Many people have "demonic faith" in God. No, I don't mean theithy worship demons. I mean they have the same kind of faith in God that the demons do. They believe in the existence of God, and maybe they even believe that there's only one God, but that's as far as their faith goes. It doesn't make any difference in their lives.
In James 2:19, we're told that the demons believe in one God. I think that Satan and the demons are entirely orthodox in their beliefs about God. In fact, it's more than faith to them-they know the reality of who God is and what He's like. I;m sure they are consistent Trinitarians, knowing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If you gave them a theology test on the existence and being of God, they'd ace it.
Despite their "orthodoxy," however, Satan and the demons are condemned to eternal judgment. Their correct belief in God didn't stop them from pursuing their own way, with Satan wanting to be like God and the demons following him in rebellion. As a result, they fell, and their knowledge of God only gives them reason to tremble at the thought of what's coming.
Having the facts about God straight is important, but those facts alone aren't enough. We have to take what we know about God and act on it. The first thing we must do is acknowledge who God is, and who we are in relation to Him. We need to accept Jesus as our Lord by faith. We need to have a faith that really makes a difference in our lives as well. Our knowledge should be matched by our commitment.
James is the NT book that stresses having a living faith. James is often criticized for putting an emphasis on works; in fact, some people accuse him of teaching salvation by works. That's not what his message is when you look at it closely. James sees works as evidence of a real faith, and the absence of any good works as evidence of a dead faith. He follows the advice of his older brother, who said, "By their fruit you will recognize them." (Matthew 7:20) If our faith is alive, it should be visible in the way we live our lives.
We do need to know the truth about God accurately. We need to have a strong grasp of the teaching of the Bible. But we also need to take what we know and put it into practice. If our faith is no better than that of a demon, we've missed the whole point about Jesus. So let's hold on to the truth, but let's also let that truth work itself out so the world can see the difference that faith in Christ makes in our lives.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Doing the Word
Awkward title, isn't it? Yet that's what we should be doing according to James 1:22: "But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (HCSB) The Greek words are nouns, so it's an accurate rendition of what James wrote. So what does it mean to "do the Word"? That's pretty much what James spends most of his epistle describing.
It must have been tough to be James. Maybe if you're a younger sibling you understand the issues he might have faced. Can't you see Mary saying, "James, why can't you be more like your older brother? Jesus always listens. He never gets into. You should be more like him." Maybe that's one of the reasons his brothers weren't immediate followers of Jesus; perhaps there was a little sibling-rivalry resentment to overcome. (That, of course, is just my speculation, not Scripture, so take it for wht it's worth.)
Yet James did ultimately believe in Jesus, and became not only a follower of His but a leader in the early church. He was called "James the Just' for his outstanding character. According to early accounts, he was respected not only by Christians but by many Jews. His advice at the Council of Jerusalem shows a man who seeks to be both just and fair in his dealings. James really did become a "doer of the Word," so his encouragement to his readers and to us is significant.
I believe one of the reasons so many churches have little impact on their communities and on the world at large is that they become so focused on being right in their beliefs that they forget to live out those truths before the world. I would be the last one to argue that having correct theology and a strong understanding of Scripture is unimportant. However, even if our theology is perfect and our grasp of the Bible deep, that knowledge and understanding is useless if not put into practice. If the truth of God doesn't make a difference in the way we live, then we are living by another truth and only going through the motions of being a Christian.
James certainly believed in the importance of reading and meditating on the Word. Just two verses later, after his illustration of looking into a mirror, he writes, "But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does." (1:25, HCSB) Our time and meditation on the Word is what gives us the motivation to do what is good. We cannot do what the Lord wants us to do if we don't know what that is, and we can't know what that is if we don't read, study, and understand what He tells us in His Word.
I'm a bit of an academic, and perhaps if you are reading this you are, too. I have to be careful that I don't get so caught up in an academic pursuit of Christianity that I forget to have a living, breathing, and active faith.
So by all means study the Bible, understand your theology, and listen to the Word preached and taught. Just don't leave it in the classroom. Make sure you take what you know and live it, and show your world what faith in Jesus looks like in action. Do the Word!
It must have been tough to be James. Maybe if you're a younger sibling you understand the issues he might have faced. Can't you see Mary saying, "James, why can't you be more like your older brother? Jesus always listens. He never gets into. You should be more like him." Maybe that's one of the reasons his brothers weren't immediate followers of Jesus; perhaps there was a little sibling-rivalry resentment to overcome. (That, of course, is just my speculation, not Scripture, so take it for wht it's worth.)
Yet James did ultimately believe in Jesus, and became not only a follower of His but a leader in the early church. He was called "James the Just' for his outstanding character. According to early accounts, he was respected not only by Christians but by many Jews. His advice at the Council of Jerusalem shows a man who seeks to be both just and fair in his dealings. James really did become a "doer of the Word," so his encouragement to his readers and to us is significant.
I believe one of the reasons so many churches have little impact on their communities and on the world at large is that they become so focused on being right in their beliefs that they forget to live out those truths before the world. I would be the last one to argue that having correct theology and a strong understanding of Scripture is unimportant. However, even if our theology is perfect and our grasp of the Bible deep, that knowledge and understanding is useless if not put into practice. If the truth of God doesn't make a difference in the way we live, then we are living by another truth and only going through the motions of being a Christian.
James certainly believed in the importance of reading and meditating on the Word. Just two verses later, after his illustration of looking into a mirror, he writes, "But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does." (1:25, HCSB) Our time and meditation on the Word is what gives us the motivation to do what is good. We cannot do what the Lord wants us to do if we don't know what that is, and we can't know what that is if we don't read, study, and understand what He tells us in His Word.
I'm a bit of an academic, and perhaps if you are reading this you are, too. I have to be careful that I don't get so caught up in an academic pursuit of Christianity that I forget to have a living, breathing, and active faith.
So by all means study the Bible, understand your theology, and listen to the Word preached and taught. Just don't leave it in the classroom. Make sure you take what you know and live it, and show your world what faith in Jesus looks like in action. Do the Word!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Tenebrae
As I stated in a previous post, my favorite service of the year is the Good Friday Tenebrae service. It's a solemn service, and very visual, but I find it the most striking and memorable service I participate in each year. I was introduced to Tenebrae at a Baptist seminary, attended for several years at a Reformed Episcopal church, and have organized or led the service at several Baptist churches since. It's not the kind of service most Baptists are familiar with, so I'd like to explain what happens so you can understand why the service is done the way it is.
"Tenebrae" is the Latin word for "darkness." As a separate service, Tenebrae arose from some medieval traditions of darkening the church during Good Friday services, but in the form we use it comes more from a liturgical Protestant tradition. It is a highly structured service, with a set form even of most of the words of the service; this is popularly called a "liturgical" service, from the word "liturgy" which means the form or order of worship. (In truth, all churches are "liturgical," but some are more structured than others!) There are times for the pastor to speak, and for the congregation to respond. The Tenebrae service anticipates active participation by the congregation.
The major focus of Tenebrae is the Bible. There are many Scripture readings related to the events of Good Friday. Many are from Psalms, and have verses that describe the experiences of Jesus during His sufferings and death. Others are of Old Testament prophecy relating to the suffering of the Messiah. There are also readings from the Gospels (Luke, in our case) and the Epistles (Hebrews). The words of the Bible tell us the story of Christ, and we immerse ourselves in God's Word during this service.
There is a highly symbolic aspect to this service, which is unusual in Baptist churches. The candles that are lit are extinguished and the lights dimmed to symbolize the encroaching darkness of Jesus' suffering and death. We recite the Lord's Prayer, but in a whisper to reflect our own awe at remembering the work of our Lord. The Christ candle (often from the Advent wreath) is extinguished and hidden to symbolize the death and burial of Jesus. Bells toll to drive home the finality of the death of Christ-at least, the finality the disciples experienced on that first Friday. We leave the church in darkness and silence, meditating on the fact that it was only through the suffering and death of Jesus that we are able to be made right with God.
The symbolism of Tenebrae is sometimes criticized as an effort to bring in "traditions" from other denominations into the evangelical church. (Seriously. You wouldn't believe what I read last night on some blog attacking Tenebrae.) Any symbol can be misused, so we do need to be careful that we are giving the proper meaning to those symbols. That's why I try to be very specific as to what we are doing in Tenebrae, and what all the symbols mean.
Ultimately, Tenebrae is a service that seeks to remind us, through Word and symbol, of the terrible price Christ paid for our sins. It is meant to draw our attention not to candles or symbols, but to the One whose sufferings they represent. If you leave on Good Friday thinking only of the "theatrics" of the service, you have missed the point. You should leave thinking of the grace of Jesus, and thanking Him for bearing the judgment for you.
The symbolism actually continues on Sunday morning. The church is brightly lit, there is joyous sound, and the Christ candle is there at the front of the church, lit again, symbolizing the Resurrection. We then celebrate the triumph of Jesus over sin and death. I just want to encourage you this week to take time to reflect on Jesus' suffering and death, and not skip too quickly to Sunday. We should recall what Peter wrote: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18a, NIV) As the "unrighteous" who have been brought to God through Christ, we should respond with honor and gratitude for what He has done for us.
"Tenebrae" is the Latin word for "darkness." As a separate service, Tenebrae arose from some medieval traditions of darkening the church during Good Friday services, but in the form we use it comes more from a liturgical Protestant tradition. It is a highly structured service, with a set form even of most of the words of the service; this is popularly called a "liturgical" service, from the word "liturgy" which means the form or order of worship. (In truth, all churches are "liturgical," but some are more structured than others!) There are times for the pastor to speak, and for the congregation to respond. The Tenebrae service anticipates active participation by the congregation.
The major focus of Tenebrae is the Bible. There are many Scripture readings related to the events of Good Friday. Many are from Psalms, and have verses that describe the experiences of Jesus during His sufferings and death. Others are of Old Testament prophecy relating to the suffering of the Messiah. There are also readings from the Gospels (Luke, in our case) and the Epistles (Hebrews). The words of the Bible tell us the story of Christ, and we immerse ourselves in God's Word during this service.
There is a highly symbolic aspect to this service, which is unusual in Baptist churches. The candles that are lit are extinguished and the lights dimmed to symbolize the encroaching darkness of Jesus' suffering and death. We recite the Lord's Prayer, but in a whisper to reflect our own awe at remembering the work of our Lord. The Christ candle (often from the Advent wreath) is extinguished and hidden to symbolize the death and burial of Jesus. Bells toll to drive home the finality of the death of Christ-at least, the finality the disciples experienced on that first Friday. We leave the church in darkness and silence, meditating on the fact that it was only through the suffering and death of Jesus that we are able to be made right with God.
The symbolism of Tenebrae is sometimes criticized as an effort to bring in "traditions" from other denominations into the evangelical church. (Seriously. You wouldn't believe what I read last night on some blog attacking Tenebrae.) Any symbol can be misused, so we do need to be careful that we are giving the proper meaning to those symbols. That's why I try to be very specific as to what we are doing in Tenebrae, and what all the symbols mean.
Ultimately, Tenebrae is a service that seeks to remind us, through Word and symbol, of the terrible price Christ paid for our sins. It is meant to draw our attention not to candles or symbols, but to the One whose sufferings they represent. If you leave on Good Friday thinking only of the "theatrics" of the service, you have missed the point. You should leave thinking of the grace of Jesus, and thanking Him for bearing the judgment for you.
The symbolism actually continues on Sunday morning. The church is brightly lit, there is joyous sound, and the Christ candle is there at the front of the church, lit again, symbolizing the Resurrection. We then celebrate the triumph of Jesus over sin and death. I just want to encourage you this week to take time to reflect on Jesus' suffering and death, and not skip too quickly to Sunday. We should recall what Peter wrote: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18a, NIV) As the "unrighteous" who have been brought to God through Christ, we should respond with honor and gratitude for what He has done for us.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Preparing people to die
As we approach Good Friday, our thoughts are drawn to the suffering and death of our Lord. Many people want to rush right to the triumph of Easter, but if we brush past the occupied tomb to get to the empty tomb we miss what make the celebration of the Resurrection so joyful. We need to take time to meditate deeply on just what Jesus suffered to pay the price for our sins.
My favorite church service of the year is our Good Friday Tenebrae service. While it isn't one that most Baptists are familiar with, the focus on the words of Scripture and the visual aspects of the service create a moving and somber atmosphere that draws your attention to the cross. When you leave the church in darkness and silence, after a time of meditation on the suffering of Jesus, you are in a place from which the joy of Easter can truly flow. From dark and silent, the church on Easter Sunday will be full of light and joyous sound, reflecting the triumph of our Lord over sin and death.
I was listening to a podcast by Carl Trueman, professor of church history at Westminster Seminary, in which he stated that the role of the pastor is to prepare people to die. It's a provocative thought, but there is a lot of truth in it. Thinking about death runs counter to our culture, which is obsessed with staying alive (and preferably young). Yet we are all assured that one day, barring the return of Christ, we will all die. Are we ready for that to happen to us?
In His suffering and death, Jesus showed us how to be prepared to die. Jesus had a strong relationship with His Father, one that led Him to accept the Father's will above His own. He showed a human desire to avoid suffering and death if possible, yet faced His death with purpose. He went through physical, emotional and spiritual agony, yet in the end He knew triumph even in His pain. His sufferings were real (contrary to a variety of heretical teaching throughout history), but they did not break His confidence in His Father.
Before we can even begin to be prepared to die, we have to have a relationship with God. As sinners, we can't do that on our own, but Jesus made it possible for us to be right with God by taking our judgment on Himself. Through faith in Him, and by the grace of God, we can be brought into a right relationship with our Father. We continue to cultivate that relationship through reading and hearing God's Word, prayer, and service to others in the name of Jesus. As our relationship grows, we learn to trust God in everything, even in suffering and, yes, death. In the end, we are prepared to face death because we know it will bring us into our loving Father's presence.
Our churches can't be so focused on Christian living that they forget to prepare us to die. It is in preparing to die that we can really live, knowing that this life is only the beginning of a greater eternal life with our Lord. So think about the triumph of Jesus over sin and death, and the life He brings us through His victory, but don;t forget to think about dying, and what lies beyond death for you as you follow our Lord's example.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Sunday Sermon: "Call Me Bitter"
The book of Ruth, set in the background of the time of the judges, tells us a marvelous story that gives us a picture of even greater realities. The beginning of the story, however, is awfully dark. The family of Elimelech goes into a voluntary exile to Moab during a famine, leaving behind their home and their place in the people of God. While there, Elimelech's sons both marry Moabite wives, something not forbidden directly by the Law but certainly not completely in line with it. Then the greater tragedy occurs: Elimelech and both of his sons die. (The names of the two sons, Mahlon ("weak") and Kilion ("pining") may give us insight into their early deaths.) Who is left? Elimelech's widow, Naomi, and the two wives of her sons, Ruth and Orpah.
Naomi decides to return to Israel, perhaps just out of desperation. While her two daughters-in-law begin the journey with her, it may have been just the politeness of the younger for the elder. Naomi urges them to leave her, since there really is no future hope for them with her. Orpah follows Naomi's advice and returns to her home, but Ruth refuses to leave. She has decided to remain with Naomi, not only out of family loyalty but also because she has chosen to adopt Naomi's GOd as her own.
Ruth is the central character of the story, and we often focus on her choices when we look at this passage. I think we miss a big point, however, when we skip over Naomi's reactions When we examine her situation, we see a woman who is older, with no husband, no place of her own, no financial support, and an extra mouth to feed in her foreign daughter-in-law.
How does she react? She acknowledges that it is the Lord who is in control, and accepts that what has happened to her is from Him. Her faith is shaken because of that, and she is in despair. She actually asks that her name be changed, from Naomi {"pleasant"} to Mara {"bitter"}. Her life has become bitter, and her spirit is bitter.
At the end of chapter 1, everything looks bleak for her and for Ruth. Since we tend to rush right into chapter 2, we see what's going to happen and how the Lord will provide, but I think it's important to see where Naomi is at this point. In our own lives, we often find ourselves in situations where we see the Lord moving in ways that make no sense to us, and that leave us at least close to despair. We wonder where God is, and why He isn't doing anything to help us. Yet we may only be at the end of "chapter 1" in our situation.
What does that mean for us? Before we fall into despair, and give up on God, we need to recognize that one moment in our lives does not tell our whole story. The Lord may be working out something that is greater than we expect, but we need to be prepared for it. I believe that we more often arow and move forward in our spiritual lives through our trial than through our blessings. We may need to be dislodged from things in which we have placed our faith, and learn to rely on the Lord.
So if you are experiencing challenges in your life, don't despair. You may just be at the end of chapter 1. The Lord is in control, and He knows what He has in store for you and will move you to that place in His time.
Naomi decides to return to Israel, perhaps just out of desperation. While her two daughters-in-law begin the journey with her, it may have been just the politeness of the younger for the elder. Naomi urges them to leave her, since there really is no future hope for them with her. Orpah follows Naomi's advice and returns to her home, but Ruth refuses to leave. She has decided to remain with Naomi, not only out of family loyalty but also because she has chosen to adopt Naomi's GOd as her own.
Ruth is the central character of the story, and we often focus on her choices when we look at this passage. I think we miss a big point, however, when we skip over Naomi's reactions When we examine her situation, we see a woman who is older, with no husband, no place of her own, no financial support, and an extra mouth to feed in her foreign daughter-in-law.
How does she react? She acknowledges that it is the Lord who is in control, and accepts that what has happened to her is from Him. Her faith is shaken because of that, and she is in despair. She actually asks that her name be changed, from Naomi {"pleasant"} to Mara {"bitter"}. Her life has become bitter, and her spirit is bitter.
At the end of chapter 1, everything looks bleak for her and for Ruth. Since we tend to rush right into chapter 2, we see what's going to happen and how the Lord will provide, but I think it's important to see where Naomi is at this point. In our own lives, we often find ourselves in situations where we see the Lord moving in ways that make no sense to us, and that leave us at least close to despair. We wonder where God is, and why He isn't doing anything to help us. Yet we may only be at the end of "chapter 1" in our situation.
What does that mean for us? Before we fall into despair, and give up on God, we need to recognize that one moment in our lives does not tell our whole story. The Lord may be working out something that is greater than we expect, but we need to be prepared for it. I believe that we more often arow and move forward in our spiritual lives through our trial than through our blessings. We may need to be dislodged from things in which we have placed our faith, and learn to rely on the Lord.
So if you are experiencing challenges in your life, don't despair. You may just be at the end of chapter 1. The Lord is in control, and He knows what He has in store for you and will move you to that place in His time.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
The supremacy of Christ
In our current Family Bible Study curriculum we are studying through the book of Hebrews. As someone who loves Old Testament, I enjoy teaching and studying through Hebrews, since much of the book draws on OT teaching and imagery. Teaching it to elementary students, however, can be a bit of a challenge. Going through the process of preparing lessons for younger learners forces you to think about the essence of what the Bible teaches, and to clarify your own thinking about BIblical passages.
The last several lessons have focused on the comparison between Christ and the OT sacrificial system. Often when adults study through the middle of Hebrews, we get hung up on Melchizedek, how Jesus fulfilled OT types and images, and just to whom Hebrews 6:4-8 is referring. The big picture can get lost in a sea of really interesting details.
What is that big picture? Jesus Christ is superior to all systems of religion. While Hebrews explicitly deals with the OT and with the Judaism of the first century, I think it is fair to take the author's teaching even further and state that Jesus is superior to all other religious systems. There is something genuinely unique about Jesus.
Religion teaches us how we ought to relate to whatever god or ultimate reality is "out there." We engage in a variety of rituals, prayers, sacrifices, and other elements in order to align ourselves with that god. This can even be true of Christians; we can easily fall into the pattern of thinking our standing with God depends on how well we play the religious game.
Despite our best intentions, though, we fail to do everything right, and we have to keep going back again and again hoping to appease our god and to regain a positive standing with him/her/it. Nothing we do can permanently assure us that we are indeed right, or that we have any guarantee of going to heaven or its equivalent.
Jesus is different. First, what He did had nothing to do with what we do. Jesus became both the perfect sacrifice and the perfect high priest, offering the one sacrifice that does have permanent effect. It doesn't matter how we act, what we do, or how religious we are; Jesus' work was done by Him and accepted by the Father apart from anything any one of us has ever done. Second, when we accept Jesus and His sacrifice, and make Him the Lord of our life and our ultimate concern, we are assured we are right with God, since that staus isn't dependent on us and our behavior.
This doesn't mean we live any old way we want to. Hebrews will go on to discuss how the change that Jesus brings to our lives should change the way we live. What it does mean is that I am always forgiven, because the penalty for my sin has been made "once for all." I'm not dependent on my religiosity or works to earn or pay for my salvation. I am dependent on what Jesus has already done, and I can neither add to nor subtract from that.
This fundamental reminder keeps us on the right track as we seek to live our lives for the Lord. It also makes us different from any religious viewpoint (including ones calling themselves Christian) that would tie us to keeping the Law, following rules, or trying to do more good than bad in order to be right with God. As Christians, we should want to do what Christ commands out of love and gratitude, but our relationship with God ultimately begins and ends with Jesus, not ourselves.
The last several lessons have focused on the comparison between Christ and the OT sacrificial system. Often when adults study through the middle of Hebrews, we get hung up on Melchizedek, how Jesus fulfilled OT types and images, and just to whom Hebrews 6:4-8 is referring. The big picture can get lost in a sea of really interesting details.
What is that big picture? Jesus Christ is superior to all systems of religion. While Hebrews explicitly deals with the OT and with the Judaism of the first century, I think it is fair to take the author's teaching even further and state that Jesus is superior to all other religious systems. There is something genuinely unique about Jesus.
Religion teaches us how we ought to relate to whatever god or ultimate reality is "out there." We engage in a variety of rituals, prayers, sacrifices, and other elements in order to align ourselves with that god. This can even be true of Christians; we can easily fall into the pattern of thinking our standing with God depends on how well we play the religious game.
Despite our best intentions, though, we fail to do everything right, and we have to keep going back again and again hoping to appease our god and to regain a positive standing with him/her/it. Nothing we do can permanently assure us that we are indeed right, or that we have any guarantee of going to heaven or its equivalent.
Jesus is different. First, what He did had nothing to do with what we do. Jesus became both the perfect sacrifice and the perfect high priest, offering the one sacrifice that does have permanent effect. It doesn't matter how we act, what we do, or how religious we are; Jesus' work was done by Him and accepted by the Father apart from anything any one of us has ever done. Second, when we accept Jesus and His sacrifice, and make Him the Lord of our life and our ultimate concern, we are assured we are right with God, since that staus isn't dependent on us and our behavior.
This doesn't mean we live any old way we want to. Hebrews will go on to discuss how the change that Jesus brings to our lives should change the way we live. What it does mean is that I am always forgiven, because the penalty for my sin has been made "once for all." I'm not dependent on my religiosity or works to earn or pay for my salvation. I am dependent on what Jesus has already done, and I can neither add to nor subtract from that.
This fundamental reminder keeps us on the right track as we seek to live our lives for the Lord. It also makes us different from any religious viewpoint (including ones calling themselves Christian) that would tie us to keeping the Law, following rules, or trying to do more good than bad in order to be right with God. As Christians, we should want to do what Christ commands out of love and gratitude, but our relationship with God ultimately begins and ends with Jesus, not ourselves.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Some consolidation
Due to policy changes on some sites I've been using, I'm attempting to pull the information from this blog, the Finding My Way Around the Fathers blog, and the Pastor Steve's Study Wikispace onto a new site. This is a work in progress, and I don't expect to finish anytime soon. (Having two jobs and a family will do that!) I will keep the two blogs intact (and hopefully I'll post on them from time to time), but to have a unified access point you will want to visit this site:
The "new" Pastor Steve's Study
Thanks for all your continued interest and support!
The "new" Pastor Steve's Study
Thanks for all your continued interest and support!
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