Why the Incarnation?

 

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

Hebrews 2:14-15 ESV

 

The Christmas story is one that is known by most everyone. It’s known not only by those who believe in him. It’s known also by those who reject what Scripture says of him.  However, even though believers and unbelievers alike know the story and get caught up in the celebration of Christmas, many objections are raised to its message.

 

One such objection involves the incarnation itself. Besides wondering how it’s possible, some wonder why God had to become man in the first place. They wonder why he took on flesh and lived among his creation.

 

We find the answer to this question in the above passage. The author of Hebrews tells us, first of all, that Jesus became like us. He partook of flesh and blood. And the reason he did this is that he might accomplish our salvation.

 

As most of us know, this was accomplished by Jesus’ death on the cross. In this way, he paid the penalty of our sin. He died on our behalf and satisfied the wrath of God.

 

However, one of the things that stands out as we consider the nature of God is that he cannot die. God is not mortal. He’s immortal, eternal, and unchanging.

 

If he, then, was to pay the penalty of our sin, he had to become man. If he was to die on our behalf, he had to take on flesh. If he was to satisfy the righteous requirement of God’s justice, he had to take on our nature.

 

In this way, by taking on human flesh and dying on the cross, he destroyed the devil. He destroyed the one who accuses us before God. And he delivers us from our slavery to the fear of death.

 

In other words, because of Jesus, we no longer have to live in fear of death. Because he took on flesh, we’re no longer held in bondage by our fear of death. And because he died on our behalf, we know that life eternal is ours.

 

Some will object that none of this was necessary. They tell us that God could have forgiven us apart from Christ’s sacrifice. And they tell us that he could simply overlook our sin. Nothing, however, is further from the truth.

 

Because he is righteous, God cannot allow sin into his presence. Because he is holy, he cannot tolerate wrongdoing. And because he is just, the penalty of our sin has to be paid.

 

By the incarnation, you see, the nature and the character of God were upheld. They were in no way violated. And, at the same time, our salvation was realized.

H - E - Double Hockey Sticks

 

“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”

2 Thessalonians 1:9-10

 

If you talk to people in society today, most seem to believe that they’ll spend eternity in heaven. And this is true not only of believers in Jesus. It’s true of most everyone.

 

Although most people seem to believe in the existence of hell, it’s generally believed that it’s for only the worst offenders. Few seem to believe that they will spend eternity in hell. And if it is acknowledged, it’s usually in done in lighthearted fashion.

 

Among those who do so, it’s sometimes suggested that hell is a party. The implication is that it’s appealing because it means spending eternity having a good time with your friends. It means having a good time with your friends in an atmosphere that is anything but God-pleasing.

 

However, as Paul talks about hell in the passage above, we see clearly that it’s not a good time. We see clearly that it’s not an appealing option. And we’re given a clear picture of who will be there.

 

Just prior to this passage, in verse 8, Paul speaks of those who do not know the Lord and those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus. In this way, Paul describes those who are lost. He describes those without faith in Jesus.

 

In this way, he refers to those who have yet to encounter the gospel, as well as to those who have refused the gospel. After all, we are born into this world in a lost state, and stand condemned from the beginning of life. And to refuse the gospel is to refuse both life and salvation.

 

It’s they, he says, who will suffer the torments of hell. And this punishment is described as that of eternal destruction. However, Paul is not suggesting that these people will be annihilated, or that they’ll cease to exist.

 

He goes on to say that they’ll suffer this destruction away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might when he comes to be glorified. In other words, they’ll be forever separated from the Lord’s presence. And they’ll be forever separated from his blessings.

 

We see, in verse 8, that this is an act of vengeance on his part. It’s an act of retribution. It’s an act of judgment as these people, who have not received the benefits of Jesus’ atonement, pay the penalty of their sin.

 

It’s clear to us, then, that hell is no joke. It’s not an appealing option for ourselves or for others. And, for this reason, we ought do all that we can to make the gospel known.

Indispensable Doctrine

 

“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”

Titus 2:1 ESV

 

As we look at the church of today, we find that all kinds of things are being taught. We find that there are all kinds of crazy things that are portrayed as Christian teaching. We find that much of what is being passed off as Christian teaching is very different from what we find in Scripture and from that of the historic Christian Church.

 

The same thing was true in the days of Paul. As we look at the end of the first chapter of Titus, Paul points out what some of them were. He refers to Jewish myths and to the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

 

However, as Paul writes to this young pastor, named Titus, he tells him that he is to teach what accords with sound doctrine. He is to teach what was consistent with sound teaching. He is to speak things that are fitting or appropriate to sound doctrine.

 

In the day in which we live, doctrine is thought to be a dirty word. Doctrine is synonymous with dry and boring. It’s also synonymous with dead and lifeless.

 

For this reason, people will choose a church with which to identify and worship based not upon its doctrine. So often, we look instead to the entertainment value.  We look to the emotional response that a church is able to generate.  And we look to the programs that are offered.

 

However, while we go to a church that gives us the “feels,” we receive teaching that contradicts Scripture. While we go to a church that appeals to our taste, we receive teaching that sets itself above Scripture. And while we go to a church that offers the programming we desire, we receive teaching that leads us not to life and salvation, but to death and judgment.

 

No matter the common perception of our day, doctrine is essential. In fact, it should be first and foremost in our consideration when it comes to the church with which we associate. Doctrine literally means “right teaching.” And it should be clear to us why right teaching is so important.

 

Right teaching offers to us what is true. It offers to us a proper explanation of the Word of God. It provides to us the correct understanding of the faith taught to us in Scripture.

 

While it may be possible for us to find a church that appeals to our taste while offering sound doctrine, and while it may be possible for us to find a church that offers right teaching and the programming we desire, a church’s doctrine must always be our main priority. If we’re to make sacrifices, it’s better for us to sacrifice our preferences and desires rather than right teaching. If we’re forced to choose, a church’s doctrine should guide our choice.

Counted Worthy

 

“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

2 Thessalonians 1:5-8 ESV

 

As we read about the suffering and persecution of the church, whether it be in times past or even today, we consider it to be a horrible thing. And indeed, it is. None of us enjoy the sight of others suffering.  And none of us like the thought of suffering ourselves.

 

This is especially true when the suffering is unjust. It’s especially true when that suffering is undeserved. And it seems clear to us that suffering because of our faith, suffering for what we believe, is certainly undeserved.

 

For this reason, we count ourselves blessed. We feel fortunate that, up to this point, we’ve avoided suffering for our faith. We’re happy to live in a place where, for the most part, the church has been able to freely live out our faith.

 

However, Paul tells the Thessalonians that their faithfulness, in the face of persecution and affliction, is an indication of God’s righteous judgment. It’s evidence of God’s righteous judgment. In other words, it’s an indication that, in God’s righteous judgment, they are worthy of his eternal blessing.

 

Perseverance and faith are tried in the course of persecution. They are proven as persecution is experienced. And, in the case of the Thessalonians, their unshaken faith was evidence of the blessing they were to receive.

 

The same is true, of course, of those who are suffering for our faith today. The same is true of those who remain faithful in the face of persecution today. And the same will be true of us, if we ever find ourselves being persecuted for the sake of the gospel.

 

That being said, the opposite is true of their persecutors. Those who inflicted this misery would suffer on account of it. God considered it just, Paul says, to repay them for what they’ve done.

 

And they will be repaid in the end, at the final judgment. This will take place when Jesus is revealed from heaven with his angels. It will take place when Jesus inflicts vengeance on those who have not received the gospel.

 

In this way, their roles are reversed. In this way, the tables are turned. Those who have been afflicted will find relief, and those who have afflicted the people of God will themselves be afflicted.

 

In this sense, suffering can serve as a blessing for us. As we persevere in the face of suffering and affliction, we’re assured that we are counted worthy of God’s salvation. We’re assured that we will receive the blessing Jesus has promised to all who believe in him.

 

 

Ministry from a Distance

 

 ^“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.”

2 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV

 

As we seek to serve the Lord, our tendency is to think that we can only do so among those who are nearby. We tend to think that we can only serve the Lord among those who surround us on a day-to-day basis. We tend to think that we can only serve the Lord among our family, our friends, and members of the community in which we live.

 

We also tend to think that we can only do so among those we are directly serving. We tend to think that we can serve the Lord only as we minister to them directly. We tend to think that we can serve the Lord only as we personally interact with people.

 

And we tend to think that we can only do so by intentional activity. We tend to think that we can do so only through active service. We tend to think that we do so by something other than our ordinary, day-to-day, life.

 

However, as we see in the above verse, this is far from the truth. We find that we are able to bless people from a distance. In fact, we find that we’re able to influence people without personal interaction or contact. And we find that we can do so by simply living a life of faithfulness.

 

We see in the words of Paul that the church of Thessalonica was doing just that. They were blessing people as the report of their faith was being made by Paul and his companions. They were blessing others as their faith, in the midst of persecution, was being shared with other congregations.

 

We see that Paul boasted about the believers at Thessalonica. And the reason he did so was because they remained faithful in the face of persecution and affliction. In this way, they became an example to other believers in other cities throughout the world of their day.

 

I’m not suggesting that we, as American Christians, are under the same type of persecution and affliction. However, like the believers in Thessalonica, we can serve as an example to others. By simply living out our faith on a regular basis can influence others in their own life of faith.

 

We can influence others as we live out the vocations assigned to us. We can influence others as we live life as a godly husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter. We can influence others as we live life as a godly employer or employee, ruler or citizen, elite or commoner.

 

I’m also not suggesting that we should boast in ourselves. I’m not suggesting that we should pridefully hold ourselves up as “super-Christians” before others. However, we should realize that people are watching us, believers and unbelievers alike, as we live our life and serve others with faith in Christ.

The Need to Be Served

 “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.””

1 Corinthians 12:21 ESV

We hear often about the gifts that God entrusts to the Church. And, most often, the point of these sentiments is that we’re to use our gifts in the service of God and the Church. Yet, while this is, indeed, true, there is yet another lesson for us to take from this reality.

If you’re like me (and from my experience, most of you are), we are more willing to serve others than to allow others to serve us. This flows from our independent nature. It flows from our desire to take care of ourselves. And, for this reason, we’re not often willing to ask for help.

Yet, as we see in the verse above, we need every part of the body. It’s not only about giving help to others. Nor is it exclusively about serving others. It’s also about receiving the help and service of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is something of which I’ve been reminded during my recent surgery. There’s a humiliation involved, being completely helpless and at the whim of others. There’s a humiliation in being exposed before others. There’s a humiliation in being unable to even go to the bathroom on your own. There’s a humiliation in needing others to brush your teeth and to even help you roll over in bed. But, at the same time, it’s a blessing to have those who put all of their time and energy into your welfare.

This is what I’ve experienced recently. My surgeon was fantastic. His team was phenomenal. Each nurse who cared for me was caring and compassionate.

The same is true of all of you, as well. Your care for me has been amazing. Even though I’m not quick to ask for help, you have stepped up to the plate. The prayers lifted up on my behalf are greatly appreciated. The meals delivered to my home have been both delicious and a great blessing. The expressions of concern and offers of help have clearly demonstrated the love you have for me.

We can go to extremes on either side of this equation. We can become overly dependent upon others. We can become lazy and unwilling to do for ourselves. Or, of course, we can become hyper-independent, refusing the help of others. And we must take care to do neither.

But, the simple fact of the matter is that I need all of you. As much as it’s my call to serve you, I also need to be served by you. And it’s a great blessing to receive this service.

The ministry of the Church is not dependent on one person. It’s dependent on all of us. And my hope and prayer is that each of us will not only serve one another, gladly and willingly. My hope and prayer is that we’ll also receive the blessings offered to us by the body of Christ.

Made Clean

“What God has made clean, do not call common.”

Acts 10:15

According to the mindset of the Jews, they were the people of God while the Gentiles were not. They were clean, while the Gentiles were unclean. And, for this reason, the Jews looked down upon the Gentiles and generally limited their contact with them.

This mindset persisted even after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It persisted as the early church began to carry out the Great Commission, proclaiming the gospel in Jerusalem, as well as throughout Judea and Samaria. They continued to believe that the gospel was for their people alone. They continued to believe that, if they were to have access to the gospel, the Gentiles must first become Jews.

However, early on, God began to make clear that the gospel was not only for some, but for all. He made clear to Peter that he was to visit the home of a Gentile who had summoned him, desiring to hear the message of salvation. And Peter shared with all who had gathered the lesson that God had revealed to him, seen in the words above.

God had taught Peter that he was not to call common, that he was not to call unclean, what God had made clean. And, even though the Gentiles had been unclean, this was no longer true of them. It was no longer true of them because Christ had made them clean.

Jesus had made them clean by his death on the cross. He had made them clean by his resurrection from the grave. As we read in 1 John 2:2, Jesus served as the propitiation, or as the atoning sacrifice, for the sin of the whole world. And, for this reason, they were not to be denied the gospel.

Much like the Jews, we often consider certain groups of people unclean. We consider them to be undesirable. And, for this reason, we avoid them and deny them the gospel.

It could be those of a particular race or culture. It could be those of a certain political mindset. It could be those guilty of a certain set of sins. It could be those of a particular class. It could be those with certain disabilities. It could be those of all sorts of distinctions.

As we, then, seek to carry out the Great Commission, we too must learn this lesson. We must not call common, or unclean, that which God has made clean. We must realize that, just as Jesus has made us clean by his sacrifice, so too have all others. And, for this reason, we must not deny them the gospel. 

Growing in Love

 

“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.”

2 Thessalonians 1:1-3 ESV

 

It’s clear from Scripture that the desire of God is that we should love one another. We’re called to love our neighbor as ourselves. We’re called to love the stranger, or the alien, who lives among us as we love ourselves. We’re called to love one another as Christ has loved us. And we’re called to love even our enemies.

 

We know this and, although we try our best to carry it out, we continually fall short. And, as we see this reality, our primary response is simply to try harder. Our primary response is self-motivation or even group-motivation.

 

The problem with this is that, because of our sinful nature, love does not come natural to us. Even among those for whom it seems love should be natural, it’s very difficult. And when it comes to those who hate us, it’s impossible.

 

How, then, do we grow in this area of our life? How do we grow in love for one another? The answer to this is implied in the above passage.

 

Paul gives thanks to God for the Thessalonians because their faith was growing abundantly. In addition to this, he says, their love for one another was growing. And it seems clear that there’s a correlation between the two.

 

As they grew in faith, they grew in love. And the same is true for each of us. As we grow in faith, our love for one another naturally grows along with it.

 

This follows naturally because, as we trust in Christ, our heart is conformed to his own. As we trust in Christ, good works naturally follow. And these works are empowered by the Spirit of God.

 

We see this, for example, as we look at Galatians 5. Love, we see, is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, it’s empowered by the Spirit of God.

 

Growing in love, then, is not something that we can produce by our own strength or effort. It’s, rather, something that’s produced by God through faith in Jesus. In short, as we grow in faith, so too will we grow in love.

 

If we, then, are to grow in love, we must grow in faith. And, once again, this is not something that we accomplish. It’s not something that’s attained by our own efforts. We grow in faith as God works in us by his Word and Spirit.

Made Holy

 

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 ESV

 

As Christians, we know and believe that we are saved by the grace of God alone. We know and believe that this grace is received through faith in Christ alone. And we know and believe that our efforts play absolutely no role whatsoever in our salvation.

 

However, when it comes to sanctification, we tend to believe something very different. We tend to believe that, even if God has a hand in it, we are responsible for our sanctification. We tend to believe that, ultimately, we are sanctified by our own effort.

 

Just to be clear, to sanctify something means to make it sacred. It means to make something holy. And sanctification is the process by which we are made sacred. It’s the process by with we are made holy.

 

While it’s true that we can reject the work of God in our life, while it’s true that we can cast-off this blessing by ongoing sin and unrepentance, we are sanctified in the same way that we are justified. We are sanctified in the very same way we are saved. Sanctification is the work of God alone.

 

We see this in the above passage. As Paul is concluding his first epistle to the Thessalonian church, he offers to them a blessing. And it’s clear, in this blessing, that God is the source of our holiness.

 

He didn’t instruct them to sanctify themselves. Nor did he tell them that they played a role in their sanctification. He simply blesses them, saying: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely…” And, afterwards, he offers to them this assurance: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

 

This stands in agreement with the rest of Scripture, which is clear about our sinful condition and our inability to please God. It stands in agreement with the rest of Scripture, which tells us that the good we do results from the work and power of God in our life. It stands in agreement with the rest of Scripture, which assures us that every blessing comes only from the hand of God.

 

So, just as we trust not in ourselves for salvation, may we refrain from trusting in ourselves for our sanctification. Let’s, rather, look to the Lord who accomplishes this both in us and for us. Let’s trust that, as he continually works within us by his Word and Spirit, he will make us holy.

 

Balance

 “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:19-22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In the Christian Church today, some tend to believe that, once we’re saved, there’s no need to worry. We don’t need to worry, they tell us, because we cannot fall away from the Lord. We cannot lose our salvation. And this often becomes a false sense of comfort.

There are also those who are quick to accept anything and everything as though it were from God. They listen to any and every preacher and teacher, accepting everything they say. They never question anyone or anything.

As with everything, there is a balance to the Christian life. There is the possibility of going to one of two extremes. And we must take care to do neither.

We see this reflected in the above passage. As he’s concluding his first letter to the believers at Thessalonica, Paul tells them that they must not quench the Spirit. They must not put out the Spirit. And clearly, if he’s warning them against this, it’s a real possibility.

It’s by the Spirit of God that we are brought to faith in Jesus. It’s he who works in us, through the Word of God, establishing us in faith. And he also is responsible for the fruit of faith seen in our lives.

If we, then, quench the Spirit, we refuse his work. And this puts us in a dangerous place. It puts us in a place where our faith cannot be sustained.

Paul also told the believers that they were not to despise prophecies. Prophets, of course, are those who convey the Word of God to the people. So, to put a positive spin on it, he’s encouraging the people to receive the words that the Lord is speaking to them.

Again, it is possible for us to despise prophecies. It’s possible for us to refuse the Word of God. But, once again, this leaves us in a dangerous place.

It’s dangerous because it's by the Word of God that we become aware of our sin. It’s by the Word of God that we learn of Jesus. And it’s by the Word of God that we receive the hope of the gospel. Without this, we cannot and will not be saved.

However, on the other hand, Paul warned the people to test everything. In other words, they weren’t to blindly receive everything that was fed to them. They were to put it to the test. They were to prove it, ensuring it was genuine.

We’re warned over and over in Scripture against false prophets. We’re warned of false teachers who will come into our midst. And this is what makes this testing necessary.

Paul then called on his readers to hold fast to what is good and to abstain from what is evil. So, they’re to receive that which is clearly from the Lord, and they were to reject that which wasn’t. They were to cling to that which was from God and dispose of that which wasn’t.

Because God is holy, righteous, and good, because God is all-knowing, he cannot and will not contradict himself. We must, then, test any message or teaching that is given to us with the Word of God we’ve already received. We must ensure that it’s consistent with the Word of God.

In this way, we find that balance. We don’t take God’s blessings for granted, relying on a false assurance. But, at the same time, we’re not blindly accepting anything and everything as though it were from God.

The Source of Faith

Most of us know and believe that we are saved only by the grace of God. Our works play no part in it, nor can they. It’s a free gift of God.  

We know also and believe that this grace is received only by faith. It’s through faith in Jesus that we receive the grace of God and are saved. As we read in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

However, what is this faith and where does it come from? Have you ever thought about that? How do we come by this faith which enables us to receive the grace of God?

Most of us tend to think that our faith results from our ability to reason. This is why so many of us believe that babies cannot have faith and that they are automatically saved. We reason that they are not yet at the point where they are able to believe.

Scripture, however, tells us otherwise. David tells us in Psalm 22:9-10, for example, that God made him to have faith while he was at his mother’s breast. From the time he was an infant, God made him to believe.

In Matthew 18 we see that, calling to himself a small child, Jesus told the people that unless they became like children, they would never enter the kingdom of heaven. And he went on to say that whoever caused one of these little ones who believe in him to sin, would be better off dead. In this way, Jesus clearly stated that young children can have faith.

The Bible is equally clear that none of us can come to faith on our own. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul tells us that the natural person (the person without the Spirit) cannot understand the things of God. And in Romans 3, Paul tells us that there is no one who understands or who seeks for God. So, even as adults, we are incapable of understanding the gospel. Our ability to reason has no bearing on this whatsoever.

As we investigate this further, we learn that it’s only by the Spirit of God that we are able to confess faith in Jesus. Paul tells us at the beginning of 1 Corinthians 12 that a Spirit-filled person cannot deny Christ. And he goes on to say that a person without the Spirit cannot confess Jesus as Lord. In the same way, in John 6, Jesus says that no one can come to him unless he’s drawn by the Father.

This tells us that, just as salvation is a gift of God, so too is faith. The ability to believe in Jesus, the ability to trust in Christ, is not something we possess on our own. It’s something that God enables in us.

And, finally, we see that this faith is received through the Word of God. Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ. So, it’s as we hear God’s Word, and as the Holy Spirit works through the Word, that we’re enabled to believe.

This, then, reveals to us why it’s so important for us to be in the Word of God. It reveals to us why it’s so important for us to share the Word of God with our children. And it reveals to us why it’s so important for us to share God’s Word with those who don’t yet believe. It’s through this Word that God works in us, enabling us to believe and to be saved.

Our Gospel Hope

 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

 

As we read the above passage, it sounds pleasing and it seems simple enough. But, in reality, it’s anything but simple. It’s anything but simple because life is hard.

 

Life is full of problems and hardships. And, as we face them, we don’t feel like rejoicing, we don’t feel like praying, and it doesn’t seem to us that we have reason to give thanks. These admonitions, which ordinarily seem good and easy to fulfill suddenly become difficult on so many levels.

 

After all, why would we rejoice when life is hard? Why would we pray when it seems that our requests go unheard? And why would we give thanks when it seems we’re receiving only the curse and never the blessing?

 

These are all fair questions. And, as we live in this world, they seem logical. They reveal, however, that we’re short-sighted. They reveal to us that we’ve failed to understand the gospel.

 

According to Scripture, the difficulties and hardships of life are the consequences of sin. They’re the natural result of sin. And we must not pretend that any of these consequences are undeserved.

 

Yet, as we reflect upon this truth, our tendency is to point to the forgiving and gracious nature of God. And Jesus, indeed, came into this world to save us from sin and its consequences. This does not mean, however, that our life in this world will be perfect. It does not mean that it will be free of problems.

 

We will only be free of sin when we meet Jesus face to face. And we will only be free of the consequences of our sin when the end of this age has come. At that time, sin and its consequences will be no more as we are conformed to the image of Christ.

 

In the meantime, this means that we’ll continue to face hardships and difficulties. But we must realize that they’re only temporary. They will not endure forever.

 

That which is eternal provides us with ample reason to rejoice. It gives us ample reason to pray. And it gives us ample reason for thanksgiving.

 

We can rejoice in Jesus and what he’s done for us. We can rejoice in the sacrifice he made on our behalf and his resurrection from the grave. And we can rejoice in the blessings he’s provided for us in this way.

 

We can rejoice even in the face of hardships. We can pray in the face of difficulties. We can give thanks when it feels like we’re on the receiving end of God’s judgment. We can do so because of the gospel. We can do so because of the hope we have in Jesus.

 

Embracing the Mess

 

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

1 Thessalonians 5:14

 

Many of us, in the church today, fail to interact with our fellow church members. As I’ve mentioned before, we make in our aim to get in and out of worship in as little time as possible. And, as a result, we don’t truly get to know those who surround us in the pews each week.

 

This can lead to false impressions. From the outside, it seems that everyone else has it all together. We, then, compare that impression with own circumstances, which we know to be a mess.

 

However, when we truly get to know our fellow believers, we find that their lives are a mess as well. We find that they too have problems and difficult circumstances in life. And this can affect us in one of two ways.

 

For some, it’s further reason to separate themselves from the body of Christ. Because their lives are messy, we assume that the faith professed by these people is either weak or non-existent. And it turns us off to the Church, and perhaps to the Christian faith.

 

However, as believers, this reality should create within us a desire to minister to our fellow believers. It should create within us a desire to bless our fellow believers. And, in the passage above, Paul told the Thessalonians how they could do just that.

 

He points out that some, in the church, are prone to idleness. They’re undisciplined and disorderly. They’re slothful and inactive.  And Paul encourages the church to admonish, or to warn, such people.

 

Others are fainthearted. They are disheartened or feebleminded. And they were to encourage such people.

 

Still others are weak. And, while this word can refer to those who are without strength or feeble when it comes to the body, or those who are weak in mind, in power, or in significance, they were to be helped. The body of Christ was to do what it could to assist them.

 

The last phrase, I believe, is the key. Paul tells the church to be patient with them all. Whatever their struggle, whatever their weakness, the church was to be enduring or long-suffering with them.

 

In the same way, as we encounter those in the body of Christ with particular needs or flaws, we’re to bear with them. We are to minister to them in their need by offering both correction and encouragement. And we’re to suffer alongside them as long as the need persists.

Peaceful Lives

 “Be at peace among yourselves.”

1 Thessalonians 5:13 ESV

One thing the church is not known for is peace. And when I say this, I’m not referring to the church’s relationships with those of other belief systems. Nor am I talking about actions carried out by the church in ages past, like the Crusades.

I’m referring to the relationships of those within the church. I’m referring to the life of its members. And I think we can agree that it is often anything but peaceful.

There has been some friction in every church of which I’ve been a part, either as a member or a pastor. Some, of course, are worse than others. However, this is true nevertheless.

We can simply chalk this up to our sinful nature, and we wouldn’t be wrong in doing so. Yet this doesn’t excuse the ugly reality that confronts us. We are called to do better.

As we see above, Paul called the members of this congregation to be at peace, or to live peaceably, with one another. Each member was to do his part in this endeavor. He couldn’t, of course, control the actions or the attitudes of others. But, as much as it depended on him, he could be at peace with others.

Paul stated as much in Romans 12:18. While the context of this passage isn’t the church, he reminded the people that it wasn’t their place to take revenge. When they were wronged, they were instead to leave this to the Lord.

He encouraged them to repay evil with good. This, you see, is what it means to live in peace with others. It means extending grace to those who wrong us. It means putting an end to the cycle of vengeance and allowing God to handle it according to his will.

If this isn’t reciprocated we’re, at the very least, testifying to the grace of Jesus by our actions. He, you recall, didn’t seek revenge against those who rejected and harmed him. He, instead, died in their place, paying the penalty of their sin, that they might have peace with God through faith in him.

However, if everyone lives in this way, what a blessing for all. In this way, we each receive grace from our neighbor. And, in this way, the church’s reputation of mutilating our own comes to an end.

This isn’t, of course, something we can do of our own accord. Having received the grace of Jesus, who established us in a state of peace with God, we naturally begin to desire peace with others. We naturally begin to live peaceably with others. And when we fall short, we seek the forgiveness of God that is found in Christ.

The Blessing God Intended

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 ESV

 

Many of us, specifically here in the United States, have an extreme libertarian mindset. We believe that we can and should be completely independent, free of any guidance and oversight. In fact, we tend to buck any authority that is placed over us.

 

This is often true within the church, as well. Many of us, as believers, do not believe we need any oversight. We do not believe we need anyone to teach us. And we do not believe we need any accountability whatsoever.

 

I remember being told by a church member, long ago, that Christians ideally need no pastors. He seemed to believe that they are only necessary as a majority of Christians do not engage with the Word of God as they should, nor serve as they are called. This, however, contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture.

 

We are told, quite plainly, that pastors are God’s gift to the church (Ephesians 4:11). They’re given to equip the saints for the work of ministry and for the building up of the body of Christ. And this tells us that they are, in fact, good and necessary.

 

In the above passage, Paul calls on the church to respect those who labor among them, who are over them in the Lord, and who admonish them. They were to esteem these leaders very highly in love because of their work. They were to be esteemed not because of who they were, but because of what they did. After all, according to Jesus, those who are greatest in the kingdom of God are those who serve (Matthew 23:11).

 

I realize that, because I’m a pastor, this may seem rather self-serving. But this isn’t a case of someone in authority telling those under his authority to submit. This is true for all of us, even pastors.

 

Even we need those whom God has placed over us, who admonish us, and who labor among us. We need the encouragement given to us by others who are servant leaders. And we need to be continually equipped, as we continue in our service.

 

For this reason, we must not buck those who are over us in the Lord. We must not think of them as unnecessary. We’re, instead, to receive them as a blessing of God.

Living in Light of Jesus' Return

 

“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11

 

Many of us, who profess faith in Christ, live a contradiction. While we confess faith in Jesus, and while we confess faith in his promises, we live like those who surround us. We live like those who have no faith in Jesus whatsoever.

 

Our life is not one of repentance, nor is it one of faith. It’s a life of sin and rebellion. It’s a life of depravity and immorality.

 

Earlier in the fifth chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul discussed the return of Christ. He recounted the fact that we do not know the day of Jesus’ return. But he drew a distinction between people of faith and those who are without.

 

This day, he said, should not surprise us. And it should not surprise us because we’re not of the night or of the darkness. In other words, we aren’t living in unrepentance. We are not living in sin. Although we still commit acts of sin, our life is not one of ongoing rebellion against the Lord.

 

For this reason, he calls us to keep awake. He calls us to remain sober. And he calls us to do so because God has not destined us to wrath, but to salvation.

 

In this way, Paul is calling us to live in light of Jesus’ return. After all, his return is our hope. And, believing his promise, we’re to live in this world expecting his coming.

 

What this means for us, as believers, is living a life of constant contrition and faith. It means doing so, knowing that he died on the cross for our salvation. It means doing so, knowing that he gave his life to free us from sin and its consequences and to bestow upon us redemption and life.

 

What does this mean for us, practically? It means a constant acknowledgment and confession of our sin. It means looking always to Jesus for forgiveness and mercy. And it means, by his grace, living according to his will.