Tag Archives: devotion

GOOD ONLY BY THE IMPUTATION of CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

Socrates wanted definitions of the good, the true, and the beautiful which for him, was his existential question that even extended to a theological notion. He was being tried for corrupting the youth of Athens, with potential death the penalty. His life hereafter depended on it. Socrates wanted a definition of holiness, regardless of what men or the Greek gods say about it – yet he died without his desired definition.

Definition of Self-Righteousness: For him, a good-natured man is ethically good; thus, the “gods” ought to admire such humans as righteous in and of humankind’s inherent being. 

Paul, the apostle, was also in search of definitions. He too desired definitions of the true, the good, and the beautiful. As with Socrates definitions were a matter of life and death. When Paul met Christ, the end of his search had arrived – the quest culminating as he found that Christ was God. Now in scripture alone, he could define himself, his life and all Hebrew history in God. 

Henceforth his mind was entirely subject to the mind of Christ. Paul had found or rather had been found, of God. For him, the true, the good, and the beautiful are what they are by his Creator’s and his Redeemer’s defined Sovereign ordinance. The holy is holy because God says it is holy.1

His chief concern, was now to learn, unpack and share the mystery of the Gospel. He would see how wonderfully great was the grace of Christ to him. He would realize how great was the love of God. So great that He sent his Son into the world to save — not only him — but many others with him, to be members of the body of Christ. Here was corporate salvation extended to the world.

Here “the gift of grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, has abounded unto many” and here “they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:15, 17). “For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Sinners are constituted righteous by the righteousness of one, even Jesus Christ.

Definition of Christ’s Righteousness: As we have just studied, here was imputed righteousness. On this basis, Paul knew, he had found the only true ability to serve his Saviour – the gift of imputed righteousness. As Christ said, without me, you can do nothing. (John 15:5) Herein is the New Covenant entirely unique from all self-righteousness of humankind. Moreover, Christ’s Righteousness is entirely dependent on the indwelling Holy Spirit, ministered by Christ our High Priest.

1 Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987),  Common Grace and the Gospel (1977).  Also: A Survey of Christian Epistemology (1969), The Defense of the Faith (1955).

I am the the True Vine – Jesus

“I am the True Vine.”—John 15:1.

Andrew Murray was one of the most skilled writers who have led Christians to a closer walk and knowledge of the Lord. They are a constant reference to which I go as the Lord leads. Andrew was a Presbyterian minister of the Calvinist camp. What amazes me, he takes the Word of God far beyond what often-cold theological knowledge can achieve. Why is this? Andrew was a man born again of the Spirit. Thereby, Spirit-led he guides your heart into the realm of the heavenly places where Jesus abides. Moreover, in body, mind and soul, here on earth one feels the presence of the Lord in a calming way. Enjoy Andrew Murray. Meditating on the True Vine will help us persevere in the faith during troubling times. This excerpt is from: The Mystery of the True Vine: Meditations for a Month, Public Domain 1

All earthly things are the shadows of heavenly realities,—the expression, in created, visible forms, of the invisible glory of God. The Life and the Truth are in heaven; on earth, we have figures and shadows of the heavenly truths. When Jesus says: I am the True Vine, He tells us that all the vines of earth are pictures and emblems of Himself. He is the Divine reality, of which they are the created expression. They all point to Him, and preach Him, and reveal Him. If you would know Jesus, study the vine.

How many eyes have gazed on and admired the great vine at Hampton Court, with its beautiful fruit. Come and gaze on the Heavenly Vine till your eye turns from all else to admire Him. How many, in a sunny clime, sit and rest under the shadow of their vine. Come and be still under the shadow of the True Vine, and rest under it from the heat of the day. What countless numbers rejoice in the fruit of the vine. Come, and take, and eat of the heavenly fruit of the True Vine, and let your soul say: I sat under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.

I am the True Vine. This is a heavenly mystery. The earthly vine can teach you much about this Vine of Heaven. Many interesting and beautiful points of comparison suggest themselves, and help us to get conceptions of what Christ meant. But such thoughts do not teach us to know what the Heavenly Vine really is, in its cooling shade, and its lifegiving fruit. The experience of this is part of the hidden mystery, which none but Jesus Himself, by His Holy Spirit, can unfold and impart.

I am the True Vine. The vine is the Living Lord, who Himself speaks, and gives, and works all that He has for us. If you would know the meaning and power of that word, do not think to find it by thought or study; these may help to show you what you must get from Him, to awaken desire and hope and prayer, but they cannot show you the Vine. Jesus alone can reveal Himself. He gives His Holy Spirit to open the eyes to gaze upon Himself, to open the heart to receive Himself. He must Himself speak the word to you and me.

I am the True Vine. And what am I to do, if I want the mystery, in all its heavenly beauty and blessing, opened up to me? With what you already know of the parable, bow down and be still, worship and wait, until the Divine Word enters your heart, and you feel His Holy Presence with you, and in you. The overshadowing of His Holy Love will give you the perfect calm and rest of knowing that the Vine will do all.

I am the True Vine. He who speaks is God, in His infinite power able to enter into us. He is man, one with us. He is the Crucified One, who won a perfect righteousness and a Divine life for us through His death. He is the glorified One, who from the throne gives His Spirit to make His Presence real and true. He speaks—oh! listen, not to His words only, but to Himself, as He whispers secretly day by day: I am the True Vine. All that the Vine can ever be to its branch, I will be to you.

Holy Lord Jesus! the Heavenly Vine of God’s own planting, I beseech Thee, reveal Thyself to my soul. Let the Holy Spirit, not in thought, but in experience, give me to know all that Thou, the Son of God, art to me as the True Vine.

1 Murray, A. (1898). The Mystery of the True Vine: Meditations for a Month (pp. 15–19). London: J. Nisbet & Co.

Why millennials are leaving the church

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. – Hebrews 6:4-6 NIV

It’s no secret that millennials are leaving the church. Churches of all denominations are grappling with the phenomenon of young adults born between approximately 1976 and 1994 who are failing to engage in traditional, institutional Christianity.

In fact, research indicates that among those who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics, or “nothing in particular”—“the nones”—a significant number of them are millennials.

This reality is addressed by Alex McFarland and Jason Jimenez in their book Abandoned Faith.1 The authors, specialists in Christian apologetics and family ministries, offer their observations and suggestions for addressing this situation.

The book is divided into four sections: What Went Wrong; Forces Shaping Our Sons and Daughters; Steps to Mend to Move Forward; and Winning Back Your Millennial Child. Each chapter in its respective section is carefully crafted to blend sociological research (fully documented), contemporary and biblical case studies, and scriptural counsel.

The reason millennials are leaving the church is summed up in this sentence: “Too many Christians have forgotten that the goal of the church is to help people follow Christ [rather] than [just] show up for an hour on Sunday.” And it isn’t just the church that is blamed for millennials’ disinterest in organized religion. Other causes include the changing influence of the home and changes in culture.

The thing that takes the greatest hit in terms of blame is inauthenticity on the part of such authority figures as parents, church members, and religious institutions. The authors point out that millennials don’t want to be preached to; they want to engage in conversations. They don’t want to be numbers on somebody’s tally or report card; they want to belong to a cause that’s greater than themselves. They don’t want to be a cog in a piece of machinery; they want to be part of the body of Christ.

A recurring theme in the book is the guilt felt by parents who come to realize (too late) that their children’s interest in Christianity is waning or absent altogether. The authors’ suggestions for remedying the situation are helpful, but certainly not guaranteed to produce positive results in every case. Let’s face it: young adults in university, or in their first jobs, are less likely to conform to parental influence than when they were younger.

The ideal audience for Abandoned Faith is not those whose children have already abandoned their faith; it’s for parents, family members, church members—indeed, all Christians—who are determined to live their faith, not just talk about it.

1 Abandoned Faith, A Shared Review of the Book

Realign your Identity with The King of Kings

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

As a Christian, I take it seriously that I am and remain allegiant to the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. The book of Revelation, penned by the Apostle John, given to him straight from Jesus Christ in a vision, gives guide me the perspective of self-identity. When I read the scripture below, I think of the fascination many have with the Tudor Episodes, the historical plays of Shakespeare, the Game Of Thrones, and many others of this ilk. I also am a British history buff, and nerdy buff of the Baird, yet I am deeply humbled and awed when meditating on this scripture – I take it from John, written for me: Revelation 1: 4-7 NKJV:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Catch a Vision of the Son

I hope to help you realize that you are the masterpiece that scripture indicates that you are. Many Christians suffer from a Spiritual Identity Crisis that can undermine self-confidence and success in every area of life. Your effectiveness, as you seek to live your best life in a socially sensitive culture can be affected. Many look daily for recognition — some may seek approval by being liked on Facebook, for example. If we understand our identity as a son or daughter of God, we can retain our confidence while having no problem, insofar as we commit to discern how we are affected by and respond to the influence of our culture and its social media in the context of being an eternal spirit.

I have appreciated the guidance of Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and run my scheduled life by his outlined strategies. I appreciate His wisdom in areas relating to personal growth in my relationship to Jesus Christ, and in my business life. Behind The 7 Habits material, that sold over 25 million copies, lies Covey’s life view:

You and I are God’s own children. We have infinite potential, infinite worth, and we should not compare ourselves with others in any way on the basis of status, position, appearance, fashion, or any of the world’s value systems. All of these systems are false sources of self-definition, and we are surrounded by them. We live in a media-saturated world that continuously tries to define who we are. Unless we counteract these false scripts, they become deeply planted in our hearts and minds and also in the hearts and minds of our children.  Dr. Stephen Covey

It is important to identify ourselves correctly — define your sense of who you are as a redeemed child of God, purchased by Christ who gave His life for you — yes you were individually called into His kingdom.

If we don’t see our identity as a child of God, our view of ourselves can become shaped by culture. Covey aptly notes: “…if we do not have a deep sense of our true identity as a daughter or son of God the Father — if our basic sense of self, comes from other people, we may develop a false view of life, based on scarcity rather than God’s love or abundance”.

Give yourself an identity checkup.

If you were going to Toronto and you used a map of Vancouver, you would get lost. If you felt confused and sped up, you would get more deeply lost! Similarly, if we use a map of the culture for our life, directed by the scripting of others — of parents and friends without Christ, as a Christian we will get lost.  Conversely, all of your decision-making and planning can now be mapped using God’s GPS with His view of His children’s pathway — our heavenly mindmap. Let the Holy Spirit and the Word of God be your guiding principles in all that you do, going forward. Can you commit to this? Commitment can save you from being sucked back into the confusion of false identity.

The Psychologist James Marcia developed views on identity statuses, commitment to your identity being one,  expanded on here by Susan Krauss:

The four identity statuses are built from high and low positions on two identity dimensions. Dimension one is “commitment.” People high on commitment have a firm sense of who they are and feel strongly about the choices they have made. People low in identity commitment have an uncertain sense of self.  Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D., Psychology Today article

I like what Covey says: “A scarcity mentality is the tendency to define oneself in terms of being better than, or not as good as, another person”, yet if we know that we are a child of God the Father, as a brother or sister in Christ, we are protected from the world’s false ideology of self-identity. Don’t become a slave of others who try hard to define you through their filter of the world! YOU are a child of God!

We can get derailed from doing important thinking — self-examination important to our destiny. Krauss writes:

At the opposite pole on both dimensions, people low in commitment and exploration fit criteria for “identity diffused.” People high on exploration but low on commitment are in a category that Marcia called “moratorium.” This means that they have placed a hold on making the major decisions in their lives.  They’re thinking hard about what they want to do but aren’t ready to commit.

These scriptures below, beautifully depict you as a child of God.1  Hold them close and believe that you are indeed a masterpiece of God! I and my brothers and sisters in Christ are royal king-priests and queen-priests, and Christ is our King of Kings, a Royal priesthood. In identity, I am fully committed to Jesus as my Lord and King-Preist who loves me.

Scripture articulates your identity and defines who you are. If you are not fully committed I appeal to you, consider who your potential below. You are:

BELOVED: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

A CHILD OF GOD: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

DELIGHTED IN: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

FORGIVEN: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

WASHED CLEAN: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

FREE: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

ADOPTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY: “The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15)

CO-HEIR WITH CHRIST: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17)

RIGHTEOUS: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

NEW: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

A SAINT: “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

SET APART: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” (1 Peter 2:9)

AN AMBASSADOR OF CHRIST: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

A CO-LABORER: “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)

A SWEET AROMA: “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15)

NEVER ALONE: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

A MASTERPIECE: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10)

WONDERFULLY MADE: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)

BOLD: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (2 Corinthians 3:12)

HAVING GUARANTEED VICTORY: “You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.” (Psalm 18:35)

HOLDING A SECURED FUTURE: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

WHOLE IN CHRIST: “In Christ, you have been brought to fullness.” (Colossians 2:10)

1 I want to thank Ben Malcomson, Assitant to the Head Coach of the Seattle Seahawks for compiling this scripture list — one of many on the Identity of Christians Listed Scriptures above are of the NIV. 

The value of prayer during trials and tribulations

E.M. Bounds excelled in the gift of prayer, and the teaching of its purpose in the Christian life. He knew all about the need to pray. Originally an attorney, he was called to the ministry by Jesus Christ. As an Evangelist of the South, he was imprisoned by the Union during the civil war. He also served as a military chaplain. He was injured, struck on the forehead by a sabre. In his lifetime he wrote nine books on prayer. I want to look at his viewpoint on prayer when troubles come our way, such as the COVID-19 pandemic of 2019-2020. I believe we can learn from him. He rose at 4 am every morning and prayed until 7 am.

E.M. Bounds points out that the New Testament uses three words to embrace trouble of distinct kinds: tribulation, affliction and suffering. 

Tribulation Jesus forewarned his disciples to expect tribulation – it belongs to this world: In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) As Jesus had overcome the world and its tribulations, so might they do the same.

Paul taught the same lesson throughout his ministry when in advising the souls of the early church to continue in the faith: through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22).

Further, Paul, urges patience in tribulation, guiding us to focus on prayer. To Paul, prayer alone would place us where we could be patient when tribulation comes: Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12) 

Affliction Paul wrote of the afflictions which come to the people of God in this world and regards them as light as compared with the weight of glory awaiting all who are submissive, patient and faithful in all their troubles: For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Afflictions can work for us only as we cooperate with God in prayer. As God works through prayer, it is only through this means He can accomplish His highest ends for us. Our Lord works with the greatest effect with His praying ones, especially those encountering trouble or pray for those struggling therein. These know the uses of trouble and its gracious designs.  

Suffering There is a direct correlation between hardship and prayer. Prayer brings us into that state of grace where suffering is not only endured — it is with a spirit of rejoicing. In showing the gracious benefits of inevitable problems we face in life: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. (Romans 5:3)

Peter in his First Epistle to Christians to whom he wrote, revealed suffering and the highest state of grace are connected. It is through suffering we are to be brought to seek the Lord in prayer, entering those higher regions of Christian experience: In his kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. (1 Peter 5:10 NLT)

It is in the fires of suffering that God purifies His saints and brings them to the highest things. It is in the furnace their faith is tested, their patience is tried, and they are developed in all those rich virtues which make up Christian character. It is while they are passing through deep waters that He shows how close He can come to His praying, believing saints. It takes the faith of a high order and a Christian experience far above the average religion of this day, to count it joy when we are called to pass through tribulation. God’s highest aim in dealing with His people is in developing Christian character.1

The discipline of variable troubles We’ve seen that tribulation, affliction and suffering, is used by God to lead us closer in relationship to Him. God is after begetting in us those rich virtues which belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. Further, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews gives us a perfect directory of trouble, comprehensive, clear and worthwhile to be studied. Here is noted “chastisement,” another word for trouble, coming from a Father’s hand, showing God is in all the sad and afflictive events of life. Though he may or may not cause it, he often rearranges it to further his causes in our personal awareness of our need for Him. He desires that prayer will move us into a journey of sanctification unto holiness, as we are conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, our righteous example.

We will face one or more variants of trouble in life. Yet concomitantly, we face these in life in the context of God’s gracious design. It is not punishment in the accurate meaning of that word, but the means God employs to correct and discipline His children in dealing with them on earth. Then we have the fact of the evidence of being His people, namely, the presence of chastisement.

The ultimate end is that we “may be partakers of his holiness,” which is but another way of saying that all this disciplinary process is to the end that God may make us like Himself. What an encouragement, too, that, chastisement is no evidence of anger or displeasure on God’s part, but is the strong proof of His love. 2

Take a look at Hebrews 12:5-11 ESV: And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Prayer is to be engaged in its wide range of purposes. Applicably, the infinite variations of trouble arrest our attention, to stop us in the busy rush of life, to awaken the partaker to a sense of their helplessness and their need and sinfulness. In humility, they are called to seek the Lord. There are many lessons in the Word of God that prove this. It was not until King Manasseh was bound and carried away into a foreign land and got into deep trouble, that he was awakened and brought back to God. It was then he humbled himself and began to call upon God. (2 Chronicles 33:11)

The Prodigal Son was independent and self-sufficient when in prosperity, but when money and friends departed and want for money and food caused a dilemma, he “came to himself,” and decided to return to his father’s house, with prayer and confession on his lips. (Luke 15:11-32)

Many a man who has forgotten God has been arrested, caused to consider his ways, and brought to remember God and pray by trouble. Blessed is trouble when it accomplishes this in men. 3

It is for this among other reasons that Job says: Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you. (Job 5:17-19 ESV)

As you have faced this pandemic or faced a serious illness or family trials among loved ones, have you gone to the Lord in prayer or are you trying to manage on your own? Hear what John teaches, as he talks about life’s tribulations and those who are suffering in their own time of trouble: These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from? … he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst…For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:13-17)

If you have suffered or been sorely tried, God is in all your troubles, and He will see that all shall “work together for good,” if you will but be patient, submissive and prayerful.

1 Bounds, E. M. (2004). The Essentials of Prayer. (pp. 28–31). Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

2 Ibid

3 Ibid

Sanctification unto Holiness

For I am the LORD your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44)

Sanctification begins after you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour. It refers to the lifelong process or result of being made holy. It also refers to being separated unto consecration for divine service — with regard to your life, places such as churches, and things such as bibles, tables and pulpits. It applies to individuals who choose to minister as elders, pastors, or deacons. This includes all such service as well as teachers of the Bible, song leaders, those that pray for others, and show hospitality. Moreover, all focused service set apart to holiness is with a focus to engage the entire church body of Christ in united participation “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God”, in a progressive maturity with the aim “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

The church in the new covenant defined by Christ and his apostles has the same pursuit of holiness in a continuum from the old covenant noted above in Leviticus 11:44, now with the calling going out to the entire world empowered by the clear teaching of sanctification. Indwelt with the power of the Holy Spirit of Christ, we can indeed “pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it, no one will see the Lord”. (Hebrews 12:14)

God’s holiness includes an ethical change of character, of a lifestyle of growth in moral perfection. Thus, holiness is a prerogative of God, whereby the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit renews the minds of persons who are obeying scripture, with an attentive listening with the intent to be conformed into the likeness of Christ — of becoming more Godlike or Christlike in character traits such as virtue and affections. (Romans 8:29)

Where someone is not becoming more Christlike, this may indicate either that full surrender to following Christ or a true belief in the Gospel, has not yet occurred. For others, it can mean that they have simply backslidden like the prodigal son and need to rededicate their life. Jesus made it clear that he was on earth to call sinners to himself (Luke 5:32; 15:11-32; ) Not inviting the Holy Spirit to work. in one’s life, more often implies that the great doctrine of sanctification has not been well taught.

In the letters of the apostles, the designations for all believers are sanctified ones, saints or holy ones. (Romans 1:7; Philippians 1:1). Sainthood is not hierarchical, applied to more pious-looking or acting believers. Sanctification (spiritual growth) is the complement to being born again (referred to as regeneration). God gifts each new believer with a new mindset desiring to lovingly know Christ.

This gift to all includes a desire to obey his Word, to meet with other Christians for praise, prayer and worship. Sanctification is reliant on the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit in the life of people enacting the potentiation of the entire person “both to will and to act for His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). 

The noun sanctification (or holiness from the Greek hagiosmos), occurs 10 times in the New Testament (Romans 6:19,22; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:3,4,7; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:2) 

Sincere believers from the “holiness” traditions, originating from Wesleyan thinking developed by John Wesley’s Methodism often hold a theology furthered promulgated by some Pentecostal and Charismatic groups. They often emphasize a second work of the Holy Spirit after being born again by baptism by the Spirit, or the outpouring on the Holy Spirit empowering believers both to be holy and to achieve more effective ministry. Among others, the Evangelist Charles Finney, and writer Andrew Murray believed in the second blessing experience of total sanctification. Often the impetus of the desire to obey is prophetically energized by the preaching of eschatological prophecy, indicating that Christ is soon to return in judgement. One thing is certain we will always need the covering Grace imputed to us by the Atonement of Christ and His High Priestly advocacy on our behalf if we do happen to sin. (1 John 2:1)

However, a careful reading of Charles Wesley confirmed by Martin Lloyd Jones in his great compendium The Great Doctrines of the Bible note that John Wesley, made it clear that the view of an entire perfection of holiness only goes as far as: obedience to not engaging in revealed and clearly known sin. John Wesley did not believe that entire sanctification unto absolute holiness would occur ahead of death. This fits with Paul’s premise of both the need for our co-operative responsible obedience while working out your own salvation, submitting in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s scriptural guidance. (Romans 8:14, 29; Philippians 2:12, 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)

This major transformation of an individual devoted to Jesus Christ can only happen in a unified relationship while abiding in His Spirit. He taught a parable of the branch and the vine to teach this relational truth. (John 15:5) Christ also spoke of the unification of such Christians abiding in the Spirit as similar to His own relationship with His heavenly Father (referred to Oneness of mind in John 17:21)

The English Puritans described Christian growth as a gradual maturing that begins when we a Justified by Faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord – – of saying no to temptations; with a determination to hear and acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s life-giving application of scripture, and by active obedience, thereby receiving the power of the Lord to work the growth in holiness in one’s life.

The struggle against the flesh which is at enmity with the Spirit begins when we are born again (John 3:3) and continues as Paul outlined in Romans 7:14-25. Spiritual warfare is an ongoing spiritual reality.

Sanctification will never be entirely possible in this lifetime. We will continuously depend on the imputed righteousness of Christ (our Justification when we believed). Ongoingly His imparted righteousness is given to us as we progress in life, refining our character unto nearing perfection, until “this mortal shall put on immortality”. (1 Corinthians 15:54)

Nevertheless, Paul’s confidence was sure: “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). 

One thing is sure. Without the Holy Spirit of God, and His sanctifying presence and power in a relationship with Jesus Christ, it is impossible to ever grow in sanctification unto godliness, unto Christlikeness. 

Discerning the will of God

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1 NLT, 1 Peter 4:2, 2 Timothy 2:21). 

Why would the Apostle Paul begin this chapter with the leading admonition to use our bodily vigour only for godly service, as a holy sacrifice? All unconverted people are Satan’s subjects. He seeks to attract and hold people through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John. 2:16). The world has its own politics, art, music, religion, amusements, thought-patterns, and lifestyles, and it seeks to get everyone to conform to its culture and customs. It hates nonconformists—like Christ and His followers. Thus Paul urges us not to fall for the allurements of Satan’s world order:

Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT). 

The above scriptures give three keys for knowing God’s will. The first is a yielded body, the second a separated life, and the third a transformed mind.

As Christians, we all want to know God’s will. In Romans, chapter 12, the Apostle Paul teaches how we can more easily discern the Holy Spirit’s leading day by day. Apostle Paul urges us not to be conformed to this world, or as Phillips paraphrases it: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold.”

When we come to the kingdom of God, we should abandon the thought-patterns and lifestyles of the world. 1 (Ephesians 2:2) The world (literally, the age we live in) as used here means the society or system that man has built in order to make himself happy without God. It is a kingdom that is antagonistic to God. The god and prince of this world is Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).

Christ died to deliver us from this world. The world is crucified to us, and we are crucified to the world. 1 It would be absolute disloyalty to the Lord for believers to love the world. Anyone who loves the world is an enemy of God.

Believers are not of the world any more than Christ is of the world. However, they are sent into the world to testify that its works are evil and that salvation is available to all who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We should not only be separated from the world; we should be transformed by the renewing of our mind, which means that we should think the way God thinks, as revealed in the Bible. Then we can experience the direct guidance of God in our lives. And we will find that, instead of being distasteful and hard, His will is good and acceptable and perfect. 2

Again the three keys for knowing God’s will. The first is a yielded body, the second a separated life, and the third a transformed mind. I like the way this version puts it, as we combine verses 1 and 2:

Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. (Romans 12:1-2 CEV) 3

When we keep our body under the discipline of the Holy Spirit’s leadership, engaging the mind and will to cooperate with an obedient spirit in covenant agreement with the Lord, we move to persevere in readiness to meet the Lord when he returns on earth to separate those living for Satan in the world, from His own. (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Matthew 24.27, Luke 17:24)

1 Romans 6:5-7

2 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1728). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3The Holy Bible: The Contemporary English Version. (1995). (Ro 12:1–2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

How do you feel tested by COVID-19?

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

If we feel overwhelmed by this period of uncertainty, I’d like to look at the tests that Jesus went through. Luke 4:1-3 is called “the temptation narrative”. But temptation only covers Satan’s part, and that is not even the main point of the story. In reality, Satan is a tool of God, and he accomplishes God’s purposes here. It is the Spirit who leads Jesus into the wilderness, and God is testing his Son before he embarks on his mission. 

Throughout Luke, God and the Spirit are the prime movers — the Spirit descended on, and God testified about Jesus, God’s Son. The viewpoint and the events are of the Trinitarian doctrine which most Protestants agree upon. Jesus the Christ is announced by his Father, empowered by his Spirit, and is victorious over Satan at the very start of his mission. Note the progress of the Synoptics—”sent” by the Spirit in Mark 1:12; “led” by the Spirit in Matthew 4:1; and, a twofold connection, both “led” and “full of” the Spirit.

If one accepts that there is both a God and a demonic realm of evil, there is no reason to deny Jesus telling his followers of just such an attack by Satan. The cosmic war with Satan informs the entire New Testament and permeates every level of it. It is essential that we not only accept the reality of this occurrence. We must order our lives accordingly and conduct ourselves in light of our spiritual warfare against the demonic powers of darkness. 1

Jesus is presented as the “Son of God” during His baptism, His genealogy, and these testing narratives, a unique feature of Luke’s contribution to the Jesus story. Jesus undergoes the very testing that Israel experienced in the wilderness and throughout the Old Testament. God tested Abraham in the “binding of Isaac” story (see Genesis 22), Moses in the wilderness of Midian (see Exodus 2–3), and Job throughout his story. Now God is testing Jesus in the desert to prove his faithfulness and obedience, and he succeeds where Israel failed. 

Jesus is the second Adam where he succeeds where Adam failed and provides the strength to overcome (1 Corinthians 15:45-47; Romans 5:12–21). Second, he is the new Moses, with “the high place” (Luke 3:5; Matthew 4:8, “very high mountain”) recalling Moses on Mount Nebo, (Deuteronomy 34:1–4), and Satan showing Jesus the world’s kingdoms reflecting that passage where God showed Moses the surrounding lands. Jesus’ forty-day fast in Luke 4:2 recalls Moses in Exodus 34:28. Third, he is true Israel, the central theme here. Jesus’ three responses to Satan are all drawn from Deuteronomy 6–8, where Israel failed the same three tests (see below). Jesus, the Son of God, is the antitype of Israel, God’s Son (Exod 4:22; Jer 31:9; Hos 11:1). Jesus suffers the same hunger and misfortunes as Israel and endures the same testing as God’s Son. As God’s Messiah as well as Son, he overcomes and shows the way to victory when following God. 

And old Israel was tested many times by plagues, and attacks and plundering by other nations, which came as a curse for disobeying the old covenant of the Lord. How does this compare today? We are facing an unprecedented pandemic outbreak (the plague). There is evidence about China’s internet hacking to steal the West’s copyright secrets and the imprisonment of two  Canadians calling them spies for revenge regarding the Huawei situation (secretive warfare, and plundering). They use tactical lying via every media outlet and we cry racism towards our resident Chinese citizens. However, our Chinese citizens are not to be hassled by anyone who understands civil liberty. In both Canada and the USA, we live in a free county, whereas the noted evils are perpetrated by an unethical communist hardline government which dishonours our doing business with them.

I submit to you that we globally have disobeyed our Lord in Heaven, and it’s about time we begin to preach repentance in the churches for our many harms to the planet and others, and our disregard for the New Covenant, given to us by Jesus Christ who overcame the greatest test, death on the cross for you and I. It is quite clear to me that the consequences for disobedience are today similar to the old covenant curses.

1 Osborne, G. R. (2018). Luke. (J. Reimer, E. Ritzema, & D. Thevenaz, Awa Sarah, Eds.) (pp. 104–105). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

We are justified by faith alone in Christ

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6 HCSB)

Using rhetorical questions, Paul shows how illogical it is for the Galatians to seek a fuller Christian life through the observance of the Jewish law given under the Old Mosaic Covenant. He is teaching the same lesson that he taught to the Roman church: “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) See how Paul asks the question based on the Galatian experience, deciphering the cause and method of their salvation.  “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2-3 HCSB)

Did God give them the Spirit and work miracles in their midst (v. 5) because they observed the law? No, it was the result of their hearing the gospel and believing it. Receive the Spirit refers to the new covenant work of the Holy Spirit that comes after saving faith, at the beginning of the Christian life, to sanctify and to empower the believer in life and various kinds of ministry. Paul knew this experience was so real for the Galatians that they would remember it.

Paul’s first question was fundamental, for it focused on how their Christian life had begun. The Galatians’ shift to following the law for salvation was completely contrary to their initial experience of the Christian faith at Paul’s preaching. So he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the law?” The Galatians had accepted the gospel and had received the Holy Spirit “just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” (vs. 3:6). Did this happen because they adopted, agreed and obeyed the old covenantal Jewish law system or because they believed the gospel Paul preached to them?

The Galatian believers, mostly having a Gentile (non-Jewish) background, didn’t even have or know the law, so the answer was obvious — their salvation began by faith. Law-keeping had nothing to do with it.

Paul mentioned as an indisputable fact that the Holy Spirit came upon the Galatian believers only after they had believed the message Paul had told them about Christ. The Apostle could point to their reception of the Spirit at the time of their conversion as proof that God had accepted them—based solely on their acceptance of the gospel message by faith, by believing in Jesus. God’s Spirit had been within them long before the Judaizers had pestered them to follow the strict ordinance of the Old Covenant such as circumcision.

Paul goes on to reveal that Abraham — the Jew’s forefather — was justified by faith, not by keeping the ordinances laid down by Moses. The blessing of God was to flow through the Jews to all people in the world, something the legalistic Jews misunderstood. Abraham led by the Spirit of God, believed God’s promise to him to bless all nations through his seed — meaning through Christ. Hence he believed. Similarly, for Christians from all nations, “if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (vs. 5:18)

“Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.” (Galatians 3:6-7 HCSB) The Christian receives his salvation and eternal life by faith not by obeying the law. “So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’ This way of faith is very different from the way of law…” (vs. 11-12 NLT) Keeping the law does not bring special merit for salvation. Only faith in Christ’s sacrificial death for us does. Philippians 3: 8-11 makes this clear:

“I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, …that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Certainly, guidance by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ leads you to love the commands of the Lord, given for our benefit to obey. (John 14:15)

Related: The New Covenant transcends the Old Covenant

Right Application of the Word of God

I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. (Revelation 22: 18-19)

Many teachers of Scripture like to subject a biblical text to their situations while they believe this is an appropriate method.

A teacher might use Jonah’s poor attitude toward the Ninevites to warn against the evils of prejudice—an issue that the text does not address. Such a forced “relevance” of this application can side-step the actual point of the narrative—God’s compassion toward sinful people.

Mishandling Scripture is an insult to Sovereign God, for it irreverently self-justifies twisted applications about what the Lord seeks to reveal about himself. Teachers of the Word of God should recognize and communicate Scripture’s message as intended. Avoid extracting hidden mysteries or adding text not provided in the Scripture to create an artificial significance — embellishing Scripture like a dramatist or false prophet. 

Teaching Scripture must be Bible-based to allow the text to set the agenda to speak for itself. If we place our programme above that of the scriptural canon, we are twisting Scripture — teaching the story wrongly. Moreover, if what we teach strays from — does not align with the authority of the text, we’ve missed what is most important to God via His inspired prophet. 

For example, it is irrelevant in John 11, regarding the raising of Lazarus, that Jesus had friends. Far more onerous, are those who extremely embellish a biblical text such as this bit, that erroneously presumes that Jesus thought He was guilty, when in fact he was dying for humanity’s sins, for which we all are collectively guilty, past, present and future:

He felt as if He were the guiltiest sinner who ever lived, suffering the condemnation He deserved. 1

No way — Christ died absolutely guiltless and He knew that! For anyone who reads the Word of God daily, the above example of bad teaching is not just absolutely ludicrous — it is a harmful misleading about the union of Christ with the Father as the creator of this universe. (Col 1:16; John 1:3-4; Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 8:6) Jesus knew his mission was to redeem mankind, planned since the foundation of the world. I am convinced that Jesus was lucidly aware of His redemptive mission to the end. He spoke to John about caring for his mother (John 19:27); of the salvation to the thief on the cross, and to His Father just as he died. (Luke 23:43, 46) But this kind of pretentious twisting of scripture still occurs among those of the false prophetic pseudo-teaching realm. Hebrews 9: 26 states Christ’s awareness of his crucifixion before he came to earth: he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Further, he spoke of his authority to die in our stead, and his resurrection powers ahead of the cross in John 10:18: No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded. And to His Father in the garden of Gethsemane, he restated his awareness of his forthcoming torturous death, “your will be done”. (Luke 22:42). And he felt anyone off-track with this was doing the will of Satan (Matthew 16:21-23)

Four common ways a teacher can draw a lesson away from scriptural authority. 2

    1. Illegitimate extrapolation. This occurs when a lesson is improperly expanded from a specific situation to all situations. For example, Exodus 3–4 shows that God commanded Moses to do a hard thing and helped him do it, but the lesson mistaught from the text is that God will also help you do a hard thing—anything of your choosing. In such cases, we pass by the teaching of the text in favour of what we want to say, thus neglecting biblical authority.
    2. Reading between the lines. Teachers or students read between the lines when they analyze the thinking of the characters, speculate on their motives, or fill in details of the plot that the story does not give. When such speculations become the centre of the lesson, the authority of biblical teaching is lost because the teaching is supplied by the reader rather than by the text.
    3. Missing important principle. This occurs when the lesson pinpoints an appropriate message but loses a connection necessary to drive the point home accurately. It is not enough, for instance, to say that God wants us to keep his rules; we must realize that God has given us rules to display his character and to show us how we ought to respond to him in our actions.
    4. Focus on people rather than on God. The Bible is God’s revelation of himself, and its message and teaching are primarily based on what it tells us about God. This is particularly true of narrative (stories). While we tend to observe the people in the stories, we cannot forget that the stories are intended to teach us about God more than about people. The tendency to focus overly on people also shows up in questions such as “Who are the Goliaths in your life?” The text is more interested in “Who is God in your life?” 

I believe it is especially dangerous to misappropriate divine authority. If we present something as God’s Word when it is not, we are misusing God’s name. We present scripture in such a way to reduce the glory ascribed to the Father and Son who work in harmony to redeem humankind.

I believe that students of the Bible or congregants at church, expect their teachers to present the authoritative teaching of God’s Word as given by the inspired authors – not embellished by the teacher with words, not in the Bible. If we substitute this teaching for some idea we think is essential or believe we are inspired equally with the original author, students may not notice the difference. However, we violate the third commandment because we have attributed God’s authority to what is only our idea. We must not substitute what we want to teach at the expense of the biblical author’s message. (Exodus 20:7; Revelation 22:18-19)

1 False teaching noticed in a Facebook Post.

2 Walton, J. H., & Walton, K. E. (2010). The Bible Story Handbook: A Resource for Teaching 175 Stories from the Bible (pp. 23–25). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.