When Marriage is about God

"Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18)

With these words God brought into existence the second human being: woman. She was created in the image of God like the man to help him in fulfilling his God-given task of cultivating and keeping creation. Miraculously made from the body of the man himself, she is "bone of [his] bone, and flesh of [his] flesh". And so it is said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24) Thus the first man and the first woman enjoyed the first marriage. This relationship was designed by God for our good, and to this day countless men and women in in every country and culture benefit from God's gift of marriage. When a man and a woman are united in marriage as one flesh according to the design of God, we flourish and God's kindness and wisdom are displayed for all to see.

Marriage is also the means through which mankind would fill and subdue the earth, covering the planet with the glory of God we were made to reflect. Yet our first parents did not fulfill their God-given task and they did not reflect God's glory when they chose to disobey and sin against Him. Their dishonoring of God brought the punishment of death and separation from their Creator. And so mankind fell into rebellion and reproach, and the core of his being turned away from God. The first marriage also was devastated by sin, and the relationship of the woman to the man made bitter. "Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (Genesis 3:16)

In both the Biblical records and present day experience marriage is both a hopeful and painful institution. Marriage has such potential for blessing, yet so many of us have experienced either firsthand or with someone close the devastation of a broken marriage. While a solid, loving marriage may bring immeasurable benefits for generations, a broken marriage breaks the heart and home. And as much as a married couple is hurt by divorce, God is affected even more. God created us in His image, and He designed marriage as a means for us to reflect that image. Therefore God cares deeply about the state of our marriages.

Marriage is for us but it is not mainly about us. Marriage is most profoundly about God and His glory and grace. With perfect wisdom, God designed marriage to reflect His relationship with His chosen people. God came to us in Christ, like a faithful and long-suffering husband to his adulterous wife, and at great cost to Himself purchased us out of the slavery, made us clean, forgave all of our sins, and took us as His bride. This is the Biblical picture of God's great love for His church, a love so great that "He gave His one and only Son" (John 3:16) and "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) This is the picture which are marriages are made to reflect.

They do so by the way the husband and wife relate to each other. The husband leading, loving and serving his wife as Christ does the church (Ephesians 5:25-29), and the wife respecting and submitting to her husband as the church does to Christ (Ephesians 5:22-24). The church is called the body of Christ for we are united with our savior by faith through His grace. And just as the church is forever united to Christ as His body and bride, so the wife is forever united to her husband as his body and bride. For this reason the scripture says: "Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body." (Ephesians 5:28-30)

This is why marriage is to be permanent, until "death do us part", because God's relationship to His church is permanent. This is why a husband must never leave his wife, because Christ will never leave His church. "This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:32). Marriage therefore depicts an eternal reality far beyond all comprehension: the covenant relationship between Christ and His church. Marriage is about God and His glory and grace!

For this reason God says "'Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. For I hate divorce,' says the Lord, the God of Israel" (Malachi 2:15,16) Because marriage is for our good and God's glory, God is passionately against divorce for it communicates a lie about who He is. God does not deal treacherously against His wife the church, but He is faithful to the end. Therefore the people of God are warned in the strongest language possible not to divorce and not to find another spouse in the tragic event of a divorce. Jesus said, "I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9) Marriage is such a sacred picture of the glory and grace of God that the disciples reply to Jesus with shock, "It is better not to marry". (Matthew 19:10) They are frightened by the responsibility of marriage! We would also do well to stand in awe of the meaning of marriage.

We respond to God's word about marriage from four primary positions: single, married, divorced or remarried. To the single person, a word of encouragement and a warning. First, singleness is in no way inferior to marriage. You are not an incomplete person waiting to get married. Jesus Himself, the only perfect person who ever lived, was not married and lacked nothing. And neither do you for being single! In fact, your singeless is a gift from God which allows you to more freely to devote yourself to His service, if you will receive it as such. Jesus spoke of singleness and said, "Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given....He who is able to accept this, let him accept it." (Matthew 19:11,12) The unmarried apostle Paul likewise said, "But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I [single]. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." (1 Corinthians 7:8-9) Don't forget the God-given benefit of being single, for "I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord...This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord." (1 Corinthians 7:32,35) All this to say, do not despise your singleness but embrace it as a gift from God, even if only for a season.

Second, consider the immense responsibility of marriage before rushing into a relationship. Men, are you ready to lay down your lives for a wife? Are you ready to permanently commit yourself to lead, love and serve the woman God gives you? Are you prepared to accept responsibility before God for the well-being of your family? If you are to lay down your life for this calling, know that there will be sacrifice. You will forfeit hobbies, pleasures and privaleges, but be assured that the payoff of such commitment will bring great blessing and reward, for "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

To the married person, there is likewise a word of encouragement and a warning. First, remember that your marriage is designed by God for your good and His glory! You have the royal privalege of displaying to the world the covenant keeping love of Christ for His church. Therefore keep the gospel at the center of your marriage. Men, you are to be a picture of Christ to your wife. When wronged, you must be quick to forgive. When divided, you must be first to reconcile. When cold, you must initiate warm affection. You are responsible before God to lead, love and serve your wife. This is what Christ has done for you, so go and do likewise. If you neglect her well-being, you neglect yourself, for the two of you are one in God's sight. Therefore be dilligent to preserve the unity of your marriage and utilize your God-given family to bless others! Bring single people into your lives and display the love of Jesus to them. Invite the lost and the poor in to taste and see the goodness of God in your marriage.

Second, maintain reverence for the sanctity of your marriage. Christian couples, remember that your marriage is a witness of the Lord you call upon. What kind of message are you sending to your neighbors and friends? If your marriage is struggling, and all marriages will struggle at times in varying degree, I plead with you to do whatever it takes to make things right. Confess sin, find accountability within godly community, seek wise counsel, and for the love of Jesus take divorce off the table. Remember the covenant made on your wedding day. Remember that God sovereignly brought the two of you together: "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." (Matthew 19:6)

To the divorced person, the word of God offers much hope and promise to you. Whatever the reason for your divorce, whether you have sinned or been sinned against, forgiveness and restoration are available in the arms of Jesus Christ. Are you grieving? Jesus came to bear your grief. Are you overwhelmed by sorrow? Jesus came to carry you. (Isaiah 53:4) Are you guilty? Jesus came to bear your guilt. Have you "dealt treacherously against the wife of your youth"? Jesus came to pay the price for your sin. Come to Jesus, all you who are weary and heavy-laden with broken marriages, and He will give you rest. Even if your marriage seems to have failed, your God has not failed. He can work good even through sin and devastation, and He has an eternally significant life ahead of you in the fellowship of His service if you will have Christ as your savior an Lord.

If you will follow Him through this valley of shadow and death, know that your Heavenly Father desires reconciliation with your spouse above all else. "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men", epsecially your spouse. (Romans 12:18) The Lord instructs us "that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband)" (1 Corinthians 7:10,11) And if reconciliation is not possible, receive this new chapter of your life with all its pain as a new beginning of undivided devotion to the Lord. Please do not go the way of the culture which has no love for God and would urge you to start over with someone else. No, "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2) Few can accept this good and perfect will, yet you will be blessed if you do. For a person is bound by covenant to their spouse as long as they live, (1 Corinthians 7:39) and commits adultery if they marry another, except in the case of adultery (Matthew 19:9) or being left by an unbelieving spouse. (1 Corinthians 7:15) Remember that Jesus spoke everything He did for our joy (John 15:11) and "His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3) Jesus did not come to give burdens and take away joy, but to take away burdens and give joy.

Finally, to the remarried person, there is grace for you as much as any one else. Even if you have remarried without Biblical grounds and commited adultery in doing so, remember for whom Christ died. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) That means Christ died for adulterers like you and I. You do not get a finger pointed in your face, for we are all guilty. For "everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) We will not however help ourselves or anyone else by glossing over adultery. Rather, God calls us to repentance. "Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God" (Jeremiah 3:13) and "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Take heart, there is grace for us all.

Remember the woman at the well, considered to be an unclean Samaritan by the Jews, married and divorced five times and living with the sixth man out of wedlock...and loved by Jesus. He did not come to condemn her already devastated soul, but to offer her living water. "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:14) This is the God we serve, and this is the gospel we preach. Salvation for us who believe in Christ, no matter what we've done or where we've been! Having repented and believed in this good news, glorify God in your remarriage. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her...Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:25,22)

God's grace is sufficient for us to endure and even thrive in whatever unique challenges our marital status brings. Wherever we are, we desparately need Jesus. Praise God, He is available to us! May He be glorified in our singleness, our marriage, our divorce or our remarriage and may we not reject His word but receive it as the life-giving treasure it is.

(5/29/2013)

He is Risen!

After Jesus had risen from death... "the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'” (Matthew 28:16-20)

It's that time of year when we are again reminded, even confronted, with the historical reality that Jesus died on a tree, was buried for three days, and then came out of the grave. The Biblical authors could appeal to more than 500 witnesses who had seen the risen Jesus, (1 Corinthians 15:6) but we need not only take their word for it. We can come to the risen Lord Jesus ourselves and see Him by faith. We can open our Bibles and pray with Moses, “Lord, show me your glory!” (Exodus 33:18) We can see the Lord seated on a throne in Isaiah 6 (John 12:41), high and exalted, filling His temple with splendor and majesty. We can witness the strange and mighty living creatures flying about His throne and calling out 'Holy, holy, holy!' with voices that shake the temple. They hide their eyes, for they cannot even look upon Him who continually upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). And then, as we despair at the impossible distance between His holiness and our sinfulness, we can see this Almighty King leave the glory of His throne and descend into our world as a humble servant (Philippians 2:3-8).


He came and found wretched, sinful us and He did the unthinkable: He treated us as more important than Himself. See the Lord as He stoops down and washes our feet, as a slave would his master (John 13). See Him lifted up on a cross, a mangled, bloody mess, dying in our place. See the perfect, righteous Lord taking all of our guilt and shame upon Himself, crying out “It is finished!” (2 Corinthians 5:21, John 19:30) Who could resist this love? Who could resist this King? See the empty tomb and let us run with the disciples to the resurrected Savior! Like the disciples, we come to Him with a range of emotions. Sometimes worshipful, sometimes doubtful, yet Jesus comes to every one of us with a truth we can rest our short and fragile lives upon: All authority is His. There is no man, woman or child who does not belong to Him. So go and make disciples. Go and rescue the perishing. The Lord has died so that they may live, and He is worthy of their praise! Believers, our lives or not our own, we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). So let us go in His authority to neighbors and nations, because He will be with us always, even to the end of the age.

The Good News of God: A Brief Summary of the Bible

The Only Way to God?

The more I learn about the alternative ways offered by the world the more sure I am that Jesus is the only way to God. It is my earnest hope that you who are reading this would honestly consider the same question wherever you stand: Is Jesus the only way to God? For some, the answer to this question is a cause for unspeakable joy and worship. For others, the answer to this question is avoided and thought to be foolish. Listen to how Jesus answered the question, He said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6) How could Jesus say such a thing? Doesn't He know there are decent people in the world who have never heard His message? Yes, Jesus knows, for “He knew all men...He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:24-25) No one knows the hearts of men like Jesus. Indeed no ones knows your heart like Jesus. He sees us exactly as we are, being “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the image of God, yet fallen and broken. As wonderfully as we were made, something has gone terribly wrong. We have forsaken our God and are now cut off from His life, like a fallen branch withering away.

As created beings, we are accountable to our Maker. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) And God is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth...yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Exodus 34:6,7). God is so infinitely perfect and good that to disobey Him is to commit a crime of infinite consequence, and we are all guilty of this according to the Bible. Listen to the words of scripture: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:18-21) How can God be both loving and just towards people who have sinned against Him?

God is too good to pass over evil. He cannot sweep our sins under the rug of the universe, so to speak, because as the perfect judge “He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished”. What then are we to do? How can we stand before a holy God? “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). There is no question more pressing than this. It is impossible to adequately state the urgency of our need for a solution, for who can fathom the terror of entering into eternity guilty before God? But hear this: God has made a way for all of us to be saved! God is a God of justice, yet He is also a God of love. He "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4) and so He gave us a message of hope and peace, born of a virgin, sent into our cursed world to take our curse upon Himself. Jesus the Christ appeared as Immanuel, “God with us”. "Although He existed in the form of God, [Jesus] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:6-7) He loved us, lived among us, identified with us, suffered and died for us. He was condemned to a brutal and bloody death by crucifixion, offering His life as a perfect sacrifice to take the punishment of a perfect God. He rose from the grave and now calls the world to give up their rebellion and receive abundant pardon from God by trusting in Him. Forgiveness is free and available! Be reconciled to God!

Jesus is the only way to God because Jesus is the only savior given by God. “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) He is the only one who is able to save us, for only Jesus lived the perfect life we never could and satisfied the justice of God which our morality never would. Our good deeds will never compensate for our bad and we do not live up to God's perfect standards even for a day. We need a savior friends, and Jesus is that savior. His yoke is easy, His burden is light, and His love is better than life. He is the good shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. He is willing and able to save you, and He is the only way to God. His arms are open, and His voice is calling out to all who will listen: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

(June 3rd, 2013)

On Prayer

What is prayer? Almost everyone has some idea of what prayer is. It is as commonly known as eating or drinking. But I do not want a common definition of prayer, I want God's definition. I would like to know how our Creator wants us to pray and what we should pray for. I want to know the practical, daily implications that prayer has on my life and the lives of others. But before I consider the how and the what, I must know how the Creator defines prayer. God help me.

With those last three words I begin this inquiry with a prayer. Like other forms of communication, it transmitted a message, in this case a request for help. It involved two or more parties which is what makes it a communication. Unlike other forms of communication, it is not between two creatures, but between a creature and his creator. I just asked the God of the universe for help. Why? Because I believe that God will not only hear my prayer but respond in a favorable way. There are many reasons I believe this but ultimately it is the result of a conviction that the Bible is God's authentic Word and therefore is absolutely true and trustworthy.

I know that God hears and responds to prayer because God's word is full of examples of ordinary men who prayed with extraordinary results. Elijah prayed and saw dramatic changes in weather patterns. “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain” (James 5:17-18) Joshua prayed and saw the cosmic suspension of the natural order of our solar system. "Joshua spoke to the Lord...'O sun, stand still'...the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day" (Joshua 10:12-14) Moses prayed and saw an entire nation saved from destruction. "Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, 'O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people...Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people'...So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.” (Exodus 32:11-14)

The testimony of the Bible is clear: people pray and the world is changed. Why does God answer prayer? “His sovereignty rules over all” (Psalm 103:19) and He“works all things after the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). If God runs the world and is always in control, how do our prayers matter? The only way our prayers can bring about actual change in God's world is if He is executing His plans through the prayers of people. As far as we know, this is a uniquely human privilege, for nothing else in creation is known to pray. The implications of this reality are incredible: Prayer is an invitation from God to participate with Him in His sovereign plans. What a testimony to the grace of God! How amazing it is that He would give creatures like us a role in bringing about His eternal, unchanging purposes.

The testimony of the Bible is also that God does not need anything, including prayer, because He created all things. "He [is not] served by human hands, as though He needed anything" (Acts 17:25) So why did God create us to pray? One reason God created prayer is because He delights in prayer. “The prayer of the upright is [God's] delight” and "the Lord takes pleasure in His people" (Proverbs 15:8, Psalm 149:4) God delights in prayer because He delights in His people. The implications of this reality are also incredible: Prayer is a means of bringing joy to God. What a testimony to the love of God! What is thrilling thought it is that God would choose to find pleasure in our prayers.

Not only does God find pleasure in His people and their prayers, He also commands that we“delight [ourselves] in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4). One of the ways we do this is through prayer. The Lord Jesus made this clear when He held out the promise of joy to His people who pray in His name: “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full” (John 16:24). God wants us to bring our needs before Him in Jesus' name so that we will delight in God and His Son as He meets our needs. As we depend on God to meet every need, we draw near to Him in prayer and find the giver of every good gift to be the greatest joy of all. “In [His] presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). The implications of this reality are crucial for every hungry heart: Prayer is a means of bringing joy to God's people. What a testimony to the Fatherly affection of God! What father does not delight to see his child happy in healthy ways? If we earthly fathers, being sinful as we are, delight in our children's happiness, how much more does our heavenly Father delight to see His children find joy in Him?

Finally, the Bible testifies that prayer, like all other human abilities, is intended to bring glory and honor to God. “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) The commandment to do all things to the glory of God certainly applies to prayer! How does prayer glorify God? The Lord describes how it works in Psalm 50:15:“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” Prayer creates worship and gratitude in God's people as He answers our prayers and meets our needs. When someone needs help, it is the one who satisfies the need who is honored. Just as a fire victim honors the fireman who pulled him out of the burning building, and a starving mother thanks the charitable hands that fed her family, so we bring glory to God when we receive from Him and worship Him as our provider. As creatures made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), our greatest purpose in life is to bring glory to God. And prayer is a means of bringing glory to God. If we care at all about living life the way our Maker intended us to, we must care about prayer.

So what is prayer? Prayer is an invitation from God to participate with Him in His sovereign plans. Prayer is a means of bringing joy to God. Prayer is a means of bringing joy to God's people. And above all, prayer is a means of bringing glory to God. Prayer as defined in the Bible is many things more than this, but it is not less. It can be life-changing to know how God defines prayer and how He promises to hear our prayers. It is just as important, however, to know that there are prayers which God promises not to hear.

For instance, He will not hear the prayers of people whose sin has separated them from God. The Lord warns in Isaiah 59:2 “your iniquities [sins] have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” I believe God hears my prayers, yet I am a sinner and the Bible says that God does not hear the prayers of sinners. How is it possible then that God hears my prayers? I believe that God hears my prayers, though I am a sinner, because Jesus Christ the righteous one took all of my sins upon Himself and gave me His perfect righteousness. “[God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) “As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our [sins] from us.” (Psalm 103:12) The confidence that God will hear our prayers comes from the confidence that God has removed our sins from us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is why we are told in Ephesians 3:12 that “we have boldness and confident access [to God] through faith in [Jesus]”.

If we have peace with God through faith in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, we have every reason to believe that God will hear our prayers. If we do not have peace with God, we have little reason to believe that God will hear our prayers. There is one prayer, however, that God will always answer no matter who you are or how sinful you are. It is the prayer that calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus for salvation. “For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13) “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

A prayer that calls on the name of the Lord Jesus is the most important prayer that could ever be prayed. Like a hungry baby's cry to her mother brings milk, and a drowning man's shout to the lifeguard brings his boat, so a sinner's prayer to Jesus brings God's salvation. It is not just any prayer, however. It is a prayer that calls on the name of Jesus. His name is the entire package of who He is and what He has done. To call upon His name is to see Him for who He is: the only Son of God and Lord of all. To call on His name is to believe in what He did: His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. It says in faith, “because You are who You are, and because You did what You did, save me!” It is a plea for pardon that believes in Jesus. It believes in His power, His mercy and His love. It believes in His ability to save. It is also a sinner's call. It comes only from the one who knows they have sinned against God and need a savior. For only when a baby feels her hunger will she cry out for milk, and only when a man knows he is danger of drowning will he shout for help. And so it is with the sinner's prayer that only when a person understands that they have sinned against their Maker will they call on Jesus as their Savior. Lastly, it is a prayer of surrender. It bows before Jesus as Lord of Lords and receives Him as King of Kings. It surrenders self-authority at the feet of Jesus and says “not my will, but Yours be done”.

That is all a long and drawn out way of saying that calling on the name of the Lord is a sinner's prayer of faith and repentance which appeals to God for salvation on the basis of who Jesus is and what God accomplished on the cross for sinners. God promises in His authentic Word, the Bible, to save everyone who prays like this. Prayer, therefore, has amazingly important implications on every human life, for prayer is the mode of communication by which sinful people may receive God's generous gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ! Prayer as defined in the Bible is many things more than this, but it is not less. Because calling on the Lord is the foundation of a saving relationship with Him, it is the foundation of all other prayers. 

(March 18th, 2013)

From Darkness to Light

Coming into Light

The process in which a person becomes a Christian is compared to many things in the Bible. For example, it is likened to being “born again” (John 3:3), “justified” (Rom 5:1), “adopted” (Rom 8:15) and “redeemed” (Gal 3:13). One of the most striking pictures of believing in Jesus given in the Bible is that of coming out of darkness into light. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” “For [God] rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:13)

The truth behind the imagery of darkness and light is that apart from a saving relationship with Jesus, we are in darkness. The metaphor of darkness implies blindness because light is necessary to see. While ministering on earth, Jesus was misunderstood by many who saw him. Some people saw Jesus as a threat and a blasphemer. Others saw Jesus as a great teacher and a prophet. However many did not see Jesus for who He really is: the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They saw with their natural eyes, but their spiritual eyes did not see Him for who He is. This is what it means to be in darkness. Jesus Himself described the state of darkness which caused many to misunderstand or reject Him: “while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13)

The shocking and sobering claim of the Bible is that this state of darkness is true for all people everywhere who have not believed God's good news of salvation. For “the god of this world [the devil] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Not seeing the light is equivalent to remaining in darkness. The apostle Paul tells believers that they were all in the darkness before they believed in Jesus: “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8) The sun is still shining on the world by the mercy of God, but it is a planet covered in darkness. For wherever you find human beings who have not come into the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus, there you will find darkness.

The world as we know it functions by light, for without the light of the sun, life would not exist. God has given us life sustaining, natural light as a means of pointing us to Himself. For just as the sun is the source of all natural life, so the Son of God is the source of all spiritual life. His coming into this world is likened to a sunrise: “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2), and a light which “shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). The Lord Jesus Himself said that to follow Him is to have His light: “Jesus...spoke to them, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.'” (John 8:12) The comparison of natural and spiritual light is further clarified: “For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) Both natural light and spiritual light are entirely the work of our creator God. Just as “the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep” until God spoke and said “let there be light” (Genesis 1:2,3), so we are in darkness and cannot see the spiritual reality of Jesus Christ until God speaks into our hearts and says, “let there be light”.

Testing the Light

Coming out of darkness and into the light is essential to the Christian experience. This reality is so foundational to living the life of faith that it reveals who actually knows Jesus as their Savior and Lord. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7) It is those who walk in the light who know Jesus and have been cleansed from sin. To walk in something is to follow and live in that something. This means the Christian experience in as ongoing lifestyle, a path to be walked on. It is heading towards one destination while at the same time leaving behind another. And so it is that to walk in the light is to leave darkness behind. This is why the scripture says that those who walk in darkness while claiming to know Jesus are lying.

The Bible describes this life of light in very practical, explicit ways. For example, “The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:10-11) Sincere love, especially for the family of God, is an evidence of light. An absence of love is an evidence of darkness. The question could be asked, “If I do not have a love for others, especially other believers, do I really know Jesus?” The identity of a Christian is made visible by the way we love.

Even more, the identity of a Christian is made visible by the way we repent of sin, or in other words, turn away from darkness. For “no one who is born of God practices sin, because [God's] seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:9-10) The testimony of the scriptures is that those who have come out of darkness and into light are obvious. The change in them is evident. It is not perfect, and there will surely be much need for growth and further transformation, for “if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) Yet it is an internal reality that can and should be witnessed by an outward change.

The analogy of darkness and light is meant to describe a radical transformation. Any one who has gone spelunking in a cave can attest to this. After many hours spent in a dark, damp cave, leaving that darkness and stepping into the brilliant light of the sun is quite a dramatic shift. To take the analogy further, bringing it even closer to the reality of the Biblical picture, imagine a man who lived in a cave all his life, blindly groping in the darkness, until the day someone grabbed him by the hand, led him to the the exit and out into the sunshine, and he saw the sky and the meadows and the birds for the first time. The picture given to us of conversion is something like that.

Following Jesus therefore is a completely new way of living. To experience God is to be changed. That is why we are told to give ourselves a test, to see whether we have come into the light. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) We are to ask ourselves pointed questions such as: “Is there light in me? Have I experienced a shift in priorities, desires and pleasures? Is the love of Christ at work in me? Do I see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life?” The God of hope doesn't lead us to ask these questions to created doubt and discouragement in His children, but to increase our confidence and trust in Him. He wants us to have a real relationship with Him that brings us home to eternal life. This warning is in the Bible because God does not want anyone to be deceived into thinking they are destined for eternal life when in fact they never truly repented and put their faith in Jesus. Such a warning should cause us to pause and pray.

It is important to stress that the scriptures do not require some kind of morality test in which we base our confidence on religious activity or moral standards. We are not the emphasis of the test, but rather God's Spirit working in us. This is a great encouragement and relief because God is eager to give His Spirit to those who ask Him! Just as Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)

All believers in Jesus are given the amazing promise that God's Spirit dwells in them. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not you own?” (1 Corintians 6:19) It is hard to fathom a greater hope for today than God Himself filling and dwelling anyone who comes to Him through Jesus Christ. This is why transformation is expected in the Christian. Not because we ourselves possess the ability to change, not at all! Transformation is expected in the Christian because the Spirit of Almighty God dwells in the believer. He makes Himself evident by producing good fruit where He dwells, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23) However imperfect he may be, the identity of a Christian is made visible by the work of the Holy Spirit, which is Christ in us.

“For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (Luke 6:43-45)

Living in Light

What relevance do these realities have on the life of faith? Jesus gave His followers a shockingly significant identity: “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) That's what Jesus called Himself! Yet He gives His disciples the same title. It means that we, as people called by God into light, are not to hide that light but boldly shine it for all to see. Simply stated, Christianity is a public faith. For “a city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) God changes people so that they will be like billboards of His grace and glory to others. He wants people to see our lives, hear our words, and say: “God is amazing.” The implications are massive, for how should we shop and talk, share and give, love and forgive in such a way that other people glorify God? That God would use our lives like this should cause us to pause and pray.

These realities also bring an exhortation to believers to keep on walking in the light. Those who have come into the light stumble at times and for this reason the scriptures tells us to continually abandon the darkness and seek transformation from the Lord. “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:12-14) “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10)

The warning and encouragement for us all is to turn away from darkness day by day and walk in the light, remembering how great a Savior we have in Jesus. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

The knowledge of light and what it implies for the Christian should also cause us to be discerning. The Lord does not want His people mistaking darkness for light. “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them” (Ephesians 5:5-7) We are to discern darkness so that we will not call it Christian and will not participate in it. Similarly, the love of Christ does not tell people they are in the light when there is good reason to believe they are in darkness. The implications of this should cause us to pause and pray.

Finally, to come out of darkness and into light is a cause to worship God like never before. It is good for our souls to remember just how lost and hopeless we were before we met Jesus. A country hymn captures it well:

Just like a blind man I wandered along

Worries and fears I claimed for my own

Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight

Praise the lord I saw the light.

I saw the light I saw the light

no more darkness no more night

Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight

Praise the lord I saw the light.

(2013, April 4th)

Suffering Job: Justified Before God

Job 32:2 "He justified himself before God"

Job has spent the previous chapters asserting his integrity, recounting the ways he has lived a righteous life. His soul was grieved for the needy and he wept for those whose lives are hard (30:25). He guarded his eyes from lust (31:1). He did not go after other women but had been faithful to his wife (31:9). He treated his servants justly (31:13). He fed the poor and took care of the orphan and the widow (31:16). He took no pride in his wealth (31:24). He did not curse his enemies (31:29). He showed hospitality to the alien and the stranger (31:32). God Himself affirms the upright heart of Job: "There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man" (1:8). Job's life appears Christ-life indeed. Surely God worked a profound miracle of grace in Job's life and led Him on the straight and narrow path of righteousness. Yet when calamity befell Job, his heart cried out "what have I done to deserve this?!" And so Job justifies himself before the Almighty God.

I don't think Job was lying about his life. I am confident that he was an upright man who had lived a life of faith that was very pleasing to God. But tremble in amazement: even the most righteous man on the earth cannot justify himself before God! I have sought to live an obedient life before God, but can I make any of these claims of Job for my life? How wretched I am compared to Job. And if Job cannot justify himself before God, how much less can I? How can I ever hope to be righteous? My hardest attempts are weak and tainted with sin.

Praise God, He completely supplies everything we lack in Christ! Every debt has been paid, every failure accounted for. He took our sin, we get His righteousness. "He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

(6/20/2011)