"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." (Matthew 5:10-11)
Persecution is what happens when someone holds a conviction, others disagree vehemently with it, and the latter makes life hard for the former. This can either happen with physical persecution, emotional persecution, verbal, etc. People have been persecuted for their race, their religious beliefs, their actions, their words, and anything else under the sun that has put them in opposition to others.
Jesus here speaks of two kinds of persecution in His Kingdom: persecution for righteousness, and persecution for Him.
The first, righteousness, in this passage, simply refers to performing and acting in line with what is God's revealed will and purpose for us. It refers to living life before God's face, and earnestly desiring His will to be done.
People don't just hate God's word and will if they're atheists or if they live in a 10-Commandment-less culture. People can live in a Biblical theocracy and still be hostile to it. This is why people didn't receive Jesus when He came to Israel--they hated God, even though they thought they loved him. In reality, their religious observance didn't flow out of love for God, but out of love for self, as all religion does.
Anyone willing to be persecuted for the sake of God's Word and will are promised two things: a) persecution, and b) God's Kingdom. Since the Fall, man leans away from God and His Word, and so anyone who assumes His Word to be true and lives in light of it will be opposed. But Jesus promises here that they'll receive the Kingdom.
This is because if they're hungry for God's righteousness, they'll be hungry for Jesus. "If you believed Moses, you would believe me...if anyone's will is to do God's will, he'll know whether my teaching is from God" (John5:46, 7:17). Simply, if you believe in God's Word, the truth therein, and live in light of it, you'll receive Jesus, because the Word leads you to Him and the salvation that He provides for us (see Galatians 3:24-26).
This leads us to the second persecution: for Jesus' sake. It's no secret that Jesus is "the stumbling block" all throughout the Bible. This is because He's the only way to God (see John14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5, and Hebrews 7:25), and He saves people by His grace and work, not by the peoples' work (see Isaiah 53:11-12, Luke 19:10, and 1 Timothy 1:15). Very simply, Jesus is the King of God's Kingdom, and the only way into this Kingdom is through the King: Jesus.
To be saved, one has to believe that they exist because God created them, that they're sinners in need of salvation, and that Jesus' perfect life which culminated in a bloody crucifixion and triumphant resurrection is the only way to salvation.
This doesn't make them judgmental towards others. It makes them citizens of a different "Kingdom" while still living in the same physical world as others. And being "called to belong to Jesus" (Romans 1:6), they're called to shine their light so others see (Matt5:14), make disciples of all nations (Matt28:20), and bear witness to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts1:8).
So of course they'll be persecuted: they believe everyone (including themselves) is on their way to hell if not for Jesus having born their hell on himself on the cross, "to be received in faith". Have you, Christian, ever talked to a non-believer about what you believe about Heaven and Hell? It's even more uncomfortable than being a Broncos fan this past Sunday night around 8:00!
But it's the truth. And Jesus' death and resurrection proves it to be true. If you've repented and followed Him, you have no choice, not only to believe it, but to proclaim it. "Make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey all I've commanded you" were His words to us.
The stakes being so high in the Bible run completely counter to the way our minds work. But so is grace counter to our way of thinking. God says He saves us by HIS powerful working (see Ephesians 2:10, Hebrews 4:12-13).
As offensive as Jesus the Stumbling Block is to people (1Peter2:6-8), the proclamation about Him is what saves many of those offended people (1Peter1:23-24, cf Romans 1:16). Blessed are you for being persecuted for Christ's sake--it means you are "counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name" (Acts5:41), which puts you in a long line of witnesses who will receive an eternal inheritance. And in many cases, blessed will be those who are standing within eye-shot of your being persecuted, because many of them will be saved.
Are you willing to suffer dishonor for Jesus? He gave so much for us...how much have you given?
One more thought: Jesus is telling us to be persecuted, not to be the persecutors. Just because you have the truth doesn't mean you can smack people in the face with your every conviction. Let the Holy Spirit do the discerning. Be known for talking about Jesus, not for disagreeing with everything. You will have opportunity to share conviction, but don't get to 5:10-11 in Matthew without first going through 5:3-9 ("blessed are...poor in spirit...meek...merciful...peacemakers..."). It is your humility which will "heap burning coals on peoples' heads", not your actually heaping burning coals on their heads.
Scott Stine - PhD, Pastor of Darlington Congregational Church, Pawtucket, RI. Follower of Jesus; husband, daddy, distracted by basketball. My book "Christ and Theology: Toward Typological Realism" (Wipf and Stock) is available most places.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Kingdom, week 2, part 2
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 5:5-6
In describing the character of saving faith in His Kingdom, Jesus has said that it's only the humble who get in. As with any "group" or "organization", there is a prerequisite for entrance, and with His Kingdom, it's humility. We've seen that this humility includes poverty in spirit (5:3) and mourning (5:4).
Now Jesus continues by showing that the next two characteristics are meekness and an appetite for righteousness.
These are in keeping with how the Kingdom of God works exactly opposite the way the world works. In the world, it's self-seeking, self-building, smiley-faced optimism that makes you worthy of glory. Jesus' Kingdom works the exact opposite. It's self-slaying that gets you into His Kingdom. "If anyone comes to me and doesn't hate...even his own life, he can not be my disciple" (Luke 14:26). The attitude is hatred of all one has known up until that point. Then he is called to "renounce all he has", because without this, "he can not be (Jesus') disciple" (14:33). Thus Jesus calls for meekness--an attitude of one not trying to build their own kingdom and set their own self up, but instead having a hatred of all that he's known, so that they love all that Jesus is and all that Jesus has.
If this be you, you are "blessed", because Jesus says you will inherit "the land" (Gk). This refers to the final restoration of Israel in the "Promised Land" as promised in the OT prophets, and then clarified in Revelation 21-22. One day all of God's people will be brought together for eternity in "the New Jerusalem" (Rev21:2). Whereas those who "lay up treasure for their self" will die, those who are "rich toward God" will find rest (see Luke 12:20-21), which begins now, and is fulfilled then.
Jesus then says the next characteristic is a hunger and thirst for righteousness. "Righteousness" in the Bible simply refers to holy character and actions that are in line with what glorifies God and His revealed word and holiness. It's not based on what seems right to man (for "there is a way that seems right to man, but its end is death"--see Proverb 14:12), but that which is right according to God. The trust is that one can lie to their self and really be convinced they're doing things for God and righteousness, only to have Jesus tell them "I never knew you...depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23, emph. mine). The question isn't do you think you know Jesus--it's "does Jesus know YOU?" Well, does he?
This is what "hungering and thirsting for righteousness" means: having a hunger for right-relatedness to God. It's not about feeling good about yourself or being lifted up and exalted by others (Jesus says the glory of man keeps people from believing in Him--see John 5:44 w/ Romans 2:28-29). Rather, it's about truly wanting to be lined up with God's perfect righteousness. It's being over the world and others, and wanting God alone. Only then does Jesus and His coming to us shine forth in all of its glory.
Are you over the world? Do you long for being more obedient to His Word? Do you long to glorify Him and make much of Him? Jesus says that those who do will be satisfied. Because Jesus has come.
The glory of the gospel is that Jesus came to give us His righteousness. Sin is deadly in that the wages of sin is death. Since God is infinite, sin against Him deserves an infinite punishment. So who could stand before Him? "If the Lord were to mark iniquities, who would stand?" (Psalm 130:3). "How could man be in the right before God?" Bildad asked while "comforting" his suffering friend Job (Job 25:4). The answer to these questions are "No one", and "no way" respectively. No one could stand before God, and no way could one be "in the right". God is too holy and perfect, and you and I not only have sinned too much, but have hearts with sinful intent.
So Jesus came to save us. He is the God-man who lived the sinless life and paid for our sins on the cross so that we'd be made righteous. We were lost, and Jesus came to find us. "The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10). When the Word of His seeking and saving is proclaimed to us, the Holy Spirit regenerates us and gives us new life (see 1 Peter 1:23), we believe it (Ephesians 2:8-9), and God counts the righteousness of Christ to our account (Rom 1:16, 3:20, 5:17-19), justifying us free of charge because Jesus paid for it (Rom 3:25, 4:5). It's a work of grace, because no one but Jesus could pay for it, because He's the only one with the currency for it (perfect righteousness). And He paid it so that we'd receive it as a gift, "to the praise of His glorious grace" (Ephesians 1:6). He does it this way so that grace reigns supreme for what it is: the gift of eternal life.
This is why one must be poor in spirit, mourning, meek, and hungering for righteousness. It's because only with that character does one receive the gift. Otherwise they still think they're good, righteous, and worthy of credit for being a "good person". Only when people mourn for sin and hunger for God's righteousness (which, by the way, implies that they don't HAVE God's righteousness) does the gift of salvation by virtue of Jesus' seeking and saving make them be satisfied.
Not only do we get "satisfied" by His gift of righteousness, but we change. God's grace changes us into new creations in Christ.
Many hear this grace message and say "well that's cheap grace and it'll lead to loose living". Friend, you're not understanding. It couldn't be cheap if Jesus paid for it with His blood, and it couldn't lead to loose living if in it people die to sin, the world, and their self. On the contrary, the grace of God here changes the person's mourning to rejoicing, their poverty in spirit to filling with His Holy Spirit, their meekness into inheritance, and their hunger for righteousness to satisfaction in Christ's, and hungering for more!
Don't be deceived. Many think they're doing things for God, but they're really only doing it for man, and it starts with wrong ideas of God's mission. God doesn't need us to meet people's felt needs, because He does this--Matt5:44; Acts 14:17, 17:25. He wants us to give people Christ, who is the True Bread from Heaven. Don't try to avoid offending people and then call what you're doing "Gospel ministry". It's far from it. The Gospel does offend people. A God fashioned in our own image might not offend, but the real God will (and you can see which one you lean towards by monitoring your statements about God--do they start with "I think..." or with "God..."). People need to know Him, not just "love". They need to be offended by Him, so that they can be melted by Him, and then satisfied in Him. Only in light of His holiness is His love seen in its glory.
What are you hungry for? More money? A warmer climate? More "equality"? Acceptance by others? Jesus never promises any of those things in this world. But He promises that if you hunger for God, you'll be satisfied, because Jesus gives Him to us. "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father". Stop hungering for that which doesn't satisfy. Feast on the True Bread.
Matthew 5:5-6
In describing the character of saving faith in His Kingdom, Jesus has said that it's only the humble who get in. As with any "group" or "organization", there is a prerequisite for entrance, and with His Kingdom, it's humility. We've seen that this humility includes poverty in spirit (5:3) and mourning (5:4).
Now Jesus continues by showing that the next two characteristics are meekness and an appetite for righteousness.
These are in keeping with how the Kingdom of God works exactly opposite the way the world works. In the world, it's self-seeking, self-building, smiley-faced optimism that makes you worthy of glory. Jesus' Kingdom works the exact opposite. It's self-slaying that gets you into His Kingdom. "If anyone comes to me and doesn't hate...even his own life, he can not be my disciple" (Luke 14:26). The attitude is hatred of all one has known up until that point. Then he is called to "renounce all he has", because without this, "he can not be (Jesus') disciple" (14:33). Thus Jesus calls for meekness--an attitude of one not trying to build their own kingdom and set their own self up, but instead having a hatred of all that he's known, so that they love all that Jesus is and all that Jesus has.
If this be you, you are "blessed", because Jesus says you will inherit "the land" (Gk). This refers to the final restoration of Israel in the "Promised Land" as promised in the OT prophets, and then clarified in Revelation 21-22. One day all of God's people will be brought together for eternity in "the New Jerusalem" (Rev21:2). Whereas those who "lay up treasure for their self" will die, those who are "rich toward God" will find rest (see Luke 12:20-21), which begins now, and is fulfilled then.
Jesus then says the next characteristic is a hunger and thirst for righteousness. "Righteousness" in the Bible simply refers to holy character and actions that are in line with what glorifies God and His revealed word and holiness. It's not based on what seems right to man (for "there is a way that seems right to man, but its end is death"--see Proverb 14:12), but that which is right according to God. The trust is that one can lie to their self and really be convinced they're doing things for God and righteousness, only to have Jesus tell them "I never knew you...depart from me, you workers of lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23, emph. mine). The question isn't do you think you know Jesus--it's "does Jesus know YOU?" Well, does he?
This is what "hungering and thirsting for righteousness" means: having a hunger for right-relatedness to God. It's not about feeling good about yourself or being lifted up and exalted by others (Jesus says the glory of man keeps people from believing in Him--see John 5:44 w/ Romans 2:28-29). Rather, it's about truly wanting to be lined up with God's perfect righteousness. It's being over the world and others, and wanting God alone. Only then does Jesus and His coming to us shine forth in all of its glory.
Are you over the world? Do you long for being more obedient to His Word? Do you long to glorify Him and make much of Him? Jesus says that those who do will be satisfied. Because Jesus has come.
The glory of the gospel is that Jesus came to give us His righteousness. Sin is deadly in that the wages of sin is death. Since God is infinite, sin against Him deserves an infinite punishment. So who could stand before Him? "If the Lord were to mark iniquities, who would stand?" (Psalm 130:3). "How could man be in the right before God?" Bildad asked while "comforting" his suffering friend Job (Job 25:4). The answer to these questions are "No one", and "no way" respectively. No one could stand before God, and no way could one be "in the right". God is too holy and perfect, and you and I not only have sinned too much, but have hearts with sinful intent.
So Jesus came to save us. He is the God-man who lived the sinless life and paid for our sins on the cross so that we'd be made righteous. We were lost, and Jesus came to find us. "The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10). When the Word of His seeking and saving is proclaimed to us, the Holy Spirit regenerates us and gives us new life (see 1 Peter 1:23), we believe it (Ephesians 2:8-9), and God counts the righteousness of Christ to our account (Rom 1:16, 3:20, 5:17-19), justifying us free of charge because Jesus paid for it (Rom 3:25, 4:5). It's a work of grace, because no one but Jesus could pay for it, because He's the only one with the currency for it (perfect righteousness). And He paid it so that we'd receive it as a gift, "to the praise of His glorious grace" (Ephesians 1:6). He does it this way so that grace reigns supreme for what it is: the gift of eternal life.
This is why one must be poor in spirit, mourning, meek, and hungering for righteousness. It's because only with that character does one receive the gift. Otherwise they still think they're good, righteous, and worthy of credit for being a "good person". Only when people mourn for sin and hunger for God's righteousness (which, by the way, implies that they don't HAVE God's righteousness) does the gift of salvation by virtue of Jesus' seeking and saving make them be satisfied.
Not only do we get "satisfied" by His gift of righteousness, but we change. God's grace changes us into new creations in Christ.
Many hear this grace message and say "well that's cheap grace and it'll lead to loose living". Friend, you're not understanding. It couldn't be cheap if Jesus paid for it with His blood, and it couldn't lead to loose living if in it people die to sin, the world, and their self. On the contrary, the grace of God here changes the person's mourning to rejoicing, their poverty in spirit to filling with His Holy Spirit, their meekness into inheritance, and their hunger for righteousness to satisfaction in Christ's, and hungering for more!
Don't be deceived. Many think they're doing things for God, but they're really only doing it for man, and it starts with wrong ideas of God's mission. God doesn't need us to meet people's felt needs, because He does this--Matt5:44; Acts 14:17, 17:25. He wants us to give people Christ, who is the True Bread from Heaven. Don't try to avoid offending people and then call what you're doing "Gospel ministry". It's far from it. The Gospel does offend people. A God fashioned in our own image might not offend, but the real God will (and you can see which one you lean towards by monitoring your statements about God--do they start with "I think..." or with "God..."). People need to know Him, not just "love". They need to be offended by Him, so that they can be melted by Him, and then satisfied in Him. Only in light of His holiness is His love seen in its glory.
What are you hungry for? More money? A warmer climate? More "equality"? Acceptance by others? Jesus never promises any of those things in this world. But He promises that if you hunger for God, you'll be satisfied, because Jesus gives Him to us. "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father". Stop hungering for that which doesn't satisfy. Feast on the True Bread.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Kingdom, week 2, part 1
As Jesus begins His "Sermon on the Mount", His first order of business is to set forth the character of saving faith.
When Jesus the Son of God and God in the flesh came, He came to usher in the Kingdom of God as prophesied in the Scriptures. This is why Matthew 4:17 and 23 show that he began His ministry preaching the Kingdom. The Gospel of Matthew is known as "the Jewish Gospel", because Matthew aims to show Jesus especially as the Jewish Messiah and Christ of Israel. In Matthew, Jesus shines forth as the Christ, the King of the Kingdom, and the fulfillment of the Scriptures.
The opening chapters of Matthew show a series of Scriptures that are fulfilled in Christ and His coming: 1:1-17 show Jesus as a descendent of Abraham and David with his entire genealogy; 1:23 shows His virgin birth as fulfillment of Isaiah9:7; 2:6 shows his Bethlehem birth as fulfillment of Micah5:2; and so on and so forth over chapters 3 and 4 (cf John the Baptizer, Jesus' ministry in Galilee, etc.).
In 5:1, Jesus "sits up on the mountain" to preach, just as Moses had "went up on the mountain" where God would give His Word to be given to Israel (see Exodus 19). Here Jesus is the One bringing God's Word to the people Himself. Throughout Matthew, several very important moments happen on mountains (here with the Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration of 17:1, the End-times teaching of chs24-25, and the Great Commission of 28:16).
Jesus' coming was not a result of randomness. It was to fulfill Scripture, as "all of God's promises find their 'yes' in Him" (2Cor1:22). Matthew emphasizes Jesus' mountain-teaching so that his readers know Jesus is bringing God's Word, because "in the past..God spoke to us by the prophets...but in these last days, He's spoken to us by His Son" (Heb1:1).
In 5:3 Jesus gives the first characteristic of saving faith: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven". Greek "makarios" is the word for "blessed", and while it means "happy" (so it could be translated "happy are the..."), it also is intended to communicate something even deeper: "Blessed by God are those who are poor in spirit, for the Kingdom is theirs". It's a divinely-bestowed blessing because Jesus came to call the poor in spirit. It refers to those lacking self-sufficience and who realize they need something. It's not just referring to those with poverty in financial means (though it could include those), but those of poverty in spiritual means.
This is because no one receives the Kingdom unless they receive it like a child (see 18:3-4), which is why Jesus tells Nicodemus of his need to be reborn (see John 3). We're sinners at birth (Ps51:5, 58:3; Gen6:5, 8:21), and as we grow up and venture out on our own, we more and more come under the illusion that we're self-sufficient, and don't need any help. Jesus is here saying that humility and poverty in personal spirit is the first prerequisite for entering the Kingdom he came to bring. This is why being born isn't enough...we need reborn. No one is in this place except by God's grace, which is why they're "blessed".
This is the exact opposite of the way the world thinks. While others would have you be confident and feel good about yourself, Jesus says you're blessed if your in the darkness, because He's come to bring you into the light.
In 5:4 Jesus lists the next characteristic of saving faith as "mourning...for they'll be comforted". Certainly Jesus isn't referring to just any kind of mourning. Mourning over your sports team losing or over not having enough money to pay your drug-dealer isn't what He's talking about. He's talking about mourning over sin; over the brokenness of the world and over longing for fellowship with God. This is God-ward mourning Jesus describes. "Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret" (2Cor7:10). Pharaoh repented because of his mourning in Exodus9:27, but Moses knew better (v30), and later Pharaoh's heart was still hardened. He only mourned because of the hail plague--the minute it was over, he was back to pride. The kind of mourning Jesus describes is God-ward--that which longs for knowing God, but recognizes its own being prone to falling short.
Have you ever mourned over this? It's my contention that Good News is only good if the bad news is understood and accepted. Here Jesus' first real teaching on the Kingdom is that happiness and contentment are NOT prerequisites for the Kingdom, but that the prerequisite is a lack thereof...because then and only then will Jesus be treasured and adored as He who brings happiness and contentment. The reason Paul was "content in all circumstances" is because his life was one of spiritual endeavors where only Christ could provide the strength and fruit...thus "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil4:10-13; see also Rom15:15, and 1Cor15:10). Scripture also teaches us to "be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you'" (Heb13:5). Acknowledgment of Christ and the Holy Spirit's presence is the only road to contentedness and blessedness. And this only comes from recognition of need of Him.
The low state of Christianity in our country and culture is due to false conversions. People "come forward" or even get baptized simply because they either are caught up in an emotional appeal, or because they fear Hell. But they aren't mourning over sin, longing for God, or acting out of inward poverty, and so they aren't really looking for Christ to be their remedy and Mediator (1Timothy2:4-5). The whole act of "coming to Christ" is just an exercise for their flesh, ignorant that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1Cor15:50). This is why Jesus said it's the Spirit who gives life and the flesh is no help at all (see John6:63). The flesh moves countless to false professions/baptisms and the tragic result is that the person's state is worse than before--because now they think they're saved, and won't be convinced otherwise. This is why Jesus would rather the lukewarm be cold (Rev3:16-17).
So Jesus wants to make no mistake here--if you're not poor in spirit and mourning, you won't receive the Kingdom.
Have you ever been broken?
I remember when I began to be broken. I was a Bible-college student, and I began struggling with a sickening depression. Every day felt black, I worried, and I was almost paralyzed from wanting to do anything. I sought counsel from professors, therapists, pastors, and pills. Nothing worked. But then God began drawing me to His Son. I began seeing that my problems were because I was hungry, and that Jesus was God's Word who came so that I would feast on Him and be satisfied (see Matt4:4 and John6:35, 51, 53). I still struggle with those depressive tendencies some, but the difference is that I have new life in Christ now. It's unfortunate one could grow up in the church and even be in Bible college, and not feast on Christ, when Jesus says that's the whole point of the Kingdom. But that was exactly the case. Praise the Lord for His grace!
Jesus says these first two statements in his sermon to safeguard against prideful false conversions. "You must be poor in spirit, you must mourn, because then and only then will you feast on me".
While the Father draws people to His Son in different ways and the Holy Spirit works like the wind, the character of all standing at the door of the Kingdom is always the same--broken and needy.
One commentator on this verse pointed out that it's interesting the ancient philosophers, while making their "virtues" lists never once listed humility. Here Jesus not only includes it in His list, but puts it first. No humility, no Kingdom. No brokenness, no Kingdom. No sensing your need for Jesus, no Jesus. It's just that simple!
How can I be made humble? First, ask this: do you want to be? Second, ask this: What motivates your inquisition--fear of punishment, or fear of alienation from God and His Christ? Third, do this: Ask the Father for His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). Call out for faith. He'll answer--just be patient, because He's probably going to go to work differently than you think, and with a different time-frame than you think.
When Jesus the Son of God and God in the flesh came, He came to usher in the Kingdom of God as prophesied in the Scriptures. This is why Matthew 4:17 and 23 show that he began His ministry preaching the Kingdom. The Gospel of Matthew is known as "the Jewish Gospel", because Matthew aims to show Jesus especially as the Jewish Messiah and Christ of Israel. In Matthew, Jesus shines forth as the Christ, the King of the Kingdom, and the fulfillment of the Scriptures.
The opening chapters of Matthew show a series of Scriptures that are fulfilled in Christ and His coming: 1:1-17 show Jesus as a descendent of Abraham and David with his entire genealogy; 1:23 shows His virgin birth as fulfillment of Isaiah9:7; 2:6 shows his Bethlehem birth as fulfillment of Micah5:2; and so on and so forth over chapters 3 and 4 (cf John the Baptizer, Jesus' ministry in Galilee, etc.).
In 5:1, Jesus "sits up on the mountain" to preach, just as Moses had "went up on the mountain" where God would give His Word to be given to Israel (see Exodus 19). Here Jesus is the One bringing God's Word to the people Himself. Throughout Matthew, several very important moments happen on mountains (here with the Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration of 17:1, the End-times teaching of chs24-25, and the Great Commission of 28:16).
Jesus' coming was not a result of randomness. It was to fulfill Scripture, as "all of God's promises find their 'yes' in Him" (2Cor1:22). Matthew emphasizes Jesus' mountain-teaching so that his readers know Jesus is bringing God's Word, because "in the past..God spoke to us by the prophets...but in these last days, He's spoken to us by His Son" (Heb1:1).
In 5:3 Jesus gives the first characteristic of saving faith: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven". Greek "makarios" is the word for "blessed", and while it means "happy" (so it could be translated "happy are the..."), it also is intended to communicate something even deeper: "Blessed by God are those who are poor in spirit, for the Kingdom is theirs". It's a divinely-bestowed blessing because Jesus came to call the poor in spirit. It refers to those lacking self-sufficience and who realize they need something. It's not just referring to those with poverty in financial means (though it could include those), but those of poverty in spiritual means.
This is because no one receives the Kingdom unless they receive it like a child (see 18:3-4), which is why Jesus tells Nicodemus of his need to be reborn (see John 3). We're sinners at birth (Ps51:5, 58:3; Gen6:5, 8:21), and as we grow up and venture out on our own, we more and more come under the illusion that we're self-sufficient, and don't need any help. Jesus is here saying that humility and poverty in personal spirit is the first prerequisite for entering the Kingdom he came to bring. This is why being born isn't enough...we need reborn. No one is in this place except by God's grace, which is why they're "blessed".
This is the exact opposite of the way the world thinks. While others would have you be confident and feel good about yourself, Jesus says you're blessed if your in the darkness, because He's come to bring you into the light.
In 5:4 Jesus lists the next characteristic of saving faith as "mourning...for they'll be comforted". Certainly Jesus isn't referring to just any kind of mourning. Mourning over your sports team losing or over not having enough money to pay your drug-dealer isn't what He's talking about. He's talking about mourning over sin; over the brokenness of the world and over longing for fellowship with God. This is God-ward mourning Jesus describes. "Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret" (2Cor7:10). Pharaoh repented because of his mourning in Exodus9:27, but Moses knew better (v30), and later Pharaoh's heart was still hardened. He only mourned because of the hail plague--the minute it was over, he was back to pride. The kind of mourning Jesus describes is God-ward--that which longs for knowing God, but recognizes its own being prone to falling short.
Have you ever mourned over this? It's my contention that Good News is only good if the bad news is understood and accepted. Here Jesus' first real teaching on the Kingdom is that happiness and contentment are NOT prerequisites for the Kingdom, but that the prerequisite is a lack thereof...because then and only then will Jesus be treasured and adored as He who brings happiness and contentment. The reason Paul was "content in all circumstances" is because his life was one of spiritual endeavors where only Christ could provide the strength and fruit...thus "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil4:10-13; see also Rom15:15, and 1Cor15:10). Scripture also teaches us to "be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you'" (Heb13:5). Acknowledgment of Christ and the Holy Spirit's presence is the only road to contentedness and blessedness. And this only comes from recognition of need of Him.
The low state of Christianity in our country and culture is due to false conversions. People "come forward" or even get baptized simply because they either are caught up in an emotional appeal, or because they fear Hell. But they aren't mourning over sin, longing for God, or acting out of inward poverty, and so they aren't really looking for Christ to be their remedy and Mediator (1Timothy2:4-5). The whole act of "coming to Christ" is just an exercise for their flesh, ignorant that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1Cor15:50). This is why Jesus said it's the Spirit who gives life and the flesh is no help at all (see John6:63). The flesh moves countless to false professions/baptisms and the tragic result is that the person's state is worse than before--because now they think they're saved, and won't be convinced otherwise. This is why Jesus would rather the lukewarm be cold (Rev3:16-17).
So Jesus wants to make no mistake here--if you're not poor in spirit and mourning, you won't receive the Kingdom.
Have you ever been broken?
I remember when I began to be broken. I was a Bible-college student, and I began struggling with a sickening depression. Every day felt black, I worried, and I was almost paralyzed from wanting to do anything. I sought counsel from professors, therapists, pastors, and pills. Nothing worked. But then God began drawing me to His Son. I began seeing that my problems were because I was hungry, and that Jesus was God's Word who came so that I would feast on Him and be satisfied (see Matt4:4 and John6:35, 51, 53). I still struggle with those depressive tendencies some, but the difference is that I have new life in Christ now. It's unfortunate one could grow up in the church and even be in Bible college, and not feast on Christ, when Jesus says that's the whole point of the Kingdom. But that was exactly the case. Praise the Lord for His grace!
Jesus says these first two statements in his sermon to safeguard against prideful false conversions. "You must be poor in spirit, you must mourn, because then and only then will you feast on me".
While the Father draws people to His Son in different ways and the Holy Spirit works like the wind, the character of all standing at the door of the Kingdom is always the same--broken and needy.
One commentator on this verse pointed out that it's interesting the ancient philosophers, while making their "virtues" lists never once listed humility. Here Jesus not only includes it in His list, but puts it first. No humility, no Kingdom. No brokenness, no Kingdom. No sensing your need for Jesus, no Jesus. It's just that simple!
How can I be made humble? First, ask this: do you want to be? Second, ask this: What motivates your inquisition--fear of punishment, or fear of alienation from God and His Christ? Third, do this: Ask the Father for His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). Call out for faith. He'll answer--just be patient, because He's probably going to go to work differently than you think, and with a different time-frame than you think.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Kingdom, week 1
I haven't written a post in a while because, frankly, it's hard to write one when I have a lot of other teaching/preaching endeavors to focus on. Also, motivation is difficult when I know that not many people will read it! So I thought that perhaps I'd combine the two, and give "recaps" of messages and things I have just preached or taught ("praught" really should be the past-tense form of "preach").
Two weeks ago, I began a series on "the Kingdom", as taught by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. There are a lot of different understandings of what is meant by "kingdom", and how we should understand it. Some think of it in more economic terms, others in theological or eschatological terms. I just wanted to preach a simple series on what Jesus teaches about the Kingdom, listening as God's Word speaks. So my first message was split up into five sections under five headings: What, Where, When, Who, and Why is the Kingdom.
What is the Kingdom?
The Kingdom is the reign of God's Christ. Jesus began his ministry preaching the Kingdom (see Matt4:17, 23), and it was a proclamation of His reign.
God had promised king David that He would make an eternal "throne" and "kingship" from David's descendents. In 2 Samuel 7, David is jealous for God's glory (seeing that the Ark dwells in a tent), so he wants to build God a house. But God sarcastically asks David, "Would you build me a house to dwell in?" God can't be contained in something man builds...He doesn't need man (Ac17:24-25). God wants people to have hearts that bow before Him in humility. "What house would you build for me?...this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in heart, and trembles at my Word" (Isaiah 66:1-2). So God will establish THIS house: a kingdom of humble subjects who truly know God. He tells David, "I will build you a house". The King will come from David's descent, who will "build a house for my name", not referring to Solomon (because, a) Solomon died and the temple he built fell, and b) God didn't need a literal house, but wanted people who honor Him...thus "WE are his house", Hebrews3:6).
Isaiah 9:6-7 has God promising that the King will be God Himself in the flesh born as a child, who will "sit on David's throne". This is a clear teaching that the King will be the God-man. Finally, Ezekiel 37:24 promises that the Shepherd (Jesus--John10) will "shepherd the flock" and they will "be careful to obey Gods commands". This is clear teaching that the Kingdom is a Kingdom of people who love God and "tremble at His Word", like He said in Isaiah 66.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom" (Matt5:3). He meant that these are the people who receive the Kingdom in humility, and tremble at Gods Word in Christ. They are blessed, for they will receive the Kingship and reign of God's Christ.
Where is the Kingdom?
As Kevin Deyoung has recently said, "Gods Kingdom is not geographic, but 'dynamic and relational'". It's not in this place or that place (ie, calling for a pilgrimage to a location, or only in church buildings), but it is, as Jesus Himself said, "in our very midst now" (Luke 17:21). If the Kingdom is the reign of Gods Christ, where people are trembling at God's Word, the locale of the Kingdom is anywhere this is recognized and acted in light of! It's anywhere Christ is adored, worshiped as King, and God is treasured as the God of glory!
The door into the Kingdom is rebirth, as Jesus clearly told Nicodemus (John 3:3,5,7). No one gets in without Holy Spirit rebirth, which is not of human will, but of God's power and action (John1:12-13). But where this has happened, the Kingdom is there, in their midst. Paul tells the Colossian church that God has "transferred us from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col1:13).
One thing that should be said is that felt-needs matter (feeding the poor, clothing the naked, etc.), because Jesus said that was a priority. But it's only a picture of the Kingdom if people are coming to know Jesus. You can do those things without knowledge of Christ (ie, humanitarian work)...the Kingdom is about knowing God and His Christ. We should meet the felt-needs AND lead people to a knowledge of Christ (and unfortunately most stop after the first part and never make it to the second).
When is the Kingdom?
It's already here, but not in its fullness yet.
There's an interesting scenario that takes place one day when Jesus has cast a demon out of a man--you can find it in Matt. 12:27-32. There, the Pharisees accuse him of casting out demons by Satan's power, which Jesus quickly shows as ridiculous logic. He then says, "If it's by God's Spirit that I cast out demons, the Kingdom has come among you." We'd all agree that it was by the Spirit that Jesus did it...so the Kingdom was already here.
But later in the story, Jesus refers to "this age, and the age to come" (v32), telling us that there is both a now and a later. The now is the era in which Christ has already been on earth ushering in the Kingdom...the later is the time of the fulness of God's Kingdom, when Christ comes to take us to Himself (John14), with the eternal blessings of Revelation 21 and 22. Jesus deals with this "era" (the later) in Matthew 24-25, a very important section of Jesus' teaching that must be carefully studied, and not in haste. Jesus died to ransom a Kingdom of priests (Rev5:9-10, cf 1Pet2:5,9), but they will remain "in the world" until He returns (cf John17:15-18), to be "by Gods power, guarded by faith, for salvation to be revealed at the last time" (1Peter1:5). This is the now, that's the later, and both are the Kingdom.
Who is the Kingdom?
Christians, saints, and Kingdom-citizens...and not just those professing, but those who really do belong to Jesus.
Paul said of himself and the Philippian christians, "our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body" (Phil3:20-21). The Kingdom is among those who have their citizenship in heaven, whose life is "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians3:3), and are "seated with Christ in the heavenly places" (Ephesians2:6).
We CAN'T be under the illusion that the Kingdom includes everyone--it doesn't. It's those who belong to Jesus, and this calls for a greater urgency to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom so that people will look to Him and belong to Him.
Daniel 7:18--(Daniel 7 being a great prophetic picture of Jesus receiving the heavenly Kingdom from the Father)--says that "the saints will possess the Kingdom". Who are the saints, if not those who belong to Christ? V14 said Jesus will possess the Kingdom, but v18 says the saints? The apparent implication is that the saints are those who are "co-heirs with Christ" (Rom8:17). All that is Christ's is the Saint's. What an incredible truth.
And another thing: the saints AREN'T those who have earned a deeper state of righteousness than others (as some have been led to believe). It's those who have been made poor in spirit to realize that Christ and Christ alone earned a right-standing with God. HE was completely obedient, and no one else has been...and the grace of the Gospel is that Christ GIVES His righteousness to sinners who receive His Word with faith and obedience. He came with grace and truth.
Finally...
Why is the Kingdom?
This might seem a peculiar question, and to some just a matter of course (who, what, where, when, why).
But no one asks this question--WHY does God want His Son to have a Kingdom?
The simplest answer is that God WILL be glorified. "My glory I give to no other" (Isaiah42:8), "I blot out your transgressions for my name's sake" (43:25), "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (49:3). "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength" (45:24). Frankly, God is out for His Name being glorified.
People struggle with this because they think it makes God sound selfish, but can God BE selfish? If He's giving to mankind "life and breath and everything" (Ac17:25), "satisfying our hearts with food and gladness" (Ac14:17), and making the rain fall and sun shine on just, unjust, righteous, and unrighteous (Matt5:44), how could we ever call His motives selfish? If God is constantly giving and giving more and then giving more, how could God be selfish?
Perhaps His passion for His Name being glorified is a result of His Name just being that glorious and that worthy of glory. "I had concern for my holy name...it's not for your sake I'll act, but for the sake of my holy name...I will vindicate the holiness of my great name..it's not for your sake I will act...then they will know that I'm the Lord" (Ezekiel 36:21-23, 32, 38).
This is exactly why Jesus prayed to the Father for unity among His disciples their selves and with Christ and the Father..."that the world may believe you sent me...(and)..loved them as you loved me" (John17:21,23). God's mission is that His Kingdom come so that His Name be glorified and lifted high...because His Name IS that high! "Your Name is exalted above all honor and praise" (Nehemiah9:5). Think about that: if all mankind was to join together to worship God, His Name would still be higher than that. What a pride-humbling and self-righteousness-killing truth.
This is why we will worship and serve God in heaven for all of eternity--because it takes that long to thank and glorify God for who He is and what He's done. It's not coincidence man has a hunger in his heart for "something more"--it's because there IS something more. The only thing to remember is that the "something more" is found in just receiving the Word of truth, "which is able to save your souls" (Jms1:21)--the "something more" isn't far off. It's HERE. And one day, it will be realized in all of its fullness...those who will get to enjoy it in its fullness are those who have received it now. Kingdom citizens then are the Kingdom citizens now. "All who are being led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans8:14, Gk).
Therefore, "turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!" (Isaiah45:22).
Two weeks ago, I began a series on "the Kingdom", as taught by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. There are a lot of different understandings of what is meant by "kingdom", and how we should understand it. Some think of it in more economic terms, others in theological or eschatological terms. I just wanted to preach a simple series on what Jesus teaches about the Kingdom, listening as God's Word speaks. So my first message was split up into five sections under five headings: What, Where, When, Who, and Why is the Kingdom.
What is the Kingdom?
The Kingdom is the reign of God's Christ. Jesus began his ministry preaching the Kingdom (see Matt4:17, 23), and it was a proclamation of His reign.
God had promised king David that He would make an eternal "throne" and "kingship" from David's descendents. In 2 Samuel 7, David is jealous for God's glory (seeing that the Ark dwells in a tent), so he wants to build God a house. But God sarcastically asks David, "Would you build me a house to dwell in?" God can't be contained in something man builds...He doesn't need man (Ac17:24-25). God wants people to have hearts that bow before Him in humility. "What house would you build for me?...this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in heart, and trembles at my Word" (Isaiah 66:1-2). So God will establish THIS house: a kingdom of humble subjects who truly know God. He tells David, "I will build you a house". The King will come from David's descent, who will "build a house for my name", not referring to Solomon (because, a) Solomon died and the temple he built fell, and b) God didn't need a literal house, but wanted people who honor Him...thus "WE are his house", Hebrews3:6).
Isaiah 9:6-7 has God promising that the King will be God Himself in the flesh born as a child, who will "sit on David's throne". This is a clear teaching that the King will be the God-man. Finally, Ezekiel 37:24 promises that the Shepherd (Jesus--John10) will "shepherd the flock" and they will "be careful to obey Gods commands". This is clear teaching that the Kingdom is a Kingdom of people who love God and "tremble at His Word", like He said in Isaiah 66.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom" (Matt5:3). He meant that these are the people who receive the Kingdom in humility, and tremble at Gods Word in Christ. They are blessed, for they will receive the Kingship and reign of God's Christ.
Where is the Kingdom?
As Kevin Deyoung has recently said, "Gods Kingdom is not geographic, but 'dynamic and relational'". It's not in this place or that place (ie, calling for a pilgrimage to a location, or only in church buildings), but it is, as Jesus Himself said, "in our very midst now" (Luke 17:21). If the Kingdom is the reign of Gods Christ, where people are trembling at God's Word, the locale of the Kingdom is anywhere this is recognized and acted in light of! It's anywhere Christ is adored, worshiped as King, and God is treasured as the God of glory!
The door into the Kingdom is rebirth, as Jesus clearly told Nicodemus (John 3:3,5,7). No one gets in without Holy Spirit rebirth, which is not of human will, but of God's power and action (John1:12-13). But where this has happened, the Kingdom is there, in their midst. Paul tells the Colossian church that God has "transferred us from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col1:13).
One thing that should be said is that felt-needs matter (feeding the poor, clothing the naked, etc.), because Jesus said that was a priority. But it's only a picture of the Kingdom if people are coming to know Jesus. You can do those things without knowledge of Christ (ie, humanitarian work)...the Kingdom is about knowing God and His Christ. We should meet the felt-needs AND lead people to a knowledge of Christ (and unfortunately most stop after the first part and never make it to the second).
When is the Kingdom?
It's already here, but not in its fullness yet.
There's an interesting scenario that takes place one day when Jesus has cast a demon out of a man--you can find it in Matt. 12:27-32. There, the Pharisees accuse him of casting out demons by Satan's power, which Jesus quickly shows as ridiculous logic. He then says, "If it's by God's Spirit that I cast out demons, the Kingdom has come among you." We'd all agree that it was by the Spirit that Jesus did it...so the Kingdom was already here.
But later in the story, Jesus refers to "this age, and the age to come" (v32), telling us that there is both a now and a later. The now is the era in which Christ has already been on earth ushering in the Kingdom...the later is the time of the fulness of God's Kingdom, when Christ comes to take us to Himself (John14), with the eternal blessings of Revelation 21 and 22. Jesus deals with this "era" (the later) in Matthew 24-25, a very important section of Jesus' teaching that must be carefully studied, and not in haste. Jesus died to ransom a Kingdom of priests (Rev5:9-10, cf 1Pet2:5,9), but they will remain "in the world" until He returns (cf John17:15-18), to be "by Gods power, guarded by faith, for salvation to be revealed at the last time" (1Peter1:5). This is the now, that's the later, and both are the Kingdom.
Who is the Kingdom?
Christians, saints, and Kingdom-citizens...and not just those professing, but those who really do belong to Jesus.
Paul said of himself and the Philippian christians, "our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body" (Phil3:20-21). The Kingdom is among those who have their citizenship in heaven, whose life is "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians3:3), and are "seated with Christ in the heavenly places" (Ephesians2:6).
We CAN'T be under the illusion that the Kingdom includes everyone--it doesn't. It's those who belong to Jesus, and this calls for a greater urgency to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom so that people will look to Him and belong to Him.
Daniel 7:18--(Daniel 7 being a great prophetic picture of Jesus receiving the heavenly Kingdom from the Father)--says that "the saints will possess the Kingdom". Who are the saints, if not those who belong to Christ? V14 said Jesus will possess the Kingdom, but v18 says the saints? The apparent implication is that the saints are those who are "co-heirs with Christ" (Rom8:17). All that is Christ's is the Saint's. What an incredible truth.
And another thing: the saints AREN'T those who have earned a deeper state of righteousness than others (as some have been led to believe). It's those who have been made poor in spirit to realize that Christ and Christ alone earned a right-standing with God. HE was completely obedient, and no one else has been...and the grace of the Gospel is that Christ GIVES His righteousness to sinners who receive His Word with faith and obedience. He came with grace and truth.
Finally...
Why is the Kingdom?
This might seem a peculiar question, and to some just a matter of course (who, what, where, when, why).
But no one asks this question--WHY does God want His Son to have a Kingdom?
The simplest answer is that God WILL be glorified. "My glory I give to no other" (Isaiah42:8), "I blot out your transgressions for my name's sake" (43:25), "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (49:3). "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength" (45:24). Frankly, God is out for His Name being glorified.
People struggle with this because they think it makes God sound selfish, but can God BE selfish? If He's giving to mankind "life and breath and everything" (Ac17:25), "satisfying our hearts with food and gladness" (Ac14:17), and making the rain fall and sun shine on just, unjust, righteous, and unrighteous (Matt5:44), how could we ever call His motives selfish? If God is constantly giving and giving more and then giving more, how could God be selfish?
Perhaps His passion for His Name being glorified is a result of His Name just being that glorious and that worthy of glory. "I had concern for my holy name...it's not for your sake I'll act, but for the sake of my holy name...I will vindicate the holiness of my great name..it's not for your sake I will act...then they will know that I'm the Lord" (Ezekiel 36:21-23, 32, 38).
This is exactly why Jesus prayed to the Father for unity among His disciples their selves and with Christ and the Father..."that the world may believe you sent me...(and)..loved them as you loved me" (John17:21,23). God's mission is that His Kingdom come so that His Name be glorified and lifted high...because His Name IS that high! "Your Name is exalted above all honor and praise" (Nehemiah9:5). Think about that: if all mankind was to join together to worship God, His Name would still be higher than that. What a pride-humbling and self-righteousness-killing truth.
This is why we will worship and serve God in heaven for all of eternity--because it takes that long to thank and glorify God for who He is and what He's done. It's not coincidence man has a hunger in his heart for "something more"--it's because there IS something more. The only thing to remember is that the "something more" is found in just receiving the Word of truth, "which is able to save your souls" (Jms1:21)--the "something more" isn't far off. It's HERE. And one day, it will be realized in all of its fullness...those who will get to enjoy it in its fullness are those who have received it now. Kingdom citizens then are the Kingdom citizens now. "All who are being led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans8:14, Gk).
Therefore, "turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!" (Isaiah45:22).
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Rebirth: the Pride-Killer of the Gospel
Most people today are attempting to change their situation to “something better”, whether it means changing their identity, their job, their social network, their lifestyle...fill in the blank...most people are just unhappy and wanting better. With this the case, the question to be asked is this: Why is everyone so unhappy?
Jesus said that it’s because sin enslaves everyone (Jn8:34). Sin is more than the bad things you do...it's a spiritual force that brings spiritual death and eventually physical death. More than action, it's intention.
He came to save people who would believe in Him (Jn3:16). He said that people will make it through
whatever “storm” this life brings if they build their lives on His Words
(Mt7:24-27), and that when one puts their faith in Him, they “pass from death
to life” (Jn5:24).
People listen to Jesus’ hard words and think they can’t have
Jesus unless they begin acting like a ‘Christian’. But the truth is that Jesus came “not to call
the righteous but sinners” (Mt9:13) and when a sinner repents, angels
rejoice (Lk15:7, 10). He saves people as
they are, and begins conforming them to His holy image (Rom8:29). His initial calling of Matthew (a tax
collector…considered a “sinner” by the majority) was followed up by His coming
to Matthew’s house for a party that included a bunch of “sinners” who liked to
party (Mt9:10), and this continual attendance at parties apparently was such a
staple of Jesus’ social life that people wrongly called him a drunkard and a
glutton (Mt11:19). People had stupidly
assumed that because Jesus went to spend time with non-religious and “worldly”
people, he must not be as holy as his teaching and miracles let on.
But the truth is that Jesus was perfect and without sin (Heb4:15, Is53:9). His knowledge and understanding was such that
even at the age of 12 he was making that day's doctors of religion marvel. Then as an
adult, when the doctors of religion would argue his radical concepts, he had
the ability to immediately bring them to silence. This is because He came to tell the truth
(Jn18:37), but He told it in such a way that even the most adamant and hostile
religious people could only say, “No one ever spoke like this man!”
(Jn7:46). Truly His words were “spirit and life”
(Jn6:63, 68).
Jesus came and spent time with “sinners”, and had such a
heart for them because regardless of how sinful they were, He had both the truth and
the mouth to speak it. And the truth, as always, made an impact. In Jesus’ case, the impact was salvation
(Lk19:9-10).
Much has been said recently about how Jesus’ ministry targeted
sinners and not righteous people, and, even by Jesus’ admission, he “came not
to call the righteous, but sinners”. But
to say He didn’t have compassion for religious people is to miss the
point. This is proven in the examples of
Nicodemus (who was converted later on…see John 19:39), the Scribe who
understood the Law’s teaching in Mark12:28-34, and the famous Rich Young Ruler
who thought he’d done a good job as a religious person his whole life, until
Jesus loved him and told him the
truth that he needed Jesus and not his religion (see Mk10:17-22). The real reason why Jesus appeared to have
more civil conversations with the sinners than religious people is because the
religious people were so blinded by their self-righteousness, Jesus’
spirit-and-life words weren’t getting through.
The woman at the well was a “sinner” to whom Jesus told the hard
truth as well (John4). The difference
between her and Nicodemus from the previous chapter is that, by John’s
chronology, it appears to have taken years for Nicodemus to come to faith, when
it appears to have only taken a few minutes for the woman (See John4:25-29,
38-43). Why is this? It’s because self-righteousness, from wherever it
springs, blinds people to their need for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Nicodemus and the Pharisees appeared to have
this (though Nicodemus was open), and even the woman at the well had some of it,
but it pretty quickly broke down during Jesus’ conversation with her. Jesus tells the truth to people and brings
them to the place of seeing their own sinfulness (like Peter in Luke5:8), and
when they see this, they see their need for what He offers, and are reborn by
the Holy Spirit. Think about Jesus’
Words, “If anyone hears my words and believes Him who sent me, he has eternal
life. He doesn’t come under judgment,
but has passed from death to life” (Jn5:24).
When Jesus spoke about eating his flesh and drinking his
blood (John6:35-58), he was talking about believing
in Him and deriving your life from His
life. 6:29 has him saying, “This is
the work of God, that you believe in the One whom He has sent.” He wasn’t talking about communion or Eucharist…he
was talking about Himself, which is
what communion and Eucharist is supposed to be about! And His point was that the people needed to
see their need for Him and begin finding their lives in Him.
When people were grumbling at His hard teaching, He said, “Don’t
grumble among yourselves. It is the
Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I’ve spoken to are spirit and
life” (Jn6:63).
What kind of statement is this? A simple one: They had grumbled because they
had trouble accepting his teaching. And
Jesus, in effect, said, “Your grumbling is your flesh fighting me, while my
Words are the Holy Spirit giving life. Stop grumbling. Your understanding can’t give you what I can
give you,” just like Proverbs3:5-6 had famously said 1000 years earlier. The grumbling happened because the flesh is
hostile to God (Rom8:7-8), and God’s Son was telling them, “You have no life
apart from me”. Finally, Jesus said, “This
is why I told you no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father”
(6:65).
What kind of statement is this? Again, a simple one: Sinners' flesh, enslaved to
sin (8:24), dead in sin (Eph2:1), and at enmity with God (Rom5:10), is overcome by
God’s grace. His grace, more than being
freely offered (Mt11:28-30) is also freely sovereign (Mt11:27), and He gives
people new life to look to Jesus who is the only hope they’ve ever had to a)
live this life to God’s glory, and b) live eternally for God’s glory. The invitation goes out for all, but because
no one responds in and of themselves (as they don't want to), God “grants them repentance, that they
escape from the snare of the devil, having been captured by him” (2Tim2:26).
Jesus said it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s
eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom (Mk10:25). But this isn't because it's
impossible or because Jesus doesn’t love rich men. It’s because the rich men have money and
possessions as a crushing idol that captivates them away from what they really
need by convincing them that THIS is what they really need. Jesus also said that Pharisees who are
leading others will lead as they both end up in Hell (Mt15:14). But this isn’t because Jesus doesn’t love
them. Rather, it’s because they have
religion and their own power and will as their idol that keeps them from
submission to Jesus’ rule of needing to be Holy-Spirit-reborn (Jn3:3,5,7-8). The issue with both groups isn’t lack of God’s
grace—God gives rain and sunshine on sinner and righteous and provides food,
happiness, and everything to all
peoples everywhere (Mt5:45; Ac14:17, 17:25).
The issue is a lack of God-consciousness. People don’t care about God and His glory,
and so because of this, they don’t see their need for Jesus to redeem
them.
So Jesus comes to sinners to capture their hearts, so that
they’ll be redeemed by looking to Him in pure and sincere faith, admitting
their need for Him. In so doing, He even captures
some rich people (ie, Joseph of Arimethea) and even some religious Pharisees (ie,
Nicodemus and Paul). This is because, in
the end, they’re ALL sinners in need of
grace. And where sin increased, “grace
abounded all the more”.
What leg are you standing on? What if the truth is that Jesus is the only
possible hope for a lost and dead world?
Will you grumble, fight, and kick, or will you accept that He, being the
Creator and Redeemer, knows truth better than you do? It’s not a question of will before it’s a
question of truth.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Thoughts on Persevering as a Christian, from Galatians
I've been preaching through Galatians for the last few months, and have two months to go. It's been amazing. I've studied Galatians, but never studied it in depth like this. Thus far, the churches have seen that Galatians really does lay out the basic tenets of Christianity:
-That there is only one way to salvation: Christ and the Gospel (1:6-9)
-That this Gospel is salvation by faith in Christ, and not works (2:16)
-That the Holy Spirit comes upon us when we believe the Gospel (3:1-6)
-That the Law is a curse on us as sinners, but Christ redeems us by His work (3:13-24), and
-That we're adopted into God's family by Christ and His Spirit (3:26-4:7).
This is Christianity in its most basic form: Inclusive/exclusive (invitation to all to trust in Christ, but salvation only belongs to those who do), justified before God by faith in Christ (meaning not just affirmation of the facts, but a personal looking to Christ), indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, and adoption into God's family which isn't a reality unless one has Christ.
The best place to direct any new or prospective christian who asks where they can begin in the Bible is John, Acts, and Romans (in that order). John is about Jesus' identity, Acts shows His Church on mission, and Romans explains what it means that we have Jesus. But studying Galatians, everything that one needs to know about being saved by faith in Christ might be in there, so maybe we have a new go-to book!
Still, the whole point of Paul's letter isn't to lay out basic tenets before it is to deal with a heresy prevalent in the Galatian church: that one needs works in order to be considered a child of God. None of us, including Paul (see Eph2:10, 2Tim3:17, and Titus2:14, 3:8, 3:14) would argue that good works aren't necessary for the Christian. The issue is whether they make one a christian. The answer to this question is emphatically 'NO'. Christ makes a christian a christian. Their being cleansed is one that happens by their looking to Christ, and their adoption into God's family is as well. The Galatian christians had been led astray into the belief that Christ was not enough.
This leads us to a very important question: Can a true Christian fall away from Christ?
This question has almost been an afterthought in 2013 Christianity, as most will emphatically say "YES", then cite passages from Jesus' 4-seed Parable (see Mark4), or from 1 Timothy, or Hebrews 6, 10.
I'm at odds doctrinally with many of my close friends and family (people who I believe do love Jesus and believe the Bible) because of this issue. I believe the Bible teaches that once one truly is drawn to Christ, they remain in Him, and don't fall away...and that if they do fall away, they weren't in Him to begin with. Jesus Himself said that He came to give his sheep eternal life (see John6:40, 10:28) and that this eternal life is a present reality at the point when one believes in Him (Jn5:24, cf 3:15-17). Therefore, if one trusts in Christ, they have eternal life NOW.
If their name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life "from before the foundation of the world" (Rev3:5, 13:8, 17:8) meaning that God saved them according to His purpose and grace He gave them in Christ 'before the world began' (2Tim1:9, Eph1:4-5), then they will come to faith in Christ, and they will remain in Him. Those whom God "predestined, He also called, and those whom He called he justified, and those whom He justified, He also glorified" (Rom8:30).
But what about all of those passages people cite about people falling away? A careful reading of those passages reveals that these were people who never belonged to Jesus, and this is WHY they fell away finally. Peter said that "whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved" (2Pet2:19), referring to people who have been led astray from the truth. If something overcomes them so that they're enslaved, could they really have belonged to Jesus? All the while, we hear promises like, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it" (Phil1:6), and "He who called you is faithful, He will surely (sanctify you and keep you blameless)" (1Thes5:23-24). Finally, what could you say about the OTHER passages I just went through? It all must make sense together, for Scripture can't be broken.
Surely one must continue in the faith (see 1Cor15:2, Gal6:9, and Col1:23, for example). I just believe that while I repent and continue in Christ, HE'S the One who keeps me, "for apart from (Him), (I) can do nothing" (Jn15:5).
The issue is one of conversion, not continuation. If they don't continue in faith, the question becomes, "were they really soundly converted in the first place?" I think the answer is easy...if something led them from Christ, meaning that something was more attractive than Christ, then they must not have known Christ.
This is Paul's dilemma in Galatians...the same Paul who said there's only one gospel also asked, "Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?" (3:1). When Paul says, "I'm astonished you're so quickly deserting him who called you in the gospel" (1:6), and that "this persuasion is not FROM Him who calls you" (5:7), he's saying that he really doesn't understand HOW people could know Christ and then be led astray from him. It doesn't make any sense..."I'm astonished you're deserting him..." This is why Paul then says, "I'm afraid I may have labored over you in vain" (4:11). Paul is wondering if his whole work was all for naught because perhaps these people truly don't know (and never knew) Christ. Could these people truly have been in Christ, but have fallen out, even though Jesus said His true sheep won't? (see John10:27-28)
The answer is 'no', because as Paul writes so emphatically with such cutting language, he then gives us hope: "I have confidence in the Lord that you'll take no other view than mine...you were called to freedom brothers" (5:10,13).
Those who are brothers will listen to the Father. Those who are sheep will listen to the Shepherd (Jn10:16, 27). Those who love Jesus will keep Jesus' commands (Jn14:15).
Paul knows, as he writes, that these people who received the Holy Spirit and were adopted into the family of God are in a phase of rebellion, but that they'll come back. They're not like Hymenaeus or Philetus who have "swerved from the truth" (2Tim2:17-18). Nor are they like Judas, whos betrayal fulfilled Scripture until he died. Instead, they're like Peter, who was to deny Jesus three times and then return to Him....why did Peter return to Jesus? It was because Jesus had prayed for Peter, "that your faith may not fail...so WHEN (not IF, but WHEN) you return, strengthen your brothers" (Luke22:31-34).
In the same way, Jesus prayed for all of His sheep...that their faith wouldn't fail (John17:11), that they'd have joy in Him (17:13), that they'd be kept from the evil one (17:15), that they'd be sanctified in the truth (17:17), that they'd be united together (17:21), and that they'd know God's love for them and for Jesus (17:23-26).
Martin Luther famously said that all of life should be a life of repentance...this is why Jesus said that the one who follows Him must daily take up his cross (see Luke9:23). Those in Christ will do it, because they know that Jesus is worth it...He's captivated them, enraptured them, and shown Himself as glorious and worthy of praise. This is why Paul is confident the Galatians will listen to Him and take heart: because "those in Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal5:24).
-That there is only one way to salvation: Christ and the Gospel (1:6-9)
-That this Gospel is salvation by faith in Christ, and not works (2:16)
-That the Holy Spirit comes upon us when we believe the Gospel (3:1-6)
-That the Law is a curse on us as sinners, but Christ redeems us by His work (3:13-24), and
-That we're adopted into God's family by Christ and His Spirit (3:26-4:7).
This is Christianity in its most basic form: Inclusive/exclusive (invitation to all to trust in Christ, but salvation only belongs to those who do), justified before God by faith in Christ (meaning not just affirmation of the facts, but a personal looking to Christ), indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, and adoption into God's family which isn't a reality unless one has Christ.
The best place to direct any new or prospective christian who asks where they can begin in the Bible is John, Acts, and Romans (in that order). John is about Jesus' identity, Acts shows His Church on mission, and Romans explains what it means that we have Jesus. But studying Galatians, everything that one needs to know about being saved by faith in Christ might be in there, so maybe we have a new go-to book!
Still, the whole point of Paul's letter isn't to lay out basic tenets before it is to deal with a heresy prevalent in the Galatian church: that one needs works in order to be considered a child of God. None of us, including Paul (see Eph2:10, 2Tim3:17, and Titus2:14, 3:8, 3:14) would argue that good works aren't necessary for the Christian. The issue is whether they make one a christian. The answer to this question is emphatically 'NO'. Christ makes a christian a christian. Their being cleansed is one that happens by their looking to Christ, and their adoption into God's family is as well. The Galatian christians had been led astray into the belief that Christ was not enough.
This leads us to a very important question: Can a true Christian fall away from Christ?
This question has almost been an afterthought in 2013 Christianity, as most will emphatically say "YES", then cite passages from Jesus' 4-seed Parable (see Mark4), or from 1 Timothy, or Hebrews 6, 10.
I'm at odds doctrinally with many of my close friends and family (people who I believe do love Jesus and believe the Bible) because of this issue. I believe the Bible teaches that once one truly is drawn to Christ, they remain in Him, and don't fall away...and that if they do fall away, they weren't in Him to begin with. Jesus Himself said that He came to give his sheep eternal life (see John6:40, 10:28) and that this eternal life is a present reality at the point when one believes in Him (Jn5:24, cf 3:15-17). Therefore, if one trusts in Christ, they have eternal life NOW.
If their name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life "from before the foundation of the world" (Rev3:5, 13:8, 17:8) meaning that God saved them according to His purpose and grace He gave them in Christ 'before the world began' (2Tim1:9, Eph1:4-5), then they will come to faith in Christ, and they will remain in Him. Those whom God "predestined, He also called, and those whom He called he justified, and those whom He justified, He also glorified" (Rom8:30).
But what about all of those passages people cite about people falling away? A careful reading of those passages reveals that these were people who never belonged to Jesus, and this is WHY they fell away finally. Peter said that "whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved" (2Pet2:19), referring to people who have been led astray from the truth. If something overcomes them so that they're enslaved, could they really have belonged to Jesus? All the while, we hear promises like, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it" (Phil1:6), and "He who called you is faithful, He will surely (sanctify you and keep you blameless)" (1Thes5:23-24). Finally, what could you say about the OTHER passages I just went through? It all must make sense together, for Scripture can't be broken.
Surely one must continue in the faith (see 1Cor15:2, Gal6:9, and Col1:23, for example). I just believe that while I repent and continue in Christ, HE'S the One who keeps me, "for apart from (Him), (I) can do nothing" (Jn15:5).
The issue is one of conversion, not continuation. If they don't continue in faith, the question becomes, "were they really soundly converted in the first place?" I think the answer is easy...if something led them from Christ, meaning that something was more attractive than Christ, then they must not have known Christ.
This is Paul's dilemma in Galatians...the same Paul who said there's only one gospel also asked, "Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?" (3:1). When Paul says, "I'm astonished you're so quickly deserting him who called you in the gospel" (1:6), and that "this persuasion is not FROM Him who calls you" (5:7), he's saying that he really doesn't understand HOW people could know Christ and then be led astray from him. It doesn't make any sense..."I'm astonished you're deserting him..." This is why Paul then says, "I'm afraid I may have labored over you in vain" (4:11). Paul is wondering if his whole work was all for naught because perhaps these people truly don't know (and never knew) Christ. Could these people truly have been in Christ, but have fallen out, even though Jesus said His true sheep won't? (see John10:27-28)
The answer is 'no', because as Paul writes so emphatically with such cutting language, he then gives us hope: "I have confidence in the Lord that you'll take no other view than mine...you were called to freedom brothers" (5:10,13).
Those who are brothers will listen to the Father. Those who are sheep will listen to the Shepherd (Jn10:16, 27). Those who love Jesus will keep Jesus' commands (Jn14:15).
Paul knows, as he writes, that these people who received the Holy Spirit and were adopted into the family of God are in a phase of rebellion, but that they'll come back. They're not like Hymenaeus or Philetus who have "swerved from the truth" (2Tim2:17-18). Nor are they like Judas, whos betrayal fulfilled Scripture until he died. Instead, they're like Peter, who was to deny Jesus three times and then return to Him....why did Peter return to Jesus? It was because Jesus had prayed for Peter, "that your faith may not fail...so WHEN (not IF, but WHEN) you return, strengthen your brothers" (Luke22:31-34).
In the same way, Jesus prayed for all of His sheep...that their faith wouldn't fail (John17:11), that they'd have joy in Him (17:13), that they'd be kept from the evil one (17:15), that they'd be sanctified in the truth (17:17), that they'd be united together (17:21), and that they'd know God's love for them and for Jesus (17:23-26).
Martin Luther famously said that all of life should be a life of repentance...this is why Jesus said that the one who follows Him must daily take up his cross (see Luke9:23). Those in Christ will do it, because they know that Jesus is worth it...He's captivated them, enraptured them, and shown Himself as glorious and worthy of praise. This is why Paul is confident the Galatians will listen to Him and take heart: because "those in Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal5:24).
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Christian=Slave of Christ
"Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him" (Jesus, John12:25-26)
With these words Jesus left no room to mistake what it means to follow him. It means death to self (Mk8:35), death to possessions (Lk14:33), death to God's Law (Rom7:4), and death to the world (Gal6:14). Characteristic of this lifestyle is that the very Life of Jesus is inside of us (Gal2:20), and our "fellowship" (ie, that community from which we derive our identity) is with Christ and the Father, and not with the world anymore (1Jn1:3, 2:15).
This is much different than asceticism (that true religion is self-mutilation and repentance from ALL things just because all things are bad). It's not turning from all things and killing yourself just for the sake of turning and killing yourself. It's hearing that Jesus says the world is jacked up, and the only way for true life and salvation is by following Him. It's coming to Jesus and being united with Him in His death and resurrection, which ushers in a new Creation (hence, "if anyone is in Christ he's a new creation"--2Cor5:17).
Jesus said that unless people repent (and follow Him) they'll die gruesome deaths (see Lk13:1-5), and that unless people trust in Him they'll die in their sin (Jn8:24). Statements like these are absolutely unmistakable--they can't be taken to mean anything else. Paul later said that unless people "believe into Jesus Christ" (Greek language, "in" = "into") no one will have a right-standing before a holy God (see Gal2:16). The final stanza of the Bible ends with Jesus himself saying He's coming soon (Rev22:20). How could it possibly be mistaken that Christianity is not about following and trusting in Christ with radical trust and obedience?
It's very simple: People drift towards religion, other people drift towards "tolerance", and all people drift towards hostility against God.
-Religion--these are the people who know that Jesus calls for radical obedience. But they've made a god of church traditions and maybe even Bible knowledge. They're pharisees who don't love Jesus because they love themselves more, and spend their time critiquing, but not loving and evangelizing.
-Tolerance--these are people who a) want everyone to be welcomed in, and b) want the world to accept the Church. Christians should want everyone to be saved...but they can't hate Jesus enough to change His truth for the sake of "getting everyone in". When the disciples asked if many will be saved, Jesus said, "Strive to enter by the narrow gate" (Lk13:24) meaning that discipleship means getting your eyes off of crowds, and onto Jesus. "Love" does not mean "tolerance". Love tells the truth (like Jesus), doesn't "rejoice in wrongdoing" (1Cor13:6), and calls people to assume they're wrong if Jesus says they are. "Tolerance" is usually circular, in that most advocates of it have a moving standard that changes if someone disagrees with them...they pretty quickly break their own rule when confronted and don't do a good job of tolerating the person opposing them (see the immediate breakage?). The question is "what is truth?", and the answer is "whatever Jesus says", although many aren't asking this question.
-Hostility toward God--Since many people are religious and others are tolerant, they shoot daggers past each other, showing that their aim in battle is flesh and blood. While the real battle is for people coming to a knowledge of God through Christ (Jn12:45, 14:8; 2Cor10:4) and so having eternal life in Him (Jn17:3), many Christians' heaven would be a world where the other side is nonexistent. Because these Christians never truly came to repentance from the world and into Jesus in the beginning, they're still holding onto the glory of man, whether its their own glory (religion), or others' glory (tolerance). Jesus plainly said that if you're out for the glory of man and not the glory of God, you won't believe in Him (Jn5:44).
The christian call is a call to renounce all and come after Jesus. He takes our sin on himself and gives us His righteousness. All of our righteousness before God and others comes from Jesus. HE'S our good standing. He rises from the grave to show His power and give us eternal life by making us new creatures. I'm acting and thinking different because I am different...I'm a new creation in Christ. I'm adopted into the family of God because Jesus, the true Son of God, was crushed under the judgment of God that should have been reserved for me. Now I'm a son of God. And it's all because Jesus bought me and purchased me.
That's the Gospel. And this is my response: Repentance. "Thus it's written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from death, and repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed..." (Lk24:46-47). I'm not trying to save myself, because Jesus already saved me, and is working on me. And I'm not going to compromise Jesus' truth for the sake of acceptance and friendship with others. Jesus said I'd have trouble in the world, and that they'd hate me the way they hated him (Jn15:18-21). I was hostile to God, an enemy in word and deed and intention, but "while I was an enemy, I was reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Rom5:10, cf Col1:21). Christ is absolutely everything, and if the conversation isn't beginning with His life, death, burial, and resurrection FIRST, it's not a christian conversation, and it will be marred by our own interests and understanding.
If people disagree with me on things like homosexuality, abortion, religion, war, etc., we begin with Jesus. And by God's grace, people will hear that wherever Jesus calls us to change, His resurrection provides the power FOR the change. Apart from Christ, we're slaves to the world and sin (cf Jn8:34, Rom6:20, 2Cor4:4). But in Christ, we're slaves of Christ. And this way we're actually free. Christianity is nothing less, and if anything less is presented, it's counterfeit, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
With these words Jesus left no room to mistake what it means to follow him. It means death to self (Mk8:35), death to possessions (Lk14:33), death to God's Law (Rom7:4), and death to the world (Gal6:14). Characteristic of this lifestyle is that the very Life of Jesus is inside of us (Gal2:20), and our "fellowship" (ie, that community from which we derive our identity) is with Christ and the Father, and not with the world anymore (1Jn1:3, 2:15).
This is much different than asceticism (that true religion is self-mutilation and repentance from ALL things just because all things are bad). It's not turning from all things and killing yourself just for the sake of turning and killing yourself. It's hearing that Jesus says the world is jacked up, and the only way for true life and salvation is by following Him. It's coming to Jesus and being united with Him in His death and resurrection, which ushers in a new Creation (hence, "if anyone is in Christ he's a new creation"--2Cor5:17).
Jesus said that unless people repent (and follow Him) they'll die gruesome deaths (see Lk13:1-5), and that unless people trust in Him they'll die in their sin (Jn8:24). Statements like these are absolutely unmistakable--they can't be taken to mean anything else. Paul later said that unless people "believe into Jesus Christ" (Greek language, "in" = "into") no one will have a right-standing before a holy God (see Gal2:16). The final stanza of the Bible ends with Jesus himself saying He's coming soon (Rev22:20). How could it possibly be mistaken that Christianity is not about following and trusting in Christ with radical trust and obedience?
It's very simple: People drift towards religion, other people drift towards "tolerance", and all people drift towards hostility against God.
-Religion--these are the people who know that Jesus calls for radical obedience. But they've made a god of church traditions and maybe even Bible knowledge. They're pharisees who don't love Jesus because they love themselves more, and spend their time critiquing, but not loving and evangelizing.
-Tolerance--these are people who a) want everyone to be welcomed in, and b) want the world to accept the Church. Christians should want everyone to be saved...but they can't hate Jesus enough to change His truth for the sake of "getting everyone in". When the disciples asked if many will be saved, Jesus said, "Strive to enter by the narrow gate" (Lk13:24) meaning that discipleship means getting your eyes off of crowds, and onto Jesus. "Love" does not mean "tolerance". Love tells the truth (like Jesus), doesn't "rejoice in wrongdoing" (1Cor13:6), and calls people to assume they're wrong if Jesus says they are. "Tolerance" is usually circular, in that most advocates of it have a moving standard that changes if someone disagrees with them...they pretty quickly break their own rule when confronted and don't do a good job of tolerating the person opposing them (see the immediate breakage?). The question is "what is truth?", and the answer is "whatever Jesus says", although many aren't asking this question.
-Hostility toward God--Since many people are religious and others are tolerant, they shoot daggers past each other, showing that their aim in battle is flesh and blood. While the real battle is for people coming to a knowledge of God through Christ (Jn12:45, 14:8; 2Cor10:4) and so having eternal life in Him (Jn17:3), many Christians' heaven would be a world where the other side is nonexistent. Because these Christians never truly came to repentance from the world and into Jesus in the beginning, they're still holding onto the glory of man, whether its their own glory (religion), or others' glory (tolerance). Jesus plainly said that if you're out for the glory of man and not the glory of God, you won't believe in Him (Jn5:44).
The christian call is a call to renounce all and come after Jesus. He takes our sin on himself and gives us His righteousness. All of our righteousness before God and others comes from Jesus. HE'S our good standing. He rises from the grave to show His power and give us eternal life by making us new creatures. I'm acting and thinking different because I am different...I'm a new creation in Christ. I'm adopted into the family of God because Jesus, the true Son of God, was crushed under the judgment of God that should have been reserved for me. Now I'm a son of God. And it's all because Jesus bought me and purchased me.
That's the Gospel. And this is my response: Repentance. "Thus it's written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from death, and repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed..." (Lk24:46-47). I'm not trying to save myself, because Jesus already saved me, and is working on me. And I'm not going to compromise Jesus' truth for the sake of acceptance and friendship with others. Jesus said I'd have trouble in the world, and that they'd hate me the way they hated him (Jn15:18-21). I was hostile to God, an enemy in word and deed and intention, but "while I was an enemy, I was reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Rom5:10, cf Col1:21). Christ is absolutely everything, and if the conversation isn't beginning with His life, death, burial, and resurrection FIRST, it's not a christian conversation, and it will be marred by our own interests and understanding.
If people disagree with me on things like homosexuality, abortion, religion, war, etc., we begin with Jesus. And by God's grace, people will hear that wherever Jesus calls us to change, His resurrection provides the power FOR the change. Apart from Christ, we're slaves to the world and sin (cf Jn8:34, Rom6:20, 2Cor4:4). But in Christ, we're slaves of Christ. And this way we're actually free. Christianity is nothing less, and if anything less is presented, it's counterfeit, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
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