Obeying the Gospel

FAITH HAS CONSEQUENCES (NOVEMBER 27)

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"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8).

THERE IS A “JUDICIAL” ASPECT TO THE GOSPEL, BUT SALVATION IN CHRIST INVOLVES FAR MORE THAN GOD’S PRONOUNCEMENT THAT WE ARE “JUSTIFIED.” Having obeyed the gospel we do indeed stand in a right relationship with God, having been pardoned from our past sins (Romans 5:1,2). At that point, however, we begin learning to be very different people than we used to be. As forgiven ones, living under God’s mercy, we participate in the process of “bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

In particular, we begin living on the basis of faith. Paul was quoting from Habakkuk when he said, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). In contrast to our previous self-will, our decisions are now governed by God’s will. Our operative principle is confidence in the One “whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12).

As we learn to live by faith, things begin to happen that would not happen if it were not for faith. For one thing, faith commits us to a life of spiritual growth. It is the foundation upon which all of the Christ-like qualities of character are built — and the addition of these virtues to our faith is not optional. “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10,11).

Believing, then, is not a simple one-time decision after which we drift through life automatically, taking it for granted that we have been saved. True faith is a “walk,” a way of living (Colossians 2:6,7). At the heart of it all is a trust in God that causes us to obey Him readily and reverently. It is a soul-deep dependence on the Father who has loved us and saved us. To believe is not only to believe, but to take the risks that only trust will take.

"The temptation to make our relationship to God judicial instead of personal is very strong. Believing for salvation has been reduced to a once-done act that requires no further attention" (A. W. Tozer).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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HONEST ABOUT OUR TRANSGRESSIONS (NOVEMBER 26)

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"For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long" (Psalm 32:3).

WE NEED TO ACCEPT THE LORD’S VERDICT CONCERNING OUR SINS. Our sins can be forgiven if we accept His plan for their forgiveness, but a part of the plan is repentance — and repentance includes taking honest responsibility for what we’ve done. To the best of our present understanding, we must see the seriousness of our sins and enter a plea of “guilty as charged.” When we fail to do this, by hiding our sin or trying to minimize it, our situation just keeps getting worse. “When I kept silent,” David said, “my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.”

It is interesting to contrast the honesty of David (2 Samuel 12:13) with the excuse-making of Saul (1 Samuel 15:15,24). Unlike Saul, who wanted to rationalize his deeds and soften the blow as much as possible, David wanted to hear the worst-case indictment of his character by the God of truth — so that he could repent. The truth can be painful, as we all know, but David wanted only the truth. “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12 NKJV). “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23,24).

All of us want other people to see us favorably, but I’ll tell you something else: we want to see ourselves favorably. When we have sinned, we will spare no effort to make the situation seem as innocent as possible in our own thinking. What we did may not have been the best, we think, but the “mistakes” we made were “understandable.” But the more time we waste trying to spin the story to our advantage, the longer it will be before we can be forgiven.

Thanks to the gospel of Christ, there is no sin we can’t be forgiven of. But forgiveness is only for the honest. Like the penitent tax collector in Luke 18:9-14, we must be willing to say, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” It may seem more comfortable to stay in the darkness and try to preserve our flattering self-image with denials of the truth, but there is nothing but death in that cave. To be forgiven, we’re going to have to come out of hiding. In Jesus Christ there is life — but it is only in the light of truth that we can live.

"If my hangups and negatives are called sin by our Lord, then sin it is" (Bob Turnbull).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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IF WE HAVE DIED TO SIN (NOVEMBER 25)

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"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1,2).

ONE OF OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES IS TO RESPOND RIGHTLY TO GOD’S GRACE. Surely there is no greater gift than the forgiveness of our sins in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. But we must determine not to “receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).

In Romans 6:1,2, Paul was dealing with the false notion that if God forgives our sins by grace then it doesn’t matter how we live: we may sin with impunity, knowing that grace will save us anyway. But if a Christian thought this way, he or she would obviously have a confused concept of what it means to obey the gospel. “How,” Paul asks, “can we who died to sin still live in it?”

When we are baptized into Christ, we are baptized into His death. We die to the sins that separated us from God, and we dedicate ourselves to walking in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). But what does this mean at the practical level? What qualities of character will regulate the life of one who is obeying the gospel?

COMMITMENT. At the very least, we must commit ourselves to obedience to Christ. Words like “promise” and “vow” are not too strong to describe the decisiveness of our new life in Christ.

CONFESSION. When we fail to think or act as we know Christ would want, we are to confess our sin to Him honestly. Most of us would do well to make the specific confession of our actual sins more of a daily practice. Dying to sin means confessing our sins.

REPENTANCE. Just as confession should be our habit, so should repentance. Like David, we should seek God’s help in seeing our sins so that we can correct them immediately (Psalm 19:12-14). In this life, dying to sin does not mean perfection — it means repentance.

If commitment, confession, and repentance are not a part of our daily walk with God, we need to go back and remember the “death” we died when we were baptized. If at that time we did not honestly decide to turn our backs on sin — no ifs, ands, or maybes — then we need to do so. There is no hope of defeating the enemy if we still dine at his table from time to time. If we have died to sin, the only word sufficient to keep it out of our hearts is “No!”

"It is the great moment of our lives when we decide that sin must die right out, not be curbed or suppressed or counteracted, but crucified" (Oswald Chambers).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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A SOBERING (AND ENCOURAGING) THOUGHT (NOVEMBER 24)

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"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:7-9).

IDEAS HAVE EMOTIONAL CONSEQUENCES, AND THE IMPACT THEY HAVE ON US CAN BE COMPLEX. Sometimes a single idea may produce effects that are on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. For example, there are a number of ideas that are both sobering and encouraging at the same time. This is not a problem; it is a blessing.

Writing to the Galatians, Paul wanted to encourage them to remain faithful and keep doing the Lord’s work even when they were persecuted. But he also wanted to warn them of the consequences of unfaithfulness. So he pointed to the process of sowing and reaping: “whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” What emotional effect would it have on these Christians to realize that we will reap what we have sown? If they thought about it, they would be both sobered (a person can’t sow to the flesh and not reap corruption) and encouraged (if we keep sowing to the Spirit, we will reap eternal life; so whatever happens, we must not give up).

Why do texts like this have such a balanced effect on us? It is because both of their points of emphasis are inherent in the character of God. A simplistic view of God would see Him as either a God of love or a God of judgment. The truth, however, is that He is both, and if either component of His character is left out of our thinking, we will be worshiping not the real God but an imaginary God that we have constructed in our own minds.

Even after obeying the gospel, we still need to be reminded of the sobering side of God’s truth (1 Corinthians 10:12). But what if you have not yet obeyed the gospel? What do you need to hear? You need to hear all of the truth that God has revealed about Himself. So study all of the Scriptures. You will be encouraged, but you will also be sobered. To repeat, this is not a problem; it is a blessing.

"The judgment of God is the reaping that comes from sowing and is evidence of the love of God, not proof of his wrath. The penalty of an evil harvest is not God’s punishment; it is the consequence of defying the moral order which in love he maintains as the only environment in which maturity of fellowship and communion can be achieved" (Kirby Page).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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OBEDIENCE IS A CHOICE (NOVEMBER 23)

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"Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him" (Hebrews 5:8,9).

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM JESUS IS THE LESSON OF VOLUNTARY OBEDIENCE TO GOD. Even with His unique relationship to the Heavenly Father, Jesus still had to choose to obey. “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” In making this difficult choice, “he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.”

In the New Testament, we are urged to have the same attitude toward obedience that Jesus had, even if it means setting aside personal preferences (Philippians 2:5-8). We can’t claim to be Jesus’ followers if we don’t emulate His reverence in doing what is right. For Jesus, the question “What is God’s will?” was the only question worth asking. It was the end of every discussion.

But also like Jesus, we must understand the decisiveness of obedience. If He always did what was right, it wasn’t because He was carried along by some irresistible force. Instead, he “learned obedience,” freely and voluntarily making the choice to submit to God’s will. And nowhere do we see His agony in this choice any more painfully than in Gethsemane: “And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done’” (Luke 22:41,42).

No matter how complicated the scenario, doing what is right is always an option. When we face hard decisions, it will be helpful if we’ve established habits of obedience previously. But even so, obedience is a choice that must be made moment by moment. In the life of obedience, there is no such thing as “autopilot.”

There is no way around it: obedience requires discipline. And discipline comes from deciding what is most important to us. So if you’re a Christian, I recommend that you meditate on Paul’s exhortation: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). Valuing our hope more highly than anything else, we will pursue that hope with passionate discipline. Turning back is a choice we will choose not to make — period.

"The Christian life is never automatic" (Erwin W. Lutzer).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

For more information, visit http://AreYouaChristian.com

O TO BE LIKE THEE! (NOVEMBER 22)

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"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure" (1 John 3:2,3).

IN HIS DEALINGS WITH US, GOD HAS A GREAT GOAL. It is not merely to rescue us but to reform us. For all who will accept His plan, God intends to repair the damage sin has done to our character and make us into nothing less than perfect reproductions of His gloriously perfect Son: “Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). Making this possible is why Christ died for us. And whatever secondary or intermediate blessings may be involved, we ought never to lose sight of what God is really after: our likeness to Jesus Christ, His Son.

We see this in the life-choices of Paul. He wanted to be like Christ in everything, even in suffering: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10,11).

Today, we would do well to ponder the advice of the 18th-century Anglican, William Law, who said, “From morning to night keep Jesus in your heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing, but to have all that is within you changed into the spirit and temper of the Holy Jesus.” If this is not a driving force within us, we are settling for something less than the gospel of Christ.

To the Christians in Corinth, Paul wrote, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Far more than comfortable circumstances or emotional inspiration, to be conformed to the virtues of Christ’s character is what we want — at any cost. And not only is this our highest hope; it must be the goal we pursue more actively and energetically than any other. What did John say in our beginning text? “Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and pray’r;
Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
(Thomas O. Chisholm)

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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JESUS CHRIST, OUR EXAMPLE (NOVEMBER 20)

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"For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you" (John 13:15).

CERTAIN PARTS OF JESUS’ WAY OF LIFE ARE POPULAR AND FREQUENTLY PRAISED. When we want support for our viewpoint, there always seems to be some aspect of Jesus’ teaching and lifestyle that we can appeal to. And whatever our theology or sociology, we can find a favorite angle from which to admire Jesus.

The problem is, we tend to “cherry pick” the examples of Jesus, taking the ones we like and leaving the others aside. If there is something Jesus did that seems extreme, unrealistic, or unreasonable, we respond to that text with a quick “yes but.” To an objective outsider, it would almost seem that we limit our imitation of Jesus’ example to what is “trending” at the present moment.

Today, of course, we face many dilemmas that have no specific precedent in Jesus’ life two thousand years ago. “What would Jesus do?” is always the right question to ask, but getting a helpful answer to that can be difficult. It requires wisdom and discernment — and these things come from much study, thought, and prayer, not to mention a good deal of hard and painful experience.

Rightly answering “What would Jesus do?” requires, above all, learning the character of Jesus. When we study the stories of His teaching and His behavior, we are wanting to learn His principles, His values, His likes and dislikes. We won’t follow Jesus’ example faithfully if we haven’t learned to think as He does. And learning to think as He does is what growth in Christ is all about.

Jesus, however, must be more than just our Example. He came into the world, first and foremost, to be our Savior. And if we have not accepted His salvation from our sins, His example will do us little good. But if He is first our Savior and then our Example, look at what happens. By coming penitently to Jesus — seeking first the forgiveness of our sins and then committing ourselves to live by His example — we become an example that helps other people come to Christ. The process repeats itself from person to person.

In his life, Christ is an example, showing us how to live.
In his death, he is a sacrifice, satisfying for our sins.
In his resurrection, he is a conqueror.
In his ascension, he is a king.
In his intercession, he is a high priest.
(Martin Luther)

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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WHEN THE FEELING OF SALVATION FAILS US (NOVEMBER 19)

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"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior" (Titus 1:1-3).

FEELINGS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY ARE NOT INFALLIBLE. If our feelings are based on erroneous thoughts, those feelings will be inappropriate. So the constant challenge in life is to make sure our thoughts (and our actions) are based on truth and not on fiction.

As indicated in the text above, the hope of eternal life rests on the promise of God. (What Paul says about it here is similar to what Peter said in 1 Peter 1:3-5.) And dependence on God’s promise is the main component of faith — the decision to trust His promise.

Since life can be a hard business, there are times when we won’t “feel” forgiven. What should we do at such times? We should go back to the Scriptures. It is only in the Scriptures that we will find a dependable, objective assessment of our relationship to the Lord.

Looking into the Scriptures, we may find that having accepted God’s salvation on His terms, our hope in Him is well-founded. Despite our feelings, we must count on the dependability of what God has said.

But looking into the Scriptures, we may find that we are not, in fact, in a right relationship with the Lord. In that case, we need to repent and seek His forgiveness. When Paul said, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5), he raised the possibility that some of his brethren in Corinth might not have as secure a relationship with Christ as they thought they had.

Either way, the Scriptures need to be our guide. Our feelings may err on the high side or the low side, but the only reliable basis for our confidence is God’s promise. And never forget: the only thing we know about God’s promise is what we find in the Scriptures.

Someone asked Luther, “Do you feel that you have been forgiven?”
He answered: “No, but I’m as sure as there’s a God in heaven.
For feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God, naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned for want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word till soul and body sever;
For though all things shall pass away, his Word shall stand forever!”
(Martin Luther)

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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CONFIDENT IN CHRIST . . . AND CAREFUL (NOVEMBER 18)

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"Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward" (2 John 8).

TOWARD THE END OF JOHN’S LIFE, THE CHRISTIANS IN ASIA WERE IN DIRE STRAITS. Threatened with persecution, heartbroken at the doctrinal apostasy that was taking place, disturbed about the prevalence of moral corruption among Christians, and concerned about the complacency of so many churches, the faithful brothers and sisters were hard pressed. And John was concerned about these faithful disciples: “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.” 

To be watchful does not mean to be afraid. It does not require paranoia, anxiety, or uncertainty as to our salvation in Christ. But it does require vigilance. Given the problems that confront us (no less today than in the first century), it would be dangerous not to guard our faith carefully — there are none more vulnerable to the devil’s malice than those who are not paying attention.

Like it or not, we have an enemy whose intent is to destroy us. Peter compares him to a lion looking for his next meal. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy is no match for the power of the King, of course. But until the last battle has been fought, we need to be cautious. As long as it is possible for us to become lackadaisical and drift away from the Lord (Hebrews 2:1), we need to be very careful (Ephesians 5:15).

In Christ’s letters to the seven churches of Asia, we hear Him warning even the most faithful of these churches to be steadfast. To Philadelphia, He said, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown” (Revelation 3:11). The “armor” that Christ has given us (Ephesians 6:10-20) is quite capable of guarding us against the devil, but only if we strap it on . . . and use it.

Unguarded strength is double weakness, as the saying goes. Even with our strengths, blessings, and advantages, we must take care. Being naive is not a virtue. So Jesus said to His apostles, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

"The thing we have to watch most of all is our strength, our strong point. We all tend to fail ultimately at our strong point" (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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EVEN IN CHRIST, WE ARE NOT YET FULLY ALIVE (NOVEMBER 1)

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"And this is the promise that he made to us -- eternal life" (1 John 2:25).

WHEN GOD ENTERED THIS WORLD AND TOOK UPON HIMSELF HUMAN FORM, A NEVER-BEFORE THING BEGAN TO HAPPEN. The miracle of the Incarnation was not just that God became man but that in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, God brought into this world a new kind of life. This new life is nothing less than the kind of life that God Himself has always had, and based on what Jesus did, God has been offering this life to all who will agree to be delivered from the death of sin and made alive in this new way. “This is the promise that he made to us — eternal life.”

When we obey the gospel of Christ, we receive the forgiveness of our past sins and there is a sense in which we pass, at that point, from death to life. We who “were dead . . . God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). But there is a greater sense in which obedience to the gospel puts us into a process of growth that will lead to life, the kind of life that, in its fullness and perfection, will only be ours when Christ returns. “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3,4).

Right now, God is working on our character with a hammer and chisel, as it were. The ravages of sin are being chipped away, sometimes painfully. The hearts we were meant to have are being created anew by our Father. What a thrill it is to get a glimpse of the joy that will be ours when the process has finally been completed and we think and act as creatures perfectly alive in every way. No more damage, no more death — just perfect, unending life.

In Christ, therefore, we live in great anticipation. And since we live in anticipation, we also live with focused concentration and resolute patience. Excited, enticed, and intrigued by the foretaste of what real life will be, we can hardly wait. But wait we must. So Peter says, “Preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).

"This world is a great sculptor's shop. We are the statues and there is a rumor going around the shop that some of us are someday going to come to life" (C. S. Lewis).

Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

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