There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).
Though there are seven unities listed in this text, I am only emphasising the one faith. There is essential material that must be believed if a person is to be called a Christian. Essential to the Christian faith is belief in the testimony of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Faith is the belief of credible testimony. Belief of incredible testimony is credulity, believing too easily. God does not expect us to believe incredible testimony, but he does expect us to believe testimony that is credible, and he has supplied us with much testimony that has all the evidences of credibility.
Belief of testimony is not faith if it does not result in obedience to Christ as Lord, and no trust in him as Savior. It was the mission of the apostle Paul, and every other Christian evangelist to call all peoples to . . . the obedience that comes from faith (Romans 1:5). If belief is truly faith then life-change is a foregone conclusion. One will love what Jesus loves and will hate what Jesus hates. He/she will invest in what the Lord is invested and make sacrifices like the Lord sacrificed.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Monday, October 24, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
COMMUNION MEDITATION FROM THE BOOK OF JUDGES
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25).
I just finished reading the book of Judges for my own personal Bible study. Judges is one of the books of Hebrew history in the Bible, but as I was reading it I found myself asking the Lord to help me make something of it--to make sense of what it means because the images of homosexual practice, rape, murder, a war that killed many thousands, etc., was not inspirational to me. What follows is what the Lord helped me to understand.
About four times in the book of Judges the theme is repeated, 'there was no king in Israel.' Why did they need a king? They had the Law. And, if they had the Law, they did have a king who was the Law-giver, Jehovah God. When the Israelites were asking for a king to lead them, Samuel told them, "the Lord God was your king" (I Samuel 12:12b). What is clear is that they did not want God for their king. The Israelites disregarded the priesthood and the Law and, as a nation, sank to the lowest depths of depravity. It is interesting to note that the people of Jesus' day did not want a king from Heaven either. Jesus told them, "My kingship is not of this world" (John 18:36). The Jews of Jesus' time were like those of the Judges, they wanted a king from earth, not of Heaven, and, as a result, crucified Jesus on a cross.
The Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, communion reminds us that Jesus is the King sent from Heaven, but rather than rejecting him, we renew our commitment to him.*
Our Father's Love,
Tom
*Often what I write needs some refinement in expression, but I think the broad outline is sound. Communion is a time for recommitting our lives to King Jesus.
I just finished reading the book of Judges for my own personal Bible study. Judges is one of the books of Hebrew history in the Bible, but as I was reading it I found myself asking the Lord to help me make something of it--to make sense of what it means because the images of homosexual practice, rape, murder, a war that killed many thousands, etc., was not inspirational to me. What follows is what the Lord helped me to understand.
About four times in the book of Judges the theme is repeated, 'there was no king in Israel.' Why did they need a king? They had the Law. And, if they had the Law, they did have a king who was the Law-giver, Jehovah God. When the Israelites were asking for a king to lead them, Samuel told them, "the Lord God was your king" (I Samuel 12:12b). What is clear is that they did not want God for their king. The Israelites disregarded the priesthood and the Law and, as a nation, sank to the lowest depths of depravity. It is interesting to note that the people of Jesus' day did not want a king from Heaven either. Jesus told them, "My kingship is not of this world" (John 18:36). The Jews of Jesus' time were like those of the Judges, they wanted a king from earth, not of Heaven, and, as a result, crucified Jesus on a cross.
The Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, communion reminds us that Jesus is the King sent from Heaven, but rather than rejecting him, we renew our commitment to him.*
Our Father's Love,
Tom
*Often what I write needs some refinement in expression, but I think the broad outline is sound. Communion is a time for recommitting our lives to King Jesus.
Sunday, October 09, 2011
CONTENTEDLY DISCONTENT OR DISCONTENTEDLY CONTENT?
Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content (Philippians 4:11).
Perhaps the real secret of contentment is found more in the context of Philippians 4:11 than in the verse itself, except to say, contentment is something that needs learned. In that I hope this post helps.
Discontentment is not a good thing because it is what makes people over spend which leads people to over work, over play, over stress, cheat, steal, lie and murder. It is as the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (I Timothy 6:10). Hebrews 13:5 gives us a little more insight into contentment: "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have: for he has said, 'I will never fail you nor forsake you.' " In almost every case, when contentment is spoken of in the Bible it is in the context of money and material wealth. Thinking in this way, contentment is rooted in faith, trusting God, our loving Father in Heaven, to make provision for us. This does not mean that we are to stop working, but it does mean that God will provide the means for His children to have a job and make a living. So, will we trust God or not?
In the dictionary contentment and satisfaction are said to be synonymous, in other words, they mean the same thing. If one is content, or satisfied, there might be a tendency to relax and think there is no need to compete, to achieve excellence, or at least to become the best that we can be. To think that way is to misunderstand Biblical contentment. Contentment is rooted in faith and it grows in gratitude, taking time to recognize the many blessings God has already given us. One of the greatest means of achieving contentment is to count your blessings, intentionally becoming aware of what God has already blessed you with. Because we are His children and His servants, His commands and His blessings spur us on to greater achievement, making the most of what He has given us. Certainly, God is not honored when we bury our blessings and contentedly sit on them.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
PS. We all have a little materialism in us, the idea that if I just had enough money my problems would be solved. When we do not have enough money is when discontentment enters the picture. The truth is that there will never be enough money to solve our problems because very few of our problems are really money problems and money will not solve non-money problems. The One who can really solve your problems is where to begin--person, church or state.
Perhaps the real secret of contentment is found more in the context of Philippians 4:11 than in the verse itself, except to say, contentment is something that needs learned. In that I hope this post helps.
Discontentment is not a good thing because it is what makes people over spend which leads people to over work, over play, over stress, cheat, steal, lie and murder. It is as the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (I Timothy 6:10). Hebrews 13:5 gives us a little more insight into contentment: "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have: for he has said, 'I will never fail you nor forsake you.' " In almost every case, when contentment is spoken of in the Bible it is in the context of money and material wealth. Thinking in this way, contentment is rooted in faith, trusting God, our loving Father in Heaven, to make provision for us. This does not mean that we are to stop working, but it does mean that God will provide the means for His children to have a job and make a living. So, will we trust God or not?
In the dictionary contentment and satisfaction are said to be synonymous, in other words, they mean the same thing. If one is content, or satisfied, there might be a tendency to relax and think there is no need to compete, to achieve excellence, or at least to become the best that we can be. To think that way is to misunderstand Biblical contentment. Contentment is rooted in faith and it grows in gratitude, taking time to recognize the many blessings God has already given us. One of the greatest means of achieving contentment is to count your blessings, intentionally becoming aware of what God has already blessed you with. Because we are His children and His servants, His commands and His blessings spur us on to greater achievement, making the most of what He has given us. Certainly, God is not honored when we bury our blessings and contentedly sit on them.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
PS. We all have a little materialism in us, the idea that if I just had enough money my problems would be solved. When we do not have enough money is when discontentment enters the picture. The truth is that there will never be enough money to solve our problems because very few of our problems are really money problems and money will not solve non-money problems. The One who can really solve your problems is where to begin--person, church or state.
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