American Salvation

We don’t need Jesus as much as our ancient forbears did.

That’s not to say that we don’t need the forgiveness of our sins.  Absolutely, we desperately need that.  And we need a relationship with God.  It is a wonderful feeling to know that, if we ever need God, we can pray to him and He’s there for us.  It’s good to have that security blanket, if we ever need Him.  And, of course, we need Him everyday.  That’s why we need to pray daily.  Because we need Him.

                So why don’t we pray?

                Well, sure, we prayed for Aunt Marge just last week.  She was going into surgery.  But she’s okay, because the doctors fixed her right up.  And we prayed for Tim, from our church, because he was going to Africa to visit some people who needed help.  We prayed for his protection.  He got back okay.  Of course, we knew that air travel is the safest way to go.  And there weren’t any wars where he was going.  But we’re glad we prayed, just in case. 

                And, of course, we worship God.  Some of us do it just on Sundays, and some every day.  But we recognize that its our responsibility to worship Him because He gave us life and created the world and provided us with the basics of every living thing.  So we thank him for our food, although we know that it came from stores after being processed after being grown in farms.  But somewhere back there, God did something to get us the food, so we thank Him.  It’s only respectful.

                It’s not like we believe that God doesn’t work today.  We certainly recognize God’s power in our lives.  It’s not like God is just some clockworker who put in the rechargeable battery and let it go. So why do we often practically act like deists?  Why does it seem as if our lives wouldn’t really be any different if we were just trying to be “good people”? 

                 Isn’t Christianity supposed to be something more intense?  What are we missing?

                Honestly, what we are missing is salvation.

                “No, no,” you interrupt, “you don’t understand.  We HAVE salvation.  We have it in Jesus.  Jesus died on the cross.  We believe.  So we have forgiveness and a relationship with God.  We already have it.”

                The problem is that forgiveness is only one part of salvation.  It’s important, that’s true, but its not the whole ball of wax.  Jesus offered us a lot more than just forgiveness.  He offers us the kingdom of God.  That’s quite a package.  It’s just that so few people really know what it all entails.

When Jesus offered us the kingdom, he offered us a nation of justice.  He offered us a nation that acts on the principle of caring for everyone, without exception, so that everyone will be cared for.  Justice is in Jesus’ hands, and he offers it to us. All we have to do is

                But we already have justice, don’t we?  That’s what we are told.  We live in a great nation of equality, where no one receives special treatment because of who they are.  Everyone is treated the same, no matter what their sex or their race or their social class or their wealth.  Everyone receives the same justice, the same opportunities… or, at least, that’s how it is supposed to work.

                I guess perhaps we don’t all have justice.  I guess there is still people of color who don’t receive equal treatment.  There are still women and even men who are refused jobs because of their sex.  There are immigrants and the homeless who aren’t treated with fairness.  There are still the mentally ill who are not given a fair shake.  So maybe we still need Jesus’ offer of justice after all.

When Jesus offered the kingdom of God, he was offering the outcast and lowly the opportunity to be rulers over the world.  He proclaimed good news to the poor, freedom to the prisoners and a new start to sinners.  Anyone could have the opportunity to lead in Jesus’ kingdom—they didn’t have to be rich or popular or part of a ruling class or a certain educational level.  Anyone could be powerful or have authority through the Holy Spirit, and rule with Jesus.

                But in our society, we already have that, don’t we.  After all, any kid in America could be whatever they want to be.  If a kid wants to be part of the police or an astronaut or even President of the whole country all they have to do is work hard and nothing will stop them from achieving their goal, right?

                But, actually, I wanted to be an astronaut until I found out that very few people could be in the few slots available for the position.  And I wasn’t good enough at science anyway.  Maybe, they said, I could be a social worker.  And as far as president?  When was the last time a homeless person became president?  Or a woman?   When was the last time an uneducated person become president?  No, the presidency is for a very few.  I guess we need Jesus’ salvation for the outcast after all.

               

                When Jesus offered us the kingdom of God, he offered us God’s knowledge and wisdom in all things.  He offered us the opportunity to know God’s righteousness and to know the hidden things of God.  We can have the Holy Spirit who will guide us in our lives and give us wisdom in every circumstance.

                But maybe we don’t need that knowledge anymore.  After all, we have great colleges and universities where we can learn anything of importance.  We have the internet to pick up any other kind of fact that we need.  And we have counselors and psychologists to offer us wisdom and counsel in our lives. Heck, we have search engines that will tell us whatever we know. 

                On the other hand, I never really learned that much in college.  I mean it was helpful, but it really only pointed the way.  And the ethics courses were pretty sketchy.  And though I can get a lot of facts in our society, I can’t tell the difference between Truth and the various forms of untruth that are floating around out there.  It’s so hard to tell the difference.  And I’ve got a friend, who is at least as sane as me, and the counselor keeps telling her that she’s got multiple personality disorder.  How many of those counselors and psychiatrists really understand us, who we really are, as individuals?  Perhaps we need Jesus’ salvation for wisdom after all.

When Jesus offered us the kingdom of God, he said that God would provide everything we need.  He said that we wouldn’t need to worry about food and clothing—God has got us covered (so to speak).  He said that he would heal our diseases and care for our wounds.  All of our basic needs would be provided for.

                But we don’t need God for that anymore.  I’m sure that the ancients needed God for their daily bread and health, but, frankly, us Americans are doing pretty well.  After all, I’ve never missed a meal in my life.  And I’ve eaten pretty well, if I can judge by my waistline.  We’ve got clean water and hot water and running water and sanitary water—that’s something!  And we have a better health system than ever seen in history.  More people are healed in a city hospital in one day than Jesus did in a year of ministry.

                Of course, people are mostly healed.  There is very little joy in healing, like with Jesus.  People sometimes seem sicker after their “healing” than before.  And I eat well and live well, it is true.  But why do I feel so guilty?  Why is there no satisfaction, not even any contentment, with my prosperity?  And why are there so many in the U.S. that don’t experience that prosperity?  Why are there children who are hungry, families who are homeless and strong men crippled by work?  Perhaps we need Jesus’ salvation of prosperity after all.

When Jesus offered us the kingdom of God, he promised us a society of God.  He said that we would have a society which would be our family, and we would have tight-knit bonds.  If any person was in need, the others would help them out.  Everyone would be supported and helped.

                But our society seems fine.  It offers a lot of variety, a lot of opportunity.  There are support groups everywhere, for every kind of issue.  There are churches and clubs and societies.  And if anyone is really in need, they could ask for it.  Or get welfare.

                On the other hand, our society seems full of violence.  And full of hatreds.  And there isn’t much forgiveness.  And I don’t know if I remember the name of anyone in my support group.  And I think I lied.  There’s no one who will really help us in need.  And welfare is humiliating.

When Jesus offered us the kingdom of God, he promised us a secure future.  We would be resurrected from the dead, and we would have eternal life.  We would be completely defended by God and there would be no more sorrows.  All the future would be ours, if only we would trust in Him.

                But our future seems fine.  We have the possibility of a comfortable retirement.  We have insurance to cover the worst of disasters—fire, flood, death, disease.  And we are secure in the hands of the U.S. military and the local police.  They keep things pretty secure.

                But, actually, we are pretty nervous.  We depended on Social Security, and we aren’t confident in it anymore.  We depended on insurance, and they said they wouldn’t pay for our disaster.  We had to take them to court to get the money we were promised.  And I would feel secure with the military and police, if only I could trust them.  If only I wasn’t afraid of what they would do.  As well as all the criminals and terrorists they miss.  I suppose that we still need Jesus salvation for the future.

When Jesus offered the kingdom of God, he was speaking about God’s rule.  God would be our Lord and Master and King.  No one would take us from his hand.  No one would rule over us, only God through Jesus.

                But, frankly, we don’t really want to be ruled by anyone.  I am the master of my own destiny, and I don’t really want anyone telling me what to do.  I have my own principles to live by.  I have my own ambitions.  It is enough for me to make my own decisions.  It is enough that I am in charge of my own life and I am independent of all rule.  Even God’s.   I think I understand now why we are practical deists.  Because we are content with what we already have.  We have made our own decisions and we have obtained the salvation the world offers, and why do we need any thing else?

 

                Except… that I made a mess of my life already.  I am depressed, sometimes forsaken, often sick.  My life is miserable, and I can’t blame anyone but myself.  I don’t know if I want to be independent.  I’m just not strong enough, not wise enough, not secure enough, not happy enough.  Maybe—just maybe—I really need Jesus to take over my life.

There is a salvation that America offers us.  It is often called the American dream.  We could fit into our society and live out this dream.  We could be consumers, and have whatever material things we want.  We could gain a high position socially.  We could live in a society of mutual respect and opportunity.  We could have security for our family and our children’s children.

                That’s the promise.  There’s only two problems with this promise.

                First of all, it’s a lie.  America cannot deliver it to us.  It never has, and it never will.  The government and society is inadequate for what the American dream promises.

                Also, Jesus’ offer is much better.  The kingdom of God is a more complete version of the salvation America offers. 

                Some of our greatest heroes, we have been told, offered us salvation.  George Washington.  Thomas Jefferson.  Abraham Lincoln.  Franklin Roosevelt.  Martin Luther King, Jr.  They offered us equality.  They offered us prosperity.  They offered us a glorious destiny.  It was an empty promise.  It was an offer without any substance.

            Only Jesus’ promise is the real thing.  The real salvation.

Your Own Personal Jesus

Who is Jesus?
Sure, we all know that Jesus is this great guy, who lived two thousand years ago, was a teacher, a healer, a prophet, that he was crucified, was risen from the dead and—oh yeah—he’s God too. But let’s face it, that was two thousand years ago—what has he done for me lately? Who is he to us right now, today? Let’s listen to what some have to say about their experiences of Jesus:

The Distant Authority Jesus
“Look, we all are under authority, and if we’re not, then we should be. Jesus is my ultimate authority, but he speaks directly through the authority who is directly over me. As long as I obey that authority, I’m obeying Jesus. If that authority tells me something against what Jesus says—who cares? That authority IS Jesus, for me. As long as I obey him, I’m okay.”

The Moral Teacher Jesus
“Jesus is, like, my moral guru. He’s the ultimate teacher, and he guides me everyday. He keeps me calm, so I don’t cause friction or difficulties for anyone. Jesus is just all about love and peace. What’s that? He talked to some guys called Pharisees? I didn’t know that. Still, Jesus is just totally cool.”

The Demi-god Jesus
“Jesus is always there for me. We’ve got a deal—I’ll praise him every Sunday and just sing and praise my heart out for him. Then, if I get any terrible discomfort—like, my car breaks down—then I can ask Jesus and he takes care of me. What do I do for him? Well, I praise him a lot—didn’t you hear me?”

The Doctrinal Jesus
“I am a firm believer in the orthodox Christian creed. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, he was crucified, buried and on the third day rose again for my sins. I go to church every Sunday to hear about it. And the rest of my life is pretty much my own. How do I live my life? Well, I try not to lie or cheat on my wife. I’m a pretty good person. But we were talking about Jesus, weren’t we?”

The Institutional Jesus
“I’m really involved in the church, and I just see Jesus there everyday. Every program we have is led by Jesus and we know that Jesus is constantly with us. How do we know? Well, Jesus said where two or three are gathered, and we’ve got a lot of people gathered and in agreement. So Jesus must be here right with us, no matter what we do, right?”

The Friendship Jesus
“Jesus is my best friend. There’s no one like Him. He’s always with me and I know he’s right there. He comforts me when I’m down, and he helps me out when I’ve got problems. He’s really a great guy. My Lord? Well, I wouldn’t call him my Lord—he’s my bud.”

The Real Jesus
There is nothing wrong with the Jesus’ portrayed above, generally. Each one seems really different, but they are each a general reflection of who Jesus is. The problem is that none of these Jesus’ above reflects the relationship Jesus says he wants us to have with him. Jesus is not just the Jesus we might experience, but he is the Jesus of the Bible, as portrayed by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. If our personal Jesus is different than the Jesus who we read about there, then we don’t have the real Jesus, we just have a copy.

The real Jesus invites us to join him and his troop. There is only one requirement—and that is that we accept Him as Lord. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me let him deny himself… and follow me.” It is not enough that we have Jesus at arms length—Jesus must be a part of who we are, directing us, guiding us to do what He wants, not what we want. In Jesus, our very selves are denied so that Jesus can take over. What does it mean to have Jesus as our Lord?

Jesus is our teacher
“There is only one teacher and you are all brothers.” Matthew 23:8
Jesus is the only true teacher, because he alone knows the truth. Jesus will tell us what really is reality, even if part of reality we can’t see yet. Jesus has experienced both this world and the spirit world, and is ready to explain them both to us. Jesus also tells us how to live—what is good and what is bad. Not only does he explain it, but he lives it out, providing us with an example of how to live. So as our Lord, he asks us to place him as our teacher above all other teachers, and put all other teachings—whether moral or otherwise— against his standard. If they aren’t compatible with his teaching, then we reject it.

Jesus is our master
“You call me teacher and master, and so I am.” John 13:13
But Jesus is not simply a teacher—he also is a master. He has direct authority over those who call him Lord. This means that Jesus has the last say over what we do. Jesus is our master, so we listen to him directly, through the Scripture and through the Spirit of God. We don’t have to hear someone else tell us what Jesus says. Jesus talks to us directly. But we need to constantly read the gospels so we can know what Jesus is saying to us.

Jesus is our deliverer
“I came to seek and to save the lost” Luke 19:10
Jesus saw us in our suffering and took pity on us. He saw that we were miserable and having difficulties with everyone around us, and we weren’t at peace in our lives. So he delivered us out of what was causing us to suffer. The whole world system is a system of suffering, and he delivered us from that. But not only that, he helps us daily to escape suffering. This doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t suffer—Jesus promised that we would—but we can have confidence that He can and will deliver us, and so we trust in him and seek him to do this.

Jesus is our king
“I am a king, for this I have been born… My kingdom is not of this world.”—John 19:36-37
Ultimately, when we say that Jesus is our Lord, we are saying that he is our King. Jesus is the king of our nation—called the kingdom of God—and we are the citizens of that nation forever. Our main allegiance is not to the country we reside in, but the country that currently resides in heaven. Jesus told everyone who is in his kingdom to tell others about his Lordship so that more and more people would join God’s kingdom—making it bigger! Soon Jesus will be coming back to earth—perhaps today—to rule the earth and he is preparing to judge everyone. We will all be judged—not on whether we called him Lord, but on whether we ACTED like it.

So we need to be ready. We must not just prepare ourselves with our “personal Jesus,” but we need to be ready to meet the REAL Jesus—real soon!

World Peace or Whirled Peas?

Got World Peace?
Peace, according to the Bible is not just an absence of violence or a peaceful, easy feeling, but it is well-being in a community. When the Bible promises “peace on earth to those obtaining grace”, it is not speaking of a lack of war, but of a ruling principle and nation who would provide for all in need and offer justice and peace to everyone, without exclusion. This well-being and justice is called “shalom” in the Bible.

Stuck with Whirled Peas?
If there is one thing the world lacks, it is peace, meaning shalom. If shalom is a world-wide community in which everyone experiences well-being, acceptance, mutual assistance, and equal justice for all, then we have never experienced it. In every nation, in every era, the poor have been oppressed. The outcast have been thrown out because of arbitrary cultural mores. The religious have judged and rejected all people who did not accept their narrow guidelines. The non-religious have judged and rejected the religious because of their devotion to God. And all people purpose to harm all people who stand in the way of their culture controlling and manipulating all others.

Life on earth is not shalom. It is anti-peace.

Everyone wants peace. Most of us in the world recognize that we are all in trouble, that we don’t have peace, and all of us want to obtain it. Or create it. Or force it on others. To create shalom where there is no shalom is what the Bible calls “salvation.” Frankly, it is a utopian ideal, just like democracy is, just like capitalism is, just like communism. The difference is that the Bible claims that salvation—the creation of shalom in the world—is something that only God can do. Peace and justice cannot come simply from human effort or from anarchy. It must be a work of God that humans join with. But it is initiated by God.

Getting Better All The Time
The first step of God’s shalom-making was creation. God saw the chaos, the pointlessness of the world and made it again. And, according to Scripture, after God’s peace-making, He established humanity to rule over His creation and to keep it in shalom. This plan failed when humanity chose rebellion and chaos instead of God’s shalom.

Another step in God’s shalom-making was choosing Abraham. Abraham was not a perfect man, but he was a person who sought God alone, being faithful to Him, and trusting in Him when all else seemed chaotic. God chose Abraham because of his trust in God and said that whoever would obtain shalom, in all the world, they must be like Abraham and choose his path of trust. This plan failed because people thought that following the ritual of Abraham or being born into the family of Abraham obtained this shalom.

Another step in God’s shalom-making was to create a community of shalom with very specific rules. He chose for His people a nation in slavery—the outcast—so they would know how to treat those who were outcast. And He taught them His ways of love and shalom for all his people. This experiment failed in different ways, over the years. First, the people didn’t believe that God could really give them shalom. Then, they sought out other spiritual powers to grant them shalom. Then, they oppressed the poor, forgetting that they were once poor themselves. And finally, they took God’s rules and make them so burdensome that it became impossible to live them out.

Without exception, everyone has done wrong before God and become offensive to Him. But we all have been given the opportunity to be right before God through the deliverance from the slavery to sin and death which can be found in the Messiah Jesus. When the Father raised Jesus from an official execution, he showed him to be the path to be forgiven of our sins and to have a relationship with God. God proved his justice—which was called into question by him overlooking sins in the past and because of his patience—by making acceptable the one who enters into the devotion of Jesus, and so He proved his actions just….Jesus was given to the authorities to be punished because of our wrongs before God and Jesus was raised from his execution so that we could be made acceptable before God. Therefore, since we have been made acceptable by committed devotion, we have the shalom of God through our King, Messiah Jesus. It is because of Him that we have the right to speak to God and receive the blessings of God, on which we depend on for our very well-being. We boast in our confidence in being a part of God’s glory. You see, we can boast in the sufferings we receive—even as Jesus did—because we know that our suffering gives us the opportunity to stick with God. And sticking with God in the midst of suffering—even as Jesus did— is the test of our true devotion to God. And if our devotion is tested, then we have confidence—because if Jesus was raised by His enduring devotion, so will we. And this confidence will never be dashed because God’s love fills us through the Holy Spirit, given by God, to help us endure in the midst of our struggles. (Romans 3:23-26; 4:25-5:5 SKV)

Love Reign O’er Me
Finally, after all of these temporary experiments, God began his final plan for shalom. He sent his Son to be emperor of the world, ruler of his people. First, Jesus displayed shalom by setting people free from spiritual judgment, offering them freedom from diseases and mental illnesses and offering them a new life in God. Then he told the people the life of shalom in God, living by the principles of shalom. Then, finally, he allowed the rulers of God’s people—the priests and elders—to kill him, treating him as an outcast of God’s people. But God vindicated his Son as the only way to God’s shalom, the great Truth-teller. And a new people was created under Jesus, living Jesus’ shalom-principles and testing the world with their message of destruction of the anti-shalom and the establishment of God’s shalom.

The Underground Revolution
Through Jesus, God is continually creating communities of shalom—some big and some small. These communities are made up of those who were rejected by the world and who are baptized in Jesus—namely, those who have committed themselves to being citizens of Jesus’ new nation of shalom. These baptized are committed to Jesus’ principles of peace and justice. But these principles are not enough in and of themselves, because we all are too weak, as humans, to maintain shalom. So the Emperor has allowed us to receive the Holy Spirit, who helps us in our weakness to maintain shalom, even when we do not have the strength to live it out.

Would you like to be a part of this process of creating shalom, or peace and justice on earth? The first step is to commit yourself to Jesus by being baptized. And then you live out Jesus’ principles of peace. Begin now by praying this: “Jesus, I have messed my life up. Rule over my life and make me a new person. Teach me how to being peace and justice to the world and give me the Holy Spirit to remain in that peace myself.”

True Spirituality John 3:1-16

Welcome to Another Dimension…
There is another universe. It is a universe completely ruled by God, without human intervention. However, it is not a universe without sin or rebellion. But it is a universe ruled as God would have it ruled. It is also a universe of tremendous power. It is a universe ruled with justice, mercy and great wisdom. Sin and rebellion are limited to certain sectors instead of being universal.

If we can connect to that universe, life would be so much better. God would be able to rule our lives directly, instead of through such weak vessels such as government. We could achieve justice on earth and peace, if we could but connect to that world. We could have lives of power, instead of the weakness we live with right now. We can have a connection to God. But how do we do that?

You mean like having an Avatar?
Jesus says, “You must be born again.” Unfortunately, this word has been used by so many people, and been attached to a certain kind of Christianity, that it has lost its original meaning. But what is its true meaning?

We would have to look at what Jesus says. He’s the one who used the phrase to begin with. So what does he say? “That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit.” “Spirit” is that which is sourced from the alternative universe. “Flesh” is that which is sourced in this world, follows its values, and is invested in this world. What Jesus says makes sense—if a person is to be a part of another world, they need to be re-born of that world, no longer a part of the one they were from. In national terms, this could be called a naturalized immigration. But in terms of being, it would be a rebirth. We don’t need to just be born again, in the same way we were last time. We need to be fully a part of the other world.

This doesn’t mean that we are not still a part of this world. Jesus says, “Unless one is born of water and of spirit, one cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Being “born of water” means being born of this world, born out of a mother’s womb. So the member of the spirit world is actually a being of two worlds—both this world and the next. But the one has to turn aside from the birth on earth in order to fully receive the other world. There has to be a choice, and the choice must be made for the spirit world.

Entering The Spirit World
How do we do this? This isn’t an everyday process. People can try to figure it out. Some will take mushrooms to discover the Spirit world. Some will practice meditation. Some will do yoga. Some will follow religious ritual. However, Jesus makes the choice pretty clear: “No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven: The Son of Man.” So we can look for spirituality all we want, but there’s only one person who can tell us the truth about the spirit world: Jesus himself. He’s the only one who’s been there personally and then come to tell us what goes on there. And He’s the only one who can tell us how to be a part of this world, because he’s the first one to be a part of both worlds.

So what does He say? How do we be born of the Spirit world? He has a lot to say about that, but this is the first step: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so whoever believes in him will have eternal life.” First of all, the Son of Man must be “lifted up”. What does that mean—ascended to heaven? Given an exalted place? Well, that’s all true—but first the Son of Man must be lifted up like Moses lifted up the serpent—hung on a piece of wood. The piece of wood is the “sign” that everyone would notice. And that kind of “lifting up” kills the Son, and then he is raised from the dead—indicating the way to the Spirit world. Resurrection is the true rebirth.

But if resurrection is the true rebirth, then how do we achieve it, while still alive? Again, we must trust in the Son who was killed so that he might be resurrected. We rely on Him, even if it means we die ourselves. We will not perish, even if we die, for life is eternal in the Spirit world.

“You Smell Funny…”
But how do we know if we truly have this new life? Before this resurrection, we already receive eternal life. This is by having the Spirit of God. The Spirit is a piece of the spirit world—of God himself—that is living within us. Because of this spirit, we do strange things. “The wind blows where it wishes, and no one knows where it is coming from or where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The spirit makes one strange, like the prophets of old. The Spirit makes one unpredictable, as one in the world would be. The people of the world follow certain patterns, do things that are of a benefit to themselves. The people of the Spirit are unpredictable, but in a good way. They do crazy things, like loving others, even if it harms them. Like loving their enemies. Like doing good when someone harms them. Like being gentle when one should be angry.

The one who lives in the Spirit acts for the benefit of others. That’s nothing like this world.

Why Do We Need A Christ?

What is Christ?
“Christ” isn’t the last name of Jesus, but it is a title. It means “anointed one”, just the same as the Hebrew word Messiah. But having some guy with oil on his head isn’t what the world needs. Instead, the “Christ” is actually the emperor of God, the ruler of the world. The Christ is like a Roman Caesar or a Napoleon. Someone who takes over the world by force and then rules over a central part of the world, and, by extension and treaty, provides peace to the rest of the world. Other terms that are used both in the Bible and in the pagan world for an Emperor are: Son of God, Alpha and Omega, Father (or Pope), and Lord.

The New Testament claims that Jesus is the fulfillment of this role, appointed by God at his baptism and approved by God through his resurrection. But the promise becomes crystallized at Jesus’ birth, where the promise of the Son of God, the Christ, is displayed to the poor and lowly of Bethlehem

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7

Why do we need a Christ?
This concept of the kingdom of God is exactly what Jesus was speaking about. But why do we need a ruler like this? Hasn’t it been proven that dictators are a bad idea? Shouldn’t we learn to rule ourselves? Well, anarchy has been attempted and all it does is lead to injustice and chaos. But why a Christ? According to the Old Testament, there are some very good reasons why we should have an Emperor of God:

So the world can acknowledge God as the true ruler
God is the Creator of the world, the King of the universe. Yet most of the world did not acknowledge him as God or properly give God his due. Instead, they saw other gods, who assisted them with their petty lives, as being more worthy of their devotion and sacrifice. But with the Christ ruling the world, then God will be given his proper due and praise and thanks will be offered to Him by all the world.
And He will delight in the fear of the LORD… For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:3,9

To destroy the injustices of secular empires
The rulership of the world has passed on from one empire to another from the ancient days to today. And not a single empire has ruled with justice or with equity. There is always an elite, who reap the benefits of the empire, and a servant class on whose backs the empire is built. The rulers always ignore the rule of God and establish their own rule according to their own principles. But the new kingdom will be built upon justice and righteousness, and set aside the old empires with their injustices.

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44 And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. Isaiah 11:5

To take us out of the system of judgment
For all governments of the world, if you do wrong, there is a penalty. Do the crime, pay the time. This is a system of judgment, and it was established by God. However, this is not the only system of dealing with lawbreakers that God had established. Jesus’ system is that of repentance and release. In other words, give a person the opportunity to make their crime right and to turn from their ways and then just welcome them back. Jesus as the Christ does not do away with the system of judgment, but he gives us an opportunity to escape it. This is done through his death, where his new system of dealing with crime is the judicial basis of his kingdom, established by his death and resurrection.
As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11

For the poor to be heard
In every system of government that has ever existed there is a lower class for whom there is no justice. This group is always assumed to be the criminals, they are feared and hated and accused of the most terrible crimes. Should one of this group do something wrong, then they are all punished. But the Christ will listen to the poor and acknowledge their actions. He will not judge them according to their class, but according to their deeds. And he will love the poor and draw them up to rule with the elite.
With righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth. Isaiah 11:4

For there to be shalom
Only through God’s righteousness and justice will there be an opportunity for the world to run as it should, not only for people, but for all creation. “Shalom” is usually translated “peace”, but it really means a community of well-being, a society where everyone is benefited. The Christ brings this peace to all who can enter into his kingdom.
And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them… And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, Isaiah 11:6-9

This is the promise of Christmas, “Peace on earth for those favored.” Christmas isn’t just about the incarnation—God coming to earth—as important as that is. It is about the fulfillment of the hope of the Christ that God’s people have been waiting for. It is the coming of the Emperor of God, who rules today from heaven and will rule on earth when he returns.

Got Christ?
We can participate in his kingdom today. We don’t need to wait until he returns. In fact, he doesn’t want us to. Jesus is ruling at the right hand of God and wants us to turn our lives over to him so we can live in his justice and peace right now. If we commit our lives to his rule and get baptized in his name then we will begin living in a different kingdom, under the best ruler of the world that has ever existed, free from our wrongs and living in peace.

The Truth of the Trinity

A.W. Tozer scoffs at those who deny the Trinity of God because it does not make logical sense. “Some persons who reject all they cannot explain have denied that God is a Trinity. Subjecting the Most High to their cold, level-eyed scrutiny, they conclude that it is impossible that He could be both One and Three.” He goes on, rightly, to explain that God is incomprehensible, and it is good for our humility to remember that we cannot understand everything.

However, in the matter of the Trinity, most Trinitarians and most Christian anti-Trinitarians have forgotten their humility, their stand with the word of God, in order to say about God only that which Scripture says. Scripture says there is one God, only one. Scripture says that the Father is God. Scripture says that Jesus is God. And Scripture implies that the Holy Spirit is God. That we can stand with. But when, in the fourth century, it was determined by a council that anyone who denies that the Father and the Son is of the same essence is a heretic, outside the church. Yet Scripture no where gives this explanation for the unity of the Father and the Son. In fact, Jesus prays that the Church “may be one, even as You and I are one.” The Church does not share in the essence of the Godhead, does she? No.

Part of the problem comes in with how Scripture uses the word “god”. We want to use the term strictly for the single, unified, all-powerful being that created the universe. However, as even Jesus himself pointed out, Scripture uses the term “god” in different ways. It is used for angels, it is used for pagan gods—or demons—frankly, it is used even for Satan! And so we cannot say that because the term is used for one being that the being is of the same essence as another. Scripture just doesn’t give us enough information.

I affirm the mystery of God. In this I also affirm the mystery of the trinity and how Jesus is God and the Father is God yet there is one God. Are they the same essence? No one knows. Does Jesus have a beginning? No one knows. Is the Holy Spirit of the same essence of the Father and the Son? No one knows. Orthodox theology, while affirming mystery in general, denies many mysteries that exist in Scripture, acclaiming and affirming that which is unknown by God’s revelation. Some authorities of the church have put themselves above God’s own word in declaring when God is silent. And they have made the worse mistake by judging those who affirm that silence.

Let us repent of our rejection of those who see Scripture differently, when we have no reason to say that they are wrong. Let us repent of our high-mindedness, and humbly admit that God truly is unknown, and yet he reveals himself to us through His Son.

Restoring Faith

Some people think that the Christian life is something one does one day a week, and the rest of the week is for real life. Most of us Christians know better than that.

Some people think that the Christian life begins at one place and then just moves on steadily from there. As if there was nothing else to do but to have faith at first.

Some people see the Christian life as a lot of ups and downs, beginning with a spiritual high and then going down from there. That’s pathetic, but it is many people’s experience of life in Jesus.

Some people think the Christian life is a series of spiritual highs, going from one retreat to another revival to another move of the Spirit. So they are sadly always seeking out the next emotional experience, as if getting a blessing is what Jesus is about.

The Christian life is a life of faith. This faith is best expressed by an ongoing commitment to Jesus as our Lord. Jesus is the King we have chosen and His kingdom is our nation. His law is the law we follow and His life is the model for our lives. In His death is found our hope, for in this the kingdom began and the basic principle of being humble to obtain blessing.

Jesus’ kingdom at times seems the opposite of the kingdoms around us: Jesus’ kingdom is invisible, but we can know who is a part of it. It has no specific land except a world that exists in another universe. Jesus’ kingdom has few basic regulations, but a very strict code of conduct. Jesus’ kingdom is made up of people of all races, all languages and all nations of the world. Jesus kingdom is worldwide, but not of this world at all. The power of Jesus kingdom is not in economics or in armies or in weapons, but in spiritual power that is more effective than all these.

Jesus as a world ruler seems pretty strange as well. Jesus is never seen, but often heard from. He does amazing work in the world, although he doesn’t step on it. Jesus has millions in his kingdom, but no standing army. Jesus meets and consults with his leaders completely in private. And Jesus is at the source of the greatest Power the universe has—the Force that actually created the universe to begin with.

On the surface, the people of Jesus seem pretty rag-tag and disorganized. They don’t have a common agenda. They often disagree with each other. Loudly. They are often poor and with little to give. They are often self-absorbed. They often completely ignore their leader, preferring to focus on what they can get. And yet, the work of Jesus is done through them throughout the world.

Why should we choose to be a part of this kingdom? Because Jesus is the only one offering any real hope in the world. And as faulty as his people seem to be, Jesus followers are welcoming, giving and are actually changing the world for the better.

The Christian life is a commitment to this King, this kingdom and to this people. It is a commitment to give sacrificially to God’s work and to love all without exception. It is a commitment to the way of the cross. It is a commitment to trusting Jesus, even when it seems hard.

At one point of our lives, through baptism or a dedication or a prayer or a simple action, we committed ourselves to Jesus. And Jesus wants us to recommit ourselves. Because the life of the Christian is a life of re-commitment.

• We recommit ourselves through the taking of the Lord’s Supper, taking on the death of Jesus into ourselves.
• We recommit ourselves through praying the Lord’s Prayer.
• We recommit ourselves every time we act to serve another in Jesus’ name.
• We recommit ourselves when we help someone in need in Jesus’ name.
• We recommit ourselves when we do good to those who hurt us in Jesus’ name.
• We recommit ourselves each time we listen to and live in the Spirit.
• We recommit ourselves when we see Jesus in someone else and encourage them.

May every day, even every hour be another moment in which the Lordship of Jesus shines forth.

A Thirst For Wisdom

In the world there exists no lack of truth. Libraries are stacked with truths, the internet is exploding with facts, experts are just full of it. If we want truth, we can look anywhere and find it. The world focuses on the differences between what is true and what is untrue. This is significant, for if we believe a lie, then we have nothing true within us. However, it is equally possible for us to focus on the wrong truth. For some truth does not set us free, but bind us and blind us to what is significant.

The church has often been mislead by what is untrue. We have often listened to rumor or the speculations of a charismatic figure rather than examining what we have received in order to determine it’s accuracy. The Bereans were considered high minded because they didn’t just accept what they heard—as true as it was—but examined it according to a standard of truth. They analyzed and so were able to decide what was true, not just accepting it blindly.

But rarely does Scripture command us to determine what is true. Because there are so many truths to choose from. The Scripture never denied that there were spiritual powers beside God. The Scripture never said that all the pagans had to say was false—instead, they used the literature of the pagans to convict of the truth that was obvious to all. But what the Scripture emphasizes is the differences between truth and wisdom.

Truth is simply what is. It is fact. But we cannot live by facts alone. It is a fact that the sky, when clear, is blue, but that does not tell us why we are on this earth. It is a fact that light travels at the speed of … miles per second, but this fact does not tell us how we should live. It is a fact that there are (a hundred) kinds of penguins, but this fact does not tell us how to live in integrity and love.

Truth is the fact. Wisdom is the significance. Wisdom not just applies truth to reality, but it brings balance to all things. It tells us which truths to focus on and which truths are less important. Wisdom recognizes what is real and how to communicate reality for the benefit of all. Wisdom does not see fact as a hard-edged, black and white proposition. Wisdom sees truth as being the moldable tool of love and community.

Truth is relatively easy to discover. In many questionable areas we can find the reality, if we would but look. Truth is only difficult because so many people determine to remain ignorant, to leave it unsought. But wisdom, no matter how often or with what effort one seeks it, is always difficult. No matter how many confirmed facts we learn, we do not from that know the fact of what is important for us to know. We can comprehend and communicate millions of true sentences, yet none of them true for us, true for our family, true for our community, true for our world.

Knowledge is not life.
Facts are not action.
Truth is not love.
Propositions are not wisdom.

To focus on this fact can be despairing, which is also in opposition to wisdom. We must not dwell too deeply on the fact that fact is outside of practical reality. Where can we obtain wisdom, love, community, hope and significance? With wisdom God created the world. With wisdom, God saved the world. With wisdom, God decided to give His Son with love. Where is wisdom? It comes from God, and God alone.

Many have looked at God and have reduced Him down to facts. This accumulation of facts—both historic and philosophical—is called theology. Yet God cannot be found in the beauty of theology. God can truly be found in the wisdom of God.

Jesus is the wisdom of God. Jesus, who sat with the sinners and explained the Law as love. Jesus argued against the true facts of the Pharisees to show how insignificant they were compared to the act, speech and love of God. Jesus argued against the priests who put God into the box of the temple, and so tore the veil in two which blocked people’s vision of God. The fact that Jesus was the being of God isn’t what we should look at. Rather, Jesus was the revelation of the wisdom of God. In Jesus the truth of what is important is found.

Because Jesus is the revelation of the Father. The Father wanted us to understand wisdom, so he gave us not a rule book, nor a theology text but a living person. As Jesus is passed to us, it is not in a mathematical formula nor logical propositions, but written lives. Only life can display a wise life.

And Jesus knew that he would not be sufficient wisdom for all the generations to come. A single life, even expressed four-fold, is not enough to give the wisdom for all. So God planted the wisdom in our hearts. The Spirit gives us the teachings of the Father, day by day, hour by hour. These teachings are not the facts of truth, but the wisdom of life. Significance, not proposition.

The Spirit is revelation. The Spirit tells us that which human logic could never convince us of. The Spirit leads us to holiness, to love, to mercy, to humility, to community, to the power of God, which cannot be seen by eyes or measured by instruments.

For wisdom is the direct gift of God. All we need to have it is to open ourselves to receive. All the best of life is ours to grasp, if we would but seek Him. If we would listen to Him, we might have to set aside the facts that we have grasped onto in order to truly have Him. We must surrender our knowledge to Him, so that we can live in love. We must burn the insignificant as a sacrifice, so that God will grant us peace with others. We rest the burdens of our lives upon his arms, so that His wisdom might guide. Give us your wisdom, O Lord, display before us the love you wish us to live.

Essential Christian Love

What is Christian Love?
In our society, love is a multi-faceted term. It could mean a good feeling toward another (even if you have never seen the person before). It could mean a feeling of sexual lust, or the sexual act itself. It could mean acting in a positive way toward another, or “being nice”. Or it could mean to enjoy the company of another. Love is also used as the opposite of feeling hate.

However, “love” as used by Jesus is much more specific. It speaks of two general moral actions: remaining in relationship with another—in other words, never “cutting someone off”—and acting for another’s benefit, especially when the other is in need or trouble. Love is never exclusively used as an internal feeling, separated from words or actions. Love is always something one does for the benefit of another. The opposite of love isn’t hate, so much, as actions of hatred or hostility.

On top of this, Jesus insists that our motivation to love is to be in relationship with God. We have mercy on others so we can obtain mercy from God (Matthew 5:7). And we love without exclusion, so we can be called God’s children (Luke 6:35). We don’t love just because it is the “right” or “nice” thing to do, but because we desire God’s acceptance, honor and blessing. And if we fail to act in love—at all times, to every person—then we will not be accepted by God.

Christian love is an unbelievably high ideal. We are supposed to love those who hate us. We are to help those whose help is beyond our resources. We are to offer help to everyone who asks of us. And we are supposed to act this way at all times, with no exception without repentance and reconciliation. How can this be done? Frankly, it is not humanly possible. Even Jesus only acted openly and publicly in love with the power of the Spirit behind him. Only then could he be certain, as a human, that he could act with the Father’s love at all time. Even so, we have no chance of acting in love all the time without the constant leading and empowering of the Spirit of God.

Practical Christian Love
Have mercy on people’s weaknesses
All of us have weaknesses. Some of these weaknesses are sin, and some are just failings that we have. In our humanity, we want people to have mercy on us in our weaknesses—we want people to overlook them or to help us through them. Yet, also in our humanity, we condemn others for their weaknesses—we want to cause guilt or suffering in them because they harm others. Jesus, however, tells us that if we are to expect any kind of mercy from others—especially God—then we need to have mercy on others. Rather than condemning people’s weaknesses, we need to find ways to have compassion on them and help them based on that compassion, rather than judgement. (Luke 6:36-38)

Give opportunity for repentance
If we see someone act in their weaknesses, especially if in their weakness, they did something that hurt us, then we want to cut them off from us in some way. We want to have nothing to do with them, or perhaps scream at them, or to keep them away from our community. Jesus both demonstrated and taught just the opposite. If someone is in sin—even if they hurt us, even if the sin was extreme—we are still to be in relationship with them and give them opportunity to change. If an unbeliever is in sin, we are to give them opportunity to show faith (Mark 2:17; Luke 15:1-10). If a believer is in sin, we are to give them many chances to make right (Matthew 18:15-17). And a believer who is weak, but not in sin, is never to be excluded, but welcomed and assisted (Mark 9:37-42).

Forgive debts
If someone does repent, trying to make right their weakness or sin, it is in our human nature to see that person pay their debts and to give in restitution exactly as they have taken. Thus, our humanity says that if they caused us shame, they need to receive shame; if they stole from us, they should pay back the exact amount; if they broke the law, they should pay the full penalty. However, Jesus says that instead of seeking payback, we should forgive those who repent (Luke 17:3-4). Forgiveness means that they are in relationship and that they are not required to pay the full debt back. This means that we are not seeking a payback, but we are willing to wipe the slate clean (Matthew 18:21-35). This also means that we will not remind others of the things they have done against us (I Corinthians 13:5).

Give to those who ask
If someone asks us for forgiveness or help, our natural, human response is to preserve our resources for us and ours. We don’t feel secure enough to give to others when they really need it. Jesus, however, told us to help those who asked (Matthew 5:42). Often we want to refuse assistance to those who have done us wrong in some way, or who are “unworthy” in our eyes. Jesus, however, gave even to the most unworthy, if they just asked in faith (Matthew 15:22-28). This does not mean that we should give to people whatever they ask for. We need to give out of love—which means giving toward their real need, not just giving whatever is convenient without regard to their need (I Corinthians 13:2).

Pray for others
Often, when we look at our resources, we find that we do not have enough to help others. We find that we are limited by economics, by time, by geography and by our own anxieties. However, Jesus taught us that action on our compassion shouldn’t be limited by resources, because God has the greatest resources of all (Matthew 6:31-33). We may not be able to heal a sick person, but God can (Acts 3:1-8). We may not be able to feed the hungry, but God can (Mark 6:34-43). We may not be able to give the gospel to everyone, but God can (Matthew 24:14). So our compassion does not need to be limited by our limitation—if we would but pray, then we are enacting God’s mercy on people, which is far greater than our own.

Set free the oppressed
Many people are sick, both physically and mentally. While medical workers do their best to heal, they are not always able to. Sometimes they just do not have the knowledge, and sometimes they do not recognize the spiritual forces involved in healing. There are spirits that assist in causing physical and mental illnesses. And doctors do not usually have the authority to command these spirits. However, anyone in Jesus, having the authority Jesus gave all of his disciples, can command the spirits to release those attacked by them (Mark 16:17-18). In this way, the people of Jesus can express their compassion in a unique way that no one else can.

Provide hospitality
It seems like so little, it seems so simple, but often compassion and Christian love can be expressed just in an open door, a cheerful welcome and a meal. Hospitality in Scripture means offering food and drink, clothing, a warm place to rest or sleep, and an opportunity to get cleaned up (Matthew 25:31-46; John 13:1-15). It was often given to the poor and travelers within the church, but it was offered to others as well (Galatians 6:10). Although it seems so simple, but if we refuse to enact this hospitality, then we do not express the love of Christ.

If one is a Christian, this kind of love is not an option. If we fail to forgive, we will not be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15). If we refuse to have mercy, God will not have mercy on us (Matthew 5:7). If we refuse to offer hospitality, we will be thrown out of God’s kingdom (Matthew 25:31-46). And if we live in bitterness and judgement, then we will be judged by God (Luke 6:37). Love is not an option, it is a demand. And it is demanding. Yet it is the most gentle, most gracious way of life any of us could ask for (Matthew 11:28-30).

Essential Christian Submission

Submission is considered to be a dirty word in modern America. It is associated with battered wives and children cowering under overbearing men in white t-shirts. It is connected with military units with a screaming leader and the rest following in goosesteps. Others might think of a religious order in the sticks, where no one can make a move without asking permission of the Great Leader. However, Christian submission is not something forced, nor anything negative—rather it is the secret of Jesus’ cross.

Jesus submitted to the Father in going to the cross. Yes, the cross was gruesome and shaming—a truly horrendous experience—but Jesus went there willingly. And his mode of transportation to the cross—the salvation of all peoples on earth—was willing submission to evil authorities who only had his worst interests in their minds. He opened himself up to their abuse and hatred, and so was provided with the greatest honor anyone could be bestowed—the rule of the kingdom of God. Because Jesus allowed himself to be submitted—both to a loving God and to a hating government—he was granted the opportunity to give mercy to everyone on earth. (I Peter 2:18-23)

What is Christian Submission?
Submission has to do with a response to authority. One does not submit to one’s own child or employee. Rather, it is what one in a lower social station does to one in authority. Submission has some of the connotations that are connected to it in a negative context. Submission is certainly obedience, and it can be receiving punishments for disobedience. It can also be paying money requested, and offering what honor society requires (such as calling someone by a proper title). Submission does not mean that we refuse to disagree with the one we submit to, nor that we cannot express our opinion. But it gives the respect due the office. In our society, most people would offer submission to the president, or a police officer or a judge in the courtroom—at least, if they were on our side.

But Christian submission goes much further than submission in the world. Christian submission would be offered to everyone who is in authority—from the President to the lowest pencil-pusher in a Social Security office. We would give it to the leaders in the communities we live in—whether that be a group home, a hospital, a rehab house, a shelter, or a Christian community. We give it to our church leaders—but more than that, we are to submit to each other in the church, honoring each other as greater than ourselves! The only authority that exists that we are not to submit to is Satan—that’s because the only authority he has over us is what we give him. (I Peter 2:13-15; Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 6:11)

But Christian submission is given to God first and foremost. We submit to other authorities because of the respect we have for God. God established authority on all humans and to some humans in particular—and so we are to show our respect to everyone in any kind of authority, because fundamentally the authority they use is God’s. We don’t have to like the way they use authority, but we need to respect the authority itself. This means that no matter how evil, how wicked the authority, we respect and obey that person anyway. (James 4:7; Romans 13:1)

Why would we do that? If there is anything we are trained in, it is to reject authority we don’t care for. However, as Rodney King found out, if you prove careless with other’s authority, it will bite you back. Harshly. Now Jesus submitted to authority, but he received the same treatment, only worse. So why would we submit to evil authority? Because our submission under harsh treatment is a neon sign to God: “I’m being oppressed!” And God will respond with justice.

Thus, the opposite of submission is to take justice in our own hands and give the evil authority “what they deserve”. Perhaps it will be with violence, or with legal action or with harsh words, but the point is to give back to them justice. But justice by our own hands is no justice at all—we will only be slammed again, or we will hit the other too hard and be the oppressor in turn. But justice meted out by God is perfect and true, and merciful, for it gives opportunity for repentance. Thus, true submission shows faith in God, but enacting vengeance only displays our faith in ourselves. And we cannot deliver ourselves. (Romans 13:2; Matthew 26:52; Romans 12:19)

The secret of Christian Submission is this (the secret of the cross, actually): If you respond to an authority’s harsh treatment with submission, and even positive action to them, then God will see the whole event and defend you. He will support you and help you, but the evil authority he will strip of their power and punish. If we submit to authorities, we are trusting in God’s justice and mercy to the oppressed. (Romans 12:19; Psalm 37; I Peter 4:12-19)

What does Christian submission look like?

Christian submission is granting honor
We want to honor the authorities above us. Perhaps that will mean simply calling them by their titles (“officer” or “sir”). Certainly it will mean using respectful speech and not demeaning them in any way. We also grant honor by giving thanks. We certainly should do this with God, and with governmental authorities. But we should also speak this way to the lowest of those in the church, granting honor to them, as we are all supposed to submit to each other. Respectful speech is most important to those whom we are closest to—our spouses and our friends. (I Peter 2:17,18; Romans 13:7)

Christian submission is obeying authorities’ commands
If we are given a command by an authority, we are to obey it, and this will show respect to God. If an evil person commands us to do something, we are to obey that as well—unless it is in opposition to what God told us to do. Obedience is important also to those whom are over us where we live, and to church elders as well. Obedience seems like something to just make our lives tougher, but it will actually make our lives easier in the long run. (Hebrews 13:17; Psalm 18:44)

Christian submission is praying for authorities
One of the shows of respect we have for our authorities—whether they are righteous or evil—is to pray for them. To pray for someone is to request that God would bless them. We can pray that God would grant an authority mercy and grace. We can pray that they would provide opportunities for us to obey God and spread the gospel. But we should pray for authorities over us, that effect our lives. (I Timothy 2:1-2)

Christian submission is paying proper taxes
Many governmental authorities require taxes. Rather than complain about it or despise the task, both Jesus and Paul encourage us to do it willingly, as part of our submission. As a part of respecting the authority that comes from God, paying taxes honors God. (Mark 12:14-17; Romans 13:7)

Christian submission is willingly accepting unjust punishment
All authority metes out punishment. It is a part of being an authority. However, an authority can chose for themselves whether the punishment they give will be for right reasons or wrong ones. And they can determine if the punishment they give is gentle or harsh. The authority who punishes for God’s reasons and with gentleness will be rewarded by God. But the authority who is harsh and punishes even the righteous will be punished. (Luke 12:42-47)

The strangest thing about Christian virtue is that receiving harsh, unjust punishment from an evil authority—especially for the sake of following Jesus—is the basis for Christian joy. Jesus tells us to be glad when we suffer unjustly because we will be greatly rewarded by God on the final day for enduring it in love. For this reason, Jesus says, if we suffer under an unjust punishment, we should offer the evil authority even more of an opportunity to punish us. The more we are harmed, the more God will reward us (and the more evil the authority will seem—even in his own eyes!). (Matthew 5:38-42; Romans 12:17-21; I Peter 4:12-19)

Be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For you will gain God’s favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God you bear up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. What credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. I Peter 2:18-21

Essential Chrisitan Humility

What is Humility?
Humility has to do with honor. Honor is the respect we desire from others. When we do not receive the respect we feel we deserve, then we are humbled. We are in the one-down position—someone else has honor or respect over us. This is not acceptable to many of us. The virtue of humility means that we accept the position of being disrespected. If we are disrespected, that is okay with us. Of course, none of us can live in a state of disrespect. We all desire to have respect in our lives, and though we can’t always have it, ultimately, we will do all we can do to get it. That is how our minds work.

In Christian humility, however, we realize that we can receive honor even in our humility. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek” – or humbled—“for they will inherit the earth.” Those practicing Christian humility realize that God listens to and rewards the humble more than other people. Those who are disrespected for God on earth have God’s respect, and He will grant them honor, not only now in the heavens, but eternally. Thus, those who are dishonored now for the Lord can take confidence that God is Himself balancing the disrespect they receive with honor.

Many people have recordings going on in their heads, letting them know if what they are doing is honorable or dishonorable. Perhaps they are thinking of their family’s standards, or their friends’. The follower of Jesus, however, has the Holy Spirit speaking to them of what is honorable or dishonorable. If a Christian gives sacrificially to the needy, and those around the giver might accuse him or her of being irresponsible or weak-hearted. But the Holy Spirit would be encouraging one to sacrifice oneself for others, and telling Christians that God would honor one with greater treasure in replacement for the sacrifice.

The Practice of Humility
Humility isn’t just an ideal, that is hard to get one’s life around. It is very practical, and deals with our daily lives. Below are the principles of humility found in the New Testament, to help us navigate how we will live out humility in our lives:

Don’t insist on your rights
Though I have complete freedom, I have made myself a slave to everyone, so that I might gain more. (I Corinthians 9:19)
In our country, we emphasize freedom and liberty to do what we need to do so that we can be ourselves. We insist upon our rights so we can claim to be truly free. While we really do have the rights that our country gives us, freedom to do and say many things that makes us feel good and be who we really are, often God asks us to set aside these rights. For the sake of others, we may need to set aside our needs and desires. Perhaps we need to set aside our right to defend ourselves against slander or harm, in order to assist another (Mark 14:55-61). Perhaps we need to set aside a right to do as we please so another might not fall into sin (I Corinthians 8:13). Perhaps we need to set aside our right to speak so no one would not be harmed by our words (Ecclesiastes 5:6). We must look at our rights as something that we can have or set aside, depending on the situation.

Don’t seek greatness in the world
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you.” Mark 10:42-43
To be important in this world, you have to show that you are already important. You need degrees, titles and honors so that you can gain greater and greater significance in the world. To be a politician, one must put oneself forward. To be an executive, you have to already show yourself to be significant in business. To gain all but the lowest jobs, you have to show your “experience.” God wishes to give you great positions and honor, but to insist upon one’s own abilities and to gather many titles actually causes one to lose the possibility of advancement in God’s kingdom. Jesus tells us not to seek titles (Matthew 23:8-11) or honors (Luke 14:8-11) and as Christians we are not to boast in our accomplishments or abilities (Philippians 3:4-7).

Boast of your incapacities
If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. II Corinthians 11:30
Does this mean that we cannot boast at all? Oh, no. We are certainly able to boast, but not in our accomplishments or honors. Rather, we can boast in what we are unable to do. If we boast in our weaknesses and inabilities and those who have rejected us and the pain we endure, then we can see God’s work all the more clear. That does not mean that we should create a persona of “false humility”. We shouldn’t claim stupidity or rejection that we have never actually experienced. But we should speak of how God has fulfilled our weaknesses so we have been able to be who we are through his strength. (II Corinthians 12:9)

Repent of your sins
Repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away. Acts 3:19
It is not easy to speak of one’s faults. It is humiliating to apologize, especially if you didn’t make all the mistakes. It is difficult to admit wrong, if no one else admits it first. But the Lord desires us to do just that. He wants us to humble ourselves and admit our sin, and then we will be forgiven. Without that humility, we will never be right before God. (Luke 18:9-14)

Honor the lowly
Those of the body which we deem less honorable, these we grant more abundant honor. I Corinthians 12:23
There are many among us that are considered unimportant or unacceptable. They are in this place, not because of sin, but because of some social “fault” or misunderstanding. You know how it goes—if you hang with the “in” crowd, then you can be “in”. But if you hang with the “out” crowd, then you will be rejected too. But Jesus gave us an example to hang with the “out” crowd (Mark 2:15-17). We need to find those socially unacceptable people, and serve them, support them and grant them a place of honor that others would not do (James 2:5-6; Luke 15). Also, we need to treat those who are under us in honor with greater honor than ourselves—our children, our employees, our spouses, they all need to be treated with greater honor than we ourselves expect from others (Philippians 2:3)

Do demeaning tasks
For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45
If we want God’s honor, we have to do the work associated with humility. There are things we don’t want to do, that we think we shouldn’t have to do. And that’s what God is asking us to do to gain his honor. He wants us to do the work that is helpful but unpleasant. He wants us to accept the unacceptable tasks for the sake of everyone. (Philippians 2:4-5)

Submit to unjust authorities
“Do not resist an evil authority.” Matthew 5:39
One last thing, God insists that we humble ourselves before those who want to show us how important they are by making us crawl. Yes, they are irritating. Yes, they are sooooo wrong. Yes, they have no right to treat us the way they do. But God asks us to submit to it anyway. Why is this? Because God likes to see us humiliated? No. It is because he wants to see in reality who is really righteous. If we rebel against an unjust authority, then the lines of right and wrong are fuzzy. Perhaps we deserved to be punished. But if we submit when we did nothing wrong, then God knows who is right and who is wrong. And who will be ultimately punished. (Matthew 5:38-41; Romans 12:19-21)


Humble yourself and God will honor you.

Essential Christian Poverty

Poverty is a sad commentary on our society. If we were living in a utopia, there would be no poverty. Some have ideas of how poverty could be wiped out, but Jesus said “The poor you will always have with you.” Poverty is not something that is just going away. It is a social disease that will remain with us always.
But Jesus did not always speak of poverty as an evil thing. In fact, one of the main characteristics of those who are going to be rewarded by God is poverty. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in the Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Also, more clearly, Jesus said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” In other words, those who desire to have God’s wealth and blessing and salvation will seek poverty in this life.

What is the virtue of Poverty?
But what does this mean? Does it mean that everyone who is a Christian should give up their homes and all their possessions and just live on the street? No. Actually, Jesus was very specific as to the kind of poverty he expected his people to live out:

Not worrying about material needs
“Do not worry, saying ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ For your heavenly Father knows you need these things.” Matthew 6:31,32
Jesus tells us who follow him that we are not to be overly concerned about the things of the life around us. We shouldn’t be concerned about our food and clothing, let alone our health, social station or our quality of life. These are things that we should surrender up to God. God knows about our needs, and he is concerned about them. Because He is concerned, then we need not be. As children, we relied on our parents and didn’t worry about who would pay the bills or get us dinner that night. Our parents took care of us. Even so, God wants us to depend on him in the same way.

Not serving wealth
“No one can serve both God and mammon” Matthew 6:24
In our society, people are desperately seeking money. Most people think that money will solve their problems and make their lives easier. In reality, the way people talk about money, they are looking for money to give them the same salvation that God says He will provide. God says that he will meet our needs and that he will give us satisfaction, and he will do it through a variety of tools—and that money is the least of them. But people think that even God is dependent on money, so rather than looking for God (whom they see as a middleman) they will do whatever they can to make money themselves. But those that just seek money are missing God, the true source of salvation. They will do any number of unethical things, forgetting totally about God, in their pursuit of money. Those that chose money for their salvation are missing God completely.

Not collecting stuff
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” Matthew 6:19
Other people think that if they just had enough stuff they could be satisfied with their lives. So we fill our homes with useless, tacky art and establish holidays whose whole purpose is to give each other more things we simply do not need. Our entertainments continually are convincing us that we need more things, and we pack the stores to gain more and more. But Jesus said that if we are seeking true satisfaction, we will not collect stuff. Stuff on earth, Jesus said, means more stress, more headaches, and more things we need to take care of. More stuff means less satisfaction, less salvation, not more.

Not saving for the future
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Matthew 6:34
The middle and upper classes of our society, having their basic needs met for now, then focus their concerns and wealth on providing for their future in this life. They pour money into health insurance, life insurance and retirement. But Jesus said that to do this was a waste of time. No one knows what the future will bring or whether any of us even has a future. He said that the future we need to invest in is not our future on earth, but our future in heaven. We should invest, not in a savings account in a bank, but in heaven.

Focus only on entering God’s kingdom
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these needs will be provided for you.” Matthew 6:33
Yes, we want our needs met. We want to be satisfied. We do really need food and clothing. To follow the way of Jesus, Jesus tells us that we should stop looking for money or possessions to fulfill our needs. Rather, we should look to God alone. He is the true provider, and he actually cares about us—as opposed to banks or insurance companies. God will care for us and make sure that our needs are met. But to get him to do this, we must depend on him, and devote ourselves exclusively to Him. He is to be our Lord, and the focus of all of our lives. He is to be our moral guide and will direct us in the things we should do. He alone is worthy to do this, and so we need to fix our eyes on Him.

Surrendering our possessions to God
“None of you can be my disciple who does not give up all of his possessions.” Luke 14:33
Part of what God expects of us is to give him the first say of what we will do with our money and possessions. This doesn’t mean that he is saying that everything we have should be given to the poor (although for some people he will say that). But it does mean that all of our resources—all of our possessions and all of our money—is to be offered up to the Lord for his use. This means that some precious possessions He may take and give it to someone else—perhaps even someone who doesn’t deserve it. But if we have truly given all that we have up to him, it doesn’t matter. All that we own is now His, for his use, for his people, whatever He wants.

Giving away all of our extra
“The one who has two tunics should share with him who has none; and those with food, likewise.” Luke 3:11
In our society, it is easy to have what we really do not need. We have so many extra clothes, food we can’t or won’t eat, and so many other possessions that we just don’t use. The gospel tells us clearly that we are not to just keep such stuff “for a rainy day”, but rather we are to seek out those who could use it and give it to them. We aren’t to sell it, we aren’t to obtain something else in exchange for it—we are just to give it. It is enough that we are providing someone else with what they need, and we are relying on God for what we have.

Giving sacrificially to the needy
“Sell your possessions and give to the needy and you shall have treasure in heaven” Mark 10:21
But the most important thing the Lord asks us to do—the main way to build up our investments in God’s kingdom—is to give to the needy. As Jesus’ people come through town, we are to provide them with food, water and shelter. As we pass the hungry and homeless, we are to do what we can to help them. Yes, this means that we have fewer resource ourselves, but in the end, we will gain much more in God’s kingdom. How does this work? Read on…

Dependence on God
Let’s say that you lived in a small town with an eccentric billionaire (If you are poor and eccentric, you are crazy; If you are rich and crazy you are eccentric.) This billionaire hates the idea that anyone in his town would be living on the streets. Rather than make it illegal to live on the streets, he chose to provide for anyone who lived on the streets in his town. He would pick them up in his limo, he would bring them to his house and have his servants provide for that person. They would eat the best food and live warm and secure until a suitable job and apartment was found for them. Now, lets say that you lived in a squalid studio apartment, with all of your neighbors screaming and the manager hates you. Wouldn’t you rather chose to live on the streets for a short while—living in terrible poverty, so that the eccentric billionaire would care for you? This is the situation we find ourselves in with God. Jesus says that if we live for God in poverty, then God will care for us in a way we cannot even imagine. We will have everything we need and more. Wouldn’t a short period of poverty be worth it?

What do we get out of it?
If we live away from the world’s ways of gaining satisfaction—more stuff, serving money, saving for the future—and instead depend on God for all our needs and do deeds of righteousness with our wealth—giving to the needy and providing for Jesus’ people—then God will make sure our needs are met now, and he will provide for us forever.

Contentment with what God provides
“Godliness with contentment is the means of great wealth.” I Timothy 6:6
First of all, God will give us contentment through his Holy Spirit. If we seek God’s blessing and God’s wealth alone, then we will receive inner peace from him. Suddenly, what we have is sufficient. The things and pleasures God gives us are enough for what we really need. This will take time for the Spirit to do this in us, but to have contentment is one of the best blessings in life. Contentment is something the world cannot provide, nor does it promise it to us—because to be content is to apply a wrecking ball to it’s cardboard structure.

Alternative wealth in this world
“There is no one who has not left family and houses and land for my sake and for the gospel’s but that he will gain more family and houses and land in this world, and in the next, eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30
Secondly, Jesus promises that if we accept the poverty that his gospel leads us to, then we will gain much more in this life. This doesn’t mean that checks will suddenly come in the mail and you will be wealthy beyond measure. Rather, it means that God will provide you with a support network that you can depend on. It doesn’t necessarily happen immediately, but God and God’s people will provide for those who surrender everything of this world for the Lord.

Eternal life
“Whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel’s will save it. For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:35, 37
However, the greatest blessing is yet to come. For those who depend on God for His wealth and provision in their lives—all of their lives, while not depending on or waiting on the world—they will gain eternal life. This isn’t just harps in heaven, but it is wealth and honor on earth in God’s kingdom. It is a healthy body living forever with God’s merciful, good people, and having all the wealth that God will provide in the final days. Surely a short time of poverty is worth an eternity of happiness and contentment?