We Are All in This Together

We Are All in This Together

by | Oct 4, 2015 | Discipleship, Great Commission, Updates

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We must never fall into the trap of thinking that Christianity is something that missionaries and ministers do, and that the rest of us are observers to what they do. 

The apostle Paul makes this fact clear in many of his writings, but perhaps nowhere clearer than in his epistle to the Philippians.  In fact, Paul’s letter to that church might be called “the message of Christian involvement”!

Paul begins his letter: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons” (Philippians 1:1), and although Timothy is not the “coauthor” of the letter, his inclusion sets the tone continued in the mention of all the believers as well as the elders of the congregation.  It is important to remember this stress on both members as well as ministers, laity as well as leaders, in reading what Paul continues to say.  Throughout the letter we find the apostle makes many statements based on equal involvement in the work of the faith, as we see in the following examples (emphases added) and many others:

In Chapter 1, Paul gives thanks for the church’s (read “everyone’s) “partnership in the gospel“ (Philippians 1:5.), and says that “all of you share in God’s grace with me” (vs. 7). He states that because of his own captivity “most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (vs. 14), and that “through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance” (vs. 19). Paul also says “…I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith” (vs. 25), and that they should all be “striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (vs. 27) since they  were going through “the same struggle you saw I had” (vs. 30).

Chapter 2 continues from exactly the same perspective.  Paul speaks of the “…common sharing in the Spirit…” (Philippians 2:1), “having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (vs. 2). And he shows that this unity is expressed in all of the Philippians having the same goals and rejoicing in the same successes of the work:  “… I am glad and rejoice with all of you.  So you too should be glad and rejoice with me” (vs. 17). In this chapter Paul also speaks of the work of Timothy, and of “… Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs” (vs. 26), clearly showing the direct involvement of Epaphroditus and the congregation in Paul’s work.

This ongoing pattern is found throughout the rest of the epistle.  Paul mentions other members of the congregation who were deeply involved in his work – members such as certain women who “… have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3). He tells us that the Philippians shared in his troubles (4:14) and sent him help (4:16), and when Paul closes his letter with his blessing on the Philippians, he includes “all God’s people” – both all of them and all of his own group (4:21). 

If you ever doubt the importance of every Christian’s involvement in the ongoing work of God as well as the personal acceptance of the gospel, read Philippians. You will see that Paul includes all of God’s people in this work – including you.

What Do Jesus’ Words “My Kingdom Is Not of This World” Mean?

What Do Jesus’ Words “My Kingdom Is Not of This World” Mean?

by | Sep 27, 2015 | Difficult Scriptures

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Scripture in Focus: John 18:36

“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36).

The difficulty of this verse is that it appears to contradict other scriptures of the New Testament that show the Kingdom of God to be something that would be established in this world. Adding to the apparent confusion, Jesus said in the second half of John 18:36 that his kingdom was not “in,” but “from” another place.

The answer to the seeming difficulty is that both aspects of the Kingdom of God are true. On the one hand, the Kingdom of God is certainly in heaven. This seems obvious in the expression “the Kingdom of Heaven,” though that is actually not a proof.  Matthew, writing to a predominantly Jewish audience, used “Kingdom of Heaven” because many Jews used that expression in order to avoid unnecessary use of the name of God – just as in English people sometimes say “Good heavens” which is just an indirect way of using God’s name. All the other Gospel writers use “Kingdom of God.” But apart from this detail it is obvious that God rules as King in heaven and in that sense, the “Kingdom of God” is the “Kingdom of Heaven” (see Matthew 5:34, Daniel 4:37, etc.).

On the other hand, a great many scriptures  clearly show the kingdom of heaven will be established on earth – something Christ said we should pray for (Matthew 6:10) and a truth at the core of his teaching, as we see in the Gospels: “…Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2). The situation is not unlike that of earlier centuries when the colonial powers were located in their own countries, but took over distant lands. It was equally true to say that the “kingdom of France” and the “kingdom of England” were in their respective areas, but also that these kingdoms were “coming near” the areas they annexed, and that the rule of those kingdoms was finally established in the new lands.

With this background and a little extra information, we can now understand the meaning of Jesus’ words in John 18.36.   The Greek word used in John (basileia) and translated “kingdom” can mean not only the physical actual kingdom, but also the “rule” or “authority” of the king. In that sense, it is like the colonial analogy we used. French Canada, called “New France,” was not France, but part of the kingdom of France in the sense it was under the rule of the king of France.  Sometimes people say that Christ did not speak Greek, but rather would have said these words in Aramaic or possibly Hebrew.  Even if that is true, the Aramaic (malkuta) and Hebrew (malkuth) words have exactly the same double meaning.

So, the words “My kingdom is not of this world”  spoken by Jesus can just as properly be translated “My authority is not of this world … my authority is from another place.” Jesus’ words do not refer then to being the ruler of the kingdom in heaven, but to his having authority from the kingdom in heaven.

When we understand the double meaning of “kingdom,” we can see how John 18:36 does not contradict the many scriptures regarding the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth, but simply refers to the origin of Christ’s authority as that kingdom’s King.

Study Like a Berean

Study Like a Berean

by | Sep 13, 2015 | Bible Study

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“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

Here, in the space of a single verse, Luke shows us that the three  most important aspects of successful study of God’s word are not – as we today might sometimes think – the latest translation, commentary, and Bible dictionary or other Bible “help.”   Luke shows us, instead, that effective, meaningful study is based on much simpler and ultimately more important things.

Desire:  First, Luke tells us that the Bereans “welcomed the message” as some translations put it, but this means much more than simple  open-minded acceptance. Although it certainly includes that, it is also much more.   The NIV “with great eagerness” is  a better translation of the Greek word  (a form of prothumos ) which  means “willingness,” “eagerness,” or even “zeal.” The Bereans were not only more open minded than their neighbors at Thessalonica; they also had a strong desire for the message.  The attitude we must have in approaching God’s word is a realization that if we approach it correctly, there will always be more to learn, new insights to grasp, new understanding from which we can profit.  Real desire to study is based on a deep desire to grow, and if we are growing we will want to study.

Consistency:   Occasional study is not growth-oriented study.  Surveys show that many who feel they are Christians only study God’s word once a week or less, and some only study it “in church.”  The Bereans  not only heard Paul preach in their synagogue on the Sabbath day, but searched the Scriptures daily.  There is something about consistent, ongoing study that helps us better grasp the Bible’s message.  The more often we study, the more we realize we still have to learn, and we find that new insights come more often. One thing grasped helps us to better understand another.  It is also amazing how, when we study daily, we find verses which seem to fit our present situation, verses which encourage and guide us.  Perhaps the Bereans understood that  our “daily bread” needs to be more than just physical.

Engagement:   The last thing Luke tells us about the Bereans is that  they studied to “see if these things [that they had heard] were true” – they compared Paul’s message with what they read in the Scriptures.  This principle of engagement goes beyond simply “proving” whether a doctrine we have been taught is biblical or not.  It may include that, but in the wider application it also includes seeing how we can relate the message to our lives, seeing how we can incorporate what we learn in our understanding and in the way we follow and serve.  As Paul himself taught, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17), so it is not surprising that as a result of his teaching and the Berean’s diligent study, “many of them believed” (Acts 17:12).  That is the ultimate “engagement” with the word of God  – and it is one which can, and should, be ongoing.
A Sun and a Shield

A Sun and a Shield

by | Sep 6, 2015 | God

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“ … the Lord God is a sun and shield” (Psalm 84:11).

King David certainly had a way with words – not just in the eloquence and poetry of many of the psalms he composed, but also the way he often packs so much into even a few words about God. “The Lord God is a sun and shield” is a wonderful example of this fact.

Today, it’s easy to read over those two words “sun” and “shield” and to see them only as a reference to the sun as a great light and a shield as an antiquated symbol of protection.  But in the society in which David wrote, those two words were packed with an amazing amount of meaning. 

In ancient Israel, as in much of the ancient Near East, the sun was not only a symbol of light, but of sustenance and life itself.  The ancients understood that without the sun there would be no crops and no life itself.  The sun also symbolized many aspects related to light, such as righteousness, just as we see in the biblical statement: “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise …” (Malachi 4:2).  In the same way, just as a pair of scales symbolizes fairness and thus justice for us today, in the biblical world, because of its association with light and righteousness, the sun symbolized justice.  

As a result, for several of the polytheistic cultures around Israel the sun god was the god of justice.  We see this association of sun and justice in biblical verses such as “He will bring forth your righteousness as a light, and your justice as the noonday sun” (Psalm 37:6 NSV) and the ironic statement in Ecclesiastes: “And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment – wickedness was there…” (Ecclesiastes 3:16).  

In David’s time, there were many other associations that would have been recognized between the sun and characteristics such as majesty and strength. When David wrote that the sun was like:  “…a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy” (Psalm 19:4b-5), he was referring to the majesty of a bridegroom in his splendid wedding garments and the strength of a champion runner. These were concepts that his hearers would have easily understood by means of the symbolism of the sun.

The shield, in a similar way, primarily connoted protection and refuge and is often used alongside the image of God as a “rock” as in verses such as: “my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation” (2 Sam 22: 3), and “you are a shield around me, O LORD” (Psalm 3: 3).  In this sense, the shield was used as a symbol of help in any difficulty: “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7 and see Psalm 115: 9-11).  But the shield not only signified protection, rescue, and help, it also signified many other things. It could symbolize kingship (Psalm 84:9) as well as monarchial power and kingly treasures, and even the words of God (Proverbs 30:5).

So: light, life, sustenance, righteousness, justice, strength, majesty, power, protection, refuge, rescue, help, kingship, monarchy, the treasures of kings, the words of God, and many other things  may all be symbolized in the two words “sun” and “shield” that David used in Psalm 84:11.  Most of these symbol-associated meanings would have been clear to the psalmist’s original readers with only a little thought, and the more we look at and meditate on biblical verses about God, the more we, too, can see of him. Not all the Bible’s descriptions of God are phrased in symbolic language, of course, but whether symbolic or literal, it can often richly repay us to think about those descriptions – even if they are only one or two words. 

Lifting Each Other Up

Lifting Each Other Up

by | Aug 31, 2015 | Positive Living

Scripture: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”  (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Something to think about:  We must always remember that building each other up actually consists of two separate and complementary aspects:  the actual lifting or building up and the avoidance of pulling or tearing down. The principle is clearly seen in comparing Paul’s instruction in I Thessalonians (above) with what he says in the Book of Ephesians:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

The two instructions are  identical in telling us to build each other up, but while Thessalonians stresses encouraging each other to do so, Ephesians stresses not discouraging each other.    It is usually easier to see when we are doing the first rather than the second of these things, but we should certainly do both.  How much time do we spend thinking about how we can build each other up – in encouragement and also in not discouraging?