Sunday, July 31, 2011

Thoughts on Critics

As I sit here on vacation I find that my mind has time to reflect on many things that are pushed into the corners during the usual busyness of my life. I was sifting around in those corners today and came across a couple thoughts on critics and criticism that I had conjured up and set aside for a better time. That better time is now, so here goes.

We all receive criticism. Maybe its the driver behind you who doesn't like your driving and lets you know with an annoying honk. Maybe its your kids who seem more and more to be experts on everything and never miss a chance to let you know just how lame you are. Maybe its more serious than either of these because it happens at work when your boss or your customers start complaining about your work or customer service. Maybe its your spouse, or your neighbor, or even a close friend who gets frustrated and goes off on you. Then again maybe it isn't personal criticism. Maybe its someone who starts complaining about your company or your town or something else that you've poured your heart into. Maybe the criticism is aimed at someone you love and respect, or even as some ideology or platform you support. No matter the package it comes in, we all are on the receiving end of criticism, and understand that critics are all around us just waiting for the chance to show how wrong we are, and how much better we'd be if we adopted their view of things.

Every weekend I stand up before over 2000 people and preach. And each of them has the right to be critical. Add to that the fact that, in the public eye, I'm responsible for everything that goes on at Grace Baptist Church, and I seem to be fair game for criticism of all kinds. And then I go and write an opinion column for the local newspaper and that opens me up to a whole new arena of critics. By nature I have always assumed that people would both like and agree with me. What's not to like? LOL But apparently I say and do things that others don't like, or at least think could be vastly improved. So, what to do? What strategy can I employ that will take the inevitable criticism that comes my way and both keep it from being a grave discouragement, and turn it into a useful tool?

I've come up with some rules I try to follow, and even as I write this I realize that some will now be able to critique these rules and the way I employ them. O well ...

Rule #1: Consider the comment before considering the source.

 By this I mean that in every criticism there may be some truth that needs to be heard and learned. Even if it comes from a recalcitrant, closed-minded, ignorant, venomous, and well-known enemy, there still might be some truth to it.  I can't let "commitment bias" keep me from benefitting from what truth there may be in the criticism. And I can't let the fact that the critic is an idiot keep me from finding whatever necessary truth there may be in the criticism.

Rule #2: Recognize that what is being said is not usually the real problem.

I have found that people most often criticize a "presenting symptom" which they feel represents what is really wrong. They probably aren't going to tell me what the real problem is at first, but they want me to ask them.  An example: Every year on certain political holidays I get critical emails asking why we didn't sing the National Anthem or some other patriotic song in our weekend worship services. But the real problem is that they think patriotism is dying, and that we as a society aren't recognizing the sacrifice our service men and women are making. Even more, those who send the emails feel that they aren't being lauded enough for their military service. It isn't really about what we sang or didn't sing; it is about their sense of personal value.

Rule #3: Criticism from those who love you carries more weight than that of those who rejoice in your shortcomings.

Some folks just don't like me. I don't know why, and it probably is the case that they don't even know me, have never really spent time with me, and don't know my heart. But they see me as representing some change, or some new idea, or some ideology, or some movement, or something they don't like.     And so I become the target of their criticism. And truthfully, they really are glad that I give them something to criticize because this allows them to feel justified in their dislike of me. They love seeing what, in their judgment, I am doing wrong. These chinks in my armor are evidence that they are right in not liking me. Now all of this doesn't mean that I don't sift through their comments to find some truth to use. What it does mean is that I don't let myself get discouraged on their account.

Over my years in ministry I have found that I just can't let myself dwell on the criticism of those trying to tear me apart. I can't stop focusing on what I have to do in order to chase down these folks and try to change their minds. I am not told by God to defend my character; I am commissioned by Him to pursue the tasks He has assigned, and to live a life that silences those trying to defame me. And if their criticism helps me improve my service to Him, so much the better. If it doesn't, I am going to flush it. In either case, I will refuse to let them rent space in my heart for very long.

On the other hand, those who are solid partners with me in the mission of Christ are vital to me and to our ministry. When they have a criticism, I consider it as new fuel for improvement.

Rule #4: Most critics just want to be heard.

I think most critics just want to express themselves, and know that they've been heard and and that their thoughts have been honorably considered. And many times they voice their criticism in the heat of some moment, and after a time of consideration, they will temper their words. If I get back to them in a few days and invite them into my world, giving them some information they maybe lacked, and as well, thanking them for their concerns, and for their insights, I find that most feel that the situation was handled well. They just wanted to be heard and valued.

Rule #5: Almost never respond to a critic via email.

I've learned the hard way that email is too quick, too prone to misinterpretation, and too easily a tool for anger and strident reprisal to be useful in dealing with critics. I do use email in dealing with ongoing critics, those I know and who know me, and with whom I have a relationship. But I have found that initially, email can be like pouring gas on a fire. Most of my critics use email, and I know that they often come with more of a sting than the writer intended. Email just doesn't allow us to express the proper level of emotion and intensity, and usually it is interpreted as more negative than is meant.

Rule #6: Where change is needed, make it; where it is not, flush the criticism.

One of the things that I've learned about criticism is that I need to deal with it within a week or so to keep it from festering. If I move too quickly, I may act rashly, but if I delay too long, it burrows into my mind and becomes a greater problem than at first because I keep ruminating on it. So, my ideal is to take a couple days (if warranted), sift out whatever helpful insights are in the criticism, devise a plan to deal with the critic, and then flush the whole thing. Life is too short to be burdened with bags and bags of unresolved criticism.

Rule #7: Be ever striving to be a better critic yourself.

As the target of criticism, I know how hurtful, how debilitating, how frustrating and discouraging, and  downright overwhelming criticism can be.  That means I ought to be the best kind of critic. I ought to pick only those spots where my criticism can make the most difference, bring the most benefit, improve something the most. And I ought to be the guy whose criticism lands with the best hope of being understood and welcomed, and not like a knife in the back. Here is an area where I greatly need improvement!

So, there you go. We all get criticized, and we all hate it. But, to the extent that we can manage it, and gain from it, just maybe we can turn criticism and critics into the stepping stones to improvement.

Hope this helps,

David

Ephesians 1: We and You

In the first 12 verses of Ephesians Paul has listed the many divine benefits enjoyed by those whom God has made objects of His divine and gracious activity. And in every case Paul has used the word "us" or "we." If you go back and look carefully you'll see that Paul apparently has a particular group of people in mind. They aren't defined. The readers apparently know Paul and know who the "we" are. But in vs. 13 it changes. Now Paul suddenly includes "you" as being recipients of these many blessings. And if we search further we'll find that the "we" are the Jewish believers, and the "you" are the Gentile believers. In fact, 2:11-22 is Paul's masterful declaration that God has brought both Jew and Gentile into the same body, the same Temple, so that they are no longer two peoples but "one new man" in Christ.

This bringing of the two into one new community is the foundation of Paul's ministry. If Gentiles were not "in Christ" they could never benefit from His work, and never enjoy the blessings enumerated in this opening section. But Paul's joy is to preach that God has included the Gentiles, and that all who are "in Christ" enjoy the same blessings, the same position, the same redemption, forgiveness, and inheritance. And, as we will see, this is evidenced by the fact that both enjoy the same indwelling Spirit of God.

What does this mean? Simply this. In Christ there is no room for those who want to rank the races as though one had more  merit than another. There is no room for racial prejudice, no room for any kind of class system, no room for any of the many ways we humans critique one another so as to assume great things about ourselves. In Paul's day it was common for Jews to consider themselves morally and spiritually superior to all other races. After all, they were the chosen people! Paul himself had lived this, and excelled in that special brand of arrogance. But on the road to Damascus he met Jesus, and it rocked his worldview, as well as his view of the Gentiles. God showed him that He was not partial to any ethnicity, and in fact, had chosen Paul to take the message of grace to the Gentile world.

In fulfilling his mission, Paul faced two huge challenges. First, the Jews believed that their ethnic distinction, made possible and visible through their keeping of the Mosaic Law, meant that they were superior to the Gentiles. They even included a prayer in all of their synagogue services that went something like this: "Lord, I thank you that I am neither a woman nor a Gentile." And without getting carried away on the "woman" part, here we need to understand just how real was the enmity between Jew and Gentile.

Second, the Gentiles hated the Jews because of the way they were looked down on by them. Again, the Mosaic Law was the symbol of the hatred. The Jews measured everything by the law and found themselves to be excellent, and the Gentiles to be pagans. The enmity was great, and in some ways, has continued down through modern history as the persecution of the Jews in many countries over the last century illustrates. Into this hostile environment Paul went boldly proclaiming that the God of all Blessing had poured out His redemption and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. All who were "in Christ" were now mutual recipients of all of God's blessings, whether Jew or non-Jew. And if we read Ephesians with this in mind we will find that the work of Christ was not merely so that we as individuals could be adopted into the family of God, but even more, so that God could create for Himself a chosen people, from every tribe and tongue under heaven. The only hope for unity among the diverse races and cultures of the world is to be found in Jesus Christ. No other plan will work simply because no other plan can rid our hearts of the natural enmity that exists as a result of our inborn selfishness and sin.

Hope this helps,

David

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Ephesians 1:11, 12: Heirs for His Glory

"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purposes who works all things after the counsel of His will to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory."

Here Paul is near the end of the blessings God the Father has bestowed on those "chosen in Christ". The concept of an inheritance was well-known in Paul's day, and its spiritual connotations were fundamental to the Jewish concept of their divine right as the people of God. They felt entitled to all that their Heavenly Father possessed, and considered this a privilege reserved for them alone. But here Paul insists that the inheritance belongs rightly to all who are "in Him." This is ground breaking news! And the rest of the Epistle will rest on this foundation, that the gracious, benevolent redemptive activity of God has not been restricted to those who are in Israel, but has from the beginning of time been focused on those who are "in Christ." 

But Paul has more to say that is even more shocking. Read the verses above again and see if you can catch the sting Paul puts in. Did you notice that the inheritance is not something we are waiting for, but something Paul says we have already "obtained"? Yet, in vs. 14 he will tell us that the Spirit is a "downpayment" on that inheritance. 

For Paul, the inheritance of those in Christ is tied to our being "sons of Abraham" (see: Galatians 3:27-29). Yet, Paul nowhere suggests that the inheritance is something that is fulfilled in this world. It is not the land, it is not the law. The inheritance here spoken of by Paul is so much greater than those Old Testaments preview and is, in fact, a fulfillment of them. The inheritance is the "already and not yet" union with Christ that has begun through the Spirit and will culminate in the last days when we will be fully redeemed, and living in the new heavens and earth in full fellowship with our God, quite above even the possibility of sin. The New Earth is the land we have been promised, and the very presence of Christ is the law that will eternally rejoice our hearts. 

Paul can say that we have obtained this inheritance since we already have union with Christ, with the Spirit being the downpayment. But the fulness of our inherited, blessed, fully-restored relationship with God in Christ awaits His return and the glorious culmination of His Kingdom work on earth. 

How can Paul be so sure that we will, in fact, obtain the fulness of this wonderful promised inheritance? Simply because God has so predestined it to be. What God determines cannot fail to come about. He is both the source and the goal of history, and His providence so superintends all things that the end is sure.  And lest we begin to think that His actions are conditioned on our wills, Paul reminds us that God works all things "after the counsel of His own will." God is His only counselor. He is not dependent nor in need of any advice outside of His own. In fact, if God could be even slightly moved or influenced from outside of Himself He would cease to be sovereign and unchangeable, thus ceasing to be God. 

Paul ends this amazing section with a reminder that all of God's works are purposed to declare and display His glory. Here Paul insists that the goal of His work among the Jews - the "first to hope in Christ (Messiah)" - was that His glory would be praised. But the Jews turned it around, and used the gifts of God (the Law, the prophets, the sacrificial system, etc) as reasons for arrogance and a national sense of entitlement. But God always had a remnant that was faithful, and these now turn out to be those among Israel who were "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world." 

Today, if you are "in Christ" by faith you are an heir of the eternal salvation promised first in Genesis, and worked out through Israel's Messiah -- Jesus Christ. All of the blessings Paul has listed are yours, and not one of them is deserved, merited, or earned. Yet, the gracious attitude of God has extended them all to you, without cost, simply to make His glory known to you, and through you to the world.  May His work in your heart not be in vain today. Go show the world how wonderful your Lord is, by doing His will in your world, from the heart and with fulness of joy.

Hope this helps,

David

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Ephesians 1:9,10: The Mystery of His Will

One of the greatest privileges of the Christ-follower is that, having been adopted into God's family, we are now able to know the very will of God. Now, I don't mean that we can know all that God knows, or that we now know all the whats and hows and whys of the universe. What I do mean is that we are no longer in the dark as to the fact that God is in charge of the world, and is carefully working all things "according to the kind intention of His will" (vs. 5). Paul will later say that our God "works all things after the counsel of His will" (vs. 11). And here in vs. 9, 10 Paul goes so far as to say that God has revealed to those chosen in Christ, and now redeemed, just what lies at the very center of this will.

Paul's use of "mystery" in Ephesians has been the topic of much study by thousands of commentators. He uses it 6 times, and each time it refers so something that was previously unknown or not completely understood but has now been revealed by God to us. Think about that: Almighty God has taken us into His confidence. He has opened His mind to us, and our heart to Him to understand the very core of His will in regard to this world. We are here thinking God's thoughts after Him!

The "mystery" of God's will here refers directly to the means by which God intends to reclaim and reform all creation, restoring it to its original creative intention. He created all things to magnify Himself, and sin brought ruin and corruption to this plan.  But God determined that His glory would best be seen in rescuing a lost creation from bondage to sin. And so He set about the plan that had, in reality, been determined in eternity past. And now that plan has been revealed to us. God intends that all things, whether in heaven or on earth will ultimately be "summed up in Christ" (vs. 10). The will of God for all of history revolves around this man Jesus. In and through Him, God will accomplish every bit of His redemptive plan, on time. God has determined that sin will never win the day, and has initiated in Christ a rescue and reclamation plan that cannot fail, and is guaranteed to re-establish God's creation as God's masterpiece.  Included in this "mystery" is the inclusion of the Gentiles which will form the core of this epistle (see: 3:4-10).

But, before Paul unfolds the elements and nuances of this great mystery of God's will he first just wants to glory in the fact that God has let us into His mind. This is an amazing privilege! No longer are we in the dark. No longer do we have to wonder where history is going, or what the end of time will bring. We need not worry that the utter sinfulness of mankind or their best laid plans could ever overcome or prevent God from accomplishing all that He determines to do. God has made known to us, in the Gospel of Christ, the way He will administrate all of human history.

Too often we forget this privilege, especially when the events of the day seem to indicate that history is spiraling out of control. It is at those times that our theology is most important. We must not only remember the privileges we have "in Christ" but also determine to live in light of them, never lacking the courage and compassion that must come from knowing the very mind of God.

Hope this helps,

David

Monday, July 25, 2011

Ephesians 1:7: We have Redemption

Up to this point Paul has listed those blessings that pertain to God's actions in eternity passed. It is certain in Paul's mind that all the elements of our salvation find their source in the sovereign and kind will of God Himself. As Jonah was to find out the hard way "salvation is of the Lord."

In verse 7 Paul shifts into the present possessions those chosen in Christ are privileged to own. First up is redemption, and he is definite: we have it! We have been redeemed, the action has been completed, and the consequences are ongoing. Paul uses a Greek word (apolutrosis) that describes the release of a captive on the payment of a ransom. In a passage that appears quite parallel, Paul puts it this way: He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13,14). While the word regularly pertained to buying the release of a slave, it also was used of soldiers who were captured and became prisoners of war. They often were forced into slavery as well, until they could be redeemed by their original king or general. This is precisely how Paul uses the word in regard to individual Christ-followers. In Adam we were made in the image of God, part of His creation, intended to display His glory. But, also in Adam, we became sinners, slaves to sin, held captive by Satan to do his will (see: 2 Timothy 2:24-26). We were prisoners of war, sold into slavery as a result of our sin. But, in Christ, we have been redeemed! 


Paul goes on to say that the "ransom" that was paid was the very blood of Christ. It is here that we see the metaphor usually associated with "redemption" has broken down.  It is clear that the ransom price - blood - was never intended to be paid to the one who held us fast. God did not pay Satan for the privilege of making us His own. Rather, the blood element reminds us of the Old Testament sacrificial system where the blood of the sacrificial lamb "covered" the sin, releasing the sinner from God's judgment. And so it is here. The ransom price of blood was paid, not to Satan, but to the Judge of All, as a covering for sin, a payment on the account of those owing justice a sentence they could neither pay nor escape. 


We understand this even better when we add the next phrase: the forgiveness of sins. The redemption of those held captive by Satan was effected, not by paying Satan's asking price, but by eliminating the sinful record by which Satan was empowered. By covering our sin with His blood, Jesus Christ has effected forgiveness, and where forgiveness is granted, Satan is disarmed. This whole concept lies behind Paul's lengthy argument in Romans 6 that those who have died to sin must no longer walk in it. How can those who have been released from bondage to sin and Satan now choose to walk in sinful ways? To do so is radically incongruent with their redeemed position in Christ. 


Lastly, Paul once again returns to the "why" behind all of God's redeeming activity. Was it because He saw something in us that He needed? Was it pity? Was it merited on our part? To all these, and any other possible motives, Paul gives an unwavering answer. It was all sourced in the graciousness of God. It was freely bestowed on us (vs. 6). Here, it was "lavished"upon us (vs. 8). All that we enjoy from the hand of God is ours because God is so good, and so gracious, and so intent on displaying His glory through the rescue of those who, if left to themselves, would have gone willingly - and justly! - into eternal torment for their life-long rejection of God's free gift. 


Hope this helps,


David

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Ephesians 1:6: To the praise of the glory of His grace

I was reading recently about the various ways we humans are motivated. It appears that we fall into 3 basic categories: affiliation, achievement, and recognition. Some folks are excited just to be part of the team. They are "affiliation" driven. Others find the greatest satisfaction, not just by being on the team, but in achieving success. I guess that means winning. But there are still others aren't really satisfied until they are recognized for winning. They are motivated by recognition. I think all this is pretty interesting, and probably relevant as well, but in reality, doesn't everyone really, deep down want recognition? Don't we long for someone to come along and affirm that we're worth something, that we're appreciated and recognized as bringing worth to this world? When I look in the mirror I have to put myself in the "recognition" category. While I love being on the team, the am not satisfied just try hard, I'll admit that the satisfaction in winning comes when everyone has to acknowledge that my team won!

As we read all the blessings God has bestowed on us in Christ it is so easy to start feeling very proud to be the recipients of such gracious gifts. And when we realize that there are those around who don't share these blessings, a bit of pride can creep in. If we're not careful, we'll start feeling that our well-being was the end-goal of God's redemptive plan. That God has done all this for our benefit, and that we're so special! We might even begin growing a sense of entitlement, since now that we've entrusted our lives to Jesus, He has a certain responsibility to make sure our lives turn out the way we want them to.

Of course, this is way off track. Somewhere we missed a crucial point in this whole salvation story. But here Paul corrects our thinking before we even have the chance to run down the "its all for me" path. Paul declares that all the blessings of our salvation - God's gracious choice and sovereign predestination - were done "to the praise of the glory of His grace." Don't miss this! God has done all of this, not so you and I will be recognized and praised, but so that He will be!

Jesus put it this way, long before Paul: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). What Jesus and Paul are saying, if we put it into contemporary illustrative language is this: "Go out as part of the team, play the game to win, and when you do, make sure all the glory goes to the Coach!" And I know what you're thinking: "that doesn't seem quite fair, after all we did all the work, scored all the points, did all the running. Shouldn't we get some of the credit?"

But remember, when the game started we were dead. We were unable and unwilling to play at all, let alone win. And the Coach breathed His own life into us, gave us both the will and the power to work out His game plan, and was in, under and around our every move. It was only our pride that kept us thinking we were doing it all independently.

This is only the first of many places in Ephesians where Paul will feel the need to remind his readers that God's glory is the end purpose of God's redemptive plan. Turns out God didn't really save us for us, but for Him. And before you go thinking that this means we'll miss out on something, remember John Piper's great distillation of an essential truth: We will be most satisfied when God is most glorified. When all the glory flows to Him, we will overflow with the gladness and joy that can only come from being recognized as a reflection of His grace. Now that's a motivating recognition!

Hope this helps,

David

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Ephesians 1:5: Predestined to Adoption by Kindness

Predestination. I don't know another word that brings out the fangs of controversy as readily as this word. And since I believe robust dialogue is a great learning tool, that's okay. But the problem isn't the controversy. The problem usually is that those engaged in the debate are unaware of the real issues. Let's take a look at this verse to see if we can clarify some things.

1) Whatever "predestined" means, God did it, according to Paul. That means whoever you are, and whatever theological track you're treading, you have to believe in the doctrine of predestination if you want to be square with the Bible. We are all "predestinarians."

2) In deciding what "predestined" means we can't start with our own desires for what it needs to mean in order to satisfy our hearts, or our perspective on who God needs to be. We have to ask: what does Paul think it means when he uses it? and what does Peter think it means when he uses it? It is essential to recognize that the beginning place of meaning in any piece of literature is" what did the original author intend the original audience to understand from the words that he used?"

So, what did Paul mean here? Let's take a look at the word itself. Predestined translates the Greek word "proorizo" which generally means "to predetermine, to decide beforehand". In Romans 8:29,30 Paul links this term in a series and in so doing shows us that when God "predetermines" something, it always happens: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to become] conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."

Did you notice that the "whom" that are foreknown and predestined end up being justified and glorified? If this were five lengths of garden hose all linked together, there would be no leakage; whatever goes in the front is guaranteed to come out the end. So it is with the redemption of sinners. Those whom God "predetermines" run no risk of missing out on justification in this life, and glorification in the next. It is also clear here that not all are predestined since we must agree that not all are justified and glorified. Predestination is God's determination to act redemptively toward those who have been "chosen in HIm" (vs. 4). And remember, Paul is listing these as the "blessings" God has for us!

3) The real challenge is determining the basis for God's predestination of some to salvation. Just why did God predetermine to save some and not others? This is so hard for us to even think about simply because, on the face of it, it appears to be unfair and even capricious on God's part. And so we often come up with reasons that we feel make it easier to accept, and that make God out to be fair.

The first option is that God predetermined to save those who He knew would one day act in faith, believing the message of the Gospel. He looked ahead in history to see who would believe, and then predetermined to grant them salvation. This has the benefit of making God act fairly in granting the blessings of forgiveness because it is conditioned on belief. But, will this idea stand up to the evidence?

First of all, we have to agree that, in Romans 8:29 where "foreknew" precedes "presdestined" and forms the basis for the action of predestination, it does not say that God foreknew something about them. It simply says He foreknew them.

Secondly, when we look at Peter's use of the term "foreknew" in Acts 2:23 we see that the object of God's "foreknowing" was the Cross. If "foreknow" means to look ahead into human history to see what human's will decide so that God can make it part of His predetermined plan, then we have some real problems with the Cross. The crucifixion of Christ becomes something that God put into the plan because He looked ahead an saw that wicked men would kill His Son. But this goes against the very argument Peter is making here. Peter is adamant that the Cross was God's idea. It wasn't a concession to the evil of mankind; it was God's designed instrument to overthrow the Devil, remove the wrath of God for sin, and redeem those chosen in Christ before time even began.

So, if the "looked ahead to see belief" theory can't stand up, just what is the reason behind God's predestination? What did He "foreknow?" The answer is found in the meaning of "foreknow." Biblically, the work "know" can speak of intimate relationship (see: Genesis 4:1; Amos 3:2). Simply said, God chose us in Christ, and in so doing entered into an intimate relationship with us as those He determined to be objects of His redeeming love. That's Paul's point, and he considers it at the top of the "blessings" list.

The verse ends with Paul's comment on the disposition of God in all this. It may surprise you to recognize that Paul ascribes the action of predestination to God's kindness. His will in predestination is here described as having a kind intention. Be sure to take this in! Too often predestination and election are used to suggest that, understood in the way I have shown, God is made out to be a tyrannt, a despot, an unfeeling and capricioius God. Not so! Paul looks at what those in Christ have been granted while undeserving and considers them all to be the recipients of God's great kindness.

Paul understood that, unless God intervened powerfully in his life he would never have seen the light, never had heard the call of Christ, never have known forgiveness, and never have entered into life eternal. Why? As he will tell us in Chapter 2, it was because he was spiritually dead, unwilling and unable to right himself, or bring himself savingly to the One who could. All of his days Paul considered God's loving and redemptive action toward him to be unmerited, and the greatest blessing of all.

Hope this helps,

David

Monday, July 18, 2011

Ephesians 1:4: Holy and Blameless

The doctrine of Election includes not only God's gracious choice to rescue underserving sinners. It also includes the goal or purpose behind that choice and that rescue. Paul is very clear. God's purpose in salvation is the reformation of the life. In fact, God's whole plan of redemption is aimed at reclaiming and reforming all that sin corrupted so that creation, and the souls of men and women, boys and girls might once again fulfill their original creative design. God created all things to declare His glory, but sin marred God's masterpiece and the corruption has been ongoing and thorough. The depravity of the human soul, though kept in check by vehicles of God's common grace such as conscience and government, is dramatically displayed everywhere we look. Man's heart is wicked, and he is desperate to prove it.

At the first, in Genesis 3, God had provided all that Adam and Eve needed for life and happiness. They had only one law and absolutely no need to transgress it. But Satan pushed the button of independence and pride and they responded in rebellion against God. Sin came rushing into God's creation, though at this point in the story we aren't sure just what the will mean.

In the wake of Adam's insolence, God certainly could have turned away. He could have allowed the full consequence of sin to run its course through his creation, including humanity. But it turns out God is a competitor! He had already determined that sin would not win, and immediately set in motion the greatest rescue mission in history. He determined that He would reclaim and restore creation through the seed of the woman, the 'He' of Genesis 3:15.

The entire story of the Bible can legitimately be summarized as the rescue mission of God through the "He" ... Jesus Christ! And now in Ephesians 1, as Paul begins to enumerate the many blessings enjoyed in Christ, we find among the first this promise: "He chose us in Him ... that we would be holy and blameless before Him." God's saving action in and through Jesus Christ reforms our lives, and promises to make us conspicuously holy. And even though we will never match the perfection of the holiness of Christ, it is still to be the case that those who are in Christ are becoming more and more like Him.

The New Testament knows nothing of invisible Christians. The idea that a God-chosen, Christ-enveloped, Spirit-indwelt person could fail to give off the aroma of holiness, truth and love is a modern fiction, not a biblical description. And while we do understand that the "young" in the faith may lack definitive fruit at first, can we truly allow someone to remain a baby over time? The fact is God has chosen us for the purpose of transformation. His saving power doesn't stop at the time of first faith. Rather, it continues by Word and Spirit to root out sin, build up knowledge, and live out the traits of the family of God. God continues to work in us so that first faith becomes firm faith, and firm faith overflows in conspicuous Christ-exalting lives. And that is what God loves. In fact, it is in holy living that we begin once again to live up to our original created purpose. We once again reflect the glory of our Creator.

This conspicuous holiness, while pleasing to God, will not always be admired among men. Our holiness, while not ever to be a source of pride, certainly will be a distinguishing characteristic that separates the Christ-follower from the unbeliever in real ways. Our loves will differ, as will our virtues, our goals, and our pleasures. When Paul asserts that God's choice to save had as a further purpose to make us "blameless" he certainly wasn't talking about the world's opinion of us. God's choice was intended to so transform our lives that we are no longer blameworthy before the court of Heaven. And it is here that we must be clear. Our own holy living will never be the foundation of our acceptance before God. While necessary, our holiness is only the evidence of a change that has taken place wholly by God's grace, as the death and righteousness of Christ are imputed to our account. We are blameless before God because of Christ, and the holiness of our lives is the definitive evidence that God has chosen us in Christ, gifted us the indwelling Spirit, and adopted us into His family forever.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Ephesians 1:4 Chosen in Christ

I remember a friend describing a prominent pastor/theologian this way: "you have to hate him a lot not to love him a little." Since that day I've used that catchy line more than a few times, and never has it been more true than when the discussion turns to the doctrine of Election. If you really understand what is being taught by Paul and others in the Bible concerning the pre-time decision by God to choose some to salvation, then you have to hate the whole concept a lot not to love it at least a little bit.

In Ephesians 1:4 Paul starts the long list of spiritual blessings enjoyed by Christ-followers with this one: "He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world." Notice several things here before trying to re-define what Paul is saying.

First, Paul thinks this "choosing" is a blessing, a divine enjoyment, a wonderful and delightful action enjoyed by the believer. To be chosen is a good thing, a blessed thing. Paul doesn't see this as something relegated only to shadows and whispers. He starts with it, as though it is that without which none of the other blessings could become ours.

Secondly, Paul doesn't stop to defend it. He doesn't say "now I know some of you think the idea of God choosing some is unfair, and maybe it looks that way, but basically we have to put up with it because the Bible says so." Paul doesn't do any of that. He also doesn't stop and go on for several pages giving a definition and explanation of God's choosing that in the end turns the whole thing on its head and makes God's choice of us really the result of our choice of Him. More on this in a moment.

Thirdly, notice that we were chosen "in Him." That means that the choice by God was vitally connected to our being united to Christ. His choice of us brought us into union with Christ. And it was this union in the mind of God that would mean that Christ's death was also ours, along with His resurrection. Paul talks about this in Romans 6:3-10 and Colossians 2:9-15.

Fourthly, notice that this choice by God was completed before anything was created. Before God spoke the world into existence, we were on His mind, in His heart, and already included in His redemptive plan ... in Christ. And again I remind you, Paul doesn't think this is odd enough, or hard enough to understand so as to demand that he pause here and give a further definition or explanation or defense of God's actions. That's probably because Paul considered this such a great privilege, a great enjoyment, a monumental blessing that every Christ-follower intuitively understands. Of course we owe our relationship to God to his sovereign actions toward us! How else could we, dead in our sins and hostile toward God, ever work up either the desire or the ability to bring our sinful selves savingly to God? He had to initiate the action, and he had to complete it because, as Paul says in Ephesians 2:1ff we were "dead in our trespasses and sins." We were dead, without ability spiritually to reverse the effects of our sin on our will.

Fifthly, don't fall for the humanistic explanation that God's choice of us was really his reaction to the knowledge he had of us, that at some point, we would choose to believe and trust in his Gospel and surrender our lives to Christ. We were chosen because he knew we would choose him. But think about it. If God's choice was really sourced in our choice, how does it qualify as a magnificent blessing? Isn't it really just the obligatory response of God to our actions? And further, doesn't it make us sovereign over God's actions since he chose us only because we chose him? And lastly, does this really solve the supposed problem here? Let me explain.

Those who reject the doctrine of Election seem to think that it isn't fair because it violates man's free will. And without going into a whole long explanation of the Free Will doctrine, just slow down a bit and really think about this: if God looked ahead with his omniscient telescope and saw, down through the corridors of history, that I would one day hear the Gospel, choose to believe it, repent of my sins and trust in Christ, then my decision was already certain. If God knew it, and based his choice of me on the certainty of my faith, then my faith decision was already certain and my personal history could never turn out otherwise. So how in the world can that be a defense of my free will, if long before I was born, my history was already set?

My point is this: Any explanation of Election other than the clear truth that God, according to his own counsel and motivated by nothing outside himself, chose to make some the object of his redeeming love, and did so before creation even began ... Any other explanation fails to really solve the supposed problems, and actually creates many more, not the least of which is that is re-defines God's sovereignty by making his choosing subservient to ours, his will dependent upon knowledge of our actions.

For Paul the simple truth that God, for reasons known only to himself, determined not only to permit sin to ruin his creation, but also to rescue an undeserving, sinful people and make them his treasured masterpieces, is the highest and most spectacular blessing God has ever bestowed on us. And I think our best choice is to join Paul in the rejoicing, and stop trying to defend God for an action that both grants us salvation, and magnifies his glory.

Hope this helps,

David

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Ephesians 1:3: Blessed ... in Christ!

In this short verse Paul uses "blessed" three times. God is to be blessed because He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. If we're not careful we can run right past this statement and fail to appreciate the inspired redundancy.

To bless God is to compliment him in the highest way. In fact the Greek word here is the root from which we get "eulogy" which means to speak well of someone. Of all those who are deserving to be well-spoken of, God is foremost of all. Why? Obviously there are myriad reasons. Look up, look around, breathe in, breathe out. Everything you see from the amazing show the night sky brings to the grandeur of mountains, lakes, oceans, and wildlife all declare the greatness of our God. Add to that the joys we find in the various facets of life and we could build a list miles long of things for which to praise and speak well of our generous God. But none of that is what Paul has in mind. Here he wants to start us off down the track of the spiritual gifts God has poured out on us, in rescuing us from the brokenness of our souls and our world. In the following verses he will enumerate them one by one, but here he simply summarizes the whole lot. God is worthy of our highest words of praise for he has granted us every spiritual blessing that can be enjoyed by humanity. He has withheld nothing of the spiritual benefits that can be ours in this life.

But lest we stop reading and sit back to enjoy the bounty of God at this point, Paul adds two clarifying phrases. Both are necessary to understand just what he means by these "blessings". First, they are not temporal or material, but are to be understood within the realm of the "heavenlies." This word is used 5 times in the epistle (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). When we take them all into account we find that this word describes the spiritual realm in which our real battle is being fought. It is the arena of authorities and powers, and is also the realm in which the risen Christ dwells. It is in this realm that we live as well, as redeemed children of God, And it is in this realm that the greatest blessings from God are to be found. God has not promised us wealth, health, or any other element of temporal happiness. He has promised to forgive our sins, grant us Christ's righteousness, put the Spirit within us, gift us for service, and progressively transform us into the very image of Christ. These are the greatest gifts, and these are the primary reason we look at God and magnify his glory.

At this point we might be feeling pretty good about ourselves. The Almighty has chosen to shower down his gracious generosity on us. We are the objects of his love, the recipients of his full array of blessing. But wait just a minute! Turns out these blessings are actually being bestowed on us, not because of who we are, but because of who we are in Christ! Simply put, God the Father loves God the Son, and all those who are united by faith to the Son receive the blessings of the Father. There is no spiritual enjoyment, no grace gift from heaven that can be experienced and enjoyed apart from a vital union with Christ. Outside of Christ there is no forgiveness, no righteousness, no gifting, no transformation, no eternal life. Jesus said "apart from me you can do nothing." Here Paul is saying "apart from Christ you have nothing."

If we understand this correctly we will find that our passion will be to know Christ more fully, to grow more and more in our appreciate of his character and redemptive work on our behalf. For the deeper we go into Christ, the more fully will we experience and appreciate the treasure trove of divine blessings that are ours from the hand of our heavenly Father.

Hope this helps,

David

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Ephesians 1:2 Grace and Peace

In every one of Paul's epistles, except those to pastors Timothy and Titus, he uses the salutation "grace to you, and peace ..." These two words - grace and peace - sum up the great privilege each Christ-follower enjoys in relationship to Almighty God.

While "grace" is a common word in the Christian world it is often misunderstood. We treat it as though grace were a commodity, a substance, almost some kind of heavenly pixie dust that comes floating down from above. We describe it like something we can get more of, as if it were for sale by the pound. But grace is not so much a substance as an attitude. Like love and mercy, grace is a state of mind and disposition of the heart that moves the person to certain actions. Specifically, grace is an attitude of benevolence toward one deserving judgment. God's grace is simply his continual attitude of love and acceptance toward those whose sin deserves his wrath. In the rest of Ephesians 1 and 2 Paul will go on to show that this gracious attitude of God toward those "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" is completely undeserving, unearned, and wholly sourced in the secret counsel of God himself.

If grace is the attitude God displays toward us, then peace is the result in us. An honest look at our hearts will tell us that we actually deserve God's judgment, not his mercy. Our persistent sin and selfishness can hardly be denied. Yet, God looks on us through the lens of grace and grants us a position in his presence that we can never deserve. Our continual acceptance is only due to his continual attitude of grace. And the result? We now are at peace with God. The gracious attitude of God has acted in Jesus to replace wrath with acceptance, our brokenness with the imputed righteousness of Christ. The grace that has saved us brings the peace that fills us. Our lives have been forever renewed through the grace and peace of God.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Ephesians 1:1: The Will of God

Recently the whole idea of the will of God has occupied a prominent place on my mental desktop. I'll admit that I grew up thinking God's will was some secret plan that only God knew, but that somehow I was responsible to find it, understand it, and live accordingly. It even seemed that anything I found enjoyable couldn't be God's will since apparently God's will always hurt, or cost you everything. Sadly, I grew up thinking that, if it was alright with everybody, I'd just as soon not spend my life searching for it.

Paul has an entirely different take. He looks at the single most important and impressive thing in his life and attributes it to "the will of God." Paul was an apostle. He was incredibly important and significant in the extension of the Gospel from Jerusalem out to the Gentile world. In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul is overjoyed at the fact that he has been "entrusted with the Gospel" (2:4) which he elsewhere says came as a direct commandment from the Savior (Titus 1:3). That means that the will of God, by which Paul was drafted to be an Apostle, and entrusted with the Gospel was made abundantly clear to Paul, and he found God's will to be a delight rather than a burden.

I maintain that the greatest part of God's will for our lives has already been made clear to us, in black and white, in the teaching of the Bible. I also believe that doing the will of God brings life's greatest delights. In fact, "blessings" are actually those divine enjoyments that are ours from God's hand, and fall to us on the other side of obedience to his commands, his divine will.

Sadly, we spend most of our time worrying about, and actually praying about, that very small percentage of our time that apparently doesn't concern God as much as it concerns us. But this I mean the things of everyday life. We are much more concerned about the events of our day, our health, our wellbeing and that of our friends and family than we are about the extent to which the clear commands of God are conspicuous in our lives. Does God care about whether or not we get a good grade, get that account, or are safe as we drive? I expect that, since he is the perfect Father, he cares a great deal. But does he care much more about the extent to which the clear commands of Scripture are both evident and increasingly obeyed? I am certain he does. And I believe he desires us to raise our focus away from our own desire to focus on his.

He has displayed his heart and will for us over and over, in the commands and teaching of the Bible, and this is what he really cares about. He wants us to abound more and more in "real knowledge and discernment" (Philippians 1:9) so that regardless of our test score, or the outcome of the sales presentation we are conspicuously reflecting his character and his glory. His will is for us to "conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ" (Philippians 1:27) so that our unity will be protected in the church. His will is for us to be sexually pure (1 Thessalonians 4:3), generous (1 Timothy 6:17,18), joyful and thankful (Ephesians 5:18-20) and I could go on and on.

The will of God is not hidden; neither is it horrible. Rather, it is easy to find, and what can be found in the pages of Scripture ought to occupy us so much that the small percentage of things that aren't specifically addressed will come to be seen for what they are: the temporal concerns of hearts focused inward. This doesn't make them wrong; but it does mean that we can't afford to make them more significant than they should be. When we focus on our daily desires, and fill up our minds and prayers with anxiety about the unknown, we can start to believe that God's will is mostly a mystery, and all we can do is plead with him to make our lives work.

But the reality is far different. God's will for us is clearly found in the pages of Scripture. In fact, I believe to a large extent that "the Word of God is the will of God." There certainly is more of his will than what he has given us in written form, but the written stuff is pretty comprehensive, and enough to capture our attention for as long as we're alive. What God does for us, wants of us, and promises to us is abundantly evident in the pages of the Bible. Look for yourself. You'll find that God is pretty clear about how we should live, and also pretty clear about the delights that abound to those who love him, trust him, and obey him. The will of God in the Word of God is the way of life, and always will be. It's there, you can find it, and it is delightful.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Looking for the man

We are in the process of looking for the next Senior High School Pastor at Grace Baptist, Santa Clarita, CA. I don't know if there is a more important position on our staff, but I do know that we need a man of God, who teaches the Bible the way it was written, with passion, and a strong adherence to truth. We need a man whose heart is winsome, and understands that ministry to students is really about forming, training, and releasing a powerful staff of parent volunteers who are face-to-face disciplers of our youth. We need a man who will be a full pastoral partner, serving on the pastoral team with me and a group of committed, theologically oriented, love-empowered, prayer-driven men. I am not above going after the best guys in the land ... I just need help knowing where to look!

If you know a good man, experienced, trained, and passionate, please send him my way: david.hegg@gracebaptist.org

Or if you're too shy to do it, give me his name and contact info, and I'll contact him directly.

Thanks for your help!

David

Time to start again

Okay, so it has been some time since I blogged. About a year ago I was asked to write a weekly column in the Santa Clarita Signal, on ethics and related topics. It appears every Sunday morning, and has been a great adventure. But, it has taken all of my blog ideas!

But I have decided on another course. Recently I have been reading Sam Storms wonderful devotional book on the churches of Revelation 2 and 3. Each day I read his short but very well written 1000 word devotional on something in the biblical text, and I have found it very rewarding.

So, I am going to try the same approach, but this time from the creative standpoint. In the next week I'll be choosing a biblical book and am going to just start writing my devotional thoughts through the book as an exercise for myself. And, I'll post it here just in case anyone else wants to keep track of it!

Let me know what you think ... after I get the first few written!

David