Savior

The Love of God

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. – Mark 3:1-12 ESV

After dropping the bombshell statement, “the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28 ESV), Jesus simply walked away. Mark provides no details regarding the response of either the crowd or the religious leaders, but it’s safe to assume that it was a strange mix of awe, confusion, and anger. The people were fascinated with and strangely drawn to Jesus. But the religious leaders grew increasingly concerned about His growing popularity and blatant disregard for their oral laws.

Mark faithfully records Jesus’ remarks about the Sabbath and His relationship to it, then skips to yet another Sabbath encounter. Luke makes it clear that this event took place sometime later, but on a Sabbath.

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. – Luke 6:6 ESV

Mark subtly reminds us that this was not the first time Jesus had attended the local synagogue in Capernaum.

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. – Mark 3:1 ESV

In chapter one, Mark described Jesus’ first visit to the Capernaum synagogue and the scene that took place.

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.…And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. – Mark 1:21, 23 ESV

On that occasion, Jesus created quite a stir by casting out the demon and restoring the man to health and wholeness. The people, who had marveled at the authoritative nature of Jesus’ teaching, had been treated to an even more spectacular display of His power.

Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” – Mark 1:27 NLT

Now, on yet another Sabbath, Jesus encountered a man with a withered hand. Was this just a coincidence? Had the man heard what happened the last time Jesus was in town and decided to seek healing? Or was this man a plant, purposefully placed in the synagogue by the religious leaders? This last option is not far-fetched because Mark indicates that these men “watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him” (Mark 3:2 ESV). So they could have encouraged the man with the withered hand to seek out Jesus on the Sabbath just so they could accuse Him of breaking the law.

To them, Jesus was already guilty because He had cast out a demon, healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and allowed His disciples to “harvest” grain, all on the Sabbath. Now, they were looking for additional evidence to convict Him as a serial violator of their Sabbath laws.

Jesus seemed to know that this man was being used and was nothing more than an innocent victim and an unwitting pawn in the evil schemes of the religious leaders. So, Jesus invited the man forward, then addressed His adversaries with an unexpected question.

“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” – Mark 3:4 ESV

Jesus deliberately juxtaposed the law’s legal requirements with the moral obligations meant to accompany all of God’s commands. The Mosaic law was never meant to be a sterile list of dos and don’ts. God’s commandments were meant to guide His people toward behavior that reflected their love for Him and for one another. Later, some scribes asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28 ESV), and He responded, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV).

So when Jesus asked the religious leaders whether Sabbath laws were meant to produce good deeds or bad ones, they knew the right answer but refused to speak up, and their silence condemned them. They had no compassion for the man with the withered hand; he was just a means to an evil end. Their hearts were wicked, and their intentions were anything but good. They greatly desired to see Jesus heal the man, but not so they could rejoice in his miraculous transformation; they were hoping to use his healing as evidence against Jesus.

And Mark reveals that Jesus was fully aware of their evil intentions and angered and grieved by their actions.

He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. – Mark 3:5 NLT

But rather than lecture them about their faulty understanding of the law, Jesus simply turned to the man and said, “Stretch out your hand” (Mark 3:5 ESV). And as soon as the man did, his withered hand was miraculously and immediately restored.

When Jesus asked the religious leaders, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?” He was asking whether doing something loving and beneficial for another human being could ever violate God’s commands. By healing the man’s withered hand, Jesus expressed love for His neighbor. In doing so, He showed love for someone made in the image of God. It would have been an act of hatred for Jesus to be able to heal the man’s condition and refuse to do so. The apostle John also shows why this kind of loathing of another human being is so dangerous.

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. – 1 John 2:9-11 ESV

And John provides further insight into the danger inherent in our failure to love others.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:20-21 ESV

The religious leaders would have vehemently defended their love for God. Yet, John infers that their lack of love for the man with the withered hand was proof of their hatred for God. They failed to love those that God loved, including the helpless, hopeless, defenseless, diseased, and disenfranchised. By healing the man, Jesus expressed His love for God by loving a child of God.

Just a few verses earlier in his letter, John wrote: “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12 ESV). John is saying that when we love others, we demonstrate God’s love; we become conduits of that love. The Greek word that is translated as “perfected” is teleioō, and it means “to accomplish” or “to carry through.” God’s love flows to us and through us to those around us. And, in the end, He receives glory.

But we get a glimpse into the darkened hearts of the religious leaders when Mark records that they “went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 2:6 ESV). Rather than rejoice over the clear display of God’s power as demonstrated in the miraculous restoration of the man’s hand, they stormed from the room and began plotting Jesus’ death.

But while His adversaries planned and schemed, Jesus continued to express God’s love by ministering selflessly and sacrificially to the growing number of people who flocked to His side.

Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. – Mark 3:7-8 NLT

News about Jesus spread far and wide, and people came from all over Palestine to see this miracle worker for themselves. Many who had made the arduous journey to see Jesus suffered from various diseases, disabilities, and even demon-possession. And Mark indicates that Jesus “healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him” (Mark 2:10 ESV). Jesus was literally mobbed by the masses of people, forcing Him to have a boat ready to aid His escape should the situation grow too intense.

Every time Jesus healed someone, He was manifesting His Heavenly Father’s love for them. He was living out John 3:16: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” But the greatest demonstration of God’s love was yet to come. And as He would later tell His disciples, the ultimate expression of that love would take the form of His own self-sacrifice.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13 ESV

We have all used the expression, “I love you to death!” But for most of us, it is just hyperbole, an exaggerated form of speech intended to drive home a point. Yet for Jesus, those words were more than rhetoric. He would actually love the world to death. Rather than offering healing from a physical disability, Jesus would offer His life as an expression of love so the spiritually sick might have life.

And it should not go unnoticed that every time Jesus cast out a demon, these otherworldly beings testified to His identity, saying, “You are the Son of God” (Mark 2:11 ESV). These demonic beings recognized His divine nature, power, and authority and were subject to it, but were incapable of experiencing His love. They could confirm His identity as the Son of God and the future Savior of the world, but rejected His loving offer of undeserved atonement. They feared Jesus but showed Him no reverence, and acknowledged Him as Messiah but not as their Master.

Jesus would later accuse the Jewish religious leaders of being in the same camp with the demons, and operating under the influence of Satan. Despite their religious rhetoric, priestly robes, and love for the law, they were blind to the truth about Jesus.

“If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!” – John 8:42-45 NLT

But whether the man with the withered hand had been an unwitting pawn of the religious leaders, He was made whole because of the selfless love of the Son of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Great Physician

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Mark 2:13-17 ESV

Jesus had just displayed His power and authority over the physical realm by healing the paralyzed man. But more importantly, His astonishing ability to restore the man’s health demonstrated His God-given authority to forgive sin. As the Son of God, Jesus came to earth to set men free from slavery to sin and the death sentence that accompanied it. The formerly paralyzed man, while now physically whole and forgiven, would still commit sins and face the ultimate penalty for doing so: physical death and eternal separation from God.

But Jesus became a man so He could serve as the substitutionary atonement, the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind. His death on behalf of sinful humanity would satisfy the just and righteous wrath of God, and provide all those who placed their faith in His atoning work with a way to be restored to a right relationship with His Father. As a result of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice, they would enjoy forgiveness of all their sins, past, present, and future. The author of Hebrews describes it this way:

…he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. – Hebrews 9:26 ESV

The psalmist gives a powerful reminder of the Son of God’s sin-forgiving power.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
 – Psalm 103:12 BSB

Mark transitions his narrative from the crowded confines of Simon and Andrew’s home to the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. But he maintains his emphasis on Jesus’ power and authority to forgive sin, and continues to reveal the growing divide between Jesus and the religious authorities.

While walking along the seashore, Jesus taught the crowds that continued to follow Him wherever He went. As they made their way along the roadway from Capernaum to Damascus and onto the shore of the Sea of Galilee, they came across the tax booth of a man named Levi. This was not some chance encounter but a divinely scheduled appointment. When Levi woke up that morning, he had no idea that his day would include a one-on-one meeting with the Messiah of Israel. Matthew’s account of the same scene reveals that he was the man whom Jesus called.

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. – Matthew 9:9 ESV

Luke describes Levi (Matthew) as a “tax collector” (Luke 5:27), whose chosen profession made him highly unpopular with his fellow Jews. As an employee of Herod Antipas, the Roman-appointed puppet king of Israel, Levi’s job was to collect all taxes related to trade and customs. Because Capernaum sat on a major trade route from Damascus, Levi would have collected export and import fees, sales and customs taxes, and tolls. But what made men like Levi particularly unpopular was their tendency to extort additional fees and surcharges from the fellow Jews. People saw tax collectors as social pariahs who worked for the enemy and took advantage of their own people to line their pockets.

So, when Jesus issued Levi an invitation to follow Him, the Jews would have been shocked and appalled. In their minds, Levi was a traitor to his people and the epitome of a godless sinner. To make matters worse, Mark reveals that Jesus chose to share a meal with this social outcast. Luke records that Levi threw a party in Jesus’ honor and invited many guests.

Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. – Luke 5:29 ESV

Mark clarifies that the “others” reclining at the table were sinners.

…many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. – Mark 2:15 ESV

It seems Levi invited his friends, who, like him, were considered the dregs of the community. Yet, Jesus accepted Levi’s invitation to dine at his house and willingly chose to associate with those whom the Jews considered as unclean and unacceptable. And Jesus’ actions did not go unnoticed.

But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” – Mark 2:16 NLT

They were shocked and disgusted by this shameless display of poor judgment on Jesus’ part; He should have known better. By entering Levi’s home and sharing a meal with this motley collection of sinners, Jesus and His disciples contaminated themselves and became ceremonially unclean.

A clear us-versus-them vibe is at play. The Pharisees viewed themselves as righteous because of their meticulous adherence to both the written and oral laws of the Jews. They were the law-keepers and the law-enforcers, and, as far as they were concerned, Jesus had chosen to associate with the scum of the earth. By entering Levi’s home, Jesus had done the unthinkable and unforgivable.

The Pharisees had no compassion for people like Levi and no desire to reach out to those whom they considered sinners. They felt no responsibility for the spiritual well-being of the less fortunate, whom they considered unworthy of mercy. In the minds of the Pharisees, the sin-prone common people held back the nation of Israel and kept it from enjoying the full favor of God. To the self-righteous Pharisees, it was the sorry likes of Levi and his friends that kept Israel from being all that it could be. These “sinners” were a blight on the nation. Yet Jesus revealed His love for the undeserving and irredeemable.

Jesus was fully aware of the disgust and distaste His actions had caused, and He chose to address the issue head-on.

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – Mark 2:17 ESV

With this simple statement, Jesus exposed the glaring difference between Himself and His accusers. They considered themselves spiritually healthy and whole and had no need of a Savior. But what they failed to understand was that their good deeds were of no value to God. As the prophet Isaiah wrote hundreds of years earlier: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6 NLT).

Jesus was not impressed by the Pharisees and their outward displays of righteousness. He would later call them out for their hypocrisy and lack of compassion.

“…they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.” – Matthew 23:3-4 NLT

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.” – Matthew 23:13 NLT

These men considered themselves to be the cream of the crop, the religious elite of Israel whose unblemished behavior guaranteed them a place in God’s kingdom. But Jesus let them know that their self-confidence was misplaced and mistaken. He had come to minister to the sick, those who recognized their spiritual malady and sought help. Like the paralyzed man, the tax collectors and sinners gathered in Levi’s home needed assistance. They knew they were sinners and were fully aware that they lacked what was necessary to “heal” themselves.

The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 ESV). The sinners reclining around the table with Jesus were just the kind of people Jesus came to save. They were sinners who needed a Savior, and if they would only confess their sin, they would know the joy of having their sins forgiven and their spiritual illness healed.

But the Pharisees, riddled with pride and a misplaced sense of self-righteousness, could not see their need and were unwilling to confess their sins. But their self-confidence would ultimately result in their own self-destruction. Their stubborn insistence that they were spiritually whole would be their downfall. The apostle Paul describes the dangerous path they had chosen and its deadly destination.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. – Romans 1:21-22 NLT

They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. – Romans 1:30-32 NLT

Paul also seemed to have men like the Pharisees in mind when he warned Timothy to avoid those who “act religious” but whose lives are marked by lovelessness, cruelty, slander, pride, and a love of pleasure.

For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! – 2 Timothy 3:2-5 NLT

While the Pharisees were well-respected, even revered, by the common people, Jesus was unrelenting in His criticism of them. At one point, He accused them of using their religious authority to do harm, rather than good.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!” – Matthew 23:15 NLT

Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). His mission was to reach those in need of spiritual healing, and He was willing to risk “contamination” to see the sick made whole. When Jesus encountered the leper in need of healing, “he stretched out his hand and touched him…and immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean” (Mark 1:41-42 ESV). The Pharisees would have avoided this man like the plague. They would have banned him from entering the temple or synagogue. But in their arrogant display of self-righteousness, they were the unclean ones, passing their impurity on to everyone around them. This led Jesus to say of them, “You are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on” (Luke 11:44 NLT).

They were sick and in need of healing, but their pride blinded them to their true spiritual condition and Jesus’ role as the Great Physician. He came to offer hope and healing to the spiritually sick, so He took his message of restoration and reconciliation to those desperate enough to hear and receive it. Levi knew he was an outcast and a sinner, condemned and unclean. But he followed the doctor’s orders that day and received healing and forgiveness. And his admission of need led to a lifetime of service to the Son of God and the hope of eternal life.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Light in the Darkness

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” – Ephesians 5:3-14 ESV

Darkness is the absence of light; it is what happens when light is removed or unavailable. The term “darkness” is used by many of the New Testament authors to describe the moral and spiritual state of mankind apart from God. Without God, humanity is left in a state of darkness. The apostle John described God as light-producing and darkness-dispelling.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. – 1 John 1:5 ESV

God brings light into the world, illuminating and eliminating darkness wherever His presence dwells. So the spiritual darkness in which mankind finds itself is the result of an absence of God. Since God is omnipresent, there is no place where He does not exist, but when men fail to acknowledge His presence, power, and authority over their lives, they find themselves plunged into spiritual darkness.

David wrote, “Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 14:1 NLT). Failure to believe in God does not make Him go away; it simply plunges the disbeliever into further darkness and despair. John described Jesus as the Word of God that “existed in the beginning with God” (John 1:2 NLT). He further noted that God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him” (John 1:3 NLT). As the light of God, Jesus “gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:4 NLT).

Yet, while the spiritual darkness of the world cannot extinguish “the light of life,” it does not prevent humanity from preferring darkness to light.

God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.– John 3:19-20 NLT

Jesus describes Himself as the light of the world.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12 NLT

In his first letter, John points out that a relationship with Jesus, the light of the world, precludes living in darkness. It is impossible to walk in the light and darkness at the same time. 

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. – 1 John 1:6 ESV

Our relationship with Christ should impact our conduct. That is why Paul tells us: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11 ESV). As children of God, we have been exposed to Jesus Christ, the light of life. As John wrote in his gospel, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:5 NASB). Darkness and light cannot coexist. So when Jesus, the light, came into the world, He illuminated and exposed the darkness all around Him. He did not eliminate the darkness of sin because it was sinful men who orchestrated His death on the cross. However, everywhere Jesus went, His life shone like a beacon of hope in a sin-darkened world. He was God in human flesh, dispensing love, grace, mercy, and hope to a lost and dying world. Yet, the apostle John reveals that this life-giving light of God was met with ridicule and rejection by those dwelling in the darkness of sin. 

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.– John 1:9-11 ESV

But the Light was not wasted. Jesus’ efforts did not prove futile or fruitless.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:12

There were many who preferred the darkness of sin over the Light, but some turned to the Light and gratefully received His offer of forgiveness and redemption. He exposed their sins and their need for a Savior. It is interesting to note that John says, “the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” The Greek word John used is φωτίζω (phōtizō), and it can mean “to give light” or “to enlighten, spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge” (“G5461 – phōtizō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). Obviously, John was not indicating that every man was saved as a result of Jesus’ incarnation. But with Jesus’ death and resurrection, the message of salvation came into the world, exposing every man and woman to the truth; some received it, while others rejected it.

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is addressed to those who have received the Light. He is calling them to live lives that reflect their new standing as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8 ESV). He reminds them of the transformation that had taken place in their lives because of their faith in Jesus.

…for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. – Ephesians 5:8 ESV

Paul does not say, “you are in the light,” but “you are light.” They had been transformed. Not only had they been living in darkness, but they were darkness; their lives were characterized by the deeds of darkness. But the Light of the world had penetrated their lives, transforming them into children of light. Now, Paul was calling them to live as who they were.

This meant a change in behavior. Children of light were not meant to live like children of darkness. And Paul was very explicit in describing what life in the light looks like.

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. – Ephesians 5:3 NLT

And just in case his audience got a bit prideful and puffed up, thinking they had no problem with those particular sins, Paul dropped a bombshell on them.

Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes — these are not for you. – Ephesians 5:4 NLT

These are those “little” sins that so many Christians excuse as somehow acceptable to God. But Paul says, “These are not for you.” As Christians, it is so easy to rationalize our behavior. We can find it tempting to justify certain behavior as acceptable to God, but Paul lumps obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes in with immorality, impurity, greed, and idolatry. They are all deeds of darkness.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. – Ephesians 5:6 NLT

Those are not the characteristics of those who have become light; they mark the nature of those who are still children of darkness. That is why Paul goes on to adamantly demand a radical change in behavior.

Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. – Ephesians 5:7-9 NLT

As Christ followers, we are to determine what pleases God and do those things. We are to live differently from all those around us. The light within us is to produce what is good, right, and true. Rather than participate in the deeds of darkness, we are to expose them (Ephesians 5:11). This does not mean that we are to walk around pointing our fingers in judgment at those who sin, but that our very presence as light should provide a dramatic contrast. Paul says, “Their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible” (Ephesians 5:13-14 NLT).

Our presence among those living in darkness and death will provide a convicting influence on their lives. When Christ followers live as lights in the darkness, their lives become beacons of hope, calling those living in the darkness of sin to experience the light of life. Our light-infused lives become a wake-up call to a lost and dying world.

Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light. – Ephesians 5:14 NLT

Father, we are light. It is not just that we have been exposed to the light of life, but that we have become bearers of the light to the world around us. Your Son made it clear when He said, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:14-16 NLT). My sinfulness was exposed by the Light and I received the righteousness of Christ. As a result, I have the Light of the world living in me and I need to let it shine through me. As Paul said, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT). I am still imperfect and struggle with my sin nature. As Paul put it, I am a fragile clay jar, but I have the light of God within me; all I need to do is let it shine through me. That is how I want to live my life. I may be broken and flawed, but I have Your power residing in me and when it shows up, You get the glory. Shine through me, Father. Let me be a bright light of hope to a sin-darkened world. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Faithfulness Versus Fruitfulness

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Romans 10:14-17 ESV

Paul has just finished saying, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11 ESV), and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13 ESV). As he was prone to do, Paul used the Old Testament Scriptures, quoting Isaiah 28:16 and Joel 2:32, to prove his point that belief in God leads one to call out to Him in times of need or trouble. His focus throughout this section of his letter has been on the Jewish people. He has expressed his heart’s desire that they be saved, even suggesting that he would be willing to suffer eternal damnation if it resulted in some of his fellow Jews coming to faith in Christ. But Paul knew they would have to experience salvation the same way as everyone else; they would have to call on the name of the Lord.

But at this point in his letter, Paul turns his attention to the believers in his audience, both Jews and Gentiles, asking them, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? ” (Romans 10:15 NLT).

Yes, the Jews were required to express belief in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior, just like everyone else. But Paul was adamant in stating that the believers in Rome had an even weightier responsibility to tell the Jews in their community about Christ. After His death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and commanded them, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT).

He also told them, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21 NLT). And that Great Commission didn’t just apply to the eleven men Jesus left behind; it has been the non-negotiable marching orders for every Christ follower since that day. Once again, Paul quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures, using Isaiah’s words to support his point.

How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
    the news that the God of Israel reigns! – Isaiah 52:7 NLT

Isaiah wrote this message to the people of Judah to announce that God would soon restore them from captivity in Babylon and return them to Jerusalem. Paul uses these words of comfort and joy to express what it is like to hear the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time. It is like the Jewish exiles in Isaiah’s day hearing that God is going to end their 70 years of captivity and allow them to return to Judah. Despite their disobedience and rebellion against Him, He is graciously promising to restore their relationship with Him, even though they are undeserving of His amazing grace. In a similar way, when someone shares the gospel with an unbeliever, faithfully obeying Christ’s command to tell, they are delivering news of peace and salvation.

But sadly, Paul reports that not everyone who hears will listen. Even when Isaiah told the people of Judah that God would set them free from captivity in Babylon, not everyone responded positively; not everyone believed. God told them, “Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves” (Isaiah 52:11 NLT). Yet the prophet declared, “Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?” (Isaiah 53:1 NLT).

Many of the Jews living in Babylon refused to return to the land of promise. Rather than believe God and make the long and arduous journey back to Judah, they chose to remain in captivity. And Paul states that in his day, not everyone who hears the gospel receives it. When told of Christ’s offer of redemption from slavery to sin and death, many refuse to accept it, choosing instead to choose captivity over freedom.  Paul had firsthand experience watching both Jews and Gentiles rejecting the good news regarding faith alone in Christ alone.

For Paul, it always came back to faith, but proclamation must precede acceptance. That is why he declares,  “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 ESV). No one can accept or believe in that which they have not heard. So, disciples of Jesus have a responsibility to tell the good news of God’s grace made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But every person who hears must also obey, expressing faith in God’s gracious offer of salvation.

As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to communicate the gospel with unbelievers, but we are not responsible for their conversion. They must confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Only then will they experience salvation.

Ultimately, it is God who calls, justifies, and glorifies (Romans 8:30). Salvation does not depend on human will or effort, but on God, who has mercy (Romans 9:16), and God said, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Romans 9:15 ESV). Conversion is never the result of coercion. We will never debate someone into a saving relationship with Christ. Our responsibility is to share and then to leave the results up to God. Paul provides us with an interesting and important analogy in his letter to the Corinthians believers.

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. – 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NLT

Some plant, others water, but only God produces the results. We simply do our part and allow Him to work the miracle of regeneration and new life. Jesus once told a parable of a farmer whose task of sowing seed appeared to be haphazard and, ultimately, unsuccessful.

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.” – Matthew 13:3-7 NLT

The farmer was faithful, but his efforts were apparently unfruitful. Yet, Jesus finished His parable by adding, “Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand” (Matthew 13:8-9 NLT).

The disciple is responsible for sowing the seed of salvation by telling others about Jesus, but not for the results; that is up to God. Some will receive the good news with open arms and softened hearts. Others will stubbornly reject God’s gracious offer of salvation and choose to remain enslaved to sin and condemned to death. When we share the good news concerning Jesus, we have no way of knowing what the outcome will be. Like a farmer scattering seed, we are to sow the gospel on all kinds of soils, leaving the task of germination and regeneration up to the Lord of the harvest. We tell so that all can have an opportunity to hear, but we leave the results up to God.

We’ve a story to tell to the nationsThat shall turn their hearts to the rightA story of truth and mercyA story of peace and light, a story of peace and light. 

We’ve a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil
and shatter the spear and sword

We’ve a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
hath sent us his Son to save us,
and show us that God is love

We’ve a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow hath trod,
that all of the world’s great peoples
might come to the truth of God

– “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations,” H. Ernest Nichol

Father, we are always about results. Productivity is king in our culture. We hate to waste time and despise failure. But in Your Kingdom, efficiency and effectiveness don’t always go hand in hand. The apostle Paul appears to have failed quite frequently. The apostle James was martyred for his efforts at sharing the gospel. Jesus Himself was crucified for claiming to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Faithfulness doesn’t always produce the fruitfulness we were expecting. The prophets faithfully proclaimed Your message of repentance to the people of Israel, but their words fell on deaf ears. From our success-obsessed perspective, we view them as abject failures, but to You, they were dediicated servants who faithfully fulfilled their God-given responsibilities. And that is what You have called me to be. You are concered with my faithfulness, not my fruitfulness, because, ultimately, that is Your responsibility. I can’t save anyone, but I can tell everyone about the good news of Jesus. I can plant, water, and even harvest, but I can’t cause the growth. Help me stay in my lane and accept my role in Your grand redemptive plan. Because, as Jesus said, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matthew 9:37-38 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

Free For All

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:5-13 ESV

In addressing the issue of how sinful man is justified or made right with God, Paul continues to contrast the difference between man-produced righteousness and righteousness based on faith. Because he was addressing some in the church in Rome who were Jewish believers, he draws on many Old Testament references to prove his point. In verse 5, he references the book of Leviticus, where Moses records the following words from God:

“I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 18:2-5 ESV

In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul clarified the meaning behind this passage.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” – Galatians 3:10-12 ESV

When God spoke of living by them (the laws), He was not simply talking about life, but about right standing before God, or righteousness. Keeping God’s law completely was required for anyone to be justified or viewed as sinless before God. But God made it clear that if anyone wanted to be justified before Him according to the law, they would have to obey every single requirement. And Paul confirmed this by warning that failure to comply with all the law brought a curse, quoting from another Old Testament passage.

“Cursed is anyone who does not affirm and obey the terms of these instructions.” – Deuteronomy 27:26 NLT

But Paul also provides the good news regarding this curse.

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. – Galatians 3:13 NLT

Attempting to earn your way into God’s good graces through the stringent keeping of His law was a dead-end street that led nowhere. But God sent His Son to pay for man’s sins with His death on the cross.

Paul stresses that man’s salvation is to be based on faith in Christ, not on self-effort. It is not what man does that saves him, but belief in what Christ has done on his behalf. Paul summed up his belief with the following statement:

…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9 ESV

Nothing more was required for men to be saved. Again, using Old Testament Scriptures to prove his point, Paul quotes and paraphrases Deuteronomy 30:11-14.

“Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” – Romans 10:6-7 NLT

In other words, nobody has to earn their way into God’s presence and invite Jesus to come down. He came of his own volition and in compliance with the will of His Heavenly Father. He descended from heaven because no one could work their way there. And, secondly, nobody has to try to bring the crucified Christ back to life because He has already risen and sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Paul’s point is that human effort is unnecessary for salvation; it is based solely on belief.

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. – Romans 10:10 NLT

And Paul stresses that this believing faith is open to all.

Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:12-13 NLT

To call on the name of the Lord is to place your hope in Him rather than yourself. It is to recognize that your name or character is not enough to save you. Calling on the name of the Lord is an act of submission and dependence; it is an admission of need and a cry of help because we cannot save ourselves.

In Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the newly constructed Temple, he said, “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn to you and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,  then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave their ancestors” (1 Kings 8:33-34 NLT).

Solomon stresses the need for repentance, a turning away from their sin and a returning to the Lord. Acknowledging His name was the same as acknowledging His holiness and righteousness. It was to admit that His power alone can save. It is our word of faith, our confession of Jesus Christ as our Savior, that brings about our justification or right standing before God. When we turn from trusting in ourselves and place all our hope in Him, He rescues and redeems us.

Father, we seemed to be wired to work our way into Your good graces. We are used to doing everything in our own strength and enjoy getting credit for our hard work. But when it comes to salvation, we are helpless and hopeless. We can’t work our way into Your favor. As Isaiah said, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6 NLT). And Paul echoed those wods when he wrote, “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2;9 NLT). Your plan for our redemption and restoration was never based on our ability to live up to Your righteous standards. Even Your law, through righteous and holy, was intended to show man His sinfulness and need for a Savior. “For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (Romans 3:20 NLT).

Our inability to earn our way back into Your favor left us condemned and unclean before You. We deserved the penalty of death, but You provided a way for us to receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life by sending Your Son as our sin substitute, and as the prophet Joel said, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32 NLT). No more curse or condemnation. No more fear of death or threat of eternal separation from You. And all it requires is faith. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

The Chosen

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
    and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” – Romans 9:18-26 ESV

In this section of Chapter 9, Paul continues to defend God’s sovereign prerogative to show mercy based on His will, not on any merits or worthiness of men. Paul has already declared that all men are under God’s divine wrath and subject to His holy judgment, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV) and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 NLT).

Sinful humanity is deserving of God’s righteous judgment of death, and yet, Paul reminds us that God continues to show mercy to some. Again, not because they deserve it, but simply because God, in His mercy and grace, decides to do so. And Paul knew that this merciful and gracious action of God would be misconstrued and misunderstood by some as unjust and unfair. Paul was fully aware of those in his audience who would question why God refuses to show mercy to everyone. Paul knew how their minds worked because he had probably struggled with the same question. He had likely pondered how God could find fault with Esau if God chose Jacob over Esau based on nothing more than His own will. As infants in Rebekah’s womb, neither son had done anything to earn God’s mercy and grace.

God chose Jacob, “though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls” (Romans 9:11 ESV).

But at this point in his relationship with God, Paul knew better than to question the sovereign will of God, which is why he warned his readers, “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (Romans 9:20 ESV). Paul was using the Old Testament Scriptures to argue his point, quoting from the prophet Isaiah.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
    Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
    ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
    ‘How clumsy can you be?’ – Isaiah 45:9 NLT

This is all about God’s sovereign will. Yet, we have made man the center of our universe with everything revolving around us. We see ourselves as the pinnacle of creation and focus all our attention on our ability to accomplish great good, while always recognizing our capacity to commit all kinds of evil. We live in a merit-based society where the good we do gets rewarded, while the bad we do gets punished. And we expect God to judge us in the same way. But, thus far, Paul’s whole point has been to stress that salvation is based on faith alone. His thesis statement for his letter is found in the opening chapter.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” –Romans 1:16-17 ESV

From God’s divine perspective, all men are guilty and stand before Him worthy of His judgment and wrath. And yet, He chooses to show mercy on some. While we may see this as somehow unfair, Paul would have us consider God’s divine prerogative as the Creator of the universe.

When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. – Romans 9:21-22 NLT

Can God, the Creator, not do what He wants to do with what He has made? Is He not free to show mercy on whomever He wants to show mercy? Paul is inviting us to see things from a different perspective. He is asking us to remove man from the center of our universe and put God back where He belongs. The fact is, all mankind is deserving of God’s judgment. Even Israel, God’s chosen nation, could not live in obedience to His law or remain faithful to Him. And while God would have been fully just in destroying them for their rebellion and unfaithfulness, He poured out His mercy on them. He could have exhibited His wrath and revealed His power in destructive judgment, but instead He repeatedly displayed patience. 

…he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. – Romans 9:22-23 NLT

God had a plan, and He had promised Abraham that He would keep it. He would send His Son as the Messiah of the Jews and the Savior of the Gentiles. God was going to show mercy, allowing some to come to a saving knowledge of His Son, not on the basis of their own righteousness or human merit, but on their faith in His mercy as expressed in His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross.

God sent His Son to the Jews first, but most of them refused Him. And yet, there were some among the Jews who did believe. And there were Gentiles who placed their faith in Christ as their Savior. God showed His mercy on some, even though all deserved His wrath. He chose to forgive some, all in fulfillment of the prophecy found in the book of Hosea.

“I will show love
    to those I called ‘Not loved.’
And to those I called ‘Not my people,’
    I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’
And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’” – Hosea 2:23 NLT

Our problem is that we focus on God’s wrath and miss the unbelievable nature of His mercy. The fact that God shows mercy to anyone should amaze and astound us. None of us deserves His unmerited favor. As the prophet Isaiah puts it, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6 NLT).

It is only when we come to fully comprehend our guiltiness and the fact that we deserved God’s wrath, and yet, we were shown His mercy, that we can fully appreciate the magnitude of the gift we have received.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin.

– “Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord,” Julia H. Johnston (1910)

Father, Your grace is greater than all our sin, and, without it, we would have no hope. Yet, in Your love and mercy, You have chosen to extend Your unmerited favor to some. None deserved it, yet some received it, due to nothing more than Your goodness and grace. In our finite form, we have a difficult time understanding how all this works. It comes across as arbitrary and unjust. But Your ways are not our ways and, because You are righteous, holy, and without sin, everything You do is right and just. You make no mistakes and are never guilty of doing anything that is contrary to Your righteous character. We may not understand it. We may even question it. But we can never accuse You of doing evil. As Moses wrote in his song of praise to You, You are the Rock; Your deeds are perfect. Everything You do is just and fair. You are a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright You are (Deuteronomy 32:4 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

All Have Sinned and Need a Savior

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. – Romans 5:12-14 ESV

As Paul continues to defend the doctrine of justification by faith, he draws an interesting comparison, contrasting Adam’s sin and Jesus’ sacrificial death. It was through Adam’s one act of unrighteousness that sin came into the world. While Eve was the first one to give in to Satan’s temptation to eat of the forbidden fruit, Adam was standing by her side and was fully complicit and compliant. As the God-ordained head of his household, Adam was responsible for keeping God’s commands and protecting his family. It was to Adam that God gave the command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; Eve had not yet been created.

The book of Genesis records, “And the Lord commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17 ESV). In the very next verse, God decides to make Adam a companion.

Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” – Genesis 2:18 ESV

So Adam was responsible for communicating God’s command to Eve and ensuring that she adhered to it. But he failed.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her. – Genesis 3:6 ESV

The result of Adam’s actions was death, not immediate physical death, but spiritual death or separation from God. He and Eve immediately experienced shame and, for the first time, noticed that they were naked. In a sense, their eyes were opened, and they began to view the world through a different lens. Until that moment, they had not seen their nakedness as a problem. But now, they attempted to cover their nakedness with leaves. Suddenly ashamed, they tried to hide from God. But He found them and meted out punishment for their disobedience.

God cursed Adam to a life of labor accompanied by futility, ending in death.

“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” – Genesis 3:19 ESV

Rather than enjoying the fruit of all the other trees that God had provided, they were cast from the garden and left to provide for themselves through back-breaking work. And, ultimately, their lives would end in death. Which is why Paul writes, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin” (Romans 5:12 ESV).

It was Adam’s sin (original sin) that brought death into the world. Paul is comparing Adam’s one act and its result with Jesus’ one act and its subsequent outcome. He contrasts Adam’s disobedience with Jesus’ obedience. The first brought death. The second brought life. Adam’s action resulted in separation from God (spiritual death). Jesus’ action brought reconciliation and regeneration (spiritual life).

But Paul’s main point in these verses is that men had been dying (suffering the penalty for their sins) long before the law had been given to Moses.

…people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. – Romans 5:13 NLT

Mankind not only inherited death as a result of Adam’s disobedience, but they also inherited his sin nature. But their death was due to Adam’s sin, not their own. From God’s perspective, they sinned “in” Adam. The penalty for his sin was passed down to his descendants. So Paul states, “ everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did” (Romans 5:14 NLT). Long before the law was given, men sinned. They may not have sinned in the same way that Adam did, but they still faced the same penalty of death. They still experienced spiritual separation from God. Why? Because Adam “was a type of the one who was to come” (Romans 5:14 ESV).

Prior to Moses receiving God’s law on Mount Sinai, men still experienced the penalty of death for disobedience. All men knew death was inevitable and unavoidable; they just didn’t know why they had to die. They feared death because they were uncertain about what would happen next. Death was an enigma to them, and it appeared to have no purpose. Death was to be feared and avoided at all costs.

But when God gave the law, it revealed the righteousness that God demanded of mankind. It provided a non-negotiable list of God’s requirements for escaping the penalty of death. With the giving of the law, God made His righteous requirements unequivocal and non-negotiable. No longer was man allowed to dictate his own set of rules for life. Morality and justice were not subjective and left up to the opinions of fallen men; they were the province of God.

However, man’s sin nature made it impossible for him to keep God’s law. Before the law was given, man sinned in ignorance. After God’s law was made known, man sinned knowingly. Like Adam, the Israelites knew God’s commands but disobeyed anyway. They knew the consequences for disobedience, but sinned all the same.

But Paul builds on his comparison between Adam and Jesus by illustrating that God provided a way out.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. – Romans 8:3 NLT

That is the gospel of God that Paul has been talking about. Adam’s disobedience brought death; Jesus’ obedience brought life. Death reigned, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God declared an end to sin’s control over us. Martin Luther summarizes Paul’s contrast quite succinctly.

“Christ has become a Dispenser of righteousness to those who are of Him, though they have not earned any righteousness; for through the Cross He has secured (righteousness) for all men. The figure of Adam’s transgression is in us, for we die just as through we had sinned as he did. The figure of Christ is in us, for we live just as though we had fulfilled all righteousness as He did.” – Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans

Adam’s sin did not come as a shock to God. In His providence and sovereignty, God knew that the couple He had made in His image would succumb to Satan’s temptation and rebel against Him. The incarnation of the Son of God was not a knee-jerk reaction by the Father; it was not His Plan B. The fall of man did not catch God by surprise. In fact, Paul reminds us that God’s plan of redemption had been in place even before He made the world or Adam and Eve.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 1:3-5 NLT

Paul reiterated this claim to his young protegé, Timothy.

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. – 2 Timothy 1:9-10 NLT

Long before Adam was created and made the fateful decision that led to death, God had ordained the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son as the solution. Man, left to his own devices, is incapable of living up to God’s righteous standards. Sin was inevitable, and mankind’s need for a Savior was unavoidable. But God had the plan in place before the universe was formed and man was created, and “Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners” (Romans 5:6 NLT). Adam sinned and brought death. Jesus died and brought life. Adam disobeyed God and was cursed. Jesus “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13 BSB). 

The sin of Adam was restored by the last Adam.

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like[i] the heavenly man. – 1 Corinthians 14:47-49 NLT

Father, thank You for Plan A. I don’t fully understand why Adam and Eve did what they did, but I have a feeling that I would have done no better if I had been in their place. Sin comes naturally for us. Even as a believer, I find myself succumbing to the temptations of the enemy. Like the Israelites, I know Your will and have Your Word to guide my life, but I still choose to disobey You on a regular basis. Yet, I stand before You as righteous because of the blood of Your Son. His death paid the penalty for my sins — past, present, and future. He redeemed me out of slavery to sin. He has set me free and restored me to a right relationship with You. I am no longer condemned or under a curse. Without Jesus, I would still be trying to earn Your favor and acceptance through obedience to Your holy law. I would be caught in the dead-end pursuit of righteousness by my own strength. But long before You made me, You had a plan to save me, and all I can say is thank You! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

The Law and God’s Love

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. – Romans 3:19-20 ESV

Paul continues his polemic on the relationship between the Jews and the law by saying, “the law speaks to those who are under the law” (Romans 3:19 ESV). In other words, the law given to the Jews by God told them exactly what His righteous expectations were. No arguments. No questions. No quibbling. No excuses.

But in revealing His righteous standards to the Jews, God was not implying that everyone else was exempt from His law. In fact, Paul makes it clear that God gave His law to the Jews “to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God” (Romans 3:19 NLT). The Jews were given the privilege and responsibility of knowing God’s law, but they would prove incapable of living up to it. They could not claim ignorance, only incompetence. They would find themselves completely unable to keep the law.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. – Romans 3:20 NLT

Later in his letter, Paul clarifies God’s purpose in giving the law. He states, “It was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet’” (Romans 7:7 NLT). The law said, “You shall not…”, but Paul’s sinful nature said, “Why not?”

The law revealed God’s righteous requirements, but indwelling sin took advantage of that knowledge. Paul describes it in vivid terms.

But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. – Romans 7:8 NLT

Paul goes on to say that the law is good, holy, and spiritual. It was given by God to men and is, therefore, righteous. Paul describes the conundrum in which man finds himself.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.  I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. – Romans 7:14-15 NLT

The Jews wanted to keep the law, but couldn’t. They tried, but they failed, and their failure was fully intended by God so that He might expose man’s complete inability to earn a right standing before Him based on human effort.

For by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight. – Romans 3:20 ESV

Paul expounds on this thought in his letter to the church in Galatia.

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. – Galatians 2:16 NLT

Later in that same letter, Paul states, “If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 3:21-22 NLT).

But according to Paul, the law had a purpose. God had a perfectly good, completely righteous reason for implementing the law.

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. – Galatians 3:23-24 NLT

The law was designed to reveal the kind of righteousness God demanded. But in revealing the righteousness of God, the law also revealed the sinfulness of man; it exposed our inherent weakness. Even on our best day and given our best efforts, we could never live up to God’s holy standard. The law showed us our sin and revealed to us our need for a Savior.

Augustine wrote, “The law orders, that we, after attempting to do what is ordered, and so feeling our weakness under the law, may learn to implore the help of grace.” The law was intended to drive the people of Israel to God. Its stringent requirements were meant to expose their desperate need for His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and strength to live the lives He had called them to. The sacrificial system He provided was a constant demonstration of their sinfulness and their need for atonement. There was never a time when they could stop making sacrifices, because there was never a time when they stopped sinning.

The author of Hebrews describes the temporary nature of the sacrificial system God provided for the Jews.

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. – Hebrews 10:1-4 NLT

Then in verse 10, he points out God’s plan: the gospel.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. – Hebrews 10:10 NLT

The law revealed God’s righteous expectations and, in doing so, exposed our sin and our need for a Savior. No one can save himself. The hope of self-righteousness is deceptive and ineffective. But the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

Father, man tends to see the law as a hindrance to his happiness. He views it as a staggering list of dos and dont’s that cramp his style and stifle his freedom. But You gave the law to reveal Your own righteousness and to expose our inability to adhere to Your non-negotiable holy standards. Your own chosen people couldn’t pull it off, so there is no way that we will ever earn Your favor and forgiveness through religious rule-keeping and our paltry attempts at self-righteousness. Yet, You provided a way for us to be restored to a right relationship with You that is based on grace, not grit. The gospel isn’t about earning, it’s about received the free gift of salvation made possible through the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Your Son. As Your adopted and fully accepted children, we are free from having to keep Your law as a means of proving our righteousness because we have been imputed the righteousness of Christ. And because You have given us the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us, we have the capacity to keep the law but out of a sense of delight, not duty. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15 ESV). You loved us while we were still enslaved by our own sinfulness and, now, we love You in return and express that love through our faithful obedience to Your commands; not to earn Your favor, but because we already have it.
Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

The Wrath and Love of God

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. – Romans 1:18-20 ESV

In verse 17, Paul states that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God from faith for faith. In Greek, the word “reveals” is apokalyptō, which means “to make known what was once hidden.” So Paul is saying that the way to achieve righteousness, which was once hidden from men, is through faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. That is why he says, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17 ESV). This new or formerly hidden faith means that getting right with God was revealed through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; in other words, through the gospel.

Now, in verse 18, Paul unveils another once-hidden mystery; the gospel also revealed the wrath of God. He states, “God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18 NLT). The gospel, which is the good news regarding salvation through Jesus Christ, the wrath of God was poured out. Jesus’ excruciating death on the cross is simultaneously a picture of God’s love and wrath. The prophet Isaiah, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, wrote of the coming Messiah.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all. – Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT

Peter referred to this passage when he wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV). The full extent of God’s hatred of sin was revealed on the cross. The innocent died for the guilty. The sinless One had to pay the price for the sinful. God died for the godless.

To restore sinful, disobedient men to a right relationship with Himself, God had to pay the ultimate price and sacrifice His own Son. Jesus came to die, and His death was the only means by which the wrath of God could be satisfied, so the sins of man could be forgiven, and righteousness could be achieved.

Later in this same letter, Paul asks a rhetorical question.

What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? – Romans 9:22-24 ESV

God would have been completely just and right if He had chosen to destroy all mankind, because all men are guilty of having rebelled against Him. They were all vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. But instead, God chose to pour out His wrath on His own Son, so that some might be saved from destruction. There are those who have described that idea as a form of divine child abuse. They struggle with the idea that a good and loving God would out His own Son to death, even though it resulted in the redemption of countless millions of condemned people.

But God knew what man couldn’t know, that a restored relationship with Him was impossible without His help. Humanity could never live up to God’s righteous standards and was totally incapable of producing the kind of righteousness God required. That’s why Jesus told His followers, “Unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20 NLT).

That statement from Jesus did not come across as good news to His audience; it sounded implausible and impossible, but that was His point. The righteousness God required was outside their capacity to achieve, so it would have to come from a source other than themselves. It would have to be a righteousness revealed from heaven in the form of Jesus Christ.

But while the gospel is good news, it is accompanied by bad news: God hates sin and must punish it. In His holiness, He cannot tolerate or overlook sin. Mankind is inherently ungodly and unrighteous, and in their state of unrighteousness, they suppress or hold back the truth. This doesn’t mean they in some way restrain or hinder the truth of God, but that their actions deny the reality of God’s holiness and His expectation that His creation reflect that holiness.

Paul goes on to say that humanity is without excuse because God has revealed Himself through His creation.

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. – Romans 1:20 NLT

The very existence of idols throughout human history lends credence to Paul’s statement. The human race has always recognized the existence of a greater power outside of everyday experience. Men reveal the reality of God in their built-in need to worship someone or something. Martin Luther writes, “This demonstrates that there was in their hearts a knowledge of a divine sovereign being. How else could they have ascribed to a stone, or to the deity represented by stone, divine attributes, had they not been convinced that such qualities really belong to God!” (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans).

So man is without excuse, but not without hope. While the full extent of God’s wrath was poured out on His Son on the cross, His love was also on full display.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 ESV

Later in this letter, Paul elaborates on this remarkable truth.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. – Romans 5:6-9 NLT

God’s wrath was satisfied by Jesus, but men must accept God’s gift of His Son’s sacrificial, substitutionary death. They must rely on Jesus’ payment to provide them with the righteousness they could never have earned on their own. But the apostle John goes on to reveal a sad but true reality.

God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. – John 3:19-20 NLT

Men can choose to accept the love of God or remain under His wrath. He has provided a way of escape, but all men must choose to accept or reject it.

Father, this is a difficult truth to understand. As human beings we tend to believe that we are inherently good and capable of performing “good deeds.” Yet, Your assessment is, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6 NLT). As Paul so bluntly put it, “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 ESV). And because we are all sinful and unrighteous, we are deserving of Your just condemnation. Yet, You chose to send Your Son to die in our place and take upon Himself the punishment we deserved. He payed the price we owed for our rebellion and allowed us to be declared just, righteous, and fully forgiven of every sin we have ever committed — past, present and future..Yet, You didn’t stop there. The gracious gift of Your Son’s death didn’t just remove our iniquity, it transferred His righteousness to our account. Remarkably, we stand before You as fully righteous and acquited of all charges against us. At one time, I was guilty, condemned, unclean, and without excuse. But, in Your grace, You offered me the free gift of faith in Your Son’s death on my behalf, and my life was changed forever. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Compassion Without Prejudice

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 ESV

How easy it is to judge others from our limited human perspective. We are so quick to assess others’ value based on external criteria. We are even prone to establishing someone’s unworthiness or lack of value based on how they look, their ethnic makeup, economic background, educational status, or personality profile.

The Old Testament contains the account of Samuel the prophet visiting Jesse’s house to find a new king to replace Saul. When he set his eyes on Jesse’s son, Eliab, Samuel said, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” (1 Samuel 16:7b NLT). But God responded, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:8 NLT).

Because of the life-transforming work of Jesus Christ and the Spirit’s power to give new life to those who were dead in the trespasses and sins, Paul states, “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!” (2 Corinthians 5:16 NLT).

Prior to coming to faith in Christ and recognizing Him as his Savior, Paul saw Him from a purely human perspective. Paul was a Pharisee who viewed Jesus as nothing more than a charlatan, a political revolutionary, and a threat to the religious status quo. But ever since his encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul’s view of Jesus had radically changed. His view of others had changed as well

…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

Salvation was meant to be life-changing; it wasn’t just a matter of someone switching religious allegiances or choosing another way of pursuing a right relationship with God. What Jesus offered was a radical, out-of-the-ordinary life transformation that resulted in a totally new nature. Those who placed their faith in Christ were instantly transformed from death to life, from darkness to light, from enemies to friends of God, from condemned to forgiven, from guilty to innocent, and from outcasts to members of the family of God. And Paul states, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18 ESV).

It was all God’s doing, not man’s. Salvation is the work of God, from beginning to end. He is the one who reconciles, redeems, restores, forgives, justifies, regenerates, and sanctifies. He provides new life and places His Holy Spirit within us. And He accomplished it all through Christ. God sent His Son to be the payment for the sins of mankind. As the sinless Son of God, He became the acceptable sacrifice, whose innocent life was given to satisfy the Father’s just demands and holy wrath against man’s rebellion.

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. – 2 Corinthians 5:19 NLT

It was through Christ that God had determined to restore His lost creation. It was through Christ that God had ordained a means by which He could satisfy His own righteous judgment against sin while also showing His love for mankind.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 ESV

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8 NLT

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 ESV

This message of God’s love and offer of reconciliation had been given to Paul and his companions. They were God-appointed ambassadors, sharing the good news that men and women could be reconciled with God and restored to a right relationship with Him.

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” – 2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT

They viewed themselves as conduits of God’s grace. They were vessels in the hands of God, pouring out His goodness and grace upon all those they encountered, not pre-judging or predetermining who was worthy to hear their message of God’s love. They simply told of the death, burial, and resurrection of God’s Son, His offer of salvation, and the simple requirement of faith.

They shared, and God saved. Christ had provided the means; Paul simply shared the message.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

Sharing the gospel is really quite easy. It is simply pleading with people to come back to God. It is an impassioned and loving appeal for them to accept the only means by which they can be restored to a right relationship with God, by faith in Jesus Christ. It is not up to us to determine who deserves to hear or to judge who is worthy of receiving the message. It is not our job to predetermine who we would prefer to have as a brother or sister in Christ. We have been given the message of reconciliation, and, like Paul, we have been appointed ambassadors by God, with the sole responsibility of spreading the good news of His Son’s death and resurrection to a lost and dying world. God’s offer of salvation is non-discriminatory, and so should our appeal be.

Father, it is so easy to let prejudice and our own personal preferences to interfere with our sharing of the gospel message. We tend to cherry-pick and prioritize the list of those who we think are worthy to receive the message of salvation. But Jesus expressed love and forgiveness to the thief on the cross. He displayed unbiased love and compassion to the despised and disenfranchised of society, from lowly prostitutes to despised tax collectors. The apostle Paul outlined a rogue’s gallery of people we tend to withhold the gospel from: “Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people” (1 Corinthians 16:9-10 NLT). But he added, “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 16:11 NLT). Never let me forget the fact that I was undeserving and unworthy of Your love. Yet, rather than pass judgment on me, You sent Your Son to die for me. And while I am grateful, I know I have an obligation to share that love with others – without prejudice or a predetermination of their worthiness. Help me to embrace Paul’s attitude: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all” (1 Timothy 1:15 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.