Which Soil Are You?

It doesn’t take long to look around you and realize there are major problems: problems of war, disunity, envy, indulgence, selfishness, poverty, enslavement, materialism, oppression, etc. And yet so many of our problems would dissipate if we would submit to our purpose, to God’s word and will for creation.

Think about that: God wrote a book. He gave us his words to imbue us with his power, to give us new life, to guide our confused paths. The only problem is, we don’t read anymore. Many studies show how, in our age of screen addiction, there isn’t a whole lot of hearty reading going on – and in order to make use of God’s word there needs to be reading, or at least some listening.

This is where Jesus’s parable in Mark 4 comes in. He tells the parable of the sower. And in his explanation in verses 14-20 he lays out his meaning:

a. Roadside soil (4:13–15): This soil represents those who hear the message but do not understand it, thus allowing Satan to steal it from them.
b. Shallow, rocky soil (4:16–17): This soil represents those who have no depth and thus drop out when encountering persecution.
c. Thorn-infested soil (4:18–19): This soil represents those who allow the deceitfulness of riches to snuff out the seed.
d. Fertile soil (4:20) : This soil represents those who both hear and understand, permitting the seed to produce abundantly.
(from Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (Mk 4:13–20)).

Which soil are you? When the word of God is being scattered, how do you receive it? How do you hear? Do you listen and comprehend?

So many of our problems would be solved if we simply had the heart and interest to take God at his word, to really put down the tech and pick up the Book so that we might hear from God. Let’s try.

And if you don’t really know where to start, start with the New Testament – the last 27 books of your Bible. Read a chapter, mull over it a bit, then pray that God would help you understand it, make it real to you, and help you to carry it out in your day to day life. Keep a consistent pattern and routine. You’ll get the hang of it.

Scripture Reading: 2Ch.31-32; Ps.26; Mk.4

Christ’s Church

Based upon Simon Peter’s confession that Jesus was the promised Messiah, God’s Chosen One, of the Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus blesses Peter and claims “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 16.18-19).

The followers of Jesus believe that he is the Christ, the anointed of God – the one chosen to be the world’s true Lord. And we understand this to be possible because through his death to atone for the sins of humanity, and thereby allaying God’s wrath, the inception of a new kingdom was possible: a kingdom where the world’s values would be radically subverted, where power would be gained through humility and self-sacrifice, where love is the majority language, and where service was to truly glorify our Maker. This kingdom (elsewhere referred to as the church) can be seen anywhere disciples are together, serving others under the Lordship of the Jesus who loved them and died for them. And because this kingdom was begun by a king who finally conquered over death through his resurrection, we’re told that not even the domain of death itself – Hades – would be able to prevail against it. Death would be obliterated by the promise of his resurrection; and spiritual death eliminated as people turned from their selfish ways at hearing the Gospel of the Crucified.

And do you know where our King audaciously builds his kingdom? Matthew records in 16.13 that the disciples followed Jesus to an area called Caesarea Philippi. And in this city, even today, one can see the “rock” (16.18), the cave dedicated to various false gods such as Pan. It’s upon this rock, this rock emblematic of all the world’s values and false gods and competing deities that Christ proclaims his supremacy.

And if we wish to serve this Godman, Jesus of Nazareth, we simply obey the words of the Master recorded later in the chapter – 16.24-28 (LEB):

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it. For what will a person be benefited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and at that time he will reward each one according to ⌊what he has done⌋.”

At the advent of this kingdom Jesus promised us, we read where Simon Peter would use the kingdom keys to first open the church doors on the day of Pentecost. And in Acts 2.38, Peter informs the crowd how to enter this kingdom: “Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of your sins.”

Scripture reading: 1Chr.24-25; Ps.14; Mt.16-17

Assurance, or Judgement?

You know that pendulum effect in life, where we, in reaction to something damaging, swing to the opposite extreme, which, ideally, we eventually realize is also damaging?

One theology-related area in which this is very common, is the topic of judgment. Some, after collapsing under the very real burden of constant doubt and anxiety because of condemnation-based teaching, will rightfully begin to see the biblical confidence, grace, and assurance missing from their faith, and consequently swing away from what has hurt them. In my own life, it’s that initial bitterness and pain that pushes the pendulum a little farther than intended and it’s often our own hearts, weaknesses, wounds, and pride that may, for awhile, act as an obstacle in the way of really settling on what is true. Thankfully, there is grace for that sometimes lengthy process as long as we are open to self-examination, drawing near to God, and aiming for truth.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve often found that truth is somewhere in the middle with most things. And so we finally come to our scripture for today: Hebrews 10:26-39.

There are those out there who teach what seems to be blanket-assurance which simply doesn’t mesh with the message of the gospel, with the teachings and life of Christ. But neither is salvation an in-and-out kind of thing, where every single time you do or think something wrong you’re in danger of hellfire. So, where is that balance?

We have to look out for two very important things: our hearts, and our paths.

Our Hearts

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”
I like N.T. Wright’s comment:

“On that day, as unanimous early tradition insists, those who wilfully stand out against his rule, live a life which scorns the standards which emerge in creation itself and in God’s good intention for it, and spurn all attempts at reformation or renewal, will face a punishment of destruction. The images of fire and vengeance—they are only images, but that doesn’t mean the reality is any the less fearful—are as frequent in the New Testament, if not more so, as they are in the Old. If there is no place in God’s world of justice and mercy for someone who has systematically ordered their life so as to become an embodiment of injustice and malice, then there must come a point where—unless God is going to declare that human choices were just a game and didn’t matter after all—God endorses the choices that his human creatures have made.”

When we talk about faith and sin, it’s essential to refer back to the big picture before we get tied up in technicalities and moralism. What is the end goal? What is the gospel? What is Christ’s purpose?

The gospel is that we are all slaves to sin, that God has loved us from the beginning and has gone to unfathomable, continual lengths to redeem his people.The gospel is that he is preparing a place, the ideal place that we all desperately desire to experience today: a world to live in, in which there is true peace, no suffering, no war, no injustice, no sin. And when you really look at it, sin is everything that damages and hurts us; it’s not ‘all the fun stuff God won’t let us do because he’s so uptight’, instead it’s what is at the heart of everything we hate about life on earth. The gospel is that God created us for worship, that God created us in such a way that when we are centered on him and delight on him, everything runs beautifully, yet the gospel is that we can accomplish nothing without God, so he sent his son to do what we could not, both through living a sinless life, and through defeating sin, defeating death so that we might share in that victory. The gospel is about the King and his kingdom. The gospel is truly the good news about God and his work for us.

So, when we think in those terms, someone who rejects that, who loves the small, corrupted pleasures of sin, cannot have a part in the new heavens and new earth. It’s impossible. Not only because they don’t love God, and that is a place in which God will dwell with his people, but also because their hearts completely reject the foundation of that new life. They love this world and therefore cannot peacefully dwell in the next, which is free from corruption.

The more we meditate on truths like this, the more we will learn to actually hate sin. The more we will actually seek God rather than basing our moralism on a fear of punishment.

So, where is our heart? Are we sinning with no intention or desire to stop? Are we always looking for loopholes or technicalities as justification? Do we know what repentance is and is our life centered around it? Or is our heart wrapped up in that which outrages the Spirit of grace?

Our Paths

Our paths tie in so closely with our hearts, probably because our hearts determine our paths.

An analogy I’ve appreciated concerning the difference between the inevitable sin we all experience versus deliberate, willful sin is this: It’s like setting out on a trip to Barnes & Noble (okay, I added that part myself). We might make some wrong turns, or we might go off the road or get in an accident. Many things could affect our trip to the bookstore and we might find ourselves re-routing multiple times. Traffic could be jammed, we might have to stop behind a bus, whatever. But there’s a difference between those obstacles and deciding to just turn around and go home or somewhere else entirely. One path, one goal, stays the same, the other path leads to a different destination.

Similarly, our theology is flawed if we’re wrecking our souls with anxiety every time we fall short of perfection. Many a great theologian has shared the insight of the closer you draw to God, the more you realize how intricately sin is wrapped up in your heart. For someone who depends on their own perfection and works for salvation, that kind of realization can be paralyzing. How can you simultaneously have a crippled faith and a confident one, which is another repeated theme of Hebrews?

It’s been noted that Hebrews was written to Christians who were facing persecution. These warnings very much apply to the temptation of throwing off Christ in the face of physical danger. “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. ‘For, Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

So, it’s clear that this is one very noticeable path we must avoid, which for Christians in America right now, shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

However, Christians in America are in danger of those subtle paths that distract us from our goal. If we become slack in our purpose, if we don’t keep our eyes on our goal and on our Father, we may very honestly forget where we’re going. It sounds silly, but how true are those lyrics: “Christian, remember who you are today…”?

Without purpose, we functionally forget, we default to living for ourselves. And without discipline, we become calloused; it becomes harder to act against our desires. And if we continue on that path, we’ll find it isn’t the path of faith, and it doesn’t lead to the Father. We have to be careful to determine where we are, if we’ve gotten lost.

How is our journey described in the New Testament? As a race. A danger of taking assurance beyond it’s meaning, is developing a sluggish, or rather, leisurely attitude about life. So, if our faith is crippled by doubt, we need to check our theology and go back to the scriptures and to prayer. Likewise, if our faith is muted by flippancy, we need to check our theology and go back to the scriptures and to prayer.

The beauty of the gospel, remember, is that we can be free from that addiction to sin. That we actually can be transformed by God’s power into the person we never could be on our own. That’s both motivating and comforting: we have much work and training to do here, yet the fulfillment of that perfection and transformation will be revealed only when Christ comes again.

So, is there judgment? Yes. Can we have assurance? Yes. Salvation itself depends upon the grace of God, and if you’ve experienced that grace, you know the power it has to transform you and enable you to overcome sin. For the child of God whose heart is upon Christ and whose path is to the Father, there is abundant mercy and grace for all the many obstacles and sins along the way. Yet, for those who taste the gospel yet turn away from or deny it, even for those who claim Christ’s name yet do not love righteousness and are flippant about sin, flippant about the power and purpose of grace: there is judgment.

“…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1,2

Follow Your Heart

Follow your heart.

Despite good intentions and an understandable point, this advice should be listed as one of the most destructive. We understand the gist: do what we love, find what makes us happy, listen to our instincts. I can value the principle of checking in with ourselves; our passions, our talents, going against the grain when necessary. These can easily be used to the glory of God and shouldn’t be brushed off.
But that’s the catch: unless our hearts are daily shaped by God and the word, unless our conscience has been molded according to heavenly wisdom, unless our delight is in the Lord, our natural heart will lead us to places we didn’t intend to go.

Today’s reading included 1 Kings 11, where we see the downfall of the great and wise Solomon. Apparently all the wisdom in the world couldn’t keep Solomon’s heart from leading him to destruction.

If Solomon was blessed with wisdom by God yet could stray so far from him, what is wisdom if it can’t keep you near God?

The bible speaks of two kinds of wisdom: worldly and heavenly. They’re both accessible; we absorb worldly wisdom both subconsciously and through experience and counsel, and we attain heavenly wisdom by asking God, studying and experience and counsel.

Worldly wisdom is our default. We learn the ways of the world and the teachings of our culture and current cultural worldview by living life, ingesting media, speaking with others, even if we’re not actively pursuing any of it. And though we can seek and find God’s wisdom, it’s not a one-and-done deal; in order to grow in his wisdom, it has to be a daily pursuit, and in order for us to successfully pursue something daily, our heart has to be set on it, right?

The heart, the seat of our motivations, the determining factor of which path we will take, is crucial to which kind of wisdom will become our expertise.

That’s why certain guardrails were set in place that should have kept Solomon on the right track. Instead, his affections got wrapped up in women who did not follow Yahweh. For all his wisdom that resulted in much wealth and many women, Solomon was at his heart, foolish. In the end, and what so many remember of him today, his wisdom amounted to nothing other than plain worldly success.

To someone who has not glimpsed the unmeasurable riches of God, maybe following your heart to earthly success and happiness doesn’t seem like such a bad deal at all. But it reminds me of a quote by C.S. Lewis:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

The tragedy in this story of course, is that Solomon was no stranger to the power and goodness of God. If he was not immune to the allure of temptation, neither are we. Every path in life comes with its own dangers, and we see the same theme of Solomon’s life played out even today in the lives of the wealthy. They are intelligent, wise, successful, powerful, they may even do great things. They may follow God for a time. But sadly, that power can corrupt, authority over others can cause forgetfulness of God’s authority over us, materialism can be justified and bought into (no pun intended), and ultimately, our heart will very slowly and very subtly begin cling to many forms of creation rather than clinging wholly to the Creator.

Indeed, it seems it would be good to examine our hearts more often than we follow them.

What’s the Difference?

Depending on our backgrounds, we might have varying ideas about the Old and the New Testament. Some of us don’t know the difference, others disregard the Old except to pull out some cool principles that correspond to the New, others try to balance the best of both worlds, upholding the rituals and celebrations of the Old while also following the instructions of the New. Maybe some of us do understand that the old law has been replaced, but the jury is still out on whether or not anything is fundamentally different, aside from sacrifices.

All of Hebrews reveals a very rich, sometimes meaty explanation of the work of Jesus and the difference between before and after the cross, but today we’re going to stick our noses just in chapter 8. Here are several lessons we can learn within this chapter about the old and new covenants:

1. Shadow

The old covenant is referred to as a copy or a shadow of heavenly things. So, think physical: tabernacle, sacrifices, circumcision, rituals, garbs, priesthood, rules of cleanliness, the commandments written on stone, the physical penalties for breaking those commandments, even the physical nation of Israel into which people were born. These were all ordained by God for a time, and for a purpose: they were temporary meant to teach us about God, about sin, about ourselves, and guide us to Christ, who would reveal the greater picture behind it all, which ties into the next point:

2. Promise

Israel’s promises and triumphs, which we read about throughout the OT, were physical redemption from physical slavery, and the promised land: a physical land of abundance and temporary rest on earth, though many never lived to see it. These too, were a shadow, pointing towards God’s ultimate promise which wouldn’t be revealed for many, many generations: spiritual redemption, a heavenly rest after death beyond our comprehension and lasting for all eternity. In the same way, Christians reap spiritual riches and rewards, heavenly gifts that can never decay or corrupt, rather than temporal material rewards in our lifetimes for our love and service to God and others.

3. Within

God promised to write his laws on the hearts and minds of his followers – his people would be transformed from within by his Spirit. We can sense from within whether something is pleasing to God, we can examine ourselves, our sin and our faith, we learn discernment, we see the underlying big spiritual picture underneath the day-to-day and we look past the letter of the law to understand the spirit of it. When our hearts are transformed by God under this new covenant, perhaps the greatest difference is delight: we delight in God, in glorifying him, we actually desire his laws and wish to be freed from sin. We truly love the Giver, not just his gifts.

4. Access

This one goes hand-in-hand with the last point: we have great examples of faith from the OT; these people demonstrated true love for God and their worship was not merely defined by externals – in fact they often personified the virtues taught in the NT. Sometimes the OT is caricatured as purely physical and devoid of faith and mercy and the NT as purely spiritual, yet the more we read, the less black-and-white it becomes. But here’s something worth noting: the new covenant is greater because what Israel had in a handful of people (think Abraham, Moses, David, etc), Christianity can have in all who put on Christ. God poured out his Spirit sparingly in the OT, yet today he promises his spirit to dwell within all who believe and are baptized. There is no longer only a priesthood  who can only receive the Holy Spirit or teach others or have a relationship with God; we are all the priesthood now, and only Jesus Christ is our high priest. There is no longer a distinction between clergy/laity in the sense that all can attain an ever-deepening knowledge of God, all can go to the Father in prayer, all can be known by him, all are used as tools for God’s kingdom, all will be transformed and will glorify God in all that we do.

5. Forgiveness

Maybe forgiveness is a cliche topic these days, but it is another defining characteristic of the covenant Christians live under. Christ made the sacrifice to end all sacrifices, and through it, God can say “I will remember their sins no more.” We become new when we put on Christ, and we only need ask for forgiveness as we stumble along the way. Through our direct access to the Father, our advocate in Christ, we can all continually grow as men and women after God’s own heart. And because of what Christ did, the “shadows” are no longer necessary in that pursuit.

Christ came to fulfill the old law, not because it was defective; it was perfect in executing its purpose, yet it was never meant to last. It was meant to lead us to Christ, and once Christ was raised from the dead, the new and greater covenant came into effect. We are no longer bound by the law we read about in the OT but instead we come to God through Christ, we are forgiven through the blood of Christ, we set our mind upon the spiritual and heavenly, our hope is anchored in an eternal promise, we are renewed daily by the Spirit within us, we speak directly to the Father and can read and grow and learn his will no matter who we are. We are the new, spiritual, Israel.

The Wicked, the Wise, and the Wealthy

First Timothy 6 houses some of the greatest words on wealth and the perspective that Christians ought to have on the pursuit of material gain. Based on the way Paul sets up the chapter, I see him basically addressing three groups of people, namely, the Wicked, the Wise and, finally, the Wealthy. I’ll paraphrase his basic instructions:

• The Wicked (6.3-5): They contradict the Bible; they’re argumentative, conceited, possess a craving for controversy, and are in this whole religion thing for the money.
• The Wise (6.6-10): They realize that the only true gain in this world is pursuing the life of Christ and being satisfied in Him.
• The Wealthy (6.17-19): They are truly rich who are rich in good deeds, using their material blessings to help those less fortunate in this world – just as our Lord taught, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Ac.20.35).

Here’s what I want to point out about this passage: “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6.6-8). I love the simplicity and truth in that simple statement. But why do we so often have hoarding problems? Let’s face the facts: we have WAY MORE than we need in this country, and yet our eyes working in tandem with the billions spent on advertising of all sorts, produces this craving, this insatiable desire for more, and more, and more. We don’t live as if Paul is right; as if we really won’t be able to take home with us all the little trinkets that we’ve collected over the years.

This reminds of some others who possessed a large collection of goods that they firmly believed would join them in the next life: the Egyptians. And yet just the other day me and Amber were able to walk through the Egyptology exhibit at Chicago’s own Field Museum to check out all the neat collections of things they kept in the sarcophagus with them. The verdict? They’re still here – in this life.

I once read an author who put it this way: “There are no U-Hauls behind hearses.”

So, my question is Do we live as if Paul’s words are true? If not, how would your life look different if you did? Might we live more generous lives – giving to those truly in need? Maybe so.

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 1; Psalm 123; 1 Timothy 6 – 2 Timothy 1

Fair-weather Faith

How precious is our Father to us? How about his Word?

Where do we turn when troubles arise or when others despise us? What about when troubles arise and others despise us because of our faith?

Our faith will be tested in numerous ways throughout life, and the only way we can endure is if we truly delight in God. If we recognize his righteousness in the midst of the confusion around us and desire him, desire understanding, desire zeal.

Those desires don’t come by themselves; they come by the grace of God. They come by reading the words that God has revealed to us e-v-e-r-y day, and especially in times of doubt and trouble, reminding ourselves of his promises, his goodness, and his truth. His word serves as a tangible, inspiring, calming, convicting, comforting rock during the storm if only we will use it. Though as Christians we need to let our reasonableness be known, let our lights shine, serve others in love, the fact is that Christ advised “if the world hates you, remember it hated me first.” Sometimes despite our efforts, we will be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, attacked for our faith, not for any wrong that we have done but because of the gospel, because of our dedication to truth (although, we have to diligently remember there is a fine line between zeal and a lack of wisdom, between trying to persuade others and trying to win an argument. We can’t confuse being zealous with being a jerk) Trouble and anguish may find us out. We may have enemies that either disregard the words of God, or abuse them, or are ignorant of them.

And when those times come, will we have the kind of foundation in our faith that will cause us to respond as beautifully as the psalmist in 119:137-114:

“My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is true.
Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my delight.
Your testimonies are righteous forever
give me understanding that I may live.”

Will we rest on our rock, on his word, continually seeking understanding and wisdom, or will we be crippled by anxiety when the privileges, the friendships, the comforts of this world are stripped away on account of our beliefs? Is our faith built on a deep love for God and his righteousness, come what may, or is it just another fair-weather weekend pastime?

Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 10-11, Psalm 119:137-144, Philippians 4- Colossians 1

Life After Death?

So 1 Samuel 28 shares with us a unique story, not just because it’s an odd account about the dead Samuel being conjured up to speak to Saul, but also because it’s really one of the few times in the Old Testament that we broach the topic of the afterlife.

At first that might seem unusual -especially since our Christian faith revolves around the afterlife- but in light of the gospel, it really makes sense.

“…but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” – 2 Timothy 1:10

The gospel itself revealed many things which were beforehand a mystery (Col. 1:26, Ro. 16:25); it lifts the veil from the eyes of those under the Mosaic law (2 Cor. 3:14). God patiently lead his people to maturation, to the climax – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ- in which his great plan would be revealed. Some have even noticed the progression in comprehension of the afterlife within the OT: from Sheol and darkness to a hope of being in the presence of Yahweh to finally the prophets teaching that creation would be freed from corruption and resurrection was promised to God’s people.

Today, there is no longer a mystery to those who come to Christ. Today there is an answer to ‘What happens after death?’ to ‘What is the point?’, ‘What hope is there?’

It’s not about ghosts or the isolated incident in which God allowed some con-artist woman to actually temporarily produce a dead man for the purposes of condemning a rebellious, fearful Saul. It’s also not about becoming ghost-like creatures ourselves – it’s about a real, physical resurrection. Transformation. It’s about freedom from fear and pain and corruption and decay, about victory, Christ, a home with our Father, paradise, eternity, relief, rest, joy, a new heavens and new earth. It’s about what God had planned for his creation from the beginning.
And by the grace of God through Christ, we can read about and understand (at least as much as our human minds can comprehend the divine realm) and anchor our souls in that hope, today.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” – Romans 8:18-25

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Whose Fruit?

Sometimes I turn to Galatians 5 when I’m in need of a refresher, when I know my convictions have dulled and I want to remember who I am. The fruit of the Spirit is likely a familiar concept to many, yet that doesn’t make it unnecessary to read and re-read and meditate upon.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

The first thing I notice is the contrast in imagery. As we read through the works of the flesh, there’s probably a picture that comes to mind – for some of us it may be the picture of ourselves not too long ago – and the same goes as we switch gears and read about this ‘fruit of the Spirit.’

At times, it can be inspiring to read these verses. It can be affirming in our commitment to this new way of life and to Christ.

And at other times, it can be discouraging. What happens when we don’t see that fruit in we life? What if just as you start to get a handle on kindness, everything else goes out the window?

The cool thing about the fruit of the Spirit is that it is fruit – it is the growth, the product – of the Spirit. It’s not called the ‘fruit of you’ for a reason: we can’t magically conjure it up as we desire any more than a tree can yield an apple from it’s own will and in it’s own time. The fruit, and the freedom from the works of the flesh, are gifts from our Father as we patiently abide.

It does take effort and heartache and failing and patience and persistence and discipline to stop practicing those sins listed, and to diligently cultivate those virtues without a doubt [if that is a foreign concept to us, we’ve missed something], but thank God it is not on our shoulders alone. It is not up to us to simply try harder and harder and pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. If we find ourselves discouraged by our weakness, our failures, our absent harvest, we can be reminded that our Father is longsuffering, he is powerful; he is not only the patient farmer, he is the very life within his crops.

If we but remain steadfast and daily surrender to him in prayer and in study, learning his will, his Spirit will reveal the inevitable growth in his time. Don’t give up.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” – v16,17

We Have A Refuge

A verse stuck out to me while reading 1 Samuel 22, as David is fleeing from the jealous and murderous Saul:

“David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone ho was bitter in soul [discontented], gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.”

It struck me because David in many ways can be seen as a “type” -sort of a foreshadowing- of Christ, and I think we get a taste of that here. Not only of Christ, but of us – of the church. How beautifully this verse meshes with others:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

To be honest, we are all weak, we are all spiritually distressed, indebted and discontented, yet not all of us will come to see it before our lives wither away. Those of us who do, which are often the ones who are not surrounded by the comforts and praises and ease of this world, are the ones who seek and find refuge in God. And just as David’s misfits and outcasts became mighty men of valor (1 Chronicles 12:8) by the hand of God, David’s leadership, and through testing and training, God has promised all who rely on Him will be transformed as well. We all come to Him broken, lacking, corrupted, weak and He not only embraces us in love, but takes us further by strengthening, purifying, comforting, healing, and changing us.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:6

No doubt the story of life is full of difficulty: not only the challenge in recognizing our bankruptcy before God, but the uncertainty and fear of our own various and numerous “caves of Adullam” we must enter throughout life. We all experience that uncertainty and suffering at times, but not all of us have a trustworthy refuge. Not all of us have the power to use those experiences as training, strengthening, as growth to become men and women of valor, because not all of us have sought our refuge and strength in God.
And here’s the reality: God is the only one who can deliver us from the greatest difficulty and oppression we all are subject to: the oppression of sin; the danger of an enemy greater than Saul who is seeking to devour us each day.

But we have a leader greater than David. And we can enter into a family greater than his army. And we have the key to greater growth than we’ve could ever comprehend: the gospel.

Will we flee from our oppressor? Will we be among those who gather to Christ? Will we come to Him and receive our rest?