1 Peter 2:13-14 says, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
This is a tough passage to digest for independent thinkers. Many kings, presidents, governors and other government officials have been notorious for dishonesty, as well as harshness and injustices toward citizens and subjects.
The Emperor had unjustly exiled many of the people to whom Peter addresses from Rome. I imagine that they had feelings toward government that we all have had, only worse. Have you ever complained about a speed trap? Are your taxes too high? There is always some thing to gripe about concerning the civil authority. Here Peter is saying that it is sometimes the will of God that we are brought before government officials and punished even though we are innocent. This is such an appalling thought to the natural man. I include my natural man in that statement. The last thing in the world I want is to be accused of a crime I did not commit and to be paraded publicly in handcuffs in front of TV cameras on the 6 o’clock news.
Imagine how Joseph felt when his brothers sold him into slavery, and when his master’s wife accused him of rape. What about Jeremiah who was put into a well to die because he simply proclaimed God’s decree? Then there were Stephen, James, Paul, Peter and others who all eventually were executed though they lived righteous lives. But the ultimate injustice was the torture and execution of the Righteous One, Jesus Christ, Who, “suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1Peter 3:18).
The goal in any suffering that we have is to witness to the power of a life that has been changed by the love of God. Injustice was and is still rampant. When it happens to Christians they are to seize the opportunity as the apostle Paul did and let their “light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This is the purpose of our suffering.
Lord help us to walk in a way that will glorify you in every opportunity that presents itself, and may our lives be a witness of your love, drawing others, Christians and non-Christians to faith in You.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Chosen/Royal/Holy/Special
Chosen/Royal/Holy/Special
1Peter 2:9 says four specific things about the Church: it is chosen, it is a royal priesthood, it is a holy nation, and it is God’s own special people.
Those are some powerful thoughts that we need to ponder as believers. All of them have to do with the fact that Christians are in fact part of Christ. Therefore the Father sees us in His Son, which means He honors us as He honors Son.
When a sinner believes in Christ, Colossians 1:13 states, we have been “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” 1 Corinthians 12:13a also says, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” That body spoken of is seen in 1Corinthians 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” We, who were once condemned and without hope now have the greatest hope of all, membership in the family of God.
We are chosen because Jesus was chosen.
We are a royal priesthood because Christ is the author of eternal salvation, having offered His own blood as an atoning sacrifice for us, rather than the blood of bulls and goats (Hebrews 5:9, 10:4).
We are a holy nation for we have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:13).
Finally, we are His own special people because we are family. As John 1:12-13 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, 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.”
Why has God done these things? It is clear in part b of 1Peter 2:9, “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” We who were once not all these things, are now the people of God. We are to proclaim his praises and to glorify Him doing it.
This is why Paul says to give thanks for everything, in 1Thessalonians 5:15, because though we might not like the thing we are giving thanks for, we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, (Romans 8:28). So we glorify him in weakness, in strength, in fullness and in emptiness. We honor Him even when our feelings don’t want to, and we come back to Him though we may be far away. Why? It is because we are the Church, the body of Christ. We are a chosen, royal, holy, special bunch of misfits that fit perfectly together when placed by God where we belong, and have every reason to give Him all the glory.
1Peter 2:9 says four specific things about the Church: it is chosen, it is a royal priesthood, it is a holy nation, and it is God’s own special people.
Those are some powerful thoughts that we need to ponder as believers. All of them have to do with the fact that Christians are in fact part of Christ. Therefore the Father sees us in His Son, which means He honors us as He honors Son.
When a sinner believes in Christ, Colossians 1:13 states, we have been “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” 1 Corinthians 12:13a also says, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” That body spoken of is seen in 1Corinthians 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” We, who were once condemned and without hope now have the greatest hope of all, membership in the family of God.
We are chosen because Jesus was chosen.
We are a royal priesthood because Christ is the author of eternal salvation, having offered His own blood as an atoning sacrifice for us, rather than the blood of bulls and goats (Hebrews 5:9, 10:4).
We are a holy nation for we have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:13).
Finally, we are His own special people because we are family. As John 1:12-13 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, 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.”
Why has God done these things? It is clear in part b of 1Peter 2:9, “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” We who were once not all these things, are now the people of God. We are to proclaim his praises and to glorify Him doing it.
This is why Paul says to give thanks for everything, in 1Thessalonians 5:15, because though we might not like the thing we are giving thanks for, we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, (Romans 8:28). So we glorify him in weakness, in strength, in fullness and in emptiness. We honor Him even when our feelings don’t want to, and we come back to Him though we may be far away. Why? It is because we are the Church, the body of Christ. We are a chosen, royal, holy, special bunch of misfits that fit perfectly together when placed by God where we belong, and have every reason to give Him all the glory.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Have A Taste
And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. 1 Samuel 14:24
This is a strange story, and it relates to Saul’s attitude toward God. After being anointed King of Israel, Saul was not up to the task. He was timid and feared failure, so when a challenge came, he relied on his own know how rather than obedience to God’s command. At one point when he was to kill every person and animal of a certain kingdom Saul instead spared the King and the flocks. "Why waste good animals? It just doesn't make sense." Saul was not confident enough in the Lord his God to obey what he could not understand. This is the same spirit that Achan had in Joshua 7. In victory Achan was not satisfied and took the Babylonian garment, the silver and gold in contradiction to God’s edict.
Jonathan, King Saul’s son, along with his armor barer made a bold attack on a Philistine outpost that threw the Philistines into great confusion and rallied the downtrodden Israelites to a great victory. So why was Saul intent on having everyone suffer hunger in the midst of victory? It was because he thought it would please God and give him more favor. The thing is, they had already won and were mopping up after the Lord had obviously gone before them in the battle. Saul was blind to God’s ways.
Saul’s son, who was igniting a faith victory, was not around to hear Saul’s curse on the one who would eat before evening and innocently tasted some honey he found in the forest. The honey gave him physical renewal and he questioned his father’s wisdom in making the soldiers abstain from food during the battle. Triumph was on the menu for Jonathan and no one, not even the King, was going to spoil it.
How miserable we are when we try to do God’s work without God’s help. When Saul finally asked God’s help, God would not show him what to do so he looked for someone to blame. Every bad thing that happened in Saul’s life was due to his own sin and pride. To prove he was righteous he was willing to sacrifice the one spiritual person in the crowd, his own son. Saul tried to lift himself up but was torn down instead and ultimately would die in battle because of his foolishness.
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10) Had Saul learned this lesson of humility and reliance on the Almighty history would have been kinder to him.
Saul lived in defeat, and finally tasted death as a broken man. Though Jonathan who tasted the honey and was revived would also die in battle, he was never defeated in spirit because he trusted in the Lord. “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)
This is a strange story, and it relates to Saul’s attitude toward God. After being anointed King of Israel, Saul was not up to the task. He was timid and feared failure, so when a challenge came, he relied on his own know how rather than obedience to God’s command. At one point when he was to kill every person and animal of a certain kingdom Saul instead spared the King and the flocks. "Why waste good animals? It just doesn't make sense." Saul was not confident enough in the Lord his God to obey what he could not understand. This is the same spirit that Achan had in Joshua 7. In victory Achan was not satisfied and took the Babylonian garment, the silver and gold in contradiction to God’s edict.
Jonathan, King Saul’s son, along with his armor barer made a bold attack on a Philistine outpost that threw the Philistines into great confusion and rallied the downtrodden Israelites to a great victory. So why was Saul intent on having everyone suffer hunger in the midst of victory? It was because he thought it would please God and give him more favor. The thing is, they had already won and were mopping up after the Lord had obviously gone before them in the battle. Saul was blind to God’s ways.
Saul’s son, who was igniting a faith victory, was not around to hear Saul’s curse on the one who would eat before evening and innocently tasted some honey he found in the forest. The honey gave him physical renewal and he questioned his father’s wisdom in making the soldiers abstain from food during the battle. Triumph was on the menu for Jonathan and no one, not even the King, was going to spoil it.
How miserable we are when we try to do God’s work without God’s help. When Saul finally asked God’s help, God would not show him what to do so he looked for someone to blame. Every bad thing that happened in Saul’s life was due to his own sin and pride. To prove he was righteous he was willing to sacrifice the one spiritual person in the crowd, his own son. Saul tried to lift himself up but was torn down instead and ultimately would die in battle because of his foolishness.
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10) Had Saul learned this lesson of humility and reliance on the Almighty history would have been kinder to him.
Saul lived in defeat, and finally tasted death as a broken man. Though Jonathan who tasted the honey and was revived would also die in battle, he was never defeated in spirit because he trusted in the Lord. “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)
Monday, July 6, 2009
Which Way Are You Growing?
Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 1 Peter 2:1-2
The Apostle Peter tells Christians to lay aside these five things listed in verse 1. They are all characteristics of fallen man.
Peter, under the direction of the Holy Spirit is pointing out some of the negative things that are affecting people in the church. He is assuming that since people are now believers that they will change the way they live. How shocking! How could God be so presumptuous as to ask us to conform to a new belief system and to live a life that turns its back on the world and its ways?
I fear that as a Christian I sometimes ignore the commands of the Word of God in order to live a life style that is more convenient to the 21st century. What a mistake it is to brush off these protections that have been put in place to help us to grow into the fullness of our salvation.
“As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word.” Our goal here, according to the Word, is to regress from our human ways and sophistication and become like a hungry child craving that which is good. A newborn has not had the time to learn all the negative habits of the world. All it knows is it must drink milk. That is what the new Christian needs to experience, not all the dogma of denominationalism or even how to dress to be accepted in the church. What one must do is crave to know God through His word leaving behind all the things that would taint their new relationship to their heavenly Father.
When this principle of Christian behavior is followed then a newborn babe will not only grow, but will do it in the strength that can only come through God. The prophet Jeremiah would say, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” (Jeremiah 15:16a)
Have we become too laid back as Christians? Have the commands of the Bible become suggestions rather than ordinances? If they have then we won’t grow into the men and women that God desires us to be.
Are we becoming more like Christ, or more like the world? Let’s take a look at our lives and evaluate what direction our Christian path is taking and then make the necessary adjustments.
The Apostle Peter tells Christians to lay aside these five things listed in verse 1. They are all characteristics of fallen man.
Peter, under the direction of the Holy Spirit is pointing out some of the negative things that are affecting people in the church. He is assuming that since people are now believers that they will change the way they live. How shocking! How could God be so presumptuous as to ask us to conform to a new belief system and to live a life that turns its back on the world and its ways?
I fear that as a Christian I sometimes ignore the commands of the Word of God in order to live a life style that is more convenient to the 21st century. What a mistake it is to brush off these protections that have been put in place to help us to grow into the fullness of our salvation.
“As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word.” Our goal here, according to the Word, is to regress from our human ways and sophistication and become like a hungry child craving that which is good. A newborn has not had the time to learn all the negative habits of the world. All it knows is it must drink milk. That is what the new Christian needs to experience, not all the dogma of denominationalism or even how to dress to be accepted in the church. What one must do is crave to know God through His word leaving behind all the things that would taint their new relationship to their heavenly Father.
When this principle of Christian behavior is followed then a newborn babe will not only grow, but will do it in the strength that can only come through God. The prophet Jeremiah would say, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” (Jeremiah 15:16a)
Have we become too laid back as Christians? Have the commands of the Bible become suggestions rather than ordinances? If they have then we won’t grow into the men and women that God desires us to be.
Are we becoming more like Christ, or more like the world? Let’s take a look at our lives and evaluate what direction our Christian path is taking and then make the necessary adjustments.
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