Suffer The Little Children....

Jesus welcomed the little ones, wanted them to come to Him, and blessed them, while the disciples had no time for them and thought Jesus was too busy to be bothered. He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, [in NIV: "do not hinder them"] for such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14). Jesus rebuked them and told them that to such belong the kingdom of God. He also said that he who humbles himself like a little child shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Are children the enemies of God? Yes and No. James 4:4 says that he who is a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Children are born in sin, of course. "In sin did my mother conceive me," says Psalm 51:5. The Minnesota Crime Commission issued a report saying that little children are born to be criminals and if they are not civilized by the parents will grow up delinquent. The grace of God covers all children till the age of accountability (I don't want to get into an extensive proof of this doctrine here because most believers accept this) and children are to be welcomed into the church body and its fellowship, and not to be treated as outsiders. There will be no children in hell, and God loves all children and wants to bless them. If you make one of them stumble you will be better off with a millstone around your neck and cast into the sea. They have angels that always behold the face of God and take care of them.

Yes, children sin but they have not learned to discern good and evil and are innocent to a certain extent. Technically all unbelievers are children of Satan but children can be converted to Christ--the way of salvation is so simple even they can comprehend it. God can and sometimes does speak to us through the children, just like St. Augustine claimed happened to him. We were all enemies of God before salvation and the miracle is that God loved us in that while we were His enemies He sent Son to die for us. 

It is true that infants are completely self-centered and their world revolves around them, and it is the job of the parent to civilize them and bring them up in the training and nurture of the Lord ("Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it," says Proverbs 22:6, ESV). Responsible parents stand in loco Dei or in the place of God to teach concepts of authority, respect, and obedience.

Though children may have not accepted Christ yet, God is working on them and it is the job of the parents to teach them the truth and way of salvation. We should never treat them as if they are enemies of God--that is the logical outcome of believing they are. Only God knows and sees who His elect are and we are not to judge people prematurely or before the time. The wheat and chaff look similar when growing together and it is not the task of believers to separate them because they could be wrong.

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14, KJV). Jesus welcomed children with open arms and blessed them when his disciples thought to rebuke them that He had no time in a day when children were of little worth in a man's world. The kingdom of God belongs to them in the sense of being grandfathered in to be included in God's blessings until they reach the age of accountability and know good from evil (per Isaiah 7:16). We are to consider them in and treat them that way. Children have the faith of their parents and haven't really developed a personal relationship with Christ--they are just beginning to know Him through those who teach and their family members. You must have faith in Christ alone and that means not in Christ plus your parents or plus family ties--where would that faith be if the family fails. Children can even be confirmed in the faith and not be saved, just having gone through the motions and memorized the Dance of the Pious.

Children can comprehend a great deal of spiritual truth and be enlightened, and even taste of the heavenly gift, and share in the Holy Spirit per Hebrews 6 (but these matters do not prove salvation), and love of Bible stories or preaching without coming to a complete spiritual apprehension--which is pending their decision to follow Christ and deny themselves. Even having the ability to discuss Bible doctrine or knowing one's way around Scripture is no proof of salvation. They are incapable of making a decision to take up a cross at such an early age and their faith isn't confirmed until it is tested by God as if by fire, because it is more valuable than silver or gold. The gospel message must be presented clearly enough to be rejected, but not an easy-believism, which undermines it. You aren't saved until you get convicted, realize you are lost and are converted through saving faith and genuine repentance, and most children cannot adequately articulate how they met Jesus and it transformed their life--for giving public testimony of Jesus is part of salvation ("For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved," says Romans 10:10, ESV).

Just liking church, doing church, or loving Jesus (you aren't saved by loving Jesus or your idea of Him) and so forth are not salvation--they are responding to their own world as they know it, and would love Buddha or Confucius if they were Asian--our emotional experiences can be duplicated in other religions. Children are very impressionable and can be influenced even to be suicide bombers at that age of innocence. The point is that we should bring them up in the training and nurture of the Lord and in the fear of God and God promises that our efforts of teaching them will bear fruit some day. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it," (cf. Prov. 22:6). This refers to exposure to the admonition of the Lord.

Don't be so quick to believe a superficial testimony of a child who is incapable of discerning true spiritual truth. What happens is that they have their parents faith and haven't developed their own until they get out on their own and in the real world and get tested. Just because Parents stand in loco Dei or in the place of God and represent His authority as authority figures don't mean they can lord it over them without biblical sanction. Children owe their parents due respect and affection just the same. In my estimation, it is next to impossible to "save" your children, however, you can lead them in the way of truth--and commend them to God and the Word of truth. They are just the first lesson of relationship that the children are exposed to and must pass this test to go on to know the Lord.

All you can hope is that your labor was not in vain and God will take care of them, as you submit to His nurture and providence. We instill truth in them as seeds that God will cause to grow and germinate someday unto salvation. We are to treat all children as if they belong to the kingdom, and woe unto him that causes one of these to stumble in whatever faith he has. But I believe that there comes a time to leave the bosom of the family, and they call it that because it's a sheltered environment, and then you must prove your faith is genuine and not just second-hand. Jesus said we must be willing to renounce our family ties and allegiance to all other loyalties, and even love Him more than father or mother. Remember, Christianity is not a way of life, but a vital, vibrant, and growing first-hand and personal relationship with the living God and Savior. And it is no easy step to leave the hearth and cut the umbilical cord to find one's true identity in God without the aid of the familiar domicile. Soli Deo Gloria!

Be Perfect As Your Father In Heaven Is Perfect

 Jesus exhorts us to be perfect in many ways and in different connotations, denotations, and meanings. Obviously, no one is perfect but God, so that can not be what He meant.  There are different interpretations of what "perfect" means, such as complete and mature or without fault or blemish or flaw.   The elder is to above blame for instance.  Pelagius was a heretic that debated St. Augustine and insisted that since God commands perfection, it must be possible, and taught what was known as sinless perfectionism.  This is now called "entire sanctification" or perfectionism. It is said by Catholics that saints and the Pope have attained this level of holiness.  We are to bear with each other's faults. Eph. 4:2

But God admonishes us not to think of ourselves as holier than thou (cf. Isaiah 65:5). What is commonly understand by the standards of achievement for the believer is that perfection is the standard, but direction or effort is the test.  Let me give you an example from the Old Testament.  After Israel had received the Law, they told God, "We will do all that is written..." They should have realized that no one can keep the Law but God and should have begged for mercy and grace. Christianity is not a rule book or to-do list or list of dos and don'ts. It is a relationship and Paul even claimed, "not to have laid hold of it yet." Phil. 3:12

Do I need to point out verses that say we cannot attain sinless perfection:  1 John 1:10 says if we claim to be without sin, we make Him a liar and the truth is not in us.  Eccl. 7:20 says "Surely there is not a man on earth who does what is right and doesn't sin." and Proverbs 20:9 says "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure, I am clean and without sin?'" Psalm 119:96 says there is a limit to all perfection. The point is that we are not saved by performance, but by faith alone and the Law was not given to be a way of salvation, but to measure us.  It was given to show no man can keep it!  "It is indeed the straightedge of the Law that show us how crooked we really are." Romans 3:20    

If we keep the whole Law and offend in one point, we are guilty of breaking it all.   What I'm saying is that no one keeps the Law without fault except Jesus and we all fall short and to try to put yourself under it makes you obliged to the whole of it.  We cannot attain to God's standards until we reach glory and no longer have the old sin nature or sin virus we inherited from Adam. We not only have broken one of the laws but the whole of the Law and cannot keep it! We all fall short of God's glory. Justification means that God reckons us as just, not that we are just. He calls us just in His eyes; we are both sinners and just at the same time (cf. Gal. 2:17).  God no longer counts our sins against us! (cf. 2 Cor. 5:19). Christianity is not about "Do!" but "Done!"  It is a done deal.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Musings On Faith

 What are some meditations regarding the common faith?

It began at salvation, flourishes in time, and is completed and fulfilled in glory! Only in a world where faith is difficult can it be possible; there can be no easy-believism or easy faith; it might be easy to believe but hardly worth it. Faith comes by the gift of God: “It is the work of God that you believe….” (cf. John 6:29). It comes by virtue of hearing and by hearing of the Word of God—preaching per Romans 10:17 (and we are to grow in our faith and go from faith to faith ever increasing in glory per 2 Cor. 3:18 and Romans 1:16–17). Remember the servant who said to Jesus: “I believe, help thou mine unbelief.” Meager faith in a big God is better than big faith in a small or limited God.

Some people think they have faith without a doubt, but that would be knowledge, not faith. We all live in a doubt-certitude continuum. There are degrees of certitude but God requires us all to take a leap of faith, not into the dark but into the light. Faith is trusting in what you have good reason to believe and knowledge isn’t always certain. It isn’t then a matter of how much you believe but how thorough your repentance that may be the issue! Faith and repentance go hand in hand and there can be no genuine repentance without saving faith! (Acts 20:21).

Faith is only measured by obedience, not ecstasies or experiences. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nazi martyr, said, “Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes.” You cannot walk in the glow of some epiphany or glorious experience or encounter with God. “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9. We do not walk into some perpetual religious high or remain on Cloud Nine as believers but our faith must be tested as if by fire. Thus, you should say that faith isn’t now much we believe but how well we obey; God doesn’t want our achievements but our obedience! In sum, you might say, “It’s not how big your faith, but how big your God.” (Don’t put Him in a box and limit Him.)  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You A Do-Gooder?

NOTE: THE TERM AS NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS BUT CHRISTIANS ARE THE ONES WHO REALLY DO ANYTHING GOOD.

We are all known by our fruits, our deeds, whether good or evil. We are even supposed to judge according to the fruits. Only God sees the heart. If we claim to believe in God and even repent and don't have the fruits to prove it, we are hypocrites and pseudo-believers or false brethren. (cf. Acts 26:20; Matt. 3:8). Beware the wolf in sheep's clothing! We are to be wise as serpents and as gentle as doves and to "be wise to good but innocent to evil." (cf. 1 Cor. 14:20).

There are some people who engage their activities in the service of their fellow man such as giving blood, serving in food shelves, giving alms to the poor, visiting the sick, feeding the starving, and opening up their homes to strangers and even entertaining angels unawares. But some people forget that deeds themselves do not earn us brownie points with God nor ingratiate us with the Deity. We are to be zealous of good deeds (cf. Titus 2:14) and to do those that are foreordained (cf. Eph. 2:10) for us but just doing them for their own sake is do-goodery or to to gain the approbation of our fellow man and not as unto the Lord is in vain; viz., Ted Turner granting $1 billion to the UN to become the Humanist of the Year. Whatever we do, ought to be in the name of the Lord and for His glory, not ours. (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31: Col. 3:17, 23).

Jesus said that many will say, "Lord, Lord, did we not... in Your name?" and Christ will say that He never knew them! This may seem shocking but some people put their faith in their deeds or even in themselves and not in Jesus, the one worthy of our faith.

We are not saved by doing good, but unto doing good. We are not saved by good works, but not without them either! We need them to authenticate and validate our faith. The faith we have is the faith we show, for faith expresses itself. If we have no deeds to back up our faith, it is suspect. As the Reformers said, "We are saved by faith alone, but not a faith that is alone."

Now to whom much is given, much is required (cf. Luke 12:48); we are to serve according to the measure of faith and grace given us. We are to serve and find our gifting so we can find God's will for our life and be fulfilled with purpose and meaning in life serving God the best we can. The whole aim is so that people will see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven (cf. Matt. 5:16).

People may even speak highly of us in the Lord but we must realize that it is God working in us as Paul said, "I will not venture to speak of nothing but what Christ has accomplished through me." (cf. Rom. 15:18). God works His will in us who are yielded to Him. "He has done for us all our works," (cf. Isaiah 26:12). Our fruits are from Him (cf. Hosea 14:8).

We ought to do good especially to those of the household of God and as the opportunity arises with others, have any gift envy of what God has gifted others, nor are we to project our gifts to others expecting them to do what we do or can do. We are all unique in Christ and have individual callings and God will fulfill His purpose for us. When we have done all God's will, we will be taken home and to our reward. We must hope for the words of Christ: Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

We are not to do good deeds to be seen of others as to publicize them but not to privatize them either for some deeds cannot be hidden. Remember, we are the salt of the earth (to preserve!) and are saved to become a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13). There is no social gospel but there is a social commission to be a light on a hill and to bless the city ("to seek the peace and prosperity of our city,") we live in to make it better for our neighbors (cf. Jer. 29:7).

And we all know that we are to be good neighbors regardless of whom they are and look for chances to be good Samaritans and thus fulfil the Law of love. Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is Blind Faith?

"... This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent" (John 6:29, ESV).

"... [He] greatly helped those who through grace had believed" (Acts 18:27, ESV).

Infidels, who deny the existence of God, don't have a leg to stand on, and cannot defend their faith with any evidence whatsoever: neither circumstantial; logical; scientific; philosophical; nor historical. However, Christianity is a historical faith and there is plenty of evidence for anyone willing to believe and obey the truth; unbelievers are defined as those who "reject the truth," according to Romans 2:8. Claiming Christians have blind faith is offensive and insulting to God, and demeaning to believers!

There is no universal belief, but there is universal truth (objective, transcendent, and eternal) that applies whether believed or not: Because someone denies the truth, doesn't mean it's not true. People often confuse belief and truth, saying that they don't believe the Bible, for instance, when you don't have to believe it to be saved; however, most who say they don't believe the Bible, don't know what its message is or have never read it! The Bible is a caged lion, in that it defends itself, and need not appeal to any higher authority than itself for attestation.

The proof for Christ and His resurrection is mostly circumstantial and historical, and any one piece of evidence isn't conclusive, but the totality of the evidence is most compelling and one must go in the direction of the preponderance of the evidence if one is reasonable or in a court of law. It has been stated by Dr. Simon Greenleaf, Royal Professor of Law at Harvard University (considered the world's foremost expert on law and evidence) that any unbiased jury would declare the biblical account a fact of history. (He wrote a book, though a skeptic at first, declaring his conversion after examining the evidence, The Testimony of the Evangelists.)

No event in history has been so widely and variously proved than this; in fact, Luke says, "there are many infallible proofs" in Acts 1:3.  It is arguably the best attested fact in antiquity.  God won't force anyone to believe against his will, but he must want to believe and then God will work on his heart and will to make a believer out of him. (Note that faith is given, not achieved! It's demonstrated, not possessed because we see it in action, we don't talk about it!)

Now Christians are accused of having blind faith, whereas they have sound reasons for what they believe and God never asks anyone to believe despite the evidence--you cannot believe and trust in something you are not intellectually convinced of. But atheists seldom know why they are atheists and certainly cannot defend their position (logicians know you cannot prove a universal negative). Not knowing why you believe is a kind of blind faith. The problem today is not a willingness to believe, but people not knowing what they believe, which is a sort of unbelief and blind faith.

We don't have faith in faith, for faith doesn't save, Christ does! We don't have faith for faith sake, but it is directed in a person, not a creed or ritual. Religion is knowing a creed or the rules, Christianity is knowing a person! The Bible says, "Taste and see that the LORD is good" (cf. Psalm 34:8)--God confirms our faith and the Christian experience is valid and verifiable. He invites scrutiny!  Our basis of feeling and of forgiveness is not purely rational but based on historical evidence of the objective fact of the resurrection. We are not being fooled by some colossal propaganda program! Many of the first-century believers died for their faith, and the "blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church," according to church father Tertullian.

We haven't kissed our brains goodbye but have used them. Faith doesn't reject the mind, it respects the mind. We don't go against reason, but beyond it. We must all take the step of faith into the light, but once there, our eyes are opened and we become enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Note that apart from the Holy Spirit, no one would believe. "We must cater to anyone's intellectual integrity, but not pander to their arrogance," according to John Stott. The problem is not intellectual, but moral; people don't want to believe, because their will is hardened: John 7:17 says that anyone willing to do His will, will know of the doctrine.

"...' You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures" (Luke 24:25, NLT).
"...' O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!'" (Ibid., NKJV).
"Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge..." (Isaiah 5:13, ESV).
"...and a people without understanding shall come to ruin" (Hosea 4:14, ESV).
"...There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land" (Hos. 4:1, ESV).
"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6, ESV).
"Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD..." (Hosea 6:3, ESV).
"I don't have enough faith to be an atheist."--Norman L. Geisler, noted biblical scholar
Note: Not knowing what you believe is a kind of unbelief or blind faith.

Christians have sound, rational reasons to have faith in Christ: circumstantial evidence that is most compelling and unexplainable otherwise; the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, especially through the Word of God (its inspiration, transmission, and canonicity); the objective, cumulative, historical evidence of the resurrection; plus the subjective experience ("Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good..." cf. Psalm 34:8, NKJV) and value of knowing Christ personally ("[N]ow that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness" cf. 1 Peter 2:3, NLT).

Christianity is the only faith that is based on fact, not a fable, fiction, myth, old wives' tales, legend, or tall tale--if it's not a historical religion, it's nothing at all. "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths..." (cf. 2 Pet. 1:16).  The historical evidence is further validated by the veracity of the witnesses, who were willing to go to their deaths for their faith. One usually tells the truth on one's deathbed. It's not a matter of whether you believe the resurrection was possible, but are the historical records reliable, credible, dependable, and accurate?  If there's a God, then resurrection is possible by deduction. 

The difference between them dying for their faith and other martyrs of different faiths is that they were in the position to know whether it was true. Any faith not based on evidence is blind faith--even an atheist who doesn't know why he's one or has no evidence has blind faith. It's not a battle or challenge between faith and reason but faith versus faith!.  It depends on which set of presuppositions one begins with and is willing to accept as true--secularists bet the farm on science being the only reliable source of truth. Secularists are people of faith too!   If you say that you only believe what can be proved by the scientific method or empiricism, you must first begin by proving the validity of that premise.

Epistemological humility comes in to play where one admits he doesn't have a monopoly on the truth or know everything and is therefore teachable. In the final analysis, no preacher nor scientist has cornered the market on truth and can speak ex-cathedra or pontificate. Socrates said that to begin learning you must admit your ignorance! Uncertainty is the prerequisite to learning and often its byproduct!  Education is merely going from an unconscious to a conscious awareness of your ignorance. Everyone must admit that they could be wrong--no one is infallible.

Christians today are inclined to believe that their faith is indefensible in the open marketplace of ideas, and don't know how to defend their faith or even know what they believe and should defend. We must not let secularists win by default or by concession--we must stand our ground and declare our colors! What is negotiable and what isn't? We have sound reasons to believe; God doesn't expect us to believe despite the evidence. God will reveal the truth to anyone who is willing to do His will (cf. John 7:17) and has an open mind, willing spirit, and needy heart. God doesn't expect us to believe contrary to reason, but will manifest Himself to us if we search for Him--He is no man's debtor.

Faith is a gift and choice but we must exercise it. The problem is when we become lax in the faith or our faith is dead, we can do nothing (John 15:5 says, "For apart from Me you can do nothing"), that faith doesn't save; only a living and growing faith that produces fruit can save--no fruit, no faith, no salvation. Saving faith is not a leap in the dark, but a step into the light--God asks no one to commit intellectual suicide and believe for the sake of believing alone (faith doesn't save, nor faith in faith, but only faith in Christ as the object saves). Faith feeds on facts and experience, while Paul said in Romans 10:17, NKJV, concerning that precious faith: "So then faith comes by hearing, and by hearing [i.e., preaching] by the word of God." We must mature in the faith and have childlike, not childish faith; simple, but not simplistic!  

Christians can have strong faith, but if they aren't able to defend it or have a reason for their faith, it's blind faith and may succumb to the devil's Anfectung or attack. It's not how much faith, but the object of the faith that's vital-you can be sincerely wrong, though sincerity is a requisite. We are always to be ready to have a reason for our hope (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). In the study of apologetics, one will realize that Christians haven't kissed their brains goodbye, and that faith is rational, though Christianity isn't rationalism. God had a rationale for sending His Son and the gospel is about realizing that work of grace is done on our behalf.

In sum, the heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart; there's never enough evidence to convince the hardened skeptic, but there's ample evidence for the willing  People are "slow of heart to believe."   Christians cannot argue someone into the kingdom! But they should be able to have an answer as to why they believe (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15). The problem is that some people catch their beliefs like one catches a cold: hanging around the right people and letting osmosis do its work. Also, you don't have to be able to defend your faith to have it! However, you cannot rationalize God or put Him in a test tube or under laboratory conditions, because the existence of God is not in the scientific domain-- it takes faith and faith is what pleases God; skeptics are rarely convinced by debate--a work of grace must woo their hearts toward God. "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (cf. John 6:29).    Soli Deo Gloria!

Ushering In The Kingdom

Many believers assume geopolitical considerations concerning the faith as if it's the social gospel (actually a misnomer) or political reform were the Second Great Commission. "Seek the prosperity of the city..." (cf. Jer. 29:7). This a social mandate, not a social gospel. We are its salt and light, not its savior. America is a secular nation and not a Christian one, no matter how many believers make this land their home. Always keep the main thing the main thing and save souls as Job One.

We are not to stoop to the level of radical or fundamentalist Islam and institute Christian Shari'ah law, which forces everyone to live like a Christian, whether they are Christian or not.  God doesn't expect heathens to live like believers.  We are held to a higher standard!   Our nation established freedom from religion, as well as freedom of the exercise of religion, and no sect has the right to impose its views on the others--note that secular humanism and atheism are considered religions. We may have started out with our forefathers as a predominately Christian nation, but today it is highly multicultural and diverse ethnically and religiously. We are the salt as preservatives of morality and to give meaning and enjoyment to life, and also as light to show the way and how people should live in spiritual darkness--not political darkness, but moral depravity and in need of salvation, as the Bible sanctions no specific or certain type of government or economy.

What is legal is not always moral or right and could be sin or evil, and what is illegal may be the moral thing to do in an act of civil disobedience to unjust laws. The state may recognize gay marriage, for example, but that doesn't mean God recognizes it--it doesn't become right or moral by an act of governmental decree. We cannot legislate morality, law is merely the majority vote that licks all others, according to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, though Christians differ because they believe that God is the only Legislator and all law must comply with Him. Christians should never cease to drive basic morality in society as salt and light, but be aware that there are gray and doubtful or questionable areas where people should be free to make their own personal choices. Government is a "social contract" according to John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whether we want to be in it or not, or knowingly or not, according to contract laws. The Bible sees government ordained by God to restrain evil in the world.

Jesus alone will usher in His kingdom and His kingdom is not of this world--we are not to get too comfortable in this life and become too much at home, for our conversation and real citizenship is in heaven! Remember, at your homecoming you are not home yet! Oliver Cromwell failed in making England a Christian nation. The Puritans also attempted to make a Christian nation and John Calvin even tried his hand at it while mayor of Geneva--both utter failures and examples that the Great Commission is to spread the gospel and change lives, not to change the government--the Bible is a beacon of light unto salvation, not a social tool for government reform.

Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony wanted to "advance the kingdom of Christ" when he settled here, but he misunderstood the Great Commission and the doctrine of eschatology. It is a well-known fact that the Salem witch hunts showed the failure of instituting the Christian faith and making the Bible itself the law of the land. Jesus will bring about His kingdom in due time when the body is full and complete with all His lost sheep saved.

Jesus told Pontius Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world. Pilate then perceived Him to be a philosopher or harmless dreamer, but no threat to Caesar. If His kingdom were of this world His followers would fight, but we have no such marching orders. Many misled, though sincere believers throughout history have tried to usher in the kingdom of God, and thought that the church's job was to aid in doing it. As William Bradford, Pilgrim governor in Colonial America, said that his mission was to "advance the kingdom of Christ." The Puritans also tried legislating Christianity in early America, but it failed and turned out to have evil fruit, such as hanging innocent women accused of witchcraft. John Calvin even tried to enforce biblical mandates on Geneva, like mandatory Sabbath observance and even forbidding anyone from naming children anything but biblical names.

Only Christ will usher in the kingdom of God and our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, not to reclaim a nation for Christ. Yes, we are light and salt, but we must not lose focus and keep the main thing the main thing. Christians are not to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society unless God calls them specifically to this. The "social gospel is not only a misnomer but has no place in the church. We are interested in saving souls and winning people, not becoming political activists. The Bible is meant to be a light for salvation, not government reform or social activism. Everyone has the obligation to be involved in his society that behooves a responsible citizen.

Entering the kingdom is synonymous with getting saved. The whole purpose of announcing the kingdom of God to be at hand is to make people realize the urgency to repent and get ready for the second coming of Christ in glory. The first words out of John the Baptist and Jesus in their ministries was to repent. The kingdom is both present in the here and now, and future to be fulfilled at the Second Advent. Presently Christ reigns in the hearts of His followers and we shall all reign with Him in His millennial kingdom after the tribulation period. Jesus said that if He cast out demons by the finger of God, "the kingdom of God has come upon you." Salvation (the fulfillment of our redemption) is nearer now than when we first believed according to Romans 13:11.

We are to do kingdom living while sojourning on this earth as pilgrims, this is not our home and we should realize that our true citizenship is in heaven (cf. Philippians 3:20). We are just passing through and have spiritual green cards and this life is but a staging area or tryout for eternity, where each note we play has eternal vibes. We are rehearsing for kingdom living and our faith must be tested and God wants to prove our faithfulness and reward it according to our deeds done through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 26:12; Hos. 14:8). Like Paul said (cf. Rom. 15:18), he would not venture to boast of anything, but of what Christ has accomplished through him.

We are not to seek nor store up treasure in this life nor to seek earthly fame, fortune, nor power, but to seek spiritual riches and to learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit in God's kingdom. God's kingdom is invisible and only God knows who is in it for sure or who the elect are (cf. Mark 13:27 "... and shall gather his elect from the four winds..."). Jesus said to "seek ye first the kingdom of heaven" and this means that our number one priority is kingdom living in God's economy, and when we put God first in our lives all else falls into place. As it says, "all these things shall be added unto you."

The richest people are not those with worldly wealth, but those most content in what God has blessed them with and faithful stewards of our resources, time, talents, gifts, money, and opportunities. Someone has said that riches are not in the abundance of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants. When we seek first God's kingdom all our priorities become focused on Christ and our life is oriented in the right direction and given divine purpose and meaning. In sum, we ought to live one day at a time in light of eternity--not regretting the past, nor worrying about the future. 

Though Pilgrims made a compact to usher in the kingdom of God. or literally to "advance the kingdom of God," it failed.   Little doctrine did they know but that Christ will usher in His kingdom, and that His kingdom is not of this world. America is supposedly the "Great Experiment." They would've done a better job of it and speeded His coming (cf. 2 Pet. 3:12); we ought to always be about "hastening the day of His coming." The question is how this is accomplished. It doesn't mean passing legislation or beginning new governments such as a great experiment. Or like the Social Experiment that failed called Prohibition. Jesus gave us the Great Commission to spread the good news and make disciples, some seek the Second Great Commission to reform society to their agenda and to be a social gospel to help the needy and down and out, we must be lights and not just turn stones into bread but spread the good news.

Jesus kingdom would reign in human hearts, not on the throne of an earthly king or monarch. All authority has been given Him. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords and we are to make this real in our lives, not force it on others. We don't conquer territory in the name of Christ, but hearts with love. We love them into the kingdom. "Love conquers a multitude of sins," God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing and God saves us to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13) and we are heirs of Abraham as believers.

We never stop expanding Christ's kingdom and when He comes the church age will cease and Satan will have a pass or permission to bring in his idea of a kingdom dominated by him and the antichrist. There have been many antichrists so to speak that had the notion to conquer the world: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, et alia. The ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires all aspired to world domination, but the Spirit restrains the evil one. The spirit of antichrist is already here.

We are never to despair that God is not in control ("Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD"). His Providence is governing all events and creatures small and great. Yes, God doesn't just reign, He rules ("For the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is the governor among the nations") not like a do-nothing king or the monarch of the UK who has no powers though they reign. But we are to receive Christ as Lord of our hearts and let Christ's kingdom grow from there by the preaching of the gospel message and living it out as witnesses. We must admit we are not in charge, nor is any earthly ruler in charge, without any reservations in our lordship decisions--submission is an issue for some.

("The king's heart is in the hands of the LORD..."). What does this mean but we owe complete allegiance and obedience to Christ. We pledge allegiance to the Lamb on the throne! No governor or ruler can do anything outside God's will or permission (cf. Lam. 3:37). We must be encouraged that the only king who is capable of ruling hearts is Jesus. He has been called the Emperor of love. Christ is indeed the only Potentate and Ruler of heaven, the entire universe, not just earth--all things visible and invisible.

We must not just render lip service to God but bow in obedience to His sovereignty. Every knee shall bow to Him! This obedience is to the command to repent and stop the charade or hypocrisy and also to put our complete faith and submission in Christ as Lord and trust as Him as Savior. Christ demands the throne room of our hearts, the pass key to our complete soul, and if He isn't there, we are there and in control of our lives, it cannot be neutral! We must give Christ the ownership of our lives.

We must remember that Satan claims the soul of the infidel and actually influences him to evil and sin, and the only way to get free from his tyranny and power is to surrender to Jesus: We must say "No!" to Satan before saying "Yes" to Jesus. It is obvious that Satan is having his heyday and we must seek to be set free. "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed." But after the church age, Satan will have his day to do as he wills: to take over the world for a period of tribulation on earth. After we belong to Christ, we are no longer in Satan's kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and belong to God in His kingdom and are protected from the evil one who cannot touch us. Soli Deo Gloria!

"To Thine Own Self Be True!" (Shakespeare)

Did you know that God is true to Himself?  His holiness assures no conflict of interest or will and that He abides by His own nature and is true to character or always acts in character.  The Hebrew words for true, faith, and faithfulness are all related and sometimes used interchangeably. For example, in Hab. 2:4, it says, "The just shall live by his faithfulness [or faith]."   In  Psalm 31:5 is says God is a God of truth [faithfulness].  We must not divorce faith and faithfulness in our conduct and lives for God surely doesn't and we must not divide what He has joined together.  Are you true to your word? and faithful to promises?  We must feed on His faithfulness! (cf. Psalm 37:3). 

Great is God's faithfulness toward us and this even applies when we are faithless. Even when we are wayward, He cannot deny Himself and go against His nature.  God's Word is faithful and is as sure as God Himself, He exalts above all things His name and His Word (cf. Psalm 138:2).  If God went back on His Word, He'd cease being God! Not one word of all His promise He have to Moses has failed (cf. 1 Kings 8:56). He is faithful to us and even believes in us! 

God can be seen as the great Promise Keeper who abounds in faithfulness. He exercises this by believing in us that we are justified though we sin (cf. Gal. 2:17). God's faithfulness can be seen in His discipline and correction when we go astray and even in our afflictions to show us the Way and even test our faith. He doesn't intend to punish us as our sins deserve but to sanctify us and make us more Christlike. He wants us to show faithfulness to Him and even in our calling: he that is faithful in little, shall be faithful in much!  As Mother Teresa said, "God doesn't call us to success but to faithfulness!" We will be rewarded by our works done in the Lord, not those done in the flesh or for wrong motives. 

You are true (faithful) to yourself when you fulfill your mission God gave you and judge yourself so God need not do it.  Also, when we confess our sins and keep short accounts (cf. 1 John 1:9) of them so we can walk in the light or in fellowship with the Spirit of Christ and also with other believers. God will not let sin slide and we should not grow lax on our attitude towards sin and show no tolerance.  We must not just dislike sins but denounce them and vow to live life with Jesus at the helm as Captain of our soul and Master of our fate.  We must keep our promises just like God is the Promise Keeper and value our integrity and not lie to one another, for it is impossible for God to do these things (cf. Heb. 6:18). 

Paul said that his aim is to "finish the race and complete the task God gave him" (cf. Acts 20:24). We don't want to leave behind half-built, derelict towers as unfinished business for our legacy when we die but to be assured we have done all God's will for us and complete the mission to say: "Mission accomplished!"   "See to it that you complete the ministry God gave you in the Lord," (cf. Col. 4:17).  Just like when King David had done all God's purpose, he died. (cf. Acts 13:36). We must realize as David did, that God's faithfulness surrounds Him and we can count on it as Jeremiah realized when he said, "Great is thy faithfulness," even while in captivity.   Soli Deo Gloria! 

I Am What I Am By The Grace Of God

 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:14). God's aim was to show the incomparable riches of His grace (cf.  Eph. 2:7).  God's grace is sufficient for us too, as His power is made perfect in weakness and the more sin abounds, the more grace abounds (cf. 1 Cor. 12:9; Romans 5:20). We cannot limit or exhaust the grace of God--it's infinite. This means we cannot pay it back, we do not deserve it, we cannot earn it, and we are not worthy of it.  We owe an eternal debt of gratitude to the Lord.  

We may think we contributed something to our salvation, namely faith, but faith is the gift of God and we were not elected because God foresaw grace, but God elected us unto faith it is also a gift, and also our righteousness is not our gift to God, but His gift to us. (cf. Isaiah 45:24). God's grace is never-ending and permanent once we acquire it through faith as the instrumental means.  It is necessary for we cannot gain the approbation of God but must lean on His provision of grace as sufficient. We are to continue in God's grace and not to frustrate it (cf. Gal. 2:21), fall from grace when we try to be righteous by the deeds of the Law (cf. Gal. 5:4), be presumptuous and do great sin (cf. Psalm 19:13), or to take advantage of it and test God's patience by falling into carnality or continued sin. 

Only God can change our nature and He does so from the inside out to make us new creatures in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).   Grace does abound to the chief of sinners(cf. 1 Tim. 1:15) and grace reigns (cf. Romans 5:21) or is sovereign and efficacious for the work required and salvation is a given. We must abide in the grace of God because we are works in progress as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (cf. Phil 2:12).  We must not take grace as a given, though, and assume that God is obliged to show it (then it would be justice) or God is also just and holy and will punish His wayward children for their sins to get them back on track. But He gives more grace (cf. James 4:6).  We are thus the stewards of the grace of God (cf. 1 Pet. 4:10). 

It is important that we are not under the Law but under grace (cf. Romans 6:14). We are subject to a higher law, the law of love, and obey not in the written code of the Law (cf. 2 Cor. 3:3), but in the Spirit. Anyone who tries to justify himself by the works of the Law is under a curse (cf. Gal. 3:10). This is why we testify of the good news of the grace of God for grace is the love of God stooping to us in unmerited favor or undeserved blessing. Of His fullness, we have received and grace upon grace (cf. John 1:16).  We must never think we were saved by favoritism or that we were any better or worthy than one who is lost, but God chose us according to His foreknowledge, good pleasure, and will. (cf. Eph. 1:5,11). 

The Beatific Vision, A Sermon Is Needed

Men have always imagined what God must be like and Christians have longed to see visions and revelations of God, known as theophanies. But no one knows what God looks like because God is Spirit (cf. John 4:24)! Moses saw the backside of the glory of Christ, who does reveal Himself, but the Father doesn't and no man has ever seen the Father. Our faith concerns the God who is there!
A child was asked what he was drawing in class: "I'm drawing a picture of God!" The child had to learn that no one can draw God, but the child answered that people will see now what He looks like. Children have an innocent faith and we are to mimic it (cf. Matt. 18:3).  It would be good to see Jesus through their eyes.  Hebrews says that we do see Jesus (cf. Heb. 2:9), and we sense His presence when two or three are gathered in His name as a promise (cf. Matt. 18:20).

He indwells each of us and we can have an existential encounter with Him as we read Scripture, fellowship, worship, or pray. Christians see the glory of God in His work on earth and will see God's glory in heaven, to our delight. The prophets who claimed they "saw God" were seeing theophanies, and not God in His fullness. We cannot bear to look at the sun in its brightness, much less look at the glory of God directly. That's one reason God reveals Himself propositionally and in the Word.

Christians want Christ to be seen in them and also to seek Christ being glorified. As Paul said in Col. 1:27, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." He also boasted that Christ was glorified in him. We wait till Christ be formed in us and in our brethren as a sign of maturity. God will never give up making us in His image and we are works in progress (cf. Phil. 1:6).

The Greek disciples came to the apostles and said they "[wanted] to see Jesus" (cf. John 12:19); we have a much greater thing in that we have the Word of God and full revelation of the wisdom and knowledge of God in it--we're better off than being with Christ in person also, because we have the inner blessing of the Spirit. The apostles said that it would suffice to see the Father, but Jesus said that to see Him was to see the Father! All that we can know and see God is revealed in Christ! In eternity we'll see the big picture!

The infidel doesn't see God anywhere at work, but the believer sees His fingerprint everywhere, from the smallest atom to the largest galaxy, at work. No amount of proof will convince someone who doesn't want to do God's will or sincerely have a relationship with him; to the believer and honest seeker, there is ample evidence--no one can disbelieve due to lack of evidence!

In glory, we shall behold Him as He is and we shall be like Him too, able to take it in. It is said that some angels always do behold the face of God and that Gabriel "[stands] in the presence of God"; we'll have more privilege than an angel! People generally say that seeing is believing; however, believing is seeing! Don't envy those who have seen a vision or revelation, as Jesus told Thomas: "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believed" (cf. John 20:29). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who maintained they could see but were "blind guides," in fact, the "blind leading the blind"; think how much worse it is to think you see and be blind, or not knowing you're blind! Christ came to open our eyes and to make the blind see, and Satan has blinded the eyes of all who don't believe in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4).

Caveat: Don't reduce God to one dimension or put Him in a box, emphasizing one aspect, like seeing Him just as: the Old, Doting Grandpa who says, "Boys will be boys;" the Kind Father; the Man Upstairs; Cosmic Killjoy; the Great Spirit; the Strict, Mean Judge; the Higher Power; or even as the Great Mathematical Mind. Whenever we have an inadequate perception of God it's idolatry and our God is too small, thinking of Him in human terms. How big is your God?  This is just as important as seeing Him. God cannot be limited, defined, or confined, and we must know that He is beyond comprehension, known as His profundity, and we will never fully apprehend His glory, nature, or essence throughout eternity ("the finite cannot contain the infinite," says the maxim).

The eyes of our heart are opened upon salvation and we can literally say we see and were blind, just like the blind man Jesus healed said, "I was blind, but now I see!" No one can argue the fact that we have spiritual eyes enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit living in our hearts. Theologians have attempted definitions of God in vain, for He cannot be described, only known, loved, and worshiped!

It is the childish faith that seeks to know God through pictures, visions, or experiences, but the mature obedient believer clings to the Word and hears God speaking His message through it; just like Francis Schaeffer wrote: "He is there, and He is not silent!" The problem with man is not only is he blind to spiritual truth, but spiritually hard-of-hearing and turns a deaf ear to the gospel message that he does hear. Man isn't faithful to the God he does see and is without excuse.

The pagan Emperor Trajan once asked a Christian why his God was invisible and you couldn't see him (it sounded atheistic to him--just worshiping a spirit), and he was informed and given the scoop: "Look at the sun!" Trajan said he couldn't because it's too bright. "Then don't you now realize that, if you cannot behold God's creation, how much less the splendor and glory of God?" Jesus said that God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (cf. John 4:24).

But we don't need to see Him in order to know Him, because Jesus said blessed is he who believes and hasn't seen (cf. John 20:29). We can see with the eyes of our hearts which are opened by the Holy Spirit's illuminating ministry. We are seeing the glory of God when our eyes are opened to see how He is manifest in believers, and we see Jesus in them and they see Him in us--this is only a taste of the glory which shall be revealed to us. As Hebrews 2:9 (ESV) says: "But we see him [i.e., Jesus, with our spiritual eyes] ...."

We shall all be satisfied in heaven by beholding the face of God (in Jesus), but only because we will not be in the flesh, but without any sin to corrupt our spiritual bodies and souls. God has revealed Himself throughout the Bible in many theophanies (revelation of God, such as in the burning bush) and Christophanies (revelation of Jesus, such as the Angel of the LORD). From the burning bush to appearances as the Angel of the LORD, to Gideon and as the Son of Man, to Daniel's friends in the furnace, and to Daniel in a vision. John saw Jesus in His glory at the transfiguration and then finally at Patmos in a vision of heaven.

Jesus is how God manifests Himself as the embodiment, personification, or icon of God. When Philip (cf. John 14:8-9) asked Jesus during the Last Supper in the Upper Room to show them the Father, Christ said, that he who has seen Him has seen the Father--they are one! All that God wants to reveal of Himself is presented in the Son--all that God has to say to us and all that we can know. God is Spirit, according to Jesus, and became a man for our sake so we would have something to relate to and what to think of when we meditate on God. Jesus is analogous to the sun because He gives light to all He shines on, and makes life possible too.

Jesus has the Shekinah (glory of God), not reflected the glory of God, as Moses had after being in His presence. Jesus does not reflect light--He is light: John 8:12 says, "... I am the light of the world...." Jesus willingly veiled His glory because they couldn't behold it in full. Jesus has all the glory of the Father, there is no diminishing of it, but He voluntarily laid it aside (known as the kenosis in Philippians 2) while incarnated on earth before His ascension. Actually, Jesus shines brighter than the sun, which is only an analogy or symbol of Him.

In glory, we shall behold Him: "... [B]ut we know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as he [Jesus]" (1 John 3:2, ESV). Moses wanted to see God's face but God said that no man shall see His face and live [in the flesh], as Jesus told Moses in Exodus 33:23. Jesus said in His Beatitudes that the pure in heart are blessed, for they shall see God [in the NT God usually refers to God the Father].

Don't forget the Aaronic benediction in Numbers 6:24-26 as a promise to claim: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." What man has always yearned for is a God they can see; one that has skin on and we can relate to. Jesus is just that incarnation: God with skin on!

Jesus said that "God is glorified in Him" (cf. John 10:34) and this is when He is glorified. At His priestly prayer in John 17 Jesus besought the return of His glory after He had glorified the Father by doing all His will and being obedient in His subordination and humility. He did it by accomplishing all God's work for Him on earth that was given Him to do (cf. John 17:4). By analogy we give up our glory to share His glory and to glorify God: "The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever" (The Westminster Shorter Catechism, ca. 1646).

Everyone will bow to the glory of God, either at Judgment Day, or to become a believer and surrender the control over himself, and even others, to the lordship of Christ. We must give up the ownership of our lives and realize we owe all to Him because He purchased us at the cross with His blood. But Jesus wants more than our bodies dedicated to Him as reasonable service (cf. Rom. 12:1), He wants us (to surrender everything we have and are to His lordship)! This entails and involves giving up your personal throne and kingdom and surrender it to God's sovereignty and guidance or plan for your life--we don't ask God to bless our plans, but Him to reveal His plan.

We leave our throne to bow to His and ultimately get a crown to reign with Him, just like Jesus left His throne in Heaven to humble Himself in obedience all the way to the cross. This surrender and acknowledgment of His lordship are not only done at salvation but renewed daily, as we learn to walk in the Spirit and in fellowship with God and our brethren (cf. 1 John 1:7). We actually have more authority in Christ after surrendering our authority and this is a paradox indeed (i.e., if we are lords, we are to become servants for Christ's sake and humble and meek enough that no service is beneath our dignity). We have nothing in comparison to lose and everything in eternity to gain, including the right to rule in glory with Christ, as we go from glory to glory to an ultimate glorified state in the New Jerusalem.

He doesn't want sacrifice or offering, or even going through the motions of the rituals of worship--Jesus internalized religion to make it a matter of the heart (He said evil comes out from the heart of man) because the Pharisees had externalized it to outward obedience to the letter of the Law, and neglect of the spirit of the Law. He wants all there is of us--all of our minds, hearts, souls, spirits, strength, and wills. John was stunned at the sight of the Lord, so just imagine how we would react!

Jesus is the great Inspector General of the church and we all need to pass muster and be ready for daily inspection of our daily walk--take regular spiritual check-ups so as not to jeopardize your testimony to the world. Paul said to "test yourselves whether you are in the faith." We are to examine ourselves (cf. 2 Cor. 13:5)--not others--regularly and especially before the Lord's Supper (cf. 1 Cor. 11:28).  We are fruit inspectors--not detectives. We must examine ourselves first because judgment begins at the house of God, and when we have cast the beam out of our own eye we can help someone else with the speck in theirs.

In other words, don't throw bricks if you live in a glasshouse, because we all have feet of clay or have vulnerabilities not readily apparent--we may see the sins of others as obvious; however, we just sin differently and have no right to look down on our brother or criticize him, and we are all vulnerable to Satan's attack, which Martin Luther called the Anfectung, and we should never succumb to this nor even his accusations. If we take care of our witness and testimony, God will take care of our reputation and open doors for us--we must just be ready!

Men have always imagined what God must be like and Christians have longed to see visions and revelations of God, known as theophanies. But no one knows what God looks like because God is Spirit (cf. John 4:24)! Moses saw the backside of the glory of Christ, who does reveal Himself, but the Father doesn't and no man has ever seen the Father. Our faith concerns the God who is there!


He indwells each of us and we can have an existential encounter with Him as we read Scripture, fellowship, worship, or pray. Christians see the glory of God in His work on earth and will see God's glory in heaven, to our delight. The prophets who claimed they "saw God" were seeing theophanies, and not God in His fullness. We cannot bear to look at the sun in its brightness, much less look at the glory of God directly. That's one reason God reveals Himself propositionally and in the Word.

Christians want Christ to be seen in them and also to seek Christ being glorified. As Paul said in Col. 1:27, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." He also boasted that Christ was glorified in him. We wait till Christ be formed in us and in our brethren as a sign of maturity. God will never give up making us in His image and we are works in progress (cf. Phil. 1:6).

The Greek disciples who came to the apostles and said they "[wanted] to see Jesus"; we have a much greater thing in that we have the Word of God and full revelation of the wisdom and knowledge of God in it--we're better off than being with Christ in person also because we have the inner blessing of the Spirit. The apostles said that it would suffice to see the Father, but Jesus said that to see Him was to see the Father! All that we can know and see God is revealed in Christ! In eternity we'll see the big picture!

The infidel doesn't see God anywhere at work, but the believer sees His fingerprint everywhere, from the smallest atom to the largest galaxy, at work. No amount of proof will convince someone who doesn't want to do God's will or sincerely have a relationship with him; to the believer and honest seeker, there is ample evidence--no one can disbelieve due to lack of evidence!

In glory, we shall behold Christ as He is and we shall be like Him too, able to take it in. It is said that some angels always do behold the face of God and that Gabriel "[stands] in the presence of God"; we'll have more privilege than an angel! People generally say that seeing is believing; however, believing is seeing! Don't envy those who have seen a vision or revelation, as Jesus told Thomas: "Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believed" (cf. John 20:29). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who maintained they could see but were "blind guides," in fact, the "blind leading the blind"; think how much worse it is to think you see and be blind, or not knowing you're blind! Christ came to open our eyes and to make the blind see, and Satan has blinded the eyes of all who don't believe in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4).

Caveat: Don't reduce God to one dimension or put Him in a box, emphasizing one aspect, like seeing Him just as: the Old, Doting Grandpa who says, "Boys will be boys;" the Kind Father; the Man Upstairs; Cosmic Killjoy; the Great Spirit; the Strict, Mean Judge; the Higher Power; or even as the Great Mathematical Mind. Whenever we have an inadequate perception of God it's idolatry and our God is too small, thinking of Him in human terms. How big is your God, is just as important as seeing Him. God cannot be limited, defined, or confined, and we must know that He is beyond comprehension, known as His profundity, and we will never fully apprehend His glory, nature, or essence throughout eternity ("the finite cannot contain the infinite," says the maxim).

The eyes of our hearts are opened upon salvation and we can literally say we see and were blind, just like the blind man Jesus healed said, "I was blind, but now I see!" No one can argue the fact that we have spiritual eyes enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit living in our hearts. Theologians have attempted definitions of God in vain, for He cannot be described, only known, loved, and worshiped!

It is the childish faith that seeks to know God through pictures, visions, or experiences, but the mature obedient believer clings to the Word and hears God speaking His message through it; just like Francis Schaeffer wrote: "He is there, and He is not silent!" The problem with man is not only is he blind to spiritual truth, but spiritually hard-of-hearing and turns a deaf ear to the gospel message that he does hear. Man isn't faithful to the God he does see and is without excuse. Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is The Christian Life About?

Everyone has a doctrine, it is just a matter of how accurate it is. Everyone is a theologian, it just matters how good of a one we are.  Jesus' doctrine was right but the Pharisees hated His doctrine, though they loved doctrine per se, they specialized in the requirements of the Law.  You cannot avoid doctrine though and it just means teaching and is usually made systematic by professional theologians. But the church fathers formulated all the major doctrines of our faith and penned the creeds we know and believe.  Doctrine separates Christians when they make it the end and not the means. 

The purpose of all doctrine is to lead us to a fuller understanding and relationship with God--not a reason to feel puffed up with knowledge. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine...   One can know very little doctrine and be very good at applying what he knows and be a very good Christian.  But just being good at doctrine is not necessarily a sign of spirituality.  We must content ourselves in our knowledge.  

The disciples were "dedicated to the apostle's teaching [or doctrine]" (Acts 2:42). In other words, knowing doctrine is a means to an end, and not the objective itself (what we apply is more important than what we believe in theory).  Don't just be content just to be theologically correct. Don't be complacent!   Some people like to divide Christians into two camps, for instance: Arminian vs. Calvinist. Both can be very fundamental, evangelical, and conservative in their beliefs. In fact, there are some Arminians that know their God far better than some Calvinists.  John Wesley was a famous English Arminian and George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards famous early American Calvinists. 

It is not a good thing to get into the habit of labeling fellow believers, which can lead to judging. You can say, "I am a Calvinist!" But I can retort, "I am a Christian!" In summary, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, God isn't going to ask you what party you were a member of or how you interpreted the atonement--but of your love for and trust in Christ. !

There are doctrines that divide (the renowned "Five Points of Calvinism," for instance) but they should be called the doctrines of grace, for they deal in salvation, namely, that salvation is of the LORD per Jonah 2:9. That means we contribute naught to our salvation, it is a gift of grace not of works.  Now, Christianity is separated and divided due to Satan's strategy to divide and conquer and they have gotten their eyes of the mission and the main thing, especially Jesus Himself, the true focus of our faith. If Christians learned what was negotiable and what wasn't, there would be no sectarianism. There might still be denominations but people would cooperate one with another and not have contentions or disputes. They would agree to disagree without being disagreeable.  It is high time we find commonalities with fellow believers: build bridges, not erect walls.   

Now it becomes necessary to define exactly what the Christian life is: the cliche that it is a relationship with Christ is too commonplace and trite and even misconstrued. What do we mean? Actually, we are talking of the thrust of our life; what motivates and inspires us, and what we love, and it should be Jesus. Two men notably walked with God in the Bible: Enoch and Moses.  So it can be said that our faith is a walk.  It could also be seen as a fellowship as it is impossible to be a spiritual Lone Ranger; we need other believers. It is an affair with Jesus, you might even call it a love affair!  One may inquire how one is getting along with Jesus and what you have learned of Him.  

Now, furthermore, Christ promised to be our friend if we obey Him, so it is an ongoing friendship too. Christ is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Man was not made to walk through life alone with no God on His side and so we have an insurance policy. Salvation isn't really fire insurance, but with Christ, we have a hedge of protection against the evil one who cannot touch us. We have a job to do with God, a calling, so our life in Christ is a commission.  We are ambassadors for Christ to fulfill His gospel.  Christianity is a way to live but not just a philosophy or worldview but a path to know God and pursue or seek His face. 

Early Christians were referred to as followers of the Way: without the way, as Jesus claimed to be, there would be no going!   But then in a derogatory manner, the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, or little Christs as an insult and that name stuck. God has no hands, but ours, no eyes but ours, no ears but ours, no legs but ours, and no mouth like ours on earth to do His will and goodwill. So we are Christ in disguise to some who may never know Him any other way; what is the gospel according to you? 

Christians are God's stewards of His provisions and blessing in order to be a blessing to others so that the others are blessed by association as it says, the rain falls on the wicked as well as the good.  We are examples to the world as salt and light to bring prosperity to the city we live in. Also, the very name disciple, used interchangeably with Christian, implies we are students and enrolled in the school of Christ, that we never stop learning and growing in Christ as works in progress.  But that would imply we are People of the Book as we are sometimes called! 

In sum, Christianity is a faith due to that being the means of salvation and prominent virtue, but what matters is that we authenticate or validate it with works.  Faith without works is dead and that faith cannot save.  We are not saved by works, but not without them either. James said that he would show his faith by his works and we are indeed known by our fruits. We are ordained unto good works and a called people to be zealous of good works. As the Reformers taught: we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.

Note: I am not describing salvation such as a person with Christ as Lord or has Christ living in his heart due to repentance and faith. Soli Deo Gloria!