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.

Is The United States a Christian Nation?

“The Majority of people in the United States are Christian”

In a recent national poll, as many as 78% of the people in the United States consider themselves Christian in some way.  Some kind of Christian viewpoint certainly dominates the U.S. culture.  In broad outlines, most people in the U.S. believe in one God who created the universe and that Jesus died for our sins.  Almost everyone has good things to say about Jesus in the U.S., even those who do not claim to be Christians.  People desire to be forgiven for their sins and they think that Jesus is ready to help them.

However, most people in the U.S. do not understand what Jesus demands to follow him, let alone follow it. To be a “Christian” may be a good thing, but it is mostly a social title today, having nothing to do with Jesus’ death or teaching.  Even the majority of people who go to churches have a false understanding about what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  Most people will agree that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no one comes to the Father except through me”  (John 14:6).   But they do not agree with or even understand the following:

-  If anyone is to enter the kingdom of God, they must obey the teaching of Jesus.  (Matthew 7:21-27)

-  If anyone is to follow Jesus, they must deny themselves and take up their cross. (Mark 8:35)

-  If anyone wants to gain their life, they must lose it. (Mark 8:36)

-  Whoever wants Jesus to accept them before the Father, they must accept Jesus before men. (Mark 8:38)

-  No one can follow Jesus unless they renounce their possessions. (Luke 14:33)

-  Those who will gain the kingdom of God must be poor, mourning and persecuted.  (Luke 6:20-24)

-  Whoever will be raised from the dead must humble themselves. (Luke 14:11)

- The follower of Jesus must put Jesus above family (Matthew 10:37)

- The follower of Jesus serves God, not money (Matthew 6:24)

These are the demands of faith, and the people of the United States, especially the “Christians”, are usually looking for ways to avoid this faith of Jesus, not embrace it.  The majority of the United States are far more committed to family or money rather than Jesus. (Poll shows people in the United States place religion on lower priority)

“The Laws of the United States are based on the Bible”

Some say that the foundation of the law of the United States is based on a British system of law, which is based on the Bible, especially the Ten Commandments.  The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are based on “Christian” principles.  Thus many people think that the laws of the U.S. are fundamentally Christian.

However, the laws of the United States have been drawn up and applied without reference to the teachings of Jesus, which is the basis of  the laws of  the kingdom of God. Seven of the Ten Commandments are not enforced by the laws of the United States.  The makers of the laws of the U.S. are not concerned with the Bible, but with making the society well-running on their own principles, not on the principles of God.

Here are a few examples of where the law of God and of the United States are in opposition:

-  The law of God insists that idolatry is unacceptable. (Exodus 20:4; II Corinthians 6:16-17)

The law of the United States says that everyone has a right to worship whoever they want.

-  The law of God insists that those who take God’s name in vain will be punished. (Exodus 20:7; Matthew 12:31)

The law of the United States insists on freedom of speech, without punishment.

-  The law of God forbids covetousness and greed. (Exodus 20:17; Ephesians 5:3)

The law of the United States encourages corporations that thrive on greed.

-  The law of God says to teach one’s children about loving God. (Deuteronomy 6:7; Ephesians 6:4)

The law of the United States forbids the public teaching about God.

-  The law of God teaches to love everyone, even if they harmed you. (Matthew 5:43-44)

The law of the United States insist that the police and the military must harm others, and even encourage them to kill, if the threat seems bad enough.

The laws of the United States are, in many ways, opposed to Scripture, not in agreement with it. 

“The United States is a Christian Nation”

The early colonists of the United States were all Christians, many persecuted for their faith. North America has been the site of many major revivals, which caused many towns to turn completely to the Lord. The majority of the leaders of the United States have been Christian, and have written statements that could be called devotional.  So many say that the United States is a Christian nation, or that it should be.

However, the United States cannot today be called a Christian nation—nor can any nation on the earth. There is already a Christian nation, called the kingdom of God and Jesus is the king.  There can be no other nation with any other system of government with anyone else as leader that could call itself “of Jesus” or “Christian”.  The kingdom of God already has its people all throughout the world.  And though the kingdom does not now have a land that it can call its own, it is very much a living, vibrant nation.

On top of this, the United States is opposed to the kingdom of God in many areas.  Following are many areas that the United States and the kingdom of God are diametrically opposed:

-  The kingdom of God is a distinctly religious kingdom, devoted exclusively to God.

The United States separates any religious practice or belief from the government. 

-  The kingdom of God is a nation in which every member and citizen is devoted exclusively to God through Jesus Christ.  (Romans 10:9)

The United States insists that every citizen can worship whatever God they want, or none at all, and hold to any teacher they want.  To insist otherwise, it claims, is unethical.

-  The kingdom of God is a country ruled by an appointed benevolent dictator: Jesus Christ (Romans 1:4)

The United States firmly believes that only a republic where the leader is voted in by the people is a proper government.

-  The kingdom of God has all of its laws and ethics come from God himself, and all policies are allowed to be determined by local bodies, as long as they do not judge apart from God’s law.   (James 2:8-10)

The United States judges according to the laws passed by their legislative body, with no regard to God’s will.

-  The kingdom of God is empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

The United States is empowered by economic and military strength—namely, the flesh.

-  The kingdom of God has values such as faith, love, endurance through persecution, following the teaching of Jesus that are requirements to remain in it.  (Acts 14:22)

The United States does not promote love, generosity to the poor, devotion to God, faith in Jesus, humility, sound teaching or other values that would cause one to enter the kingdom of heaven.

-  The kingdom of God insists that one’s security comes from God alone, who sends angels to fight for it. (Matthew 26:52-53)

The United States firmly insists on having the strongest, most superior armed force in the world to promote its own security and its ideals.

-  The kingdom of God insists that greed must not be found among God’s people. (Ephesians 5:3)

The United States promotes greed, self-gratification and spending beyond one’s need as the backbone of its economy.

-  The kingdom of God teaches that to hate or destroy one’s enemy is to be unlike God and unworthy to be in God’s kingdom.  The kingdom of God claims that God’s way is to do good to one’s enemy and pray for that one. (Luke 6:27-36)

The United States promotes the destruction of their enemies, killing even innocents in the pursuit of their goals of revenge, security and economic stability.

-  The kingdom of God grants salvation to those who have faith, obedience and love in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 5:5-6)

The United States grants its salvation to those who qualify and have filled out the proper paperwork—whether rich or needy, deserving or swindlers.

The United States, like all other nations, is not any kind of a Christian nation.  It is a secular state, based on the principles of the world.  It is completely opposed to God’s ways of running his nation.

What Does God Want Me To Do With My Money?

Often, this is the last question we want to ask.  Our money is ours!  We should be able to do with it what we want.  This is what our society teaches us and how everyone acts—whether Christian or not.

Money is serious business

However, whether we have a whole lot of money, or whether we have a little, how we use our money will determine how God will use us.  (Luke 16:10-12)  And if we use our money without regard to God’s desire, then we will certainly not receive God’s salvation, no matter how holy we are in other areas (Matthew 6:24; Mark 10:17-21; Luke 12:33-34).  How we use our money indicates whether we really have faith in God or not.

We do not need money, we need God

Money will not meet our needs.  We can’t eat or drink money.  Money will not shelter us from rain.  Money will not give us pleasure.  Money is just a means to an end.  We need food and drink.  We need a roof over our heads.  We need companionship and security.  Money can be used to give us some of these things, but we don’t really need it.  All good things come from God, and so he is the one we should seek.  (James 1:17) Do not focus on money—focus on God (Luke 16:13).  He is the one who will meet our needs, and he is the one who teaches us what to do with what we have (Matthew 6:25-33).

Money is not ours

The first thing we need to realize is that our money is not actually ours.  Perhaps we have worked for it, or it was given to us, but nothing we have is actually ours.  It is all God’s.  “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.”  Psalm 24:1.  We do not own anything—rather, we care for it for God’s sake.  God has placed things in our care, and we are to use all these things in accordance with God’s instruction, for it is all His.

We are to use money to build God’s kingdom

If we are committed to Jesus, then we have surrendered everything we have to his use—our relationships, our possessions, our labor, and our money (Luke 14:25-33).  They no longer belong to us, but to Jesus.  And Jesus tells us that to use our resources in his way is to build up God’s kingdom and to increase our righteousness in God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33).  Nothing else should be so important.  And whatever is important to us is what we will use all of our resources on (Luke 12:34).

We are not to think that paying for an elaborate building or establishing things in the here-and-now will build up God’s kingdom.  Tangible things and buildings and collections of books or CDs or videos will not build God’s kingdom.  Rather, it is people that will survive to be in God’s kingdom.  Political entities and nice cars will all be destroyed.  God’s kingdom is built by giving to people and their needs (Luke 12:33-34; Luke 16:9; Acts 4:34-35).

What Not To Do With Money

Do not increase your debt 

Even if you are looking to meet your needs, do not increase your debt.  Try to rely on God’s people, not on those who will charge you interest and cause you difficulties.  (Romans 13:8)

Do not build up your life on earth 

It is pointless to increase our possessions or our life on earth.  All of these things will be destroyed and are of no use in the kingdom of God.  Rather, we are to focus on the things of God. ( Matthew 6:19;II Peter 3:10-12)

Do not pursue your own desires, comforts or entertainments

If we use our money to meet our whims or comforts, then we are in danger of gaining nothing when the Lord returns.  Again, the Lord insists that we use our resources for his sake, not for our own comforts. (Luke 6:24-25; I Timothy 6:6-10)

Do not give to teachers insisting on your money

There are many teachers today who say to receive God’s blessing you should give to them, their ministry or their church.  However, the scripture is clear that teachers who insist on their own gain are false teachers, and no deserving of our money.  We are not to give any kind of help to false teachers—not even to welcome them into our house.  Do not throw your money away by giving money to false teachers who oppose Jesus’ words—“Freely you have received, freely give.”  (Matthew 10:8;          II John 9-10;  I Timothy 6:5)

Tithing To Our Churches

Tithing (giving 10% of) our money and giving it to our churches is a good idea, but how it is accomplished today isn’t found in the Bible.  The ancient Hebrews had three annual taxes of 10 percent each and another tax of 10 percent taken every third year—equaling to 33 1/3% of their income every year going to things.  Jesus isn’t requiring such a tax to meet the needs of his churches.  Rather, he is advocating that everyone grant him all of their resources, and that they redistribute their income according to the following guidelines:

Jesus’ plan: What To Do With Money

1. Care for your own needs

We are all responsible to meet our own needs and not to depend on the church or their family to provide for us, if we can do anything about it.  (II Thessalonians 3:6-10)  This does not mean that we must all have a “job,”  but we must work to meet our own needs.  Thus, if we have money, then we should use that money to provide for our own needs.

2. Care for your family’s needs

If we have family that is dependant on us for sustenance, then we are responsible to care for them (Mark 7:10-13; I Timothy 5:8).  This could mean children in our care, or aging parents that can no longer care for themselves, or someone who through injury or illness is unable to care for their own needs.  By whatever means we care for our own needs, we must care for our family.

3. Pay your taxes

The government we live under now requires money.  The scripture says that we must be faithful to give them what they ask, whether we agree with their policies or not.  It is a part of the honor we are responsible to give them.  (Romans 13:7)

4. Give to those who sacrifice themselves to build you up in the Lord

If our needs are met and our family’s needs are met—not everything they desire, but just their basic needs—then we are responsible to care for others as well.  The first ones we are responsible to care for are those who have sacrificed their own well-being in order to bring us closer to the Lord.  This could be teachers or healers that travel from town to town, or people who regularly teach us God’s word in our congregation—but the Scripture is clear that we are responsible to make sure that their needs are met, as well as those of their family.  (Luke 10:5-9; Matthew 10:40-42; Galatians 6:6;I Timothy 5:17-18)

The Key: Give to the needy

If we are able to care for our basic needs, and our family’s and our minister’s, then we are also responsible to meet the needs of others, especially those who are following the Lord.  If we see someone in need, and we do not respond with what we have, then we are not responding with the Lord’s love.  To give to the needy is showing our faith in the Lord. If we fail to give to those who follow Jesus in need, then we will rejected by the Lord on the final day. (Luke 12:33; I John 3:17; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 25:31-46;

Planning and Giving

To redistribute our income in the above way is difficult and, in some ways, painful.  In order to demonstrate our faith in giving to the needy, often we will have to sacrifice our desires and some of our needs so that others may be helped.  Sometimes the Lord calls us to put other’s concerns and needs before our own.  But if we are going to do that, we have to plan.  It is so easy to overspend in our society, with commercials telling us every minute the newest thing we “need.”  But the Lord says that what we need to do is to give to the needy.  That is a part of our salvation—not a kitchen gadget or a better car or the food we always wanted to try.  It isn’t easy to follow Jesus’ plan on redistributing our money, but if we pray to the Lord and seek the counsel and assistance of his Spirit, we can make the first steps.

If you have not been faithful to God in the use of worldly money,how can God entrust true riches to you?

-Jesus Luke 16:11

Does God Want Me To Be Married?

Many singles deal with loneliness.  It seems as if there is an emptiness in their lives, a hole that needs to be filled.  They feel that their life is not yet begun, as if there is something that needs to be done to give them fulfillment in their lives.  And there are many Christian singles that deal with sexual temptation, almost continually.  They know that God doesn’t want them to live like this, with this emptiness and loneliness.  So they look for a solution.  And since they, and most of the world, see them as “singles”, they feel that they need to be married. 

There are also many men and women who feel for each other, but they don’t know if they should commit to each other for the rest of their lives.  It is a difficult decision, and they want to know what the Lord wants of them.  Is this the right one for me?  Does the Lord have any guidance for us?

Should I get married?

The good news is this: marriage is a decision left up to the individual.  While there are guidelines in Scripture (we will talk about this below), the decision to be married or not is left up to the individual.  God does not have any command to marry or not to marry. (Matthew 19:10-12; I Corinthians 7:8-9, 28; 9:5)  Everyone is free to marry or not marry if they please.

However, Jesus and the apostles are most concerned about our focus on the Lord.  Both Jesus and Paul made it clear that our primary focus should be on the Lord, not on marriage.  Sometimes, marriage is a way to help us focus on the Lord—especially if both spouses are equally committed to Jesus ruling their lives.  However, if we see marriage as being the way for us to overcome our loneliness or to meet our desires, we will be sorely disappointed.  Our desire should be for the Lord, not a spouse (Psalm 73:25).

Is marriage a solution?

Marriage does change people—but mostly it changes the relationship the partners have with each other.  Both partners in a marriage bring their own problems, their own sinful attitudes and their own wrong thinking.  If someone has a sexual sin before marriage, the marriage does not cause it to disappear overnight.  If someone has emotional problems before marriage, then the emotional problems remain and often become more of a problem in marriage, that then must be dealt with.  Marriage is not a solution to any problem in an individual’s life—if anything, it can cause problems to be worse.

            The only solution to our problems is the Lord.  If we put God, his righteousness and his kingdom as the top priority of our lives, then all else will fall into place.  If getting married can assist us in focusing on God’s kingdom, then marriage is good.  But the Bible warns that most of the time, marriage distracts one from the Lord.  Marriage typically means that on is focused on one’s spouse, not the Lord  (I Corinthians 7:32-34).  Marriage, more often than not, causes more problems than it solves.

The qualifications of a spouse

God does put some qualifications on marriage.  It isn’t just a free-for-all.  As believers in the Lord, we will want to abstain from any kind of sexual immorality.  Sex outside of marriage is a restriction, but homosexual sex is commanded against, whether one is married or not (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:27; I Corinthians 6:9-10).  Also, if one is committed to Jesus, then one’s spouse should also be committed to Jesus, and not an unbeliever (II Corinthians 6:14-15).

Am I ready to be married?

Although many people look at spouses and determine who is “fit” in their minds to be married to them, yet the Lord calls upon us to consider others before ourselves, and to think if we ourselves are fit to be a companion to another.  Here are some things we may want to look at:

Do you recognize the drawbacks of marriage?

If you think that marriage is just a state of bliss and will solve your problems, then you are not ready to be married.  The Bible says that marriage will tend to get your focus off of the Lord.  A relationship with someone completely different than yourself is difficult and will require work.  And children almost always are a part of marriage and complicate matters even more.  Marriage is not just an adventure, it’s a job.

Are you already working on your problems?

Everyone has personal issues that separate them from God or from others.  What are you doing to work on yours?  You need to learn to depend on the Lord before you attach your difficulties, desires and dementia to another for the rest of that person’s life.   Have a Christian group or counselor whom you can trust with your personal issues, apart from your spouse.  That doesn’t mean that your spouse can’t help you, but a marriage is usually not the best place to solve one’s personal problems.

Are you ready to work on a relationship?

A lifelong commitment requires faithfulness and work.  Are you prepared to do the extra work on top of what you are doing now in order to keep your relationship with your spouse intact?  If you see relationships that take of themselves, then you are not ready to be married.

Okay, I have a partner—what now?

Wow.  So there’s two of you now and you are thinking about getting married.  You’re both committed to Jesus and you believe that you will be more committed to the Lord as a couple rather than two individuals.  Great.  Now it’s time to get to know each other.  Perhaps you think that you know each other so well, that it is unnecessary to pursue each other more.  But you can’t know your partner well enough before you get married.  I knew my wife for eight years before we got married and was shocked at some of her attitudes after we were committed to each other.  Think of questions to ask each other.  Get a list of questions to ask each other from a pastor or a counselor.  Be a journalist—find out the “real story.”  This isn’t to question the trustworthiness of one’s future spouse.  Rather it is to find out whether the assumptions each of you are bringing into the relationship are the same or different.  Marriage counseling from a pastor will also help.  If you are committed to each other, show it by working for each other before marriage.

Marriage: It’s not just an adventure, it’s a job.

The Second Chance

Jesus responded to this news by saying, “It is time.  It is time for the Messiah to be honored.  Listen carefully: A kernel of corn has to be torn from it’s life, thrown to the ground and allowed to die, or it will always be by itself.  But if it dies, then it will be transformed into many more.  Even so, whoever grasps onto his own life will lose it.  But whoever hates his life in this age will find that it is preserved by God for the next age, which is eternal.  The one who wants to be to be in my government, must follow me through death and beyond.  Wherever I am my follower will be as well.  The faithful servant will be honored by God.  So now I am in anguish, because of the difficulty I must face.  But should I ask God to save me from this fate?  But because it is my fate, it is my purpose.  Father, in my death, glorify Your name.”  John 12:23-27

He sat them down and began to lecture them about the doctrinal necessity of the suffering of the Son of Man of Daniel.  That the Son of Man would be declared guilty by the judges and bishops and the seminary professors and he would be sentenced to death, killed and after a three day appeal would be resurrected.  He spoke to them without metaphor, but straightforwardly.  After he was done, Peter gently took him aside and told him that such things could not happen to him, the Messiah.  Jesus turned toward all his disciples and raised his voice for all to hear, “Get away from me! You are not Peter, but Satan!  Stop tempting me to take the easy route!  You are speaking of God’s plan, but of human achievement!”

Then Jesus called the crowd to gather around him, beside his disciples, then he addressed them all: “Do you think that I have the way to life, the way to enter into God’s kingdom?  Then listen here: If you want to be a part of my school, you must give up on all the things that make up your life, accept that you will be killed as a revolutionary and go where I go. Since I am going to die, you must accept that for yourself as well.  If you want to preserve your life, then you will lose it.  If you lose your life for Me and my school, then you will retain your life.  If you surrender your life, you will obtain resurrection. Sure, you could gain everything in the world you want—happiness, security, wealth, fame—but what good is any of that if you lose your life in the long run?  Suppose someone had a gun to your head and wanted all you had for your life?  Isn’t it better to give all of that up, so you could live and obtain your stuff and happiness another day?  If anyone is fearful of speaking about Me before this sinning and faithless people, then the Messiah will dare not speak his name on the final day when he comes to rule the Father’s kingdom with all of God’s power behind him.  Mark 8:31-38

Eternal Life

Jesus’ goal was not to die, although it may seem like it in the above passages.  Rather, Jesus’ goal was what is called “eternal life”.  This eternal life is not life in heaven, as spirits floating around singing.  It is a second chance on life.

                In our current life, we are compromised from doing all we could for God.  We live in a corrupted world which strives to encourage us to do evil, to disobey God.  We have corrupted bodies which have corrupted desires and illnesses and weaknesses that the body encourages us to sidestep by doing more evil.  We live in a context of temptation and injustice and weakness.

                God is offering resurrection.  This means that we will come back after death into bodies that are uncorrupted and incorruptible.  We will be living in a context without injustice, and temptation is kept to a minimum.  We will be given an opportunity to live for God without weakness, in full strength and spiritual authority. 

And some will be chosen to rule over this utopia.  The Messiah will be chosen among people to rule over God’s kingdom and He will chose many to rule with Him.  The ones whom He will chose will create justice for all, provide the context of life for everyone.  This is the dream of the New Testament.  It is the goal of Jesus.

God’s Justice

But God doesn’t give this kind of resurrection, this opportunity to everyone.  Not everyone deserves to rule, not everyone can handle the power that will be given to people to rule.  Not everyone is prepared to deal with people as they are.  God is careful to choose the people who will create His utopia, and these will be given a second chance on life.

                Who are these people that God chooses?  God’s selection process begins first of all with those who didn’t really have a life to begin with.  This doesn’t mean that they didn’t have a chance of a good life.  Perhaps they surrendered the chance of a good life.  But God is looking for those who suffered injustice in their lives.  They did good for themselves, for their neighbors, for God’s kingdom, but they received shame and punishment for the good they did.  God will not look for the rich and powerful, the famous and lauded.  They have already had their life.  God will be looking for those who gave up their life and give them another chance.

Jesus’ Example

Jesus is the one who surrendered his chance at life for others.  He could have lived a quiet, but happy existence as a carpenter in Nazareth.  But he chose to give up on the good life so that a better life could be granted to everyone.  Jesus gave up on life, on happiness, on a good retirement, on hope of a peaceful death.  Jesus surrendered all the great possibilities to live in shalom.  He did this, not because he couldn’t have lived in peace, but because he saw so many who didn’t have the chance.  So he gave up on life to give others a chance.

                And this is exactly what Jesus is calling us to.  If we want to have a better life, we have to give up on the one the world offers us.  Yes, for some of us, perhaps we could have a solid job, a quiet existence, a good family, the American dream.  But for many, this life is out of reach.  Jesus is asking us to give up the good life, so we could give an opportunity for a better life for others. 

·                Just like Jesus, we are called to give up the pursuit of the “good life”, the American Dream.

·                Just like Jesus, we are called to live in rebellion against the world political system which denies peace and justice for so many.

·                Just like Jesus, we are to allow ourselves to be persecuted, to be punished for doing good.

·                Just like Jesus, we are called to even die in our innocence, to die because of our life in God’s compassion.

                These who give up their shots at the good life to live and die for others, they will be given the second chance.  They will be God’s rulers in the coming revolution.

As It Was Prophecied

This is also nothing new.  There are only a few places in the Old Testament that talks about the resurrection of God’s people, and every passage speaks of God giving a second chance to those who didn’t have a life to begin with:

• Psalm 22—The author of this Psalm is surrounded by enemies and killed, but he relies on God for deliverance.  God then gives him a second chance at life, which is happy and good.
• Psalm 37—The people of God suffer under oppression because the wealthy wicked are causing them to live in poverty.  The point of the psalm is that God will give the poor who wait for God a second chance at life without such oppression.
• Daniel 12—The people of God are under a terrible trial and oppression.  They are surrounded and destroyed and killed by their enemies.  God destroys their enemies and resurrects the killed, giving them a second chance to live under God’s rule.

Jesus sees the fulfillment of these prophecies, but he adds one more factor.  There are some who will choose to suffer, who will chose to die for the sake of God’s kingdom and righteousness.  These will also gain resurrection with those who had no choice to suffer.  And some of them will rule in God’s kingdom.

Who get resurrected?  The rejected by the world.

Peace

To be at peace with others, we must seek peace within ourselves. To be at peace within ourselves, we must seek peace with others.  This is a mutual effort.  In seeking peace with others, they will (eventually) seek peace with us.  To welcome peace from others is to grant peace to both them and ourselves.  Caring peace is the reduction of negative stress in our relationships.  If we begin to listen to others, to resolve conflicts with all parties in mind, then the goal of peace can possibly be achieved.

Opposite: Harsh conflict, resolving conflict with only personal goals in mind.

Conflicts and relational stresses are inevitable.  Do we try to ignore conflicts, allowing them to fester, or do we approach them gently?  Do we manipulate people to try to get them to do what we want, or directly speak to issues?  Do we blow up at others and then hope they don’t bring it up again?  Or do we firmly but gently speak to the issues in our relationships, listening to others’ needs and then seeking to resolve them with both parties’ needs met?

Joy In Others

In ancient Scriptures, “joy” is an important value.  Some speak of the joy of creation, or the joy of gratitude.  But one aspect of joy that is often neglected is joy in others.  To rejoice in another is to have one’s heart leap when they appear, to take pleasure in conversing with them, to join with them in their personal joys.  Joy is not only a personal feeling, it is a communal sharing.  Joy is essential to love, for who wants a relationship to lack joy?

Opposite: Envy of other’s good fortune, negative response to another

Think of a person we dislike.  When we converse with that person, do we find our eyes avoiding them, our voice containing irritation, an attempt to get away from them?  How can we express a more positive interaction?  Now pick another person whom we neither especially love nor dislike.  When we think of them, do we focus on the things we especially enjoy about them?  What good things about others can we think about, without considering the negative?  If we meditate on the positive, then we can more easily express joy when we next see them.

Self Control

Our natural instinct is rarely the right actions to follow for other’s sake.  Our natural instinct is to love those who love us, but it is also to hurt those that we perceive as hurting us.  And maybe to hurt them a little more.  We may think with our desires and drives.  Self-control is taking time to consider the best course of action.  And loving self-control is considering what would be beneficial for another in a certain circumstance.  To love is to take time to think what is good for all, not just to react.

Opposite: To be impulsive and to defend that impulse no matter who we hurt.

Do we ever take time to really meditate about what others need or how we can help them?  Is love only something we do on impulse?  Are our impulses mostly self-serving or other-serving?  How can we create habits that would assist others on a regular basis?  

Appreciating Difference

At first this may seem like the opposite of “love your neighbor as yourself.”  While we may begin love by seeing others as ourselves, we mature in love by recognizing that others want similar things in different ways.  We all need food, but we can’t all eat the same food. We all want respect, but we may understand respect in different ways.  We all want to be loved, but we may understand love in different ways.  This is why God made most of us desire to be attached to the opposite sex—to learn that love is expressed through difference, as well as through similarity.

Opposite: Insisting that others’ needs will be met only in our way; rejecting others because of how they meet their needs.

Do we look at others as just extension of ourselves, or as unique people in their own right?  Do we see the solutions we found to our problems the only solution to that problem or one of a set of solutions that other’s might find helpful?  Do we manipulate people to take a certain path “for their own good” or give them the freedom to figure out what is good for themselves?  Do we command or advise?

Benevolence

In any relationship, it is seeing how we can benefit the other.  It is easy to see benevolence to feed the hungry or to house the homeless.  Benevolence, however, should taint every one of our relationships, every one of our conversations.  We can do good by listening to another, by making sure communication is safe for others,  by encouraging others in hope, by finding out what they actually need.  It is seeking to meet the needs of others, and we all have need.  Ultimately, benevolence is the core of love.  It is the seed from which true love grows.  By seeking the other’s need and trying to meet it, we can find ourselves.

Opposite: Seeking only to meet our own needs; being apathetic to other’s needs

In our relationships, are we focused on what we can get out of them, or what we can give in them?  Do we consider the needs of those we know?  Do we recognize signs of weakness in them, in order to assist them, or at least to empathize?  Do we seek help for those around us when they are in need, or do we just give pat answers and hope they will stop complaining?  Do we avoid weak people or seek ways to make them strong?  Ultimately, are our lives about meeting our own needs, or helping others to meet theirs?

Empathy

Empathy is to feel what another feels.  It is to step into another’s skin, to absorb their experiences and to have sympathy for both the joys and tragedies of another’s life.  Empathy is a natural, biological process for most people, allowing us to learn through other’s experience, to be like others, and to learn how to help others be like us.  

Opposite: To see other’s actions analytically, without feeling; to see other’s experiences as insignificant.

When I see someone in trouble, do I recognize that I could be in the same place, if circumstances were different?  Can I put myself in another’s place, recognizing that their feelings and sorrows and joys are the same as mine? Do I see myself in others around me and see them in me?  Do I see others for my own amusement or as tools to use for my own benefit?  Or do I recognize that we are all a part of each other, inseparable, no matter how we disagree or become angry with each other? 

Compassion

Compassion is to see a lack in others and to feel sorrow due to their lack.  Compassion sees needs, it gives room for weakness, it excuses actions done from pain.  Compassion can have its weakness, for it often will treat an adult like a child, or will sometimes shield from positive hurt.  But in its best form, compassion does not lessen the other person, but moves one to wise action.

Opposite: To judge others for their weakness, to be apathetic to another’s plight.

What is my first reaction to someone in weakness?  Do I tend to blame or to understand?  Do I reason in my mind ways to separate from them, to treat them as immoral or to be frustrated at their weakness?  Or do I take pity on their weakness?  Can I weep with those who weep?  Do I search for ways to comfort or to avoid the weak?

Relationship

In order to love we must be in connection with others.  To have any other deep values, we must first be in relationship.  We cannot live “just me and God” for God only grants grace to those in loving relationship to others.  A hermit is a spiritual cripple, for it is in the dirty rough-and-tumble of associating and being open to hurt that we learn the discipline of love.  It is good, at times, to retreat and escape the demands of relationship and to focus on who we are in God.  But this is not an end in itself, but a respite to prepare ourselves to associate, connect and care.

Do I have the tendency to isolate?  When I have a problem with others, do I run to a safe place, away from any other person?  Do I use my words to isolate, to separate myself from others, or to draw them into deeper relationship?  Am I afraid of others, of how they might hurt me and so use my non-verbal communication to warn people away from me?  Do I need to spend time with God to overcome fear and anger so I can relate to others as God would have me to?

Other-Consideration

Every being from the beginning of our individual life has no perspective but one’s own.  The only need is personal need, the only feelings are personal feelings, the only thoughts are personal thoughts.  Love begins by seeing another as the equal of oneself, having similar needs, similar feelings and similar thoughts.   If we recognize others as equal beings as ourselves, then we will grant them the same freedoms and respect that we expect ourselves.”

Opposite: To view another as less than human, to deny them equality with oneself.

Have we ever done something that we told ourselves, “Sure that would hurt us, but not that person   Do we ever consider others as less than ourselves?  Do we ignore the pain others feel because it “doesn’t matter”? Do we think that what we do to others is less than what they do to us?  Do we ever want to give back to another more pain than we received from them? Do we see others as being stronger than we and so able to handle greater burdens than we?  In what way do we see others as so different than ourselves that we don’t have to relate to them or care for them?

Apothecary of Love

To love others is to fulfill God’s highest law.  To love is to fulfill all the commandments.  To love is to be our highest selves.  To love is to be more than human, while not to love is to be less than human.  To love is to heal.  The world is sick.  It is in pain.  It groans under the weight of the burdens of suffering.  It is in anguish from carelessness, misunderstanding and prejudiced belief.  The medicine the world needs is love.  

But what is love?  Is love based in desire, or in giving?  Is love romantic, friendly or spiritual? Can it be all of these?  Love is the answer, but we often don’t want to know more about love than the fact that it is good.  For one person, love is sexual experience, for another it is giving illegal drugs for free.  Love is as misunderstood as it is lauded.

The one who first upheld love as a standard wasn’t John Lennon but Jesus.  Jesus said that all laws, all actions should be experienced through the filter of love.  He said that love was the ideal of God.  That love must be shared with all.  Surely Jesus knew what he meant by love. 

In this series we will see what the Bible says about love.  Love is healing, but it is not singular.  Rather, love is a medicine cabinet full of medications that will heal what ails you, what ails those around you.  But you do not apply one love to all wounds.  Each pain needs a different medicine. 

We will explore different dimensions of love, different ways of loving.  Each piece will be brief, but require much meditation to accomplish it.   Each will give an aspect of love, part of a whole.  We will attempt to give a definition, a Scripture, an antonym (for a definition isn’t complete until we know what something isn’t), and some questions for meditation.  If we spend a few minutes on love daily, we might know what it is, learning to live it out. 

To be updated with the full teaching on love, select the label below: Apothecary of Love

The Philosopher

There was a prophet in the court.  His name was Qoheleth the Philosopher and people listened to what he taught, but no one liked it.

            The Philosopher said:  “Everything is pointless!  All of life is meaningless, empty.  It is like trying to cath the wind with your hands—you work hard at it, but get nothing out of it.  Everything under the sun is pointless.

            “I was wealthy, and I was able to do whatever I wanted.  So I pursued pleasure.  I partied, I drank, I allowed myself to be entertained by comedies and musicians. I gained everything that money could buy—possessions and women and everything that anyone could want.  I participated in everything on the earth—but in the end, it was all boring.  And I had achieved nothing.  Everything remained the same as when I started.

            “Then I thought that I could gain great wisdom and be educated more than anyone on earth.  I would learn philosophy and be taught by the greatest teachers of the earth.  I learned everything there is to know—and then I realized that it, too was pointless.  No matter how educated, the wise man, after he dies, becomes as dead and as forgotten as the idiot.  In the end, they are both the same.

            “There is true wisdom, but it cannot be found.  God may reveal something to people—but it is beyond understanding.  No one will understand what is truly deep.  Every time we think we have it, we lose it.  And then, every time we understand what is right, we act in accordance with what is wrong.

            “Then I thought—I will work hard and do great things. I will work from early in the morning to late at night and I will accomplish great things and make a huge amount of money. I made great projects—gardens and huge farms and I collected an enormous amount of livestock.  And then I realized that if I work hard for all these things, I will not be able to enjoy it at all.  I will toil and work and then die—and some other lazy fool will receive all I got. 

            “So perhaps, I thought, we should strike a balance.  Perhaps it is good to work some and then to have pleasure.  After all, God gave us work, and he gave us food and drink to enjoy.  Then I realized—there are evil people all throughout the world who would steal what I have.  For every worker who enjoys what he has, there are three who are trying to steal from the one—and soon the one has nothing.  Theft and oppression are everywhere—both on the street and in the government.

            “All the wealth I had achieved, I understood, was pointless.  The more I have, the more I want.  The more I have, the more people there are to eat up my excess.  A poor worker sleeps well, but the wealthy man has so many worries, he cannot sleep. 

            “So I looked into religion, and saw many people devoting themselves to God.  They make great vows to God, and seem like heroes.  But so very few of them keep their vows, and then they are punished.  And so many dream, looking for messages from heaven—but in the end, they mean nothing.

            “Then I decided to get into politics.  I would look after the king, and be important in his eyes.  Whoever obeys the king will come to no harm.  And the king is the supreme power on earth.  But I realized all the limitations of the king as well.  The king cannot punish every wicked man, and at times, the innocent suffer—no matter how just the king.  The righteous receive the punishment of the wicked and the wicked receive the reward of the righteous.  And no one—not even a king—really has power over what is important.  Who can control the wind?  Who can determine the day of his own death?  In death, everyone is the same—whether important or a scoundrel or righteous or whatever else.  So what is the point?

            When we are old, all is darkness.  The brilliant are stupid, and the strong men hobble.  We lose our teeth to eat anything good.  We are afraid of everything.  And we can enjoy nothing.  Everyone experiences it—unless they die first.  And so the end of life is as pointless as its living.

            The Philosopher stood up and gave his conclusion: “My end is this: Under the sun, everything is pointless, without meaning. Do what you want—it is just luck and futility here.  But I charge you this way—do not live your life under the sun—only for this pointless age, this empty existence.  Rather, live for God.  Live for him while you are young—don’t wait until you are old.

“God alone is the judge of all men. In the end, he will judge all the wicked and reward all the righteous—and that is the only true justice that will ever exist. Our lives only have meaning if He gives it meaning.  Fear God and keep his commandments—for this is the one duty of humans.  And in his world, in his time, he will make everything beautiful and significant.”

Above is a summary of the book of Ecclesiastes, an ancient Hebrew book.