. 1:13).  Praise be to God that He would be faithful to us in temptations and that He would desire for His Spirit to dwell in us!

Faithful Freedom

Freedom, the state of being free.  Freedom is meaning-laden term when used theologically.  It loosely means liberation and deliverance, but from what? to what?  Needless to say, this is a complex issue steep with significance and full of theology that goes beyond the scope of this dialogue; however, understanding the foundation of Christian freedom is essential.

First of all, and most importantly, Christians are free from sin.  The wages of sin, which is death, has been paid in full by the blood of Christ.  Therefore, Christians have been freed from the bondage of sin.  Freedom in Christ implies that we were not free apart from Christ.  The truth is that we were in utter bondage to sin, enslaved to the flesh and its desires before we believed in Jesus (Rom. 6).  Now, we are no longer slaves to the flesh but have put the flesh to death and its sinful desires and have been made alive in Christ, and become slaves to righteousness (Rom. 8; Col. 3).

Additionally, when we become believers and become free in Him, one of the consequences of sin that we are freed from is shame.  This is profound but biblical.  Believers have been freed from the shame and guilt of sin.  Once we have been forgiven, we do not need to be forgiven again; we are free.  It is important to point out that Satan wants us continually to feel shame and guilt for past sin.

Satan is the accuser (the book of Job; Rev. 12:7-12).  He desires to condemn and accuse believers for their past sins.  He deceives believers continually and accuses believers so that we are not truly set free from the bondage of sin.  However, believers are set free and should stand firm in that freedom (Gal. 5:1).

Jesus says, "the truth will set you free...free indeed (John 8:31-32, 36)."  We have been set free and are to live in that freedom, not to be pulled back into the bondage of sin.  It is challenging but it is absolutely essential.  We need to remember that we are free in Christ and should strive to live in that freedom that is only solidified by His grace.  God desires us to be set free, totally free, from sin.

Freedom is a result of pursuing Him, not focusing on ourselves but looking only to Him as the source of our identity and our salvation.  The tragic thing about introspection is that it often leads to despair.  Instead, living lives of freedom means that we will be focused on the Lord as the reference for our freedom.  We need to sieze and live in that freedom.  But thanks be to God that He would grant us freedom from sin!

Hearing the Lord

Throughout Jesus' life and ministry, He repeats a simple but powerful phrase: "He who has ears, let him hear."  This line is pregnant with theological import.  Implied in this statement is twofold: first off, not everyone has ears; secondly, those who have ears might not be using them.  Because of Jesus' repeated use of this phrase, it is important.  The first question to ask is who has ears.

In John 10, Jesus preaches a significant sermon.  In this sermon, He says some very important things; however, for the purpose of this debate, one thing stands out for its significance: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)."  The first indicator of having ears to hear is those that do are believers.

This seems harsh but it is absolutely biblical: only believers have ears to hear.  Unbelievers are not able to hear His voice no matter how hard they try because they simply do not have ears to hear.  This is clear that those that have the ability to hear have it because they are already His.  Because Christians belong to His sheepfold, they hear and know His voice because He is the true Shepherd of the flock; there is no other shepherd.  Any other potential shepherd is a false prophet, a heretic, a wolf, a thief, and a liar.

The story of having ears does not end with identifying who has ears, though, because Jesus says, "he who has ears, let him hear," indicates that not everyone who has ears uses them.  This is important and worth pointing out: not every believer uses his/her ears, and not every believer is listening to the Lord. This is challenging teaching but it is real.  The Lord's voice is not the only voice trying to speak to believers.  Because of this, understanding the practicals of hearing His voice is paramount and essential.

There's much to be said but it can be simplified into two basic points.  At the onset, His voice is a spiritual voice.  Because God is who He is and He speaks through His Holy Spirit, hearing His voice is a spiritual endeavor.  This seems rudimentary but its practical application is not.  When we say that hearing His voice is a spiritual undertaking, it conversely means that it is not a fleshly pursuit.

Because the fleshly man is utterly unable to understand the spiritual things (Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14), hearing the voice of God is spiritually done.  This means that striving to hear God's voice requires the listener to transcend his/her fleshly listening faculties and in order to open his/her spiritual ears.  Opening  the spiritual ears requires active participation on the part of the potential hearer.

Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.  This is a remarkable verse that points to how spiritual ears are formed and tuned: through faith in Christ and His Word.  Hearing God's voice requires faith in Jesus because, through Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit which is the activator of our spiritual ears and the voice speaking thereof.

Think of a radio.  You can search every possible station and still not find the show you're looking for until you realize that you're on AM when the show is on FM.  Similarly, if we are trying to listen to God on FM (from the flesh) while He is on AM (in the Spirit), then we will not be able to hear His voice.  This points to the absolute necessity of the Word of God.  The Word helps us tune in our spiritual ears to hear the voice of God.  When we are devoted to the Word, we will be more apt and able to tune into Him.

New Law Theology

Shortly following the Exodus from Egypt, Yahweh established a new covenant: the Mosaic covenant.  The Mosaic covenant was established in the wilderness at Sinai.  At that moment, the covenant was given by the Lord to Israel through Moses.  The Mosaic covenant was God's desire to make a holy nation for Himself, a chosen and priestly nation.  

There were two major parts of this covenant that distinguished and sealed it: the Law, and the Sabbath.  The Sabbath served as a sign of the covenant, sealing it much like circumcision sealed the Abrahamic covenant.  More significant than the establishment of the Sabbath though was God's deliverance of the Law.  The Law was God's most significant revelation of His character in all of history up to that point and it came to dominate and define Israel.

A general synopsis and simplification of Mosaic Law would be that it is a revelation of God's holiness.  Mosaic Law is the majority content of the Pentateuch, especially Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.  It is often oversimplified to just the Ten Commandments but it entails much more.  The major theological thrust and purpose of the Law was to reveal God's character, particularly His holiness.

Holiness is defined in two ways: to be set apart and to be pure.  The Mosaic Law was a set of regulations for cleanliness and sacrifice, offerings that covered the sinfulness of man in order for man to come near the holy presence of God.  The problem with this was that the blood of bulls and goats is unable to cleanse sin or truly forgive iniquity; therefore, a holy offering had to be made.  Enter Christ.

Jesus became the perfect, sinless, spotless sacrificial lamb.  In a real sense, He was the final sacrifice under the Mosaic law.  He in fact abolished the law and made it obsolete by His death and resurrection (Col. 2:13-14; Heb 8; 10).  Now man can become holy by the blood of the holy lamb that is Christ.  Whereas the Mosaic covenant exposed the sinfulness of man but was unable to truly atone for sin, the New covenant, made in Jesus, atones for man's iniquity and restores the right relationship with the Lord that sin had broken.

The point is that the Mosaic law, its regulations and requirements, has been made obsolete in that it is no longer necessary to sacrifice bulls and goats to obtain the holiness of God. Now, holiness is attained through confession and belief in Jesus as God.  The Law does serve a purpose though.  It still reveals who God is as holy and perfect, pure and set apart.  

Although, thankfully, believers do not need to hold to the regulations of the Mosaic law as Israel did, the law still serves to expose sin.  The difference is that while the Mosaic system was unable to atone for the iniquity that it exposed, Christ, through His death and resurrection, has perfectly atoned for the sin that the law reveals.  Praise be to God that He would condescend into the world in order that we would be able to draw to Him by His righteousness!

Piece of Peace

Peace is an interesting word.  Its meanings range from quiet to solitude, from tranquility to contentment. The breadth of peace's place in the believer's life is huge.  This peace, divine peace, is a gift from God and is to cover our hearts and lives.  We are to live in the peace that God bestows upon us.

The peace that Christ gives to believers surpasses all understanding and is to guard our hearts and our minds (Phil. 4:7).  Peace serves a purpose, it is not just an attitude but is a state of being that keeps and protects believers from sin.  When we let the peace of Christ rest over our hearts, it acts as a protectant that prevents us from things like malice and envy, sin that can taint.

When peace is our state and how we handle the waves of this life, we will not let the fickle and mercurial nature of the world hinder our ability to live godly lives.  Jesus gives a peace that is dependable.  We can rest upon it.  This becomes crucial when we are constantly pushed to not be peaceful.  When life throws curves we should rely on the peace that God bestows to carry us through the toughest of situations with grace and dignity.

Being full of peace, peaceful, is also a way to live, an attitude to handle all of life's struggles.  Living in a state, an attitude, of peacefulness can be invaluable because we will become not be able to be overly-encumbered or overwhelmed by the world but will be in a place of contentment grounded in the Lord.  If the root of our peace is the Lord, we will not be shaken for the peace that passes understanding will help us to maintain a life of satisfaction.

The reality is that God desire for us to delight in Him and to only seek our satisfaction in Him.  This is what peace is all about: having our contentment and satisfaction met in Him.  When we truly rely on the Lord as the source of our strength and fulfillment, then we will understand what peace is all about.

Magnifying the Lord

Throughout the Scripture, particularly in Psalms, there is an attitude of praise presented in terms such as these: my soul magnifies/glorifies the Lord.  God is the focus of Christian life but how Christians handle that focal point is worth addressing.  The concept of soul magnification and God glorification is to be the content of this dialogue.

Magnification is an ocular term.  It refers to looking at something through a lens and making it more visible through magnification.  Physically, this happens through the use of lenses placed at particular angels and distances in order to reflect and refract light so that objects appear larger and with more definition that they would otherwise.  Think about binoculars.  The objects that we aim binoculars at become more visible and accessible images due to the effectiveness of the lenses within the binoculars.

In a spiritual sense, Christians are binoculars to the Lord.  We are meant to magnify the Lord and glorify His name.  Like ocular magnification, this happens through properly placed lenses.  The lenses of spiritual magnification are the Word and the Holy Spirit.  When we are in the Word and the Holy Spirit is working in us, we will magnify the Lord.  The Word and the Holy Spirit sanctify believers.  To continue the metaphor, sanctification is like replacing and cleaning the lenses of believers so that they work properly.

So, who do we magnify the Lord for, or, who is looking through the binoculars of our lives?  Simply put, the world.  We glorify and magnify the Lord because it is right and joyous to do so; however, the purpose is to draw the world to who He is.  A part of this is denying the natural tendencies to glorify and magnify ourselves.  In truth, we are only able to magnify one thing at a time; you can only aim the binoculars at one thing at a time to the denial of looking at other things.

Ultimately, we are commanded to worship Him at the denial of self.  This is beautiful.  We are conduits of His glory, meant to serve as walking magnifiers of who He is.  What a wonderful gift, that God would use such as us for His glory and purposes!

Right Priority

We live in a world of fragments and compartmentalization.  Work doesn't mix with home nor school with family nor church with state: fragmentation.  The underlying question that this world of fragmentation begs is a matter of priorities.  Because we are constantly shifting gears and hats to adjust to constantly changing environments, we often look more like walking, talking chameleons than human beings.

The reality is that this is not the way it is supposed to be.  In the biblical sense, wherever we are is where we are supposed to worship and give thanks.  Whether we are at work, at school, with family, with friends, voting at the booths, or praying in the pews, we are to maintain a consistent life, one in which we do not compromise that which is most important: God.

The point here is priority.  The Lord and only He is to be the only basis for all and every aspect of our lives.  Practically speaking, this means that when we go to work, to school, to friends, to anywhere, we are still grounded in the most foundational of truths.  This is how we live out Jesus' command to be salt and light wherever we may go.

When we are constantly aware of the Lord, we will be apt to live lives and make sound decisions that are guided by the Holy Spirit.  If He, the Lord, is to be the master  of our lives, and if we are to love Him with all of our hearts, minds, and souls, then we need to be dedicated in the the discipline of focusing on Him in every environment.  If we only live out our Christian beliefs when we are at the church building then we are not letting Him permeate every crevice of our beings.

The truth is that living a life of right priority is anything but easy.  To be sure, it is difficult. But the reward for living a life focused on Christ far surpasses any sacrifice of self that we could possibly offer.  The Lord Himself is the reward for devotion.  The fact that God Himself, through His Holy Spirit, would reside within our lives is the most wonderful and beautiful gift that God could or would ever bestow upon His children.  Thanks be to God for He has given us His Son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit, that we could live lives that bring Him glory!

Die to Live

Sin creates a chasm of unholiness between creation and its holy creator.  Sin must be paid and atoned for.  The wages of sin are death, meaning that in order for the cost of sin to be covered, blood must be spilled.  Under the Mosaic covenant sin was covered by the sacrificial offerings of bulls and lambs.

However, these sacrifices were wholly unable to remove iniquity, and the sin of man still stood as a debt. God was not pleased with the sacrifices of bulls and goats and desired a perfect sacrifice.  Fortunately, the Lord Himself determined to condescend into creation to become the perfect spotless sacrifice, Jesus (Heb. 10:4-14).

Because Jesus paid man's sin debt in full, spilt blood is no longer required for salvation.  Now salvation comes through true confession that Jesus is Lord and belief that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:19).  Additionally, we are saved by God's grace alone, not by works so that no one can boast of his own righteousness (Eph. 2:8-10).

Before Christ, we were required to die, literally, to pay the penalty of our sin.  Under grace we still die physical deaths, this truth is not disputed; however, the physical death that we die now is a gateway into eternity, damnation or exaltation.  There's more to the story though: we now die to self in order to live to Christ.

In Colossians 3, Paul exhorts believers to die to sin, die to self, and be made alive to the Spirit, alive to God.  This is the Christian life in a nutshell.  When we die to our flesh, we are able to live a life unencumbered with the trappings of the world because it will no longer hold any weight in our eyes.  Also, we begin to see what really matters, what's actually worth living for.

Dying to self so that we can live to Christ is one of the sincere joys and constant challenges of the Christian life.  It is the essential truth.  To live a life of belief is to live a life of denying and dying to self in order to be made new in Jesus Christ, the Lord of all creation.  This is not a passive activity, we do not die to self apathetically.  On the contrary, truly dying to self in order to live to Christ, requires a very active believer.  We are to be in the Word and praying regularly, meditating on His precepts constantly, and pursuing Him.  This is how we live to God and die to self.

Submission

Submission means relinquishing authority to another to the denial of self.  Needless to say, this is so intricately woven into the tapestry of the Christian life that it warrants discussion.  There are three basic authoritative forces that Christians are to submit to: God, church leadership, and the state.

The most obvious and central object of submission is and should always be God.  Submitting to the Lord and to His will is the foundation of all Christian life.  The Lord requires obedience and submission to His holiness in our lives: sanctification.  When, as we are reading and meditating on the Word and/or praying, He speaks to us, we are to listen and submit.  This is true submission.

After God, the next authority that we are to submit to is the leadership of the church: elders, deacons, wise teachers, etc.  Those that God has blessed with sanctification and wisdom are spiritual elders, divinely-gifted to guide and train believers.  This does not, however, mean that we should unequivocally and unabashedly accept any and all teaching that our church leaders give us.  Instead, we should weigh every teaching against the Word and the Holy Spirit.  Again, submitting to God should never be usurped by submitting to the church.  The church submits to God, His Word and the Holy Spirit, not ever should that hierarchy be overturned.

The other authority that we are to submit to is political authority.  Both Paul and Peter exhort believers to submit to civil leaders and authorities (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17).  The important point here is that believers should never submit to the civil authorities of government and leadership if it goes against the Will and Word of God.  Again, any authority that warrants submission is secondary to submitting to the Lord Almighty.

Submission is a challenging activity.  It requires denying the self in order to acquiesce to the commands and wills of another.  This stands in direct contrast to our natural inclinations of self-determination and manifest destiny.  However, when we submit to God, we enter into His kingdom as heirs.  Submission to the Lord should be pursued.  In a real sense, we should strive for opportunities to devote ourselves in submission to the Lord.  The beautiful thing here is that when we submit to Him, He promises to bless us.

The Holy Intercessor

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as a helper, a comforter, and an advocate who will come and abide within us, aiding us to traverse the pitfalls and obstacles of this life as well as interceding on our behalf throughout this life (John 14).  In reality, the Holy Spirit is the indwelling of God into the lives (heart, body, mind, soul) of His children.

The Holy Spirit is the perfect guide and voice of wisdom to believers that helps us to discern right paths, make right choices, and follow through when the time is right.  But, much like the Holy Spirit seals guarantees believers (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 1:21-22), the Holy Spirit has a number of specific tasks in the lives of Christians.

One of the tasks that the Holy Spirit performs is interceding in prayer at the behest of believers.  Only rarely do we, as finite and fallible creatures, truly understand and know what we need or what is best for us, particularly when we are weak under the weight of life.  It is in this that we rely on the Holy Sprit to intercede for us, praying for us that which, for whatever reason, we are incapable of (Rom. 8:26-27, 34-35).

The issue here is a matter of recognition and reliance.  When we recognize our inabilities and shortcomings, it should prompt us to rely on the Lord.  Under strain and in duress, when our discernment can be clouded or our vision hazy, the Holy Spirit not only keeps our paths true, but also intercedes for us.  This causes believers to more fully rely on the Lord to comfort, heal, strengthen, etc.

Intercession, in this sense, could be referred to as a direct conduit that channels our specific needs to God, who fulfills.  Often times we do not realize or know that this communication is happening because so rarely our we truly in tune with the depths of ourselves.  But God is.  He, through the Holy Spirit, is thoroughly entrenched in the mire that sloshes in our deepest parts.  He communicates our most dire and desperate needs to God because He is God.  Remember: One God, three distinct persons.

That God would so love and care for us that He would indwell within us is a marvelous propositional truth. When we become believers, the Paraclete, enters into us and advocates before the Father and for our growth and devotion.  This is a beautiful and mysterious thing and we should rejoice that the Almighty Lord Himself would not only save us on the cross through Jesus, but would walk within us and care for us directly through the Holy Spirit.

The Seal of the Spirit

In the ancient world, letter writing was the primary form of long-distance communication.  In order for a person in Rome to communicate with someone in Palestine, they had to write a letter and have it delivered by a confidant.  Military communications were handled by professional couriers, but there were very few if any privatized mail couriers, just friends of friends delivering private letters.

Because the risk of forgery was so great, a method for ensuring the authenticity of authorship was needed.  The method that was used involved sealing the messages with official seals, like signet rings and familial seals, pressed into wax.  In this way, authorship of letters was authenticated and the message therein was guaranteed.

In Ephesians 1:13-14 as well as 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Paul applies this method of securing long-distance communications to the spiritual life.  Paul says that God has put His seal on believers; the seal is the Holy Spirit.  Paul is saying that the Holy Spirit seals believers, as a guarantee of the Promise given by and through Christ, which is salvation.  This is remarkable.

Believers are in the world but not of the world.  We are given a taste of the heavenly realm through confession and belief, but we are not wholly removed from the earthly realm.  We are promised total salvation, but while living in the world, we only get a part of that salvation.  The Holy Spirit seals, guaranteeing that we will receive the whole of salvation promised.

Additionally, seals pronounce that the one who seals is the owner of that which is sealed.  Therefore, because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, we belong to God.  This is a beautiful thing and a theological landmark: we belong to Him.  This is confirmed throughout the Scripture, that we are to be slaves to His righteousness (Rom. 6:14-19).  This means that the seal itself (the Holy Spirit) not only guarantees the future perfect fulfillment of salvation, He also guides us in how we are to live.

Ultimately, the presence of the Holy Spirit is the true indication of faith as He is the seal of our salvation.  Christians who do not exhibit the Holy Spirit or struggle to ascertain His presence in their lives should examine themselves; it could be the mark of a deeper issue.  In truth, believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, the Holy Spirit will be present in the lives of believers.  All this glorifies the Lord.  Praise be to God, for He is steadfast and faithful to keep those that cling to Him!

The Patience of God

The Lord is exceedingly patient.  He desires above all else for His children, the elect, to repent and turn to Him in faith (2 Pet. 3:9).  The Lord is a God of justice but He is not swift to dish out justice.  Instead, He is patient, giving man every possible chance to turn in faith to Him.  This is one of the most remarkable characteristics of God: that even though we are disobedient and obstinate to Him, He is faithful and patient with us.

There is incredible risk to the patience of God: delayed consequences of sin.  Because God is not swift to mete out justice, it can cause man to believe that justice won't come and they will grow more apostate as a result (Ecc. 8:11).  But God's patience is a test.  He is patient so that we would have every opportunity to repent and be obedient to His will.

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they believed, rightly so, that they were the chosen people of God.  Because of this truth, after Solomon's death, when the nation split and turned to apostasy and unbelief, they believed that God would never judge and forsake His people.  Because He didn't judge them immediately, the people grew more and more apostate believing that God wouldn't judge them.  For centuries, He was patient with His people.  Eventually though, time ran out and judgment fell upon the people, razing the country through pagan empires and sending the people into exile; only the remnant survived.

As all of the Scripture speaks to Christ, the history of Israel does so as well.  What we, as Christians, can glean from the Old Testament is that, although judgment may be delayed, it is sure to come.  God is abounding in steadfast love and more than anything desires that we would turn to Him in confession and belief.  We should not take advantage of His patience but should recognize His patience as it is: worthy of praise.

Additionally, God's patience is to be an example for us.  We, as living sacraments of His nature, are to be patient as He is patient.  This is beyond difficult and only possible with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us.  Patience means that we will be quick to overlook faults and even quicker to forgive.  The Lord desires for us to forgive and be patient.  Ultimately, we cannot know how our acts of patience can propel others towards repentance and faith, and this is a beautiful thing.

Required Repentance

Repentance is one of the requirements of belief.  Without repentance, true belief is impossible.  In many ways, repentance is the first step in belief.  Repentance is best defined as turning away from something and towards something else.  In spiritual terms, repentance means turning from sin to holiness, from flesh to spirit, and ultimately, from self to God.  Simply put, repentance is about truly facing God at the downplay of self.  It is a two-part process: turning from our self and turning towards Him.

God rejoices at repentance.  At the end of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus reminds us that God takes great joy at the sincere repentance of sinners (Luke 15:7).  When repentance happens, the repentant see themselves in light of God's holiness.  The focus is not on the repentant person but on the holiness of the Lord.  This is a joyous experience.

Although repentance can happen in one bursting moment, there are stages to repentance.  First is realization; the person recognizes their own shortfalls and missteps.  This is analysis done in reaction to the revelation of God's holiness.  When we truly see our sin in light of God' perfection, the value of who we are is weighed against the value of Christ.  Without fail, we cannot compare to the worth of Christ so when we honestly see the uselessness of our righteousness it prompts us to the next step: facing God.

In facing God, we come before the Lord acknowledging that we are sinners and incapable of any righteousness apart from Him.  Thus, we turn to Him as the source of our righteousness.  This is repentance.  To add to this, when we turn to God, we expect Him to cleanse and save us from ourselves. This is the most profound stage and purpose of repentance, belief.  Repentance is useless if the One who we repent towards is not able and faithful.  Yet God in His infinite mercy and desire for us to draw near Him is always faithful.

Both Isaiah and Ezekiel touch on this, that God will provide and care for those who repent from their wickedness (Isa. 55:7; Eze. 18:21).  There is a promise built into repentance that is only fulfilled upon repentance's follow through.  It is not enough to merely assess and confirm one's wickedness.  True repentance requires that the repentant turn in faith to God.

Repentance is the impetus for belief and salvation but it is also not a one-time use action.  Instead, repentance is intimately tied in the lifelong, ongoing process of sanctification.  If we are not in a near constant state of repentance that propels us to greater levels of devotion and relationship, then we are not being sanctified, or at least not being sanctified enough.

Instead, the Christian should never feel comfortable with their state of sanctification but should rather be always striving for greater, more, and deeper levels of devotion to God.  We should be focused and energized to continually repent of that which inhibits our fidelity to the Lord.  In this, we will be serving and praising the Lord with our very lives.

Blasphemy

The Lord's name is sacred.  His name is not just a moniker but is an indication of His nature and character.  When we speak God's names we are in fact asserting its meaning.  God, Elohim, speaks to His role as creator and sustainer of the universe.  Lord, Yahweh, reveals His covenant keeping faithfulness.  Adonai pronounces His supreme and sovereign rank as the divine master.  The Holy Spirit defines His spiritual and holy nature.

The names of the Lord should not be taken or spoken lightly.  Flippant, glib, or obscene uses of the names of God are blasphemous.  Blasphemy is serious.  However, in our secular society where sin and the sacred have become diminished and personally assessed, blasphemy is not only glossed over, it is considered acceptable.  

When we speak the name of God without fear we are in fact asserting that He is not worthy of reverence.   Thus, blasphemy in every form is sin.  The Lord is to be exalted and praised with every breath and every thought.  Christians are to live lives that are examples of the Lord on the earth.  Therefore, when Christians blaspheme they are affirming what the world believes, that God is not worthy of the utmost reverence.

The name of Jesus means "God (Yahweh) saves."  There is meaning and theological import to the name of Christ.  Moreover, He is the Messiah, the holy and spotless lamb of God who, by His work, saves all of mankind.  Therefore, when we sing of Jesus' name(s), we are truly recognizing in reverence of who He is and what He has done.  This should be the only way that His named should be spoken or uttered.

God is God, the Lord of all creation.  He, and His name, should always and only be praised.  The challenge to this is the world, which stands in opposition to reverence of God.  When we blaspheme and speak the name of God in an unworthy manner, we are in fact acquiescing to the in-deference and irreverence of the world.  This should not be so.  Believers need to be disciplined and focused in their speech and thought as to always deal with the name of God in the manner that He deserves.  The Lord, Yahweh, God, Elohim, Jesus, we should speak these names as often as possible but always in reverent reference to the divine reality that the names refer to.

Sacraments

We, believers, are to be living sacraments.  A Sacrament is an instrument that points to the sacred, a symbol of the divine reality.  In the Catholic church, the 7 sacraments are human devices meant to serve as sort of holy determinants.  Because of this, the concept of sacraments can seem somewhat divisive if not even tendentious.  The purpose of this dialogue is not to discuss the merits of the Catholic Holy Sacraments, rather, the content of this discourse is to understand the reality of sacraments.

Sacraments are symbols that point to the sacred.  They are not holy in and of themselves.  Instead, the sacrament’s holiness is determined by its aim, which is God.  In this sense, we, our very lives, are the ultimate of sacraments.  We are sacraments.

Paul exhorts believers to live lives that are examples of Christ (Rom 6; 12:1-2).  Any and everything we do is to point to Him, to His holiness and grace, but also His justice and faithfulness.  Our lives, the very way we live is to be a sacrament that acts as a testament to Him.

Under the Mosaic covenant, everything was a sacrament.  The tabernacle, the ark, the altar, the priestly garb, all of it was made in such a way as to direct the hearts of the people to a holy and faithful God.  The end of Exodus and all of Leviticus speak to God’s holiness.  He, God, wants us to know Him.  Even under the Mosaic covenant, He revealed His character.  In this sense, Sacraments serve to reveal who God is.  

Under the new covenant, which is delivered and sealed in Christ, believers perform all of the sacramental functions of the tabernacle, the ark, the veils, the altar, the priest, etc.  This is how sacraments should be understood, not separated from the original sacraments which were described in great detail in the Pentateuch.

This should shed light into how believers should live.  We are holy because He is holy.  We are faithful because He is faithful.  We are wise because He is wise.  We are righteous because He is righteous.  All of these things, divine character traits, we are not able to hold to or exhibit outside of His Holy Word and Spirit working in us.  

We are Jesus’ agents on the earth.  We are to be living sacraments that point to His nature and to His character.  This is an incredible responsibility that should prompt us to sincere devotion to Him and His Word.  But praise be to God that He would use imperfect vessels to transmit His perfect nature to the world!

No Neutral Ground

There is no DMZ in the war of salvation.  There is no neutral ground where the unsure can sit and observe before making an informed decision.  God wants and requires a decision.  Either we believe in Him or we do not.  This is not ambiguous or unclear, it is absolute and straightforward.  There is a pervasive zeitgeist that posits agnosticism in a safe light; like, if you don't explicitly rule out God, then you could be safe.  This is wholly and dangerously incorrect.

The world and its ruler, Satan, wants more than anything to devour the souls of humans.  Satan has tried every tactic imaginable to trap and snare people.  His greatest and most effective strategy has always been deceit.  One of his greatest and most effective lies is the fallacy of neutral ground.  There is no neutral ground.  There are no spiritual bystanders.

Those that claim that they are not making a choice have already made a choice.  It is either belief or unbelief.  But there is more.  God is not concerned with whether or not we believe in Him.  Even the demons believe in God.  Believing in God is not enough.  No, we are called to believe God.  There is a significant difference between these two assertions.  Either we believe God, or we don't.  Pretending that we are considering believing God is worth the same as not believing.  There is no "almost" believing God.

A word picture is in order.  Think of a car that stalls on the railroad tracks.  The driver fights with the failing ignition to get the car started and off the tracks as he notices the train barreling towards the car, horns blaring.  The train will hit the car, it is a foreseeable reality.  There are two positions, only two possible choices in this situation: either the driver is on the tracks or off the tracks when the train arrives.  Only two choices.  However, while the reluctant car owner struggles to get their car started, he is already in one of the potential choices.

Similarly, while people are indecisive in belief, they are already in one of the two possible camps.  There is either belief or unbelief, there is no half-belief.  Condemnation or salvation, there is no partial-salvation.  The camp of agnosticism is firmly fixed within in the harbor of unbelief.  While people wait to make up their mind, they are already in one of the decisions.  Indecision is not a safe place.  To God, indecision is not safe; it is unbelief and considered as such.

God wants us to seek after Him and to devote ourselves to Him wholeheartedly.  There is one basic and foundational truth that all life should be based upon: God is God.  This seems circular but it is far from it.  God is both the Lord's name and His rank.  He is the faithful creator and sustainer of all creation.  He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and holy.  He is both just and merciful.  This is truth.  It is irreducible and basic.  Either we believe it or not.  No neutral ground.

The Work

Work and working is a part of life.  It is inescapable.  Work is defined as any effort, physical, mental, or otherwise, that is exerted in order to achieve a specific purpose or end.  Often we define work as a means to an end.  For example, in contemporary terms, we work at jobs as a means for payment in the form of a check, etc.  Although true, this view of work could be short-sighted and sparse, for work is more than merely a means to an intended end.

The biblical notion of work is broader and considers the effort and activity of work as valuable as its future result.  Practically speaking, this means that the paycheck is not and should not be the sole function and purpose of work.  Solomon, the author and main character of Ecclesiastes, says that man should strive to find satisfaction and joy in the toilsome labor that is life's lot (Ecc. 2:24; 5:18).  In a real sense, we are called to enjoy our work; the work itself not just work's end.

Additionally, Christians are called to work hard, with diligence and zeal (Rom. 12:11; Tit. 3:14; Col. 1:9-10).  There is a reason that we should work hard: because the source of our strength is not of the strength of this world.  No matter how strong or stubborn a person may be, inevitably, their strength will fail and endurance will betray him/her.

However, a Christian's strength is rooted in the omnipotent God.  Ergo, we work as an example of God's power.  In a very real sense then Christians should work harder and longer than unbelievers, not for themselves or for their own gain but because the ethic of their work, the very cause of their vigor is the Lord.  The source of strength and endurance for believers is the Lord.  Thus, when we work by the strength of God, we are an earthen example of the Lord.

This should not seem radical.   It is quite logical.  We are a testament to Him in everything, not just His grace, mercy, and love.  His power and His strength, these are also important parts of His character that we, His children, are to point to with our lives as well.  Therefore, we should always strive to overcome the sloth and pride of our natural selves.  These sinful traits compel us either not to work or for us to work beyond hard but for our own glory.

Instead, work itself, the manner in which it is done, should be an example of God's character.  This is why we take joy in our work, because our work is a way that we give glory and praise to the Lord.  What a beautiful gift that work is!  God created us to praise Him.  He also created us to work.  The fact that He created our work to be praise points all the more to the majesty of His divine creativity.  What a wonderful Lord we serve!