Tag: bible

Colossians 4

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison — that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (v. 2-6)

In this chapter, Paul is wrapping up his message to the Colossian believers. Before we dive in, let’s take a moment to review, and see how Paul got to where he is now.

Remember that Paul is writing to a church he did not start, and has never visited. Paul begins by writing of his love for this church, expressed in his constant prayers on their behalf. His example for us is that we also can express our greatest love for someone by being their prayer warrior.

Paul’s greatest concern for this church seems to be that false teachers might “take them captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world.” (2:8) He reminds them throughout the letter of the fundamental theology upon which their faith is founded, encouraging them to remain faithful.

In chapter 3, Paul reminded these believers of the things which their allegiance to Christ should have caused them to leave behind, such as sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. In place of these evil attitudes and activities, they need to develop compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. It’s a good reminder for all of us also, that we cannot take something bad out of our own hearts without replacing it with something Godly. The empty space will always be refilled with something, and if we don’t allow God to fill it with His gracious nature, Satan will always step up to offer something worse.

Paul ended this chapter with a brief reminder about Godly relationships, within the family and also with employers. This is a condensed version of the same thoughts we’ve previously studied in Ephesians 5 and 6. Either of these books offers excellent direction on our most important temporal relationships; we just didn’t dive in here, having previously covered the same teaching in Ephesians.

Now Paul is wrapping it up with some final thoughts, perhaps already mindful that this might be his last and only message to this beloved church. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Why “steadfast”? God doesn’t have a poor memory! I believe it’s more because of our own poor memory. Steadfast prayer is a way to demonstrate to God that we really mean it, that we truly earnestly desire what we’re asking for. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for their daily needs, not because God doesn’t already know, but to remind themselves that they are constantly dependent upon God for everything. That’s also why Paul emphasizes thanksgiving. By thanking God for what we’ve already received from His hand, we remind ourselves that God is faithful to provide, and generous in doing so.

“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, …” Paul asked for prayer for his own ministry, leaving the example that we need to be steadfast in prayer for the ministries in which we are involved, either actively or simply by caring. Everyone reading this has neighbors who need to know and obey the gospel. They may have no faith at all; they may place their faith in science and knowledge; they may have a false self-assurance of salvation, having been ill-taught by false teachers. Are we praying for them? Are we praying for an opportunity to share truth with them?

There are other ministries which may seem quite far away, yet if we know of them, we ought to be praying for them. I may never see the shores of Senegal, for example, but I know Nate and Leah who are working there, and pray for their ministry. What far-away ministries are you praying for? Are you following Paul’s example?

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” Outsiders, to Paul, are unbelievers. In our modern world, we don’t always know who the unbelievers are; they’re not wearing labels! It’s best to always walk in wisdom, acting constantly in such a way as to maintain our credibility as ambassadors for Christ. Never let your guard down. Always interact with people in such a way that, should the opportunity arise, they will want to hear what you have to say about your own faith.

“Let your speech always be gracious, …” Our verbal presence may be the only interaction some people ever have with us. Do they experience compassion? Do they gain the impression that you genuinely care about them, about their feelings? If someone is having a bad day, did you make it better?

I’ll end this study with the same admonition Paul sent to Archippus, which applies equally to every one of us: “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

Colossians 3:12-15

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

I believe it was my father who first taught me that “nature abhors a vacuum”. I’m sure I heard it from my science teacher as well. Most believe the idea originated with Aristotle, although I wasn’t around to verify that. (Don’t let my daughters tell you otherwise!)

The concept begins in science, but applies to many walks of life, including spiritual life. If we remove some bad attitude or behavior from our lives, something else is going to fill in the vacuum and replace it.

Paul understood this. Having just listed many traits which must be “put to death” (v. 5), and of which we must “rid ourselves” (v. 8-9), he now encourages us to replace what we’ve set aside with good, Godly characteristics instead.

What things do we, as we learn to walk through this life as Christ did, need to add and make an intrinsic part of self? Here’s Paul’s list:

  • compassion – Followers of Jesus should be, by nature, compassionate people. In Matthew 9, Jesus saw the crowds of people “helpless, like sheep without a shepherd”, and had compassion for them. In Luke 10, he told the parable of the “good Samaritan”, illustrating that compassion sees no boundaries of race or class.
  • kindness – Jesus was always displaying his kindness, healing the sick and disabled, feeding the hungry, and teaching his disciples to do likewise.
  • humility – A true disciple of Christ is always humble, following the example of his Master. Jesus left us the perfect example of humility, as Paul wrote in Philippians 2:5-9.
  • patience – As disciples of Jesus, we must seek to respond to the weak and faltering with patience. Paul wrote of Jesus’ patience with him [Paul] as he wrote to Timothy.
  • forgiveness – Paul gives us the highest possible standard to forgive others, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you”. So I ask you, how much has our Lord forgiven you? How much, therefore, is too much for you to forgive?

OK, so that’s quite the ambitious list of Godly attributes to develop! Why should we do this? Why make these changes in our character? Paul gives us the answer in verse 12:

  • We are God’s chosen people! Do you remember on the school playground, how special it felt to be one of the first chosen for the team? We’ve been chosen for the best, greatest team in all of human history – God’s team!! You are very, very special, because God chose you, before the foundation of the world, to be His. Just a bit more humility and forgiveness certainly isn’t too much to ask.
  • We are holy! That means we’ve been set apart, by God Himself. “These are mine”, he says. Do you remember the special dishes on Grandma’s top shelf, which we set apart for use on special occasions only? God has set you apart from the world, on His top shelf, for His exclusive use in His kingdom!
  • We are dearly loved! Do you remember how you had that very special relative (grandfather in my case), who made you feel so special and loved that you never wanted to disappoint him or her in any way? Whoever that was for you, God loves you even more! God loves you so much, He gave the most precious gift for you that could ever be given.

What will we get out of this? What does this character transformation do for us? If we adopt these Christ-like attitudes, fully integrated into our hearts, we will find the “peace of Christ” giving us continuous calm and comfort.

OK, by this time you may be completely convinced, and just ready to learn how to get started. Once again, Paul comes through for us:

  • Be thankful (v. 15). Gratitude constantly reminds us how much we’ve been blessed; how much Jesus has done for us; how much God has forgiven us. It’s so much easier to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient and forgiving while we’re thankful for all our own blessings; thankful for the kindness and patience God has shown to us.
  • Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly (v. 16). Be filled with God’s Holy Word. To be “richly” filled, this isn’t just an occasionaly drive-by; we must be in His Word daily, soaking in it, meditating upon it.

We’re not putting all this into practice in our lives in a day, with time left over for a round of golf! This is a lifetime pursuit of holiness; a lifetime of preparation to live with our Savior forever. Will you join me?

Colossians 2:8

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Paul, having never visited Colossae, is writing to the believers there to encourage them, and to address specific teachings that were leading them astray from total faith in Jesus. We don’t know specifically what this teaching was, but it is likely to have been an attempt to pollute pure Christianity with local folk spritualism. Probably a local shaman had arisen to bring “errant” Christians back into the fold of the local religion.

It’s a good thing we don’t have that kind of thing going on today!!

Or do we?

What about the Prosperity Gospel, teaching that the primary goal of faith and obedience is to be blessed with wealth and success in this life, and that a lack of prosperity may indicate a lack of faith, or of obedient practice? A recent Lifeway Research poll indicates that 76% of U.S. Christians believe in some form of prosperity gospel!

I wonder what Paul would say about that?

Or, there are various forms of Moralist Gospel, teaching that moral living and personal effort are the way to salvation. I personally grew up in a church teaching a watered-down form of this belief, and had a lot of un-learning to do. It’s easy to mislead believers with this teaching if they are not personally educated in the Bible. Many will not yet have encountered Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Some churches, while not necessarily teaching a social-club gospel, have allowed themselves to become a sort of religious social club, where friendship, fellowship and social support are primary, and the spiritual aspects of the true gospel take a back seat.

These false teachings and beliefs cater to self-centered needs and desires, but do not lead to salvation. Jesus said “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” (Matt 7:13-14)

What lessons shall we take home from this? Here are my suggestions:

  • Jesus said “abide in my Word”. Spend quality time with Jesus through thoughtful, prayerful study of His Word. A simple reading is a place to start, but it’s just a start. That’s a drive-by. We need to abide (i.e., “live in”) the Word.
  • Follow the example of the Bereans (Acts 17). As Paul and Silas were teaching them, they examined the Scriptures to verify the truth of what they were being taught. How many of us do that? How many of us just swallow whatever the pastor says, hook-line-and sinker?
  • When you hear false teaching, stand up and say something! Do your homework first, and be prepared to oppose false teaching with the Word of God, but don’t just sit back in silence and allow others to be lead into false beliefs.

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Paul is wrapping up his letter to Philippi, and there’s one last encouragement he wants to be sure to include before he closes. Is this the most important instruction in his letter? Is this a final afterthought, or a summary of his message? Let’s begin our study for the day, not here, but in another “finally” passage in Paul’s letters.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Eph. 6:10-11)

Paul was concerned about the devil’s attacks on the Ephesian church, attacks with temptation, sin, discouragement, distraction, and the cares of everyday life. He uses the metaphor of a soldier’s armor, encouraging believers to use the protections that God provides against spiritual attacks.

One of those pieces of armor, perhaps the most important, is the “breastplate of righteousness”. In physical terms, the breastplate was a vital piece of armor, critically important because it protected the wearer’s heart. Warfare has changed quite a bit since this was written, but the importance of protecting one’s heart has not. We use different materials today, and call it a bulletproof vest, but we still protect the heart.

In spiritual terms also, it is most vital to protect the (spiritual) heart. Jesus said “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” (Matt. 15:19) Solomon, the wisest man ever, wrote “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV)

So, if both apathy and compassion can flow from the same spiritual heart, depending upon how well we’ve protected it, how do we guard and protect our hearts?

This question brings us back to Paul’s final instruction in Philippians. We guard our hearts by keeping our thoughts abiding in the attributes and virtues of God! Protect your heart by thinking about honorable things. Avoid frustration with the world by thinking about what is just. Eschew immorality by concentrating on whatever is pure. Don’t let the ugliness of the world get you down; focus on whatever is lovely. Instead of becoming resentful over injustice, thank God for what you see that is commendable. Search out those things around you that are excellent. You will find much that is worth of praise, so give all praise to the Creator.

How about you? Are you wearing the armor which God has provided? Will you join me in donning that breastplate of righteousness? We’re going to need it out there!!

Philippians 4:4-7

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

How can we rejoice constantly? How can our hearts be filled consistently with peace? I don’t know about you, but I have days when the absolute last thing I feel like doing is rejoicing! The simple oil change turned in to a thousand-dollar repair. One family member is hospitalized in one state, as another lays dying in another state, in the opposite direction. The bills pile up, while the funds drain away. Peace? What is that?

Paul here gives us both the instruction and the secret of actually carrying it out. Yes, though prayer and supplication lay all your needs, worries and fears at the foot of God’s throne, but as Paul says, with thanksgiving! In thanking God for all He has done for us, we are ourselves reminded of His gracious provision for us; of His power over all things that affect our lives to bring us what we need. The result of (1) being mindful and thankful of God’s work in our lives up to now, and (2) approaching the same gracious and powerful God with the needs of today, is that we can have “the peace of God, which passes all understanding.”

David wrote in Psalm 9:1 “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” David was a man with a lot of problems; eight wives, just for starters! Yet in all his dangers and trials, he remembered all that God had done for him, and gave thanks.

When we combine our memories of all that God had done for us, all the rich blessings He has poured out upon us day by day, and combine that with our knowlege of and faith in His power and soverignty, it enables us to have hearts filled with peace, AND when Satan attacks us with the temptations (and he will!), this same faith in God’s everlasting care will guard our hearts.

My life, my every moment of every day, is so filled with God’s blessings I never run out of new things for which to be thankful. With every prayer of thanksgiving, I realize more and more how inadequate is my ability to even recognize and enumerate all the blessings poured into my life, let alone be properly thankful for them.

How about you? What of God’s blessings are you thankful for today? Does this mountain of blessings make your problems look a little bit smaller?

Philippians 3:12-14

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

“forgetting what lies behind” … If anyone had a past to forget, it would be Paul. When Saul attempted to join the other believers in Jerusalem, his reputation preceeded him, and they rejected him at first, because they were afraid of him.

How does Paul deal with his past? He wrote to the Philippians “I press on toward the goal“. Paul knew he had a past, and he knew he wasn’t perfect, but he continued to learn and grow closer to his Lord (and ours), Christ Jesus.

In this passage, Paul is so much like many of us! Most of us have bad times in our past that we’d really like to forget; pages in our personal history we’d like to cut out of the book and burn. We know, as Paul did, that we’re far from perfect, but like Paul, we need to press on toward the goal. As my friend and mentor Jack Snead would say, just keep on doing the next right thing.

We must not let our past, or our present imperfections, hold us back from serving in Jesus’ name, in whatever way He may lead us to do. We must be honest with ourselves about our continued need for spiritual growth, but never become satisfied with where we are, or give up on continued sanctification.

Will you join me in pressing on toward our goal of eternal life with Jesus?

Philippians 3:1-11

Full Bible text here.

Key verse: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” (v. 7)

Paul is here warning the Philippians of “teachers” who will come and insist that they must first become proper Jewish converts before they can become legitimate disciples of Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth, but Paul had already encountered these teachers elsewhere, and he knew their lies.

If being a loyal and righteous Jew counted for anything with Jesus Christ, Paul had it made! He was head and shoulders above most of the Jews around him in qualifications for Jewish righteousness, as he recounts in verses 4-6. But in verse 7, he renounces it all!

Paul knows, as we should know, that with Jesus, nothing counts except God’s grace, which we obtain only through faith in Jesus. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Paul is very clear in this letter that his goal is to “be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” (v. 9)

How shall we apply this passage to life today? I would suggest that we must examine ourselves with clarity of thought and honesty in self-evaluation; are we in any way depending upon ourselves, trying in some way to earn our way into God’s favor?

  • Are we expecting a heavenly reward because our names are found on the enrollment records of a chuch, although not necessarily on the attendance records?
  • Are we expecting to join the rest of the family in heaven, because all the family claims to be Christian, so that is our “identity” also?
  • Are we gaining God’s favor by constant attendance at our church of choice and our service on multiple church committees?
  • Are we expecting God to grade on the curve, recognizing how much more righteous lives we live as compared to our neighbors and many of our friends.
  • Do our Bibles have more dog-ears, or more dust?
  • Is our righteousness measured (by us, of course) by the things we do not do; the commandment we do not break?
  • Are we more righteous than half the nation because we’re an enthusiastic supporter of the “correct” political party?

If any of the above apply to us, we’ve either never heard the true gospel of Christ, or we’ve failed to internalize it when we’ve heard it. We must, as Paul did, first recognize our sinfulness, in opposition to a pure and holy God, our complete and eternal unworthiness to take a place in heaven alongside Him. Recognizing our sin, we must repent, turning from our sin and to our Savior, Christ Jesus, for grace and forgiveness. Ask Christ Jesus to forgive your sins, and He will!

At this point, if we truly take to heart what Jesus has done for us, at how all-encompassing is God’s love and grace, we will understand that we cannot work our way to heaven, and we’ll work all the harder to pour out our own love for our Savior and our God.

Philippians 2:12-18

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (v. 12-13)

Do you remember how much better your behavior was as a child, when you were at your mother’s side shopping, as compared to when you were far away from her, out of sight? It appears that Paul was concerned about the same with the Philippian church.

The thing is, we’re not minding our behavior for Mom, or for Paul. We’re really trying to live our lives pleasing to God, and we’re never out of His sight! Paul encouraged the Philippians, and us, to be consistent in our behavior so as to bring glory to God.

But what does it mean to “work out your own salvation”? Haven’t we all been taught that we cannot earn, or work our way back into God’s favor? What is Paul saying here that would not be a conflict with the doctrine of salvation by grace?

I believe Paul is referring to the “work” we do to grow into the likeness of God, after we have been saved. Are we cooperating with God, opening our hearts to the work of His Holy Spirit within us, to grow us in the fruits of the spirit, as Paul wrote about in Galatians chapter 5? Are we growing daily in our expression of love, our joy in the Lord, the peace filling our hearts, in our excercise of patience, in our consistency of kindness, our purity of goodness, in our faithfulness to God’s Word, in our gentleness in dealing with others in difficult times, and in our self-control? Growing in those attributes which make us more like God is how we “work out our own salvation”.

As Paul points out, we’re not doing this alone. “It is God who works in you”. The question is, are we letting Him do that work, or are we stubbornly holding on to our past attitudes and habits?

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” (v. 14-18)

How can we stand out as shining, attractive examples in “the midst of a crooked and twisted generation”? Seems to me that doing “all things without grumbling or disputing” is a pretty good way to stand out from the crowd! If you feel you need some practice at that, a bit of exercise, start at home. We could consider taking the trash out without grumbling, or helping to wash the dishes without disputing whose turn it is. If we can get that right, perhaps the new attitude will spill over into our workplace, or our church service team.

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said “You are the light of the world.” Paul encourages us to “shine as lights in the world.” What kind of light are we going to shine? Will it be the light of anger and dissention, or the light of love and peace?

Paul wanted to visit the Philippians and rejoice over them, taking great comfort in the growth of the fruits of the Spirit in their lives. If he were to visit you and I, would he be distressed, or similarly comforted?

Philippians 2:1-11

Read the full text of the selected scripture here.

As Paul wrote this letter, he was troubled by reports of strife and dissention within the church at Phillipi, which was discouraging to the Christians there and significantly interfering with the effectiveness of their witness for Christ. Paul encouraged them to be of one mind, working together for the spread of the gospel message.

Nice words, but within an atmosphere of strife, competition and jealousy, how do you achieve true unity? Paul gives us the answer in today’s passage: adopt the HUMBLE mind-set of Christ!

It is only with true Christ-like humility and the attitude of a true servant that anyone can let his/her “manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27).

What creates strife and division within the church. Look at chapter 2 verse 3: “selfish ambition or conceit”. How was Jesus’ attitude different from so many of us? Paul tells us …

First, Christ Jesus WAS God and WAS co-equal with God. “Though he was in the form of God …” (v. 6). Jesus was co-creator of the universe, and the sustainer of the universe. He had position, power and accomplishments we can’t even dream about. What was His attitude about power, position and accomplishments?

He “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” (v. 6, ESV). To gain better understanding, let’s dig into the translated word “grasped” a bit further. Other translations render this as “used to his own advantage” (NIV), “cling to” (NLT), or “something to be exploited” (CSB). So Jesus didn’t selfishly try to retain His exalted position in Heaven with God to avoid the indignity of physical, temporal life on Earth. The Holy God stepped out of Heaven to join the masses of His sinful, unwashed creation, elbow-to-elbow, to walk the same dusty paths and eat the same food, to sleep on the same straw mats and sweat under the same hot sun.

As Ron Popeil would say on one of his infomercials, “but wait, there’s more!” Jesus could have been born into royalty as a prince and king-in-waiting, had He chosen to do so. He didn’t. He took on the form of a servant (v. 7), with no possessions and no power. He had disciples who followed him, not by His command but by their choice.

But He wasn’t done at that point. He was obedient to Father God, just as He taught us to be, and gave the example of a sinless life. His final obedience was to give His life on the cross for us, a sacrifice for OUR sins!

There is no possible greater example of humility. There is no possible greater example of putting others ahead of self. There was absolutely NOTHING selfish about Jesus, absolutely NO conceit. If the Philippian church could truly follow Jesus’ example, from the heart, there would be no strife, no division.

The same is true of my church, and yours. Division is a choice, not a necessity, and it’s a bad, sinful choice. I cannot control anyone’s attitude except my own, but at least for one person (myself), I can ensure that one person approaches service in the church with humility and selflessness.

Personally, I find yet another application in this scripture, one which may go beyond what Paul intended when he wrote this, but still an appropriate application. In consideration for all that Jesus has done for us, WHAT is too much for Him to ask of me? Where do I draw the line and say “Stop! No more!”? In view of all that Jesus has done for me, I can’t draw that line. I can’t establish a limit on what Jesus can ask of me. How about you?

Philippians 1:12-18

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”

What an astounding statement, that “my imprisonment is for Christ”!! Paul had many issues to deal with as he was writing this letter, but the two he mentions here are his imprisonment and the rivalry of evangelists with ill intent, who were preaching out of the ambition to bring attention to themselves, or to appear to others as of greater importance than Paul.

But Paul says it doesn’t matter to him, so long as the true gospel is being preached, and sinners are being saved. As long as that is happening, Paul will rejoice!

But will we? Is the spread of the gospel that important to us? In Heaven, even the angels rejoice over one sinner who is saved! (Luke 15:10)

I’m concerned as I write this over two possible reasons our celebrations over salvation are muted. First, we may not realize how serious sin is; how seriously God takes it. We may not realize how drastically our sin breaks our relationship with God. While God loves the sinner enough to allow Jesus to die in his/her place on the cross (John 3:16), God with equal fervor hates the sin (Proverbs 6:16-19). Sin is an affront to God’s nature, and He cannot co-exist with sin. If we don’t understand sin as God does, we’re driving the car right off the cliff with a blindfold on.

The second concern is “cultural Christianity”, a form of religion which celebrates our own goodness instead of God’s glory, and fails to recognize our need for Jesus, if indeed Jesus is recognized at all (except for the Christmas pagent!). Cultural Christianity transforms our churches into religeous country clubs, and results in many “unsaved Christians”. The only possible thing I can think of worse than finding oneself in eternal punishment after the final Judgement, is being surprised to be there!

So I implore you to consider: are you saved? Is your family saved? Your neighbors? Do you truly understand how vital that is to be certain?

Paul gave us a great example of passion for the gospel. Let’s all follow his example.