The Greatest Commandments

During Jesus' ministry, he preached quite often about the Law, indicating that He was the Law's fulfillment (Matt. 5:17-19).  Being the very Son of God, Jesus taught with a unique authority (Matt. 7:29; John 7:46).  As a result, many of His interpretations of the Law frightened the preconceptions of the religious leaders.  So in an attempt to test Jesus, they concocted several questions to challenge both His knowledge and His wisdom.

For one of these questions, the leaders came to Jesus and asked Him, "Which is the greatest commandment of the Law?"  Jesus, not missing a beat, answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment. The second is just like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and Prophets (Matt. 22:34-40)."

This statement by Jesus is dense with theological weight.  For starters, Jesus answers His accusers swiftly by making a direct quote from the Torah (Deut.6:5; Lev. 19:18-19), identifying the Scripture as reliable and authoritative.  In this way, Jesus intimately ties His authority with that of the Scriptures.  Additionally, Jesus' amplification of the contemporary interpretations of these commandments reveal to us not only what God desires from us but also what He desires us to do.

The First Commandment, to love the Lord with everything, is to be the basis for all of life.  Loving the Lord means that we consider Him, we pray to Him, and we pursue studying His Word.  There is a comprehensive manner of love when it comes to the First Commandment; Jesus exhorts us to love the Lord with every nook of our beings.  This is key.  God desires our love in body, mind, and soul.  If we are not able to fulfill the requirements of the First Commandments, we will not be able to fulfill the Second.

Loving our neighbors, though a seemingly simple exhortation, is challenging.  When Jesus says, "love your neighbors as yourself," He is not asking us to occasionally say "hi" across our well-groomed lawns.  No, He's asking us to weep with, to laugh with, to sacrifice for, and to invest in our neighbors. Our understanding of love in this regard reveals the necessity of fulfilling the First Commandment in order to fulfill the Second.  Loving our neighbor the way He requires is utterly impossible unless the love of God resides within us.  Therefore, we need to love Him as to be able to love others the way He desires.

Jesus' amplified summary of the greatest commandment is sobering and convicting.  Luckily, the seriousness of His exhortation is overcome by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  When we turn to Jesus in faith, He provides His Holy Spirit to live within us as to help us and guide us to fulfill His commandments.  Let us take His teaching seriously and press on towards the prize of love!

Danger of Ungrounded Theology

There is a common misconception that theology is an ivory tower ordeal that has no practical place in "real" Christianity.  This is more than unfortunate, it is incorrect.  Theology, the study of God, is incredibly practical and has distinct implications to the way we live and the way we relate.  Moreover, bad theology can have dire ramifications.  Because of the importance, a basic understanding of theology is in order.

At the onset, theology owes its worth to its ability to access God.  This means that for theology to be useful, it must make headway into the characteristics anad nature of God, in Christ.  The implication of this statement is simple but oft overlooked: if theology is not leading us to deeper levels of relationship with the Lord, then it is not theology, it is a ploy and a distraction of Satan.

Unfortunately, this point can easily be missed, particularly in the weightier matters of theology, such as the doctrine of the Trinity or the doctrine of Christ, et al.  To be sure, sometimes discussions of doctrine or theology can become so academic that they miss the essential point and purpose of theology, which is devotion.  Again, if theology is not prompting greater devotion then it is useless.

Paul echoes this in hi letters, particularly in regards to the potential heresy of contemporary philosophies (Eph. 5:6; Col. 2:4, 8; 1 Tim. 6:20).  The point is that the value of theology is not measured merely by reason or logic, but it is mattered by how potent it is in effecting change.  If theology is not causing transformation, then it should be cast aside.

The point in all of this, in all of theology, is Christ Jesus.  Theology needs to be practiced in such a way as to encourage devotion and infuse faith with content, which is the knowledge of Christ Jesus.  A brief note on methodology is in order.  First of all, the beginning of theology is the Bible; everything builds upon the Bible.  Also, theology needs to be done with a prayerful mind, understanding that it is out of love and devotion to God that theology is practiced.

Additionally, there are a number of valuable resources available.  Among these are commentaries and dictionaries, as well as theological works.  Furthermore, reading works written by Christians past can be hugely beneficial to the practice of theology, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, etc.  Through all this, remember, theology is primarily a devotional matter not just an intellectual one.  Let us then press on to practice good theology that draws us closer to Him!

A Life Worthy of the Calling

Paul's letters, although addressing specific contexts and issues, are essentially unified in a few key aspects. One of those is in his consistent exhortation for believers to live a life worthy of the calling that they've been given (Eph. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; Col. 1:10, 2:6).  This phrase, for all its simplicity, warrants plumbing its theological depth.

As a preface, because Paul urges believers to live a life worthy of the calling, which is the Gospel, reason stands that he is asserting the reality of a life that is unworthy of the calling.  It is true that certain lifestyles choices and habitual character traits are unworthy of the Gospel.  This makes sense.  As Christians are to be salt and light, the way in which we live our lives and conduct ourselves needs to reflect the source of our life, who is the Lord. 

Because a believer's life reflects Christ Jesus it will be under constant scrutiny from the world who would seek to diminish Christ as a means of excusing its own sin.  This is why we need to live above reproach, for as each of our lives will be harshly judged as ambassadors of the Holy Lord, we need to be disciplined in understanding that we are not our own, having been bought with the steepest price we are images of Christ to the world.  Hence the importance of living a worthy and honorabl life in Christ Jesus.

The other life, that which is unworthy, is marked with all manner of sin and ungodliness.  It is the life of depravity and death that we used to walk in.  Paul teaches us to take off our old self to death, with all its sinful practices in order to put on Christ and the new self (Col. 3).  In reality, we cannot serve two masters, just as you cannot serve your flesh as well as God.  In many ways the two selves battle over supremacy in the lives of believers.  Luckily, we have an advocate in Christ Jesus who has already won the battle for us.  Because of this, we can now live new lives of holiness, rooted in His holiness.


Once it is confirmed that we are to live worthily, the question quickly becomes, "what is a life worthy of the calling?"  Luckily, Paul clearly and comprehensively answers this question in his letter to the Colossians.  In it, Paul teaches the Colossians, and subsequently us, the active character traits exemplified by the worthy life: compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and all of this bound in love (Col. 3:12-15).  This is held together by the Word of God, which believers are to write on their hearts as they keep it on their minds through singing psalms and hymns and teaching each other in all wisdom (3:16).  Lastly, everything, whether word or deed, is to be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (3:17).

Essentially, there is a posture, an attitude of Christ-likeness that is to guide our lives.  This posture can be reduced to a single word: love.  If we truly out on love to the fullest by drawing closer to Christ, we will naturally live a life that is worthy of the calling.  The love of Christ is to dominate and become our lives.  Let us then press into the Lord to become more dependent on Him as to live the life He has called us to in and by His love!

Fervent Faith

Throughout Scripture, the necessity of faith cannot be overstated.  It is by faith that righteousness is applied (Gen. 15:6).  Faith is the medium for reliance and comfort in the Lord's strength (Psa. 23:1-6; 28:7).  Faith is the manner with which God's grace is appropriated to believers.  On top of this, faith activates life and empowers movement (John 14:12; Matt. 17:20; Eph. 2:8-10; James 2:14-26).  Needless to say, the many significant components of faith beg further examination.

The writer of Hebrews defines faith: "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen (Heb. 11:1)."  The "hope" that is assured is salvation through Christ Jesus and the gift of eternal life.  Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament, conquering sin and death at the Cross.  Therefore, our hope is made sure in the historical fulfillment of the legal requirements of holiness by Christ Jesus.  The "unseen things" that we find conviction in are the heavenly things, chief among them being the knowledge of God, gifted by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith.

Additionally grace and faith are intimately intwined.  Grace is utterly God's doing, defined as the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.  Grace is the gift from God that is applied through faith (Eph. 2:8-9).  This being true, faith should not be seen as a substitute for grace.  We worship the God of grace through faith.  We do not worship faith; we worship by faith.  Unfortunately, many people neglect grace in their praise of faith.  Remember, just as an IV or a needle is worthless without the medicine it conveys, faith is useless without grace.

Lastly, and this cannot be overestimated, faith does not save.  God saves.  Faith is the conduit for salvation's application.  Faith apart from Jesus Christ is useless, for only Christ Jesus saves.  We should not overlook the profundity of this assertion: faith serves no purpose but to connect us with the Lord. Faith is but a conduit for restored relationship with the Lord, reconciled by the blood of Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21).

This should not lead us to diminish faith's usefulness.  Far from it!  Grace comes to believers through faith.  Therefore, because faith is the manner for grace's application, we should pursue a fervent faith as the energy of our faith reflects our desire for grace.  Let us then press on in faith as to receive the immeasurable riches of God's grace!

Joy

One of the great gifts that God bestows is joy, overwhelming joy.  Joy, defined, is the pairing of happiness and contentment mixed with delight.  Joy is not to be understood as merely pleasure, far more delightful than contentment, and much less fickle than happiness; it is dense.  Because of the complexity and depth inherent to joy, it warrants further discussion.

By way of introduction, joy is a response to worship and praise.  The presence of God is marked by two distinctly different but equal reactions, reverence and joy.  Although, the reverent response to the presence of God is beyond the scope of this discussion, but reverence is also met with joy (Psa. 92:4, 126:2; Job 8:21).  This should be the primary source of joy, that is, praise of Christ Jesus.  When we praise Him, truly worship Him, we will be filled with joy.  Therefore, if we do not feel joyful we should examine the sincerity of our worship.  Chances are that any lack of joy can be traced to a lack of worship.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that joy is a gift given to those who believe in Him (John 15:11, 16:24; Heb. 1:9; 1 Pet. 1:8).  Lasting joy is a gift reserved for believers.  Certainly unbelievers can, through common grace, possess glimpses of joy in the form of happiness or contentment.  However, the joy that Scripture describes goes beyond human concepts to a joy that surpasses human understandings.

Additionally, joy is a fruit of Christian character.  The importance of this distinction is that the breeding ground for character is suffering.  In this way, then, suffering grows the fruit of joy.  Scripture confirms this (Rom. 5:1-5; Phil 1:29; James 1:2-4).  Suffering serves to reduce and refine joy in the hearts and lives of Christians.

Because joy is essentially a spiritual matter, we know that flesh cannot cause joy.  If this is so, then we are reminded that no fleshly pursuit can prompt or cause joy.  Therefore, any perceived joy that we may claim to be derived from the flesh is ultimately not joy, but is to be thought of as a shadow of joy, more akin to one of its components.  Therefore, let us then pursue joy of a higher kind, to be received from the Lord!

Doctrine of Suffering/Calamity

There is an inevitability to natural disaster and suffering.  No human will live a life free from suffering or unaffected by natural disaster of some sort or another.  In these moments, when unforeseen disaster strikes or suffering stings, people cry out, "where are You, Lord?"  Needless to say, the sober importance of this significant issue necessitates a sincere examination.  The complexity of the issue is weighed upon by our theological bent; however, a good place to start would be theology proper, that is, the nature and character of God.

A simple but necessary assertion: only God is God.  There is no other God and God is not accountable to anyone but Himself.  He is jealous for our worship and He delights in His own glory (Ex. 20:4-5; Isa. 63:12-14).  He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, infinite, holy, just, righteous, sovereign, and good.  These are truths that apply only to the Lord.  Additionally, the practical implications of His character is that all things and everything is in and under His control, through Him, by Him, and for Him (Col. 1:16-17).  Many Christians assert this truth but have trouble applying it when the rubber hits the road.

If all things are under His control, most assuredly this includes calamity and suffering. Scripture confirms that God is the cause of calamity and strife (Isa. 45:7; Amos 3:6).  God is glorified and good throughout everything.  The complexity of this issue meets with another, namely the righteous judgment due man as a result of sin.

Mankind is wholly depraved as a result of sin.  We are born into the sin of Adam.  The wages for this sin is God's righteous and just wrath as the due penalty for sin, finally realized in death.  Therefore, one of the obvious but neglected handlings of suffering and calamity is that it is God's righteous punishment meted out.  This perspective is often met with resistance in the form of an argument, known as "the problem of evil."

In truth, if we take seriously the sovereignty of God and the reality of sin, "why God would let evil happen to good people" is not the appropriate question to ask.  Rather, the more accurate question to ask would be, "why would God let good happen to bad people."  Remember, "None is righteous, no not one (Rom. 3:9)," and "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God (Rom. 3:23-24)."  Only by the application of grace through faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can any man be measured good.  Therefore, calamity and suffering should remind us that no matter the circumstance we receive far better than we truly deserve.

Additionally, the Book of Job has much to say about the causes of calamity and suffering.  Two brief points will be made in this regard.  Firstly, Job is, by all accounts, a righteous man.  He has not done anything so profane or sinned in such a way as to justify the suffering which befalls him.  This leads to a second point: Satan is gifted the realm of suffering and calamity by God.  More succinctly, although Satan is allowed to destroy Job, God not only oversees Satan's hand, but more profoundly, He commissions Satan's work.

In a real sense, Satan is the dog on God's leash, meaning that he is under God's sovereign control.  The implication is that the suffering that befalls Job, though administered by Satan, is known, unstopped and firmly controlled by God.  This is not an easy teaching, but we should recognize that God is glorified equally in calamity and calm.

How we handle, then, suffering and calamity is in proportion to how we handle God.  If we "let God off the hook," so to speak, we are removing from God the power that is rightfully His.  Instead, our theology of calamity and suffering should remember who God is, that He is not accountable to our comfort and/or dignity, but He is accountable to His righteous and holy nature.  In the end, all things serve to prompt us to praise Him.  Thus, in moments of intense suffering or unforeseen calamity our response should be praise, fear, and awe at the glory of God.

Powerful Purpose

God has created each of us individually with purpose.  Every person has been designed for intended reasons, purposed by the Lord.  The aims and intentions that individuals were created for are many but are not passively accomplished.  Because of the importance of this ideal, addressing purpose in accessible ways will be the goal of this conversation to shed light upon a significant issue.

At the onset, it must be stated that our individual purposes are always in-line with His will.  Because we are created beings, we cannot determine our purpose(s) apart from Him.  This reality is confirmed by logic and reason.  For instance, a clay pot does not plan its curves or determine its glaze; only the potter can mold the clay and create its intended purpose (Isa. 64:8; Rom. 9:20-21).

Because purpose is, by design, determined by Him and because purpose needs to be in-line with His will, this challenges many preconceptions about self-determination.  For starters, recognizing that we fulfill His purposes and not that He helps us to fulfill ours.  Scripture is unified in this regard, that His purposes are fulfilled in us (Psa 138:8; Rom. 8:28; 12:2; Eph. 2:10; Heb. 6:17-18).

Therefore, because purpose is determined by Him and for Him, the tactic for receiving purpose is intimately tied to our willingness to press into Him.  How are we to receive or achieve His intended purpose(s) for us if we are not in right relationship with Him?  If we are to fulfill His purposes in us, then we need to be diligent in pursuing Him.  This means Spirit-filled Bibly study, prayer, worship, fellowship.

This should prompt us to examine ourselves: are we living our His purposes?  if not, what is preventing us?  Because of the importance of this ideal, we need to take it seriously.  Additionally, appraising our circumstance in reference to purpose should be a practice that we do periodically throughout our lives, for God's purpose(s) for us can and do change dependent on life stage, etc.  Let us then press into Him to reach and fulfill His purposes in our lives!

Becoming Good Friends

Friends are powerful.  That statement, though true, needs qualification.  Friends can be either powerful for our good growth or powerful for our dire demise.  The reality is that friends hold sway over us.  They can determine how we talk, what we do for recreation, or what we eat for dinner.  They can teach us what to think, how to dress, or even how to believe.  Much like wielding a chainsaw like a butter knife, neglecting the power of friends can be dangerous and disastrous.

A friend, by way of introductory definitions, is a person who is known and who knows you.  There is an intimacy to a friend's knowledge that goes beyond mere acquaintance.  A friend can be predictable while their knowledge of you can make you predictable to them.  They are supporters while needing support just as they are secure while needing security.  The conundrum of friendship is that it is, by nature, a symbiotic relationship, meaning that friends are only friends if it is agreed upon by both parties involved and that the relationship necessitates give and take.  It is the complex dependency of friendship that gives it its power.  Understanding the nature of friendship can be valuable in ascertaining the purpose of friendship.

There are many important reasons for friendship, many more than the scope of this dialogue permits; however, a summary statement of the primary purpose of friendship might be useful: dependent accountability.  This phrase points to the two major purposes and functions of friends.  As friends, we are dependent on one another, not in nearly the sense or degree that we are dependent on the Lord, but friends need each other.  This dependency of friendship is the need for accountability.

A friend serves to hold the other accountable.  This could be as simple as the need for punctuality or as profound as the need to pray.  A friend challenges the other to live to biblical ethics and should call them out when they may stray.  Moreover, a true friend should be willing to test the other in order that they may grow in sanctification.  "As iron sharpens iron (Pro. 27:27)," is one of the major goals of friendship, but the quest for spiritual growth and wisdom is not the only reason for friends.

Friends are also there to comfort and to be relied upon when the ground gets shaky and the tempests swell (Pro. 17:17; Ecc. 4:9-10).  When life hits us, a true friend is the comfort of God that can help empathize and weep with us, or teach and guide us through the darkest nights.  Friends thus serve both to help sanctify but also to live in peace and joy.  Friends can be the personal hands and feet of our Lord.  The power of friendship quickly rises to the surface among further examination.

This should prompt two separate but related meditative queries: (1) who are my friends, and (2) how am I being a good friend?  To be sure, these are not "once-and-for-all" questions.  Rather, we should periodically examine the nature of our friendships, both our friends as well as ourselves as friends.  In this way, we will truly live out our Christ-likeness in a manner that is pleasing to Him.  Let us then press on to have good friends that make us good friends!

The Lord's Prayer

One of the major facets of Jesus' life was His consistent prayer life, chronicled throughout the Gospels, particularly in Luke.  Jesus made such a habit of prayer, both corporate and seclusive, that His disciples finally asked Him to teach them how to pray.  In Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4, Jesus answers His disciples and offers a divine perspective into proper prayer.

The first part of the Lord's prayer is the most important part.  Jesus is clear to indicate that the object and recipient of prayer is God, the holy and heavenly Father.  This should be the focus that undergirds all prayer.  If we are not consciously centering our prayer on the Lord, then prayer is failing its primary function, which is communication between us and Him.

Secondly, prayer is defined as requesting the Lord's provision as well as expecting Him to do so.  When we pray, it is a declaration of allegiance as well as a statement of reliance on the Lord.  We are aligning our needs and desires with His sovereignty.  Allying with God's will is prayer's intention.  When we pray, we are uniting with the Lord in reliance of His power to provide.

Thirdly, salvation is intimately tied to prayer.  It is by prayer that the grace of salvation is appropriated by faith.  The vocalization of prayer is thus key, otherwise there would be no reason to prayer in private (Matt. 6:5-6).  It is important to note that although prayer can be silent, for Jesus, prayer was defined as an audible endeavor.  Unfortunately, the 21st century Christian has tended to overemphasized the privacy of prayer as to downplay the need for praying audibly.

The Lord's Prayer is not to be considered the only possible prayer for believers should pray.  Instead, it is a basic prayer rubric of form and content. The points include, reverence for the holiness of the Lord, reliance and alignment with His sovereignty, and recognition of the Lord as the sole source of salvation, are key components of effective prayers.  Let us strive to learn from our Lord Jesus' teaching and to apply His stated prayer principles to our prayers.

The Cross of Christ

The Cross is the pinnacle moment in all of history.  On it, Jesus, the declared Son of God, took on all the sin of mankind and, though being in very nature God, became accursed in His death.  Though having lived a perfect, sinless life, He was tried unjustly and horrifically murdered as a criminal.  He died hanging naked from a crucifix that was pounded into a hill alongside the crossroads just outside the city walls of Jerusalem.  Above His head was posted a sign that read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

This moment, when Jesus breathed His last utterance of forgiveness upon His executioners and yielded His Spirit to Lord as the coil of mortality writhed its extinguishing gasp, the King and Lord of all Creation performed the single greatest act of love in the whole of history.  Although executed a criminal, He was buried as nobility in a fresh grave.  A hewn boulder was rolled before the grave's opening and a Roman guard was placed over the tomb.  Yet on the third day, the whole guard was stricken by the sight of a divine being and the tomb was found open and empty, replaced with the  declaration, "He is not here, He is Risen!"

Christianity rests upon the Cross, not as a rosary symbol or a tattoo to commemorate the loss of a family member but as a sobering reminder of the great work that was accomplished upon it by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Because of the events of the Cross, we may now enter into a right and restored relationship with the Holy Lord of the Universe.  This is the Gospel, the Good News: we do not need to pay the price for our sin because it has been paid for already by Christ.  He swelled our sin within His own body as He was nailed to the Cross on Golgotha.  This is Good News.

The power of the Cross should not be undervalued but should also never be separated from the person whose broken body was strewn across its beams.  The Cross represents Jesus.  Not only does it represent Jesus, but it is also a reminder of our sin, which He overcame and atoned for upon it.  The sinful depravity of humanity made the Cross a necessity, for by it a Holy God was able to meet His holy requirements; man was and is utterly unable to meet the perfect requirements of God's holy and righteous justice.  Therefore, Jesus, God incarnate, needed to step in as a proxy on our behalf and to suffer the due penalty for all man's sin.

It is also important to remember that the Cross was and is a symbol of immense shame.  Only the worst criminals were doomed to publicly bear their guilt upon a cross.  The severity of crucifixion should prompt humility and awe, if not outright provocation.  Splayed across the crucifix was the perfect, spotless lamb who, by His atoning and sacrificial death, conquered sin.

Every year, Christians around the world spend time, ranging from a single Easter Day to an entire Lenten season, remembering the broken body and shed blood of Christ.  The purpose of this discourse was to remind us what we our remembering during this season and, hopefully, to spur us on to remembering Christ's Passion throughout our year.  Mark 15-16, Matthew 27-28, Luke 23-24, John 19-20 are the Scripture points of reference and are worth examination with an eye to what His death and resurrection means to believers.  Praise God for all He accomplished upon the Cross, setting us free from the curse of sin and death!

Grace through Faith

If there were ever a passage of Scripture to memorize, Ephesians 2:8-10 would be it: "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not of your own doing; for it is the gift from God, not by works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, that He has prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

These brief sentences hold a wealth of theological truth to chew upon.  For starters, the first phrase, "For by grace you have been saved through faith," speaks immeasurably about the transaction of salvation.  It had always been assumed that salvation was bestowed by God only on those who were deserving.  Thus grace was to be understood as a conditional affair, dependent on one's obedience to Torah.  Now, Paul makes this radical assertion that salvation is a matter of grace that is acquired by faith.  The simplicity of the statement is only overshadowed by its profundity.

The follow up, "And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift from God, not by works so that no one may boast," is equally as provocative.  Beware that we overlook the depth of Paul's declaration: not only is salvation a matter of grace that is appropriated by faith, but no human deeds can merit it.  Moreover, this is by design.  God intends that no one may boast because of salvation.  Think about the effect of this statement.  Because of its content, pride, then, has no place in any conversation of salvation, for nothing could earn it.

Understanding the previous verses as such, then the next phrase, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, that He has prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them," takes on a different tone.  This passage is clear to indicate that we have been give the gift of God, which is is grace and salvation assigned by faith.  Additionally, faith is coupled with good works that are the actions of faith, not to merit faith but to act out faith.

The purpose of this discourse has been not only to highlight this important passage but also to offer an insight into some study methodology.  This is one method of many to employ when dissecting Bible passages.  Through the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit the wealth of the Word may permeate our lives.  Let us then press into the Word as to press into God!

Honest Humility

Humility, the state of being humble, is a necessary posture of living that Christians should continually realign themselves with throughout their lives.  Because humility chafes against the grain of our fleshly lives, we need to establish a practical methodology of humbling ourselves when the pull of pride rears its ugly head. For this, there are some keys to apply in the endeavor for humility.

One key to humility is Recognition.  We need to become so attuned and self-aware that we will be constantly on guard against the pride inside.  If we are to become humble we need to be ready and able to examine the depths of who we are with honesty.  The recognition of pride is one of the fundamental keys to maintaining humility.

Another key is Honesty.  This may seem rather obvious but honesty in this sense needs further definition.  It is not enough to be honest with our faults in the quest for humility, we must also be honest with our strengths.  More often than not it is our strengths, those traits or talents we posses and cherish, that cause pride and arrogance.  Ultimately, our strengths are given us by God and to be used for His glory and purposes.  Unfortunately, we can so overvalue our strengths that our attitude towards our strengths may become the stumbling block to true humility.

The final key to humility is Assessment.  Because humility is to be our ever-present attitude, we need to develop a sure and steady practice of self-assessment.  Employing the other keys of recognition and honesty, consistent assessment equips us to see areas in which we may be less than humble.  This valuable bit of information is necessary for us to meet pridefulness with correction and realign ourselves with humility.

Through recognition of pride, honesty with ourselves, and consistent assessment, we will form an attitude and posture of humility that should guide our lives.  The importance of humility cannot be overemphasized.  Scripture speaks often about the value and necessity of humility (for a start: Pro. 15:33; Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8-9; James 4:6).  However, Jesus' statement seems the most direct and applicable: "whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, whoever humbles himself shall be exalted (Matt.  23:12)."  Therefore, let us strive for humility in Him and for Him!

Working for the Lord

Not everyone has been called to full-time vocational ministry.  However, no matter what our job may be, we are all called to work for the Lord (Col. 3:22-23).  This can be a very challenging proposition when Christians enter the ever-secularizing workforce, particularly the business world.  Because of this, a theology of work that is practical will be the purpose of this dialogue.

At the onset, it needs to be said that there is no hierarchy of vocations in the Kingdom.  This can seem like a radical assertion but it is truth.  Certainly some people are called to devote the whole of their lives to ministry; however, this in no way means that they are holier or closer to the Lord.  We are all called to love, to witness, and to devote ourselves to the Lord by faith.  If this was ever in question, remember that God used fishermen, political zealots, tentmakers, tax collectors, military officers, and physicians to grow His Church (this is not an exhaustive list but the point is clear).

If we think of Jesus teaching on being salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16), it is clear that we are all called to be salt and light, not just the full-time ministers.  This means that people in the business world are to be salt and light to the world with as much vigor as the janitor or the teacher.  The nagging question then becomes: how do we do this?  To answer this, some points on methodology should be made.

For starters, we must do our jobs with excellence, understanding that the quality of our work and the integrity with which we do it is a direct reflection on the Lord.  We are accountable first to Him for our work ethic.  Therefore, if we cut corners or do not pursue excellence, we are not serving Him wholeheartedly and, ultimately, we make God out to be less-than-first in our lives.  In other words, our devotion to Him is directly tied to the manner with which we work.  Good Christians should be, then, the best employees.

Secondly, we need to be prepared to give account for the grace and joy that permeates our work.  If we are living out our faith, we will be filled with the Spirit, exuding joy, peace, hope, and love.  This will inevitably draw others to examine us and wonder.  When this happens, we need to be ready to give our testimony.  We need to speak our faith as much as we act our faith.  This does not necessarily mean that we will prepare a three-point sermon with a multimedia presentation, but we will be ready to give a sincere account for the grace in which we stand and that guides our lives.

Something must also be said about office culture.  If we find ourselves regularly engaging in any activity that could be construed as sinful or unbecoming of godliness, then we need to repent and stop.  As Christians, the people of the world will scrutinize our every action and word so as to point out our sinfulness and hypocrisy.  They do this in order to overlook their own guilt and shame before God.  

Practically speaking, this means that the people of the world will consistently test us and tempt us to "join in" in the name of office camaraderie.  Lying, gossiping, usurping authority, and cussing are a few examples of the multitude of ways that the world will try to pull us away from Christ and into the playing field of the enemy.  Because of this, we need to be on guard against any potential threats to our relationship with Christ as well as disciplined to put out the potential fires of temptations before we find ourselves engaged in sin.

In conclusion, the workplace presents the ripest fields for longterm planting, watering, and harvesting souls for Christ.  God gives us specific vocational roles and fields to live out the Word and preach the Gospel to people in a closed-circuit situation so that we can invest in people who have an opportunity to see us live out our faith with consistency over time.  This is an awesome thing as well as a distinct responsibility to live above reproach in the workplace.  We are living for Him, this should be the underlying force that causes everything, work included.  Let us then press forward to be salt and light at work and to live out our Christlikeness in word and deed in the workplace!

Put Your Self to Death

Putting your self to death is a significant and challenging doctrine of Christianity.  Paul speaks of it most directly, particularly in his epistles to the Romans, Galatians, and Colossians (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 2:19-20; Col. 3).  The difficulty with this concept is due to the intensely metaphoric language as well as the personal accountability the doctrine places on believers.

At the onset, parameters of dying to self should be laid out to guide this discourse.  The death of self can be reduced to the intentional separation from our fleshly self, in which we previously lived, for the expressed purpose of drawing closer to our renewed and reconciled spiritual self in Christ.  This should be the framework that guides our understanding of dying to self.

There are two basic parts of ourselves that we are putting to death.  The first part of self to be put to death is our previous self.  When we become Christians, through confession and belief in Jesus, we put to death our previous self in repentance and faith in order to turn to God.  This is so fundamental to the Christian life that if we have not taken this first step of putting our selves to death we should seriously examine the state of our salvation.  This part of the self that we put to death includes every previous bit and iota that had previously filled and dominated our life.

The second part of our self that needs to be put to death is our future self.  When we give ourselves to Christ, we are to place our plans, our dreams, and our desires into His hands.  This can be a very challenging proposition, particularly in a society that so values goal orientation but it is so utterly necessary for us to grow to be the people that God desires us to be.  We need to place everything in His sovereign, loving, and omnipotent hands, knowing that He is the God of all creation and the Lord of our lives.

Once we have accepted the reality and necessity of putting our old self to death, then we will be prepared to take the next steps of growth: putting on our new self.  Paul speaks of this concept very directly in Colossians 3, indicating that we are taking off our old, fleshly self and putting it to death and putting on the new self.  The new self is found and defined only in Christ.  It is in Christ, by Christ, through Christ, and for Christ that the new self is all about.  A correct term for the new self is "God-obsessed."  After we die to self and are risen anew to the Spirit, we should strive to live God-obsessed in every manner, word, and deed.  Let us then press forward to put our selves to death to be made new in Him!

The Art of Practice

Practice is intensely practical and purposeful.  Every professional athlete or musician recognizes the distinct value of excellent practice.  Luckily, the principles of practice can be aptly applied to the whole of life.  If we consider Christian life, then, in terms of practice, a number of revealing images about the nature of life begin to rise to the surface.

A definition of practice serves as a necessary starting point for this dialogue.  Practice can be reduced to a method of repetition purposed for improvement.  When musicians practice, they may play the same song or scale innumerable times but all with the intent of progress.  Unfortunately, if the second part of the practice process, the focus on growth, is neglected, then it is not beneficial practice but more akin to repeatedly beating one's head against a brick wall: not going to make much headway beyond an achy head.

Instead, practice needs a dedicated focus on growth.  Like watering a garden, practice serves to feed growth.  In the case of practicing for life, we are tending to the growth of spiritual traits, holiness, and righteousness.  Quickly, the valuable necessity for developing a theology of practice begins to comes into view.

Scripture actually has much to say about practice, particularly in reference to those who practice unrighteousness and ungodliness (for a passing study see Gen. 44:5, 15; Deut. 18:9-10; 1 Kgs. 11:11; 2 Kgs. 21:2; Isa. 32:6; John 8:34; et al).  A general point should be made here.  If we are not practicing righteousness, we are unwittingly practicing unrighteousness.  Our natural, fleshly inclination is towards sin.  Therefore, it takes a focused effort for us to repent from our natural practice of unrighteousness to a Spirit-led practice of faith and holiness.

Methodology is not without its usefulness in this regard.  A good methodology can keep our aim sure in our quest for godliness.  There are two basic parameters to adhere to in the pedagogy of righteousness. The first is the Word.  If we are to grow in the image of Jesus, we have to become intimately acquainted with His Word.  This requires not only becoming familiar with the content of Scripture but also growing in applying the content to our own lives.

The second part of pedagogy is teaching.  Just like musicians have instructors and athletes have coaches, we need teachers who can guide our growth by exposing our blind spots and offering new material in accesible ways.  In the case of faith, this is referred to as mentoring.  Effective mentoring requires that not only that we are mentored but also that we mentor as well.  Thus we will be able to practice both learning the content of the Word and the application of the Word.  If we neglect either of these facets in the practice of righteousness, we will not see the growth God desires of us.

Paul, Peter, John, and the writer of Hebrews are unified in referring to the pursuit of righteousness in terms of practice (Phil. 4:9; 1 Tim. 4:15; Heb. 5:14; 2 Pet. 1:10; 1 John 3:7).  John escalates the necessity of practice by stating clearly, "By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his neighbor (1 John 3:10)."

This should compel us to take a more serious assessment of what we might be practicing in our own lives in order that we may be sanctified to practice righteousness with earnest rigor and Spirit-filled fervor.  Let us then eschew our fleshly practices of unrighteousness and to adopt a pedagogy of spiritual practice to become more like Christ!

Perfect Purity

We live in a world in which purity is overlooked by the vast majority of the culture in favor of pleasure seeking and relativism.  God asks for more.  He asks us to be holy as He is holy (1 Pet. 1:16).  Obviously, for us to overcome the gap of holiness set before us, two things are in order: (1) we must understand what holiness is, and (2) we have to come up with a game-plan for holiness.

For starters, holiness has two basic definitions, to be pure and to be set apart.  Although God asks for us to take on holiness in both measures, the former of the two is to be the focus of this discourse. Purity, to be pure, requires acknowledging what purity is as well as understanding that which taints purity, making it impure.

God is pure.  Scripture speaks most aptly about the purity of His Word (Psa. 12:6; 119:140; Pro. 30:5).  Purity thus is a direct reflection of His Word in us.  When we are in His Word, His Word acts to purify us.  Additionally, purity speaks to perfection.  For something to be pure it has no extraneous or unnecessary pieces; it is perfect, complete.  This should convict us to assess: are there parts of us that we could deem extra?

Furthermore, purity is unsoiled, undefiled, and ultimately clean.  To be pure then necessitates a state of perfect cleanliness of soul.  When we speak of holiness, this is what we are discussing: the state of a person's soul.  Purity is to be, then, utterly pure and without sin.  To be sure, that's no small order.

Think of a glass of water with sediment floating inside.  This is akin to the state of a unrepentant  soul.  We are so full of the depravation of sin that we, our very beings, have become tainted and defiled.  Only when we are poured out and sieved to remove the unclean sediment of sin can we become "holy as He is holy."  Confession and belief in Jesus by way of repentance and humility accomplishes this purging.

Peter, John, and Peter all speak about the necessity for humans to pursue holiness (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Thess. 4:7; 1 Pet. 2:11; 1 John 3:3).  For fear of getting too theologically dense, it is sufficient to say that striving for holiness is a big deal for believers.  It can be summed up in a single term: sanctification.

It is true that God guides and administers the sancitification process; however, this does not negate the man's responsibility.  To be holy is not a passive ordeal but an intensely active endeavor.  In order for us to be holy, we need to pursue holiness.  The writer of Hebrews also speaks to this effect, that we have responsibility to put forth effort in holiness (Heb. 12:14).

Because of the vast and singular requirements of holiness, we, believers, should heed the call to holiness and "take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-5)."  To be made new and pure in holiness is what repentance and sanctification is all about.  Let us then press forward to live more like Christ, perfect and blameless, undefiled by the world and pure in His Word by the power of the Holy Spirit urging us to greater holiness in Him!

Jesus the Justifier

Justified by faith (Rom 5:1).  The sheer depth and density of such a statement is staggering.  Paul made no small declaration by saying that faith is the means to justification's end.  Because of the breadth of theology administered by the profundity of this simple phrase, their are libraries full of books about it; clearly, this is important.  A good place to begin is to address what Paul means by "justification" and what he means by "faith."

Justification, in its basest form, is a legal matter.  To be considered just necessitates legitimate reasoning and overcoming the burden of proof.  In the case of salvation, the burden of proof is sin.  Luckily, we have an advocate in Jesus, the Justifier before God, the Heavenly judge.  Therefore, declaring us to be justified is wholly dependent on the Lord justifying us before His own eyes.

Moreover, justification refers to justice being meted out.  In this case, justice is paid for by the blood of the spotless lamb, Jesus.  In order for the perfect justice of God to be met, a perfect justifier had to provide the cost justice required.  Jesus is that provider.  By His perfect, sinless life He met the necessary requirements of God's justice.  In His death, Jesus paid the price of justice, served sin's sentence so to speak.  And by His bodily resurrection, He has not only met justification's requirements but has covered the cost of justification for all mankind.

Enter faith.  In order for anyone to have Jesus' justification applied personally to their sin accounts and be found just before a holy God, faith is the necessary requirement.  The reason that it is by faith that justification is administered to humans is logical.  If justification were to be appropriated by works of merit, the amount of justification applied would need to be consistent with the value of the merit's acts.  Therefore, reason stands that because God's requirements of justice are perfect and man is incapable of meriting perfect righteousness, then there needs to be another manner of accruing perfect justification.

Christ acts as our perfecter justifier.  Through faith in Him we are deemed justified.  Justification then becomes our punched-ticket of entrance into the Kingdom of God.  By faith, the justification of Christ is appropriated and applied to our lives.  Faith is the conduit for justification's application to our lives.  The content and object of our faith is Jesus.  Only by faith in Him, His life, death, and resurrection, are we able to be justified before the Lord.  Let us then run to Christ in faith and thus take joy that He justifies us by the blood of Jesus!

Abraham's Righteousness

In Christ, we have become sons of Abraham (Gal. 3:7).  This is a favored distinction of Paul's for believers, yet it is pregnant with theological import.  Understanding that we have become the progeny of Abraham and inherited his covenant through confession and belief in Jesus sheds valuable light on both the Old and NewTestaments as well as the whole of salvation history.  Because of this, the righteousness of Abraham warrants further examination.

The famous statement concerning Abram occurs in Genesis 15:6, "he believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness."  The righteousness of Abraham was a matter of faith in the promises of God. Up to this point in chapter 15, God had called Abram to leave his country and extended family to journey to an unknown land.  Abram obeyed in belief acted out.  As a result, God covenanted with Abram through a promise.  Abram believed that God's promise was sure and worthy of obedience and faith.  Therefore, God credited righteousness to Abram as a result of his faith.

Similarly, believers have been called away from our previous lives to enter the unknown land of salvation.  He has called us from our previous pluralism and pagan worldliness in the promise of light and eternal life.  It is by belief in His promises that we become His and, through faith, enter into His Kingdom.

Thus, when Paul equates Christians with Abraham in the manner by which righteousness is credited, he is indicating that not only does righteousness predate the law but, by implication, it does away with any works-based salvation.  Abram's faith had been enacted before it was credited to him as righteousness.  Therefore, our righteousness is credited by the activation of our faith, meaning that the righteousness by faith necessitates action.  Faith that is not actualized does not accrue the righteousness of God and is not true faith (James 1:22-25; 2:14-26).

When Paul says that we have become the descendants of Abraham by faith, he is declaring that our righteousness, like Abraham's, is reliant solely on our faith acted out, not dependent on works of the Law (Rom. 4; Gal. 3).  We need only have faith, trusting that Jesus fulfills all of the promises of God.  This faith should compel us, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to action.  Thus faith is wholly realized and righteousness accredited not by any works of the Law but by faith actualized in the hearts and lives of believers.  Praise God for His promises that are utterly fulfilled in Jesus!

The Holy Spirit's Help

Life is hard.  It is full of pitfalls and pains lurking around every blind corner like traps waiting to snare  unsuspecting passersby.  And no matter how aware we may be of our surroundings or how deliberate we may be in decision making or how sure we might make every step, from time to time, everyone falls prey to life's cliffs.  Fortunately, believers have an advocate and comforter in the Holy Spirit, who is able and willing to help us step out of the mire and to firmly plant our feet on the solid ground.

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the parakletos, the comforter who comes alongside to help.  The Holy Spirit is sent to believers, to help and comfort them in times of need (John 14:15-16).  Additionally, the Holy Spirit teaches and guides believers (John 14:25-26).  When we become His, through confession of sin and faith in His Son, God sends His Holy Spirit to indwell within us so as to guide us in the way we should go as well as to help us in our times of trouble.

God has also provided the sound counsel of His Word.  Paul indicates that Scripture is breathed out by God, by the Holy Spirit, and useful for teaching, reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness in order to equip the man of God for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  Practically speaking, this speaks to the necessity for believers to not only be in the Word regularly but also to engage with it by applying Scripture's truth to life in real ways.

Lastly, the Holy Spirit helps us through the Church, the body of Christ.  A simple examination of Acts reveals that it was normative and expected for the fellowship of believers to care for each other.  We need to rely on the Lord to help us, and He always does.  More often than not, though, He helps us through human agents.  There are two parts to this equation.  Not only do we need to humbly and honestly ask for help from our fellow believers, but we als need to be ready and willing to help others when the opportunity and the compulsion to do so arises.

At the final analysis, God does not leave us helpless.  He loves us.  Moreover, He, in His omnipotence and omnipresence, is able to help us in every possible situation.  For proof of this, a survey of how God helps may serve our good.  The writer of Hebrews writes that Jesus, because of His humanity, is able to empathize and help believers when they are tempted (Heb. 2:18).  Furthermore, God is our ever-present help, our deliver in times of trouble, our strength and shield, and the bearer of our burdens (Psa. 10:14; 28:7; 33:20; 46:1; 72:12).

Because of this, when we fall off of life's unforeseen precipices, we can and should cry out to God, who is more than able to help pick us up and set us on safely on the track again.  More than being merely able, He is willing.  This is awesome and beautifully comforting.  Praise God that He cares so much for us to help us in our need and distress!

Divine Discipline

Discipline, in the sense of submission to an authority, is often neglected or totally abandoned in the politically-correct world today.  We live in a society that is more concerned with satisfaction and comfort than with truth actualized in life.  Because of this, many people believe that discipline is no longer necessary or that it is an appalling relic from bygone days.  In contrast, the Bible has much to say in regards to God's disciplinary intentions, disciplining those whom He loves for the purpose of pruning them for growth.

Scripture, particularly Proverbs, presents the discipline of the Lord in a unified and direct manner.  For one, the Lord disciplines the ones that He loves (Psa. 94:12; Pro. 3:11-12).  Pruning is necessary in order to guarantee and maintain fruit-bearing potential.  If we are to become the people that God intends us to be, we must be willing to submit to His discipline like clay bends to the will of the potter's hands.

Therefore, discipline is to be loved and desired for its effects (Pro. 10:17; 12:1), because we understand that discipline means that God loves us.  Moreover, we may also take hope and comfort in discipline, understanding that God has plans to build and prune us by His will and for His purposes (Jer. 29:11-13).  We should not dislike discipline but we should take joy in that God is pruning us.

Additionally, we should recognize that neglecting discipline has consequences (Pro. 5:23; 13:18; 15:5; 15:32).  If we do not heed to discipline's compulsions, we walk in danger of future, if not eternal, repercussions.  Because of this, we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's disciplinary promptings for if we ignore them, there will be consequences for our negligence.

Furthermore, parents need understand the necessity for proper discipline, not harsh but consistent and not wrathful but purposefully loving.  If we are to raise a generation of people bound by truth and accountable to God, then we need to employ the pruning tools of discipline, with Spirit-led and wise discretion, of course.  Scripture, again, speaks directly in this regard that a parent is obligated to discipline their child for the benefit of the child (Pro. 19:18; 23:13).

Scripture is not divided on this issue, nor is Proverbs the only place that speaks of our obligation to heed to discipline, not out of obligation but out of joy and love for the Lord (see Heb. 3-7).  When the Lord disciplines us, or when our spiritual leaders discipline us according to the Word, we should take it humbly as well as with joy, acknowledging that it is out of love and for pruning that we are being disciplined.  Praise be to God that He would love us so much as to discipline us by His will, for His purposes, and for our good!

The Logic of Jesus

Jesus is the key.  If we are not drawn to and through Jesus in the search for God, we are missing the mark and running a dangerous route.  There are a lot of people who believe in a god and are comfortable talking about the divine and about spirituality, but when Jesus' named is declared, defenses are raised and relativism is thrust into the forefront.  In reality, apart from Jesus, Christianity has no worth.  It is Christ crucified and resurrected that is the sole starting point for any serious discussion of spirituality, religion, and truth.

There is a widespread secular religious doctrine that goes something like this: "all religions worship the same god, or, all roads lead to the same end."  This is blatantly incorrect and incoherent.  Addressing this from the point of view of logic, two fundamental laws of logic are in play, namely the law of identity and the law of non-contradiction.

Jesus' life and message had a tremendous amount of inclusivity, meaning that the Gospel message of the good news of Jesus is open and applicable to all mankind.  On the flip side, the message was definitively exclusive, in the sense that only through faith in Jesus as the risen Son of God is right relationship with God restored and the burden of sin lifted.  There are basically four biblical assertions that lay the groundwork for all truth about Jesus:

(1) God, who is holy, infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, is the Creator of the whole of universe.  The Bible posits this from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation.

(2) The wages of Sin, which separates the depravity of man from the holiness of God, is death and must be accounted for in order for man to be justified and restored to right relationship with Him.

(3) Jesus, the Son of God, through His perfect life, atoning death, and bodily resurrection, paid the penalty of sin due all mankind.

(4) Through confession of sin and belief in Jesus as the sole source of reconciliation to the Father, believers can enter into a restored, right relationship with the Lord and be blessed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and eternal life.

These are the four basic assertions that undergird all of Christianity.  If we are to consider the laws of logic, especially identity and non-contradiction, then two things must be noted.  The first is the exclusivity of the Gospel.  Only through faith in Jesus is salvation and eternal life reached.  Additionally, sin separates man from God and must be atoned for, Jesus being the atonement.  These two things fundamentally make Christianity what it is.  If these two fundamental doctrines are not held, then it is not Christianity and, ultimately, not true.

Therefore, any worldview, religion, or spiritual experience that contradicts, or challenges the truths of Christ are to be examined as such.  Christianity is based on the work and life of Jesus, the very Son of God.  This is either true or not, it cannot be both.  Thus, we must either accept the truth claims of Jesus as wholly true or altogether reject them as false.  Only one of these is possible.  To allow syncretism is not only to downplay the truth claims of Christ but also to ignore His teachings entirely.  Let us be on guard to not allow relativism to hinder our faith.

Cain Applied

The first sin recorded in the Bible, the Original Sin, is the story of Adam ad Eve in Eden eating a forbidden fruit and being cursed for it with a severed relationship of separation from the Lord.  The orignal sin is easily definable, if not caricatured; however, the second sin, regarding Cain and Abel, is sometimes neglected.

Genesis 4:1-16, the story of Cain and Abel is chronicled.  At the onset, a short synopsis is in order.  Eve, by Adam, conceives Cain and then Abel.  Abel is a shepherd and Cain a farmer.  At some point, both brothers bring an offering to the Lord, Cain brings grain and Abel brings the firstborn of his flock and the fat portions.  God favors the offering of Abel to the neglect of Cain's.  Cain becomes jealous and, although warned by the Lord of sin's lurking, in his envy kills his brother.  After killing him, the Lord confronts Cain and, after he is shamed for his crime, casts him out of His presence.

This story is both difficult and dense, but there are a couple major points that need to be addressed.  The first is the offering itself.  Much speculation can and has been made about why the Lord favored Abel's offering over Cain's, but what is clear is that it was.  There are basically two notable reasons for God favoring Abel's offering.

The first is the cost.  Sheep were not cheap.  To offer the firstborn and the fatty portions indicates that Abel was sincerely sacrificing the best he had to offer.  Grain, on the other hand, is  less costly.  The wording also denotes that Cain's offering was more token and flippant than humble and sincere.  The second and more important note, in regards to the reason for the Lord favoring Abel, is in the state of Cain's heart.

God has never been interested in the quality or quantity of the sacrifice, He is most concerned with the state of the heart (Psa. 40:6-8; 51:16).  Judging by the soberness of God's warning to Cain, it is clear that Cain's offering was not worshipful as much as it was obligatory.  This is the opposite of what God desires of His children.  He wants generous and loving offerers of praise.  When our posture in offering is not as such, we run the risk of sin.

The other point to be made in this dialogue is in reference to God's response to Cain's sin.  Following Abel's murder, God curses Cain with the most dramatic of alienations: from the ground and from God.  Although Cain's curse is severe, it is also coupled with provision.  Cain will be marked so as to live a long life.  In this, we can see that God, even in Cain's punishment, is protecting him.  This is both remarkable and sad.  Cain had to live with the weight of his sin being the thorn that would continually wound him throughout his life; however, even in this, God proves Himself faithful and true.

In conclusion, the story of Cain and Abel is the first example of intentional human-to-human sin.  That being said, God shows that the horizontal sins have nearly equally dire consequences to the vertical, human-to-God, sins.  Therefore, let us be conscious for two things that might take root in our hearts.  The first is the sincerity and character of our offerings to the Lord.  If we are not sincere and humble in our devotion, we are in danger.  The second point is that when God, by the speaking of the Holy Spirit, warns us of the pernicious nature of our hearts, we need to take heed lest we fall into the danger of sin.  Let us then look to the example of Cain as a warning to us all.

Christian Contentment

One of the fundamental quests of life is the search for contentment.  Entire lives could be expended in the longing for contentment.  Plainly speaking, contentment is a state of being, particularly, the state of being content.  The fundamental definition of contentment is dense because it encompasses a litany of simultaneous states: peace, joy, and hope.  All of these states fall under one large umbrella, namely the knowledge of the Lord.

Because of the depth of content in true contentment, the source of contentment must be the Lord.  Any sense of contentment that is not derived from the Lord, is thus but an echo of true contentment.  Instead, to be content requires, above all else, an intimate dependence on the Lord based on trust in who He is.  When we are content, we are fully satisfied and thankful at who God is and what He has done for us.

There are a number of relevant Scripture verses, however, a few warrant particular insight into the nature of contentment.  The first is Philippians 4:11-13, in which Paul describes that he has learned that the source of contentment has nothing to do with the circumstances and happenings of life but has everything to do with the Lord and who He is.  This is the very essence of contentment.

Understanding that the Lord is the provider and securer, the sustainer for all of life is the essential starting point for any discussion of contentment.  Contentment is reliant on the Lord.  To be content is to recognize that the Lord has everything under His control and that all is made secure in Him.  Thus, let us look to the Lord to be our contentment!

Wisdom as a Matter of Reliance

There's an old adage,"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."  Many people subscribe to this method of manifest destiny and individualism when faced with the challenges of a life that can be unsure.  The pull-up-your-bootstraps tachnique for handling the difficulties of this life, though, is upon a presuppositional fallacy, namely that humans can handle life on their own.

Needless to say, if we break down this fallacy, it quickly dissolves to a more foundational flaw in thinking.  The foundational flaw is a misunderstanding of the character of God coupled with a misunderstanding of the nature between man and God.  God, as the infinite and omnipotent Creator, is the supreme source of all truth and knowledge.  Clearly, inside of this scope is the knowledge of life, known as wisdom.

Wisdom generally refers to the knowledge of living, how to live right.  In any situation that challenges us, whether emotionally, physically, relationally, or whatever, there is a right way to handle it, a correct method to overcome the situaton.  Wisdom then, defined, is the attainment of the correct and right way to live life, which is particularly relevant when life hits us.

The Bible equates the beginning of wisdom with the fear of the Lord (Psa. 111:10; Pro. 1:7; 9:10).  This fear is two-fold: reverance for who He is and dread at His power.  Often we understand the fear of the Lord in the former with a neglect for the latter but they are, in fact, infinitely inseparable and interelated.  The dread of the Lord arises out of recognizing who He is, His character and nature.  If we are to make the right decisions, then we have to base our decisions on this fear of the Lord, on wisdom.

Additionally, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, not its end.  The end of wisdom, though, arises from the beginning.  The fear of the Lord is a cause.  When we fear the Lord, that fear will motivate us to do one of two things: either we will run away from Him in terror, or we will run towards Him in love and reliance.  Wisdom's end is found in the latter.

Wisdom, then, is the actualization of belief.  When we believe and rely on the Lord, then wisdom is truly wise.  Dependence and reliance on the Lord is wisdom acting on the lives of the wise.  The wise are wise becuase of their utter dependence on the Lord.  If we are to become a people of wisdom, then we must rely on the Lord.  This must be operationalized in our lives, particularly when life throws curve balls.  How well we swing at those errant pitches has nothing to do with our ability, it is only based on the measure of our dependence on the Lord.  Thus, the old adage revised: "when the going gets tough, the wise turn to God."

For further reading: Isa. 59:1; Jer. 29:11-13; Psa. 28:1; 55:1; 145:18; see also the Book of Proverbs, particularly ch. 1-31.

Referent Faith

Faith defined by the writer of Hebrews as the assurance of things hoped for and the certainty of what is unseen (Heb. 11:1).  Certainly this definition is true but alone does not convey the necessary theological depth required in any sufficient understanding of faith.  To consider faith merely as a matter of intellectual ascension to doctrine or emotional sentimentality to a relational ideal would be to reduce the requirements of faith until it is too-personal, totally subjective, utterly relative, and, ultimately, incorrigible.

Instead faith is absolute and definable.  It needs to be because of the compulsions that faith cause.  For instance, if a person claims that faith is the hope that carries them through cancer's diagnosis or that faith is the source of their strength at the loss of a loved one or that faith is that which saves, yet if they cannot articulate their faith in a matter that is objective and repeatable, than it calls into question the validity of that faith.

Needless to say, faith is a personal matter but it is not so personal that it becomes either individualistic or relative.  Faith then is closely related to truth in that there is an absolute referent, meaning that there is a faith that all other faith reflects.  Faith is alway as certain as the object of faith, making true faith only true because it is found in the certainty of a holy and perfect God.  Therefore, the referent for faith, the true faith that all faith arises from is faith in the Lord.  All other understandings of faith are but echos.

Additionally, faith is to empower and activate.  The Bible defines faith in the character of a particular person, Abraham.  Abraham's faith is the litmus by which faith is to be measured against and emulated.  Abraham's faith was a matter of empowerment and activation.  He left his home and family to enter a world unknown and was faithful for the Lord to provide for him an heir: faith that activates and empowers.

Similarly, faith should still empower and activate.  Jesus declares that those who have faith in Him have things to do, meaning that faith is the propeller that causes us to do things as well as the source of power to complete them (Matt. 17:20; 28:16-20; John 14:12; Acts 1:8).  James, Jesus' half-brother, also keenly understood that faith and action were so intimately entangled that to have faith that does not activate us to work is not truly faith (James 1-3).

At the final analysis, true faith requires a true source.  The true source of faith is God.  Moreover, faith is not a passive reception or an inner ascension to some higher order but activates and empowers.  Therefore, we should strive to live lives of faith that are rooted in the Lord and activated to work for the Lord!

Post-Conversion Christianity

Conversion is not the end of the Christian life.  Quite the contrary, conversion is but the beginning, the birth of a new life in Christ.  Unfortunately, many Christians consider conversion to be the only step with little care for the follow-up steps of the faith.  God does call every believer to come to Him with a child-like faith, a wonder at who He is; however, this child-like faith should not ever be confused or with a childish faith, meaning that we should press on to greater levels of spiritual maturity.

By way of introduction, the foundation of faith is unchanging and sure: Jesus Christ crucified has taken away the wall of hostility that is sin so as to redeem and restore a right relationship between man and God for all eternity.  This is the firm foundation of faith, which undergirds every subsequent step of maturation for believers.

This process of spiritual maturation that arises out of sincere conversion is to be referred to as sanctification.  In essence, this is the continual process for the repentant believer being sanctified through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to become more like the Lord Jesus.  The essential components of sanctification are prayer, worship, fellowship, and study in the pursuit of the Lord; however, the internal root of sanctification is much more guttural.

Two-fold is the practice of sanctification.  First of all, sanctification is not a passive ordeal, meaning that it requires an intentional pursuit of the things of God by believers.  This cannot be overstated.  How are believers ever going to receive the fullness of blessings promised in and fulfilled by Jesus if they are not in a constant pursuit of Him.  Think of a child promised a gift from their grandmother.  If the child never visits the grandmother, they would never receive the gift. Similarly, if we are not in pursuit of the Lord and the things of the Lord, then we will not be positioned to receive the fullness of God's grace.

The second part of this process, which is coupled with the first part, is study, that is, the study of righteousness, meaning the study into the value of and practice of righteousness.  Training in righteousness, the practice of righteousness requires two basic elements: (1) the Word, and (2) Teachers.  The former, the Word, is perspicuous and available to every believer, only requiring consistent reading.  The latter, teachers, necessitates discipleship.  This is logical if we might equate the growth of sanctification with the study of a musical instrument: not only does the student need the materials of study (the Bible), but they also need a teacher to train them in technique so as to encourage their growth (mentors).

At the final analysis, sanctification is not a passive concept received immediately in full upon the moment of belief at conversion.  Instead, sanctification is an active and life-long pursuit of righteousness.  Luckily God has provided believers with resources to guide and to help up in the pursuit and practice of righteousness, namely His Word and teachers of it.  Lastly, because this whole process is based on striving towards God, the Holy Spirit is the prompter who compels and guides sanctification along.

People of Prayer

When it comes to growth in the Kingdom of God, nothing is more of a necessity than becoming a people of prayer.  Every major decision or meaningful in the New Testament is paired with prayer, both individual and communal.  Prayer is the very life-blood for the Church and for believers.  It is the requisite communal aspect of prayer that is so woefully neglected in churches.  Because of this, churches flounder and fail to be effective in their ministries.

This ought not be so.  For if we are to live lives by the example put forth by Jesus, then prayer should not simply be a check box on the list of church to-dos. Rather, prayer needs to be the focus of any and every church function and activity.  Prayer is so integral and necessary in our relationships with God that we should take the practice of prayer to be at the top of the priority list of church life.

Unfortunately, the church has neglected the life of Jesus as well as the examples set forth by the early Church.  If we look at Acts, every (not an understatement) decision was taken with prayer.  Replacing Judas: prayer; receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost: prayer; preaching in the synagogues: prayer; healings: prayer; fellowship: prayer; choosing the Seven: prayer, et al.

This is by no means an exhaustive survey of the significance of prayer to the early Church.  Clearly, prayer was important.  Moreover, this focus on community praying is not merely meant as historically descriptive of the first-century Church.  By no means!  This constant attitude and reliance on prayer is totally normative and wholly prescriptive for how Church should be done today.

Or remember Jesus, being in very nature God, prayed constantly (for a cursory understanding see Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28-29; 11:1, to name a few).  Needless to say but powerful to remember, prayer matters.  Praying is communication with God.  It is the practice of relationship with the Lord that we have been given through the work of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Additionally, corporate prayer serves distinct and significant purposes, not the least of which being that it immediately connects the body of Christ.  When believers are joined in prayer, the Holy Spirit is present to guide, to teach, to encourage, to convict, to comfort, and to exhort.  We should strive then to become not only people of prayer but, and even more so, churches of prayer.

Relinquishing the Wheel

Who directs our steps?  What is the compelling guide that leads us to traverse the mountains and valleys of life?  If our guide is sure and trustworthy, we can certainly feel at ease and be able to have peace that the route is correct and the journey will be true.  But if our advisor does not know the way or is overconfident, we can easily be put in danger of becoming lost or injured.  Fortunately, a perfect guide has been given us in the Holy Spirit.  However, handing over the reigns of our lives can be a difficult endeavor.

The first step in allowing the Lord to guide our steps is repentance.  Literally, repentance means turning away from self and towards the Lord.  Therefore, it makes sense to assert repentance as the watershed action of relinquishing control to One who truly is in control, God.  Any attempt to hand over the keys to our lives that misses this step will fail because control of the wheel has not been fully given to the sure driver.  Imagine, for a second, a driver and a passenger each vying for control of the steering wheel while barreling down a narrow corridor on a steep mountain pass.  Not effective and definitely dangerous.

Once we truly and wholly repent (which is to be a continuous action, not a once-for-all-time), then we will be able to listen to the direction that comes from the Lord.  Isaiah says, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'this is the way, walk in it' when you turn to the right or to the left (Isa. 30:21)."  God, the true and perfect guide, desires to lead us through life.  Paramount to this is our willingness to relinquish the wheel (repentance), followed by our willingness to listen to Him speak (faith abiding in His Word).

The Holy Spirit acts as the divine inner-driver for repentant believers.  He guides, compels, teaches, and directs us in the way we should go.  And, because He is who He is, He knows the right way.  The Psalmist writes, "The steps of a man are established in the Lord when he delights in His way (Psa. 37:23)."  This truth was not lost on Solomon who writes that the Lord makes straight the paths of those who trust in Him, do not lean on their own understandings, and who acknowledge Him (Pro. 3:5-6), and also, though a man plans in his heart, the Lord establishes his steps (Pro. 16:9).

At the final analysis, we who confess Christ should take this attitude among us, that, though we may have ideas of the way we should go, if our paths are not grounded in repentance and faith, listening to the Holy Spirit speak to us through His Word, then our plans will ultimately fail because they are not made secure and sure in the Lord.  If we think of life like traveling, a picture comes to mind: there is a single, narrow road.  To the immediate left and right of the road is washed-out sand, muddy bog, and cliffs that fall off into oblivion.  We are the car.  Who should we trust to drive it?

Boasting

Pretense and pomp are so pervasive throughout the breadth humanity that there is a distinct risk of losing sight of true worth.  Some people are so proud of their own talents or wealth, that they will eschew humility in favor of pride and elitism.  Others can feel so insecure in their depths that they play roles of pretense to hide their inner fears.  The concept is boasting.  The question is, what's worth boasting about?

Scripture presents a clear and unified account of the value of boasting as well as offering the only acceptable outlet for humanity's natural inclination for boasting.  Man has such an ingrained propensity for boasting that it is no wonder that the Bible speaks about it so directly.  Jeremiah 9:23-24 is the litmus in any discussion of boasting: the wise man shouldn't boast in his wisdom, the strong man in his strength, or the rich man in his riches; the only reasonable source of boasting in in the knowledge of the Lord (Jer. 9:23-24).

If we would consider this merely a contextual matter for the Old Testament, we need only look into the letters of Paul to the church in Corinth.  In both of the letters, Paul quotes from Jeremiah, indicating clearly that the one who boast shall only boast in the Lord.  This is a unified biblical doctrine that we should understand for its importance.  Boasting requires a focus, a source of the boast.

Ultimately, to boast is to amplify a trait, resource, or talent, to such an elevated state of importance that its worth becomes the measurement of all worth.  In essence, boasting makes the thing boasted about be the marker for any discussion of value.  Because any worth or value that held next to the Lord is but an echo of the true value of the Lord.  This is why boasting that is not in the Lord is of no value because whatever is boasted about is not of true value.  Therefore, let us boast only of the Lord and the relationship He's given us through His son.

Security Sown

A sense of security is huge in a world so restless and unsure.  There are countless counterfeit sources of security that vie for our trust: money, houses, military might, people, substances, the list goes on.  In reality though, any source of security that is not found in the Lord is faulty and will inevitably fall short of providing true security.  In order to overcome deficient sources of security, we need to overcome defective understandings of security.

Security, the state of being secure, is measured in two basic ways.  First is the measurement of provision, meaning that security is based on either the ability to garner provision or in the capacity to store provision.  This is one of the reasons wealth and prosperity can give people a sense of false security.  The security of wealth is false because wealth is fickle and timely.  Wealth has a shelf life that extinguishes at death.

God, on the other hand, is the ultimate provider.  He provides amply and sufficiently for our corporeal needs (6:19-34).  We have no need to want or be anxious for our security is measured in the infinite nature of God.  He provides not only for our bodily needs but our spiritual needs as well.  This means the Lord that provides provides eternal provisions that see their fruition after the breaking of this mortal coil.  This is good news.

The second measurement of security is in its protection from fear.  To feel secure is, in essence, to feel no need to be afraid.  Again, it can be seen why military forces are referred to by this measurement of security.  The irony is that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, the supreme source of security.  Thus our security comes from acknowledging the Lord for who He is.  Nothing and no one is more powerful than the omnipotent Holy Lord.  Therefore, nothing should ever cause believers to fear because of the sheer power of true security's source.

Lastly, nothing can separate us from the Lord once we are His (Rom. 8:38-39).  And He cares for and secures those that remain in Him (Deut. 33:12; Jer. 29:11).  Because of this, believers should have no reason to fear no matter the circumstances (Psa. 16:5-8, 23:1-4; Heb. 13:6).  Therefore, let us make sure our security in the Lord and in this way be made truly secure.  God desires to be our sole source of security.  We should then press into the Lord to be our security!

Cutting through Masks

A business man wears a nice, pressed suit and carries a brief case, chatting over dividends and commissions over a cocktail.  A chef talks about courses and recipes while walking around in his chef jacket holding stockpots and spatulas.  Nearly every profession or sect of humanity has its unique traits and characteristics.  This lingo and dress make people groups recognizable but they can quickly descend into stereotypes.

Unfortunately, Christianity is not without its stereotypes and lingo, making it possible to pretend to be a believer when one's heart may be far away.  For instance, a "churched" person could attend services regularly, say "Amen" when the preacher prompts, offer platitudes for surface relationships, all while keeping real devotion and sincere fellowship just outside of arms length: a mask.  This is the grave reality.  These would-be nominal Christians of the lukewarm variety, akin to the Laodicean Church, are useful only to be spat out by our Lord for their indefinite indifference (Rev. 3:14-22).  

Needless to say, this is a sobering reality that should prompt us to assessment.  Just because you quack and waddle does not make a duck, just like going to church and saying the right things and having bumper-sticker fish doesn't equate to real, transformational faith in Jesus.  God desires so much more than merely going through the motions.  To be sure, God wants everything, body, mind, heart, and soul (Matt. 22:37).  Walking and talking like a Christian is dreadfully easy when in the right crowds, making it difficult to cut through the masks.  The real question to ask then is: who are we when we are alone?

Cutting through the masks that people wear is about understanding that God requires all of a person.  Devotion is a matter of heart content, not externals.  This was the very same issue that plagued the pious first-century religious leaders that crucified Jesus.  They thought that holiness was about the externals to the effect that they neglected the hardness of their own hearts.  Instead, God desires us to love Him from the depths of our being.  In this, we will be in relationship with Him, the only true path to righteousness. This is how we remove the masks in order to be His.

Moreover, Jesus asserts that out of the heart come external defilement (Mark 7:15, 21; 15:19).  It is not enough to say the right things and consistently go to the right building on the right day of the week.  The only thing that makes a Christian a Christian is true and sincere devotion to Christ.  Salvation is a personal ordeal.  We are not born into it and we get no credit for the belief of those around us.  Therefore, let us take off our masks before the Holy Lord so as to be made truly and only His!