by R. Herbert | Dec 22, 2013 | Bible Study, Growth
I owe the origin of this thought to Philip Shields who recently wrote “Learning is for Transformation – not just Information.” It’s an important idea in Christianity, and sometimes we need to remember this basic concept. The thought grew in my mind after recently visiting a Christian website where dozens of well-researched and well-meaning articles pondered scores of technical points and minutiae of the Scriptures. I came away impressed and better educated, yet feeling that in no way had I grown. If anything, had I been sidetracked? So Philip’s recent article “
WHY Do We Study the Word of God?” resonated with me, and we reproduce a slightly condensed version of it on our site this week as the second article in our series on Bible study.
As Philip writes, the apostle Peter stressed that we should grow in grace
and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18), and the two go hand in hand – or should do. Focusing on growing in grace alone can be problematic in many ways. We can end up limiting ourselves and even hurting others through misunderstandings and lack of real knowledge. On the other hand, developing only the cerebral aspects of our religion and filling only our “encyclopedia” cells can be even more limiting and ultimately damaging to Christian growth.
We do need to grow in both knowledge and grace, information and transformation. Just knowing is never enough – facts should lead to change or they are little more than Bible trivia. Paul shows this goal clearly: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is …” (Romans 12:2). Notice that the goal is to be
transformed by the
renewing (not just the filling) of our minds. The changes accomplished are more important than the memorized facts.
Simply put, we need information and we need transformation; but if we err to one side of the road, it’s better if our wheels are more solidly on the transformation side of the highway.
by R. Herbert | Dec 20, 2013 | Relationships
How do your words taste? Normally we would say that words have sound rather than taste, of course, but there is a difference between the actual sound of a word and the effect it has on its hearers. We get by in English by saying “that doesn’t sound too good” when words have a negative or disturbing impact, but perhaps “taste” makes more sense in such situations.
Words can certainly taste good: “How sweet are your words to my taste,” David wrote – “sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103), but words don’t always taste sweet at all. Recently, I couldn’t help hearing a parent berating her child in a store, for what appeared to be a very minor thing. It wasn’t just the words that were used, but also the tone and the obvious effect on the child and on others in the store – which was something like tasting a mouthful of vinegar.
That is something Job discovered when he was subjected to the negative, doubting and finally judgmental words of the “friends” who supposedly came to comfort him. Notice what Job says in this regard after tasting a few helpings of his friends’ words: “Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?” (Job 12:11). Job is confirming what most of us come to know as we go through life – a person’s words can truly have a good effect on us, or they can be something that leaves the equivalent of a bad taste in our mouths.
It is something we all should consider. Bad “tasting” words don’t just include curses and profanity, they can be any words that pull down or discourage others. We may not mean them that way, but unless we think about the effects of our words, we may not realize what they are doing. On the other hand, restrained and carefully chosen words can help those who need guidance or encouragement. The proverb that tells us “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11) really makes this point. The original Hebrew may actually mean “apricots” rather than apples, but the specific fruit hardly matters (unless you greatly prefer one over the other!).
When our words build up and encourage rather than just convey raw facts – or worse yet, pull down those around us – then they might indeed be said to taste like honey or sweet, ripe fruit. It’s something to remember. Next time you are tempted to say something negative or critical, think about the fact that the words we use have a “taste” that affects others by building them up or pulling them down. Only you can decide what the taste will be – whether your words will encourage or discourage, whether they will have the taste of vinegar or the taste of honey.
by R. Herbert | Dec 17, 2013 | Discipleship, Growth
The recent hoopla over comet Ison, which many astronomers thought might become the comet of the century, died quickly with the comet’s ignominious end, or as one astronomer quipped – as “the particles formerly known as comet Ison.”
The hoopla reminded me, however, of a comet I saw in my teens. It was an incredible sight as an object no larger than a speck in astronomical terms glowed as a beautiful lamp in the darkness around it.
Since seeing that comet, the cosmic travelers have always fascinated me, not least in the way in which they shine. Nothing more than small lumps of and ice and other frozen matter, comets orbit around the sun, of course, and are relatively invisible till they come close to the solar orb.
Once comets come close enough to the sun, however, the power of the solar wind begins to give them the visible lamp-like tails which stream out behind each comet’s body and glow by reflected light. The closer they get to the sun, the brighter they shine.
For the Christian, the comet is an obvious metaphor – an analogy for a truth we all know but need to remember. Although we may be spiritually insignificant of ourselves, the closer we move to the One who is the center of our spiritual orbit, the closer we come to the One who scripture calls the “Rising Sun” and the “Day Star” (Luke 1:78, 2 Peter 1:19), the more we become visible as a light in the darkness which may surround us.
If, physically, even a “failed” comet such as Ison can attract as much attention as it did, perhaps we can see the spiritual potential in moving ever closer to the One who, through His power working in us, can make us a light in the dark.
by R. Herbert | Dec 15, 2013 | Growth, Obedience
“
The Positive Commandments” article uploaded to this site a few weeks ago looked at the two “positive” commands in the Ten Commandments – those telling us things we should do as opposed to things we should not do. But there are many other positive commands found throughout the Bible. The Old Testament contains over 600 commands with some 248 being positively worded, and t
he New Testament actually has far more positive commands than negative commands.
But all the “interpersonal” positive commandments found in the Bible have some things in common. “More Positive Commands,” uploaded this week, looks at those commonalities and how they can better help us understand the principles behind the commands.
A tremendous amount of progress can be made in Christian growth by understanding the difference between the negatively and positively worded biblical commands, and what that teaches us. Check out the articles to see how we can grow in applying the love of God and of each other in ever more positive and effective ways.
by R. Herbert | Dec 8, 2013 | Discipleship, Great Commission, Prayer
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’ “ (Matthew 9:37-38).
Although these verses are usually interpreted to mean that we should pray for more people to come to the knowledge of the truth who could join the work, it seems to me that they may just as well mean that we should pray that laborers who are available, but not in the field, should get involved in the harvest. If that is the case, then we should all be praying for help to see what we can be doing, not just for others to come along who will do the work.
In any event, it is clear that we are told to pray earnestly (the Greek word is a form of deomai signifying “beseeching” or even “begging”). We can hardly pray in this manner without personal involvement in the need for which we pray. How? We can pray earnestly for more workers to be called, or to become involved, for their needs, and for the success of their work. What else can we do? Certainly we can help financially, as we are able, to support good work where it is being done [Note: TacticalChristianity.org does not accept donations or gifts], but prayer always must be the first priority. That’s what Jesus stressed. On the other hand, other scriptures do show the necessity of helping those workers who “go out” into the harvest. Notice the words of John in this regard:
“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are … You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name … Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 1:5-8 ESV).
So, even if it is not our calling to personally go out into the “harvest field,” there is much that we can do to support those who do go and to be “fellow workers.” The “advertisement” for help needed has already been published. It is up to us to respond today!
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