Law And Gospel In Their Proper Domain

"And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws"  (Ezek. 36:27, NIV).
"Whoever has my commands and obeys them he is the one who loves me" (John 14:21).
"The law is given to convince us we don't keep it."--Dr. D. James Kennedy
"No man can justify himself before God by a perfect performance of the Law's demands--indeed it is the straight-edge of the Law that shows us how crooked we are" (Romans 3:20, Phillips).
"... [T]hrough the law we become conscious of our sin" (Rom. 3:20, NIV).  
"[F]or by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20, NKJV).  

Real theologians can distinguish law and gospel, works and faith, law and grace like the Judaizers didn't, faith and repentance (cf. Acts 20:21; 26:20; there is no genuine repentance without saving faith: we are saved by believing repentance or penitent faith), merit and grace (like the Romanists don't, cf. Eph. 2:8-9; the Reformers taught sola gratia or grace alone), fact and feeling (the divine order should be "fact, faith, feeling"), faith and faithfulness (the same Hebrew word, ethics or practice of faith must be fruit).  They know that you cannot divorce certain doctrines:  faith and works, faith and faithfulness, assurance of salvation from the eternal security of the believer, or perseverance with the preservation power of God.  Law lays down what man must do; gospel proclaims what Christ has done.

It is by the law that we have a consciousness and knowledge of sin--it condemns but does not exculpate--it adjudicates and brings guilt (points the finger), but no freedom of conscience.  The evangelist must learn to get the person lost before getting him saved, and making him aware of his own sin, not sins (for that is the problem when people get hung up on some certain sin that offends them and doesn't realize the problem is the whole sin nature itself). The Law has a purpose: "So then the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12, NIV; cf. 2 Tim. 3:16).

We must also realize how bad we are to be made fit for salvation, Jesus didn't come to seek nor save the righteous, we come as sinners!  The sinner is enslaved to his old sin nature and has no power over it, and what is separating him from God is the fact that he doesn't believe in Christ, and for this reason he is in sin and God can have no dealings with sin in His presence.  We find out how depraved we are by trying to be good on our own and end up in failure.  We are not born free as free spirits, but into slavery and servitude to sin and our sin nature and must be set free by the regenerating work of the Spirit.

We must distinguish law and gospel ("For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came [were realized] through Jesus Christ," John 1:17, NIV), but not separate them unduly, we must never divide asunder what God has joined together (cf. Mark 10:9; Matt. 19:6).  In similar fashion, you can have no assurance of salvation without joining it to the security of that salvation (if one can lose it, how can he be assured?), and you cannot divide faith and faithfulness, nor faith and works, for we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone--that kind of faith doesn't save.   Saving faith is not achieved, it's received; it's not conjured up but a gift (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1; Acts 18:27)!

Likewise, the abundant life isn't something we achieve or merit, but receive as a gift with our salvation and it begins instantly.  Grace is antithetical to merit, for salvation is by grace alone and we have no merit to boast of in God's presence--we cannot earn it, don't deserve it, and cannot pay it back, but are forever indebted to God.   Whenever the Bible tells you to repent or commands you to act, it is law, and whenever it tells you what God does on your behalf and to save you, it's gospel.  Obeying the Law out of gratitude, not necessity nor obligation, is law, but having faith that we will be rewarded by God is gospel.  The Christian doesn't "have to" but "wants to" do good deeds, for you can never reduce the faith to do's and don'ts or a to-do list.

We speak of what we do for God, but actually, we do nothing for God, He just uses us as His vessels of honor and we are honored and privileged to be in His service for glorifying Him. Paul did not venture to speak of anything but what Christ did through him (cf. Rom. 15:18).  All that we have done, He has accomplished through us (cf. Isa. 26:12; Amos 6:13; Hos. 14:8).  God isn't looking for our achievements, but our obedience and faith, for faith alone pleases Him and is demonstrated through obedience alone (cf. Heb. 3:18-19).  We don't impress God with our good works because no one can boast in His presence.

Some churches emphasize what God can do for them as if they are cashing in on God and getting something in return for worshiping Him; but we must see ourselves as His servants who are willing to do His will and obey Him in faithfulness--the Christian life costs, in this sense, but our reward is meant to be in glory; we are not meant to always have our portion, reward or comfort in this life like the wicked do

"Law and gospel go together hand in hand and complement each other and can not be divorced, but must be distinguished--not separated;  we are not under the law but under grace and the day we are set free from the law is one of heaven on earth!  Christ is the end of the law for them that believe (cf. Rom. 10:4; Eph. 2:15).   We are not under some performance standard as if we have to measure up or we will fail God, we have a relationship with HIm and learn to depend on Him and walk in the Spirit by faith.  That's why we can not compare ourselves with each other (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12), for only God knows where the goal is for us and our measure of so-called success.  God doesn't call us to success, though, but to faithfulness (cf. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1979 and now canonized).  

The spirit of the law is good and we follow that, but the letter of the law kills and we cannot obtain the standards nor become perfect, but we must obey the law better than the Pharisees, who were hypocrites.  Perfection is still the standard, but the direction is the test!   We are constantly being shaped into Christ's image as icons of Him on earth.  The old nature knows no law, the new nature needs no law!  We will do by nature what is required because we have the Spirit, for one who doesn't have the Spirit of Christ is none of His.  We are not under the law, but we are not lawless, we must rebuke the so-called antinomians who think that they can presume on God's patience and goodness and live unrighteous lives with impunity--God disciplines His own and holds them accountable.

We are never to become legalists and major on the minors nor overemphasize some minor sin while ignoring major flaws in our character,.  Remember, the legalist sees sins (plural), not sin (singular or the sin nature).  The problem we have is our sin nature which can be changed as we are made into Christ's likeness and grow in grace.  Regeneration, as God's work of grace, changes us from the inside out; we don't just sign an AA pledge or turn over a new leaf of trying to be a better person.  The miracle is that God changes us and makes us new creatures in Christ.

The only way to avoid the two errors of Antinomianism and legalism is by studying the Bible and growing in Christ--being illumined by the Spirit.  Two other errors are emphasizing what God can do for you like He's a genie or good-luck charm versus thinking we can do something for God independently of just surrendering to His will and being used by God for His glory--we are to enjoy God in this life as well as in glory.  To obey is better than sacrifice or following the letter of the Law.  We can do nothing apart from Christ's power working in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22; Phil. 2:13).

God just wants us to know Him, for this is the essence of faith and eternal life (cf. John 17:3; John 5:24). "I desired ... the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hos. 6:6, NIV).  We are to avoid both extremes:  exalting law above grace, with adherence to the letter of the Law while excluding its Spirit; and moral liberty run amok or thinking our works don't count for anything.

We are not to become somewhat Jewish before or after salvation, and not to despise the Law either, for it serves its purpose.  For as many as are seeking justification by the Law or who rely on it are cursed! (Cf. Gal. 3:10)  The Jews had the so-called yoke or burden of the Law to submit to, but Jesus promised an easy yoke (cf. Matt. 11:29), which is knowing His will and following it, and we are privileged to know because all believers are priests and we don't need the Urim and Thummim to enlighten us for we have the Spirit as our Counselor! "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35, NIV).

Christ didn't give us the Law to keep, but to break, it was never meant to be the way of salvation but to show us our need for it.  We don't break God's law when we sin--it breaks us--we break God's heart!  In the final analysis, we realize that other religions say, "Do!" and Christianity says, "Done!" There is no limit to God's grace, for "where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more" (cf. Rom. 5:20). As John Bunyan pertinently wrote:  Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.  No one is too sinful to be saved and shouldn't be written off as untouchable by grace!  We are bad, but not too bad to be saved.  The law is good if used righteously and is not sin, though it foments what it prohibits or forbids, instilling in us all the more desire to disobey, but sin could not be reckoned without the law and not fulfilled in Christ either, who lived for us as well as died for us. In sharing the gospel or witnessing, we must be sure to present the bad news of their sin along with the good news of salvation through faith in Christ all by grace alone!

The Christian actually lives under a higher standard than the Law of Moses, the law of love, and realizes that love is the fulfillment of the Law, for the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (i.e., all that we have!), and likewise the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Jesus added another commandment to love one another even as He loved us! He who loves has fulfilled the Law (cf. Eph. 2:15).  Christ by no means abolished or abrogated the Law of Moses, but kept them perfect for us, and the law we are obliged to be the mere law of love.  Caveat:  Rome adds works to faith, merit to grace, the authority of the tradition to Scripture, and the church to Christ's glory and power.   It is indeed our privilege to know His will and with this comes responsibility as the flipside (cf. Acts 22:14).    Soli Deo Gloria!

Things Go Better With Jesus

"The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever."--John Piper's rendition of the tradition in the Westminster Shorter Catechism
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings..." (Romans 5:3, NIV).
"... [T]hrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, ESV).
"If I were to ask you why you have believed in Christ, why you have become Christians, every man will answer truly, 'For the sake of happiness.'"--Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

Jesus did indeed promise life to the fullest  (to the max), but not in the way the world would interpret it.  Some have imagined it as a book has been written, Your Best Life Now, but this is short-sighted and misses the mark to which we are called--it has been granted unto us that we suffer for His name sake (cf. Phil. 1:29).  Suffering is our badge of honor and he who best can suffer best can do.  Jesus promised that we could have a life and life more abundant if we seek first the kingdom of heaven "all these things will be added" unto us according to Matt. 6:33.

Some say that all they want in life is to be happy, and Blaise Pascal said this is not unreasonable for anyone to seek ("All men seek happiness"), but we cannot be happy nor fulfilled out of the will of God or if we miss our calling.  John Piper writes of Christian hedonism and this is true when one lives his life according to the way it was meant, not fighting God's will but getting with the program and learning to give Him the glory, seeking joy in the Lord. When we learn we are designed for worshiping God we will find our joy in the Lord in so doing.  Indeed, "for the joy of the LORD is [our] strength" (cf. Neh. 8:10, NIV) and we are to rejoice always.  When our eyes are properly focused on Christ and not on ourselves, things look cheerful and joyful.

The big difference in Christians though is that their happiness isn't selfish nor focused in this life, but looks to eternity and not the here and now or the secular.  The world seeks its fulfillment in education, the standard of living, liberty and even the American way or in achieving the so-called American dream.  But true fulfillment only resides in knowing Christ and having a living relationship with Him.  The Christian life is not Jesus plus TM or Jesus plus yoga, and so forth, but merely:  Jesus in us!  We don't add Jesus to our life like some additive, but seek a substituted, exchanged, surrendered, and relinquished life in Him as Lord of our lives because He owns us.

We are designed for worship (as Dostoevsky said that if we don't worship God we'll worship something or someone else because we are made to worship), and bringing God glory and nothing else will fill the void but God, as Augustine said, "You make us for Yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in You."  Blaise Pascal said that there is a vacuum or God-shaped blank in us that only God can fill.

Too many people want to add Jesus to their life rather than give their life to Jesus--He's no additive, but the Lord and will not save them in any other capacity.  Christians have an abundant life, but this is not to be interpreted that it's God's will for all believers to be successful in the eyes of the world nor to achieve great riches, power, or fame. The highest honor we can have is to suffer for the sake of the gospel, and to bring glory to His name.

One of the great mysteries in life is why the wicked prosper, but their portion is in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14), and ours in the glory.  God does indeed bless us in our endeavors but the results are up to him; we are to be faithful and leave the success to God.  Knowing Mother Teresa said that God calls us to faithfulness, not success per se.  We need to avoid the formulae of success the world offers and seek our fulfillment in serving Christ.

We don't just try Jesus and see if He works for us, but give our lives to Him unconditionally.  Christ did all He could to discourage halfhearted, casual admirers and followers because they didn't know what they were getting into with all the trials, tribulations, sufferings, and even chastisement Christians must learn to endure for the sake of the cross and being conformed to His image.  We don't give Jesus a trial run and see if He works, on the other hand, we must consider the cost of discipleship and make a commitment.  Discipleship involves discipline, endurance, faithfulness, and commitment and the road isn't easy--Christ never promised a bed of roses!

We don't fit Christ into our schedules and plans, but make no plans without His consent and learn to do His will and walk in the Spirit in fellowship with Him.   A good encouraging word is that if He got you to it, He'll get you through it.  We are never alone, nor overwhelmed by our troubles (cf. Isaiah 43:2).  We must not reduce the Christian life to a formula, a philosophy, or a creed, but it's all about knowing the Lord and proving it.  Yes, the Christian life is not hard, it's impossible, it's been put, and we can do nothing without God's power ("... 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty...", Zech. 4:6, NIV).  Jesus Himself said, "...apart from me you can do nothing" (cf. John 15:5, NIV).

Christ was honest enough to forewarn us of future affliction, discipline,  suffering, adversity, trials, and tribulations for His name's sake, and He asks us to do nothing He didn't do Himself, while our crosses pale in comparison to His (and He didn't exempt Himself from any adversity).  This is Reality 101 and it's inevitable.  There is no crown without a cross to bear and we must daily take up our cross and follow Him (cf. Mark 8:34,35; Matt. 16:24) wherever He leads with a walk of faith, not sight, for we don't always know what's ahead, but that Christ is with us all the way.

It's not all about "cashing in on your spiritual lottery ticket," nor storing up treasures on earth, but in looking for a future reward in heaven. We live in light of eternity!  In the final analysis, Jesus is not something we add to our lives, but someone we make our lives, which are defined by Him and His will for us, realizing that life makes no sense without Him--as some people try to do and are merely existing, not living, it's been well put.    Soli Deo Gloria!

We Are Lights In The Midst Of Darkness

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16, NIV).
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you" (Isaiah 60:1, NIV).

Christians are an open book and they seem to live in a glass house once the word is out they claim ownership of Christ publicly. We are not to be ashamed to represent our Lord and to be willing to even suffer for righteousness and the gospel's sake. We are not all called to be martyrs but we are all "living sacrifices" and that means God wants us to live for Him, know Him, and make Him known. A living sacrifice can crawl off the altar, and we must constantly renew our commitment. 

Lordship entails daily dying and renewal in the Spirit as we make constant spiritual checkups, especially as we gather together in the Lord's name. We are not to commend ourselves with ourselves, nor to compare ourselves with some standard or some ideal person, not even a so-called idol of ours (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12). Our job description is to walk in the Spirit and by faith and let God lead us in our calling. We don't all have the same special calling but we are all elected to be ambassadors or representatives of Christ on earth.

When the world sees our good works and witnessing is not the only fruit manifest, but the testimony of our life in general and showing that we make a difference in the world. They should see that we are different from the world and wonder what makes us tick. They may even taunt us but God promises that if we are not ashamed of our Lord, they will nonetheless praise our Heavenly Father. Some Christians in name only profane the name of Christ and bring it into disrepute by denying Him in their works (cf. Titus 1:16). Hypocrites are not those who fall short of their personal standards but those who make a parade of pseudo-religion and are pretenders, claiming to know God but denying Him by their life: it's like putting on a mask or play-acting. God sees through the veneer though and they will be judged, just like Jesus condemned the Pharisees.

Satan would love to see us silenced and to jeopardize our testimony by compromising with the world and there is grave danger in loving the world or in being attracted to what it has to offer--it takes away our desire for holy things which are of the kingdom of God. We ultimately have to decide where our loyalty lies and to whom we owe allegiance and who owns us.

Let everything we do be in the name of the Lord (cf. Col. 3:17, 23), bringing glory to His name and thus being lights in a dark world; we should never hide our light but be bold to see the open doors of opportunity that we have to share our testimony and do good works in His name. We are meant to be "zealous of good works" (cf. Titus 2:14) and "increasing in the knowledge of God" in so doing (cf. Col. 1:10). Some have made the fallacious conclusion that the only fruit is witnessing and that is the measure of our spirituality. This is a given and God makes us all witnesses and vessels of honor no matter what, a good tree automatically brings forth good fruit. We must make sure of our calling and know our gift to be fruitful with it and grow in grace to bear the fruit of the Spirit. The world should wonder where we get our strength! Bear in mind: opportunity knocks--seize the day!

The world is looking for the real thing, the real McCoy and we must realize the mission that God has commissioned us with and fulfill our ministry, being a witness to all our neighbors and those in our inner circles and influence. Jesus didn't say, "Please be lights," but that we are lights and we shall witness or let it shine on--as vessels God works through us and glorifies Himself by our testimony and works. All in all, never pretend to be what you are not, and be true to yourself and God, which entails knowing yourself as well as knowing God--twin goals from ancient Greek philosophy which are still valid.

We give the gospel credibility by our consistent testimony and our labor of love in showing compassion has demonstrated the nature of Christ to the world. It has always been Christian relief agencies and believers who come to the aid of those in distant lands where Christ is not named, like during the "killing fields" where Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge killed thousands and devastated the land, but Christians, who didn't believe they deserved it because of their karma, stepped in and showed the love of God and the infinite compassion of Christ in action via relief organizations.

As Mother Teresa said, "It's not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters." She would say, "Get with the program!" Paul says also in Gal. 4:6, NIV, that "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." The message of James is "the faith you have is the faith you show." He said he'd show us his faith by his works, and Paul would show us his works by his faith; indeed, they are correlated and can be distinguished but not separated.

What does light do but expose darkness because they cannot coexist? The world hates the light because their deeds are evil (cf. John 3:19) and we cannot love the world and God, but must choose whom we will choose (cf. 1 John 2:15; Josh. 24:15). We are not to be mere do-gooders nor goody-two-shoes, but doing the work of the Lord willingly with a smile. Christ refused to turn stones into bread and we are to be representatives of Him first and meeting their needs second. Our do-goodery or do-goodism contrasts with the world's best efforts as goody-goodies; believers aren't against good works, just those done in the flesh.

Remember, the Christian life, it's been said, is not hard--it's impossible (you must be filled with the Spirit!). Caveat: we are in the world, but not of it, so illuminate it! (cf. John 15:19). Even our lives are an open letter of the gospel, and even may speak in our death, as Abel's blood cried out to God. On the flipside cloistered virtue is no virtue--we're not hermits in seclusion nor spiritual Lone Rangers. Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is Man And His Dignity Worth?

"Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?" (Job 35:11, NLT).
"Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory..." (Isaiah 43:7, NKJV). 
"The purpose of man is like the purpose of the pollywog--to wiggle along as far as he can without dying; or, to hang to life until death takes him."--Clarence Darrow, the Scopes monkey trial of 1925 
"There is something about the way God is that is like the way we are."--J. P. Moreland and Scott B. Rae, Body and Soul 

IF YOU WONDER WHO YOU ARE, READ!


What makes us human?  Is man a cosmic accident that came from blue-green pond scum (algae) or is he the result of purposed design?  Are we mere grown-up germs?  A fluke of nature?  Are we from nothing, with no meaning, going nowhere?  Our Declaration of Independence declares we have "certain unalienable rights," "endowed" by our "Creator."  If the State granted us rights, the State can take them away!  Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes didn't attribute any more significance to man than to a baboon!  Even Darwin pondered whether he could "trust the convictions of a monkey."

The reason Secular Humanists are so eager to make us out to be nothing but animals is that they want to live irresponsibly like animals.  If you believe you are an animal, you will act like one.  Some Greeks of antiquity, namely Protagoras, believed man was "the measure of all things [Homo mensura]."  Even at the tower of Babel man sought to make a name for himself (cf. Gen. 11:4).

It is the Christian worldview that gives man dignity, being in the image of God (imago Dei), and a "living soul," (cf. Gen. 2:7), and this dignity is extrinsic (God is the source, not us) since it is because of our relationship with God-man is presently in a fallen state and this image is marred and defaced; nevertheless, it's still there--man alone has an ego issue.  History is the story of the "devolution" of man; even though we have increased in technological knowledge and expertise, we have not solved the basic problems that haunt us, namely: hatred, jealousy, lust, greed, pride, and selfishness, et al.  

Only after we get saved, do we have the capability to overcome our sinful nature and to be renewed in the image of God.  We must remember that "all men are created equal," as our Declaration of Independence says, and we have no right to look down on our fellow man, just as the Bible declares that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (cf. Rom. 3:23).

What does it mean to be in God's image?  We all have intelligence, self-consciousness, dignity, value, worth,  purpose, and meaning, a heart set on eternity, and are designed to bring glory to God.  We have many traits in common with God:  namely, that we are spiritual; rational; emotional; social; intellectual; creative; communicative; reflective; intuitive; interpretive; noble; moral; and ethical beings.  Note that only man can plan, worry, regret, appreciate beauty, enjoy something bigger than himself, appreciate music, and find fulfillment.

We, alone, are made to know God and are the only creatures capable of having fellowship with Him.  God has chosen to glorify Himself through man (cf. Isa. 43:7).   As John Piper interprets man's purpose from The Westminster Shorter Catechism:  "The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever."  We are not mere creatures, but His children who will be joint-heirs with Christ.  Christians are destined to become like Christ (cf. Col. 1:27) and to share in His glory (cf. 1 Pet. 5:10; Psa. 84:11). Man has a destiny:  "You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5, NIV).

Bildad in Job 18:3, NLT, says:  "Do you think we are mere animals?  Do you think we are stupid?"  Man is the only creature capable of self-analysis, and self-criticism, as well as being a problem solver and able to pass on the information gathered to succeeding generations--he doesn't start afresh each time, but can accumulate a body of knowledge and wisdom--animals know things, but man knows he knows.  Man is not solely driven by and captive to instinct, though he does possess the drive to self-preservation, propagation, and nourishment.  But our relationships are unique, since we are capable of falling in and out of love and know the ebb and flow of emotional ties, and show signs of the nobility of character such as knowing about fair play, sportsmanship, courage, bravery, honesty, truthfulness, integrity, justice, good faith, altruism, and all fifty-two known virtues.

In other words, we have a desire to be like God and this is only fulfilled through Christ.  The logical conclusion of being in God's image is that we have rights bestowed by Him and no government has the right to take them away.  But since we are in God's image, and are fallen creatures, we are capable of disobeying God and committing evil in His sight for which we are culpable and responsible.   We alone know right from wrong (cf. Rom. 2:14-15).  Man alone will be judged and held accountable (cf. Rom. 14:10, 12).  Man alone has rights: "denying justice to a man," (Lam. 3:35); "and to deprive the afflicted among my people of justice," (Isa, 10:2); "As God lives, who has deprived me of justice" (Job 27:2)--all vv. from HCSB.

The prevalent worldviews today deify or exalt man and dethrone God and make Him irrelevant or unbelievable; they start with man and explain the universe rather than with God, the Creator, and explain creation.  Where you start determines where you'll end up!  They rule God out of the equation from the get-go and don't even consider Him in their solution.  When you take God out of the reckoning, man becomes his own judge and lives irresponsibly with no concept of right and wrong--for without God "all things are permissible," according to Fyodor Dostoevsky--consequently, man is no mere creature of habit.

The ultimate worth of mankind is that God became a man and thought we were valuable enough to die for and restore a relationship with--God didn't die for animals--they weren't bad enough!   This leads us to the uniqueness of man's nature:  the desire to know God; for man alone is a religious creature, who builds cathedrals and chapels and has been nicknamed Homo religiosus, or the religious man.  Man alone has a conscience that makes him aware of right and wrong and is therefore culpable to God.  Wouldn't you be surprised to see a monkey erecting a chapel or praying to God?

The ultimate image of God (and this is not the replica of God--God sees Himself in us and relates to us in a mutual way--but the icon of God), is manifested in his ability to reflect and reason; in his conscience and ability to discern good and evil, having a sense of guilt in wrongdoing; consciousness of morals and values; in his desire to know God and have a relationship with Him and this conviction that he belongs to God and can worship and praise Him.  Even in man's scientific name, Homo sapiens is Latin for "the wise man." 

t is said that man alone, in contrast to animals, has the will to obey God, the intellect to know Him, and the heart to love Him.  In short, we were made to have a relationship with God!  Man is the magnum opus of God's creation.   And it's because of the imago Dei that we have rights, not the government, and if we're are descended from hominids, when did those hominids acquire rights?   Soli Deo Gloria!

A Legitimate Testimony Or A Misrepresentation?

"... And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ" (Romans 8:9, NIV).
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God' (Romans 8:14, NIV).
"I can do all things through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13, NIV).
"To the law and to the testimony!  If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20, NKJV).

Some churches require would-be members to give their testimonies as a condition for joining the assembly of believers.  Too often this gets out of control and people get carried away glorifying their past sins and want to portray themselves as the worst sinner since the apostle Paul, the chief of sinners.  Sometimes testimonies do the opposite of the spectrum and are just watered-down bios of about their so-called spiritual journeys (just giving the facts of baptism, going to a crusade, reading the Bible, raising your hand, responding to an altar call gives no details worth knowing about how to get saved--these don't save!), but leave out the essentials: (1) What was their life like before getting saved?  (If they don't know how to get saved, how do we vouch for their salvation?)  (2) How did they come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?  (3) What is their life like now that Jesus is in charge?  These three questions are crucial because they nurture and feed the seeker so that he can get saved too.  This is one of the best opportunities to present the gospel one may ever encounter and it's a shame that one misses the chance to materialize it and seize the moment.  Just letting them think they've jumped over one more hurdle does them no favors in the long term--it's short-sighted!

How they went to church since a child and grew up in the faith and seemed to inherit salvation is irrelevant or paraphrastic, (this is nice to know, but not a testimony)--I want to know how they got saved!  The words sin, repent, and saving faith all by regeneration or a born-again experience by the Spirit is a requisite.  To be remiss to mention them is a sin of omission because sin is missing the mark or falling short of the ideal of God' biblical standard.

If anything is worth doing at all, it's worth doing right and well.  I know that the elders may be convinced of their conversion, that they are believers and saved by virtue of personal fellowship, but this is the church's opportunity to judge and discern--just talking the talk and using the jargon of the church doesn't make one a believer. What I'm saying is that if it's just an introduction to get to know the person, and then a vote up or down, based on whether they like the person, it shouldn't be called giving salvation testimonies, because they aren't biblical--these are life stories, church histories, or religious experiences.  It's not just the church's opportunity or ratification of the elders' decision, it's a special occasion for the prospective member.

I am especially suspicious of those who are too shy to even read a testimony to the church, though some may disagree on this nonessential point, because Paul said explicitly in Romans 10:9-10, NIV, this proclamation:  "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for it is with the heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."  This says nothing about proxy testimony for the shy.  Also, note that Jesus expressly said in Matt. 10:32 that whosoever acknowledges or professes Him before others, He will acknowledge before the Father in heaven. Of course, this doesn't mean you can get legalistic and deny membership on this basis, but it should be encouraged because it's for their own assurance and sooner or later they will have to profess Christ orally before men. Remember, it's always the devil who's trying to get into the fellowship some other way besides through the gate and some churches sure make it easy for him to worm his way in.

Those too shy at heart must realize that God doesn't give a spirit of timidity according to 2 Tim. 1:7!   A real sign of the Spirit is a bold and fearless testimony!   I realize some people are not gifted at public speaking and are shy by nature, but God changes that and its membership shouldn't be made as easy as talking the talk without any fruit or even explanation of how the conversion happened in detail.  Saying something like, "I was saved when I was five!" means nothing to the seeker or member wondering how to get saved--no one just gets saved by osmosis or because they were born into the right family--it's a turnstile, not something inherited.  We don't get saved en masse like being a member of the right church either, God doesn't save churches or families, but individuals.  It can become a meeting whereby members are just getting to know the prospects and voting on whether they approve of them or not, without any doctrinal information exchanged.

Good testimonies are not just a few lines of Christian lingo showing one has grown up in the faith and has earned the right to become a member, but an illustration of the gospel:  what it was like before salvation; how one got saved; and what's it like afterward that's made a difference.  These are the essentials of biblical testimony and to omit them is a dereliction of duty and indicates a lack of guidance.   If a church is to fail to train in giving biblical testimony, then it shouldn't call them testimonies, but life story or church history, because they are serving another purpose, the prospects are being admitted because the elders believe them, and it's assumed they are already believers and there should be no reasonable objections.

Voting by the church assembly is unnecessary in light of the fact that they are already virtual members when the elders deem them saved, unless testimonies are to be taken seriously they are futile, but serve as a time to get to know the person better, but not any concrete evidence of salvation.  In Revelation "they overcame by the word of their testimony" (cf. Rev. 12:11, NIV); this is not just clinging to some childhood experience like telling the people you were saved at five or even that you responded to an altar call (the church may not believe in them)--this has no inherent spiritual impact or convicting power!  The overcoming power is in the gospel (cf. Rom. 1: 16) and the experience one has with it through the Spirit (cf. Phil. 4:13).

The dynamic of church membership should be straightforward and not pretend to be what it's not (they're not fooling God, who sees through the veneer and masquerade)--it shouldn't be majority rule, for it is seldom the voice of God.  The accord of the elders and unity of the body one in the Spirit and mission should pass judgment, with the personal rights:  "I dissent, I disagree, I protest," according to our legacy a Protestants.  

We need to adjourn the methodology of welcoming members aboard by virtue of talking the talk and knowing some jargon, but be forthcoming about what we are doing and teach the biblical way including renouncing sin, having saving faith, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit; for we are members of The Way--let's proceed like we know it (and I'm not being nitpicky), instead of performing a sham for God, trying to make people feel good.  Call it what it is (and it's not certifying salvation), and do it the right, biblical way.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Just Be Yourself

In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, Polonius says, "To thine own self be true."  This is one of the most famous quotes from Shakespeare and even misquoted and misinterpreted.  We don't want to try to be someone else, of course, unless we aspire to be like Jesus, like all Christians do, but we still retain our personal identity and should never forget who we are--our roots and calling. God hates hypocrites and duplicity!  It wasn't long ago that kids idolized Michael Jordan and chanted, "I want to be like Mike!"  It is never advisable to live as someone else, live a lie, nor to live in sin, but being true to thine own self implies being true and having integrity too. 

The prerequisite to being yourself is knowing yourself, one of the twin goals of the Greek philosophers of antiquity:  Know thyself; know God--they are correlated.  This is why Socrates' dictum from his trial articulated this well: "The unexamined life is not worth living."  We all need to take inventory and get a spiritual checkup to find out where we stand in Christ and be honest with God with no skeletons in the closet.  We must find out what we're made of and what we are in Christ to be of use to God's service.

Bruce Jenner took this advice and became Caitlyn; however, he didn't go far enough--once he found out what or who he was, he should've been convicted and repented of his sin and asked God to transform his nature.  If you have tendencies to be an arsonist or a thief, you don't live them out under the pretense of being true to yourself.  What is wrong for others is wrong for everyone and God is the moral center of the universe, not us.  Taking God out of the picture leads to being a sinner, no matter how true to yourself you are.  Shakespeare was a Christian and quoted the Bible hundreds of times in his plays and sonnets, and there is some truth to what he wrote in Hamlet.  

Does character count?  Paul said that nothing good dwells in him and the good that he would do, he doesn't do.  Ovid said that he knows the good and approves it, but doesn't do it.  The point is that we don't have the power to conquer sin without Christ in our metric.  I'm glad that the Holy Spirit is a restraining influence on the sinners of the world, to keep them from being as depraved as they possibly could be or would be if they could.

Being true to yourself necessitates honesty with yourself and being open about who you are, good or evil.  Jenner wasn't necessarily given bad advice, but his problem is not that he chose to be a transgender, but that he doesn't know Jesus.  Hypocrites are those who act a role they really aren't and put on a show for others to see as a deception--wearing a mask in a play.  "Why is it that I know what is right, but do what is wrong?" (Leo Tolstoy's character Pierre says in War and Peace). 

God is looking for honest people (even if they don't measure up to their own standards), and sometimes that honesty is costly and we cannot put a price on our integrity.  When they say, "What you see is what you get," they are being human, for God is not looking for ideal people but real people.  Jesus came to save sinners and to call them to repentance. Jenner needs to humble himself before God and realize his helplessness to be the man God intended him to be.

As Christians, we should think outside the box and put others first, and live for something bigger than ourselves--the community of believers, the body of Christ.  There is a point at which so-called tribalism becomes evil, like when we deify a political party and follow it right or wrong; we should never forget that we belong to Christ first as citizens of heaven, and He has primary authority over our lives.  Individualism is evil, though we are individuals.  When we exalt ourselves and think we don't need anyone, we mock God who designed us to need community as social beings.  As Christians, we have the mindset to give back to society and the church and want to contribute, not just be focused on what we can get out of the system.

No one is autonomous and self-sufficient but God!  He needs no one and nothing, but we are ones in need of Him and others.  The Victorian Englishman was known as a self-made man who worshiped his creator!  This is the epitome of individualism, and also believing that God helps those who help themselves, like Ben Franklin and John F. Kennedy said, is bad theology--for God helps the helpless and those who are in need, even destitute--this is quoted by politicians as an argument against a nanny-state, public assistance, entitlements, and even social safety nets.  Some people are not in a position to help themselves or to turn their lives around for the good.

If our nation believes everyone has the right to life, it would follow that they have a right not to starve to death and to be fed adequately--for even prisoners are granted three square meals a day.  Christian, transcendent law entails equal opportunity, and no bias towards the rich or big business either.  They talk about social engineering for the poor or redistribution of wealth to their advantage, but what about social engineering favoring the rich or corporations, and redistribution of wealth their way?

Many today follow the so-called Iron Rule, or that "might makes right" and the law of the jungle should prevail (from the Darwinian theory of the survival of the fittest).  People want to take care of themselves first and be as independent as possible--look out for Number One!   The Christian ought to be about something bigger than himself.  The first lesson one learns upon knowing Christ is that it's not all about them!  Christians learn to love others as members of the same body of believers. God doesn't approve of Lone Ranger Christians or lone wolves who think they can go it alone and be a one-man-band for Christ--the key to authority is that everyone is under authority and accountable from the top all the way to the bottom, and those who refuse to be under authority have no authority for Christ.

In other words, good leaders are first good followers and good teachers are first good students.  But we never reach a point of graduating from the School of Christ that we have enrolled in for the remainder of our lives, but must learn that we are always works-in-progress and others should be patient with us because God isn't finished with us yet--as He promised to bring our sanctification to completion (cf. Phil. 1:6).  The mature believer has taken himself out of the equation of life; for humility is not thinking less of himself, but thinking of himself less.

We need to be true to ourselves, but this is in light of being true to God and what His Word tells us, not listening to what the world says and its conventions, traditions, and customs--don't live a lie!  They say to be yourself, but most people haven't discovered who they are and are searching for some identity, known as an identity crisis to find themselves.  We must be found by God and changed by His grace, for our sin nature has no power over sin, since it's the slave to it.

In this day and age, many people are coming out of the closet and declaring their sins without shame, and our culture thinks it's the right thing to do to accept them the way they are, when they need to repent of their sin:  "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!"  The message of sin, repentance, and faith has been lost and today it seems that anything goes and people are living to please themselves and doing what is right in their own eyes: (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV) "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way."

The "what's-in-it-for-me" gospel has come into vogue and we need to realize that the Christian life is a surrendered, relinquished, obedient, exchanged, and a substituted life through Christ's power (cf Gal. 2:20).  God gave us ego and a will, and as soon as this is realized there is the peril of putting them first and before God-exalting or deifying them instead of God, i.e., not giving God His due.  Soli Deo Gloria!  

Is History Just Bunk?

"It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference."--Nelson Glueck, archaeologist
"What experience and history teach is this--that people and governments never have learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it."--Georg W. F.  Hegel
"I don't know much about history, and I wouldn't give a nickel for all the history in the world."---Henry Ford 
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."--George Santayana   "A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts."--Paul Johnson, historian  
"It is not now the man of faith, it is the skeptic, who has reason to fear the course of discovery."--Ibid. 

Henry Ford had no respect for the academic discipline of history and called it bunk!  History is not circular or cyclical, but we must learn the lessons again, or relearn from our mistakes the hard way.  You cannot relegate the study of history to consisting of the narrative of man's inhumanity to man, nor of the survival of the fittest; there is a divine input and factor to be reckoned with. Biblical history is linear: it has a starting point, a direction, a climax, a culmination or consummation, and a climactic ending point or conclusion.

In Stephen Hawking's book,  A Brief History of Time, he referred to time beginning at the Big Bang as it has become popularized, [posited as the corollary of space and matter] (cf. 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2; Gen. 1:1).  There was a beginning to everything that exists in time and space, except God Himself, who had no beginning and is, therefore, eternal and unbound or defined by the time/space continuum in which He created and we are imprisoned and confined so to speak.  History is important because Christianity is the only faith grounded in history and fact, and its historicity has been vouched for by over 25,000 archaeological digs and over 5000 manuscripts proving the veracity and fidelity of scriptural transmission to give us an accurate text, with much corroboration. It is deplorable that when a secular historian is a contrarian to a biblical scholar, the former is assumed the unbiased one.

Modern man tends to interpret history in the so-called uniformitarian way or denying any supernatural intervention such as the Deluge or Noah's flood.  Christianity is history and history is God's story in a manner of speaking--it has a storyteller.  If you could "dehistoricize" the Bible, it would be completely discredited, even if one legitimate, proven error was found in its portrayals of events, persons, or places.  But even secular historians will not deny that the coming of Christ changed the course of history and that He is the dominant figure in Western civilization.  I wonder if the disciples had any presentiment of the place they'd occupy in world history and of the history of the Church, as narrated so accurately and faithfully by Luke in Acts.

I heard that the present administration has no regard for history and is relatively ignorant of it; the error is that they fail to see any meaning in history or its inherent worth as an academic discipline.  We should not resort to the cynicism of Karl Marx, who said that the point is not to interpret history, but to change it!  Change isn't always good, and change for change sake is evil and one must be willing and ready to go forward, not backward and relive our errors and mistakes of the past.  What is the scope and view of history from God's eye?  It is nothing but creation, fall, redemption, judgment, and finally eternity in heaven or hell.  The Bible picks up the story as going from generation to degeneration to regeneration!

Yes, history is headed toward a climactic conclusion and resolution and it's up to us to interpret the times and act accordingly and appropriately, knowing what to do!  It used to be that secular historians and scholars would even doubt the historicity of Jesus Christ, but none would risk his reputation by alleging that stance today, because the evidence is overwhelming and the corroborating evidence so convincing and even conclusive, that secularists must realize that Christ and the Christian faith must be reckoned with and explained or accepted, because they cannot be dismissed as legend or myth--the great question of history that must be answered by all is this:  "Who is Jesus?"  He is the center point and focuses of history, the Bible being all about Him, and He will bring it to a head, and everyone's judgment of Him will be the criterion for his eternal destiny.  The Christian experience is real because it's based on verifiable, historical fact and can be tested by subjective, personal experience--as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating or "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good" (cf. Psalm 34:8, ESV).

The great comfort of the faith is that we can be assured that God is in absolute, complete control and we can know that there will be a future for all believers with Him.  Josh McDowell sums it up quite well in that the resurrection is the central fact of the faith, and it's based in history as objective fact, and it is either the most wonderful event in history or it's the cruelest hoax ever perpetrated on mankind.  According to D. James Kennedy, the resurrection is arguably the best-attested fact of antiquity.  If one looks at the evidence with an open mind with no preconceived notions or bias, there are "many infallible proofs," as Luke wrote in Acts 1:3.  The downside is that there is never enough evidence for the skeptic, but ample evidence for the sincere seeker of truth. God and truth are inseparable, and that is why the Bible's veracity and fidelity are so paramount to the faith--one cannot disbelieve due to lack of evidence!

It's important to interpret history in light of Scripture, because secularism sees us as progressing towards perfection and utopia, while we are really headed toward world-wide confrontation and war, culminating in one-world government by the Antichrist before Christ ushers in his reign during the Millennial Kingdom, coming after a Great Tribulation and judgment of God on the nations.  What is history then?  It's the ultimate unfolding, progressing of God's redemptive, judgmental plan for all mankind in real time.  It makes a difference what one makes of history--it's HIS STORY!

Caveat:  Secular worldviews jeopardize our future with such interpretations as seeing us heading toward and evolving into utopia and globalism; or that tomorrow belongs to Islam; or that history is the judge; or that it's a dialectic of class warfare; and even that there is no purpose or meaning to it and it's not worthy of our serious study.  We must persevere with faith in Providence, that our Forefathers adhered to and believed God is ultimately in control and good will triumph over evil in God's timetable.

In sum, the whole Christian concept and worldview of history are dependent on the veracity, reliability, credibility, fidelity, and accuracy of the Bible, which is a historical document from cover to cover. All in all, such concepts as God punishing our nation or smiling upon us with blessings, are foreign to the secular outlook on history, which removes God from the equation and reckoning, trying to declare God dead or irrelevant to history.   We can be thankful that the God of faith is the God of history, who orchestrates it, and doubting its historicity is mere hyper-criticism--it's never been proven erroneous, so why not trust it?

NOTE:  IT'S A SAD COMMENTARY ON OUR TIMES THAT SO MUCH EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE AND THE BIBLE HAS ALWAYS PROVEN TRUE TO ITS FACTS AND HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS, YET WHEN THERE IS A DISCREPANCY WITH A SECULAR HISTORIAN, THE BIBLE IS THE ONE THAT IS QUESTIONED AND HELD UP TO SCRUTINY.  WHY IS THAT WHILE THE BIBLE HAS PROVEN SO RELIABLE IN ITS FACTS AND HISTORY, THAT SOME DOUBT ITS SPIRITUAL AND MORAL VALUES?  Soli Deo Gloria!

Seeking God's Glory

 "... [W]ithout holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14, NIV).
"... We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son..." (John 1:14, NIV).
"No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known" (John 1:17, NIV).
"Everything comes from God alone.  Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory" (Romans 11:36, TLB).
"The glory of God is a human being fully alive."--Irenaeus
"My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..."

According to the divines who wrote The Westminster Shorter Catechism around 1646, "the chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever" (or, as John Piper says, "... by enjoying Him forever").  We were put on this good earth to glorify God (cf. Isa. 43:7), and we bring Him the most glory while enjoying Him and doing what we were created to do, not resisting our Maker's intention or calling (cf. Isa. 45:10); for He is the Potter and we are the clay, being fashioned into vessels of honor and dishonor, but nevertheless, whether we cooperate or not, to bring Him ultimate glory--namely, the manifestation of the Shekinah, the cloud of God's glory, seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Note that even the wrath of man brings glory to God (cf. Psalm 76:10).  Also note that God's glory is not a reflected one like the moon reflecting the sun's light, or like Moses' face reflecting God's, but is originating from itself, and a self-sufficient radiance, expressing itself.  It has to do with the transcendent majesty of God's presence. It was shown to the inner circle of disciples (John, James, and Peter) at the preview of his glory at the Transfiguration, and was hidden from the world while Christ was incarnate before His resurrection and would be restored (cf. John 17:5).

We have all fallen short of the glory of God (cf. Rom. 3:23), it's not a sin not to be as glorious as God, but not to bring Him glory as we ought, and becoming what would glorify God to the max.  We must learn to acknowledge the glory of God, as this is a pet peeve or complaint of God and shows our true nature.  The problem with man is that they've exchanged the glory of God for images or icons and idols!  We are meant, as believers united and in union with Christ, to share in God's glory, but the glory of His presence and salvation, will He give to no other to share (cf. Isa. 48:11).

We all fall short of the glory of God (cf. Rom. 3:23; 1:23) and after salvation, we regain glory step by step, as we are conformed to the image of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).  The goal of the Christian is the Beatificfic Vision or the manifested revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, seeing Him by faith in the here and now through the eyes of our spirit--in Glory, we shall see Him as He is and become like unto Him; as the disciples beseeched to see the Father and it would suffice, Jesus told them that seeing Him was the same experience--but we do see Jesus (cf. Heb. 2:9).

Meanwhile, it's our duty to do everything to the glory of God (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31).  Abraham likewise grew in faith, giving glory to God (cf. Rom. 4:20). In fact, we are predestined "to be to the praise of His glory" (cf. Eph. 1:12, NASB).  Jesus will share His glorious nature with us as we are fit for the inhabitation of resurrection bodies in His likeness.  This is when we are glorified in Glory or the third heaven upon entrance.  We either seek God's glory or are put to shame because of our sins in neglecting it as a dereliction of duty, there's no middle ground or limbo, that would be a neutral territory--one must decide for or against the glory of God manifested and put to full display at the cross and resurrection of Christ on our behalf--viz., the gospel message.  The sad commentary on man is that Satan has blinded the eyes of them that believe not to the glory of Christ, who is the express image of God (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4).

Remember:  "The Son is the radiance of God's glory [the fullness of the Godhead; cf. Col. 2:9] and the exact representation of his being [the icon]..." (Heb. 1:3, NIV).   And so: where is the glory of God?  Just open your eyes and look, it's everywhere (where isn't it?)--God's divine imprint is in all of creation, for the "heavens declare the glory of God," (cf. Psalms 19:1).  The glory of God is so awesome, that it will be the light of the New Jerusalem.  We are to live for and recognize God's glory as Jesus did:  "I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do" (John 17:4, NLT).

This means that we ought to do what we are wired to do and use our gifts: opportunities; relationships; energy; resources; learned skills; talents; abilities; spiritual gifts; and even passions for the purpose God gave them to us.  John Piper said that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him!  Don't just exist but live life to the full and live for your God-given purpose in life.  Glorify God by being all you can be and what you were designed for and called to do; for the happiest people are those who do God's will cheerfully and God will smile on them as He sees Himself in us.    Soli Deo Gloria!

A Shame Unto A Man

"A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart"  (Prov. 21:2, NIV).
"... The LORD does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7, NIV).

Paul seemed dogmatic that it is a shame for a man to have "long hair," (this begs the question as to why it's a shame for a woman not to have hair as a covering), but what does that mean to us in our enlightened age? Note that it's not a condemnation or sin!  Are ponytails evil per se because someone deems them to be long hair?  Does the converse hold true, that it's an honor to have short or no hair?  Hair should not be the issue! But still being bald for a man is also a shame or embarrassment, but it's not sinning.  Note that what's long hair is relative and subjective too!

Actually, standards of right and wrong don't evolve with time (but styles and conventions do!), but we must understand that what was wrong then is still wrong, and God never sanctions the right to do what is wrong--neither in our eyes nor the eyes of others, but awareness of right an wrong in society's standards and norms do change with the times as to what is accepted as "normal".  When I was young The Beatles transformed the image of where hairlines were appropriate, it was now okay to have hair over the ears, and bangs were "in."  This was considered to be "long hair" by some and the phrase and song went, "Long-haired, freaky people need not apply!'  Who claims the divine right to judge the actual length at which hair is too long for a believer?  And it should not be an issue at all for the infidel!  Actually, there was a time when having hair over your ears was too long for some critics.  They told The Beatles to get haircuts, and they said, they had just got one!

What we have is a difference of opinion and a disputable matter, and Christians are not to quarrel over questionable matters, per Romans 14:1, but leave room for a person's own conscience, to decide for himself what his convictions are, as his faith is between him and God--knowing he will be judged by God (this applies to areas where the Bible is silent and gray areas).  (Note that the Bible also says women should cover their heads in worship services, and no one enforces that convention today.)  So much of our dress code is according to custom and style of the age, which does change. It used to be shocking to see a woman in a pantsuit or wear jeans!  We have no right to look down on a brother who has what we consider to be long hair,  for he is God's servant and is accountable to Him, not us.  The Bible nowhere condemns boys or children from having long hair, and also bear in mind that men of the Nazarite vow never had a razor touch their head (e.g., Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist).

When we judge a man by appearance we are being like men who look on the outward appearance and not the heart--what really matters is where his heart is, not his looks.  Unbelievers who have long hair need Christ, not a haircut!  God doesn't hold their hair against them, but that they need to repent of sin (singular or in general), not sins (a certain one in particular) and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.  Legalists see sins, not sin.  Men are in a state of rebellion against God and long hair is only a symptom of their alienation.  Remember, we are not in Moses' seat and able to judge a man by his outward dress or looks, but leave room for God's justice.

If the Word is faithfully taught, the person in question will someday see the light and his eyes will be opened, and he will not dress or wear his hair to please the girls or the culture, but God.  In other words, the cure or panacea is to preach the Word and let it do its transforming work in all of us as works-in-progress.  As an application, whenever men act or appear effeminate in anything they are an abomination unto God and as men grow in the Lord they do become more manly and conformed to the image of Christ.  We need not get caught up in machismo or thinking that Christianity is all about how much a man we are, a true man is a gentleman for number one, and all men are manly in some way or manifestation--we have no right to compare ourselves in this manner and should be the man or woman God made us be.  The heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart!  What the Bible does adumbrate is that when we lose our godliness, we also lose our manliness, and a true man is a gentleman, not a strongman or bully.

In the final analysis, if a brother's only apparent or visible flaw lies in his hairline, I wouldn't press him on it, but give him the benefit of the doubt.  All in all, hair is not the measure of a man, though it's given as glory to a woman.  Caveat:  We have no business looking down on our brother; it's wrong to label our brethren, such as referring to one as being the long-haired one or in need of spiritual guidance by virtue of the fact.  In sum, let's not be like a Supreme Court jurist of Christianity over our brethren and merely utter superficially, when we get our eyes off Jesus:  "I may not be able to define long hair, but I sure know it when I see it!"     Soli Deo Gloria!

Of Give-And-Take

"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?  For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand" (2 Chron. 29:14, HCSB).  
"... Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8, NKJV).
"...' I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go'" (Isaiah 48:17, NKJV).
"And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth..." (Deut. 8:18, NKJV).  
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:21, NIV).

We are all recipients of a multitude of blessings, even unawares, and owe it all to our Lord, who has freely given us all things to be used for His glory and are really just loaned to us--we must be good stewards of them.  "THE earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof;.." says Psalm 24:1, KJV.  Yes, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills says Psalm 50:10.  We are not to become materialists thinking that our life consists in the abundance of our possessions.  Actually, the less we own the more we realize what God has blessed us with.  A. W. (Aiden Wilson) Tozer wrote a germane book on the subject called The Pursuit of God, and one chapter is called "The  Blessedness of Possessing Nothing." Abraham had to come to the point of giving up Isaac before he could possess him.  Christians likewise have nothing, yet possess all, as Paul says.   Some people have to be stripped of their paraphernalia and personal belongings before they realize it all belongs to God, and we must be thankful--even for small things.

Concerning the things of the world, and we ought not to love the things of the world, we should echo Paul, who said that none of these things move him (cf. Acts 20:24).  We are all rich!  Real riches consist in the abundance of our blessings of all manner, not just our material possessions; actually, riches are better measured by the fewness of our wants, not the abundance of our material goods--the man who dies with the most toys doesn't win, but he missed the boat!  The idea is to get focused and to realize what God wants to bless you with and go for it from there.  The person who covets everything cannot find happiness in belongings, and we ought to be possessors of our possessions, and not let them control us as slaves.  Money is a cruel taskmaster, for people who have a lot of it still want more, and you cannot serve God and mammon, according to our Lord.  Just ask a millionaire how much money would make him happy and content; he'll tell you that it's just a little more!  Paul urges us to be content with what we have and learn to be thankful in all circumstances. 

God does promise to take care of our physical needs but not necessarily our felt needs or wants; however, some people are twice blessed because God blesses all in some ways and is good to all according to Psalm 145:9.  Jesus did indeed say that it's more blessed to give than to receive (cf. Acts 20:35), and people who realize this are fulfilled givers, and grace-giving is done sacrificially and with purpose and faithfulness.  Paul added that God loves a cheerful giver in 2 Cor. 9:7.  If we give out of the wrong spirit, it cannot be blessed, knowing even that it's not the amount per se, but the motive and faith, knowing that God multiplies the gift exponentially and uses it for His work.  It is indeed a privilege and pleasure to know that we can contribute to God's work in the kingdom.  In God's economy, it is in giving that we receive!

God blesses us in like manner as we bless others, so be sure not to cheat God!   God gives freely to us and we are to freely give in return, and this is the grace of giving and taking--sometimes it can be humbling to receive as well, but it's always an honor to be the giver, for God is the Giver of all blessings (cf. James 1:17), for God "gives generously to all without finding fault" (cf. James 1:5, NIV), and He has no hands to give other than ours.

We are never to look down on the less fortunate or those "down on their luck" as they say; for God is the maker of the poor as well as the rich, and to despise the poor is to insult God.  The wisest people are those who have experienced hardship and have roots not too be envied, and come from humble backgrounds.  These people hopefully will never forget that God is the one who makes one rich (cf. Deut. 8:18).  God teaches us to profit and shows us the way, when we are blessed (cf. Isaiah 48:17, NKJV).  Always aware that prosperity isn't a sure sign of God's favor.  When one is rich it doesn't mean he can waste money or show no respect for it, but must always remember the value of a dollar.

I do not believe in prosperity theology, or that we must cash in our spiritual lottery ticket after salvation, and God will always prosper His children in a material way.  But whatever task we are called to do, He will bless and make sure we have the means to do it and we will be successful in that venture in His name.   Money is only one measure of prosperity or success, and shouldn't be the litmus test of a person's faith or walk with God. If you love money, you'll never have enough.   Because he who is faithful in little, will be faithful in much, and to whom much is given, much is expected, as Jesus said.  In God's economy, it is the poor who are rich in faith (cf. James 2:5), because wealth can be anesthetizing and bring on more angst about financial woes, exigencies, or expectancies--since wealth makes one tend to feel independent of God and even oblivious.  Wealth per se doesn't bring happiness, for you can have everything to live on, and nothing to live for!  We must not strive to become rich, but let God bless us in our service to Him--do that in life that you feel you can best serve God faithfully, not that which brings in the most income. 

Paul did learn the lesson of being content both in need and in plenty!  God wants to bless us but sometimes our hands are already full of the world's goods, and we have no place for His provision and abundance.  God is good to all in some ways, and to some in all ways, but no one can say God is not good or that they haven't been blessed.  Give what you are blessed with, for instance, some people have time to spare and can volunteer or donate time as a commodity or venture for God's work.  We are never happier than when we are doing God's work with a smile. 

One of God's attributes is His generosity, and we are to mimic that and become channels or conduits of His blessings and provision.  We are to render to God that which is God's, according to Jesus, and this doesn't mean that only spiritual things belong to Him, but everything is His and we have it on loan as stewards who will be evaluated for our faithfulness when we are called to account and evaluated.  The greatest gifts are God's Son, His Word in the form of the Scriptures, the Comforter, and of course, eternal life:  we are to appropriate these as blessings and pass them on. 

God gives us more insights when we pass on those given to us because this is good stewardship of the mysteries of God.  Remember the principle:  Give and it shall be given to you!  This is the key to opening up the doors of heaven's bounty. It's best to be focused on the spiritual (cf. Col. 3:1) because we ought not to lay up treasures on earth, for where our treasure is, our heart will be also (cf. Matt. 6:19-20).  We don't want to become slaves to materialism and equate happiness with it, for our joy should be in the Lord and doing His will--as it is written:  "Rejoice in the Lord."  

The chief virtue of receiving God's bounty is to give thanks! It's a reward in itself, bearing the gift of God.   It is important to know that the Lord doesn't give like the world gives (cf. John 14:27), for "the gifts [referring to spiritual gifts] and callings of God are without repentance," according to Rom. 11:29.  Job noted that the Lord gives and takes away (cf. Job 1:21), "...[S]hall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10, ESV), but God is no man's debtor and His tests and pruning are for our good.  Paul noted in 1 Tim. 6:17, NKJV, that "[God] gives us richly all things to enjoy," including "our daily bread." 

Paul exhorts us who give in Rom. 12:8, NKJV, to give "with liberality."  I would be remiss not to mention the main thing:  To give of ourselves to the Lord; for we are God's and His desire is for us.  There is a direct correlation between the two:  receiving with thanksgiving puts us in the spirit to give as unto the Lord and to give gracefully because we know what Thanksgiving is from experience and want to pass it on--grateful people are those inspired to become givers and a blessing to others.  If you are not thankful, try the grace of giving and receiving thanks, till you feel compelled to give and become grace-oriented, and if you are thankful, express it in giving too--you'll find a grateful heart and the gift of giving as the result.  And in conclusion focus on this:  Ask and it shall be given unto thee," so also on the flip side "give to him that asks" in return.  (Cf. Matt. 5:42).  

Only Christianity shows us how much God loves and it's sacrificial, costing Him His Son; we too can show our love sacrificially, for we can give without love, but not love without giving, says Rick Warren.  Fellowship is mutuality, which is defined as the art of give-and-take!  Soli Deo Gloria!