FOUNDATIONAL CHRISTIAN TRUTHS - Vital Christianity

3VI. LORDSHIP: TOTAL SURRENDER AND OWNERSHIP 68-79A. TIMEB. GIFTS AND TALENTSC. MONEY (POSSESSIONS)D. RELATIONSHIPSE. CAREERF. EDUCATIONVII. THE BIBLE AND ITS APPLICATION 80-100A. INSPIRATIONB. THE BIBLE AT A GLANCE (66 BOOKS)C. HERMENEUTICS (INTERPRETATION)D. REASONS TO STUDYVIII. PRAYER: A DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE 101-113A. NECESSITYB. THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRITC. WAYS THAT GOD SPEAKSD. UNANSWERED PRAYERE. OUR PATTERN OF PRAYERF. THE SPIRIT OF PRAYERG. WHAT SHOULD I PRAY ABOUT?IX. MEDITATION: REFLECTIVE FOCUS ON GOD 114-123A. A CURE-ALL?B. BIBLICAL MEDITATIONC. EXAMPLESD. MEDITATIVE PRAYER TECHNIQUEX. WORSHIP: ACKNOWLEDGING GOD'S WORTH 124-135IN ADORATION AND PRAISEA. PRE-EMINENCEB. A MISSING JEWELC. WHAT IS WORSHIP?D. FOURFOLD PURPOSE

4XI. FELLOWSHIP: SHARING WHAT (WHO) WE HAVE IN COMMON 136-144A. NECESSITYB. WHAT IS THE CHURCHC. REASONS FOR BEING A MEMBERD. THE CRITERIA OF A HEALTHY CHURCHE. SPIRITUAL REINFORCEMENTXII. WITNESSING: SHARING THE GOOD NEWS 145-160A. PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITYB. WHAT IS A WITNESS?C. REASONS FOR FEARD. LIFE OR LIP?E. THE SOURCE--WHOSE WE AREF. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CENTRALG. YOUR TESTIMONYH. MOTIVATIONXIII. SERVICE: THE OVERFLOW OF OUR LOVE RELATIONSHIP 161-172A. DIFFICULT LESSONB. JESUS, THE CHIEF FOOTWASHERC. JESUS ENCOURAGED GOOD WORKSD. EXAMPLES: PAUL, EARLY CHURCH, MODERN ERAE. SERVICE TO OTHERS--SERVICE TO JESUSF. POSITIVE ACTIONG. THE MOTIVEXIV. HOW TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION 173-186A. SATAN AND DEMONS ARE REALB. TEMPTATION IS COMMON TO ALLC. POWER TO FACE TEMPTATIOND. MEANING OF TEMPTATIONE. TESTING VS. TEMPTATIONF. IMPLICATIONS OF GUIDANCEG. HOW SATAN TEMPTS USH. ANATOMY OF TEMPTATIONI. EXAMPLESJ. IMPLICATIONS OF DELIVERANCEK. HOW TO FIGHT TEMPTATIONL. DOUBTING YOUR SALVATIONM. THE TWO ENEMIES

6FOREWORD“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1)This book is about building, and begins with the foundation. It isn’t often that a book oftheology comes out that is so sharply focused on spiritual formation--building our growingrelationship with God.It is a common danger that an increase in our knowledge “about” God makes ussusceptible to spiritual pride. However, Lars Wilhelmsson has crafted this book with the clearpurpose of applying Biblical truth to life and relationships. Jesus promised that we could have“abundant life.” Here we find the reasons for a systematic study of the Scriptures: to develop anddeepen our love relationship with Jesus, to experience God in our daily lives, and to learn to liveand grow in a community of disciples of Christ.This book is arranged topically, like a handbook, allowing a seeker of truth to find help inspecific practical areas related to following Jesus. Still, it can be read clear through in order,following the chapters and sections that are arranged in a logical progression, just as a coachor mentor would do in a training or discipling relationship.All the way through this book it remains clear that the primary goals of these principlesand spiritual disciplines are that we become more like Jesus, and more in love with God, as webuild on these foundational truths.Bill JancewiczLanguage Project FacilitatorWycliffe Bible Translators

8The means of grace is what this book is all about. There are sixteen chapters thataddresses the rich means of grace that is available in knowing Christ and growing in thatknowledge throughout our lives.This book is designed for newcomers to the Christian faith though others will benefit aswell. It is a fairly comprehensive treatment as it addresses so many areas that are crucial in ourwalk with God.The first chapter on balance sets the pace. Too often narrow parameters are set basedupon personal experiences. This is faulty since experiences vary so much. Rather, Scripture mustbe our guide as we look at this whole enterprise of knowing and following God.Spiritual and intellectual complacency has come to mark the spirit of our age. Suchcomplacency is more deadly than anything the devil can bring against us in our attempt toincreasingly know God and live for Him. Scriptural knowledge is key, for by it Jesus Himselfwithstood the temptations of Satan (Matthew 4:1-11) and it was Jesus who pointed out that"these are the Scriptures that testify about Me" (John 5:39).We get to know Jesus by getting to know the Scriptures which point to Him. Such is thepurpose of this book.I want to thank Bill Jancewicz for his proofreading and suggestions that make this abetter book than it otherwise would have been. His encouraging foreword is also appreciated.

9INTRODUCTION

10“Everywhere, O Truth, dost thou give audience to all who ask counsel of thee,and at once answerest all, though on manifold matters they ask thy counsel.Clearly dost thou answer, though all do not clearly hear.” 1“God’s heavenly plan doesn’t always make earthly sense.” 2–Charles Swindoll–St. AugustineNo traveler would be excused if he neglected to consult his map and tried instead to findhis way across the country by observing the flight of birds or by watching the movements of thestars. Although it may be possible for man to find his way apart from a map in crossing thisnation, trying to get home by the stars or by other avenues would be a poor substitute for a map.The map (the Bible) has been provided by God telling us all we need to know aboutGod, our own soul and human destiny. Isn't it ironic that we will spend a tremendous amount ofmoney to uncover the secrets of our past when our present life and our future destiny is whatreally matters?As Tozer has pointed out, "Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy, howeverharmless it may appear to be." 3 Our neglect of the Holy Scriptures shows how we have allowedother things of this world to engage our attention when we should have been meditating on Godand those things that have eternal significance. Too often we have allowed the cares of this life tocrowd out the Scriptures from our minds and hearts.Tozer is right: "The secret of life is theological and the key to heaven as well." 4 It isScripture that provides the foundation for Christian truths. "Since we learn with difficulty,forget easily, and suffer many distractions" 5 we need to set our hearts to study theology. Tozerput it in its proper perspective when he stated:"We should preach it from our pulpits, sing it in our hymns, teach it to our childrenand make it the subject of conversation when we meet with Christian friends." 6Foundational Christian Truths is an attempt to make the truths of Scripture accessible tobelievers. You will find this book soaked to the skin in Scripture. It drips with Scripture verses

and passages because it is written with the11conviction that God's Word". . . will not return to [God] empty, but will accomplish what [God] desires andachieve the purpose for which [God] sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).I. THE BALANCED CHRISTIAN

12“Balance is the secret of successful tight-rope walking. It is also the secret ofsuccessful Christian living.” 1Martin Luther said that Christians approach doctrine (and I would include the Christianlife in general) as a drunkard approaches a horse. Just at the time when he finally gets on top ofthe horse he falls over on the other side.Through the fall of man the human race has lost its symmetry. Because of this everythingman is and does tends to be lopsided. There is a spiritual, moral and even physical imbalancebecause of the presence, the pervading presence, of sin.A. W. Tozer addressed the difficulty the Christian has in becoming mature, balanced."The true Christian is a saint in embryo. The heavenly genes are in him and theHoly Spirit is working to bring him on into a spiritual development that accordswith the nature of the Heavenly Father from whom he received the deposit ofdivine life. Yet he is here in this mortal body subject to weakness and temptation,

and his warfare with the flesh [thethings." 113sinful nature] leads him to do extremePaul described our struggle as Christians with our two natures this way:"For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the Spirit whatis contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that youdo not do what you want" (Galatians 5:17).Balance is the secret of successful tight-rope walking. It is also the secret ofsuccessful Christian living. Just as there are always two ways in which a tight-rope walker canfall, either to his right or to his left, so it is with the believer. At every point where a policy has tobe formed or a course of action planned, two extremes of one-sidedness have to be avoided. It isin that sense that we have to learn to keep our balance.We Christians are not very good at avoiding extremes. We are like pendulums, constantlyswinging from one extreme to the other. It is the power of reaction, one of the strongest negativeforces in human life, that causes this swing. It works this way. When we see, or think we see,something we dislike and we recoil from it as we would from a snake in the grass, we keep ourattention riveted on it while we put as much distance between it and us as we can. Walkingbackwards in this way, we soon reach an extreme opposite to that which set us going, though weare likely not to notice its extreme character because we can only think of what we are trying toget away from. So one-sidedness of one sort spawns one-sidedness of an opposite kind. Balanceis not sought, much less found.Spiritual symmetry, which is a right proportion of parts in relation to each otherand to the whole, is God's will for us all. While it is highly desirable it is extremely difficult toattain. Yet that is what Jesus Christ had in the highest degree.Since redemption is a moral restoration to the divine image then it is logical that "oneof the first acts of God in the Christian life is a kind of moral tuning-up, a bringing into harmonythe discordant elements within the personality, an adjustment of the soul to itself and to God." 2Since Jesus is not only our Savior and Lord, but also our Example, our Model, we toomust open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit in our inner being and do our best in seeingthat we develop into balanced followers of His.The wheel illustrates this principle of balance. Here is balance between worship andservice, prayer and Bible, sharing and fasting, fellowship and witnessing. When Christ is at thecenter of our lives all these spiritual disciplines come into balance and thus we are empoweredby the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to Him.

14The balance between Bible and prayer is crucial because an emphasis on the Bibleapart from prayer leads to objectivism or intellectualism and ends up in adhering to "the letterof the law" that "kills" (2 Corinthians 3:6). An emphasis on prayer apart from serious Biblestudy leads to subjectivism in which God is blamed for all kinds of nonsensical ideas.The balance between worship and service is vital because an emphasis on worship apartfrom service leads to mysticism which is a false worship with emphasis on subjectiveexperiences that lead nowhere or on rules and regulations (legalism) which ultimately separate usfrom the Head (Colossians 2:18-23). Service without worship leads to humanistic pridebecause it focuses on our deeds and thus our goodness, and it eventually leads to spiritualdryness as it is energized by human will and emotion and separated from the One who has calledus to such service.The balance between fellowship and witnessing is important because an emphasis onfellowship apart from witnessing leads to koinonitis (Greek for the disease of fellowship) as itleads to our lives becoming ingrown and thus insensitive to outsiders. Witnessing withoutfellowship leads to superficiality as it ignores the importance of the family of God, the body ofChrist—the church—which typically makes our lives a mile wide and an inch deep.The balance between sharing and fasting is critical because an emphasis on giving apartfrom fasting leads to insensitivity as it keeps us from being able to empathize with those inneed since without such an experience most of us have never had to be without something basicto our way of life. Fasting without giving leads to legalistic pride and insensitivity to those inneed as it emphasizes the negative—going without—apart from the positive element of helpingthe needy.Spiritual symmetry—a right proportion of parts in relation to each other and to thewhole--is possible only when these spiritual disciplines are in balance. Any time we neglect anyone of them we find that our lives become wobbly like a wheel which has missing spokes. Anytinkering with the truth, any liberties taken with Holy Scripture, any neglect of the whole ofGod's resources for our spiritual health, throws our lives out of symmetry and results in spiritualimbalance. Therefore we must give ourselves whole-heartedly to all that God has provided forour spiritual benefit that we may live lives “worthy of the calling to which God has called us”(Ephesians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).

15II. TO GLORIFY GOD: THE PURPOSE OF OUR EXISTENCE

16". . . everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory,whom I formed and made" (Isaiah 43:7).“Our great honor lies in being just what Jesus was and is. To be accepted by thosewho accept him, rejected by those who reject him, loved by those who love himand hated by everyone who hates him. What greater glory could come to any man?” 1--A. W. Tozermade.The value of any object is determined by how well it fulfills the purpose for which it wasAn automobile that will not run and cannot be repaired is virtually worthless, no matterhow nice it may look sitting in a driveway. A radio that will not play is of no value regardless ofits brand name. A fruit tree that does not produce fruit is useless.We know what the purpose was for inventing an automobile or a radio. We know that thepurpose of a fruit tree is to produce fruit. But what was the purpose for which man was made?Looking at our contemporary scene you would believe that man was made for thepurpose of having fun, finding happiness, success, wealth, prestige and status.From a religious viewpoint, for what purpose was man made? Was it to be religious, tobe moral, to worship God, to evangelize the lost or to serve God and people?THE WESTMINSTER CATECHISMThe Westminster Catechism, in wrestling with this issue, asked the question, "What is thechief end of man?" and then answered the question:"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."Man's chief end or purpose is to glorify God first of all. Paul put it:"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.To Him be the glory forever! Amen" (Romans 11:36).

17God is the Creator, Sustainer and Ultimate Goal of all existence.In dealing with some practical problems in the church at Corinth Paul stated:". . . yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things cameand for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, throughwhom all things came and through whom we live" (1 Corinthians 8:6).The answer to any problem or circumstance is God and our relationship to Him.Everything else is secondary. For God is our Ultimate Goal. We were made to glorify Him. Godsaid through the prophet Isaiah:". . . everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for My glory, whomI formed and made" (Isaiah 43:7).Later in the same chapter God similarly says through Isaiah:". . . the people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim My praise" (Isaiah 43:21).Then God says through Isaiah that the people are to give this glory to God and proclaim iteverywhere:"Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim His praise in the islands" (Isaiah 42:12).The Bible is also very clear that God is jealous of His glory. He will not share it withanyone or anything. He said through Isaiah, the prophet:"I am the Lord; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praiseto idols" (Isaiah 42:8).THE PURPOSE OF ALL CREATIONThe Bible states that the purpose of all creation is to glorify God. He says natureglorifies Him:"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of Hishands" (Psalm 19:1).

Even the animals glorify Him as18pointed out by Isaiah:"The wild animals glorify [honor] Me" (Isaiah 43:20).The angels that appeared at Christ's birth cried out:"Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14).Everything from owls to angels—the flowers, the butterflies, the grass, the trees,everything was made to manifest God's glory.Yet today few are doing much of that. Man in general has failed to glorify God. Paul inwriting to the believers at Rome laments this fact:"For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gavethanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts weredarkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchangedthe glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal manand birds and animals and reptiles.Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexualimpurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchangedthe truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created beings ratherthan the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen” (Romans 1:21-25).Here we see the quick descent of man as he failed to glorify God. The spiritualdeclension begins with the knowledge of God and ends up in idolatry and every conceivableform of immorality.WHAT DOES IT MEAN?If the glory of God is so important, what is it?The Hebrew word for "glory" (kabod) means “heavy” or “weighty” and is most oftenused to express honor, wealth, dignity, power—all having to do with impressiveness. The Greekword (doxa) means “reputation, fame, splendor, honor, praise, majesty, esteem, reputation.” Theidea from both the Hebrew and Greek words is that when we realize who God is and what Hehas done we will be impressed and thus we will honor Him.

19The glory of God is God'smanifestation and man's appropriate response.God's glory is the manifestation of His essence. And when man responds to that manifestationin an appropriate manner, that is, in a way that is worthy of God, in a way that is worthy of Hisessence—His nature and character—he glorifies God.God shows Himself to us in various ways: through His creation, through somemysterious experience or encounter—dreams or visions, or during times of prayer andmeditation, but He shows Himself to us primarily through His written and spoken Word.To glorify God is to respond to His presence, His revelation, His Word.HOW DO WE GLORIFY GOD?The second part of the answer to the question of man's chief end in life put to us by theWestminster Catechism is:"and to enjoy Him forever."Pastor and theologian John Piper has suggested that the last phrase should be worded:"by enjoying Him forever."Certainly one of the ways we glorify God is by enjoying Him. The trouble with thissuggestion is that it limits the various ways of glorifying God by focusing only on "theenjoyment of God."This enjoyment is certainly lacking in many religious or Christian circles. It is a vitalchord that needs to be restored if the church is to be vital and thus attractive.______________________________________________________________________________"PASSION FOR GODCOMPASSION FOR PEOPLE"______________________________________________________________________________A couple of the ways that we glorify God is by our passion for God and by ourcompassion for people. Passion for God means primarily two things:Being Overwhelmed by God's LoveBeing Captured by God HimselfIntensity, gratitude and joy mark passion for God. This means intensity in seeking andserving God. Gratitude and joy in recognizing and responding to His presence, love and power.

20What is the chief purpose of man? The chief purpose of man is to glorify God. Howare we to glorify God? We are to glorify God, according to the Westminster Catechism, by"enjoying God forever."This does capture man's chief purpose in that it refers to man's existence for eternity.The last part of the purpose couplet only captures man's chief purpose while on earth."Compassion for people" will not continue into eternity. There will be no need for compassionfor people in heaven. By definition, it is a place of perfection and completeness. Therefore thereis no sin there and God will be there and there will be no needs that are not met in God Himself.In the heavenly state God will be "all in all." Yet compassion is vital in this life. It does bringhonor and glory to God in this time interval as it meets human need.The Bible is clear that for eternity, along with the angels, we will enjoy God as weworship and serve Him forever in the glories and splendor of our heavenly home.DO OUR THOUGHTS, WORDS, AND ACTIONS GLORIFY GOD?In the meantime here on earth we are enjoined to glorify God with our bodies since wewere bought at such a high price—the blood of Christ:". . . you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body."(1 Corinthians 6:20)Peter exhorts believers to glorify God with their spiritual gifts:"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so thatin all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be theglory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11).Everything we think, say, and do must come under the scrutiny of God's glory. This iswhy Paul exhorted the believers at Corinth:"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."(1 Corinthians 10:31)There is nothing too ordinary, too mundane but that it should be done to God's glory.Anything we think, say, or do is to be thought, said, or done with God's glory in mind.Does what I think, does what I say, does what I do—bring honor and glory to God? That must bethe question that is foremost in our minds at all times. This must be true for us individually as

21believers and it must be the question for us corporately as a church as Paul stated in histreatise on the church to the believers at the region of Ephesus:"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan ofHim who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will,in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praiseof His glory.And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, thegospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal,the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until theredemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of His glory."(Ephesians 1:11-14)Do I individually in my thoughts, words and actions bring glory to God? Do we as achurch, by our thoughts, by our words, by our actions—bring glory to God? That is the allimportantquestion!The value of any object must be determined by how well it fulfills the purpose for whichit was made.In the 19th century Thomas Carlyle began to write a history of the French Revolution.After months of labor Carlyle sent a large, first volume of his work to a friend to get that person'sreaction to what he had written. While the only copy of the manuscript was in the friend's home,an uneducated maid used its pages to start a fire in the fireplace.An historian might respond to such a tragic act with the description:"A tragic misuse of an invaluable piece of literature."But that maid's act is not nearly so serious, so tragic as to use a life that has been createdto glorify God for anything less than that.To glorify God means many things:It means that we deliberately determine to please God in everything.It means we keep the first two commandments in that we love the Lord our Godwith all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and that we love our neighboras ourselves.

22 It means that we love God by seeing that He is worthy of alladoration and honor. It means that we recognize the gratitude we owe Him sinceall that we are and have is only because of His mercy and grace.It means that we see that in adoring worship and unselfish service to God ourexistence reaches its ultimate fulfillment.To spend our time and energies primarily to enhance our own reputations, to strive for theaccumulation of material possessions or to seek personal pleasure is to abuse life, to fail tofulfill the purpose for which we were created.OUR MODELWe have only one perfect model of what it means to glorify God. It is His one and onlySon Jesus Christ who was able to testify at the beginning of His life:"My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work" (John 6:34)."For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Himwho sent Me" (John 6:38).Toward the end of His life and ministry Jesus could testify:"Father the time has come, glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. . . .I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with Youbefore the world began" (John 17:1,4).Then Jesus points out that He has received glory through His servants:"All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. And glory has come to Methrough them [the disciples]" (John 17:10).Jesus finishes His high priestly prayer with the astounding promise:"Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and tosee My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me beforethe creation of the world" (John 17:24).We must guard against the proud, selfish, materialistic, sensuous spirit of the age toinfluence us toward the abuse of our existence. We were made to love, to know and understandGod and His ways, to worship and serve Him. This is the primary purpose for which we are here

– 23 –

24"Faith hears the inaudible, sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receivesthe impossible." 1When a little girl was asked what faith is, she answered,"Faith is believing something you know isn't true."The cynical editor H. L. Mencken defined faith as"Illogical belief in the occurrence of the impossible." 2--AnonymousIs biblical faith mere superstition? Or is it blind optimism? Or is it a manufactured "hopeso"feeling?Definitely not! Neither is it mere intellectual assent to doctrine. But what is it?The word "faith" appears only two times in the Old Testament (Habakkuk 2:4). Faith,however, is found 307 times in the New Testament with two basic ingredients in its definition:1. Intellectual Content—Truth revealed by God. This has to do with facts.2. Acceptance and Trust--Belief and Commitment to truth and to the God who is Truth.It is not enough to know what we believe since believing something doesn't make it true.A thing is true or not regardless of whether anyone believes it.Faith, then, is only as good as its object, and the object of our faith is God. Faith is notsome "feeling" that we manufacture. It is our total response to what God has revealed in HisWord.

26with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the market-place day byday with those who happened to be there" (Acts 9:29; 17:2,17).Here we see that Paul argued the rationality of the Christian faith.THE OBJECT OF FAITHThe issue at stake is also the object of faith. It is not a matter of how much faith youhave, but what matters is the object of your faith. The writer of the book of Hebrews puts it:"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comesto Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestlyseek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).The object of faith is the God of the Bible! True faith is not a matter of personal resolve,how much certainty we can muster, but it is dependence upon the Person in whom we believe.The key to a life of faith lies in focusing our attention on God, our Source. Biblical faith does notfocus upon the Christian's ability to believe, but upon the grace and faithfulness of God.SUBJECTIVE ASPECT: ACCEPTANCE, TRUST AND COMMITMENTIn addition to the objective truth of who God is and what He has promised and done, isthe subjective aspect of faith. This has to do with our acceptance and trust in the God of the Biblewho has revealed Himself through Scripture, history and nature. The subjective aspect of faith,then involves our response to God's revelation of Himself. It means belief in Jesus as Lord, withacknowledgment of His atoning death and resurrection. It means commitment to the Person ofGod and to doing His will above everything else.The writer of the book of Hebrews gives us this biblical definition of faith which includesboth the objective and subjective aspects of faith:"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."(Hebrews 11:1)Here we find that faith is man's response to what God has said and done. Faith takes themessage of God's revealed truth in Scripture seriously. The two aspects of faith here areassurance ("being sure") and certainty. The word assurance is also translated "substance"(hypostasis) which means literally "to stand under, to support." This word gives the sense ofsomething foundational, basic, a concrete reality upon which other things are built. The rootword stasis means the palace or setting, like a standing pillar upon which other stones are placed.

27Faith is to a Christian what afoundation is to a house. It gives confidenceand assurance that he will stand. Instead of faith being an imaginary product of the mindfabricated out of its own need, it is a solid assurance of that for which we hope because it isbased upon reality. Faith then is the basis, the substructure of all that the Christian life means, allthat the Christian hopes for.In this definition, faith anticipates the future ("what we hope for"). It does not place itsreliance on that which is merely visible with our eyes. It is "being sure of what we hope for.""The heroes of the faith" portrayed in Hebrews 11 did not simply live for the passing moment forthey realized that there was far more to life than the immediate and temporary. For them life wasa pilgrimage. They believed that there were better things ahead because God had told them. Theychose to believe God's Word, His promises, rather than the prospects of the world around them.CERTAINTYFaith is also the "certainty of what we do not see." The word "certainty" (pragmatoselegchos) is also translated "evidence," "proof" or "conviction." The word gives the sense ofsomething that has been tested and scrutinized and proven true and valid. Faith, then, is basedupon that which has been tested and found real. It is the certainty the inward conviction, fromGod that what He has promised, He will provide. Faith, in addition to being the basis of all thatwe hope for, is that by which we test things that are unseen. Faith extends beyond what we learnfrom our senses. While the senses yield uncertainty, faith leads to certainty since it is placed inGod Himself.EVALUATES THE PRESENTFaith not only anticipates the future, it also evaluates the present. Faith does not meanthat the believer has no interest whatever in contemporary life. In fact, the Christian examinesmore closely the immediate realm than the unbeliever. Colin Brown explains:"The person without any clear faith often accepts things simply as they are. If moneycomes his way, then it is obviously his to enjoy. If he is confronted with anopportunity for sensual pleasure, he will take it, regardless of its immediate effectsor ultimate consequences. He does not necessarily sit down to consider whether itdamages him or hurts others; that is not his concern. But the man or woman of faithpossesses the conviction of things not seen. Such people look beyond the situationas it can be perceived by natural vision or enjoyed by the physical appetites. They donot look simply at their circumstances; they discern the activity of the invisible God(Heb. 11:27) in their present situation and are able to endure." 6WINS GOD'S APPROVAL

28This is the kind of faith that wins God's approval (Hebrews 11:2). The"ancients" received the word of God and in different generations made their own response to itsmessage, thus receiving divine approval. Without this kind of faith man cannot please God(Hebrews 11:6) nor have the satisfaction of knowing that his life has the divine favor.Faith, as we have seen, is based on objective evidence. God does not ask us to believe theridiculous; He asks us to go beyond the rational. He does not ask us to believe the irrational, butHe does ask us to believe the supra-rational.COURAGEFaith, however, is closer to courage than to intellectual assent. It is understood by thegambler, as Blaise Pascal knew, because the gambler stands to win or lose by his play.This is brought out in Elton Trueblood’s definition:"Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservations." 7Faith is not some "feeling" that we manufacture, but our total response to what Godhas revealed in His Word. It is that daring belief that casts itself on God for Life and eternity.Martin Luther put it:"Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace. It is so sure and certain that aman could stake his life on it a thousand times." 8FACT . FAITH . FEELINGIn the daily living of the Christian life probably over 90% of your struggles, problemsand hand-ups would be handed in a biblical way if you understood the three "F's". The first is the"F" of Fact. The second is the "F" of Faith. The third is the "F" of Feeling.

29The train engine is labeled "FACT." Fact represents what we know to be true on the basisof the Word of God. Your relationship to Jesus Christ is not based on feeling but on facts.Historical facts recorded in the Bible:· Christ entered history in the Person of Jesus.· Christ died on a cross as a substitute on our behalf.· Christ arose from the dead on the third day just as He had predicted.· Christ ascended 50 days later and is at the right hand of God the Father.· Christ is coming again to take us to be with Him forever.· Christ offers eternal life, life to the full, to all who will respond.These, in addition to many other things revealed in Scripture, are facts of history.FAITHThe coal car is labeled "FAITH." Faith represents our beliefs, our assurance and trust incertain truths as revealed in the Bible. To have faith in something is to believe it to be absolutelytrue and to be willing to take action based on that belief.When you put faith in the facts presented in the Bible you act on those. For example,when you believed that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died in your place on the cross andyou received forgiveness for your sins and committed your life to Him, at that instant you wereborn again and became a member of God's family (John 1:12).When you exercise faith, fact becomes very personal. It is at that point that FACTbecomes something which has meaning in your life. A chair, for instance, has little meaning untilyou have faith that it can hold a person. At that point, it becomes useful for then you won'thesitate to sit down on it.Faith makes facts and truth relevant to you. Apart from faith, facts and truth remaingeneral and insignificant to your personal life. This is why faith is so essential to living theChristian life. By faith you make God's truth real to yourself.FEELINGThe caboose is labeled "FEELING." Feeling represents our subjective, emotionalimpressions and sensitiveness. While the train will run with or without the caboose, it does notmove without the coal being shoveled into the furnace from the coal car.

30Facts stands on its own. However, without faith they merely stand there. They areirrelevant and therefore insignificant to us apart from faith. It is a sad fact that the facts ofScripture are irrelevant and insignificant to most people because they never put their faith in it.The fact that God is love and gave His one and only son to die on a cross for the sins ofmankind is merely fact and truth that has no personal bearing in the lives of most people. Theygive only a nodding acknowledgment (intellectual assent) at best, to such wonderful truth. Afterall, "even the demons believe—and shudder" (James 2:19).Like the train, our Christian lives will move only if we place our faith (coal) in the factsof God's word (engine).What place, then, do feelings have in this train? Placing faith in Christ as Savior andLord certainly results in wonderful feelings. But how about those days when your relationship toChrist does not feel so wonderful? What about those times when you do not feel very close to theLord? Does that mean that He is not close to you? Does that mean that you were not really bornagain? Does it mean that your spiritual experience was phony? And does that mean, then, thatthere is no validity to the facts of God's Word in which you put your faith?No, not at all! While it is satisfying and exciting to feel close to God, that does not meanthat when you don't feel that closeness that you are not close to Him. Feelings come and go. It isthe nature of the emotional life. This is why it is so useless and damaging to put our trust infeelings.At times when you do not feel close to God it may be due to sin in your life. If so, youneed to confess the sin so you may once again be in close fellowship with Him (1 John 1:1-10).But there also will be other times in your life when you are being faithful in your walk with Godthat you still do not feel close to Him. At these times you need to remember that He is still closeto you (John 14:15-23).As the engineer of the train you could jump into the caboose (feelings) and start yelling,"Ok, let's get this train moving! Shovel that coal into the caboose! Let's get going!" Feelingshave no more ability to empower and direct our lives as Christian than the caboose has inmoving the train. Neither our feelings nor the caboose were designed for such purpose. Thereforeto look to our feelings for motivation and empowerment shows an inappropriate understandingof how God made us in the first place. It is a foolish (useless) means of utilizing the resourcesGod has given to us.It really does not matter how much faith you put in your feelings since they won't get youanywhere. The facts will. As Jesus said,

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).The psalmist put it,31"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).It is the facts and the truth of God's Word that guides and directs you and sets you freenotyour hunches, intuitions or feelings!God does not build your life on the shaky foundation of feelings. Feelings, though givenby God, never were intended to provide a basis for your life. Facts were given for that purpose.Because we tend to be so subjective, our feelings often become fact. How often have we heardpeople say that they didn't feel that a certain person liked them, yet when we asked why, theresponse was that they just knew this was so. In such cases the mind allows impressions,feelings, etc. to "inform" the person of what is going on. In fact, these perceptions are false. Theonly truth is that feelings became fact to that person.Our Christian lives are built on fact. It is critical that you understand this for it is factsalone that can provide a solid and stable foundation. All other foundations (feelings, even faith)are shifting sand. Faith in faith is no more solid than any other foundation since it leaves us inpure subjectivity. The objective truth of God's Word is our rule of faith and practice.While you should be grateful if you feel close to God, when you don't, don't feel the needto muster feelings of intimacy. Instead, read the Bible, pray, meditate, worship and serve Godand rejoice that God is close to you even when you do not feel that He is. The factuality of Hiscloseness is much more important than your feelings of closeness. After all, did He not promiseto "never leave you nor forsake you"?The book of Psalms more than any other book in the Bible is of great encouragementwhen you struggle with your emotions. Here we find the whole range of human emotionsexpressed. When your feelings just don't seem to kick into gear it can be very helpful to turn tothe psalms and let David's and others' feelings express your own. On many occasions I havefound that as I have started out with David's or others' feelings, I have ended with my own. Alsowhen I have started out with negative feelings I have ended with positive ones.SURFACE FEELINGS AND REAL DESIRESThe twin slogans, "Do your own thing" and "If it is feels good, do it" represent Westerncivilization in the last three decades. The media has bombarded us with the message that weshould do what comes naturally and live self-gratifying lives. Is it any wonder that Christiansfind themselves asking questions such as:

32Should a person force himself to do something if he really doesn't feel like it?If you don't feel like witnessing, should you do it?If you don't feel like praying, should you do it? etc.What role should feelings play in the Christian life?I have heard Christians rationalize some obvious sin by saying that they felt at peaceabout it. But is such peace real? Or is it a deception by Satan? Are feelings to be the final judgeof what's right and wrong? Such a decision-making process becomes hazy, subjective, and mostoften, unbiblical.GODLY DESIRESHow do we deal with our surface feelings?First, we acknowledge that God has given you a new set of godly desires as Christians."Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the newhas come!" (1 Corinthians 5:17)."This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I willput My laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds" (Hebrews 10:16).While God wrote His Old Testament laws on tablets of stone, He now inscribes His lawsin your heart and on your mind when you embrace Him as your God (2 Corinthians 3:3). Thismeans that there is a sense in which the desire to obey every command in God's Word isinscribed within you the moment you turn your life to God. Paul put it:"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence,but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation withfear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act accordingto His good purpose" (Philippians 2:12-13).Notice the emphasis on obedience. The reason they were obedient was because they were"working out" their salvation. It does not say, "working for" since salvation is by grace(Ephesians 2:8-9). Rather they were to continue to "live out" their Christianity as a testimony tothose around them that they too might come to know God as their God. Then Paul points outGod's divine enablement. Christian living, Christian witness, is not purely a human affair—it hasa divine dimension. "It is God who works" in you and desires to work through you. His is the

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but is painful. Later on, however, itproduces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have beentrained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).34As you put your faith in God and His Word, feelings will follow. If you want a "harvestof righteousness and peace" you need to train yourself to recognize and respond to your deepergodly desires and not to your surface feelings. To do that, you might find the following stepshelpful.1. Submit the impulse you are getting to objective promises, principles, and commandsof the Word of God.2. Reject those impulses that are contrary to the teachings of the Word of God.3. Recognize that your godly desires that are in line with God's commands are your truedesires. As a child of God it is your new spiritual nature that best identifies you. Yoursurface feelings belong to the old order.4. Claim the power of the Holy Spirit by faith (irrespective of your feelings) and do whatGod calls you to do. The fullness of the Spirit is more of an empowering than a feeling.5. Feelings eventually come as you obediently step out in faith.The result of a life of obedience is joy:"As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If youobey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed MyFather's commands and remain in His love. I have told you this (commands) sothat My joy may be in you and that your joy my be complete" (John 15:9-11).The most miserable Christians in the world are those who live in disobedience, who try tosatisfy both their sinful nature and the spiritual nature. Such people are trying to straddle thefence. They try to capture the best of both worlds and end up with neither.The only way to be freed from the prison of your surface feelings is to whole heartedlyand zealously pursue your desires that honor God. By faith bring your attitudes, words andactions in line with what your real desires from God are. Claim the power of the Holy Spirit andstep out in faith and keep in step with the Spirit of God as you live only for Him. Such is a life offaith to which God has called us."The righteous will live by faith."

36“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoeverbelieves in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).Confession and PrayerWould you take this step of talking to God (praying) and confessing your sins to Him andthen inviting Jesus Christ into your life?“Lord Jesus, up to now I have lived without You and have sinned against You.I ask You to forgive me of all my sins and now I invite You to come into mylife and make me into the person You desire me to be. Thank You for Yourpromises that tell me that I am now a child of God. Amen.”If you have prayed this prayer with a sincere heart you can be assured that God hasanswered your prayer.“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah29:13).

37IV. THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIONorMAKING YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE

38“In sin we are never safe, in Christ we are always safe.”–D. L. MoodyOnce you are a part of the family of God, you will find you have a faithful and lovingFather who cares infinitely about you and that your life in Jesus will be rich and meaningful. AsJesus promised:"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).This does not mean that there will not be problems. For this promise by Jesus waspreceded by a warning:"The thief Satan comes only to steal and kill and destroy . . .” (John 10:10).Even though you now have an enemy who will try to make your life difficult, moreimportant, you have a Friend who is greater and more powerful than any enemy or problem. Hewill see through thick and thin as He has promised to provide the grace needed for anysituation and He has pledged that He will never leave you or fail you.If you are a new Christian, you may be puzzled and possibly a little fearful of this newkind of life you have started.This is natural since you are like a baby that has just been born into the world. After all, ittakes a baby many years to learn all about life with its many responsibilities, difficulties andprivileges. The step you have taken in receiving Jesus Christ as Your Lord and Savior is not theend but the beginning of a whole new way of life.

39There is no need for you to worry if you cannot understand everything at once.God will be by your side working with you and guiding you each step of the way.As a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26) you have received theSpirit who is from God for the purpose that you may understand what God has freely given you(1 Corinthians 2:12).The moment you received Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will, several thingshappened to you. Your benefits in Christ include: Christ came to live in you by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 3:20; Colossians 1:27). Your sins were forgiven (Colossians 1:14). You became a child of God (John 1:12). You received eternal life (John 5:24). You became a part of God's family (Ephesians 2:19; 3:14-15). You became a part of God's church (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). You became a member of God's kingdom (2 Peter 1:11). You began the adventure for which God created you.(John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:18)While everyone has eternal existence in that they will live eternally somewhere, it is aperson's response to Jesus Christ that determines his destiny. Those who do not receive Christwill exist eternally separated from God which the Bible calls "hell." But you, having receivedJesus Christ into your life, have eternal life and will spend eternity with Him in heaven. Whetheryou die tomorrow or fifty years from now, you will live eternally with Jesus Christ and thefamily of God.ASSURANCEfear.You have been freely given assurance of salvation so you can live in freedom and not inIf you received Jesus Christ into your heart, where is He now? Were you sincere in yourinvitation since He will not force Himself into anyone's life? Did you mean business when youcommitted your life to Him? Did you come to Him with the intention of following Him?If you can answer these questions in the affirmative, then Jesus is in your heart, your life,right now. For Jesus promised:"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opensthe door, I will come in and eat with him, and He with me" (Revelation 3:20).

40When you opened the door of your heart and life and invited Jesus to come in, thatis just what He did. God's promise in His Word gives you the assurance that this is true sinceJesus said,"I will come in!"Either what Jesus says is true or it is not. If it isn't then we should not bother withChristianity period. But if it is true then there is no reason to doubt His promise even if it has todo with us personally.Whether you have a good day or a bad one, whether you "feel" like He is there or not, Heis inside you. Jesus would not mislead you for He promised:"whoever comes to Me I will never drive away" (John 6:37).Probably the clearest promise of the assurance of salvation we have in Scripture is foundin 1 John:"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does nothave life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of Godso that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:11-13).As far as the Bible is concerned, therefore, there are only two kinds of people in theworld. Those who have received the Son, Jesus Christ, and therefore have eternal life and thosewho have not received Jesus Christ into their lives and, therefore, do not have eternal life.WARNING AGAINST EASY BELIEVISMThe Bible does warn against taking our assurance for granted. To professing believers atCorinth, Paul stated:"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Doyou not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?"(2 Corinthians 13:5)Christ's presence in our lives must be examined and tested. To merely profess that we aresaved does not make it so. Profession does not necessarily mean possession. This is why wemust examine ourselves.Like Paul, Peter also exhorts us to examination:

41"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and electionsure" (2 Peter 1:10).Our "calling and election" must be examined, tested by Christian virtues.Peter begins this section by pointing out that God has given us". . . everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).He continues by saying that through God's glory and goodness God has given us "Hisvery great and precious promises" for the purpose that through then we may". . . participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world causedby evil desires" (2 Peter 1:4).Our "participation in the divine nature" does not mean that as Christians we becomedivine in any sense, but that we are indwelt by God through His Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). Ourhumanity and His deity, as well as the human personality and the divine, remain distinct andseparate.life:Peter then catalogues a list of virtues that will produce a well-rounded, fruitful Christian"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and togoodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control, perseverance; and toperseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherlykindness, love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).Then Peter makes the statement that if these are not possessed in increasing measurethat our knowledge of Jesus will be "in-effective and unproductive . . . nearsighted and blind"(2 Peter 1:8). Then he says:"If you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcomeinto the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10-11).MANIFESTATIONS OF A CHRISTIANA HOLY LIFEA holy life is seen here as an evidence that we are indwelt by God. By cultivating thequalities listed (2 Peter 1:7-9), we and others can be assured that God has chosen us and called us

42(Matthew 7:20). The genuineness of our profession will be demonstrated as we expressthese virtues (Galatians 5:6; James 2:18). When God elects and calls, it is to holiness (1 Peter1:2; Ephesians 1:3-6), and these fruits confirm their divine source.Peter also says here that those who in this way give evidence of their faith will nevercease to persevere ("fall").THE DESIRE TO OBEY GOD'S COMMANDSAnother indication of being born again is closely related to the first in that it is the desireto obey God's commands:"We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The manwho says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and thetruth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made completein Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:3-5).This does not mean merely a superficial, external keeping of God's commands sinceJesus taught that obedience is internal (Matthew 5-7). We must obey from the heart with theproper motive of pleasing God.When we come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way and He comes to live within usthere is a fundamental change of attitude. We find the desire to do what God wants us to do.When you delight in the law of God you can know that you have eternal life. Jesus put it:"If anyone loves Me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and wewill come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love Me willnot obey My teaching . . ." (John 14:23-24)."Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them" (1 John 3:24).Obedience is the evidence that our love is genuine. Jesus warned:"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, butonly he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say toMe on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in your name

43drive out demons and perform miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'Inever knew you.’ Away from Me you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23).Here is no easy-believism! The litmus test of the genuineness of our faith is obedience.The person who has never been saved cannot even begin to keep God's commands forthey are a heavy burden from which his rebellious heart wants to run away.RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LOVEWe may know that we are saved also by our righteousness and love. Often in Scripturethese two virtues are combined:"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of thedevil are: anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor isanyone who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10).Righteousness is "doing what is right." It is not merely thinking right thoughts or havingproper feelings, it is doing something about those thoughts and feelings. In fact, Paul points outthat while we were saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), we were "created in ChristJesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). This iswhy righteousness is closely connected with love. Both reach out in active goodness."Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does notlove does not know God, because God is love. . . . And so we know and rely onthe love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, andGod in him" (1 John 4:7-8,16).Since God is love--His very nature and character is love--if we are indwelt by His Spirit,who is a Spirit of love, then love will naturally (supernaturally) be manifested in our lives:"God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He hasgiven us" (Romans 5:5).Love by its very nature gives or shares:"For God so loved the world that He gave . . ." (John 3:16).John warns:"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pityon him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love withwords or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18).

44Similarly James warns:"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look afterorphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being pollutedby the world" (James 1:27).Genuine religion looks out for the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, the poor people ofsociety: the orphans and the widows. The test of true religion is whether it cares for thedowntrodden, the nobodies of society."What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and dailyfood. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, butdoes nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faithby itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:14-17).True love is visible by action! Love that does not translate into meeting physical, as wellas spiritual needs, is not genuine love. Love reaches out to touch anyone in need.Since love is the most "greatest" thing in the world (1 Corinthians 13) its manifestation inthe life of a Christian is foundational to everything else.LOVE FOR FELLOW BELIEVERSJohn in his epistle also tells us that our love for other Christians is a sign that we havebeen truly "born again":"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.Anyone who does not love remains in death" (1 John 3:14).If you are questioning whether you are sincere and have been genuinely born again, askyourself, Do I love other Christians? Do I like to be with them? Do I have the same interests thatthey have? Do I share their interests in spiritual things?If you were able to respond positively to these questions you have the right to believe thatyour faith is genuine. Loving other Christians is a powerful evidence that you are really bornagain.A TRANSFORMED LIFEThe third evidence of being born from above is a transformed life:

45"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the newhas come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).How can a person claim, "I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior" if there isno deep, fundamental change in his life?This evidence of the transformation of our lives is interwoven with the last two traits asthey all have to do with our attitudes and behavior. An increasing growth in Christian virtues andobedience to God's commands can be seen clearly as evidences of the transformation of ourlives. For the purpose of this study, I have listed them separately for clarity and emphasis.One of the fundamental changes of a transformed life is an attitude of repentance. Pauladdresses the difference between "godly sorrow" and "worldly sorrow":"For you became sorrowful as God intended . . . Godly sorrow brings repentancethat leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."(1 Corinthians 7:9-10)Godly sorrow is a God-centered sorrow over the wickedness of sin and therefore leads toa fundamental change of attitude and behavior (repentance). On the other hand, worldly sorrowis self-centered sorrow over the painful consequences of sin and therefore leads either to asuperficial lifestyle or despair.Another change is a new power to resist and overcome sin:"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains inhim; he cannot go on sinning because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9).A person who claims to be a Christian but who continues to practice something heknows is sin finds no assurance of salvation. This does not mean that a Christian will never sin,but it does mean that he will not willingly practice sin an become comfortable in it.Because we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and therefore partake of the divine nature wehave a basic repulsion to sin. When we do fall into sin we lose our sense of peace and becomerestless until we confess it and have our fellowship with the Father restored.A DESIRE TO WORSHIPA desire to worship God is another evidence that we have saving faith:"For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, whoglory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3).

46A desire to worship also shows that there has been a genuine change in our heartsand lives. It is natural that the child of God would want to draw near to God since he now hasGod's nature living in him.Paul also qualifies what kind of worship: "by the Spirit of God." Christian worship is nota thing of ritual and of the observation of details and regulations of the Law; Christian worshiphas to do primarily with the reality of the Spirit of God as we open our minds and hearts to Hiswork in us. True devotion and sincerity of heart is what makes worship, Christian worship.BOASTS ABOUT CHRISTAnother evidence that we have become partakers of the divine nature is that we boastabout Christ:". . . who glory in Christ Jesus . . ." (Philippians 3:3).To "glory" means to boast and it is a fact of life that everyone is a boaster, either in Christor in himself. Since the believer has committed himself to follow Christ and to live for Him itmakes sense that his boasting will be about the One who has done so much for him.NO CONFIDENCE IN SELFThe lack of confidence in self is further evidence that we have inherited eternal life:". . . who put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3).The "flesh" refers to the frailty of human nature in this verse. Paul is making the pointthat those who belong to God adhere to the true gospel which entails living by faith and not byworks. A genuine believer knows that he has been saved by grace and not by his own punyefforts. No bootstrap theology here where we think that somehow we can pull ourselvesspiritually by our own moral bootstraps!THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRITlife:The witness of the Holy Spirit is another indication that we have passed from death to"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:16)."Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit

47who calls out, 'Abba, Father'" (Galatians 4:6)."Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how weknow that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us" (1 John 3:24)."Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart" (1 John 5:1).What is this witness? Peace and joy are part of it. How often have I heard people testify:"When I received Jesus Christ into my life I felt as if a great burden was lifted, asif my life was filled with peace and joy."Even though this could be explained as a mere psychological reaction, and in the lives ofsome people it has been, if a person is truly sincere this great flood of peace and joy usually ispart of the witness of the Holy Spirit in his life.But what about the times when peace and joy seem absent? Does it mean a person is notsaved? From experience we know that peace and joy sometimes leave. At times we do not feelcontent and happy in Christ. There are times when we feel restless and discouraged. Sometimeswe feel down. This, however, does not mean that we have lost our salvation, but merely the "joy"of our salvation. This was David's experience and so he prayed,"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation" (Psalm 51:12).The loss of peace and joy actually may drive us back into intimate fellowship with ourloving heavenly Father.The Holy Spirit also gives witness to a new relationship. He gives us the assurance thatwe now belong to the family of God. This is a deep, internal witness that is mysterious andtherefore very difficult to describe.When people ask, "How will I know when I'm in love?" we usually respond, "When youfall in love, you'll know it." Although this answer usually does not seem very satisfying to thepeople asking the question, yet when they do fall in love they find it to be true.Although it is difficult to define the witness of the Holy Spirit, when He witnesses toyour heart that you are a child of God and that you belong to His family, you will know it.Paul assures us:"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you

8:15).received the Spirit of sonship. And48by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (RomansTranslated literally Abba (Aramaic—the language Jesus spoke mostly) is a very intimateand loving expression of a child for its father. The more we get to know God and His love, theeasier it is to see Him as a compassionate heavenly Father and to recognize the confirmingministry of the Holy Spirit who makes it real to our hearts that we actually are His children.THE TESTIMONY OF THE WORD OF GODThe final way that we can know that our conversion is genuine is by the testimony of theWord of God:"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son willnot see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36).In the book of Romans there are two requirements for salvation:"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heartthat God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with the heartthat you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess andare justified" (Romans 10:9-10).If we have sincerely confessed Jesus as Lord from the heart ("believed") then we cansay with confidence: "By the authority of God's Word I know I am saved!""In sin we are never safe,In Christ we are always safe."These, then, are the evidences that Christ has come into our lives and thus saved us:A Holy LifeA Desire to Obey God's CommandsRighteousness and Love Manifested in Good DeedsLove for other ChristiansA Transformed LifeA Desire to WorshipBoasts about ChristNo Confidence in Self

49The Witness of the Holy SpiritThe Testimony of the Word of GodConfessing Belief in the Resurrected LordBy cultivating the qualities listed we can be assured that God has chosen us and called us(Matthew 7:20). The genuineness of our profession will be demonstrated as we express thesevirtues (Galatians 5:6; James 2:18).When God elects and calls, it is to obedience and holiness (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 Peter 1:2) and these fruits confirm their divine source. If we give evidence of our faith inthis way we will never cease to persevere.There is no need to live in doubt and fear about your eternal destiny. The Holy Spirit,through His Word, will give you the assurance that you are genuinely saved and will spendeternity in heaven worshiping and serving God.V. SPIRITUAL GROWTH: GROWING UP IN OUR SALVATION

50"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow upin your salvation now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2-3).You have many privileges and responsibilities as God's child. As you come to knowJesus Christ personally you will find that He is wonderful beyond description. How incredible tothink that the One who created this universe is the very One who knows everything about youand yet loves you! In addition, He desires a personal, intimate relationship with you. He wants to

help you experience the very best in everyHe declared:51area of your life. He had you in mind when"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).What God wants to give you is a full, meaningful and abundant life. But for you toexperience that abundant life and enjoy a close relationship with Him, you need to grow.Spiritual growth in the Christian is not measured merely by how often you go to church,how much money you give, the amount of time you spend in prayer, the number of people youshare the gospel with, or even by how many people you serve. Even though all these are veryimportant to growth, in the final analysis Christian growth is measured by how much youbecome like Jesus Christ.You cannot become like Jesus Christ simply by trying to imitate Him. As you give Godcontrol of the various areas of your life, the Holy Spirit, who now lives within you, will produceChrist's likeness in you.THREE KINDS OF PEOPLEYou are one of three kinds of people that Paul describes in the Bible. When we think ofspiritual categories many of us think of only two classes of people: the Christian and the non-Christian or the believer and the nonbeliever, the once-born and the twice-born. But Paul pointsout that there is another type of person. What type could that be?Unlike the world which classifies people according to their social status, intellectualattainments and ethical behavior, Paul uses the ability to receive, understand, and react tospiritual truth as the determining factor as to which group one belongs.The Bible, God's Word, is the test and your reaction to its truths automatically places youin one of the three categories referred to by Paul.The Natural ManPaul first refers to the "natural man" (psuchikos):"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spiritof God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, becausethey are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

52"Natural" is that which belongs to nature. A natural man is a man who has anunchanged nature—unconverted. Natural is the opposite of spiritual (Jude 19)—having not theSpirit. Such a man "does not accept" ("acknowledge" or "recognize") the things that come fromthe Spirit of God (Jude 14).Jesus challenged the Pharisees with these words:"If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe Me?" (John 8:46).Then Jesus answered:"He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is thatyou do not belong to God” (John 8:47).The natural man does not accept spiritual realities because of a two-fold lack when itcomes to matters of the spirit.First, he lacks the appetite for spiritual things. He does not value the dimension of thespirit. In fact, he considers such things "foolishness." For he lives as if there is nothing beyondphysical life and as if there are no needs other than material needs whose values are all physicaland material. He argues that since the dimension of the spirit is not experienced by our fivesenses, it is, therefore, not real. The Bible is seen as just another book, interesting and sometimeseven inspiring, but hardly God's authoritative Word.cross:Paul says that one of the things that the natural man does not accept is the message of the"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing . . . wepreach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles."(1 Corinthians 1:18,23)All of the works of the Spirit of God are considered "foolishness" by natural wisdom. Thenatural man simply has no interest in such things.Second, the natural man lacks the faculty by which spiritual truth is comprehended. Thephrase, "he cannot understand them" (I Corinthians 1:14) is still stronger than just the fact thatspiritual things are foolishness to the natural man. Here Paul points out that the real, objectivecondition of the natural man, not just to his attempts. The natural man can no more know the

53things of the Spirit of God than can an unborn baby know the things of this life. As Jesuspointed out,"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."(John 3:3)Just as a man who is blind fails to perceive the beauty of the most exquisite scenery, theman who is not born again fails to perceive the beauty of God's truth and love. Why? Becauselike the blind man, he lacks the faculty by which such realities can be seen and experienced.This is why it is so vital for the natural man to respond to God when he is experiencingthe convicting work of God's Spirit in his life. For if he continually resists the work of the Spirit,the day will come, as the Bible states, that he will seek God but will not be able to find Him(Genesis 6:3; Matthew 24:10).The Carnal ManThere is a story about a cowboy and an Indian who were riding across the plain headingfor town. The only thing the cowboy could think and talk about was food. He said, "When I getinto town, I'm going to get the biggest steak I can find and I'm going to chow it down."The Indian didn't respond. Finally, the cowboy asked, "Aren't you hungry?" The Indianresponded that he wasn't hungry. When they got into town and ordered a meal, the Indian atetwice as much as the cowboy. The cowboy shockingly said, "Out on the plain you said youweren't hungry." The Indian calmly replied, "Not wise to be hungry then. No food."A lot of Christians are like that. They have learned to accept their meager spiritualcondition simply because, they think, they have no alternative. Such a Christian thinks that itwouldn't be wise for him to think that he was going to be better because, given his sinful nature,there is no method whereby he will ever get better. Therefore he simply gives up any notion ofmeaningful and significant spirituality and gives in to mediocrity.There are also various other reasons why some Christians never really grow. We willlook at that shortly.Paul describes this second category of mankind as "carnal," "fleshly," or "worldly"(sarchikos). He says of them,"Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ."(1 Corinthians 3:1)

54The "worldly" when describing man refers to his "human nature apart from God."He is a man who lives on the level of his lower nature. He is, therefore, dominated by hisunregenerate nature. Even though he is a Christian and has received a new nature—a spiritualnature—he is still ruled by his old sinful nature.While we are young only once, we can stay immature indefinitely. The carnal man is notsatisfied with what he has in Christ. His life in Christ is superficial. He, therefore, must haveChrist plus someone or something else. Even though he has made a confession of Christ, he hasnot fully yielded his life to the lordship of Christ. As a result, he is still a spiritual "infant".Because the Corinthian Christians were "babies" in Christ, Paul had to feed them withmilk and not with meat."I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, youare still not ready" (1 Corinthians 3:2).These baby believers were not able to stand any other food but milk when Paul was withthem. As Paul sadly reports, there had been no improvement since the last time he saw them.Spiritual babies are more concerned with happiness than holiness. While there ought tobe enjoyment in our walk with God, that must not be our primary focus. Our happiness andenjoyment is a byproduct of our zeal to glorify God.The carnal Christian is a spiritual dwarf who has never attained spiritual maturity.Though he may have been a Christian for 20 years, his prayers and testimonies are the same.While baby talk is charming and cute when it comes to babies, it is tragic when practiced byadults.In the book of Hebrews the writer describes the carnal Christian:"We have much to say about this [that is, the priesthood of Melchizedek], but it ishard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time youought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truthsof God's words all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone wholives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teachings aboutrighteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trainedthemselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementaryteachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation ofrepentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction aboutbaptisms, the laying of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.And God permitting, we will do so" (Hebrews 5:11-6:3).

55The Corinthian believers were not the only carnal Christians. Here we see that theseHebrew Christians were carnal as well. Notice how these carnal believers are described!They are spiritually lazy:"It is hard to explain because you are slow to learn" (Hebrews 5:11).The phrase "slow to learn" means "dull of hearing" and "easily forgetful." The Greekword is sometimes used of the numbed limbs of an animal which is ill. It is also used in referenceto people who are lazy or lethargic. The point is not that such people cannot learn, but that theychoose not to learn. They are too lazy to apply themselves. They are not willing to roll up theirsleeves and dig. They want too easy a way out—they want to be spoon-fed."We will never unearth the riches of God's Word until we become willing to dig."They are helpless and dependent:"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teachyou the elementary truths of God's word all over again" (Hebrews 5:12).Carnal Christians are dependent on others for their spiritual nourishment. Because theyare lazy, they are slow to learn spiritual things and, therefore, constantly looking to others forhelp and have not grown past the simple elements of Christianity.The writer to these Hebrew Christians feels badly that after many years of Christianity,his fellow believers had not gone past the very basic elements of Christian religion. They neededto hear the A B C's of Christianity "all over again." Because of this they stayed in a spiritualkindergarten.In the first two verses of Hebrews 6 the writer describes what these "elementary truths"are. They are the "foundation" of the Christian religion. The writer here is not saying that thefoundation is unimportant, but that it is not the whole building. In fact, the foundation exists forthe sake of the building. The foundation is laid so that it can be built upon.But without a building, a foundation becomes useless. A Christian whose life onlyconsists of a foundation, no matter how good, is rather useless. Paul refers to him as one who"will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" (1 Corinthians 3:15). Though hehimself will be saved, he has no fruit, no spiritual work, to present at the feet of Jesus. His life istragically barren.The Foundation

56Of what is this foundation made? The following six fundamental doctrines:repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection, and eternal judgment (Hebrews 6:1-2). Repentance and faith deal with the acts of the mind and heart, baptism and laying on of handsrelates to sacraments or ordinances, and resurrection and eternal judgment has to do witheschatology or the teaching of "last things" (prophecy).Repentance and FaithRepentance and faith are essential in coming to a saving knowledge of God. "Repentancefrom dead works" means turning away from evil deeds that result in death ("the wages of sin isdeath"—Romans 6:23). In John the Baptist's and Jesus' preaching the basic message was:"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2; 4:17).Throughout the Old Testament faith is marked out as essential to true religion. Abrahamis presented as "The Father of Faith" as he "believed God, and it was credited to him asrighteousness" (Genesis 15:6; Romans 3:3). Habakkuk stated that "the righteous shall live by hisfaith" (Habakkuk 2:4) and Isaiah warned, "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will notstand at all" (Isaiah 7:9). It was unbelief that kept the generation of the Exodus from entering thepromised land.Paul reminded the elders in the region of Ephesus, "I have declared to both Jews andGreeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus" (Ephesians20:21).Faith then is to be directed to God the Father and Jesus. The only repentance that "leadsto eternal life" is that which is related to belief in Jesus Christ (Acts 11:17-18). The only way tothe Father is through the Son (see also John 14:6 and Acts 4:12).We must turn, then, from sin, self and the world and turn to God by faith. This istrue not only in our initial coming to God in conversion, but it must characterize our wholeChristian life. We must continually repent and exercise our faith in the Lord. While this is noteasy to apply and appropriate in our daily living, it is still fundamental to our faith. We shouldnot need to be continually taught this though we might need to be periodically reminded of ourneed to practice it.BaptismsBaptism is in the plural. We are not certain what this means. Since these believers towhom this letter was written were Jewish converts they were likely well acquainted with themeaning of this since they also practiced baptism in their former religion—Judaism.

57We find from the early literature of the church that the candidates for baptism receivedvery thorough instructions as to the nature and meaning of baptism. Nothing was approachedwith greater reverence. But it should be remembered that baptism is initiatory, that this, it issymbolic of our conversion and membership of the Christian community which are first steps inour walk with God. From these important steps of faith and commitment we must proceed tofurther steps of growth in the Christian life.The word translated "baptisms" seems misleading since everywhere else in the NewTestament, the same Greek word (baptismos) is translated "washings" (e.g. Hebrews 9:10). Theword that is typically translated "baptisms" is baptisma. The reference, therefore, is more likelyto Jewish ceremonial washings (cleansing rites) about which the Old Testament has manyinstruction which provided a further foundation on which the Christian truths could be erected.One of the most important of the ceremonial purifications prescribed in the OldTestament, the ritual of the red heifer (Numbers 19), is later referred to in the epistle of Hebrews(Hebrews 9:13) and is treated as a counterpart in the temporal order of the cleansing efficacy ofthe sacrifice of Christ in the spiritual order. The prophet Ezekiel used the terminology of the oldceremonial ablutions to describe God's inward cleansing of His people in the age of restoration:"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all yourimpurities and from all your idols" (Ezekiel 36:25). Such language provided a basis for groupsduring the early Christian era to be engaged in ceremonial washings that went beyond what theletter of the law required (e.g. Zechariah 13:1).The Laying on of HandsThe laying on of hands means little or nothing to our generation but to the Early Churchit had great significance. In the Jewish ritual it referred to the transference of guilt. Theworshiper or priest put his hands upon the head of the sacrifice to symbolize his identificationwith it (Leviticus 1:4; 3:8,3). Fathers blessed their children with the laying on of hands.In the Early Church it was typically used in connection with the rite of baptism. It was acommon sign of blessing (Matthew 19:13) and healing (Matthew 7:32). In the book of Acts italso signified the giving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17; 19:6) and was used in setting apart forspecial ministry (Acts 6:6; 13:3) and in ordination (1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6).The Resurrection of the DeadThe Old Testament doctrine of resurrection is not clear or fully developed. There areonly a few hints of life after death and of rewards for the good and punishment for the wicked.We do learn from Job (Job 19:26) that resurrection will be bodily, and not just spiritual.

58In the New Testament, however, resurrection is presented as one of the major and mostdetailed doctrines of the Christian faith. It is the theme of apostolic preaching as it comes tofullness in the Person of Jesus Christ, who claimed, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John11:25).The resurrection of the dead was and is the cornerstone of the Christian religion.Christianity stands or falls with the resurrection. Apart from its reality, the Christian religioncrumbles. If Jesus' bones lie in some unmarked grave in Palestine, then the Christian religionfalls apart (1 Corinthians 15:17-19).From the Day of Pentecost, when Peter publicly proclaimed that "God has raised thisJesus to life, and we are witnesses of the fact" (Acts 2:32), this has been a central part of theChristian message.Easter is the supreme fact of history!At the heart of Christianity stands a cross; and the most significant thing about that crossis that it is empty. The cross is not the last word about Jesus. He rose from the tomb andtriumphed over death and thus authenticated all His claims.And it is the promise of Scripture that because Jesus lives, we too shall live (John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:22).Eternal JudgmentEternal judgment was much more real to the Jews and the early Christians. They livedunder the expectation of the day of the Lord and His judgment. It was this same author whopointed out that"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31).and that"Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).Because of or often over-emphasis on God as a God of love, His holy and righteousjudgment is not taken too seriously. We have come to treat God more as an indulgent grandfatherwho says, "Boys will be boys" rather than as a loving but firm father who requires responsibilityand accountability and who is not reluctant to exercise discipline when needed.

Paul labored zealously because God's59coming judgment was real to him. He testified:"So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or awayfrom it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that eachone may receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good orbad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men."(2 Corinthians 5:9-11)What we sow in this life we will reap in the next. We must, therefore not treat this lifelightly. We dare not minimize the importance of our service for the Lord. For we all will one daygive an account to our Maker.Although this is true, it is still quite elementary. This is foundational teaching. And wemust go on from here.Poor DigestionThe carnal man is not only spiritually lazy and helpless and dependent, but he also suffersfrom poor digestion:"You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,is not acquainted with the teachings about righteousness" (Hebrews 5:12-13).When these Hebrew Christians should, by reason of age and experience, be feedingothers, they themselves must still be bottle fed with milk.Milk is nothing more than solid food that has passed through the digestive system ofanother. Because of their weak appetite for the Bible, carnal Christians have to depend on otherhuman teachers who have digested the truths of God's Word. They look to them to make God'sWord as simple and interesting as possible so they can get something out of it.Because they are so preoccupied with the basic tenets of Christianity, they never become"acquainted with the teachings about righteousness." They are so taken up with learning the basicdoctrines that they never get to learn how to apply these doctrinal truths to daily life.Touchy and QuarrelsomeLike infants, carnal Christians also tend to be touchy and quarrelsome over trifles:"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard toa religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadowof things that were to come; the reality, however is found in Christ . . . Since youdied with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still

elonged to it, do you submit to itstouch!'" (Colossians 2:15,17,20-21).60rules: 'Do not handle.' 'Do not taste!' 'Do notWhy are carnal persons drawn to such minor issues of religion? Why are legalisticattitudes and practices so inviting? Paul explains:"Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposedworship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body . . ."(Colossians 2:23)Such practices have a form of godliness. When the believer loses touch with the Lord andno longer experiences that closeness he is drawn to legalistic practices—forms of religion—because it makes him feel spiritual, he builds strong convictions concerning such matters and isready to fight for their importance any time they are challenged.The carnal Christian continually majors on the minors and minors on the majors. Babiesare indiscriminate about values. They can't tell the difference between worthless stones andpriceless jewelry. It all looks the same to them.ContentiousAnother characteristic of the carnal people is that they are contentious:"You are still worldly . . . For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you,are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:3).Jealousy and quarreling are carnal or worldly since they are natural. There is nothingspiritual or supernatural about jealously or quarreling. These vices belong to the sinful humannature. Paul mentions the acts of the sinful nature as the following: "sexual immorality, impurityand debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like" (Galatians 5:19-21).Jealousy and quarreling belong to the same group as sexual immorality and debauchery;idolatry and witchcraft; drunkenness, orgies and the like. These sins of the spirit are as, if notmore, serious sins in God's sight, than the obvious sins of the flesh.Jealousy and quarreling is what makes Christians form in-groups or cliques. By so doingthey can propagate their views and opinions and keep those who disagree with them or arethreatening them in any way out. It is often within such groups that gossip starts. Few, if anyvices, are more deadly to the health of a church than gossip. The tragic victims of cruel tidbits ofinformation can be found inside or outside of virtually every local church in the country. What ashame! But we should not think it is a twentieth century phenomenon; it even belonged to theEarly Church.

61There will be jealousy, envy and strife as long as we do not realize who we are in Christand what we have in Him. Once we recognize that we are sons and daughters of the King ofkings and Lord of lords, jealousy and quarreling becomes needless and useless. We are completein Him. God has made us unique and He has a special task and ministry for our lives. Instead ofcomparing ourselves with others, let us accept ourselves for who we are: God's children, Hisservants, His friends, His heirs and even coheirs.Genuine ConversionPaul also points out the genuineness of their conversion: they "turned to God from idolsto serve the living and true God" and they waited expectantly for the second coming of our Lord.Paul also states how they received God's Word:"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God,which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as actuallyit is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13).Here was a church that accepted God's Word for what it was. Yet the Bible states that theBerean believers were more noble than these believers. How could that be? Luke explains:". . . for they received the message with great eagerness and examined theScriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).Here were Christians who had a great love for the truth. They did not indiscriminatelybelieve. They carefully examined the message of those who came and ministered to them. Theywere discerning and eager to know the truth, and only the truth.The person most mightily used by God is merely a servant, a bond-slave, a fellow workerwith God. As Mother Teresa says, "I am just a pencil in God's hand." The person who is doinghis best for the Lord is not to be adulated for he is only doing what he is supposed to be doing.Luke put it:"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say,'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'" (Luke 17:10).We also need to be alert to the limitations of the best of our human leaders. For they arehuman! Therefore they, like us, only see through a glass darkly, and so we must constantly testtheir teachings to see whether they square with the teachings of Scripture. No evangelist,preacher or teacher is immune to such testing.

Don’t be easily impressed by human62leaders!Problem: Attitudinal and BehavioralThe problem among the believers at Corinth was not doctrinal but attitudinal andbehavioral. There is no mention of doctrinal differences. They manifested their carnality by theway they treated each other. It is always true that we can tell a person's relationship with God bylooking at his relationship with other people. If a person is jealous, envious, quarrelsome,argumentative and divisive, he is not a man of God, a spiritual person, no matter how diligent heis in his church attendance, whether he holds office or prays eloquent prayers. Love for God andlove for His children is the acid test of our spiritual temperature.The carnal man is often dominated by the same desires and governed by the same valuesthat the natural man is. His "mind is on the earthly" and thus he is "an enemy of God"(Philippians 3:18-19).In many ways he does more harm to the gospel of Christ than the worst infidel. This isbecause he becomes a stumblingblock to the unbeliever. By his divided loyalties he shows theunbeliever that the Christian life really does not satisfy. While he claims to be married to Christ(Romans 7:4), he lives a life of unfaithfulness, flirting with one of Christ's chief enemies: theworld. James addressed believers with strong words:"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatredtoward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemyof God” (James 4:4).The carnal man, by his attitudes and lifestyle, shows his hatred toward God and becomesan enemy of God.The carnal believer is a practical atheist. Even though he professes to believe God, yethe acts as though God either does not exist or is unwilling or unable to help him. He lives in selfimposedspiritual poverty as he is dominated by his emotions while all the resources of God areavailable to him (2 Peter 1:3-4). He lives in the energy of the flesh instead of drawing upon theinexhaustible resources of the Holy Spirit.The Old Testament counterpart to the carnal man is the Israelite in the wilderness. Likethe Israelite who wandered in the barren desert between Egypt and Canaan unable to enjoy thepleasures of either place, so the carnal Christian wanders in the barren desert between heavenand earth, between this present world and the world to come, between self and God and like theIsraelite, he is unable to enjoy the pleasures of either place. He becomes a civil war, fighting forone place at one time and then the other. He is continually torn between the two.

63There is no fulfillment, satisfaction in the desert. Either we give ourselves fully andwholeheartedly to the Lord and to His service or we remain in the twilight zone of indecision,continually experiencing guilt and manifesting fruitlessness.The Spiritual ManThe third kind of person Paul describes as "spiritual" (pneumatikos). It should be pointedout that the meaning of "spiritual" is "mature." The writer to the Hebrew Christians contrastedinfants with the mature (Hebrews 5:13-14). "Solid food,” he said, "is for the mature." Then heurges them to leave the "elementary teachings about Christ” he tells them that they are to go onto "maturity” (Hebrews 6:1).Makes JudgmentsPaul says concerning the spiritual or mature person:"The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subjectto any man's judgment. 'For who has known the mind of the lord that he mayinstruct Him?' But we he the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).Paul uses the masculine form of “man” in an inclusive way. This means it is applied to allmankind (including women). The first characteristic of the spiritual man is that he is discerning:"The spiritual man makes judgments about all things" (1 Corinthians 2:15).Because the spiritual man loves truth and is willing to dig for it, he is not easily misled byfalse teachings. He has spiritual insight and perception that is baffling to the unbeliever, the manwithout the Spirit of God. This insight and perception is given to him by the Holy Spirit:"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not thewisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No,we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that Goddestined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understoodit, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as itis written:'No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, No mind has conceived what God hasprepared for those who love Him'" (1 Corinthians 2:6-9).God's "secret wisdom" is not understood by the unbeliever. God's great truths are notperceived by him. His unregenerate spiritual eye, ear and mind is incapable of conceiving what

64God has in store for His people (1 Corinthians 2:9). But then Paul points out: "But God hasrevealed it to us by His spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:10). Spiritual realities can only be understoodwith the help of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).God's secrets are known only to God's Spirit. Since the believer possesses God's Spirit healso knows God's secrets:"We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, thatwe may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, notin words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."(1 Corinthians 2:16)The spiritual or mature believer has kept spiritual insight not only because he possessesthe Spirit of God, but because he himself is possessed by the Spirit of God. Because of this truththe Holy Spirit is allowed to work freely in his life. And because he does not grieve the HolySpirit, "the Spirit of truth" (John 16:13), he can see truth clearly.Because he can see truth clearly, he can also spot falsehood easily. The greatest way tolearn to detect error is not by studying error, but by becoming thoroughly acquainted with truth.The people who are trained to spot counterfeit money are not trained by studying different kindsof counterfeits, but by studying real money. By becoming sensitive to the characteristics of realmoney they become great discerners in picking out the counterfeit.SeparatedThe spiritual man is not only discerning, but he is also separated; He is "not acting likemere men" (1 Corinthians 3:3-4). His life is clearly different from that of the unbeliever and thecarnal Christian who are “worldly” in their lives are characterized by jealousy, quarreling andexclusiveness (1 Corinthians 3:3-4). Instead of falling into legalism, and setting his mind onearthly things, he has set his heart on "things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand ofGod" (Colossians 3:1).In recognizing that he is indwelt with the resurrection power of Christ (Colossians 3:1),the mature believer is able to withstand the allurements of the world and live a life of victory.Instead of manifesting the fruit of his earthly nature such as "sexual immorality, impurity, lust,evil desire and greed, which is idolatry, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and lying"(Colossians 3:5,8-9; see also Galatians 5:19-21), the mature believer is known for his"compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness . . . forgiveness and love" (Colossians 3:12-14).

65The spiritual Christian is not only separated by what he does not do, but also bywhat he does. He is not known just for the bad that he does not engage in, but also for the goodthat he is thoroughly involved with.While he is insulated from the standards and values of the world system, he is notisolated from its people. Although he holds himself separated from the evil practices of thisworld and its people, he does not become separated from the people themselves. He has learnedto make the fine and delicate distinction between hating sin and loving the sinner. While notcondoning sin, in any shade, he has learned to affirm the sinner.Enjoys Solid FoodThe third characteristic of the spiritual man is that he enjoys solid food. Unlike the carnalChristian who is spiritually lazy and thus still feeding on the milk bottle, the mature believer iswilling to dig in God's Word to unearth its riches. He is not satisfied with the "elementaryteachings of God's Word" (Hebrews 5:12) but wants to move on to know the fullness of God'srevelation.He wants to better understand the Melchizedek priesthood of Jesus. He wants to morecompletely grasp the significance of God's enabling and keeping power through the intercessoryministry of Jesus at God's right hand. He wants to know not only the doctrines of the Christianreligion, but also it practices, its ethical demands. He is willing to hear not only the privileges ofthe Christian faith, but also its responsibilities and demands. He is not satisfied with cheap grace.Because the spiritual man enjoys solid food he is also able to teach. By becoming filledwith God's truth through his disciplined search the mature believer is able to pass on to otherswhat he has richly received. Because of his love for the truth, the spiritual Christian is inspired toteach others that truth. His rich knowledge of God's Word spills over to others. He becomesunable to contain all that God has revealed to him. He has to share. Whether in public or private,he has the ability to impart spiritual truth to others.Another characteristic of the mature man is that he pursues holiness. The spiritual personrealizes that he has not attained perfection. He is not content with status-quo Christianity. Paulexpressed this yearning for more of what God has for him as he states:“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, butI press on to take of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I donot consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do; forgetting whatis behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to winthe prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

66(Philippians 3:12-14)Then Paul makes the point that such an attitude represents the spiritual or mature person:"All of us who are mature should take such a view of things" (Philippians 3:15).It is impossible to move forward toward a deeper experience in holiness, in becomingmore and more separated from the world and separated toward God, as long as we hold on to thepast. We, like Paul, must be willing to "forget." We must leave the past behind. This does notmean that we do not learn from the past, but it does mean that we do not dwell on the past withits positive and negative aspects and influences.Determination is the third quality that is essential if we are to advance in a life ofholiness. We must purposely pursue the "prize" (Philippians 3:14), the honor of our high callingby God in Christ.The things that count, not only in this life, but in the life to come, are the things that wehave to sacrifice for, work for, strain for, press for. There are no shortcuts to a life of holiness, alife of victory, a life of triumph!Does God's WillThe last characteristic of the spiritual man is that his main goal in life is to do God'swill. Notice how the writer to the Hebrew Christians ends this section dealing with the threekinds of persons:"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity . . .And God permitting, we will do so” (Hebrews 6:1,3).The author is urging that he, along with these immature believers, cannot afford tocontinue to deal with the ABC's of the Christian religion but that they must go on and learn aboutthe richness, the magnificence of the Gospel.As soon as he says this, he quickly adds, "And God permitting we will do so" (Hebrews6:3). He is saying that while this is his own desire and his own discernment of what should bedone, he must proceed only as he recognizes that God's will must hold precedence in this case asin every case.Paul on two different occasions uses this similar phrase of "submission to God's perfectwill." When the Jews of the synagogue in Ephesus asked Paul to spend more time with them in"reasoning" with them concerning the Christian religion, Paul declined. But as he left, hepromised,

67"I will come back if it is God's will” (Acts 18:21).God's.We see in these instances what mattered to Paul the most was not his own plans, butJesus summed up His purpose in this world by saying;"My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work" (John 4:34).What is your purpose in this world? Is it to do your own thing? To follow you owndesires? To do your own will? Or is it to do God's will? If it is, then you are on your road towardmaturity.It is surprising how the writer ends this section. After having told his readers that theywere not really able to assimilate the solid food which he would like to give them—theteaching about the priestly order of Melchizedek—because they were immature, he says:"Let's press on!"And he does not even use the word "nevertheless" in urging them to go on. At least onemight expect him to say,"Even though you are not yet ready for solid food, you still need milk; neverthelessI am going to give you solid food."Sometimes the only way we are willing to leave what we are doing (no matter howinferior or superficial, is to see and experience something better. At times we must first taste ofthe superior before we are willing to let go of the inferior. The writer to these Hebrew Christiansevidently knew that it was only as they began to understand and appreciate the high priestlyministry of Jesus that they would leave the "elementary truths of God's word," the foundationalprinciples of Christianity.The desire you had or have did not come from you. It came from God. And if He hasgiven you an aspiration He will surely show you the realization of that desire. If God has givenyou a desire, He will provide a way for that desire to be met and fulfilled. If He doesn't give youa way, He didn't give you the desire.If you are a new believer it is important that you get grounded in those "elementaryteachings." But you must do so with a view to build upon that foundation as you get to knowChrist better.

Wherever you find yourself in yourother way but FORWARD.68spiritual journey it is vital that you move in noDo not be lulled and deceived and settle for spiritual mediocrity!

69VI. LORDSHIP: TOTAL SURRENDER AND OWNERSHIP“Jesus Christ demands more loyalty than any dictator that has ever lived.The only difference is, He has a right to.” 1The earliest creed in the Church is short but important:“Jesus Chris is Lord.”--Vance HavnerWhy is this statement true? What does it mean to us today in the twentieth century?When an angel announced to Judean shepherds the birth of Christ into this world, thatheavenly herald said. “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christthe Lord” (Luke 2:11). That term Lord, applied by the angel to Jesus at the moment of Hisbirth, is one of Jesus’ most important and significant titles.Jesus is addressed by this name more than 100 times in the Gospels. In Paul’s epistles thename “Jesus” is used alone only 17 times. “Lord Jesus” is used some 96 times, but Christ is

70called “Lord”—that word alone—146 times. This designation for Jesus also appearsextensively throughout other New Testament epistles and the book of Revelation. God hasordained that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:11).“Of all the titles of Jesus the title Lord became by far the most commonly used,widespread, and theologically important. It would hardly be going too far to saythat the word Lord became a synonym for the name of Jesus.” 2-- William BarclayJesus is called “The Rose of Sharon,” “The Lily of the Valley,” “The Bright and MorningStar.” “The Prince of Peace,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Wonder Counselor,” “The MightyGod,” and many other names. But the title Christ preferred above all others is “Lord.”Christ encouraged the disciples to call Him “Lord”: “You call me teacher and lord, andyou say well for so I am” (John 13:13).LORD OF THE CHURCHThe ruler of the people of the old covenant was God Himself. In the worship of theTabernacle and Temple they confess God as the Lord and King of Israel (Deuteronomy 18:16;Judges 20:2, 1 Kings 8:14; Leviticus 10:17; Numbers 1:16).Turning from the Old to the New Testament we find that what God, the Lord Jehovah,was to ancient Israel, Jesus Christ is to the new Israel, the people of the new covenant.Paul describes the local church and the universal Church as a body, and insists that theHead of the body (in the sense of ruler) is Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:19). He writes to theEphesians Christians that God, the Father“. . . raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlyrealms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title thatcan be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And Godplaced all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head everything for thechurch, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.”(Ephesians 1:20-23)Like the king of a kingdom or head of a family, Jesus Christ has at His disposal all thegifts needed for the well-being and expansion of the Church. Everything is available to thechurch to function as God intended (Ephesians 4:7-16).

71Christ’s rule must extend to every aspect of the life of the Church--worship,fellowship, evangelism, business, etc. There should be no area in which He is not present tocleanse and to rule. The Church is to exhibit to the world what being ruled by Christ actuallymeans in practice.LORD OF OUR LIVES“For not one of us lives to himself, and not one dies to himself. If we live, we liveto the Lord, if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belongto the Lord. For this was the purpose of Christ’s dying and coming to life—namely, that He might be Lord both of the dead and the living.”(Romans 14:7-9, Weymouth)What does this name signify? What does it tell us about Jesus? What are we saying toHim if we call Him “Lord”?WORTHY OF HONORThe title identified one worthy of honor. In the culture of that time, this was the title fora person of great dignity and came to be used as a term of courtesy and respect. The word “lord”was similar to our word “sir” which was originally a title given to an English knight or baronet tomark a person’s special rank and dignity. It later became a general form of respectful address.When this title was used to Jesus by those who knew Him, it obviously took on a muchhigher meaning than mere respect or general courtesy. In its older and more specific sense itmeans “highest rank and nobility, greatest honor and reverence.”Before He had called His disciples, Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee when SimonPeter came in from fishing. Jesus said to Peter, “Push out into the lake and let down your nets.”Peter answered, “Master, we’ve been fishing all night and have caught nothing” (Luke 5:4-5).Peter here used another term common in that day—“Master.” He did not know who Jesus was.He did not yet believe in Him. So he called Jesus by a common title of respect.But Peter obeyed Jesus. He went out again from shore, put down his nets and found sucha great amount of fish that the nets began to break from the weight. Suddenly Peter realized thathe was in the presence of more than an ordinary man. Because of the testimony of this miracle tothe supernatural character of Jesus, Peter fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me; forI am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). At this point Jesus was more than “Master.” Peter wasclearly using “Lord” to designate a highly exalted person worthy of the greatest honor.“Lord” is used for Jesus throughout the New Testament in this high sense. Luke applied the term

72to Jesus obviously as an expression of deepest reverence. Sometimes as they call Him “Lord”people worshiped Jesus, as did the blind man who was healed (John 9:38).When Thomas saw Jesus after the resurrection and realized that He had triumphed overthe grave, he cried in admiration and adoration, “My Lord.” Jesus is Lord in the highest, mostexalted sense of the word in Corinthians where He is call “the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8)and in Revelation, “the Lord of lords” (Revelation 17:14; 19:16).The name “Lord” applied to Jesus declares Him to be of supreme dignity which deservesthe most exalted adoration.POSSESSED AUTHORITYThe title lord also designated one who possessed authority. This word in Jesus’ day wascommonly used for masters, owners and rulers over servants, businesses, and nations.In the parable about the owner of a vineyard, the owner with his absolute prerogatives iscalled “the lord of the vineyard” (Mark 12). In Matthew the master over a slave is called “Lord”(Matthew 24:50). In Acts Festus spoke of the emperor Caesar as “my lord” (Acts 25:26).The connotation of one who possesses authority is carried over in the title when it isapplied to Christ. He is called “Lord” because He is a master, a sovereign who has authority andis to be obeyed. This is why Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the thingswhich I say?” (Luke 6:46). Jesus was saying, “The name lord means master, sovereign, ruler.How then can you call Me “Lord” and not obey Me?”His sovereignty is not limited. Jesus is the supreme sovereign, the highest authority, amonarch of higher than David (Mark 12:36-37). He is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), Masterover demons (Matthew 10:25), One who shall judge nations (Matthew 25:32,37,44), One whoshall open or close heaven to people (Matthew 25:11) and One who shall reward those who serveproperly and punish those who fail (Matthew 25:14-30). Then Peter declared, “He is Lord of all”(Acts 10:36). Here all His sovereignty is signified in this name.The title lord signifies one who is a ruler and master. And this name was used for Jesusbecause He is a sovereign to be obeyed, the highest sovereign, with all authority in heaven andon earth and over people, demons, angels, and nations. Jesus is called “Lord” because He is Kingof all kings.DEITY

73Again, the title designated deity. In biblical times the most common language in that partof the world was Greek and by the time of Christ the Old Testament had been translated fromHebrew into Greek (Septuagint). In the Greek translation of the Old Testament the name“Jehovah,” a divine name for god, is regularly rendered “Lord.”The disciples and writers of the New Testament knew the Greek translation of the OldTestament. And so the word Lord was charged with associations of deity. Biblical scholarBenjamin Warfield points out that the name “Lord” stood side by side with God as the mostpersonal and intimate name of Deity.Those who came to see who Jesus really was deliberately save this name to Him. Theyrecognized that He really was the Jehovah of the Old Testament who had come to earth, inhuman flesh among us; that He was very God of very God; deity to be trusted for salvation.In the opening verses of the Gospel of Mark, the writer quotes the promise from Godthrough Isaiah that a forerunner should come who would “prepare . . . the way of the Lord.” Theword translated “Lord” in Isaiah 40:3 is “Jehovah.” Mark identified this promised forerunner asJohn the Baptist and the one for whom John prepared the way as Jesus. So the “Lord” of Isaiah40:3 is really Jesus. In Mark 1 the divine name “Lord” is given to Jesus, the Lord who shouldbring salvation to men. So Jesus as Lord is God Himself come to earth.Thus from the Scriptures themselves we see that the name “Lord” in Christ’s day as used(1) to identify one worthy of honor, (2) to designate one who possessed authority and (3) as atitle for deity, for Jehovah for God Himself.When people, inspired by the Holy Spirit, placed the name “Lord” upon Jesus they usedit in all of this significance and elevated it to its highest, most exalted sense. When the Bible saysJesus is Lord, it says that Jesus is one who is supremely worthy of the most reverential anddevout honor. He is one who is absolutely sovereign over all things and to be entirely obeyed. Heis one who in Himself is actually deity and thus to be completely trusted for redemption and life.Salvation is not a cafeteria where we take what we want and leave the rest. We cannottake Christ as Savior and refuse Him as Lord and be saved.RIGHTThere are numerous reasons why Jesus Christ has the right to be Lord.

741. He is God (John 1:1ff.).2. He is the Creator of this universe (John 3; Colossians 1:15-17).3. He has overcome death (Hebrews 2:14).4. He is the only Way or Path to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:10-12).5. God the Father has declared Him to be Lord (Philippians 2:5-11).6. He is the final Judge of the people (John 5:21-27; Revelation 20:1-15).LORD OF HISTORYFrom the beginning to the end of the Bible, God is clearly revealed as the ultimate rulerof the universe and of human history. The evidence sometimes doesn’t seem to support this. Aswe read our newspapers and watch our televisions, we often wonder if though God has lostcontrol of His universe. Yet the Bible is clear in teaching that God is Lord of history, and thatthe great events of history happen because God either causes them to be or else allows them tobe.David, the psalmist testifies:“The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; He sits enthroned between the cherubim,let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in Zion; He is exalted over all the nations.Let them praise your great and awesome name—He is Holy” (Psalm 99:1-3).“For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are thedepth of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, forHe made it, and His hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95:3-5).Daniel testifies:“The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyoneHe wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17).The true Israelite lived by this faith, believing that behind all events and all life was theSovereign God.In the New Testament, we find similar statement concerning the rule of God over humanaffairs:“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authorityexcept that which God has established. The authorities that exist have beenestablished by God” (Romans 13:1).

75John writes in Revelation,“Hallelujah! For the Lord of God Almighty reigns!” (Revelation 19:6).The New Testament clearly sets forth Jesus Christ as the One through whom God rules.The Son of God, with His humanity, rules the universe from His throne in heaven. The Lamb ofGod who gave His life is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). Paul put it, “He(Christ) must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25).The rule of Christ is now a matter of faith, but at the end of this age, it will be a matter ofreality. It will then become hard fact, as far as history is concerned. All will confess that Jesus isLord—some out of grateful thanks and some out of rational acknowledgment.In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is portrayed as the mighty Conqueror. Thosewhom He defeats by His resurrection and ascension, rule in heaven and second coming aredeath, Hades (the abyss), the dragon (Satan), the beast (earthly empires), and the false prophet(false religious system).Jesus told the persecuted churches of Asia:“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18).At the end of the age, when all the hostile forces make their last attempt to destroy theChurch, they will be completely overcome by Christ.“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome thembecause He is Lord of lords, and King of kings—and with Him will be Hiscalled, chosen and faithful followers” (Revelation 17:14).Jesus is Lord of all spiritual lords—evil and angels and the devil—and He is King of allearthly kings and emperors.There is a summary statement at the opening of the letter to the Hebrews which shows theplace Jesus has in the universe:“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times andin various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom Heappointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son

76is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustainingall things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, Hesat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:1-3).In this last passage, we are taught that the Son of God, before He took a human nature,shared with the Father in the creation of the world (and now shares with Him in its preservation).We see that Jesus the Liberator is also Jesus the Lord. The One who sets us free does notrelease us in order for us to go wherever we like. He releases us so that we may follow Him.No words could express more plainly than these that the purpose of Christ’s death andresurrection was to win undisputed Lordship over man. “To this end”—and no other; “for thispurpose,” and nothing short of it, He died on the Cross of Calvary. He rose from the dead inorder to execute that Lordship. Therefore to dispute His sovereignty, to deny His Lordship, is torob Him of the (fruit of His Passion).What is meant by professing that Jesus is Lord or by calling on Jesus as Lord? Surelymore is meant than merely using that name for Jesus. Christ Himself said in Matthew 7:21, “Notevery one who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”To confess that Jesus is Lord is to respond with our hearts and lives to one who is all thename “Lord” signifies He is.“To confess that Jesus is Lord is to respond to Him as very God to be trusted,as the supreme Master to be obeyed and as the exalted One to be worshiped.” 3JESUS IS NOT AN ADDITIVEThe word “additive” means something added to something else, usually to improve orstrengthen. It is fashionable to call god in for special occasions, political campaigns, ball games,business advantages (being a church member may help one’s prestige in some quarters, and italways looks good in an obituary).The rich young ruler wanted to add eternal life to his many possessions but the Saviortold him that he first had to sell all he had. The prospective disciples in the ninth chapter of Lukeput Jesus, next, after burying a father and telling a family goodbye first. But Jesus Christ nevercomes next. He does not play second fiddle. He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Hesaid “Seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be

added unto you.” The prospective disciplefirst.” It is a matter of priorities.77said, “Permit me first.” Our Lord said “SeekAll people, believers and unbelievers, are under Jesus’ lordship. Nothing in your life is soinsignificant that it goes unnoticed by God. God cares about everything in your life, no matterhow small or unimportant you may think it is.As a Christian, everything in your life is subject to Jesus’ lordship. Those who reject itstand condemned. Those who receive it stand in Christ. A refusal to bow to His lordship resultsin judgment. A life lived in recognition of Jesus’ Lordship brings about His blessing.“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to theground apart from your Father. But the very hairs on your head are all numbered.Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.”(Matthew 10:29-31)The fact is that Jesus cares about you infinitely more than you care about yourself. Andnot one single thing about your life is unimportant to Him. Everything you think, say or do issubject to His approval. Jesus Christ is Lord over every aspect of your life.As a Christian you have died with Christ and your life belongs to Him, not to you.“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is inyou, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? You havebeen bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.”(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)“Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Jesus Christ.”(Romans 6:11)As a believer, you should possess the desire to please Christ in every area of your life.But how can you know what is pleasing to Him and what is not? The Bible promises that thosewho truly seek to please God will get the direction they need from Him. God will show you whatHe desires for your life. That’s a promise from God Himself.“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”(Proverbs 3:5)“As, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall beopened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to

78him who knocks it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).Because of Jesus’ Lordship, you should desire to please Him in everything. He died inyour place. He has given you eternal life. Your gratitude and love for Him will make you want toplease Him.“. . . walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects . . .”(Colossians 1:10)So how will you know what is pleasing to Him? Jesus will provide definite answers toevery question in your life if you are serious about pleasing Him.Among the most honored names in the United States is that of Wendell Phillips,an orator and statesman, who was used by God to liberate about four million slaves. He is knownto this day as the “Boston Orator . . . the man who could not be bought.” Shortly before he died,he was asked by a friend whether there was any crisis in his life which explained his deepdevotion to his Master. He responded:“When I was fourteen, I heard Lyman Beecher preach on the Lordship ofJesus Christ. I went to my room, locked the door, and then threw myself onthe floor of the room. This was what I said: “O God, I belong to Thee; takewhat is Thine own: I gladly recognize They ownership in me; I now take Theeas my Lord and Master. From that time to this, I have never known a thing tobe wrong without having an aversion to it; and I have never seen anythingright without having an attraction to it.”Have you really turned to Him as God and committed into His hands your life with all itsneeds and problems and concerns?Have you submitted your life to His sovereignty? Have you determined that you willobey what He says to you in the Word and by His Spirit in every detail and aspect of life?Good intentions are not enough! A decision, no matter how good, is only the beginning.Once you have decided to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ in your life, you willprove that He is Lord by submitting to Him hour by hour and obeying Him in the daily affairsof life.The question you must settle is not what you would do for the Lord if you had moremoney, time or education, but what you will do with the things you have. It’s not who you are orwhat you have that matters--but whether Christ controls you.

79There is no question, then, that Jesus Christ demands more loyalty and devotion than anydictator that has ever lived. The difference, however, is that He has a right to do so. As the hymnwriter put it.“Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”(Hymn, When I Survey The Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts)You really have only one option in this world. You can take Christ into your life or nottake Him. Once you take Him, that is the end of your option. From then on you belong—lock,stock, and barrel—to Jesus Christ. That means you don’t have one thing in this world that is yourown. You are not your own. You are bought with a price (1 Peter 1:18-19).Acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Put Him first. Make Him preeminent in your life. InviteHim to be President, not just resident.“Make Me A Captive, Lord”“Make me a captive, Lord, And then I shall be free:Force me to render up my sword, And I shall conq’ror be.I sink in life’s alarms When by myself I stand;Imprison me within Thine arms, And strong shall be my hand.My heart is weak and poor Until its master finds.It has no spring of action sure—It varies with the wind:It cannot freely move Till Thou has wrought its chain;Enslave it with Thy matchless love, And deathless it shall reign.My power is faint and low Till I have learned to serve:It wants the breeze to nerve; It cannot drive the world Until itself be driven;Its flag can only be unfurled When Thou shalt breathe from heaven.My will is not my own Till Thou hast made it Thine;It would reach the monarch’s throne It must its crown resign:It only stands unbent amid the clashing strife.When on Thy bosom it has leant. And found in Thee its life.” 4--George Matheson (Sacred Songs, 1890 http://www.cyberhymnal.org)

81VII. THE BIBLE AND ITS PRACTICAL USE"The great need of the hour among persons spiritually hungry is twofold: first, toknow the Scriptures, apart from which no saving faith will be vouchsafed byour Lord; the second, to be enlightened by the Spirit, apart from whom theScriptures will not be understood." 1--A. W. TozerThe first thing you need to do is listen to God as He speaks to you through His Word, theBible. The way you talk to God is through prayer.The primary way God speaks to you is through the Bible. As you grow, you will becomesensitive to other ways He communicates to you, such as through inner peace, through the

82counsel of others in the body of Christ, through circumstances, even through visionsand dreams. However, the most objective and clear way God communicates to you, isthrough the Bible.The Bible is a storehouse of knowledge and truth. It tells about God's character or nature,His commands, His love and concern, His will for your life, and His direction for your future.God wants the very best for you and He has communicated His thoughts through a Book, theBible.INSPIRATIONIn Scripture we see a unity of thought indicating that one mind inspired the writing andcompilation of the whole series of books (66) we call the Bible. It bears on its face the stamp ofits Author. It is in a unique and distinctive sense the Word of God.For the Christian the Bible is the most valuable Book in the world. This is because, tobelievers, Scripture is the record of God revealing Himself to us. What more important reasoncould there be for really studying it? The Bible is not a record of our attempts to find God, but ofGod's divine self-disclosure to us.The Bible teaches that the Bible was "inspired" by the Holy Spirit:"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by theprophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man,but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit"(2 Peter 1:20-21)The word "inspired" then, is not to be confused with the common usage of the wordwhere we may say Shakespeare was "inspired" to write great plays, or when we may refer toBeethoven as having to be "inspired" to be able to compose such great symphonies. Inspiration,in the biblical sense, is unique."Men spoke from God," says Peter, "as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." TheBible is the product of God Himself. Here are not mere human words and ideas, but God's divinecharacter and will revealed through words.The word "inspired" (theopneustos) comes from a Greek word meaning "breathed out byGod" or "God-breathed." The origin of the words of Scripture is God Himself. John Stottexplains:"The meaning, then, is not that God breathed into the writers, nor that He somehowbreathed into the writings to give them their special character, but that what was

written by men was breathed out byspokesmen." 283God. He spoke through them. They were HisThis does not mean that the writers of Scripture were mere writing machines. God did notjust dictate His words to them and they mindlessly wrote them down. It is obvious from thewritings themselves that each writer's personality is involved. Each writer has a style of his own.Jeremiah does not write like Isaiah, and Peter hardly writes like Paul. Their educational andcultural backgrounds seep through in their writings. Thus the Bible is a very human book. But itis divine in that God worked through the instrumentality of human personality, but so guided andcontrolled people that what they wrote is what He wanted written.The following chart is a simple overall view of the Bible.LAW – Genesis > DeuteronomyHISTORY – Joshua > EstherPOETRY – Job > Song of SolomonPROPHECY – Isaiah > MalachiGOSPELS & ACTS – Matthew > ActsLETTERS – Romans > RevelationPRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATIONObviously the Bible alone does not interpret itself. Anyone who has talked with aJehovah's Witness has found how true this is! Therefore what guides us in our interpretation?Our theology is supposed to be based upon principles of biblical interpretation(hermeneutics). Too often the reverse is true. Cultists (ca. 4,000 in the U.S.) in particular readtheir deviant theologies into the biblical text rather than allowing the text to speak for itself.Knowing the history of interpretation is integral to knowing the principles of interpretation, in

that it helps us in spotting deviant teachings.heresies, only old ones in new wrappers.84As the old maxim states: There are no newIt is the purpose of hermeneutics (the science of biblical interpretation) to provide thestudent of Scripture with basic guidelines and rules for "correctly handling the word of truth"(2 Timothy 2:15).Difficult TextsSome people argue that the reason they do not read and study the Bible is because it istoo difficult to understand. They have a point. Peter referred to some of Paul's teaching as"hard to understand" (2 Peter 3:16). Yet he pointed out that the primary problem in misunderstandingwas located in the ignorance and unstable character of the people who readPaul's teachings: "ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to theirown destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).But who can deny the difficulty of interpreting such passages as Romans 5:12-14; I John3:4-10; James 2:18-26; and 2 Peter 1:4? There are some commands that are difficult to carry outor that seem irrelevant (1 Corinthians 10:14-30) and there are practices such as slavery that wedo not endorse (1 Peter 2:18-20). There are mysterious references to such things as "baptism forthe dead" (1 Corinthians 15:29), Paul's contention that although he and his coworkers Silas andTimothy "made every effort to see" the Christians at Thessalonica "Satan stopped us"(1 Thessalonians 2:18), "the man of lawlessness" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-9), and his "restrainingpower," or as the New International Version puts it, "what is holding him [the man oflawlessness] back" (2 Thessalonians 2:5,7), and Jesus' proclamation to "the spirits in prison"(1 Peter 3:18-20). Anyone who claims that understanding "the priesthood of Melchizedek(Hebrews 5:10; 6:20-7:17) is easy simply shows his own ignorance of the complexity of theteaching.Although some texts seem to raise problems of merely academic interest, other texts canraise real practical dilemmas. An example would be Jesus warning to His disciples: "If yourright eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away" (Matthew 5:29). Does this mean thatthose followers who literally followed that injunction (not uncommonly done during theMedieval period) would be more faithful disciples than those who did not? Or would they haveso misunderstood the command that in following it literally they would have violated the spirit ofJesus' teaching? The issue at stake is how we interpret this text so that it encourages faithfulChristian discipleship.

85Every reader of the Bible makes decisions—consciously or unconsciously—about how to understand and respond to it. All such judgments are interpretative judgments.Therefore how we ought to read the Bible in order to right it correctly becomes crucial.While it is true that certain parts of the Bible are difficult, most parts are quite simple. Ifyou can read the newspaper, you can read the Bible. In fact, there are probably more difficultwords and concepts expressed on the front pages of the newspaper than on most pages of theBible.General ApproachIt is vital that the Scriptures are interpreted according to their purpose and context inreverent obedience to the God who speaks through them with power. The first assumption isthat the Scriptures were written for, and in particular historical situations, they must be"interpreted according to their purpose and context." The second assumption is that since theScriptures are God's Word to us, they communicate God's thoughts and feelings with power andthus are to be interpreted in "reverent obedience."The Golden Rule of InterpretationGordon Fee and Douglas Stuart point out in their book, How to Read the Bible for All ItsWorth:"The most important ingredient one brings to that task [of interpretation] isenlightened common sense. The test of good interpretation is that it makesgood sense of the text." 3The dictum: "The plain thing is the main thing, and the main thing is the plain thing"goes to the heart of the issue of interpretation. For it is the aim of interpretation to know the plainmeaning of the text. What is obvious and straightforward in the text is the most significant pointfor the reader to grasp.Therefore The Golden Rule of Interpretation is that when the plain sense of Scripturemakes common sense, we should seek no other sense. Therefore we should take every word atits primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied inthe light of related passages and fundamental truths indicate clearly otherwise.This rule of interpretation is called the "literal-historical," "literary-historical" or"grammatical-historical" method. This rule is based on the premise that God, in revealing HisWord, did not intend that the reader be confused. Rather, like any other teacher or parent, Heuses the obvious meanings of words to convey His thoughts with the greatest clarity to His

children. Otherwise the meaning of Scripturescholar).86would only be available to the expert (biblicalMetaphysical cults, theosophical cults, divine science cults, pantheistic cults (New AgeMovement) all base their interpretation of Holy Scripture on the theory that the meaning ofScripture is plural. The first meaning is the ordinary historical or grammatical one; and thesecond meaning is the one the cultist brings to Scripture from the particular metaphysical systemor religious system which he is pushing.The emphasis on the unity of the sense of Scripture puts an end to this cultic abuse ofScripture. Unless Scripture can be interpreted in a literal way there is no basis for control—anyone can interpret it anyway one prefers. The literal method acknowledges the importance ofthe basic meaning of words and follows regular rules of grammar.Principles of Interpretation1. The Priority of the Original Languages. The Scriptures were written in Hebrew (OldTestament), Aramaic (Old Testament), and Greek (New Testament). Until the appearance ofvernacular translations in the sixteenth century, few, whether then or now—could have read it tolearn what it says. Even now, when we read translations of the Bible, we are reading someone'sinterpretation of what the Hebrew and Greek says.All Bible study must take into consideration the difficulty in translation, and alltranslations are subservient to the original languages.Cults are often guilty of using a word or phrase from a biblical translation and thenexamining and interpreting it as if the revelation had been given in that language. Mary BakerEddy, the founder of Christian Science, for instance, says that the name "Adam" consists of twosyllables, A dam, which means an obstruction, in which case Adam signifies "the obstacle whichthe serpent, sin, would impose between man and his Creator." Such meaning for the word orname Adam is pure nonsense.2. The Accommodation of Revelation. In order for God's truth to be understood by thehuman mind, God had to put His truth in human language which has its limitations. His truth,therefore, is always greater than any language about Him.Figures of speech are often used to communicate some concept with an ear catching,imaginative comparison. "Trees clapping their hands" (Isaiah 55:12) is a powerful way toexpress extreme joy. The danger, for the uninformed and lazy student, is that such an expression

87is interpreted literally thus thinking that the prophet is merely talking about leafy motion.We always must look for the intention behind a figure of speech.3. Progressive Revelation. The Bible sets forth the movement of God in history, with theinitiative coming from Him and in which God brings man up from the infancy of the HebrewScriptures through the maturity of the New Testament. This does not mean that the NewTestament is superior to the Old Testament; it means that the revelation begun in the OldTestament finds its completion or fulfillment in the New Testament.4. Observation. We must discover what the passage is saying, not make it say what wewant it to say. We must read things "out of" the text (exegesis), and not read things "into" the text(eisegesis). We must come to discover, not prove.Lack of observation will often lead to strange interpretations. Hasty generalizations is atemptation especially when it comes to predictive prophecy. The stick of Judah and the stick ofJoseph in Ezekiel's prophecy (Ezekiel 37:15-23) are interpreted by the Mormons to mean theBible and the Book of Mormon.Lack of careful observation leads easily to inadequate evidence in which a hastygeneralization is drawn from too little evidence. An example would be Jehovah's Witnessesteaching that blood transfusion is unbiblical. The biblical data which they use to support thisteaching fails to speak directly to the issue and certainly does not substantiate their teaching.5. Historical Setting. The Bible was written to specific people at a specific time. It istherefore vital to take into account the history and culture of that time. Jesus' statement, "It isfinished" (tetelstai) in John 19:30 meant more than the end of the crucifixion. That phrase waswritten across tax receipts to indicate that full payment had been received. It was also a termused by military leaders who had just won a battle. Therefore Jesus' statement from the cross wasa shout of triumph and victory and not merely a whisper of endurance.In studying historical context, knowledge of the Greco-Roman world and Judaism of thefirst century can provide indispensable information in interpreting and understanding texts in theNew Testament. Such broad historical context yield information which provides help inunderstanding, for example, Jesus' warning about "gouging out your eye." This statement wasstated in a context in which sexual promiscuity and infidelity were generally assumed to becaused by the woman. She was seen as a temptress who enticed men to sin, and although this didnot excuse the man's sin, the temptation to sexual sin was typically understood to be external—inthe woman who brought it about. Jesus' warning, therefore, turns this cultural understandingupside down as He identifies man's lust not from without—in the woman—but from within—inthe man who lusts (see also James 1:13-15 where James explains the process of temptation).

88Our understanding of words, phrases, and actions is enriched as we get a better graspof the culture and customs of that period.6. Truth builds on truth. It does not contradict it. Although Mark 16:16 might seem torequire water baptism for salvation, several other passages (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; Titus 3:5) establish the clear standard or requirement of salvation: by faith alone. Suchapparent contradiction (paradox) challenges us to dig deeper in our understanding of Mark 16:16.As we do so we find that this verse belongs to a section (Mark 16:9-20) that is not included in themost reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses.7. Ignorance. No one understands everything in the Bible. Some truth is beyond ourhuman capacity to grasp. Some passages are extremely difficult to interpret. This is especiallytrue of prophecy. Therefore it is all right to say, "I don't know" or "I don't understand."8. Checking Other Sources. Since we all have blind spots and prejudices, we need tocheck our interpretation with biblical studies of the past (the history of interpretation) andpresent.The Reformers felt that responsible interpretation (e.g. exegesis) must be tested ina dialogue with Christian interpreters throughout the centuries. The community ofinterpreters down through the centuries were not to be treated as final authorities since thatbelongs to "Scripture alone" (sola scriptura). This is not to downplay the role of the teachingoffice of the church. Much brilliant work lies behind the formulations of gifted (often brilliant)minds and learned councils. Even so, they, like the rest of humanity, come under the one norm—the Bible—which is unique, supreme, and absolute. Only when such individuals or councilsagree with what the Bible teaches are they right. Thus they continually stand to be corrected.The difficult question is, "By whose criteria are individuals, churches, denominations,popes, and councils judged?" The ultimate answer is the church at large. Truth that is ofcritical consequence (the fundamentals of the faith) eventually makes itself known (perhaps evenobviously so). As the church of Jesus Christ seeks truth as best she can with all the hermeneuticaltools available to her, as she submits to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and listens to her Head—Jesus Christ—she will know the truth just as the early church knew which books belonged to thecanon of Scripture and which creeds or confessions affirmed and explained the truth oforthodox Christianity.Yet there are many issues, doctrines, practices, and applications on which Scripture issilent or, at least, not very detailed or explicit in its directives.What then is sola scriptura? Augustine argued that where Scripture is silent, the churchmay speak. What it means is that when it comes to issues not directly or explicitly addressed inScripture, such as organizing church polity or addressing twentieth-century ethical dilemmas, the

89church will default to some position. In such circumstances, we hope that the church'sposition will be guided by more than mere expediency, utility or capriciousness. Rather, at such apoint we should be able to look to church tradition as it hopefully tells of those who facedsimilar problems and struggled to understand what the scriptural point of view was as theysought to be guided by "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27).To neglect the accumulated wisdom of hundreds of years of biblical scholarship is toopen ourselves to serious misinterpretation. Those who show a disdain for commentaries or othersources of biblical understanding, therefore, only show their ignorance or arrogance. Why shouldwe not take advantage of the painstaking research of some of the most gifted scholars throughoutchurch history? Do we really think that our quick and superficial "study" of a text is necessarilysuperior to that of those who have given their entire lives to studying the Holy Scripture? It isarrogance that would keep us from using the tools God has made available to us.9. Differentiating Between Interpretation and Application. The interpretation of apassage is one; the application is many. Any passage has only one meaning though it often mayhave many applications.We must be careful in applying Scripture to life so that objectivity is not flung aside andthat we base our application mainly on feelings, ideology, immediate life need, or echo (a wordor idea in the text which reminds a person of something contemporary or familiar). Even thoughScripture addresses each of these areas, the question is: "Does this text actually address thatneed?" Here is where the objective and subjective need to be linked.At this juncture the first critical question is: "What was the application the authorintended?" Once this is clear the second question is, "What is the modern parallel to thatapplication?" This is where the subjective aspect plays the major role as we struggle with asimilar problem or situation to that found in the text. Therefore we see that there are objectiveboundaries to the subjective application process.There are many pitfalls to meaningful application. One common one is time constraintswhich keeps us uninformed and uninvolved. Another pitfall, which is closely related to timeconstraints, is biblical illiteracy. This means that we are ignorant of the biblical data (usuallybecause of either time constraints, lack of interest, or laziness or all). Thus people do not havethe background to makes sense out of individual passages. Since Scripture interprets Scripture,intelligent and informed judgment concerning what the Bible says, means, and applies is difficultif we do not have familiarity with the biblical record. What often happens is that fellowship takesthe place of Bible study which leads many of us to choose relational conversation that may haveused the text for a launching-pad, but the conversation is not informed nor guided by the text.

90In such conversation, life in general becomes the focus of the conversation ratherthan expending effort at reflecting on a text and making connections between that text and life.Theresult is not Bible study, but religious conversation in which our conversation draws more onassumptions and personal experiences than it does on the Bible.10. Objective Truth, Not subjective Experience. We must interpret experience in thelight of Scripture, not vice versa. Scripture, rightly interpreted, is true primarily because Godsays it is true. The approach, "It must be true because I have experienced it" does not take intoconsideration the fact that Satan is a master counterfeiter (2 Corinthians 11:12-15), and hisdeceptions include many experiences. Also, just because some experience is true and valid foryou, does not mean that it would be for someone else. Scripture, rightly interpreted, is trueprimarily because God says it is true.11. Context. What location is to real estate, context is to reading the Bible. Ininterpretation, there are three rules: "context, context, and context!"There are three dimensions to context. The first is the general historical context whichincludes all of the historical, religious, cultural, social, and linguistic factors that influenced andshaped its production. The second is the specific historical context for which a document waswritten. The third is the literary context of a particular passage in a document. All three contextscan be helpful in understanding any text more thoroughly and thus more accurately.Each verse must be studied in relation to its chapter and each chapter must be studied inrelation to its book and each book must be studied in relation to all the other books (66) thatmake up the Bible. Just as any part of the human body can be properly explained only inreference to the whole body, so any part of the Bible can be correctly explained only withreference to the entire Bible.The importance of context is often illustrated with the example of the person who wouldopen the Bible to any page put a finger on a verse and apply it to herself. She began by puttingher finger on the verse that states, "Judas hung himself." Next she flipped to another part of theBible and pointed her finger to the verse, "Go and do likewise." Finally in desperation she turnedto another section of the Bible, flipped it open, put her finger on a verse which stated,"Whatsoever you do, do it quickly."Two or more verses which have little or nothing to do with each other may be puttogether as if one were a commentary on the other. The Mormons, for example, tie Jeremiah 1:5together with John 1:2,14 and thus imply that both verses talk about the premortal existence ofall human beings. This is unjustified since Jeremiah 1:5 speaks of God's foreknowledge of the

91prophet Jeremiah (not his premortal existence). John 1:2 on the other hand refers to the preexistenceof God the Son and in no uncertain terms refers to human beings in general.These couple of examples emphasize the importance of context. Without careful attentionto context, Scripture becomes reduced to pretext, whereby we use it to prove our preconceivedideas. Rather, we must allow God to speak through Scripture and attempt to hear and understand.Then apply His Word to our lives. The issue is not what we would like Scripture to say, but whatit actually says that counts.A Coherent and Unified MessageIf the argument regarding canonicity and divine inspiration of the 66 books constitutingthe Bible is valid, a necessary corollary is that the Bible sets forth a coherent or unifiedmessage. God's spokesmen, who came later in history, not only provided new material, but theyre-emphasized facets of earlier revelations as part of the whole counsel of God.Paul, as one of the last revelatory spokesmen, regards anyone who teaches a messagecontrary to what has already been given, as worthy of hell (eternal damnation—Galatians 1:8f.).Paul also considered the teaching which he gave as being so in line with the message of theearlier spokesmen that he used quotations from these earlier sources of revelation to affirm hispoint (Romans 3:9) that all the people of the earth are under sin (Romans 3:10-18).Later revelatory spokesmen also viewed their interpretation of contemporary revelatoryevents to reflect so accurately God's moving of redemptive history toward its final climax, thatthey could view an event, whose occurrence and meaning they reported, to be a partial ortypological fulfillment of prophecy uttered by an earlier revelatory spokesman (e.g. Acts 2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32 [Matthew 3:1-5]).In establishing the unity of the Bible, each literary unit of the Bible must be allowed tocontribute its teaching to every other literary unit.Thus it is only as we handle Scripture through the literary-historical method ofinterpretation that we come to a knowledge of divine revelation in the same way we come toknowledge about everything else in our experience, namely, by a process of trying out variouspossibilities until coherency or unity is attained.We must grapple with difficult passages of Scripture until we find it fitting in with the restof Scripture. If we are unable to do so, we must humbly acknowledge our limited understandingand allow for mystery as we recognize, as Paul did, that "we only see but a poor

92reflection as in a mirror . . . [that we] know in part" (1 Corinthians 13:12). Instead of pressingScripture to fit our own preconceived ideas or opinions, there are times when we must humblybow before Him whose Word is much greater than our understanding of it. We dare not come toconclusions that contradict Scripture since God, who inspired Scripture, does not contradictHimself. We must allow Scripture to interpret Scripture!The Role of the Holy Spirit as InterpreterWhat, if any place, does the Holy Spirit play in this issue of interpretation? Since it is theSpirit of God who gave Scripture, He speaks in and through it. This is indispensable to soundunderstanding. The Spirit does not replace the task of interpretation. After all, He speaks throughthe text of Scripture. Knowledge of the text and its natural sense is thus demanded. Yet it ispossible to have this and still miss understanding in the deeper sense. This is where the help andguidance of the Spirit are needed.The Spirit is God's Spirit bearing witness to God's word and work in Jesus Christ. Hetakes the word of Scripture and makes it clear to the heart, the mind and the will—the wholeman—in its total reach and dimension. God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.Humble ResponseA certain condition, therefore, is necessary in order to have an authentic, deep and fruitfulexperience with the Word of God. The condition is our humble yielding to the enlightening ofthe Holy Spirit. The Bible protects itself from presumption and scholarly unspirituality as itsdeeper truths are luminous only to the illuminated (1 Corinthians 2:14-15), those intent toreverently obey.The same Spirit who inspired its writers now waits to illumine its readers. This is achallenge to study it prayerfully in a spirit of teachableness which leads to Spirit-given enlightenmentwhen we do (John 14:26; Ephesians 1:18).We all need illumination from the Holy Spirit. Even the best-intentioned among us canslip easily into a prideful, self-sufficient attitude in our learning the Bible which results ininformation and knowledge without wisdom and insight.Since we as human beings "see through a glass darkly" or as the New InternationalVersion puts it, "see but a poor reflection" (1 Corinthians 13:12), humility is in order. It is to beaware of human limitations in interpreting the Bible. This means that we realize that thecertainty with which we propose, debate, and even argue for our own interpretations, must betempered with gentleness since our own interpretations are seen thorough our own sinful humannature. Sin distorts everything, including our understanding of God's pristine revelation.

93Does this mean that we must lack conviction in our under-standing of Scripture?No, but it means that while the church corporate must be bold about its faithful adherence to theWord ofGod, we as individual interpreters must understand the provisional nature of our own views.Unless our views square with the understanding of historic Christianity, we must hold themtentatively.To achieve balance in our apprehension and application of God's Word it is vital to seethe marriage between the theoretical and the practical. Devotional reading and academicstudy together form the heart, mind and will to hear and obey God's Word to us. Exegetical skilland spiritual discipline together provide the contexts out of which we are to interpret the Word. Itis only as we diligently and prayerfully read and study and reverently obey the Bible that wegrow in our knowledge and understanding of who God is and what His purpose and will is forour lives.TOOLS FOR STUDYBiblical reference books offer invaluable assistance in finding new and deeper insightsinto the Word of God. Everyone who studies the Bible can benefit from the spiritual andscholarly (academic) wisdom of Christians in the past and at present.Six reference books are at the heart of any Bible reference library. These are "core" booksbecause they are the types of reference books that will be used most often. They are:Biblical Reference Book. The following book is an excellent discussion of thewhole range of biblical texts and reference tools. It is a guide to Hebrew andGreek texts of Scripture, lexica, grammars, and concordances.Multipurpose Tools for Bible Study (F. W. Danker, 1993).Topical or Study Bible. There are many excellent topical or study Bibles such asthe NIV Study Bible: New International Version (1985), Nave's Study TheThompson Chain Study Bible (KJV), Ryrie Study Bible, The Open Bible, TheStudent Bible, The Harper Collins Study Bible/New Revised Standard Versionwith Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books (1993), The New Oxford AnnotatedBible with the Apocryphal/Deutercanonical Books (1991), etc.Bible Concordance. This is an alphabetical list of words found in a specific Bibleversion (e.g. KJV, NASB), with a list of verses in which each word is found. Threeof the best are The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nelson,

941984), Young's Analytical Concordance of the Bible(Nelson, 1982), and the NIV Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Zondervan,1981). There are also compact concordances which list the most important wordsin a specific Bible translation.Bible Handbook. This is a basic reference book that combines some of thefunctions of a Bible commentary, dictionary, concordance, and atlas. It usually isnot directed toward one specific translation. Some of the best are Halley's BibleHandbook (Zondervan, 1962), Eerdmans Handbook of the Bible (Eerdmans,1973), The New Unger's Bible Handbook, (Moody, 1984), The IVP Handbook ofLife in Bible Times (InterVarsity Press, 1986), Abingdom Bible Handbook(Abingdon).Bible Dictionary. This tool lists alphabetically the names and terms in the Bibleand explains them. It offers more thorough and detailed information on a varietyof biblical topics than the handbook does. Many are designed with the reader of aparticular translation in mind. Some good ones are Zondervan Pictorial BibleDictionary (Zondervan), The New International Dictionary of the Bible,(Zondervan), The New Bible Dictionary, Harper's Bible Dictionary, Nelson'sIllustrated Bible Dictionary (Nelson), The Anchor Bible Dictionary [ABD](1992), Mercer Dictionary of the Bible (1990), The Dictionary of Jesus and theGospels (1992), and The Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (1993).Bible Commentary. This is a reference work that interprets and explains theBible as a whole, or a book or portion of the Bible. Commentaries on the entireBible or on one particular book of the Bible can consist of one or more volumes.Some are devoted to the original Hebrew or Greek texts, others only to theEnglish text.There are basically three types of commentaries:1. The devotional commentary written for the laity which is primarily concerned withspiritual application of the Bible.2. The expository commentary which presents an interpretation and explanation of theBible based on a thorough study of the original languages (Hebrew and Greek) and background.

953. The exegetical and critical commentary which focuses primarily ongrammatical and textual studies of the Hebrew or Greek and usually is not intended for laity.One-volume commentaries on the entire Bible are quite useful for the general Biblereader. Some excellent ones are The New Bible Commentary (1989), The InternationalBible Commentary (Zondervan), Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Baker), WycliffeBible Commentary (Moody), Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary (Zondervan),Bible Knowledge Commentary (Scripture Press Two Volumes), Harper's BibleCommentary (Harper Collins), and the Eerdmans Bible Commentary (Eerdmans).The following are multi-volume sets: Word Bible Commentary (Word--not for the laity),The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans), The Tyndale OldTestament Commentaries and The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Tyndale), TheExpositor's Bible Commentary (Zondervan, 1980), Keil- Delitzsch's Commentary on theOld Testament (Eerdmans, 1982), The Daily Bible Study Series (Westminster, 1975), TheMacArthur New Testament Commentary Series (Victor Press, 1978).Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. This tool is especially helpful for theadvanced Bible reader. The expository dictionary has an alphabetical listing ofEnglish words found in the Bible, with an explanation of Hebrew and/or Greekwords behind them.Some that are easy to use would be the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words(Zondervan), Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (Broadman, 1931),Expanded Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (BethanyHouse), Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament (Nelson, 1980).For the more advanced student the following are most helpful: Kittel's TheologicalDictionary of the New Testament (Eerdmans, 1979—10 Volume set and anAbridged in One Volume), the New International Dictionary of New TestamentTheology (Zondervan, 1967), and Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament(Eerdmans, 1990—only two volumes available so far). Theological Dictionary ofthe Old Testament (1974—with several volumes now having been revised).Dictionary of Theology. Whereas a Bible dictionary might make reference toBible doctrines, these references of necessity would be brief.Some excellent dictionaries of theology are Evangelical Dictionary of Theology(Baker, 1984) and the New Dictionary of Theology (InterVarsity, 1988).

96 Bible Encyclopedia. This tool is a comprehensive attempt todefine, identify and explain terms and topics that are of interest for those whostudy the Bible. Every name of a person or place mentioned in the Bible isincluded.There are articles on numerous terms in the Bible that have theological or ethicalmeaning. It summarizes the state of knowledge about each of its topics and thereader is led further to sources of information and insight.One good volume encyclopedia is New 20th-Century Encyclopedia of ReligiousKnowledge (Baker) and the extensive The International Standard BibleEncyclopedia (Eerdmans, 1979—4 volumes).Bible Atlas. This tool helps us in seeing and thereby understanding the world ofthe Bible. Some good ones are The MacMillan Bible Atlas (MacMillan, 1978) andthe Moody Atlas of Bible Lands (Moody).Bible Survey. The purpose of a Bible Survey is to explore how the Scripturesoriginated and were transmitted through the centuries. It also deals withauthorship, purpose and secular historical context of individual books of the Bibleas well as dealing with interpretation problems. Surveys may cover the entireBible, one testament or individual books.Some of the better surveys are Old Testament Survey (Eerdmans, 1983),Introduction ot the Old Testament (Eerdmans, 1969), The Old Testament Speaks(Schultz) Walk Thru the Old Testament (Tyndale), Walk Thru the New Testament(Tyndale, 1981).Hermeneutics. The following are helpful volumes that have appeared on thetopics of interpretation and application of the biblical text such as How to Readthe Bible for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding the Bible (Fee & Stuart,Zondervan, 1993), Approaches to Old Testament Interpretation (Goldingay,InterVarstity, 1990), Hearing the New Testament: Biblical InterpretationStrategies for Interpretation (Green, Eerdmans, 1995), Introduction to BiblicalInterpreation (Klein, Blomberg, Word, 1993), To Each Its Own Meaning: AnIntroduction to Biblical Criticism and Their Application (McKenzie & Haynes,Westminster John Know, 1993), and The Hermeneutical Spiral: A ComprehensiveIntroduction to Biblical Interpretation (Osborne, InterVarsity, 1991).

97DEVOTIONS: ESSENTIALS FOR LIFE-CHANGING BIBLE STUDYDevotions is a devotional or spiritual approach to God and His Word. While seriousBible study should be done on a regular basis devotions is our daily sustenance.Our approach in devotions is less to learn and more to gain food for the soul. The heart,rather than the mind, is to be emphasized. Therefore, instead of racing to get through a certainnumber of chapters or verses a day, we need to develop the art of reading slowly andthoughtfully.REQUIREMENTSA Quiet PlacePersonal Bible study requires a quiet place, whether that be a corner of the living room ora desk in a den. Whenever possible all distractions must be eliminated so that heart and mind canfocus on the purpose of the devotional time—hearing the voice of God through the Scripturesand through prayer.An Easily Read BibleRegardless of the translation you are using, have a Bible that is easily read. Fordevotional use it may be best to use a Bible that has the text only. A study Bible that has notes,outlines, etc. may make it more difficult for you to engage in independent induction study.A Notebook and PenUse a notebook for your Bible study. This way you can preserve the results of yourexploration of God's Word. Your notes will include observations, interpretations and questionsconcerning where you need more light. As you keep studying, your knowledge of the Bible willincrease and you will be able to increasingly correlate Bible teachings.A Prayerful SpiritBegin your devotions with prayer. Use the psalmist's petition as your own: "Open myeyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Psalm 119:18). When facing difficulties in thetext, ask God for further light. Conclude with prayer asking that the Holy Spirit will enable youto be obedient to what you have read and studied.

98PRACTICAL HELPS FOR READING AND STUDYAt the end of this section you will find suggested outlines and study charts designed aspractical tools in your own devotional reading and study. Use these as a guide as you developyour own approach and method of reading and study. Delete and add questions and categoriesthat you find most helpful in your coming to grips with the Bible, God's Word.You may want to object, "But I don't have time to read and study God's Word every day."If we take 30 minutes a day as an example this may seem like a lot of time from a busy schedule.If it is true that God is no person's debtor, then it really won't cost us anytime since Hemultiplies and gives it back to us. His promise still stands:"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be givento you as well" (Matthew 6:33)."Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,and running over, will be poured in you lap. For with the measure you use it willbe measured to you" (Luke 6:38)When we honor God with the "firstfruits" of our time through daily reading and study ofHis Word, He so blesses and makes productive the remaining moments of our day that we don'tmiss it. In fact, we actually gain time. This is so because 23 1/2 hours blessed by God becausewe spent 30 minutes in His Word will be more productive than 24 hours without His blessing.Similarly, 4 hours a week spent in reading, studying and memorizing God's Word will so affectthe remaining 164 hours in your week that you will be far more productive and efficient than youare in the 168 hour weeks when you neglect spending time with God.The same God who multiplied the lad's lunch and fed 5,000 men as well as women andchildren is equally able to multiply our time when we give Him the first portion of our time.When a busy executive was asked how he could afford to spend 30 minutes a day inBible study he replied, "I can't afford not to!" Neither can you!The more we read and study the Bible the easier it gets. Yet learning what is in God'sWord is a life-long process that will show us increasingly how deep and rich it is in truth andlove.

99REASONS TO STUDYThe Bible is a book about life, true life here and hereafter! Perhaps this is the reason weoften use the Bible for comfort in the presence of death. It is also not a textbook of science,history, psychology or even ethics. It is not a textbook at all. When its message touches thesesubjects we have every right to expect it to be accurate since it is God's Word. But we must alsobe very careful not to read things into it, say, in the realm of science, which really are not there.It does not often speak in some of these areas because this is not its purpose.Our need for food to nourish the physical body has been compared to our need tostudy the Bible for our spiritual well-being. In fact it has been said that if we starved ourphysical body like most of us starve our spiritual one we would not be alive very long. This isexactly the problem with the "faith" of most church members. Food, exercise, and rest areessential for the health of the body. Some have likened exercise to Christian service, rest (orrenewal of energies) to prayer, and food to Scripture. These are very good analogies. Certainlypeople who love God, and want to be used by Him, must study His Word.The Bible is not just God's self-disclosure. It is also the means by which sinful peoplemay know God's plan of salvation. We may know that God forgives our sins and gives us eternallife through His Son, Jesus: "For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10)."You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).Some have rightly called the Bible God's "Love Letter." Since it is written by the Godwho loves us beyond measure and in this book ("letter") He reveals His unconditional andsacrificial love to us. It is in Scripture that we find out not only what He did but also why He didit.To properly understand the Scriptures we must look to the Holy Spirit to illumineour minds and hearts. Since the Holy Spirit "inspired" the Scriptures in the first place, it is Hewho enlightens our minds so we can understand what is written (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).One of the ways we grow in our relationship with God is by spending time reading theBible and letting Him talk to us. Let me encourage you to spend time every day letting Godspeak to you through your reading of the Bible. As you do this day by day, you will find that youwill be growing closer to the Lord Jesus and enjoying that higher quality of life that can beexperienced only through a deepening relationship with Him.I suggest you begin with the Gospel of John, and read a chapter a day.

100As you read each day, you will probably have some questions about what a word maymean or how to apply God's truth to your life. Put a question mark in the margin and then discussyour questions with someone who knows Jesus Christ. It is what you understand and obey inGod's Word that adds power and purpose to your life.You will also find it helpful to begin to memorize God's Word. David the psalmist said;"Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."(Psalm 119:11)As you begin your Bible reading and study you are embarking on a life long journey oflearning. This learning will open the door to understanding your new life in Jesus Christ, a lifethat is meaningful, purposeful and joyous!BIBLE STUDY METHODS1. Devotional Method. Select a short portion of your Bible and prayerfully meditate on it till theHoly Spirit shows you a way to apply the truth to your life.2. The Chapter Summary Method. Read a chapter of a Bible book through at least five times;then write down a summary of the central thoughts you find in it.3. The Character Quality Method. Choose a character quality you would like to work on inyou life and study what the Bible says about it.4. The Thematic Method. Select a Bible theme to study. Then think of three to five questionsyou'd like to have answered about that theme. Next study all the references you can find on yourtheme and record the answers to your questions.5. The Biographical Method. Select a Bible character and research all the verses about thatperson in order to study his life and characteristics. Make notes on his attitudes, strengths, andweaknesses. Then apply what you have learned to your own life.6. The Topical Method. Collect and compare all the verses you can find on a particular topic.Organize your conclusions into an outline that you can share with another person.7. The Word Study Method. Study the important words of the Bible. Find out how many timesa word occurs in Scripture and how it is used. Find out the original meaning of the word.

1018. The Book Background Method. Study how history, geography, culture, science and politicsaffected what happened in Bible times. Use Bible reference books to increase your understandingof the Word.9. The Book Survey Method. Survey an entire book of the Bible by reading it through severaltimes to get a general overview of its contents. Study the background of the book and make noteson its contents.10. The Chapter Analysis Method. Master the contents of a chapter of a book of the Bible bytaking an in-depth look at each verse in that chapter. Tear each verse apart word by word,observing every detail.11. The Book Synthesis Method. Summarize the contents and main themes of a book of theBible after you have read it through several times. Make an outline of the book. This method isdone after you have used a Book Survey Method and the Chapter Analysis Method on everychapter of that book.12. The Verse-by-Verse Analysis Method. Select one passage of Scripture and examine it indetail by asking questions, finding cross-references, and paraphrasing each verse. Record apossible application of each verse you study.

102VII. PRAYER: A DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE

103"You do not have because you do not ask God. When ask you do not receive,because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on yourpleasures" (James 4:2-3).Just as the Bible is the primary way God communicates with you, prayer is the way youcommunicate with God.Martin Luther said that "to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to bealive without breathing." Communication with Jesus Christ through prayer and through HisWord is the spiritual lifeline of every believer.Instead of viewing prayer as a waste of time, we should view work done apart fromprayer a waste of time.LIFE OF JESUSJesus' entire life on earth was an example of prayer. Because Jesus Christ, the sinlessSon of God, found prayer important, then we sinful creatures should find prayer indispensable.Jesus prayed at the beginning of his public ministry when He was baptized (Luke 3:21), beforechoosing the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-13), before feeding the five thousand (John 6:11),before rescuing the disciples at sea (Matthew 14:23, John 11:41), at the Last Supper (Mark14:22), and in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44). Our Lord prayed often, and so each Christianmust learn to pray.LIFE OF THE EARLY CHURCHThe example of prayer was given to us also by the Early Church. Of the ApostolicChurch we read, "And they were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with thewomen, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers" (Acts 1:14). After Pentecost they"were continually devoting themselves" to prayer.

104Prayer is not simply a privilege, but it is given as a command in Scripture (Genesis18:22-23; 2 Kings 19:15; Psalm 52:2; 32:6; 1 Samuel 12:23; Jeremiah 29:7; Matthew 5:44;26:41; Luke 18:1; 21:36; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17,25; 1 Timothy 2:8; James 5:13-16).I want to encourage you to talk to Him at the beginning of every day. Jesus' ownprayer life is our example here. He began the day alone talking with God (Mark 1:35). Don'tworry about what to say or how to say it. Just speak to Him naturally out of your heart. Talk toHim about the various things you are going to do that day. Ask for His help and His guidance.Then, as you move along through the day, remember that He is always with you(Hebrews 13:5). So share with Him the thought and concerns that come into your mindthroughout the day. Ask Him for direction, and be sure to thank Him for His answers. There isnothing too little or too large for you to tell God. Scripture says,"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgivinglet your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, whichsurpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."(Philippians 4:6-7)In your prayer, ask God to make real in your life what you have read in His Word. Sharewith Him your plans and the special difficulties or temptations which you may meet. Praise andthank God for Himself and for His blessings, and pray for the needs of others.THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRITWhen you pray, the Holy Spirit helps you know what to say and how to say it:"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what weought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans thatwords cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of theSpirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."(Romans 8:26-27)Since the Holy Spirit "searches our hearts and knows the mind of the Spirit of God" He iskey in praying as you ought. The Spirit links Himself with us in our praying and pours hissupplications into our own.

105HOW DOES PRAYER WORK?Prayer and God's ProvidenceHow is prayer related to God's providence? How does the statement, "Prayer changesthings" harmonize with the sovereign plan and purpose of God? Does prayer actually effect achange in God's mind? If so, does that not make God and His plan and purpose contingent onman, his attitudes and actions?Some answer such questions by proposing that prayer only has a subjective value. It isnot that prayer changes things, but that prayer changes the person. A person who has a burdenfeels relief when giving that burden to the Lord through prayer. And it is that person's faith—thatGod actually hears—that brings relief and peace to his heart.Others suggest that prayer suspends the laws of nature. This is the belief that God actsdirectly upon nature as if it were a physical force.It is true that prayer does have a subjective value. In fact, it is more correct to see prayeras changing people than changing things since spiritual transformation is God's highest goal forpeople. But does that necessarily mean that prayer only has a subjective value? Definitely not!Prayer also has an objective force or influence. This does not mean that God suspends the lawsof nature by directly acting upon it as a physical force. But it does mean that prayer influencesGod or moves God's hand to act in a way that otherwise He would not. If this were not truethere would be no discrimination in answers to prayer.God has certain general bounds within which His universe operates. Man has been givenfreedom to act within these bounds. A. W. Tozer likens God's boundaries to a ship that isheading to a certain destination. That destination is not an option since God will accomplish Hisplan and purpose according to His sovereign will, but God has allowed a lot of freedom on theship. While the destination is set, what happens on the ship is contingent on several factors, oneof which is how people respond to the instructions of the Captain of the ship (God).Once a person responds to God's prevenient grace (the grace operating in a person's lifebefore he embraces Jesus as Savior and Lord), and becomes a follower of Christ, that person isindwelt by the Spirit of God and empowered by Him to live a life that is pleasing to God as heseeks to do His will.Prayer is one of the main means by which man does God's will as he seeks to know Godand serve Him. This is God's ordained method. Therefore when a believer prays, he is aligninghimself with God's plan and purpose to carry it out. Thus he uses prayer as God's ordainedmeans.

106Prayer no more suspends natural law than an airplane suspends the law of gravity when itflies. The law of gravity means that anything heavier than air cannot be suspended in air but willfall. Yet airplanes which are extremely heavy are able to stay in the air. How? They are able tostay in the air because there is another law in operation—the law of aerodynamics (or the law ofentropy—Bernoulli’s Principle). What enables airplanes to fly is not then the suspension of thelaw of gravity, or people would not fall if they stepped out of the airplane in flight, but it is ableto fly because another law, the law of aerodynamics, comes into operation.It is the same with prayer. Prayer is God's spiritual law (higher law) of aerodynamics.When this law is enacted through prayer, things happen that would not otherwise happen. This iswhy we can expect prayer to work. For God honors the means which He has ordained toaccomplish His plan and purpose.Therefore it is correct to see prayer as both changing things (objective force) andchanging people (subjective force).UNANSWERED PRAYERWhat about unanswered prayer? One of the most asked questions is, "Why doesn't Godanswer my prayers?" "I have prayed so hard for so long, but no answer?"Prayer is a learning process. To understand this is to save you from arrogantlydismissing prayer as false or unreal if it "doesn't work." If you turn on the light and it does notwork, you do not declare that there is no such thing as electricity. You assume something iswrong and it is something you can find and correct. You check the light bulb, the plug, theswitch, etc. until you discover what is wrong. You can know the problem has been found andfixed by seeing whether or not the light goes on. That is the way it is with prayer. You candetermine if you are praying rightly if the requests come to pass. If not, you look for theproblem. Maybe you are praying wrongly. Maybe something within you needs changing. Maybethere are new principles of prayer to be learned or maybe you need to learn persistence andpatience. Perhaps you need to learn to do more listening.Prayers are not answered for various reasons. In the first place God will not even hearyou if you live in sin:"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden Hisface from you, so that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2; 1:15-17; see also Isaiah 66:18;Proverbs 28:9; John 9:31; 1 John 3:6).

107Specific Sins that Obstruct Prayer Unforgiving Spirit (Matthew 5:23-24; 6:13-15; Mark 11:25-26). Refusing to hear the Law, God's Commands (Proverbs 28:29; Zechariah 7:8-13). Refusing to Hear the Cry of the Poor (Proverbs 21:13). Discord in the Home (1 Peter 3:7). Hypocrisy (Job 27:8-9; Matthew 6:5). Pride (Job 35:12-13). Careless in Stewardship ("robbing God"—Malachi 3:8-10). Idolatry ("in the heart"—Jeremiah 11:9-14; Ezekiel 8:15-18). Unworthy Service (leftovers—Malachi 1:6-10). Forsaking God (Jeremiah 14:10-12).If you are serious about your relationship with God, and live in obedience, then God'sanswer to your prayers will be either "Yes" or "No" or "Wait." There are various reasons whyGod does not answer as you would like.One reason is that we really do not ask in faith (Matthew 21:22; James 1:1-8). Doublemindedness,doubt will keep you from receiving what God has for you for it shows that you arenot truly ready to receive from His generous hand.Another obstacle to answered prayer is selfishness or self-centeredness (James 4:2-3).God is vitally concerned about our motives. Too often we ask God for things in order to usethem selfishly. We treat God as a celestial bellhop who is to serve our every whim. This is totallyunworthy of God and harmful to us.Thoughtless, repetitive prayer designed to impress do not get answered (Matthew 6:5-8). We cannot impress God if we try to impress people and we cannot badger God to do ourbidding. We must approach God thoughtfully and humbly if we are to see answers to ourprayers.Another obstacle to answered prayer is spiritual laziness. Earnestness and persistence(Luke 18:1-8; Colossians 4:20; James 5:16) are key in seeing the hand of God move.We do not receive answers to our prayers also because we are not sincere in seeking todo God's will (1 John 5:14). Even though we mouth the words we really do not want God's willto be done for fear that His will does not conform to ours. Even Jesus Himself said, "Your willbe done" when He prayed to His father (Luke 22:42).

108Sometimes ignorance keeps us from seeing our prayers answered. We simply do notknow Scripture well enough to pray as we ought and we assume our desires and requests areconsistent with God's plan and purpose in our lives.Unanswered prayer is also the result of failure to understand that other people's freewills are at play. In praying for others, we must realize they still have a free will and that ourprayers on their behalf do not negate their freedom to exercise their will. Prayer is not coerciveupon God nor upon others for whom we are praying. While prayer "moves the hand of God" itdoes not "force His hand." Prayer influences others but it does not control them.Our prayers are also unanswered at times because the requests are not in our bestinterest. God knows what is best for us, and many times the things we ask for would not be goodfor us. Sometimes we ask for "candy" not realizing that the candy we desire has some unhealthyingredients in it. Israel is a lesson for us because she insisted on having an earthly king eventhough God told her repeatedly that this was not His plan for her. But because of her stubborninsistence God finally gave in to her selfish desires. Israel got her king and it was Saul. We knowtoo well the rest of the story. Be careful what you pray for! God may take you seriously.Finally, the reason we don't see immediate answers to our prayers is because it is notGod's time to answer them. Our lives are His. This means we must live by His timetable. Aparent may be eager to give a child what the child is asking for, but he may have somethingbetter in mind to give at a later date. Such a gift would be less valued or less appropriate if givenright away. Many young people have fallen desperately in love and found their prayer for a mateunanswered. Yet later, after having been married to a more suitable person, they were happy thatGod did not answer the urgent prayer earlier! Even if it is God's intention to provide the answerexactly as asked, He may delay that answer because He knows in His sovereign wisdom that weare not in a position yet to appreciate that answer fully.Patience, as well as zeal and persistence, must mark your prayer life. You must notdemand instant answers of God. For you may be asking for something less than that with whichHe desires to bless you.Prayer must not be thought of as some magical way of getting what you want. Prayer isnot so much getting what you want as asking God to give you what He wants.Through prayer God wants you to learn to depend on Him and to mature to the placewhere your needs and wishes are in tune with His will.

109OUR PATTERN OF PRAYERWe all have both a deep desire to pray and a deep resistance against it. We want to beclose to God, but also want to keep some distance. These tensions come from the awareness thatGod is a jealous lover who does not want to leave us alone for one second. God is asking for ourtotal, undivided attention. And that is very scary!You will never discover the mystery of God's love as long as you reduce prayer tooccasional piety. Although you love God, you want to keep some areas of your life away fromHim.How are you to pray? How can you keep it from being just acts of occasional piety? JesusHimself has left us a model, a pattern. It is interesting to notice that when the disciples saw Jesusfeed 5,000 people, they did not ask Him for power to multiply material goods. When they sawHim perform miracles of healing, they did not ask for the power to heal bodies. When they heardHim preach and teach, they did not ask for the ability to sway audiences. But when they heardHim pray, they said,"Lord, teach us to pray . . ." (Luke 11:1).Jesus knew their need. He met that need by giving them a model, a pattern of prayer. Wehave come to call it "The Lord's Prayer" since it was given in response to their request. TheLord's Prayer is a prayer which only a disciple can pray since only one who is committed toJesus Christ can pray this prayer with any meaning.Real prayer is sincere rather than hypocritical and thoughtful rather than mechanical.Basic to any kind of praying is that our minds and hearts are involved in what we are saying.Meaningless repetition of words will never qualify for true prayer.After having dealt with the attitude of the worshiper, that he should come to God insincerity and thoughtfulness, Jesus now goes on and gives His disciples a pattern of how theyare to pray. He put it:"This is how you should pray:'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one'" (Matthew 6:9-13).

110IngredientsNotice the important ingredients in this prayer. There is:Brevity—"An ocean of truth in a drop of speech" was the Greek oratorical ideal. A vastrange of truth and instruction compressed into a mere 52 words (in Greek 57).Simplicity—The petitions are swiftly driven to the heart of the desire and need of theworshiper. Universality—The petitions relate to the concerns of a man at the deepest level. Childlikeness—The approach in prayer is that of childlike trust. Commitment—The attitude is not that of being a spectator but a participant. Humility—The attitude of that need.Even though the disciples had prayed all their lives there was some thing about Jesus'praying that made them see how little they knew about prayer. And so they recognized that realprayer is something we learn.The great evangelist, D. L. Moody confessed that he'd rather be able to pray than to be agreat preacher because Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, but how to pray.Learning to pray is our greatest need and our most difficult lesson. We can speak toothers with greater ease than we can speak to God. There is nothing that tells the truth about ourspiritual condition as much as our prayer life. Everything we do in the Christian life is easier thanprayer.The prayers of the Pharisees were hypocritical in that they prayed to the grandstandwanting to be seen by people and applauded by them for their spirituality (Matthew 6:5). Theprayers of the pagans were mechanical in that they thought they would be heard by the amountof words they "babbled" (Matthew 6:7).THE SPIRIT OF PRAYERPrayer is God's ordained means of accomplishing His plan and purpose in this world.Therefore prayer must never be an attempt to bend God's will.Notice the spirit in which we should pray.

111"Our"—An unselfish spirit"Father"—A filial spirit"Hallowed by Your name"—A reverent spirit"Your kingdom come"—A loyal spirit"Your will be done"—A submissive spirit"Give us today our daily bread"—A dependent spirit"Forgive us our debts"—A penitent spirit"Lead us not into temptation"—A humble spirit"Yours is the kingdom"—A confident spirit"and the power"—A triumphant spirit"and the glory"—An exultant spiritPrayer that is acceptable to God is prayer that is offered in such an attitude. The spirit inwhich we pray is far more important than the words in which they are clothed. The spirit of theLord's prayer is our model, our example, or pattern.BALANCED PRAYERA formula that may be helpful in approaching prayer in a balanced approach is spelledACTS. These letters remind us of the following approach we should take in prayer:A: ADORATION—Expressing your reverent and loving devotion to a God who is bothholy and loving, righteous and compassionate, majestic and merciful (Examples: Psalm 45:1-8;Isaiah 6:1-4; Matthew 14:33; 15:25; 28:9; Revelation 4:11).Communion is similar to adoration as the Bible indicates that Abraham (Genesis 18:33),the Levitical high priest (Exodus 25:22), and Moses (Exodus 31:18) all "communed" (intimatelycommunicated) with Almighty God.C: CONFESSION—Expressing your sorrow for sin as you have missed the mark ofGod's holy standard of righteousness (Examples: 1 Kings 8:47; Ezra 9:5-10:1; Nehemiah 1:6,7;9:33-35; Daniel 9:3-15).T: THANKSGIVING—Expressing your gratitude to the God who has providedeverything we need for life and godliness (Examples: Exodus 15; Judges 5; 2 Samuel 23; Psalm95:2; 100:4; Ephesians 5:20; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2).S: SUPPLICATION—Expressing your requests and petitions and urging the God whocares for all our needs to meet those requests (Examples: Daniel 6:11; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew15:22-28; Luke 18:1-8; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Timothy 2:1).Petition is similar to supplication as it is making known our requests (Daniel 2:17-18;9:16-19; Matthew 7:7-12; John 11:22; Acts 4:29-30; Philippians 4:6).

112Intercession is another form of prayer in that it is "praying on behalf of another's needs(i.e. salvation, protection, spiritual enlightenment, release from bondage, material or physicalneed, etc.—Genesis 18:23-33; Exodus 32:7-14,31-32; 1 Samuel 12:23; Job 42:6; Psalm 122;6;Isaiah 59:16; Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:24; Acts 7:60; 12:5; Ephesians 6:18,19,20; 1 Thessalonians5:25; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 1 Timothy 2:1; James 5:16; 1 John 5:16).WHAT SHOULD I PRAY ABOUT?What should I pray about? Using a prayer list can help you remember things you mightotherwise forget to pray about. It can include: Family (Deuteronomy 5:16; Psalm 127; Ephesians 5:22-6:4). Non-Christian friends (John 3:16-21; 7:17; 16:8-10). Pastor and church(Psalm 95; Ephesians 6:18; Hebrews 10:25; 13:7,17; James 5:16). Missionaries and Christian workers you know(Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 4:2-6; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; Hebrews 13:18-19). Enemies–those who oppose you (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28). Governmental authorities (1 Samuel 12:14; Psalm 127:1; Romans 12:1-5;1 Timothy 2:1-6). Those undergoing persecution for their faith (Psalm 98:14-16). The sick (James 5:14-15). Personal needs (physical, material—financial, mental/emotional—psychological,and spiritual—1 Chronicles 4:10; Psalm 106:4-5). Food (Matthew 14:19; Acts 27:35; 1 Timothy 4:4-5).Very often part of my prayer time is spent talking to the Lord about the things He bringsto my mind—things that may or may not be on the list, or that He especially wants me to prayabout that day. Sometimes I know why it is important to pray about it that day and sometimes Idon't.HOW LONG SHOULD I PRAY?How long should I pray? I don't know. I have found it true that when I pray little, myheart becomes cool toward the Lord, and answers to prayer don't come as frequently as when Ipray more often. This is, of course, logical and scriptural. We are told to persist in prayer (Mark7:7; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1). Prayer is a constant process, a lifestyle (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18).

113Make time in your busy schedule for prayer by cutting back on your other activities. Thismay mean dropping a course you are taking at school, putting the TV in the closet, getting upearlier, or something equally radical. You will probably pray very little unless you decide to do itand follow through at a regular time and place, but you can pray at any time, day or night, andGod will hear you.POSTURE IN PRAYERSome people get down on their knees to pray (1 Kings 8:54; Luke 22:41; Acts 20:36;Ephesians 3:14), some people stand (Mark 11:25; Luke 18:13; John 17:1), some lie prostrateon the ground (Matthew 26:39), some lie in bed (Psalm 63:6), some sit (1 Kings 18:42), andsome walk or jog. While in Scripture the most common postures in prayer are standing andkneeling, it doesn't make any significant difference to God, for the important question isreverence and sincerity in our hearts rather than in our position. The only time posture makesa difference is if a certain position in prayer makes it easier for you to focus on Him.WHERE AND WHEN SHOULD I PRAY?Since most of us live busy lives we find prayer easily getting crowded out of ourschedules. Yet Jesus said told His disciples a parable (The Parable of the Persistent Widow) toshow them that they "should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1). Similarly Paul advised,"Pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and "pray in every place" (1 Timothy 2:8).How can we do that realistically? We do it by using tasks and "interruptions" as triggersto turn thoughts or quietly spoken words to God throughout the day. Ann M. Velia in her article,"Praying on the GO" gives the following suggestions:Pray while performing repetitive, automatic chores.Pray while washing dishes, thanking God for food.Pray while making beds, thank God for shelter, and pray for the homeless.While folding laundry, pray for the family member whose clothes your arefolding.Pray during the day's private moments.While taking a bath, thank the Lord for the cleansing of His blood.While dressing for church, pray for those involved in the service.While commuting for work, thank God for your job and commit your work toHis glory. Pray for the jobless.

114Pray during times of confinement.While lying sick in bed, thank God for the health you may have taken for granted.While waiting at traffic lights, on-hold phone calls, appliance repairmen, thankGod for technology and our modern conveniences. 2In addition to praying at all times in general, we are also to have stated times for prayer(Psalm 55:17; Daniel 6:10; Acts 3:1) and special occasions should drive us to special prayer(Psalm 50:15; Luke 6:12-13; 22:39-46: John 6:15).DAILY PRAYER TIMELet me suggest you stop right now where you are sitting and ask God to show you whenand where to begin your daily prayer time. Be businesslike about it. If you never make the basicdecision to spend time in prayer, and never make the basic decision about when and where, itmay be weeks, months—or never—before you get around to having a regular, daily sufficientdiet of prayer and Bible reading and study.Let prayer be your last act before you fall asleep and the first act when you awake.Communication with God is the best way to start the day and the best way to end the day.One of my favorite prayers is by Phillip Brooks. I commend it to you:"Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger men.Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers;Pray for powers equal to your tasks.Then the doing of your work will be no miracle.But you yourself shall be a miracle.Everyday you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has cometo you by the grace of God." 3

115IX. MEDITATION: REFLECTIVE FOCUS ON GOD

116“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it dayand night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then youwill be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).“True contemplation is not a psychological trick but a theological grace.” 1“Beware of the barrenness of an overbusy life!” 2--Richard Foster--Thomas Merton“In contemporary society, our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry,and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in “muchness” and “manyness,” hewill rest satisfied.” 3--Richard FosterMeditation has become the center of much attention in our society and in some churches.Counselors and therapists are advocating meditation as a way of relieving stress and anxiety. AsChristians, however, we must be aware that the meditation being promoted today as a form ofself-therapy and self-enlightenment is different from the biblical concept of meditation.The meditation being advocated today as a cure-all for virtually everything has its rootsin a pantheistic world view. Pantheism teaches that God is all things. Since most Easternreligions are based on a pantheistic world view, the idea of meditation is to empty one’s mindand get in touch with the god within. As Christians, we reject this notion that all things are godand that, therefore, we are god and that, as we empty our minds and reflect on our inner person,we come into touch with the god in us.Does such pagan meditation, and its popularity, mean that we as Christians should backaway from biblical meditation? Let’s not be too quick to conclude that meditation itself issomething to avoid. After all, the occult also uses the cross, and quotes the Bible, but we don’tabandon those. We cannot surrender the tools of light to the hosts of darkness simply becauseothers have manipulated and abused them.Great people of faith have been those who meditated on God’s Word, who sought himintensely and were ever hungry for more of his presence and power.BIBLICAL MEDITATIONMeditation brings to mind all kinds of images:Buddhists and Hindus (of which The New Age Movement is the modernequivalent) who sit and chant rhythmically.

117Performers who use meditative rituals to reduce stress and restore inner balance.Composers and writers who are engaged in meditation to aid concentration andrelease of imagination.Ancient forms of Buddhist meditation mean “just sitting.” The mediator focuses on beingalert in a simple, seated position as he pays attention to rhythmic breathing. Any thoughts thatenter the mind are to be observed, but then the person is to quickly return to concentrating onsitting and breathing. Such a practice then brings inner tranquility which, in turn, gives rise toflashes of intuition. Meditation to others means the mindless repetition of some secret formula,the chanting of some phrase over and over, or a blank stare at some object. In TM(Transcendental Meditation) you’re to empty your mind by switching it into neutral and thenrepeat your Sanskrit mantra, a meaningless sound that supposedly will help your mind to reach aquiet state. In any of these various approaches to meditation, the impulses reaching out to andcoming from the gods are vague and unorthodox and must not, in any way, be confused withChristian meditation.Meditation comes from a Latin verb meditari, meaning “to ponder” or “to weigh.” TheGreek verb (meleta) translated “meditate” has the idea of “giving careful thought to,” “to paycareful attention to,” or “to be earnest in.” It means “calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling onand applying to oneself truth.” The Hebrew word means “murmuring” with the picture of aperson mumbling to himself, not with the negative connotation of complaining, but rather withthe positive idea of contemplating the goodness of God.Meditation reminds us of what Solomon warned long ago:“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather thanto offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not bequick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything beforeGod. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dreamcomes when there many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are manywords” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-3).Meditation puts the emphasis on listening. Too often prayer becomes a monologuewhereby we tell God how we feel and what we want. Instead, prayer should be a dialogue inwhich we listen and speak. Meditation restores listening to prayer.WAYS THAT GOD SPEAKSGod speaks to us in many ways. He certainly is not limited to our understanding of Himor His ways. He does not have to communicate with every person exactly the way Hecommunicates to us. Sometimes God communicates to us in the following ways:

1181) Scripture (by the Living Word through the written Word)2) Through the Body of Christ, the Church3) Other People4) Nature5) Through the Holy Spirit6) Impressions through our Minds7) Visions and Dreams (Acts 2:17)We live in an age with many strange people. I have come across numerous people whothink God speaks to them in some rather unbelievable ways and says very unbelievable things(e.g. The believe they will be the next president of the United States or that they can live withthis woman or that. The think they have a license to kill, etc.). We see on television news or inthe papers that someone has killed others and then himself on what they claimed were ordersfrom God. Not too long ago parents threw each of their several children off a hotel balcony thenjumped to their deaths, because God told them to do this. These things obviously are not of God!Individual opinion and interpretation should be checked and balanced by Scripture and bythe community of believers (i.e., the Church). Your "communication from God" will notcontradict Scripture!Reflection is at the heart of the meaning of meditation. It is a reflection that issustained whereby there is continuous application of the mind to some truth. Various figures ofspeech have been used to illustrate this: hens sitting on eggs to keep them warm until hatching the kindling of fire under green wood the pounding of incense to make it odoriferous the extraction of honey from flowers by bees a garment that is double-dyed, dipped again and again. 3There is no illustration that is as accurate in shedding light on the meaning of meditationas that of animals chewing the cud. Animals that chew the cud are classified as “ruminant”because they have stomachs with four compartments. The first of the compartments is called the“rumen.” In its digestive process, a cow, for instance, bolts its food down in concentrated eating,much like a lawnmower cutting grass. Then a little while later, she reclines in a shady spot andregurgitates the food out of her rumen. This time she chews the food thoroughly so that itproceeds to the second, third and fourth compartments. Then it is finally digested into theanimals’ bloodstream.To meditate is to ruminate. It is to regurgitate God’s truth until it becomes nourishmentfor our spiritual bloodstream.

119FOCUS: GOD—HIS PERSON, WORDS AND WORKSOccultic and pagan forms of meditation urge us to look within and to focus on the “godpart” of us or, as some of the Mind Science cults teach, the “Christ consciousness” within eachof us—the true divinity of all men.Christianity, however, urges man to look outward and upward to the Creator God whostands apart from his creation as sovereign Lord. God is not the sum total of all the “divinesparks” that Eastern religions claim are to be found within mankind.To meditate biblically is not to empty our minds, but to fill our minds with the truth ofthe Word of God. Joshua 1:8, a classic passage, says,“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day andnight . . .”The Psalms give numerous admonitions to pursue meditation: “My eyes stay openthrough the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises” (Psalm 119:148); “Iwill meditate on Your precepts” (Psalm 119:78). Psalm 1:2 reminds us that the man who pleasesthe Lord is the one who continually meditates on His law. This is reinforced in Psalm 63:6: “Onmy bed I remember you; I think of You through the watches of the night.”To meditate, then, is to fill the mind with the Word of God—with its principles andpromises. That will help us in our stresses and troubles.The Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul when he advised Timothy,“Meditate upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your profitingmay appear to all” (1 Timothy 4:15).The things that Timothy was exhorted to meditate upon had to do with reading,exhortation, doctrine, and the gift that was bestowed on him as indicated in the prior verses.The Bible exhorts, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). We areto apply our minds to God’s truth, not give ourselves over to some mystical, mind-emptyingexperience that opens us up to suggestion and persuasion by the powers of Satan.God’s Word, promises, and truth are to be the subjects of the believer’s meditation.Our help does not come from emptying our minds and looking within. Our help comesfrom filling our minds with truth from above, even from the enduring Word of God.

120The words of God must remain constantly in the believer’s heart and be present in everysituation he finds himself: when he sits down in his house, when he walks in the way, when helies down, and when he rises in the morning (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Proverbs 3:22-24; 6:22).Biblical meditation was also on the varied works of God. As Psalm 77 made plain, tofocus one’s heart and mind on the greatest act of deliverance of all, that is, God’s deliverance ofIsrael out of the land of Egypt (Psalm 77:14-20), was to properly set the stage for realizing everysubsequent deliverance in the life of any individual or nation. The psalmist exclaimed, “I willmeditate also on all Your work, and talk of Your doings” (Psalm 77:12).Psalm 8 invited men to reflect on the works of God in creation and in His continuingoperation of providence:“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars,which You have ordained . . . O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Your name in allthe earth!” (Psalm 8:3,9).Thus the works of God include His miraculous work in creation and each of Hismiraculous interventions in the course of the history of the salvation of mankind.Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is an acrostic meditation on the Word of God.Each section begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet beginning with “a”—“aleph.” Foreveryone of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the psalmist has composed eightversus (176 in all) which center his mind on the statues, decrees, and laws of God:“Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long” (Psalm 119:97).Christian meditation then, is rooted in the truth of God, is a response to the love of God,and is an exercise in praise to God. 5EXAMPLESMary is a New Testament example of one who was filled with contemplation. “Mary keptall these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Later, when the 12-year old Jesusstartled his parents with the announcement: “Didn’t you know that I must be about my Father’sbusiness?” Mary again “kept all these sayings in her heart” (Luke 2:49,51). Thus, the object ofthis type of meditation over words is only to realize the profound significance contained in thewords. It is understood that only subsequent events will reveal all the implications contained ineach statement.

121Mary’s contemplation was clearly focused on truth as her “Magnificat” shows howsteeped she was in the Old Testament Scriptures. In this song, she alluded to several OldTestament books including Exodus, 1 Samuel, Psalms, Isaiah, and Micah.Jesus exhorted his followers to contemplate the events of history and the examples itprovides. In Luke 17:32, Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife.” So in II Timothy 2:8 Paul advisedTimothy to “remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the deadaccording to my gospel.” Here the meditation is for the specific purpose that such thought shouldresult in appropriate action.The best illustration of commemorative meditation is given in 1 Corinthians 11:25.There, in connection with the cup of the Lord’s Supper, the invitation was, “Do this, wheneveryou drink it, in remembrance of Me.” The act of memory was not only to be reflective, but itwas to be connected with an appropriate action that was embraced in the idea of remembering.The highest object of meditation was none less than the living Lord Himself. Thepsalmist exalted, “I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches”(Psalm 63:6). “I will speak of the glorious honor of Your majesty, and of Your wondrous works”(Psalm 145:5).In a similar vein, Paul counseled the church to set its mind “on things above, not onthings on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). The things above, of course, are represented supremely inChrist and in all that is associated with the Godhead. Yet Paul did not refer to an other-worldlyattitude that ignored the current world scene, for later he was to direct believers to fill their mindswith those things that met the six ethical tests of Philippians 4:8, starting with what is true.Meditation is the sheer enjoyment of the presence of the Lord and the delight thatcomes in praising His name:“As the heart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after You, O God. Mysoul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”(Psalm 42:1-2)Bernard of Clairvaux, one of the most prominent believers of the Middle Ages, wrote,“Waiting Upon God is not idleness, but work which beats all other work to one unskilled in it.”In his monumental hymn, “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee,” Bernard gave ample evidence ofthe fruits of meditation on God and his Word:

122“Jesus, the very thought of TheeWith sweetness fills my breast;But sweeter far thy face to see,And in thy presence rest.O hope of every contrite heart,O joy of all the meek,To those who fall, how kind Thou art;How good to those who seek!But what to those who find? Ah! ThisNor tongue nor pen can show,Thy love of Jesus, what it isNone but his loved ones know.”It was meditation on God’s Word, openness to God’s Spirit, and willingness to obeyChrist that motivated Bernard.True meditation involves prayer—communication with God. But many neglect the truththat it’s also communication from God. Biblical meditation and prayer presuppose conversationwith God. This is a mutually beneficial conversation, for our Father has told us that He delightsin drawing near to us and commands us to draw near to him that we might experience the joy ofhis presence.The purpose is to clear our vision of God and to let His truth makes its full impact onour minds and hearts.HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER IT IS BIBLICAL?Since meditation comes in all colors and shapes, it is vital that we scrutinize the kind ofmeditation we are involved in to determine whether it is biblical. The following questions can behelpful in determining whether the meditation we are involved in is of God (the God of historic,orthodox Christianity--the personal God) or not.Is it in conformity with Scripture as a whole?Does it glorify God, exalt Jesus Christ as Lord, acknowledge the Person andministry of the Holy Spirit?Does it increase the true knowledge of God, His will and ways?It is edifying?Does it encourage prayer and praise to Jesus Christ?

123Does it result in obedience to Jesus Christ?Does it manifest itself in selfless and sacrificial service to others?MEDITATIVE PRAYER TECHNIQUEHOW?1. Pick up a brief phrase or word that reflects your basic belief system. Thiscould be a short passage of Scripture or a spiritual principle or promise. Forexample, you might focus on “Jesus is Lord.” The phrase reminds me, even whenI’m under unusual pressure or stress that God is still in total control of my life andall external circumstances.2. Choose a comfortable position. The main idea is to sit comfortably so thatyou’re not distracted by cramping or other discomfort. On the other hand, it’s bestnot to lie down or get too comfortable, or you may fall asleep. An exception tothis is if you want to use your meditative phrase as a “bedtime” prayer and fallasleep with it still in your mind. This is a good way to overcome insomnia.1. Close your eyes. This is to help you to close out the distractions, to concentrateand to focus on your meditation.2. Relax your muscles. It’s helpful to start with your feet and legs and graduallywork your way up, concentrating on tensing each muscle group and then relaxingit.3. Breathe slowly and naturally, and begin silently saying your Bible verse orother “faith phrase.” The idea is to repeat silently the phrase or verse you havechosen each time you exhale. It’s at this point that I begin to think, “Jesus isLord.” I turn that phrase over and over in my mind, and thereby, allow itsmessage to get embedded deeply in the depths of my being.4. Maintain a passive attitude. According to Dr. Herbert Benson of the HarvardMedical School, this may be the key to the physiological benefits he has been ableto discover (i.e. lower cholesterol levels in the blood dropping by as much as35%, correct irregularities of the heartbeat, slows cancer, relieves insomnia, etc.).Outside thoughts inevitably begin to break through as you proceed with yourmeditative prayer, but it’s important not to get upset, tense or distracted. Just thinkpassively, “Oh well,” and turn your mind gently back to your Bible verse or “faithphrase.”

1245. Continue for a set period of time. Physiologically, the period that Dr. Bensonhas found to be most beneficial is about 10 to 20 minutes.If you are planning on combining your meditation with other forms of prayer, youmight begin with the meditation just to “settle down.” Then, move on to morespecific prayers of thanksgiving, praise, supplication, and intercession.8. Practice this meditative prayer twice a day. Injecting a second meditativeprayer session into the midst of a pressure-packed day can do wonders to refocusyour attention on God. It’s also the best way to reduce the build-up of harmfulemotional and physical stress.6For many people, it’s helpful to use this approach just before breakfast and alsobefore the evening meal.WHY?Meditative prayer--reaffirming that “Jesus is Lord”--brings a deep sense of perspectiveback into our lives. As I begin to “settle down” after a short, soothing session of focusing on theLordship of Christ, I find that I’m ready to move on to the harder work of intercessory prayer.I’m also more likely to experience in those challenges of daily existence, that inner peace thatpasses understanding.Biblical meditation, then, is a privilege and an act of obedience through which, byfocusing our thoughts on the Lord Jesus through his Word and in the power of the Holy Spirit,we draw closer to him and our lives are enriched through that fellowship.Meditation is a must for those who seek spiritual maturity and the opportunity toexperience the promises of God. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “Call to meand I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah33:3). “Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:8).Biblical meditation leads man into a vivid encounter with the living God. It brings up, asA.W. Tozer pointed out, to the place at which Moses finally arrived on Mount Sinai. Afterexperiencing the power of God and having become intoxicated in this spirit with the Lord’swillingness to “chain Himself” to man, Israel’s lawgiver cried out, “Now show me Your glory”(Exodus 33:18).Is it any wonder that the psalmist prayed:“May the words of my heart and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Yoursight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

125X. WORSHIP:ACKNOWLEDGING GOD’S WORTH IN ADORATION AND PRAISE

126“Philosophy seeks knowledge for the sake of understanding, while religion seeksknowledge for the sake of worship.” 1--William TempleOne means of spiritual growth comes through gathering with the people of God onSunday for worship. God desires our worship. It pleases Him when we gather to worship Him.“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worshipthe Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Fatherseeks.God is a spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”(John 4:23-24)The purpose of worship is not aesthetic enjoyment. Statements such as “Such a beautifulservice” or “I enjoyed it so much” do not capture what worship is all about. This is hardlyworship. Some Christians are so concerned about the mechanics of the worship service (is this orthat done correctly) that they cannot praise or serve our God.Some come to church to listen to sit on the sidelines, others go to worship to participate.Aesthetic pleasure is not the same as the joy of worship! In planning for “worship service,” donot seek merely to arouse and please the senses. To seek, in worship, the correctness of form or acertain form or the beauty of the surroundings, may be substituting aesthetic pleasure for trueworship.THE PREEMINENCE OF WORSHIPThe reasons why people go to church are countless. If the primary reason for coming tochurch is anything less than worshiping God, it is inadequate. Coming to hear the choir, comingto sing meaningful hymns and spiritual songs, coming to witness a beautiful ceremony, evencoming to listen attentively to biblical preaching—none of these is worthy of the preeminentplace as God’s people come together.Worship holds a preeminent place in the plan and purpose of God. Like service, it issomething that we as believers will do throughout eternity. As faith becomes sight in eternity, wewill no longer believe and hope since we will know (1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2). Whilefaith and hope do not continue to operate in eternity, love does (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). Sinceworship is loving adoration of God it continues in eternity. It is no wonder then that we arecommanded to worship throughout the Bible (Exodus 20:3-5; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew4:10; Mark 12:29-30; Revelation 19:10).

127Worship was the focus of the people of God in the Old Testament. The tabernacle wasdesigned exclusively for worship. God was so concerned with proper worship that sevenchapters—243 verses—in the book of Leviticus is given to describe in detail how God wants tobe worshiped. This is astounding when you realize that God took only 31 verses in Genesis todescribe the creation of the world.God not only commands worship, He seeks it. What God is looking for above everythingelse is worshipers (John 4:19-24).A Samaritan woman had just asked Jesus about the proper place to worship, but Jesusdirected her thoughts away from the place of worship to the nature of worship itself, saying thatGod desires such worship:“Yet a time is coming and how now come when the true worshipers will worshipthe Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”(John 4:23)God, the Father, is seeking worshipers and He is seeking “the kind of worshipers” whowill worship Him “in spirit and in truth.” Jesus here is making the point that it is not enough toworship, but we must worship God in a way that honors Him.This is extremely important because worship is intrinsic to man. It is that which sets himapart from the rest of the animal creation. Throughout human history, wherever man has beenfound, evidences of worship also have been found. Why do we worship? We worship becausewe must. Worship is one of the great imperatives of life.Worship, sincere and heartfelt worship, says Paul, is a mark of a person who hasexperienced salvation:“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God,who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh . . .” (Philippians 3:3).A MISSING JEWELSince worship, proper worship, is commanded throughout the Scriptures, and since aboveeverything else God seeks for worshipers, and since worship is a mark of a person who is a truebeliever, then it must be extremely important. If it holds such a supreme place in Holy Writ, itmust also hold a supreme place in the lives of those who claim to follow the Holy Book. Is it anywonder that Karl Barth, the towering Swiss theologian, claimed:“Christian worship is the most momentous, the most urgent, the most glorious actionthat can take place in human life.” 2

128In the area of worship, have things changed much in these last twenty years? Notaccording to John R. W. Stott. He pointed out:“We evangelicals do not know much about worship. Evangelism is our specialty,not worship. We have little sense of the greatness of Almighty God. We tend tobe cocky, flippant, and proud. And our worship services are often ill-prepared,slovenly, mechanical, perfunctory and dull . . . Much of our public worship isritual without reality, form without power, religion without God.” 3WHAT IS WORSHIP?Stott gives us some insight into the nature of worship. In light of our understanding of,and attitude toward, the greatness of God, how do we rate as worshipers? In light of ourapproach to God as thrice holy, righteous, and majestic, how do we rate as worshipers? In lightof our treatment of the thrilling, living, life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ, how do we rate asworshipers? Does our public worship express reality rather than mere ritual, power without mereform, a sense of the presence of God?The southern preacher, Vance Havner, said,“Once we stood amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene; now we want tosit amused. Once we were edified; now we must be entertained.” 4Worship means being in the presence of Jesus and being amazed with His Person.Worship means experiencing the presence and power of Jesus in our lives in such a way that weare edified. Worship means acknowledging God for who He is and allowing Him to have Hisrightful place in our congregational life and in our personal life. Worship means bringing honor,praise and glory to His holy and magnificent name.What is joy? Joy is . . . God in us! C. S. Lewis testified in his spiritual autobiography,Surprised by Joy:“I had hoped that the heart of reality (regarding Joy) might be of such a kindthat we can best symbolize it as a place; instead, I found it to be a Person.” 5We must realize that the only way we will have joy “in worship” is if we have joy inside.Augustine said, “Indeed the happy life is joy arising from truth.”

129REVERENCE & AWE—BOW DOWN, PROSTRATE“We adore, we invoke, we seek to appease, only that which we fear.”--VoltaireSeveral words in the original Hebrew and Greek are translated “worship.” The favoriteword in Jewish worship was shachah which means “to bow down,” “to prostrate oneself.” Davidin Psalm 95 shows us clearly how he ties “bowing down” with “worshiping.” “Come, let us bowdown in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker . . .” (Psalm 95:6). In the OldTestament the worshiper often would prostrate himself before Jehovah. Shachah expressesfear—a reverential attitude of mind and body. The worshiper is in complete submissionbefore God. This keeling and bowing down is symbolic of a person’s recognition that God isGod, and that He, and He alone, is worthy of worship.The only appropriate response when God’s presence becomes very real at times is to bowdown, to prostrate oneself before Him.RESPECT—TO KISS TOWARDSA Greek word which is frequently translated “worship” is proskuneo which meansliterally “to kiss towards” or “to kiss the hand.” Again the picture is one of reverence and awe,of bowing prostrate upon the ground in complete submission before God. It is the worshiper’sacceptance of a humble and lowly place in the presence of a mighty God. It suggests the idea ofhomage paid by a subject to his king--giving to the king what he rightfully deserves. In the caseof God, one gives adoration and praise.The Hebrew word shechem and the Greek word proskuneo both express the root meaningof the English work “worship” which comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “weorthscipe.” Thislater developed into “worthship” and eventually “worship.” “Worthship” or “worship” thusmeans “to ascribe worth to” and the title “His Worship” was commonly used as a title of respectand reverence.To worship, therefore, is fundamentally to ascribe to God supreme worth, for He aloneis worthy. Worship is the acknowledgment of God’s true worth. It is in the eyes of the psalmist,to “ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name . . .” (Psalm 29:2).This focus of acknowledging the intrinsic majesty and glory of God is emphasized inPsalm 96. David says:“Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations,Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name . . .” (Psalm 96:7-8).

130True worship is based on the character or nature of God.God is holy—We worship Him with awe and reverence.God is love—We worship Him in loving adoration.God is good—We worship Him with a spirit of gratitude.God is all- knowing—We come to Him in our ignorance seeking genuineknowledge.God is wise—We come to Him in our foolishness, seeking the wisdom that comesonly from Him.God is merciful—We worship Him in contrition and with repentant hearts,seeking His forgiveness.God is compassionate—We come to Him casing our burden and cares upon Him.God is everywhere-present—We worship Him at all times and in all places,confident of His personal presence.God is truth—We worship Him, trusting every word He speaks to us to be true,for He cannot lie.God is righteous—We worship Him with deep respect and with a desire to be likeHim.God is unchanging—We worship Him with living faith and quiet confidence thatHe will always be as he has always been. 6Worship is the acknowledgment of God’s supreme worth. Webster’s New CollegiateDictionary defines worship as “worthiness, repute, respect, reverence paid to a divine being.” 7Biblical worship is humble and reverential acknowledgment of God’s perfect characterand His superlative attributes. It is praising Him for who He is.In worship we come primarily to give, and secondarily, to receive. In worship we are tothink of God first and of ourselves only in relation to God. It is, therefore, of the very nature ofworship for us to look away from ourselves to behold the reality of God. David testified:“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house ofthe Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and toseek Him in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).God commanded His people Israel to build a tabernacle in which God would dwell andmeet His people. This is what worship is all about: “seeking Him in His temple.” We have apersonal encounter with God Almighty where we “gaze upon His beauty” acknowledge Hisgoodness, greatness, majesty and power—acknowledge Him for who He is.

131Such an encounter has a transforming effect. William Temple gave us a classicaldefinition of worship which shows how it affects every fiber of our being. He defined worshipas:“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mindwith the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to openthe heart to the love of God, and to devote the will to the purpose of God.” 8Worship is the submission of the whole being to the object of worship—God:It is the opening of the heart to receive the love of God.It is the subjection of the conscience to be directed by Him.It is the declaration of need to be fulfilled by Him.It is the subjection of desire to be controlled by Him.As a result of all these together, it is the surrender of will to be used by Him. It is the totalgiving of self that God may thereby be glorified in and through us.APPRECIATION—PRAISE AND THANKSGIVINGThere is another term that the early church adopted to designate its prayers of praise andthanksgiving to God. The term is eucharistein. This was a more personal and intimate term. Itsuggests the feelings of gratitude and love that a child has toward his father. The focus of thisword is not so much on who God is as it is on what He has done. The book of Psalms is filledwith this concept (Psalm 98:1-3; 145:1-7; 100:4). Worship then is a thankful response to God’sgreatness and goodness.To worship is to bow down, to prostrate ourselves before the Lord showing respect to ourMaker. To worship is to approach God in reverence and awe accepting our state of humility inthe presence of a mighty God. To worship is to ascribe to God supreme worth, for He alone isworthy. To worship is to approach God in a childlike manner with the feelings of gratitude andlove for what God has done. To worship is to praise Him for who He is—the great and majesticGod. True worship is based on the character of God Himself.SERVICE–YOUR SPIRITUAL WORSHIPOne of the distinguishing features of biblical worship is that it is something one does.Pagan worship, on the other hand, is merely a state of being. An integral part of worship in boththe Old Testament and the New Testament is service. The Old Testament, and especially thePsalms, is filled with references to rendering service to the God whom we worship. Offerings of

132love and service were an integral part of what it meant to the saints of the past to worship God.In the midst of ascribing worth to almighty God, David exhorts his people “to bring an offering”as they come into God’s presence (Psalm 96:7-9).In the New Testament we have a Greed word latreuein (from which we get “liturgy”)literally “work of the people” which speaks of service in relation to worship. The originalmeaning of this word was simply to serve as a slave serves his master or a hired servant hisemployer. However, it became a word used for worship in several verses in the New Testament(Acts 7:42; 24:14, Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 10:2).The true believer should first bow before the living God, then submit to God as anobedient servant (“follower”):“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies asliving sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.”(Romans 12:1)This Greek word for “service” means “to render religious service or honor” and in thestrict sense “to perform sacred service,” “to offer gifts,” “to worship God in the observance ofthe rites instituted for His service” (Hebrews 10:1-2). This does not mean merely ritual activitybut the involvement of heart, mind and will.PERSONAL ENCOUNTERPersonal encounter is the very essence of worship. Sherwood Wirt put in:“Worship is a love affair! It is the most thrilling and heartwarming activity ofthe mind and heart that can be conceived: the personal encounter of the creaturewith its Creator, the soul with its Savior, the man with his Master. Worship isthe renewing of a daily kinship and fellowship with Jesus Christ. It concernsnot “religion” but life! When we worship we mend and straighten our spiritualfences; we lift our lives up the very Light of Light. Worship is a blessing,refreshing interchange between a man and his Lord.” 9“To worship”, said A.W. Tozer,“is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humblingbut delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpoweringlove in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosopherscall the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Art in Heaven.” 10

133FOCUS (GAZE) ON GODIn worship, we come primarily to give, and secondarily, to receive. In worship, we are tothink of God first and of ourselves only in relation to God. It is, therefore, of the very nature ofworship for us to look away from ourselves to behold the reality of God. David testified,“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house ofthe Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seekHim in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).“Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness, tremble before Him, all theearth” (Psalm 96:9).After having confessed Jesus Christ, Loti said:“When once you look into His face, nothing again will ever satisfy.”Philosophy, ethics, liturgy, even doctrine are all eclipsed by one perfect life--Jesus Christ,Son of Man and Son of God. It is Him we worship, proclaim and serve.SEEK GODBiblical worship is pursuing God as our ultimate objective in which He is valued aboveany experience, feeling or thought. To know God is to desire more and more of Him. Inworship, we pursue God in a deeper, fuller, and increasingly more intimate way. The psalmistAsaph voiced such a holy yearning in Psalm 73:“Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire beside You.”(Psalm 73:25)In worship God alone is our satisfaction! Like David we cry out:“O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, mybody longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).In worship, God is the priority of our pursuits!God commanded His people Israel to seek Him by building a tabernacle in which Godwould dwell and meet His people. This is what worship is all about: “seeking Him in Histemple” (Psalm 27:4). Worship is personal encounter with Almighty God where we “gaze upon

His beauty” acknowledging His goodness,acknowledging Him for who He is.134greatness, majesty and power—FOURFOLD PURPOSEWorship involves the whole of life! It has a fourfold purpose:1. To glorify God. This is the first and foremost aim of Christian worship. The ultimateaim of worship is to give praise and honor to God. If more Christians realized this, they would bemuch less critical of “worship services” and much more concerned about their attitudes and lives(Romans 6:17-18). It is your attitude which makes worship vital or unworthy of God.2. Grow in grace. As we practice worship repeatedly day by day, we are sustained andstrengthened in the Christian life (Ephesians 3:16-21). This is one reason why worship for one ortwo hours, once a week, is so inadequate. When we attempt to conform our daily lives to God’swill then our faith is not only maintained, but made stronger.3. To present our lives as our offering to God:“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies asliving sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”(Romans 12:1)Paul similarly stated to the Christians at Galatia:“It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).Many Christians really are not dedicated to Christ. They are, at best, only passiveobservers.You must conform your attitudes and your very being to allow yourselves to betransformed by Christ. Experience His love and reach out with it to others. Let your lifeswell up with the joy of having Him live in you.4. To spread God’s Presence in our world. Even worship demands evangelism, in bothaction and word! How could we possibly experience joy and not share that with others both inand out of the church?We have Christ’s presence and His promises (Matthew 28:20) to help us accomplishthese aims, these divine purposes in life. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit, if we will onlyunderstand and accept it (Acts 2:38; I Corinthians 3:16). Worship itself helps to accomplish itspurpose through the church fellowship, if we are not just passively connected to God’s family.

135There are ways to enhance joy, even in worship services, as we take an active part. Giveattention to the words of the hymns. Pray, in your mind, the words of the prayers. Read along inyour Bible the words of the Scripture, etc. Become a God listener! You must be willing to let theservice, sermon, etc., speak to you.Worship is not to be subordinate to preaching, evangelism, Christian education, orpastoral care. The Sunday morning worship is not to be viewed as a “preaching service.” Theritual or form of worship is not the “opening exercise” or “preliminaries” to be dispensed with soeveryone can concentrate on the high point, namely, the sermon. All these parts, if donesincerely, are acts of worship—attitudes, words and actions directed toward God toacknowledge His worth, to praise Him for who He is and to thank Him for what he hasdone.Ron Allen refers to worship as our celebration of God. His description is insightful inspelling this out.“What, then, is the essence of worship? It is the celebration of God! When weworship God, we celebrate Him: We extol Him, we sound His praises, we boast inHim.Worship is not the casual chatter that occasionally drowns out the organ prelude;we celebrate God when we allow the prelude to attune our hearts to the glory of Godby the means of music.Worship is not the mumbling of prayers or the mouthing of hymns with little thoughtand less heart; we celebrate God when we join together earnestly in prayer andintensely in song.Worship is not self-aggrandizing words or boring cliches when one is asked to givea testimony; we celebrate God when all of the parts of the service fit together andwork to a common end.Worship is not grudging gifts or compulsory service; we celebrate God when we giveto Him hilariously and serve Him with integrity.Worship is not haphazard music done poorly, not even great music done merely asa performance; we celebrate God when we enjoy and participate in music to His glory.Worship is not a sermon that is poorly prepared and carelessly delivered; wecelebrate God when we honor His Word with our words, by His Spirit.

136Worship is not the hurried motions of a “tacked-on” Lords Table; we celebrate Godpre-eminently when we fellowship gracefully at the ceremonial meal that speaksso centrally of our faith in the Christ Who died for us, Who rose again on our behalf,and Who is to return for our good.As a thoughtful gift is a celebration of a birthday, as a special evening out is acelebration of an anniversary, as a warm eulogy is a celebration of a life, as asexual embrace is a celebration of marriage--so a worship service is a celebrationof God.” 11May Christian worship to us as congregations and to us as individuals be “the mostmomentous, the most urgent, the most glorious action that can take place in our lives.” Amen!A Prayer that I recommend to you is“O God, we come to worship You. Help us sincerely to worship You so that ourconsciences may be quickened by the thought of Your holiness, our minds fed byYour truth, our imagination quickened by Your beauty, our hearts opened by Yourlove, our wills strengthened by the thought of Your purpose, our whole beingdedicated to Your honor and glory. Amen!”

137XI. FELLOWSHIP:SHARING WHAT (WHO) WE HAVE IN COMMON

138“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent,a part of the main.” 1“We are all strings in the concert of his joy.” 2--Jakob Bohme--John Donne". . . let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and gooddeeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit ofdoing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Dayapproaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).When you were born of God, you not only received a new heavenly Father, you alsocame into a new relationship with many earthly brothers and sisters—those who, like you, haveput their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You also have the privilege of belonging to God's family.The New Testament speaks of the "household of God" (Ephesians 2:19).You will find that one of the greatest privileges of the Christian life is that of havingfellowship with other Christians. And you will discover the need of meeting regularly with them.Your decision for Christ ought to lead to Christian fellowship."Fellowship" is derived from the Greek word koinonia, which means "sharing incommon." God has given you much to share.NECESSITYWe all have weakness, struggles, fears, and therefore, we need to get support,encouragement and strength from one another to fight the battles we face daily."Accept life with humility and patience, generously making allowances for eachother because you love each other. Make it your aim to be at one in the Spirit,and you will be bound together in peace.There is one Body and one Spirit, just as it was to one hope that you were called.There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who isthe One over all, the One working through all and the One living in all."(Ephesians 4:2-6 Phillips)

139Being related to a church is an incredibly important part of your growth in Christ. TheBible makes clear that you cannot grow to maturity in Jesus Christ or experience the abundantlife He wants to give you without being involved in the Body of Christ. It is in the local churchwhere you can receive the help you need for the growth you want.I have heard every imaginable excuse for not being a part of a church. "I can worshipGod just as well in the mountains by myself. I don't have to go to church. After all the church isfull of hypocrites."WHAT IS THE CHURCH?The church is the living body of Christ on earth. It is not a building, or a denominationalname, or a charismatic personality! Therefore, when you become a Christian, you become amember of the Church, the body of Christ. Any local congregation or church is the localexpression of the universal Church.In the New Testament that fellowship of persons in Christ is variously described as theekklesia (church), the body of Christ, the koinonia (fellowship) of the Spirit, the flock, the elect,royal priesthood, holy nation, God's own people, etc. In the simplest sense it is a group ofbelievers who are striving together to live, share, and grow in a life committed to God, theFather, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.While God can be worshipped in the mountains, you must also worship Him elsewhere.Some aspects of worship involve, even demand, other surroundings and, even other people.The church does have more than its share of hypocrites. But then the church exists forsinners. If everyone were perfect, I doubt if we would need churches. There is much truth inthe statement: "If you find a perfect church, don't join it for then it will no longer be perfect."The perfect church would be the one without people.REASONS FOR BEING A MEMBERThere are many crucial reasons for being a member of a local church:1. The New Testament plainly tells us to go to church, just because we are Christians(Hebrews 10:25). It also tell us that Jesus regularly attended services, ". . . and on the Sabbathday He went into the synagogue as was his custom" (Luke 4:16). You cannot read the Scripturesand fail to realize that the church on earth exists as one of two divinely created institutions (theother is the home). If God created the church for us, who are we to say that we do not need it?

1402. It provides the sustenance of Christian fellowship. We who claim to be Christiansneed the church. We have a great need for Christian fellowship! It can help us grow, give uspeople with which to share our sorrows and joys, and help make us richer humans! Our own faithneeds Christian fellowship. John Wesley once said that there was no such thing as a solitaryChristian. Our faith is not only a witness to the world, but also must be lived in love and sharedwith fellow believers. The early Christians found that personal faith led to a corporate church life(Acts 2:46).3. The church is the family of God. Is it possible to be a part of God's family but nevertake part in the life of the family? Being a part of a real family has to be one of the greatest joysin the world. It does not just happen. It takes more than an hour or two a week of work andcommitment to make any family. Being part of a loving family is a joy not just because of ourneeds, but because it enriches all who care enough to work to make it. This is a very importantreason to become a member of a church. It shows everyone where you stand. You want to be avital part of the family with family responsibilities.4. The church is a place of learning. It is, or can be, a place of great learning, where welearn from each other, and where we can have a check and balance on our personal opinions andattitudes. The church must be a family of students gathering to inspire and teach each other God'struths. Just like any good school, part of a church's function is to provide the corporate disciplinewhich helps us personally to learn God's truth.5. It offers opportunities for service. I have had people tell me they did not need thechurch. After all, they are good, moral persons. They do good deeds on their own. So why shouldthey be a church member? Being a good, moral person is not enough. And who of us is really, ifwe are honest, that good? Surely what I can do as an individual by way of "good deeds" for otherpeople simply does not compares to what can be done as a body in Christ. No organization inhistory has ever even begun to hold a candle to the church in service.The church provides a reason and an outlet for service, like no other organization!THE CRITERIA OF A HEALTHY CHURCHIn order that you may have a clear understanding of the criteria of a healthy church I ampresenting the following points which summarize the teaching of Scripture on the subject:1. A place where Christ is regarded as the Head, and where the members acknowledgethis not only in their doctrinal statement, but also in the way in which they conduct the servicesof the church and its business affairs (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19).

1412. A place where people actively worship God in reverence and exuberance. Worship isessentially internal, as opposed to external. It arises out of true love for the Lord with acommitment to live in obedience to Him. Such worship is different from gimmicks or programsthat merely entertain (Matthew 15:7-9; Philippians 3:3; Colossians 2:20-23). Biblical worship ismarked by a deep sense of the presence of God where we encounter Him in awe and joy.3. A place where there is solid teaching in which the Bible is taught in its fullness ("thewhole counsel of God"—Acts 20:27). Truth is applied in practical ways to every area of dailylife. The message of the Gospel is seen as the totality of all that Jesus preached, taught, andcame to accomplish (Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 1:7-12; Colossians 2:8-12).4. A place of characterized by the warmth of its fellowship where there is a genuineinterest in each member (John 13:34-35; 15:9-10; Romans 12:9). Biblical fellowship is notsharing punch and cookies. It is the sharing of our lives together--our joys, our deep concerns,our struggles and our sorrows. Anything less is not Christian fellowship. Deep, life-changingrelationships must be encouraged and nurtured if a church is to have depth.5. A place where prayer is central. The church of Jesus Christ moves forward only asshe moves on her knees. God will not do anything without prayer that He has promised He willdo in response to prayer. Before the Early Church was thrust out into the world to evangelize shewas ordered to wait in unified prayer (Acts 1:2-5, 8; 2:1-4). And prayer marked the meetings ofthe Early Church (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 4:31). Prayer and the ministry of the Word are the twoprimary functions of church leaders (elders—Acts 6:2,4).less?Jesus called the temple My house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13). Should the church be any6. A place of healing where the whole person is ministered to spiritually, emotionally(psychologically), and physically. Healing was part and parcel of Jesus' ministry. In fact, Jesusspent more time healing and casting out demons than He did preaching the Gospel. Healingmarked the ministry of the Early Church (Acts 2:43; 3:1-10; 4:30; 5:16; 8:13; 9:17-19; 32-42).The strongest argument that healing is for today as well as for Jesus' time is God'sname. The name of Yahweh is compounded with seven names. One of those is: "Yahweh(Jehovah)—rapha," "the Lord who heals" (Exodus 15:26). God's name does not change. Namesin the Bible always represent the nature and character of the person. This is also true of God. Itis, therefore, God's very nature to heal.God said His name is "I am," (Exodus 3:14; see also John 8:58) not "I was!" God saidthat He is the God who is and always will be.

142To argue that the day of miracles is past, as many churches do, is to fly in the face ofGod's name. To state that we believe in miracles for today but not to be open to them andencourage them is to be hypocritical. To believe and not to practice is not to believe becausebelief is more than intellectual assent. It is also commitment—commitment to do what we claimwe believe.Just as God's name has never changed, so His nature and character has not changed.Since His name is still "Yahweh-rapha" we have no reason to deny that He is "the Lord whoheals."Physical and emotional, as well as spiritual, healing provides a holistic approach toministering to the person—the whole person.7. A place where evangelism is urgent. The church will either evangelize or die.Evangelism is the lifeline and lifeblood of the church. If the church does not continually reachout she becomes ingrown. Because we have been reconciled (brought back) to God, we in turnhave been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). The unbeliever is alreadyunder condemnation with God's wrath upon him (John 3:36) and we as God's children will oneday give an account before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Thus knowing the"fear of the Lord," we must "persuade" people (2 Corinthians 5:11). We are not to half-heartedly,indifferently, carelessly sow the seed of the Gospel. We are to "snatch them out of the fire" (Jude23). Our witnessing must be urgent and persuasive though gracious and winsome (Colossians4:6)Growth-numerical and spiritual—marked the Early Church (Acts 2:47; 5:14; 6:7;9:31,42; 11:21). A healthy church is a growing church!8. A place where discipleship is emphasized. The emphasis of the Great Commission ison "making disciples" (Matthew 28:18-20). God is looking for commitments to discipleship, notjust decisions. He is looking for faithful followers, not just mental believers. Key people who arereliable are to be selected from the larger Christian body to be ministered to so they in turn canminister to (disciple) others (2 Timothy 2:2). This is God's process of multiplication. The leadersof the church, like Jesus, must focus their time on a few key people. Eventually they, the leaderswill be able to minister to the rest of the congregation through these disciples.A discipling church may not grow as fast as other churches since disciple-making is acareful, thorough process of bringing people to maturity in Christ. In the long run, however, itwill be more solid because it has emphasized depth and may eventually catch up even innumerical growth since it is applying the principle of multiplication rather than addition. The

143bottom line of any congregation is not how many people attend the church but how manypeople are committed followers of Jesus Christ who are growing in maturity in Him.9. A place where missions is encouraged and promoted. Jesus is the Lord of the Churchuniversal. He "so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son" (John 3:16). The worldwill never hear or experience God's love unless Christ's body—the church—will "go into all theworld" to proclaim and share that love in word and deed (Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47-48 Romans10:14-15). We are all called to be "world Christians"! To limit the ministry to a local area isselfish and totally unworthy of the God whose heart goes out to every human being on the faceof the earth. A church that does not take missions seriously by sacrificially giving, byaggressively promoting, by fervently and continually praying, and by zealously going is simplydisobedient to God's Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).10. A place where service is essential. Service is the logical response of love. Christianservice is the overflow of our love relationship with Jesus Christ. A church devoid of practicalexpressions of love is dead spiritually no matter how "alive" she may seem (James 2:14-25).True religion, says James, is purity and compassion (James 1:27). It is said of Jesus that He"went around doing good" (Acts 10:38). The church, likewise, must be actively engaged in gooddeeds (Acts 4:32-37; 6:1; 1 John 3:11-18). In fact, Paul, argues that we, the church, were createdfor such deeds (Ephesians 2:10). A cup of cold water as well as a word of hope should be given(Matthew 25:35-45)."Each Christian should select his church because he is convinced that within itsparticular structure he will find the greatest opportunities for spiritual growth,the greatest satisfaction for his human needs, and the greatest chance to be ofhelpful service to those around him." 3SPIRITUAL REINFORCEMENT--Billy GrahamIs church attendance important? The answer is a resounding yes! Can you worship Godby observing the beauties of nature, by walking in the woods, or by jogging? Sure, you canworship God and pray anywhere, but private devotion is not God's full plan for you.Can you be a Christian without being a vital part of a local church? You can become aChristian without going to a church. But in the final analysis, once a person becomes a Christian,he cannot remain in isolation! Being a Christian and not being a living part of a church, is muchlike a person who claims to be a football player without a team. Everywhere he goes people say,"Oh, you are a football player. What team do you play with?" It won't take many times ofanswering "no team" before people will ask, "Then how can you claim to be a football player?"

144Something is inherent in the very idea of being a Christian which demands being a part ofa local church . . . It is absolutely absurd to claim to be a Christian and not be a church member.Many people, however, are committed to the church as an institution but not committedto Christ as Lord and Savior. You can be committed to the church and not be committed toChrist, but you cannot be committed to Christ without being committed to the church.Meeting together with other brothers and sisters as a church family is required formaximum development of the spiritual life. Read the first chapters of the book of Acts and noticehow often reference is made to the new Christians meeting together for prayer and worship.Why is such fellowship important? Remember coals? When they are laid on the groundor in a fireplace by themselves they tend to go out soon. If they are added to other burning coals,the heat is reinforced, and soon there is a blazing fire. So it is spiritually. Each of us cannot standalone easily. The church is one of the great means God has given us to help us become all thatHe wants us to be. We neglect this, He will, at our spiritual peril.Church attendance is not only for your benefit but so that you can be helpful to others.Take the initiative if it is a "cold" church and warm it up with a happy smile and greeting.Perhaps some people have been members for so long, and became Christians so long ago, thatthey need to be reminded by your attitude to love the Lord with all their hearts, minds and souls.People can become tired of even the best preaching unless they apply what is said to theirlives with the help of the Holy Spirit. Even poor preaching can be used, or at least the worshipservice can be very valuable, if you look for the Lord's blessing in it.If you seem to be constantly criticizing something in your church, then the first thing todo is to examine your own life and ask God to help you appreciate what is good rather thancriticize what isn't. Then, if necessary, join another fellowship where you can feel more at home.It won't be perfect, either, but it may better fit your needs at this particular time.In any church, whether large or small, one can be lost in a crowd, and you need to learnto say a friendly hello to others who may be as reserved as you are. They need the contact withyou just as you need the contact with your brothers and sisters in worship of the one Lord. Tosing and pray together before the Lord is important.Begin to become involved in the activities of the church. The minimum, of course, isattendance; but you will want to contribute time and talent and money along with the others. Weall need one another!

145Wherever you go, one of the very first things you should do is find a new family, God'sfamily—the church! Work to make it the best church it can possibly be with God's help andyours!

146XII. WITNESSING:SHARING THE GOOD NEWS

147“I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing moreI wish I could give them and that is faith in Jesus. If they had that and I had notgiven them one shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that, andI had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed.” 1--Oswald Chambers“Being an extrovert isn’t essential to evangelism--obedience and love are.” 2--Rebecca Manley Pippert“Show me that you are redeemed, and I will believe in your Redeemer.” 3--Friedrich Wilhelm NietzscheThe Bible says, “He who has the Son has eternal life” (John 5:13). How a personresponds to Jesus Christ determines his destiny. Everybody will live eternally somewherewhether they know it or not. If they receive Jesus Christ, they will live forever with Him. If theydo not receive Him, they will live eternally separated from Him. You, yourself, now have theSon, and therefore, have eternal life.From an eternal perspective, receiving Jesus Christ is the greatest thing that ever hashappened to you. In the same way, the greatest thing you could ever do for someone else is tohelp him find Jesus. For in Him is life, abundant and eternal.PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITYYou have the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others what you now knowabout Christ. Each Christian is to be not only a receiver, but a sharer.Witnessing to the reality of Jesus Christ is the business of every Christian. If yourChristianity is worth having, it’s worth sharing. If it isn’t worth sharing, it isn’t worth having!When Jesus told His disciples that they were to “go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).He was giving them the marching orders for the church. They were to be His witnesses. Theywere to carry the gospel everywhere. And so are we.WHAT IS A WITNESS?

148But what is a witness? The word “witness” in the New Testament is martyreo(verb) and compounds martys, martyrai, and martyrion. Our English word “martyr” comes fromthis Greek one. A “martyr” is one who gives the supreme witness; “one who voluntarily suffersdeath as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce his religion” (Acts 22:20).John, in his first epistle, states:“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seenwith our eyes, which we have looked at, and our hands have touched—this weproclaim concerning the Word of life (1 John 1:1).A witness is one who “proclaims” or “shares” what he has “heard, seen, looked at, ortouched.” In a court of law a witness is to share what he heard, say, and felt in a given situation.God has not called us to be lawyers arguing a logical case through to its conclusion. He hascalled us to be witnesses sharing what Jesus has meant to us. The clearest illustration whichdefines a witness is found in John’s gospel chapter 9. When the “man born blind was asked howJesus, who was considered a “sinner” by the Pharisees could possible heal him, he replied,“Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blindbut now I see!” (John 9:25).Our very simple testimony, is all we are asked to share. How Jesus has changed our lives.REASONS FOR FEARYet, for most of us witnessing about our faith does not come easily. The following aresome of the reasons for this:1. Fear of rejection. Although we are responsible for sharing the gospel in a reasonableand loving way, we are not responsible for others’ reaction. Sometimes the reason we fear anegative reaction is because we realize that we have not been consistent in the way we havelived, and feel that when we try to witness, we will be revealed for what we are.If our lives are full of inconsistencies, we’d better keep our mouths shut, because wemight do more harm than good. However, I’m not suggesting that we wait for perfection beforewe speak to anyone. Satan wants us to keep quiet. One of his deceitful methods is the attempt toconvince us that we must not witness to anyone about Jesus until we are good enough to pass forSt. Paul’s twin. After all, we must not be hypocrites. The lie that we need perfection beforespeaking has silenced many Christians. If God had to use only perfect vessels, He’d have to waitforever. God is able to use us as long as we acknowledge our weaknesses and visibly strive moreto trust and depend upon Him for improvement.2. Fear of incompetence. Many of us think we have to be evangelists or experts atwitnessing to be effective in our witnessing. Availability, not ability, has always been the most

149crucial ingredient in being used by God. This does not mean that we are not to do our bestin sharing the Gospel. But it does mean that after we have done our best, it is still the work ofGod and nothing worthwhile will happen unless God is at work by this Spirit. God’s grace, notour ability, is the bottom line in effectiveness and fruitfulness in witnessing.3. Fear of ignorance. Many people are afraid that people are going to ask questions forwhich they do not know the answers. We do not have to be biblical scholars to witnesseffectively. Most of the questions asked are easily answered by any one of us. When there is adifficult question there is nothing wrong with saying, “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out.”Then, either try to find out on your own through books, etc., or find someone you think mayknow. Then follow up by sharing the information gained. And in those rare instances where thereis no good answer as we understand it, share the same issues are not dealt with in Scripture andthat we need to bow before mystery and accept it by faith.4. Fear of ridicule. At times, we allow people who have given witnessing a bad name bycertain actions to keep us from witnessing for fear they will ridicule us. Forceful methods such asbeating people over the head with the Bible, stuffing the Gospel down people’s throats or oddballmethods such as parading with billboards, etc. have embarrassed us as a Christian community.We, sometimes have become defensive about our religion because of such methods. Instead ofshying away from witnessing altogether, and thus throwing the baby out with bathwater, we mustdenounce any unbiblical methods used by others. Then we should get on the offensive in sharingthe Good News in an authoritative and loving way. Our job as Christians is to give a positivewitness to the joy of being in Christ and to the great love of God for us all.LIFE OR LIP?Sometimes the question is asked. “Which is more important in witnessing, the life I liveor the words I say?” This question throws our lives and verbal witness into a false antithesis. It isa silly question to ask. It’s like asking which wing of an airplane is more important, the right orthe left? Obviously both are essential since you don’t have anything without both. Life and lipare inseparable in effective witnessing for Christ.We dare not minimize the importance of a godly life. Paul put it:“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may becomeblameless and pure children of God without fault, in a crooked and depravedgeneration, which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the wordof life . . .” (Philippians 2:14-15).Notice the powerful imagery! As Christians who are serious about godliness we are like“stars in the universe” which shine forth in brightness against the darkness, the blackness, of thenight. Our Christian lives lighten the moral and spiritual darkness of our world. Our very lives,says Paul, are lights which “hold out the word of life.” This does not mean that we are holding

150out a light on a stick. Rather, just as the light of a star comes from within its own being, sowe as Christians, are hold out the example of our very lives. We are “the lights of the world”(Matthew 5:11-16).Yet witnessing must go beyond example—the example of our lives—to a verbalwitness—the proclamation and explanation of Truth—if it is to be effective.While the “word” must become flesh, it is still a word. It is not enough just to let ourlives speak.While the spoken word is not effective unless it is backed up by a consistent life, it is alsotrue that living the Christian life is never adequate without the support which the spoken wordcan provide. The deed of good living can no more take the place of the word than the word cantake the place of the deed. Why? Because no life is ever good enough. To claim, “I don’t need topreach; I just let my life speak” is to be guilty of the highest form of self-righteousness. Forwho among us is to good that he can let his life speak and leave it at that?Samuel Shoemaker points out that a verbal witness is necessary because there cannot becommunication of important convictions without language. Living a good life does not tellpeople about the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus, nor of our faith in His divinity. Theemphasis on good works alone brings too much focus on us, and too little on Him. While ourlives must be made as consistent as we can make them with our faith, yet faith is greater than ourlives. This is why it is so vital to communicate truth verbally.The “word” of witness is a personal word which focuses on what Christ has done forthe person.THE SOURCE—WHOSE WE AREJesus has called us the salt of the earth, for through our lives (as He lives in us) He causesman to thirst for Him, the Living Water of life. If, however, we fail to acknowledge the Source ofour life in Jesus Christ, we confuse those we witness to and rob God of His rightful glory. Thenon-Christian may conclude merely that Mary or Bill is a wonderful person and wish that hewere too. Until we bear witness to Christ, the unbeliever won’t have an inkling as to the sourceof the life he admires and wants. We witness by telling not only who we are but whose we are.At the judgment seat of Christ, we will be judged (not only) by how we lived, but also by whatwe said or did not say.One of the objectives of the Christian life is to populate heaven and depopulate hell.James Stewart put it:“Every believer should realize that no matter what his employment is it is only

paying his expenses to be an151ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ.”But what does it mean to be an ambassador, one who represents Jesus? To represent Jesusaccurately, we must think the way He did, speak the way He spoke, and do what He did.Therefore, we are to reach out to people as He reached out. He is the pattern for our outreach.And so we need to study His approach in sharing the GOOD NEWS.PRINCIPLES OF WITNESSINGThese are the nine principles of witnessing found in Jesus’ interaction with theSamaritan woman in John chapter four.1. Contact Others Socially--Be a friend to those with whom you are sharing the gospel.“So He (Jesus) came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of groundJacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus tired as Hewas from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. There came aSamaritan woman to draw water” (John 4:5-7).Studies show that friendship evangelism is the most effective kind of evangelism.Yet social contact with non Christians is often ignored by Christians. Therefore, peopleare not coming to Christ because they’re not hearing our message. The Holy Spirit can’tsave saints or seats. Salt does no good in a salt shaker. If we don’t know, or have contactwith any non-Christians, how can we introduce them to our Lord and Savior?When Jesus called Simon and Andrew, He said, “Follow Me and I will make youbecome fishers of men” (Mk. 1:17). Among other things Jesus was teaching that you must gowhere fish are to catch fish. A simple Simon with his line in a barrel is a pathetic figure.Yet some of us seem to be just that in evangelism. As someone perceptively pointed out,“Most Christians are keepers of aquariums rather than fishers of men.”We must go where the people are—make contact with them where they live. Wecannot afford just to sit comfortably in our pews and wait for the non Christians to flock toour church. Let’s fish where the fish are—in the homes, at the schools, at the bars, etc.Jesus was criticized by the religious leaders of His day because He associated withthe sinners. He went to the sick, the lost, the lonely, and the distressed and moved amongthem as a friend.

1522. Establish A Common Interest—As a bridge for communication.As we read the story of Jesus encounter with the Samaritan woman we discoverthat this is precisely what He did, and He did it at the beginning of the conversation.John says,“There came a woman of Samaria to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Willyou give Me a drink?” (John 4:7).This is an interesting approach Jesus took because the woman was the one withneeds. She had the real questions. Jesus was the one with the answers. And yet Jesushumbled Himself by asking her for a favor. Thus He established an immediate point ofcontact.Start With Felt NeedSome Christians tend to look down upon any kind of preliminary preparation as awaste of time. We like to skip the “nonessentials” and get right to the point. If we would havebeen the Lord, we probably would have blurted out immediately, “Lady, do you know whoI am?” Or “You need to be saved!” Our Lord didn’t approach her that way. In this incident Hebegan by referring to something in which she was obviously interested. She had come todraw water. Gradually, He directed the conversation from this recognized interest to a spiritualreality which she knew nothing about. He led her from her felt need to her deeper need, her realneed, living, spiritual water.3. Arouse Interest—By life and word.“The Samaritan woman said to Him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.How can You ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do no associate with Samaritans).Jesus answered her,‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you wouldhave asked Him and He would have given you living water.’ ‘Sir,’ the womansaid, ‘You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can You getthis living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the welland drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?’ Jesusanswered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, butwhoever drinks the water I give him a spring of water welling up to ever-

153lasting life.” The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water so I won’t getthirsty and have to keep coming to draw water’” (John 4:9-15).Here we see the process that Jesus uses in bringing this woman from Samaria closer tothe Kingdom of God. First, He came to where she was. Second, He showed an interest in herconcerns. And now, He is using His actions and His worlds to arouse interest in the truthwhich He is progressively presenting to her.AcceptanceBy the very fact that He talks to this woman at all Jesus demolished social, religious andracial-political barriers. As a man He spoke to her, a woman. This was unlikely in that day andage. As a Rabbi, He spoke to her, an immoral woman. This was unheard of at that time. As aJew, He spoke to her, a Samaritan, despicable in the sight of Jews. By the very fact that Heaccepted her, Jesus created a curiosity in her. We can do the same.There are countless people who feel ugly, unaccepted, and unwanted by society.Acceptance of these people will bring a thirst in them as they wonder, “What’s so different aboutthis person that he accepts me?” “Why does he accept me?” “What’s he after?” This provides agreat opportunity to share with them that God loves them and accepts them and that, as he hasloved and accepted us, we in turn are free to love and accept others.4. Offer Something Relevant—Directed to their need.Jesus offered the woman of Samaria something related to her need. In one sense theoffer was always Himself, of course. Yet to the aging Nicodemus Jesus spoke of Himself as onewho offers New Life, a new beginning (John 3:3). He spoke of Himself as Light to the man whohad been born blind (John 9:5). To this Samaritan woman who was thirsty Jesus offered LivingWater:“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water I give him will never thirst.Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up toeternal life’” (John 4:13-14).Jesus couched the answer to the needs of these people in terms to which they could relate.We need to begin with the people’s felt needs and address their real needs.To speak about the transmission and reliability of the Bible to a person who is wonderingwhether this Jesus can enable him to live a life free from the bondage of alcohol and drugsmisses the mark for effective witnessing. Conversely, if a person is suspicious that otherscientists have disproved Christianity, to talk about the power of Jesus Christ a person from the

154grip of alcohol and drugs is poor evangelistic strategy. In such a case we need to offer theperson the challenge of searching the Scriptures himself to see whether these things are so and toencourage him to test Christ’s claims.The offer should be closely related to the needs of the person.5. Don’t Go Too Far–Give a person only as much as he is ready to hear.The fifth principle in witnessing is don’t go too far. Give a person only as much of themessage as he is ready for.“Jesus answered the woman, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I givehim will become in him a spring of water welling up to everlasting life.’ The womansaid to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keepcoming here to draw water.’ He told her, ‘Go ,call your husband and come back.’I have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you nowhave is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.’ Sir,’ the womansaid, ‘I can see that you are a prophet”’ (John 4:13-19).In spite of her obvious interest and curiosity, Jesus didn’t give this Samaritan womanthe whole story at once. Gradually, as she was made ready for more, He revealed more aboutHimself. Then, when her curiosity was at its highest, He identified Himself as the Christ, theMessiah.We need to be sensitive to the person to whom we’re talking and not force the gospeldown his throat. People tend to become defensive, to back off and get turned off if we pressthem to hard.There is also an opposite danger in pressing too far. If I push a person too hard toofast, he may go along with me only because of the excitement, the novelty, or the emotionof the moment. Then, after he has had the time to think things through, he may not be soexcited about what I have presented and then regress to his former position. Often suchpeople become resentful, not only against those of us who zealously forced the messageon them, but also against the Christ whom we are advocating. As a result such people

ecome hardened to the Good News.1556. Don’t Condemn–Instead, accept and compliment him.The Bible states, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world,but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17). Jesus did not condemn the Samaritan woman.Her own sin condemned her as she answered Him about her husband(s).“He (Jesus) told her, ‘Go, call your husband and come back,’ ‘I have no husband,’she replied. Jesus said to her, ‘You are right when you say you have no husband.The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not yourhusband. What you have just said is quite true.’ ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘ I can seethat you are a prophet”’ (John 4:16-19).Then later she tells the people in the town:“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this bethe Christ?” (John 4:29)In the similar incident with the woman taken in adultery whom the self-righteousPharisees brought to our Lord, Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you: Go now and leaveyou life of sin” (John 8:11). Most of us, on the other hand, are quick to condemn. Often wehave the attitude that if we do not condemn a certain attitude or deed, we will be condoningit. This does not agree with Jesus’ approach to people.Not only must we avoid condemning people, we need to learn the art of makinglegitimate compliments. Many people are deeply touched by a genuine compliment.Criticism is far more natural to our lips and to the lips of the world than praise, but praisecan bring warmth of feeling and sense of acceptance essential to an open reception of thegospel.7. Deal with Sin–Get the person to expose his need.Although we are not to condemn another person, we should not hesitate to dealwith sin. Jesus did say to the Samaritan woman, “Go, call your husband and come back”(John 4:16). Jesus did not sidestep the immoral behavior of this woman. He jolted herto her senses with this single sentence. She probably tried to end this discussion with,“I have no husband” (John 4:17). But Jesus would not let her get off the hook easily.

156He let her know that He knew all about her as she testifies later in verse 29. Notice howshe tried to avoid a moral issue by introducing a theological question. She says:“Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place wherewe must worship is in Jerusalem” (John 4:20).Jesus quickly points out that worship does not have to do with geography but withthe heart (John 4:23-24).Again she tries to change the subject away from her personal sins by saying:“I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, He will explaineverything to us” (John 4:25).At that point Jesus identifies Himself as the Messiah, the Christ (John 4:26).Jesus saw into the heart of this Samaritan woman. As the writer to the HebrewChristians puts it:“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered andlaid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).John put it:“Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw themiraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name. But Jesus would notentrust Himself to them, for He knew all men. He did not need man’s testimonyabout man, for He knew what was in a man” (John 2:23-25).It is not enough to see God’s miraculous signs and believe in His name, we mustrepent of our sins and commit our lives to Him. Nothing less will do. The sin question mustbe confronted.Even in the case of the woman taken in adultery, Jesus did not compromise with sinHis parting words to her were: “Go, and do not sin again!” (John 8:11).8. Stick with the Main Issue–Stay on the track.The Samaritan woman is a good example of a person who tried to sidestep theimportant issues. As soon as Jesus confronted her with the issue of her own personal sins,she said:

157“Our father worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place wherewe must worship is in Jerusalem. Jesus declared, ‘Believed Me, woman, a timeis coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor inJerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what wedo know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now comewhen the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they arethe kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers mustworship in spirit and in truth.’ The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (calledChrist) is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.’ ThenJesus declared, ‘I who speak to you am He”’ (John 4:20-26 ).Notice how Jesus did not allow any secondary issues to sidetrack Him from the mainissue. While the Samaritan woman asked where she should worship, on Mount Gerizim orin Jerusalem, Jesus led the discussion back to Himself by shifting the emphasis from whereto how one worships. Where we worship, which church we attend, is not really the crucialissue. Jesus stuck to the main issue of His own Messiahship and refused to get off on a tangent.People often use tangents when a conversation becomes personal. Questions are thrownout as smokescreens to keep the conversation from getting too serious. Instead of facing upto personal matters, people will ask, “What about all those people in non-Christian countrieswho have never heard the message of Jesus Christ?” In such a case we need to lovingly counterwith, “The question is not so much, ‘What about people who have never heard,’ but rather,‘What will you do with Jesus Christ now that you have heard?’”Other questions that often surface are: “Where did Cain get his wife?” “Do you reallybelieve that Jonah was swallowed by a whale?” When such questions are brought up, counterwith, “If you knew the answer to this question, would it make any difference in yourrelationship with Jesus Christ?” If his answer is no, go on and deal with the main issue ofgetting to know Jesus in a personal way. However, if his answer is yes, then do your bestin answering him. If you don’t know the answer, don’t try to fake it, but honestly tell himthat you don’t know but that you will try to find out for him. Your humility and honesty intelling someone that you don’t have all the answers often will win their appreciation and respect.9. Confront People Directly–Persevere to the destination of having a person decide foror against–Jesus.Jesus’ confrontation with the woman of Samaria shows the need to eventually challengepeople with a decision:“The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ” is coming. When Hecomes, He will explain everything to us.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I who speak

to you am He”’(John 4:25-26).158At the crucial point of the conversation when the Samaritan woman said she knewthat the Messiah was coming and that when He came, He would explain everything to herand her people, Jesus openly and directly told her that he was the Messiah: “I who speakto you am He” (John 4:26). Direct and to the point.Whether we spend one or several times together building bridges of friendshipbetween non-Christians and ourselves, we eventually must cross the bridge of decisionand bring the non-Christian into a direct confrontation with the claims of Jesus Christ sohe realizes his personal responsibility to decide for or against—Jesus.The people to whom we witness will fall into one of two categories initially. Thefirst group includes those who lack necessary information about Jesus Christ. Even ifthey wanted to, they wouldn’t know how to become Christians. With such a person weshould be alert, first, to discover the misunderstandings and gaps in their knowledge,and second, to seize each opportunity to explain more of the necessary facts.Those in the second group are already informed about the gospel, but they haven’tacted on their information yet. Our repeated emotional appeals and cramming of the sameinformation is more likely to turn them off even more to the gospel message than to attractthem to it. When we know that an individual has the necessary information about the gospelmessage, we ought to keep quiet, openly to show him love and to pray earnestly and dailyfor him that the Holy Spirit will draw him to God the Father.CONVERSION PROCESSLook at the process of this woman coming to know Jesus Christ as her Messiah.About midway through the conversation she acknowledged her need, saying, “Give me thiswater, so that I do not have to thirst anymore” (v. 15). A few moments later she acknowledgedher sin which led to a quickening of spiritual insight: “I can see that you are a prophet” (v. 19).Third she affirmed her faith in the Lord Jesus: “Could this be the Christ?” (v. 29). Finally, theGood News that she had received she took to her town and as a result the Bible states:“Many of the Samaritans from the town believed in Him because of the woman’stestimony . . .”(John 4:39).The story continues:“So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He

159stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers.”(John 4:41-42)Then the townspeople said to the Samaritan woman:“We no longer believe just because of what you said: now we have heard forourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).The woman’s testimony led to their experience of finding out for themselves whothis Jesus of Nazareth really was.THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CENTRALThere is always the danger in our effort to find methods that are effective that thosemethods become too important. Methods are only tools and it is the Holy Spirit who is central toanything that happens that has eternal significance. It is the Holy Spirit, not we, who convertpeople. While we are ambassadors of Jesus Christ who can communicate a verbal message anddemonstrate through our personality and life the difference God’s grace can make, we cannotconvert anyone since“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spiritof God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, becausethey are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).Thus “no one calls Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).YOUR TESTIMONYYour personal testimony is vital in sharing what God has done in your life. Sharing howyou became a Christian can be one of the best ways of witnessing. This is especially effective insharing Jesus Christ with your relatives and close friends.These four principles that will help make your testimony effective:1. Make is personal. Instead of preaching, tell what Christ has done for you. Freelyuse “I”, “me,” and “my”--not “you.” This will help them from becoming defensive.2. Make is brief. Three to five minutes should be long enough to cover the mostimportant facts of your journey in finding a personal relationship with God.

1603. Keep Jesus Christ central. Instead of getting side-tracked by other issues ordetails, highlight what He has done for you. This keeps the focus on Christ ratherthan self or other “interesting” things.4. Use the Bible, the Word of God. A couple of Scripture verses will add authority andpower to your story.Make sure in preparing your testimony that you make the story clear enough that theperson listening will know how to receive Christ for himself/herself.Tell briefly about your life before you received Jesus into your life. Then tell about yourconversion experience, how you came to put your trust in Him. Finally, share something of whatit has meant to know Him personally—the benefits of such a relationship such as assurance ofeternal life, forgiveness, purpose and meaning, peace and hope, and any other way your life haschanged.It is important that you share some recent insight or experience if you have been aChristian a long time. This helps others know that your relationship to Jesus is relevant for today.Even as you prepare your testimony, it is important that you ask God to give youopportunities to share the difference Christ has made in your life. Ask God to put on your heartthe people He wants to reach out to, to love, and to share your story. Zero in on tow or threewhom you would particularly like to tell about Jesus Christ whether they are relatives, people inyour neighborhood, at work, or at school. Consistently pray for them and then take the firstopportunity to share your testimony with them.A simple outline of your testimony would be:1. Before I trusted Jesus Christ2. How I gave my life to Christ3. Since I have committed myself to Jesus as Savior and LordAlways remember that you do not have the power in yourself to convert anyone. It is theHoly Spirit, and He alone, who convicts non-Christians of their sins and their need to know JesusChrist (John 16:8).Him.You will find that Christ becomes even more precious to you as you tell others about

161The human race grows only as each pair of parents reproduce their life in theirchildren. Similarly the Church of Jesus Christ grows only as each believer brings others to apersonal relationship to Jesus Christ. Each one must reach one!MOTIVATIONTo the disciples who were concerned about physical food Jesus says:“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34).God’s will, His work, was what Jesus was primarily concerned about. Then Jesus spellsout what that will and work was:“Do you not say, “Four months more and then the harvest”? I tell you open your eyesand look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).It is God’s plan to bring those who are ripe to harvest. There are scores of such people,according to Jesus, ready to enter the Kingdom of God. Our job is to show them the way. It is nota question of whether or not witnessing is a gift, talent or something we enjoy doing. It is the willof God! And like Jesus, we must honor God’s will above everything else.A life obedient to the will of God is essential in all areas. This includes evangelism. Godwants to use You! God wants to work in the lives of others through You! He wants to harvestthose ripe for the Kingdom of God through Your sharing the GOOD NEWS!

162XIII. SERVICE:THE OVERFLOW OF OUR LOVE RELATIONSHIP

163"God is the source of love,Christ is the proof of love,Our Service is the expression of love."“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” 1--Proverb“The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.” 2“The reward for a good deed is to have done it.” 3--Proverb--William JamesWilliam Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army warned of living a selfish religiouslifestyle:"Religion can become one of the most selfish influences in life. Men can acceptreligion, love it, cleave to it not from any, unselfish motives whatsoever but solelybecause of the inward peace, the quieted conscience, and the radiant hope whichthey themselves get from it. Religion becomes not a stimulus but a sedative; it isused not as an inspiration to service but as a substitute for it. Mystical experiencesof spiritual delight; a peaceful sense of being pardoned by God and reconciledwith Him; an emotional sharing, sometimes soothing, sometimes ecstatic, in thefellowship of public praise; hope of a future heaven--these blessings and otherslike them men get from religion. And sometimes these are all that they get.Religion reaches them only on their receptive side. It is life's supreme appeal totheir selfishness." (Emphasis added)Religion. Is it a stimulus or a sedative to you? Karl Marx called it "the opiate of thepeople." And to many that is exactly what it is. The danger, as William Booth pointed out, is thatreligion reaches us only on our "receptive side." We think of Christianity in terms of "beingserved" rather than "serving."But is this unique to our society and to this day and age?

Not at all.164DIFFICULT LESSONThe disciples were slow learners when it came to servanthood. On one occasion on theway to Capernaum they were arguing among themselves. So Jesus asked them, "What were youarguing about on the road?" (Mark 9:33). Mark points out that "they kept quiet because on theway they had argued about who was the greatest" (Mark 9:34).Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last,and the servant of all" (Mark 9:35).But Jesus was not finished yet. He continued His lesson on greatness by calling a littlechild to stand in their midst. Then He shocked their proud "piety" by stating:"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become likelittle children, you will never enter the kingdom ofheaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like thischild is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3-4).Humility, not power and authority, is what matters in the kingdom of God."For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give Hislife as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).Jesus is our example! While the human measure of greatness is the exercise of authorityand rule over other men, in the fellowship of the kingdom the measure of greatness is found inlowly service. Jesus, the Son of God, did not come seeking a position of power and influenceover men, but to sacrifice His life as a ransom for many. The truly great man is the one who iswilling to be a servant, setting aside questions of rank and position.JESUS, THE CHIEF FOOTWASHER"I can more easily see our Lord sweeping the streets of London than issuing edictsfrom its cathedrals." 4--Samuel ShepherdJohn, the beloved disciple, tells us about an incident in the life of Jesus and His disciplesthat illustrates servanthood most graphically. A picture is often worth a thousand words. When itcame to trying to teach His ambitious, selfish and proud followers about what it meant to be aservant, words did not seem to do the job. They simply were not learning this lesson ofservanthood very well. So Jesus, the Servant, dramatized the lesson. He acted it out. A good titlefor the drama would be, "Jesus, the Chief Footwasher."

165The occasion for this demonstration of love and humility was just before thePassover Feast. It was at the time Jesus would leave this earth and go to His Father. This was oneof His last acts before He was taken away to be crucified. What an act! What a lesson! Wouldthese self-serving, proud disciples ever be able to forget such a demonstration of servanthood?John prefaces the account with these words: "Having loved His own who were in theworld, He now showed them the full extent of His love" (John 13:1). Then he tells us about thememorable incident."Jesus . . . got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towelaround His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to washthe disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?'Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.''No', said Peter, 'You shall not wash my feet.'Jesus answered, 'Unless I was you, you have no part with Me.''Then, Lord', Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet but my hands and my head aswell!' Jesus answered, 'A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet;his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.' For Heknew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one wasclean" (John 13:3-11).A personal demonstration of what it means to be a servant! No fanfare, no greatannouncement; just love in action."God did not save you to be a sensation. He saved you to be a servant."--John E. HunterTHE LESSONBy the time Jesus came to Peter the disciples realized what had happened. Shame andembarrassment resulted. So Peter shamefully refused the service of Jesus. Was it pride that madeit so difficult for Peter to receive? Very likely! Why should he, a follower, be served by hisMaster? Jesus answered his refusal with stinging words: "Unless I wash you, you have no partwith Me" (Jn. 13:8). Unless we are willing to receive from Jesus, we cannot have a part in Hiskingdom.Gracious receivers are what Jesus wants. But that is not all. John tells us:

166"When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returnedto His place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ He asked them."(John 13:13)His question must have stunned them. For they had just witnessed what He did. Hewashed their feet. But is that all? Wasn't there a deeper lesson to be learned? Jesus gave themtime to think.He broke the silence with the words:"You call Me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I,your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash oneanother's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done foryou.I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greaterthan the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed ifyou do them" (John 13:13-17).Jesus reminded His disciples that He was their Teacher, Lord and Master. Then, insteadof telling them what they expected to hear: "Now that I washed your feet you should wash Myfeet," Jesus surprised them with the command: "You also should wash one another's feet.""Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is nota scepter but a hoe." 5JESUS ENCOURAGED GOOD WORKS--Bernard of ClairvauxJesus taught that good should be done even to our enemies by reminding us that God"makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust"(Matthew 5:45). In the parable of the good Samaritan He taught that good should be done even tothose who are culturally despised (Luke 10:30-37).It was not just miraculous works that Jesus performed. If that were true, we mightconcluded that true good works are beyond us. Apparently, the Lord and His disciples kept afund out of which they gave to those who were needy (John 13:29).Jesus encouraged others to do good works. He noticed a poor widow putting two smallcopper coins, which together only added up to a penny, in the temple poor box. "This poorwidow," he said, "has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all

contributed out of their abundance; but shehad, her whole living" (Mark 12:43-44).167out of her poverty has put in everything sheWhen Zacchaeus was converted and promised to give half of his goods to the poor andrepay fourfold any he had cheated, Jesus responded, "Today salvation has come to this house"(Luke 19:9).Few men in biblical history had learned what servanthood means as well as Paul, theapostle. His favorite designation for himself was not "apostle," "saint," "leader," "doctor;" it was"bond-slave" or "servant." To the problem-oriented church at Corinth, Paul wrote:"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as yourservants for Jesus' sake" (II Corinthians 4:5).Paul's preaching to this church involved not only proclamation but also involved physicallabor. Paul made tents to supplement his gifts from other churches during his ministry at Corinth.Why? He did not want to be a burden to them and give them cause to question his motives inserving them. "Everything we do, dear friends," said Paul to these believers, "is for yourstrengthening" (2 Corinthians 12:19).COSTLY SERVICEThe only service that counts is the service that costs! Epaphroditus knew about costlyservice. Paul testified to that. "Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men likehim," Paul instructed the Philippians believers, "because he almost died for the work of Christ,risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me" (Philippians 2:30). Is it anywonder that Paul called Epaphroditus a "fellow worker" and "fellow soldier?"There is nothing too small to do well for the sake of Christ!In his account of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law, Matthew points out that as Jesustouched her hand and the fever left "she got up and began to wait on Him" (Matthew 8:15). Herewas no spectacular service, as men count it; nevertheless, it was service. It was gratitudeexpressed in a very concrete form. She served as best she knew how. And that is all God asks ofanyone.THE EARLY CHURCHGenerous, caring service characterized the Early Church. After about three thousandpeople were saved following Peter's sermon at Pentecost, we are told that

168". . . all who believed were together and had all things in common; and theysold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all . . . whoever wasin need" (Acts 2:44-45).Shortly after the church had continued to grow, it is recorded that". . . there was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessorsof lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold andlaid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.”(Acts 4:34-35)The choice of the first church officers (apart from the apostles who were picked andcommissioned by Christ) were deacons who were called to care for the sick and poor, and todistribute goods to them as they had need (Acts 6:1-6). Among these was Stephen, the firstChristian martyr.In a later chapter of Acts we are told of Dorcas who "was full of good works and acts ofcharity" (Acts 9:36). When she died there was great mourning and all the widows whom she hadhelped came "weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while shewas with them" (Acts 9:39). Peter raised Dorcas from the dead.Another person noted for good works was Simon, the tanner, who was a resident of Joppa(Acts 9). He made his house available to Peter when Peter was in the city. In the next chapter inActs Cornelius, the Roman centurion, is praised as one who "gave alms liberally to the people,and prayed constantly to God," even before his conversion (Acts 10:2). In Acts 12 we hear aboutMary, the mother of John Mark, who made her house available for Christian meetings. In thiscase it was an all-night prayer meeting (Acts 12:12).Several times in Acts we read of collections being taken to aid the poor. On one occasionthis was done in response to a famine in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30) and on another, it was anoffering from the Gentile churches to the Jerusalem poor (Acts 24:17; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4;2 Corinthians 8:1-9:5).Service continued to characterize the Early Church as she progressed during those firstfew hundred years of Christianity. During the period of the apologists (A.D. 100-300) it was thegenerosity and goodness of Christians that was used as part of their defense of the faith. TheAthenian philosopher Aristides spoke of the Christians this way to Hadrian:

169"They do not commit adultery or immorality; they do not bear false witness, orembezzle, nor do they covet what is not theirs. They honor father and mother,and do good to those who are their neighbors. Whenever they are judges, theyjudge uprightly. They do not worship idols made in the image of man. Whateverthey do not wish that others should do them, they in turn do not do; and they donot eat the food sacrificed to idols. Those who oppress them they exhort and makethem their friends. They do good to their enemies. Their wives, O King, are pureas virgins, and their daughters are modest. Their men abstain from all unlawfulsexual contact and from impurity, in the hope of recompense that is to come inanother world . . . They love one another; the widow's needs are not ignored,and they rescue the orphan from the person who does him violence. He who hasgiven to him who has not, ungrudgingly and without boasting. When the Christiansfind a stranger, they bring him to their homes and rejoice over him as a true brother.They do not call brothers those who are bound by blood ties alone, but thosewho are brethren after the Spirit and in God. When one of their poor passes awayfrom the world, each provides for his burial according to his ability. If they hear ofany of their number who are imprisoned or oppressed for the name of Messiah, theyall provide for his needs, and if it is possible to redeem him, they set him free. If theyfind poverty in their midst, and they do not spare food, they fast two or three daysin order that the needy might be supplied with the necessities." 6The impact of the compassion of Christians continued to be felt as Christianity made itsway in the Roman world. Laws were passed to protect slaves, prisoners and women. Theexposure of babies was outlawed. The sadistic sports of the arena were outlawed. Hospitals andorphanages were founded. Even the poor were beginning to be dealt with in somewhathumanitarian ways. While there was still a lot of injustice and inequity, at least some progress inthe right direction was being made.MODERN ERASuch humanitarian concerns were also displayed during the time of the Reformation andthe modern missionary movement era (beginning A.D. 1793). The Christian missionarymovement established schools and hospitals virtually around the entire world. Mission schools,especially in Africa, to this day have provided the early training and motivation of the leaders oftoday to serve their countries.Since the liberal/fundamental controversy of the early part of this century, the church ofJesus Christ has not been as aggressive in her service as she should have been. As members ofthe church we have allowed a "social gospel/spiritual gospel" dichotomy which has made us care

170only for the spiritual needs of people. We have cared for the "souls" of people butoverlooked the rest. This has been very unfortunate.There have been encouraging trends among evangelicals in the last twenty years as theyhave become more conscious of the physical and emotional/psychological needs of people inaddition to their spiritual needs. It is not an either/or dilemma. It is a both/and option. Allaspects of an individual's condition must be considered."The world cannot always understand one's profession of faith, but it can understandloving service."--Ian MclarenThere is a big difference between "humanitarian" acts of goodness and Christian ones.The Christian is doing the "act" because of God's love for the person(s) and because of hiscommitment to Christ. It is done in Christ's name! It is therefore essential, given the appropriateopportunity, that this fact also be shared with the recipient of the act of kindness. This makes it acomplete witness.Even though the church has not always been what it should, it has done more to alleviatehuman suffering by far than any other organization in the history of humanity. If we travelaround the world we will never see "The Atheists' Home for Orphans" etc., but everywhere wego we will see the Christian church caring for the destitute and needy.ALBERT SCHWEITZEROne of the greatest examples of servanthood in our century was probablyAlbert Schweitzer. He was a child prodigy organist and became one of the greatest organists inall of Europe. By age 30 he had written a definitive life of Bach.While in military service at age 19, he began reading the Greek New Testament. There hediscovered the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Schweitzer completed his theologicaltraining by the time he was 23 and by 24 had his doctorate in philosophy. At 25, he was a fullprofessor in a university in Germany, which is remarkable considering the position of prestige offull professor, especially in Europe. At age 30, Schweitzer decided to study medicine andcompleted his training eight years later.Now he could have been an authority in any one of four fields-music, philosophy,theology or medicine. What did he do? He and his wife went into one of the most remote areas ofAfrica because of his reverence for life and his concern to serve others in great need. Most of usprobably had never heard of Schweitzer until he was about 70 years of age.One man visited there to write a report about him when he was in his seventies. At thattime Schweitzer still made regular rounds at the hospital. He spent until midnight talking withthe reporter, then for a while worked on a book he was writing under his mosquito netting. He

171was up before daybreak to travel by canoe for four hours down the river so he could help aChristian and Missionary Alliance couple who were traveling with a little baby.Why has Schweitzer been considered one of the greatest men in the twentieth century?Because he lost himself in service and really wasn't concerned whether he became known as agreat organist, an outstanding theologian, a profound philosopher, or a skilled medical man. Theway of honor is the way of service."It is not the possession of extraordinary gifts that makes extraordinary usefulness,but the dedication of what we have to the service of God."--Frederick William RobertsonSERVICE TO OTHERS = SERVICE TO JESUSJesus considers service to others as service to Himself."When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will siton His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, andHe will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheepfrom the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by myFather; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation ofthe world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty andyou gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was inneed of clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was inprison and you came to visit me.'Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feedyou, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a strangerand invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick orin prison and go to visit you?'The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least ofthese brothers of mine, you did for me.'Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, intothe eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and yougave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was astranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me,

I was sick and in prison and you did172not look after me.'They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a strangersor needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least ofthese, you did not do for me.'Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."(Matthew 25:31-46)To neglect service is to impoverish our lives! Jesus points out that the only differencebetween the sheep and goats is what they did or didn’t do.James makes it very plain that though we are saved by faith alone, we are not saved bythe kind of faith that is alone. The difference between dead faith and living faith is that livingfaith by its nature issues in good works (James 2:14-26). James, in his book, is not pitting faithagainst works but living faith against dead faith. Good works, therefore, shows whether our faithis genuine or not."While faith deals with invisibles, God hates that "love" which is invisible."Service is love with skin on it. It is love in action. It is compassion in overalls."All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action."Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned! A helping hand in time of need isworth a volume of good wishes.POSITIVE ACTIONThe Christian life is not to be lived with the thought of how few sins we can commit. It isto be lived with a dominant interest in being of utmost service to God and man. God calls us to apositive, single-hearted devotion to the welfare of man, to the service of the lowliest and lost, tothe support of good causes."Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, aslong as ever you can." 7--John WesleyTo care for people is to serve God who made them in His own image. Unless our religiongets down to the soles of our feet, it is not worth much. Soul religion is not enough; God requiressole religion also. Christianity is not a rocking-chair religion; it is a religion of action, of service.

173Oswald Chambers challenged us:"Let God make you broken bread and poured out wine in His hand for others." 8Broken bread and poured out wine is what service, servanthood is all about."The greatest of all the arts is the art of losing ourselves in the service of others."--AnonymousWe are saved to serve, not to be served. The happiest and most fulfilled people in theworld are not those who are continually thinking about happiness, but those who are busy losingtheir lives in sacrificial service for others. Life to the full, which Christ came to give us, willnever be experienced by those whose life-style is selfish and self-centered, but by those whohave given themselves to help others.THE MOTIVEThe Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, "What is the chief end of man?" and answers:"The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." Enjoyment of God is a byproductof glorifying Him. And we glorify Him when we care for His children, His creation.Only servants truly do that.Paul's message to the believers at Galatia was:"Serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13).Mother Theresa says that when we identify with the affliction and loneliness of sufferingpeople we express self-giving love. When we do that the poor will see the love of Jesus Christwho died for the sins of the world.When Mother Theresa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she declined the dinnerplanned in her honor, asking that the money be given to feed the hungry people in India. In heracceptance speech she talked about the peace and dignity with which the poor die. Then she toldabout a man whom they had taken from the streets into their home so he could die with dignity.He was emaciated and his body was covered with maggots. In response to their kindness, hesaid:"I have lived like an animal in the streets. Here I shall die like an angel."

174Real service is the overflow of our love for God and His people. Without theoverflow of love there is no genuine Christian service. Conversely, without service there is nogenuine love."God measures loyalty to Himself not by expressions of feeling but by service."9XIV. HOW TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION

175“Temptation discovers what we are.”1--Thomas a Kempis“Things forbidden have a secret charm.”2--Tacitus“He that lies with dogs rises with fleas.”3--Anonymous“At every fork in the road the devil is dangling the carrot down the wrong path.”4--William Vander Hoven“The devil comes without invitation but leaves only when commanded.”5--W. E. McCumberAs a Christian you now have a new Friend, an unfailing Friend in Jesus Christ. But youalso have an enemy. Satan is his name; temptation is his game!Behind the temptations stands the tempter. Behind the lie stands the liar. Behind all deathand bloodshed stands the "murderer from the beginning." This is a point Jesus made to thePharisees:"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.He was a murderer from the beginning not holding to the truth, for there is notruth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar andthe father of lies" (John 8:44).COMMON TO ALL

176Some things in life are unavoidable-- like death and taxes. Another one istemptation. No one, no matter how holy and perfect, has been able to avoid the enticement of theforbidden fruit of temptation."No one is so good that he is immune to temptation. We will never be entirelyfree from it . . .There is no order so holy, no place so secret where there be nottemptation."6--Thomas a KempisSome people are surprised to discover that being a Christian isn't a cure-all for everyproblem. In fact most of us discover more problems after we trust Christ as Savior and Lord.The moment we get serious about Christ the devil gets serious about us!Temptation is one of the sure marks of our humanity. It is an experience that ties us alltogether. While we human beings come in all colors, shapes and sizes and are as different as ourfingerprints attest, yet we are all the same in that we all face temptation. No matter where we livein the world or what vocation we find ourselves in, we have all had firsthand confrontation withtemptation.HOW TEMPTATION OPERATESJames shows us how temptation works and how sins are produced.". . . each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away andenticed. Then, after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin; and sin, whenit is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:14-15).Here we find the source of man's temptation (peirasmos) to do evil is not God, butrather man himself. The "evil desires" within man is the combustible material which tends toinvolve him in compromising situations. Satan stands ready to appeal to those weak areas.Sin is attractive because of man's sinful nature. And this sinful nature was notdestroyed when we became Christians. We received another nature which can keep us free fromthe power and dominion of sin in our lives but only as we are subject to the presence of the HolySpirit in our lives.The progression of evil is described in three downward steps. First, there is the evil desireor the temptation. Then there is the yielding to this temptation. Then finally is the punishment forthe yielding: death.Adam and Eve

177Consider some examples from the Bible which show that lust brought about sin and sinbrought about death. After He created Adam, God commanded him, "of every tree of thegarden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat ofit: thereof you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). The process that led to the eating of the fruitis recorded in Genesis 3:6:"When the woman say that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, andalso desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some toher husband who was with her, and he ate it."First there was the lust, or desire, for the fruit. Then thoughts turned into action toproduce sin. Sin produced death—spiritual death was immediate, and physical death waseventual. Notice the progress: She saw that the fruit was pleasant, she desired, she took, she ate.AchanAnother example of the process of sin is recorded in Joshua 7. The Israelites had justentered the land of Canaan, had conquered Jericho and then attempted to take the city of Ai. Butat Ai the Israelites suffered a serious defeat because of the sin of one person by the name ofAchan. God refused to intervene and give victory to the Israelites until the sin had been dealtwith. The individual was finally tracked down, and Joshua confronted him with his sin. Noticethat Achan's explanation reveals the prices of sin. Achan said,‘When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekelsof silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and tookthem. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent with the silver underneath."(Joshua 7:21)Notice the progression revealed by Achan's words: He saw, coveted, took, and hid.GOD’S HELP IN TEMPTATIONJesus, having gone through repeated temptations, ends His model prayer (the Lord'sPrayer) with a petition for guidance and deliverance:"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13).Notice that Jesus ties this petition to the last petitions of His prayer (the Lord's Prayer)with the word "and" (Matthew 6:13). By this He tells us that just as we need food for ourphysical health, forgiveness for our spiritual vitality, so we need guidance and deliverance tocontinue to live in a close and intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.

178Just as we need forgiveness and our basic physical needs met so we need power toface temptation. The offer of forgiveness without the power to deal with temptation might lead tothe attitude of giving into temptation and then asking God for forgiveness.Just as we cannot supply our own physical needs or forgive our own sins, so we cannothandle temptation in our own strength. This is why we must continually seek God's help.THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEMPTATION AND TESTINGThis plea has been confusing to many people since it tells us to pray that God will not"lead us into temptation." One reason for this is that the Bible states that God does not tempt uswith evil. James explains:"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot betempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone . . ." (James 1:13).God uses our trials to show us our own true selves and how dependent we are on God.James exhorts us:"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, becauseyou know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverancemust finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lackinganything" (James 1:2-4).Here we are to rejoice in our trials because of its effect: developing perseverance whichmakes us mature and complete.Peter shows that God subjects His children to testing to eliminate defects from theircharacters, and to strengthen and establish them in holiness:"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffergrief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth thangold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine andresult in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).IMPLICATIONS OF GUIDANCEThe phrase, "And lead us not into temptation" implies four things about our heavenlyFather:1. It acknowledges God's sovereignty in that He has the same absolute control over evilas over good. The ordering or permission of all temptation thrown at us by the devil has been

filtered through the will of God who is all-Job shows us this truth most emphatically.179wise, all-loving and all-powerful. The book of2. God's justice is recognized. Our wickedness is such that God would be perfectly justif He should allow Satan to devour and destroy us.3. God's mercy is recognized. Even though we have grievously provoked and hurt ourheavenly Father, for Christ's sake He has forgiven our sins and we can therefore ask Him topreserve us.4. Our weakness is acknowledged. Because we realize our propensity toward evil, weneed to pray for strength to face and overcome temptation.IMPLICATIONS OF DELIVERANCEPaul was able to testify: "For we are not unaware of his schemes" (2 Corinthians 2:11).Yet most of us are unaware because we do not know the Bible. So we need to pray, “But deliverus from the evil one."1. This is a prayer for illumination to discern in specific situations how spirits areattempting to affect us so that we may be able to detect Satan's devices.2. This is also a prayer for strength to resist Satan's attacks, for he is much toopowerful for us to withstand in our own might.3. This is a prayer for grace to die to our own sinful human desires. We cannot givelicense to the evil of our hearts.4. This is a prayer for repentance when we do succumb to temptation.5. This is a prayer for the removal of guilt from our conscience.6. This is a prayer for restored fellowship with our heavenly Father. 7HOW SATAN TEMPTS USThe last phrase, "but deliver us from the evil one" acknowledges that the evil referred tohere is primarily Satan. Evil is not merely an abstract principle. It does not exist apart frompersonalities, and finds its focus in a malevolent person called Satan. This phrase is not restricted

180to the devil alone. Any kind of evil applies and we are admonished to pray fordeliverance from all kinds, degrees and occasions of evil.We are to pray for deliverance from the subtle allurements of the powers of darkness andfrom this evil world with its enticing snares. It means we are to pray for deliverance from the evilof our own hearts, that evil may be restrained, subdued and reckoned dead.It is the world (Galatians 1:40), the flesh (Matthew 12:35), and the devil (Ephesians 6:16;1 John 2:13-14; 3:12; 5:18-19) that we need to be delivered from. The world and our flesh, oursinful human nature, are used by Satan as his agents and this is why we must constantly pray fordeliverance from all our spiritual enemies. While it is true that we have been delivered from "thedominion of darkness" and brought into the "kingdom of the Son" (Colossians 1:13), andconsequently Satan no longer has any lawful authority over us, nevertheless he wields anawesome and oppressive power to harass and molest us as we yield him our rightful territory.The Bible shows us that Satan Stirs up enemies to persecute us (Revelation 12-13) Inflames our lusts (1 Chronicles 21:1; 1 Corinthians 7:5) Disturbs our peace (1 Peter 5:8)Therefore, we must continually pray for deliverance from his crafty grip.HOW TO FIGHT TEMPTATIONGod has promised in His Word that in His sense of fairness He never allows a person tobe swallowed up by temptation as in a tidal wave. Rather, He promises that along with thetemptation that He will always make a way out--a clear exit for escape:"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful;He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you aretempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."(1 Corinthians 10:13)But how do we fight temptation? We have already seen that prayer is one of God's keyweapons in this fight against temptation as evidenced by Jesus. As we look at spiritual principlesto overcome temptation we will look more fully at prayer as a discipline.GOD'S CURE: SURGERY

181This issue of sin is so serious in God's eyes that His cure is nothing less than radicalsurgery. Anything which is a cause of, or a seduction to, sin should be cut out, removed, howeverpainfully. Jesus stated it:"If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is betterfor you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be throwninto hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.It is better for your to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to gointo hell" (Matthew 5:29-30).PREPARE YOURSELFSince we are admonished to “watch!” so that we do not fall into temptation we know thattemptation is guaranteed in life. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Since temptation isbound to come, we must be ready. Preparation begins with a sincere determination not tosuccumb. When Daniel was taken captive into Babylon, he knew he would be given food that agodly Jew living under the law of Moses should not eat. Therefore, before the food was placedbefore him, he“. . . resolved not to defile himself” (Daniel 1:8).Neither Daniel nor his friends changed their minds when the heat was turned up! (In theircase this was true literally since the oven was heated seven times hotter than usual.)Like Daniel and his friends we too must arm ourselves with such a firm resolution.PRAYERPrayer is communion with God. Jesus says:"I am the true vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, hewill bear much fruits: apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).Remaining or abiding is the basis of the Christian life. Abiding takes communication andit takes time. Therefore, it must be cultivated. There need to be periods of prayer where weare in earnest about our life in Christ. Consistency is more important than large chunks oftime at times. Fifteen minutes every day is better than three hours once or twice a week. If youare a night person, and therefore find spending time in prayer best in the evening, it is importantthat you also still spend even just a few moments with your Master upon rising from bed. AskHim to spend the day with you to make you conscious of His presence and to help yourremember to spend the day with Him.

182Pray many times during the day. In fact, be in an attitude of prayer at all times.The devil has greater access to those who only abide in their Lord consciously for a brief time inthe morning or evening. It is vital that you habitually remind yourself that God has pledged Hispresence to you at all times (Matthew 28:20).A prayer partner in whom you can confide can be extremely helpful. Paul told theChristians at Thessalonica that they should encourage the fainthearted and help the weak withgodly patience (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Sharing your weaknesses and concerns with anotherbeliever can be very beneficial, though it may be a hard step to take.DEFENSIVE ATTACK1. OCCUPIE—LIVING IN OBEDIENCE. First, we need to be occupied by living inobedience if we are to withstand temptation. This is so important for one of the ways wesometimes get in trouble is because we find ourselves at the wrong place due to disobedience. Inking David's life temptation occurred at the time when the other men went off to war. David sawBathsheba bathing because he was not out leading his army as he should have been (2 Samuel11). His laziness and disobedience provided a great opportunity for Satan to tempt him. Lazinessalso can thus get us into tempting situations that otherwise would not present themselves.Do Not Flirt But Nip It In The BudWe dare not flirt with temptation. Instead we must immediately nip it in the bud. This istrue for many reasons. For one, while familiarity may breed contempt, when it comes to people,this is not so when it has to do with sin. Vices that are common and familiar eventually becomerespectable. As Alexander Pope put it:"Vice is a monster of such frightful mein, as to be hated needs but to be seen.But seen too often, familiar with her face. We first endure, then pity, thenembrace." 8Thus we gradually begin to mold our theology to fit the practice of our times rather thanto mold our lives to fit the standard of God's Word. Paul warned long ago:"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed bythe renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).Flirting is also dangerous because it opens up the dike for sin to rush in. As someonepointed out:"It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow." 9--McKenzie

Mark Twain put it:183“It is easier to stay out than to get out.” 10Once in sin, it begins to take over more and more of our life. Its appetite is neverquenched. As sin enters you, little by little your sin becomes you.It is also sheer mockery to ask God to deliver us from evil while we trifle with sin andrecklessly rush into the place of temptation. Prayer and alertness must never be divorced fromeach other. We must "put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature" (Colossians 3:5). Wemust not give any desires a chance to be coddle. "We must not think about how to gratify thedesires of the sinful nature" (Romans 13:14). Our thought-life is key since virtually every kind oftemptation makes its initial entrance through our thoughts.The mind eventually acts out what it dwells on.2. FLIGHT NOT FIGHT. Second, we must flee from tempting situations in order not togive in to temptation. Because our actions are the fruit of our thoughts we must closely guardwhat we allow our mind to dwell on.· "Flee the evil desires of youth" (2 Timothy 2:22).· "Flee from sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18)."If you want to avoid being tempted to eat forbidden fruit, stay out of the devil'sorchard!"We are not told to fight, but to flee. This negative approach, however, is not a permanentsolution. But during the moment of intense temptation it is a way out. Paul advised Timothy, ayoung preacher, and the young Corinthian believers who were saturated in a society bent onsensuality to flee. It is Joseph, who fled Potiphar's wife, and not David, who invited Bathshebaover to the palace, who is to be imitated. Joseph lost his position by fleeing from his temptress.And so must we.If you find yourself in a situation that makes sexual involvement enticing, simply startrunning like Joseph. If you're in an apartment, get out. If you're in a car, start the ignition. Getmoving!When Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph he did not consider prayer. Instead, he ran!Yet Joseph fled because he had already made up his mind that he would honor God aboveeveryone and everything. His response to the temptation was:"How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9).

184In the interest of purity as disciples of Jesus Christ we may have to flee from, give up,certain things. We may not be able to go to every place, read every book, view every movie ortelevision program or do everything that others do. It is better to live a limited, restricted life thana defiled and defeated one. Any serious athlete willingly accepts painful restrictions in hislifestyle for the sake of the coveted trophy. For the lizard it is better to lose his tail than his life.For the Christian, it is better to lose some freedoms than his spiritual vitality. When the eye isimpure the vision of God becomes obscured and the whole person suffers spiritually.3. SUBMIT TO GOD. Third, another way we fight temptation is to submit ourselves toGod. James puts it:"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then,to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7).Submission to God is key in fighting our enemy, Satan. We can resist the superiorcunning and wisdom of Satan only if we are in subjection to God. To be subject to God meansthat we humbly recognize that we are no match for our enemy and that we need to be totallysurrendered to God and His perfect will. The very order of the Lord's Prayer shows theimportance of our relationship to our heavenly Father in being able to see that this last petition ofHis prayer for protection comes after we have already prayed, "Hallowed be Your name."4. RESIST THE DEVIL. Fourth, we must resist the devil. How do we resist? We do soby taking a stand against him. This means to rebuke him as Jesus did when He ordered him, "Getbehind Me, Satan" (Matthew 16:23). Resisting the devil also means using Scripture, the "Swordof the Spirit' which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). Peter says, "Resist him, standing firmin the faith" (I Peter 5:9). The only way to stand firm in the faith is to live in the sphere of thefaith which is shown in the Bible. While the devil is not impressed with our puny words he has toflee before the living and powerful Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). Paul put it:"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting andtraining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equippedfor every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16).Here we see a four-fold ministry of the Word:1. Teaching—What to believe and do.2. Rebuking—Recognizing sin.3. Correcting—How to change.4. Training in Righteousness—How to live.

HOW TO MAINTAIN185RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATIONOFFENSIVE ATTACKIt is not enough to resist the devil, but we must learn how to maintain resistance to histemptations.1. HOUSECLEANING. First, housecleaning our mind is essential if we are to bereleased from sinful habits. It is vital that we identify specifically the thoughts that must beswept out. Make a list of these sinful imaginations, thoughts, attitudes and then isolate those thatare most troubling. This is a must if you want to have the furniture of your mind replaced.Effective replacement means that you do it piece by piece.Be prepared for the discipline of spiritual warfare. The world, the flesh, and the devil willnot surrender without a struggle. Effort and sacrifice are required. Fervent, continual prayer anddevoted Bible study is a must!2. REST. Second, rest is also essential. While rest may seem contradictory to discipline,it is not. Only a Christian who is disciplined in prayer and the Word of God can rest in the Lord.There is a place to cease our striving and learn to relax in the confidence that God is equal toevery situation. A lazy, undisciplined believer, however, is unable to do this. Instead he fallsapart at the seams when tragedy strikes. The disciplined Christian who is steeped in prayer andthe Word will turn to God and His Word like steel to a magnet as the storms of life hit.This declaration of war on your thought life means that you must set aside adequate timeevery day to begin your offensive attack. Through prayer, meditation and Bible study God'sWord becomes a powerful and authoritative force in your life.3. MEMORIZATION. Third, memorization of Scripture is vital for victory. Thepsalmist put it:"I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11).Instead of memorizing verses at random, make a list of troublesome thought patterns andfind verses of Scripture that speak directly to that problem. Then memorize these verses so thatyou have them at your fingertips during the day. God will use these to demolish the presentstrongholds of your mind and begin to construct a new edifice.In using these verses it is vital that you first prepare your mind before the temptationcomes. This way you will not be taken off guard. Thus you can anticipate rather than react.

During your time with God in the morning,claim Christ's victory for the day.186recite the verses you have memorized andIf you wait until temptation comes to decide how you will react, you have waited toolong. Choose beforehand to claim God's promises for whatever circumstances you expect toencounter.4. SENSITIVITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. Fourth, being sensitive to the working ofthe Holy Spirit is crucial if you are to learn to obey His first prompting. If you are tempted toenjoy a sensual fantasy, deal with those thoughts immediately. Each of us knows when we let ourminds skip across that invisible line into forbidden territory. The moment we do so, we sense thatwe are violating the purity that the Holy Spirit desires. That is the moment to say, "I reject thesethoughts in the name of the Lord Jesus," and then quote the passages of Scripture you havelearned for that temptation. Even though you will fail, your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit willdevelop.5. OPPORTUNITY FOR PRAISE. Fifth, turning the temptation into an opportunity forpraise will frustrate your enemy. This way your temptation becomes an alarm system that prodsyou to turn to God in praise. When temptation comes, quote powerful passages such as Romans8:35-39, Psalms 103, 144, and 145. Thank God for all the blessings you have in Christ. Focusyour praise on specific things you are thankful for. This will turn your stumblingblock into asteppingstone.6. DEAL DIRECTLY WITH SATAN. Sixth, whenever necessary, deal directly withSatan. Even if you apply these principles of spiritual warfare there will be insidious thoughts thatwill dart back into your mind. These are uninvited whose origin is no longer merely your sinfulnature but demonic forces.Use the Word of God because evil thoughts must be confronted the way Jesus foughtSatan in the wilderness. He commanded,"Away from Me, Satan! For it is written . . ." (Matthew 4:10).This formula should be used out loud since Satan cannot read your thoughts. Only God,who is all-knowing, can read our thoughts. But since Satan listens to our words, watches ourattitudes, actions and reactions it seems as though he can read our thoughts. The truth is, he canread us quite accurately because of the knowledge of us he has gained through observation.Speaking forth God's Word is key to overcoming the powers of Satan and his demons. Command

187him to depart on the basis of the Scripture you have claimed. Merely spouting off Bibleverses will not be effective (Satan can retort with verses too as he did when he tempted Jesus)unless you bring yourself under its authority. Then the power of the Word of God is unleashed.We only have a right to deal with demonic forces if we are under God's authority. Onlythose who are under authority can exercise authority. Satan and his minions must flee whenconfronted by the authoritative use of the Word of God by a child of God. Don't hesitate toconfront satanic forces directly when you are wrestling with those sinister thoughts that refuse toleave.The renewal of the mind may take a week or several months depending on the nature ofthe habit. Where you have been steeped in sinful habits for a long time, it takes a significantperiod of time not only to be freed but to get rid of the traits of the bondage of the past.In one sense the renewal process is never over this side of eternity. For the more wemeditate on the Word, the more clearly we see new areas of our lives that need to be changed.Subtle motives and attitudes surface only after long exposure to the light of God's Word and tothe presence of the Holy Spirit.LAPSES ARE NOT FATALLapses are not fatal. Psychologists claim that the way a person handles a lapse willdetermine whether he will ultimately break his habit. Instead of taking a defeatist attitude andsay, "I've blown it; I might as well give up" you can respond, "I should not have done this, but bythe grace of God, I will try again." God is not only the God of the second chance, but the third,the fourth, etc.There is no question that Christ intends for His children to be free from bondage. He hasprovided the resources necessary to make our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.SCRIPTURE REFERENCESThe following are Scripture references that can be helpful in bringing our thoughts underthe control of the Holy Spirit, as we fight temptation defensively and offensively.Pride: James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5-6; Galatians 6:14; 6:3.Lust: Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Peter 2:11; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5;Romans 6:11.Covetousness: Psalm 84:11; 119:35; Luke 12:15; Colossians 3:1,2,4; 6:6; Hebrews 13:5;Philippians 4:11-12,19.Anger: Psalm 37:8; Proverbs 14:29; 16:32; Ephesians 4:26,31; Colossians 3:8.

188Lack of Discipline: Romans 12:11; 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; Hebrews 6:12;Philippians 4:12-13.Worry: Philippians 4:6, 19; 1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 5:19-34; 2 Corinthians 9:28;Psalm 34:10; 37:4; 84:11.Bitterness: Ephesians 4:30-31; Hebrews 12:15; 1 Corinthians 13.Depression: Psalm 31; Philippians 4; 1 Kings 19:4,5; 1 Samuel 16:14,23; John 14:27;15:33.Fear: Psalm 23, 27, 91; Isaiah 41:10; Joshua 1:9; John 14:27; 16:33.Doubt: Psalm 5:11; 18:2; 37:5; 126;146; Hebrews 11; 12:2; Romans 10:17;James 1:3-6; 1 Peter 1:7; Isaiah 12:2.Discouragement: Psalm 34; John 14:1,27; 16:33; Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 5:14.

XIV. FALSE189PROPHETS AND CULTS“There’s a sucker born every minute.”1--Phineas Taylor Barnum“Old error in new dress is ever error nonetheless.”2“Watch out for false prophets, they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardlythey are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-16).Fanatics come in every stripe and color. Some of them are extremely difficult torecognize. Often many good things are found among their excesses. If every religious quack wasobviously fake, no one would be deceived. Therefore, we are warned to be on our guard:“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles todeceive the elect—if that were possible” (Mark 13:22).Here we see the extreme deceptiveness of the false prophets where they are almost ableto deceive the very “elect.” False prophets can look like the real thing. This should not surpriseus in light of Paul’s warning:“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not

Their190surprising, then, if his servants masquerades as servants of righteousness.end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).BE ALERT!Be alert! There are more than two kinds of people in the world--believers andunbelievers. There is a third group as Peter and Paul point out:“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be falseteachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, evendenying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction onthemselves” (2 Peter 2:1-2).“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith andfollow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings comefrom hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hotiron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).A FEAR TO JUDGEMany Christians have come to believe that it is wrong to judge. For many this is based onJesus’ warning:“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way You judge others,you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(Matthew 7:1-2)This, however, does not mean that it is always wrong to judge people under anycircumstances. If so, then why did Jesus tell us five versus later not to give sacred things to dogsand pearls to swine? How can you decide who is a dog or who is a swing unless you judge?What Jesus is saying is that when you judge others—as everyone must—be aware thatthe same measuring stick you use for others will be used for you.this:It is not wrong to listen carefully to what is being said from the pulpit. Paul encouraged

191“Two or three prophets should spread, and the others should weigh carefully whatis said” (1 Corinthians 14:29).To whose who would argue that this only applies in the case of prophecy, Luke replies:“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for theyreceived the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures everyday to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).God loves truth seekers—people who so love the truth that they will not automaticallyreceive something as truth just because someone says it, not matter what the reputation of thespeaker. (By this time, Paul was considered a solid leader and teacher).From these passages we see that even prophets, apostles and teachers make mistakes orgo beyond the revelation God has given them. Here is where the community of believers is soimportant. God has given us the responsibility to test everything:“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether theyare from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).Fakes know how to use religious terminology. They have all the right phrases and clichesand thus sound so pious. They use such words as salvation, resurrection, judgment, prayer, etc.When they depart from historic Christianity, they seem to find a way to convince others that their“interpretation” is right. The believers of Galatia evidently had been seduced because Paul said:“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by thegrace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospelat all.” (Galatians 1:6-7).HOW TO SPOT RELIGIOUS FAKESHow do you spot religious charlatans? This question was a serious issue during the end ofthe first century for many Christians. By this time the apostles were gone and all kinds of fakesappeared. Many were gifted and exciting “preachers” who used Scripture to support heresy.Therefore a test was needed.fake:But what kind of test? According to Jesus, lifestyle or behavior is one way we can spot a

192“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardlythey are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-16).The early Christians examined the lives of the prophets to see if they behaved like theOne they claimed to follow—Jesus. While false teachers may say all kinds of soothing things,just below the surface lurks their true nature. Eventually that nature will manifest its corruption.The ability to detect a false prophet doesn’t require that you be a biblical scholar. Keepyour eye out for four areas.CULTSClosely tied to false prophets are cults that they have founded. Religious cults differ fromdenominations in that they are heretical schisms from orthodox belief and practice.TRAITSWhat are the traits or characteristics of cults? Cults generally tend to have these traits orcharacteristic but not necessarily all of these. But these twelve “observations” provide a red flag.1. EXCLUSIVE SALVATION. Because of their belief in a leader who alone has God’sfinal message, they come to believe that God can accomplish His ultimate purpose only throughthem-- “our group.” They alone are God’s people and understand His message. They trulybelieve that they alone are saved while all others are lost. If their movement fails, then theyreason, God also has failed. If they let God down then His work will never be accomplished.2. PRESUMPTUOUS MESSIANIC LEADERSHIP. The leaders of cults are frequentlymen and women who claim that they in some unique way represent God to their disciples. Someclaim to be a “messiah,” if not outright “the Messiah.” Others claim to be the interpreter ofGod’s mind and Word. Their attitude is “I know what’s best for you.” Such arrogant andconfident claims attract confused and uncertain people who are looking for certainty in a worldof uncertainty.3. BLIND ALLEGIANCE TO LEADERSHIP. Followers are taught that any kind ofquestioning is seen as disloyalty to the Leader and to the group. All disagreement is looked uponas a threat to the “purity” of the movement. Uncritical allegiance to leadership is the result.Allegiance to the leader and the cult becomes so pronounced that followers are ready to die toshow their loyalty as in the case of Jim Jones’ followers. This blind allegiance is seen also in thatdecades and even centuries after a leader has died. The devoted followers still try to prove that

their founder was true or that his long-pastlegitimate.193date for the Second Coming of Christ still is4. DOCTRINAL AMBIGUITY. Cults are constantly changing their views to fit with thechanging values and ideas of society. Changes are made to fit whatever is currently attractingfollowers. An example of this would be the position of the Mormons toward blacks. It was only afew years ago that they allowed blacks into the priesthood. Before that they were considered aninferior race.5. SELECTIVE HERMENEUTICS (INTERPRETATION). The cultist is very selectivein his treatment of the Bible. It is a cafeteria style of interpretation where he picks and choosescertain verses here and there without regard to their context. It is proof-texting where certainportions of Scripture are extracted from its context to prove a particular point of doctrine. Hebuilds his beliefs out of bits and pieces of the Bible. This is why cult members are so extremelyignorant of biblical knowledge in general. They have focused all their learning on certainportions and are totally in the dark if asked about the rest of the Bible.6. LIMITED ESCHATOLOGY. Because the cult members believe that they alone are thepeople of God and that they have the only true message of God, their view of Christ’s coming is“Christ is coming only for us.”7. PERSECUTION COMPLEX. Their exclusivistic view of salvation whereby they thinkthey are the only ones who have the truth and are therefore qualified to be God’s people hasgiven rise to a persecution complex that feeds their paranoia. They tend to have a mentality thatpeople hate them because they’re different. Their attitude is “The world is against us because wehave the truth!”8. DENUNCIATION OF OTHERS. This often takes the form of blacklisting all otherchurches and denominations as being apostate while claiming their cult to be the only truerepresentation of the Church. Often they see themselves as the restoration of the primitive faithof Christianity. Their attitude is “All the churches are wrong but ours.”9. CONTROLLING. Leaders intrude into the most minute details of the lives of the cult’sfollowers. People are told often what to eat, when to go to bed, who to marry (dating is oftenforbidden and considered “worldly”), how many children to have, how to discipline, where tolive (if they are not a communal setting), what kind of work they should be employed with, etc.Followers are discouraged to think for themselves, and thereby, the cult keeps its uniformity or“purity.” Fear and guilt are ingeniously and forcefully used to totally dominate the lives of itsfollowers.

19410. ANTI-INTELLECTUAL. This does not mean that cult leaders or followersare not intelligent; it means that they have a general disdain for education as offered by oursociety and religious institutions. Often they will make fun of seminaries by arrogantly referringto them as “cemeteries.” For the most part, the leaders of cults are “self-taught” deciding forthemselves what is important and what is not important to study. If they do have some formal orsemi-formal education, it is often at a school that is not accredited by an accrediting association.Such lack of formal education easily leads to heresy since a person is not given the broadspectrum ofeducation, whether secular or theological. I’m reminded of the young and enthusiastic evangelistwho told John Wesley, “God doesn’t need your education.” Wesley responded, “Nor does Godneed your ignorance.” The cultist takes pride in his lack of formal education. To bypass theaccumulated knowledge and wisdom of people throughout the ages by selecting a narrow path, ifa path at all, of intellectual pursuit, is the height of intellectual and religious snobbery.11. SYNCRETISM. Often cults are a mixture of views and interpretations from variousteachings or groups such as the British Israel theory of eschatological interpretation, SeventhDay Adventism, Jehovah Witnesses, etc. Various views are blended together to appeal to thenaive and the uninformed.12. FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION. As seen earlier, false prophets usually are motivedby greed. Their love of money, which is the root of all evil, makes them seek huge sums ofmoney from their followers, so they can live in the lap of luxury. Luxurious living often is usedas evidence of God’s blessing in their life and ministry. Wealth is a sign of God’s approval andthe faith of the leader. The more faith one has, the more money. All kinds of manipulativetechniques are brought to bear on the gullible followers to extract their often hard-earned money.HOW TO WATCH FOR FALSE PROPHETS OR CULTSThe ability to detect a false prophet doesn’t require that you be a biblical scholar. Keepyour eye out for four areas. While the 12 points above are subjective observations, the eight areasbelow are objective scriptural principles that are unchanging.1. EXTRA-BIBLICAL REVELATION. To the Bible is added the authority of somebook or teacher. Their view is “We have a special message from God.” They thrive on biblicalilliterates and religious newcomers who become enamored with special revelation, deeper truth,and better methods. Cult members profess to have a corner on God’s revelation. As a rule theyclaim to have a book or letter that is the “key” to understanding the Bible. Some say that onlytheir translation of the Bible is inspired. Others believe their leader alone has God’s finalmessage for the world in these last days. Their attitude is “Yes, we need the Bible, but . . .”

John warns:195“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyoneadds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in thisbook. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God willtake away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which aredescribed in this book” (Revelation 22:18).While this warning relates specifically to the book of Revelation, it applies to all bookscontained in Scripture. Moses gave a similar warning in Deuteronomy 4:1-4. The Old and NewTestaments form the “canon” (measuring rod) of Scripture and is recognized by the historicChristian Church as its Holy Scripture, containing the final, authoritative deposit of divinerevelation. These writings (“canon”) designate the exclusive collection of documents in theJudeo-Christian tradition that have come to be regarded as Scripture. The historic Christian beliefis that the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of the books (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21)also controlled their selection and that this is something to be discerned by spiritual insight ratherthan by mere historical research. Statements in the writings themselves (1 Corinthians 2:13;14:37; Galatians 1:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 2:13) led the local apostolic churches to preserve themand eventually collect them into a general canon. Therefore they are normative for every aspectof the life of the Church, be it creed, worship or its life in the world.No human explanation or interpretation of God’s Word should be elevated to the sameauthority as the text itself. Here is a warning against any who would tamper with the contents ofthe book, either textually or in its moral and theological teaching. So severe is the danger he iswarning against that John says that those who teach contrary to the message of Revelation willnot only forfeit any right to salvation in the Holy City but will have visited on them the divinejudgments (plagues) inflicted on those who worship the beast.2. DEFECTIVE CHRISTOLOGY. Cults either distort or deny the biblical teachingconcerning the Person and work of Jesus Christ. John warned:“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledgesthat Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does notacknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which youheard is coming and even now is already in the world” (1 John 4:2-3).“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1).

196Every cult denies either the humanity or the deity of Jesus Christ. This is nothingnew for the apostle John who addressed this issue in his day as heretical Gnosticism threatenedthe Early Church.“What do you think of Christ?” is the test of orthodoxy of any group or movementcalling itself Christian. This is foundational. The attitude of a cult is “We need Jesus,but . . .”3. A FALSE BASIS OF SALVATION. Instead of accepting “the finished work” of JesusChrist who died to obtain man’s salvation, cults add to that work. This is in the form ofmeritorious work--rules and regulations that are closely adhered to. Often certain religiousobservances are added that take on crucial importance. When any kind of human activity isadded to the work accomplished by Jesus on the cross, the gospel of grace is perverted. Theirattitude is “Jesus died for our sins, but . . .” They also believe in an exclusive salvation whichsays: “We alone are saved. All others are lost.”Paul clearly and repeatedly tells us that no one is justified by observing the law:“know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith inJesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we maybe justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because byobserving the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).Paul is arguing against the illegitimate use of the Old Testament law that made theobservance of the law the grounds of acceptance with God. Faith is the means by whichjustification is received, not its basis. The basis is the finished work of Christ on the cross.Paul warned:“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gainedthrough the law, Christ died for nothing” (Galatians 2:21).To mingle legalism with grace distorts grace and makes a mockery of the cross.4. UNCERTAIN HOPE. Even with a view toward salvation that is exclusive, the realtruth is that cultist never has the full assurance of salvation. When pressed, he will admit that heis not sure that he will enter heaven, but hopes so as he presses on to work a little harder to makethat hope more certain.John assures us:

197“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in HisSon. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God doesnot have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of theSon of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13).Eternal life is “given.” It is a free gift of God. This is why you can be assured ofsalvation. With meritorious work as the basis of salvation it is no wonder that the cultist istragically and understandably left in a limbo of uncertainty.5. GREED. Paul claimed:“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary,in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God”(2 Corinthians 2:17)“Many,” Paul claimed, were engaged in preaching for monetary benefit. The lateA. A. Allen counseled a young evangelist:“Son, do you know when a revival meeting is over? When you turn peopleon their heads and shake them and no money falls out, then you knowGod’s saying, “Move on to the next town, son.”This is the kind of callous greed Paul was warning about.The Church Fathers of the Early Church dealt with the greedy by not giving them anymoney and by not letting them stay longer than three days.6. IMMORALITY. In describing Jezebel, the false prophetess, John says:“You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By herteaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eatingof foods sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20).Immorality and false prophets go hand in hand. Since they consider themselves to bespecial, they receive direct revelation from God Himself, and so, they are above the dictates ofthe Bible. The admonitions against sexual immorality in the Bible apply only to lesser mortals.7. EGOMANIA. Egomania is another trait common among false prophets. One aspectof egomania is that these leaders are extremely intolerant of any interpretation of Scripture or lifein general, other than their own. Like the Oracle, they know all and see all. If their teaching or

198lifestyle is questioned in any way, they deflect such accusations by appealing to the “deeper”or “hidden” truth that God has revealed to them.The more obvious form of egomania is where these leaders put themselves in theforefront of anything and everything. Their names and pictures are promoted in everyconceivable way. Schools, camps, churches, etc. are named after them. And they are not hesitantin sharing how much they sacrifice for the Lord and for their followers. Paul, on the other hand,was able to testify:“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as yourservants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5).8. CHARISMA. The final mark characteristic of religious fakes is charisma. Paulclaimed:“I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘superapostles.’ I may not be atrained speaker, but I do have knowledge” (2 Corinthians 11:5).In referring to the “super-apostles,” Paul was being sarcastic. These were false apostleswho had infiltrated the Corinthian church. They were in reality not apostles at all, except in theirown arrogantly inflated opinion of themselves (1 Corinthians 10:12). In Paul’s admission, “I maynot be a trained speaker” (1 Corinthians 11:5), he was referring to using the skills, references andflourishes of professional rhetoric. Paul is admitting here that he was not an orator or a refined,accomplished speaker, as were these superapostles. They used a professional type of oratory astheir stock in trade, designed to deceive the people and, thus, extract money from them.By their professional skills as orators and by their winning personalities, these, like somany false prophets today, were able to play on the gullibility of the audiences. We should notbe surprised that Satan, who appears as an angel of light, would use gifted, intelligent, refinedpeople to do his bidding. As the Deceiver, it is only natural that he would use the best this worldcan offer in attracting as many as possible to his side. Satan is too smart to use the mediocre.Be alert! Watch out for these traits and marks in false prophets and cults. Be discerning.Don’t be duped by appearances. Underneath the sheep’s clothing, you will find “ferociouswolves” and behind the religious terminology, you will find heresy.“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardlythey are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-16).

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200XVI. DIVINE GUIDANCE: HOW TO KNOW GOD'S WILL"Be very careful then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the mostof every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, butunderstand what the Lord's will is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).". . . because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:14)."Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings, He isalways wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God,mature and fully assured" (Colossians 4:12).______________________________________________________________________________"There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God." 1--F. W. Faber______________________________________________________________________________

201Knowing the will of God for our lives is not always easy! This has frustrated manyChristians and as J. I. Packer puts it:"In our quest for God's guidance we become our own worst enemies, and ourmistakes attest to our nuttiness in this area." 2APPROACHESAll kinds of approaches and techniques are used to "decipher" the secret code.Many people think of God's will as a magical blueprint that drops from heaven into ourlap. They are looking for a neat, little, prepackaged formula that will outline, day by day, eachstep for the rest of their lives.Some people hold the notion that God has their lives all mapped out, but He won't showthem the way. Other believers have concluded that God is playing hide-and-seek and that theywill find His will only if they are clever and persistent. Others feel guilty for past mistakes andhave resigned themselves to what they think is a second-rate or second-best life. Some peoplenervously tiptoe through life as if they were on an acrobat's tightrope wondering with every stepthey take if they are going to make it through life with God's continued approval or fall and beconsigned to His disapproval.Others see God's plan and purpose as an itinerary drawn up for us like a travel agentwould draw it up. As long as we are in the right place at the right time to board each plane all iswell. But the moment we miss one of these preplanned connections we miss the plane and theitinerary is ruined. Even though a new itinerary can be devised in most circumstances, it is onlysecond-best in comparison to the original. This understanding of how God operates His willpresupposes that either God's will, His wisdom or both cannot get us back on track. Thetragic result is that only a substandard, second-rate spiritual life is all that is open to us. Althoughwe may not be thrown on the scrap-heap and thereby lose our souls, we certainly are put on theshelf and thus forfeit usefulness and blessing in the work of the kingdom. In this view God isseen as a stern Task-Master who is scrutinizing our every move, ready at a moment's notice, toconsign us to a life of spiritual mediocrity once we fail to stay on His "straight and narrow road.""FAILURE" IS NOT FINALNever forget that even if you do make a bad decision, it is not the end of everything.Because of His mercy God forgives and restores. He is your covenant God who watches overyou. As the psalmist confidently put it:

202"If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble,He will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23-24).Similarly the prophet Micah affirmed God's grace and strength as he warned his enemies:"Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I shall rise.Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light" (Micah 7:8).If we feel that we have sinned in ways that now render us unfit for future service, weshould also turn to Psalm 32 for encouragement:“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and inwhose spirit is no deceit.When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.Then as I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’–and You forgavethe guilt of my sin.Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found;surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround mewith songs of deliverance.I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:1-8).A COMMENDABLE SEARCHThe fact that we want to know God's will is commendable. It is an indication that wewant to please God as we want to know what He wants for us. It is often the most sensitive andconscientious believers who are most concerned about knowing God's will as they want to makesure they are in the center of God's will. The danger is a preoccupation and obsession withknowing the will of God, which for the most part, is either already clearly spelled out for us inGod's Word or which allows the freedom to choose equally acceptable actions which arepleasing to God.MISGUIDED GUIDANCE

203People's involvement in the occult is partly due to the desperate attempt ofmankind to know the present--what they should do—and to know the future—what lies ahead.Countless millions of Americans look to the horoscopes daily to find understanding andguidance.The occult is a satanic counterfeit of God's true supernatural knowledge and power whichmanifests itself in three areas: miracles, communication and knowledge of the future. The lust forknowledge (which would lead to independence from God) is forbidden to mankind and is theessential cause of man's fall as it is an attempt to bypass God's specifically stated boundaries(Genesis 3:3-5).The difference between magic and religion is that in magic we manipulate the deities sothat they perform our wishes whereas in religion we subject ourselves to the divine will.All involvement with the occult is forbidden in Scripture:"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, whopractices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or castsspells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone whodoes these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practicesthe Lord your God will drive out those nations before you" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).God, and only God, is our source of divine (supernatural) knowledge and power. Toreceive guidance from God for our lives necessitates a clean break from all other forms ofguidance.THE PURPOSE FOR DIFFICULWhy is it so difficult at times to ascertain God's will? I suspect it has something to dowith what Robert Short once said about Jesus' parables: "Nuts designed to crack you before youcrack them." The very effort you put into trying to understand them is what is necessary to breakdown your defenses and let the Spirit of God get a foothold in your life.THE TWO WILLS OF GODTHE PERFECT WILL OF GOD

The perfect will of God is theand purpose for you and the world:204intentional will of God. This is His ideal will"It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."(Matthew 18:14)"He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come torepentance" (2 Peter 3:9).It is obvious, therefore, that everything that happens in this world is not God's will in thesense that it is what God intends and plans to happen. All the sin and evil in the world is notGod's will.For some mysterious reason the perfect will of God can be thwarted by man's willtemporarily. If this were not so, human beings would have no real freedom. All sin and evil"defeats," at least temporarily, the perfect will of God.The Sovereignty of GodYet God is sovereign and ultimately His will prevails. Nebuchadnezzar testified:"Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified Him who lives forever.'His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation togeneration. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as Hepleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can holdback His hand or say to Him: 'What have you done?'" (Daniel 4:34-35).One of the broadest expressions of God's sovereignty is found in Ephesians 1:11:"In Him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan ofHim who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will."The Freedom and Responsibility of ManYet it is equally evident from Scripture that man has been given a will and theresponsibility to make decisions:"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before youlife and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your childrenmay live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and holdfast to Him" (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

205The two biblical doctrines of God's sovereignty and man's freedom and responsibilityconstitute a paradox that runs through biblical history. Such a truth lies beyond our human,finite comprehension:"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Howunsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)Instead of trying to reduce the mystery of the knowledge of God to our own meagerunderstanding, we must humbly bow before the awesome and majestic God and marvel at Hisways.In the end (eschaton) God will bring history to an end and establish His kingdom ofrighteousness as He will be "all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).THE PERMISSIVE WILL OF GODThe circumstantial or permissive will of God is operative in our fallen world. In using theword "permissive" I am using the etymological meaning in the sense of "permit" or "allow." Thisis not to be confused with the negative psychological term that has to do with being"permissive." It simply means that God permits or allows certain things to happen in this fallenuniverse."We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirthright up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have thefirstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption assons, the redemption of our bodies" (Romans 8:22-23).Evil, imperfection, and weakness pervades all of nature and man. Sin has caused a radicalimbalance and imperfection in the created universe.God has set in motion laws in nature by which all of mankind operates. In circumstancessurrounding accidents, for example, God wills that the law of gravity will operate. Because God'slaws and causes are continuously at work, God does not suspend His natural laws. If He were todo so, this world would be utterly chaotic. Because of the law of gravity, when flesh and blood(animals or humans) tangle with concrete the result is tragic as a body is smashed. The very lawthat enables a child to stay on the earth is also the force that can kill. Such a law is no moresuspended if we sin or are careless than if we are the innocent party in an "accident."Providential Care

206It is within the circumstantial will of God that God still "works all things together forgood to those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). Thereare many things that are permitted by God for two reasons:The world has been created with natural laws to which everyone in it are subject.Man was created with the dignity of free moral choices.Therefore, certain events take place within God's permissive or circumstantial will, butnot directly because God intends or wills them. The point of this verse (Romans 8:28) is thatGod will not allow anything to happen to us which by itself can defeat His ultimate (perfect)purpose in the lives of His children. Therefore nothing can happen to God's people that Godcannot use for good.It is never the event itself, but the fact that God is at work, that makes a situation turn outfor our ultimate good. God Himself does not change or undo the nature of a tragedy--its evil, itssuffering, its pain. Yet God can work with us as He changes the meaning of a particular event toour total life and thus He works out His will in that circumstance. God can never be taken bysurprise and therefore He can never be beaten by any possible combination of circumstances. ButHe can anticipate events and therefore can stop them, if that is in conformity with His ultimategood.Leslie Weatherhead in his book, The Will of God, uses a mountainside stream to illustratethe interplay between God's perfect/ultimate will and permissive/circumstantial will. Aschildren are playing in a tiny mountainside stream they divert the stream by making little damsof mud and stones, and they float their toy boats in the puddles and ponds. But the streamcontinues to surge down to the river and the valley. In the same way people build great dams,change the course of rivers with lakes and locks, thus diverting their flow. Yet even they cannotprevent the streams from flowing into the sea. 3In our lives there are many things such as sin, mistakes, "accidents," etc. that may divertand temporarily "defeat" God's plan and purposes. Yet as these very sins, mistakes, and"accidents" take place God provides other channels to carry out His ultimate, perfect will.If God's omnipotence (all-powerfulness) means that God gets His own way by sheerexhibition of power, man's freedom would be an illusion, and thus moral and spiritual growth animpossibility. Rather God's power is to be seen as His ability to achieve His purposes. God then,

is all-powerful in that nothing can happenpurposes and plans.207which will ultimately defeat Him or HisThe most brilliant example of this is the cross. The most heinous crime was committed byman, as he by evil intent, took Jesus and crucified Him on a cruel cross. Yet it was this verycross, this very death that brought salvation to mankind. What man meant for evil, God used forgood. God used man's most horrific crime as an instrument whereby He saved the world.THE GUIDING ASSUMPTIONGod's guidance is predicated on the assumption that God wants His best for us:"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper youand not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'" (Jeremiah 29:11).This does not mean that God will dump His future in our lap as we passively sit around.Rather He follows this assurance with the words:"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen toyou. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."(Jeremiah 29:12-13)Wholehearted seeking will yield divine answers.God's best can only be realized when we are fully yielded to be the best we can be forGod as we look for His grace to guide and equip us to be all that we were meant to be.The question is not so much, "What can I do for God?" But, "What can God do in andthrough me?" Questions such as "How can He best work out His plan and purpose in my life?"and "How can I be used most effectively in His Kingdom?" form the bottom line of knowingGod's will as we seek to be guided by the Holy Spirit.PRINCIPLES IN FINDING GOD’S WILL1. CLEAR CONSCIENCE. Unconfessed sin gives Satan a foothold in your life. Satan,who is the author of confusion, can therefore easily bring confusion in our life. Unconfessed sinmakes us an open target for the accusations of the enemy, who himself, is "the accuser of thebrethren" (Revelation 12:10).

208Guidance will always be hindered and misunderstood if there are still sinful things inour life that God has shown us to get rid of. Why should God show you more if we have notobeyed the things He has already shown us? Jesus puts it:"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, andwhoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" (Luke 16:10).Unconfessed sin makes prayer ineffective because when you pray the finger of God'sSpirit will point back to that thing He wants you to get right.2. INTEGRITY. The basic meaning of integrity in the Hebrew Scriptures has to dowith wholeness, not being divided or doubleminded. It is soundness of character and adherenceto moral principle. The New Testament use of the word carries essentially the same meaning asthat in the Old Testament.A common expression is "to walk in integrity" indicating a way of life. God promises toprotect those who walk in it (Proverbs 2:7), to make them secure (Proverbs 2:21; 10:9; 20:7;28:18), and says that it is better than wealth. Solomon states in the book of Proverbs:"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed bytheir duplicity" (Proverbs 11:3).Solomon defines integrity here as faithfulness or dependability (opposite ofunfaithfulness) and genuineness or honesty (without duplicity).upon.A person of integrity is a person of his word. He is a person of honor who can be countedDavid also promised those who were following God:"If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though hestumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand" (Psalm 37:23-24).If we are sincere about following the Lord, He will see to it that when we stumble it willnot lead to disaster. Instead God will lift us up and direct and redirect our path. We are thussafe in His sovereign guidance.3. LORDSHIP–Willingnesss and Commitment To Do God’s Will.A surrendered heart is the basis of an understanding mind:

209"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies asliving sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--which is your spiritual worship. Donot conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by therenewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God'swill is—His good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:1-2).Willingness and commitment are the indispensable foundations for finding God's will.This principle applies to all areas of life, to the Christian and the non-Christian alike. Jesusanswered the Jews who were questioning where He got His amazing learning:"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teachingcomes from God or whether I speak on my own" (John 7:17).God is not interested in theoretical speculation. It is utter foolishness to expect God toreveal His will for us next week until we practice it for today. God desires a heart and mind thatis serious about living for Him. God is looking for people whose aim in life is to please Him,who acknowledge that He is Lord and Master in every area of life.Obedience to the known will of God leads to greater knowledge. Our ethical dispositionprecedes our theological and practical knowledge. Our disposition of obedience leads us to agreater understanding of the mind of God.Doing God’s will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.When one person realizes and let the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. Onegives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction oranother. It is as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender,willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.Lordship means we are willing to let God lead. As we dance together with God we need to trustHim to lead and guide us through each season of our lives.In the last analysis, all religion lies in this: either we run life our way, or let God run it.The beginning of Christian discipleship is illustrated by the prayer of Paul at Damascus,"Lord what do you want me to do?”The climax, and the crown, is the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane,

210“Father, not my will, but Thine, be done!'"4. OUR OWN DESIRES. Sometimes we are more “spiritual” than God. Oftenspirituality means doing what we don’t like. This is opposite of how God usually work. His willis not unpleasant. If He leads you in a direction that may seem unpleasant to you, He will workby His Spirit in your life so that your feelings and attitudes about His direction will change.God wants us to be happy, fulfilled, satisfied in His will.David understood this as he stated in the Book of Psalms:“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”(Psalm 37:4)When we learn to delight ourselves in the Lord we begin to have the same desires thatGod has. His will becomes ours. Therefore what we will is what He wills.5. INNER PROMPTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. It should not surprise us that thethird member of the triune Godhead, the Holy Spirit, who is called "another Counselor" (John14:16) and "the Spirit of truth" (John 14:17) provides guidance. As "the Spirit of truth" the HolySpirit in essence and in action is characterized by truth. He brings people to the truth of God.This is true in the area of guidance as well as any other area. Jesus promised:". . . when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He willnot speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you whatis yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and makingit known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spiritwill take from what is Mine and make it known to you" (John 16:13-15).We see that the Holy Spirit is the Revealer. As One who does not draw attention toHimself but promotes the glory of Christ, He receives revelation from the Father and reveals it toHis people.6. THE BIBLE—GOD'S WORD. There is no way to be really sure what others wantfrom us unless they tell us. No opinion polls or meditative guesswork can substitute for plaincommunication between people. If this is true of human beings, how much more true is it ofGod's ways. The most trustworthy method of knowing the divine will is for God to tell us. Inthe Bible He has done that very thing. It is the infallible means that He has chosen to speak tous human beings. Therefore the Bible is full of indispensable and specific help.

211The will of God and the Word of God are inseparable. God never leads us in away that is contrary to the teachings of Scripture. Rather He uses His Word to give light (Psalm119:130). The psalmist says:"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).The lamp and the light are the revelation of God's will for the individual. God's Word isthe revelation of God's will. This is an objective map, a set of guidelines to follow in what oftenturns out to be a very subjective maze.The Bible is a library of 66 books filled with precepts and principles. And the better weknow His Word the better we will know God's will.The vast majority of our problems for which we seek God's will are already settled for usin the Word. We often view His will as though it was hidden and veiled, but most of what weseek to know is already revealed in the Word. This means that we must study the Word ofGod before we can determine His will.The Bible contains little specific advice on the techniques of guidance, but providesprecepts and general principles and gives emphasis to the proper way to maintain a loverelationship with God. God wants a conscious and willing acceptance of His presence andguidance whenever we make a decision. The spotlight of guidance therefore shifts fromtechnique to precepts, principles and relationship. Precepts are specific, black and white truthsthat take all the guesswork out of the way. An example would be:"For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is that you abstain from sexualimmorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).Sexual immorality is never the will of God! And yet you will hear Christians who tellhow they have met so and so and how God is blessing their relationship even though there isimmorality going on.Principles, on the other hand, are general guidelines to assist us in the gray areas. Insteadof telling us not to do or to do something, principles tell us to use wisdom and discretion inascertaining what God would have us do in a given situation. An example would be our trafficlaws. A precept is a sign that reads "Speed Limit 45." A principle is a sign that reads "DriveCarefully." And such a principle will mean one thing during one day when the weather is greatand another at night when it is terrible.

212We must be diligent students of God's Word in order to know God's will, becauseHis will for an individual will never be contrary to the Word. The will of God is the Word ofGod and the Word of God is the will of God.The Spirit of God and the Word of God must always go together. For it is the sameSpirit who leads us who also inspired the Holy Scriptures. If we look to the Spirit alone withoutthe Word, we open ourselves to possible delusions for we easily get away from any objectivestandard. This is where self and Satan so easily enters in. If the Holy Spirit guides us at all, Hewill do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them (John 8:32; 17:17).7. PRAYER. God gives us this promise in the Book of Proverbs:"Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My doors, waiting atMy doorway" (Proverbs 8:34).Prayer is more than talking; it is listening. It is watching daily, waiting on God to speak,to minister. In our "eager beaver" Western world where we are so busy talking, even in ourpraying such a promise sounds foreign to us. Knowing God in the stillness of prayer is extremelydifficult and therefore utterly rare among us busy Westerners. But it is a practice needed as neverbefore. Someone stated:"Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God."As we study the Bible and church history we find that those men and women who wereused mightily of God were those who spent much time with God in prayer. They were men andwomen who knew how to wait on God--listening to Him in prayer and getting to know Hisvoice.God has three answers in guidance: (1) "Yes" (2) "No" (3) "Wait." God decides. He issovereign. Sometimes there must be delays. Our lives are bound up with others, and many timesGod has to wait until they are ready, or until we are before giving us the go-ahead. "Wait" isprobably the most difficult of all answers, but sometimes it's the most necessary.James points out that sometimes we do not have what we want for two reasons:"You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do notreceive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what youget on your pleasures" (James 4:3).

213We do not have, or more specifically, we do not know God's will, because we "donot ask" and because we ask with "wrong motives."We need to realize, therefore, the utter importance of prayer. Prayer is God's sovereignmeans of accomplishing His will on earth. Lack of prayer, therefore, can frustrate God's willfrom being accomplished in our lives. This is also true of wrong prayer—selfish prayers withulterior motives. God sees through such manipulation and answers "No!”The more we commune with our heavenly Father, the better we will know Him. Themore time we spend in His presence, the less trouble we will have determining His will.8. GOD-GIVEN ABILITIES (TALENTS AND GIFTS). In trying to ascertain God'swill, we must ask ourselves what abilities God has given us, and how does He want us to usethese to accomplished His purpose in our lives. If you can't carry a tune, God hasn't called you toa music ministry no matter how much you may enjoy your singing. If in trying to lead, no onefollows you, this shows that you do not have the gift of leadership. We must guard against thetendency to spiritualize. There are some practical ways we can find God's will for us.In The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) we see that God has given to somepeople five talents, to others two, and to still others one talent. When Jesus spoke this parable,the word “talent” referred to primarily a unit of weight measurement, like “pound” or “ounce” or“kilo” and secondarily to a unit of money like “dollar” or “shekel.” It did not refer, at that time,to an ability or skill.However, the modern usage of the word talent as ability comes from the accurateapplication of this parable: Jesus intended us to understand that the money was distributed to theservants in the parable according to their natural talents or abilities (which are different for eachservant). Therefore we can apply this principle to our own abilities.It is important that we first find out what talent or talents God has given us. It's prettydifficult to use something we don't know we have. Once we find out what they are it is crucialthat we put them to use. Notice the reluctance of the one-talent person to use his gift (Matthew25:24-30). Because of fear he buried his talent. And he was punished harshly for it.The issue in the parable is not how many talents we have, but what we do with thetalents God has entrusted us with. The two-talent person was rewarded as much as the fivetalent person—God doubled it for both of them. In seeking God's will, therefore, we must bequick to find what our talents are and then put them to use quickly.

214Not only has God given talents to His people; He has also given gifts--spiritual giftsto them. Talents are given to all whether Christian or not, whereas spiritual gifts are only givento those who are indwelt by the Spirit of God—Christians. God has gifted the church withspiritual gifts for the effective functioning of His body. It is clear from Scripture that God hasgiven atleast one spiritual gift to every Christian (1 Corinthians 12:7,27; Ephesians 4:7). To do God'swill, therefore, means to find, develop and use the gift/s God has given for the upbuilding of Hisbody, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-31; 14:1-40).9. PROVIDENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. Paul, on his second missionary journey,crossed the vast country we know today as Turkey, hoping and trying desperately to preach thegospel. But one door after another slammed in his face (Acts 16:6-10). When he finally got toTroas, on the western edge of the country, God told him that He wanted him to go further westinto Europe and preach the gospel there. There an open door awaited him.Closed doors are just as much God's leading as open ones. Warning: picking locks orkicking down doors is not God's will. George Mueller put it:"The stops of a good man, as well as the steps, are ordered by the Lord."God uses circumstances to show us opportunities and limits. When those limits cannot bechanged they are to be seen as signals from God. When God bolts the doors, we must not try toget in through the window. If the decision is open and free, enter with peace. If it is closed anduncertain, turn away with peace.Some people seem to always be in trouble. While we know that Satan will fight us toothand nail as we become more and more serious about living for God, we also need to recognizethat continual problems might be a sign that we are not in God's will in some area of our lives.As David Cantor put it:"If everything's coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane."The Lord uses circumstances and expects us to discern them with a sensitive, alertconscience. As we look back over our lives many of us realize that almost every major decisionof our lives came through the opening of some door. Confirmation then came from God that Hewould have us to walk through such a door.10. GODLY COUNSEL. Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived gave us this counsel:"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice."(Proverbs 12:15)

215"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed" (Proverbs 15:22).In seeking to know God's will it is important that we seek the advise of godly people.Again Solomon tells us:"A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of understandingdraws it out" (Proverbs 10:5).Sometimes it is extremely valuable to have another person listen to our thoughts and toask penetrating questions that help bring out the insights that are already in our minds and hearts.In seeking the counsel of others beware of the opposite danger of dependence. Becausefinding God's will for ourselves can be difficult at times, some go to others to ask them to findGod's will for them. The danger is that their guidance may be wrong as God usually does notreveal to one person His will for another.Just as the quarterback who calls time out to consult with the coach in a difficultsituation, so we need to seek the counsel of others in this matter of knowing God's will.11. PEACE (The Arbiter).When God's Word and Spirit agree on any course of action, wecan be certain that it is God's will, and the result of conformity of His Word and Spirit will be thepeace of God. This is what Paul mentions in writing about understanding the will of God:"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you werecalled to peace . . . and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, willguard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7).The word translated “rule” is a Greek word that means to be a referee or umpire. Let thepeace of God umpire or do the deciding in your heart. In baseball, for instance, an umpire calls abaseball pitch a "ball" or a "strike." He says a player is "out" or "safe." A good umpire is clearand decisive about his calls and decisions. So is God.In the fourteenth chapter of Romans, Paul deals with gray issues. The Romans hadwritten to ask Paul about whether they should eat meat which had been offered to idols (Romans14:2-3; see also 1 Corinthians 8) and whether some days are more important than others

216(Romans 14:5). Paul did not say "yes" or "no," but dealt with the issue by stating a veryimportant principle: if you lack peace you should not do it. The Bible reads:“. . . the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is notfrom faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).If you have a restlessness, an uneasiness, a lack of freedom, doubt, you should not do it.Oswald Chambers put it this way:"There are times when you cannot understand why you cannot do what you wantto do. When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait. . . Never run before God's guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He isnot guiding. Whenever there is doubt—don't." 4We must never violate our conscience! Even if there are things that are okay for othermore mature Christians, such as eating meat offered to idols (which was alright for Paul to eat),as long as there is doubt, lack of peace, we must not go ahead and eat (Romans 14). Instead wewait for the time that we can do that certain thing with confidence and assurance.Whenever we feel rushed or in a panic we must stop and wait on God. Satan pushes, butGod leads. God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time. With us it is often the opposite.Another principle that is very important in this area of experiencing God's peace is tonever doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.When we are convinced that we are following God and the circumstances and everyoneelse looks the very opposite it is crucial to hang on to what God said or showed us in stillness, inthe light. Often Satan will use fear to make us question God's clear leading.Peace, while in some ways it may seem nebulous, yet it is an essential ingredient in thismatter of knowing God's will. We must let it be our umpire, our arbiter.12. VISIONS AND DREAMS. This section on visions and dreams will be dealt with atlength, not because it is more important than the other sections, but because it is unchartedterritory among Westerners in general, and Christians in the Western world in particular.By far the most neglected means of knowing God's will among twentieth-centuryChristians is visions and dreams. Most of us simply assume that finding religious meaning invisions and dreams is a proven fallacy that ceased with the Dark Ages. Thus visions and dreamshave become God's forgotten language.

217This is strange since the early Christian church held that visions and dreams were someof the most significant and important ways in which God revealed His will to people, even tounbelievers. Scripture is clear that visions and dreams were understood by the Old and NewTestament saints and the early Christians as means by which God's people found access to themind and will of God. Such an understanding was virtually held universally among all people.Morton Kelsey, expert in the field of dreams, speaks of basically two different attitudestoward dreams. One is that dreaming is "an essentially meaningless experience, not worth thetime of day (or night)."5 The other attitude is that dreaming is "a key to unlocking the secrets ofhuman personality and even to finding meaning beyond the personal." 6What Is A Dream?The dream has been understood to be "a succession of images present in the mind duringsleep."7 And sleep is "that period in which there is temporary cessation of the waking state."8From a purely physiological point of view, dreams serve to keep us asleep when we are driftingtoward consciousness.Are Visions and Dreams Legitimate?Should we also see visions and dreams as significant? Is it true that they give meaningand purpose, or warning where there is pending spiritual disaster? Are visions and dreamslegitimate vehicles in communicating divine revelation? Should we consider these images aspossible ways by which God guides us? If so, how do we differentiate the voice of God from allother voices?Since Scripture is our standard—our rule of faith and practice—we must look to itfor the answer. Visions and dreams are scattered throughout the Old Testament from Genesis toZechariah as they are often essential to the narratives. In Scripture they are presented as amedium of revelation.There is no doubt but that visions and dreams are a double-edged sword. The ancientIsraelites noted their transitory nature and thus Old Testament writers used them as similes forthat which quickly vanishes (Job 20:8; Psalm 73:20; Isaiah 29:7). Because of their vividness andrealism some dreams possess ability to confuse the boundary line between dream and reality(Psalm 126:1; Isaiah 29:8). In two proverbs Solomon associates dreams with the many emptywords of a fool (Ecclesiastes 5:3,7).Revelatory Dreams

218In Scripture dreams with a message are presented as having been self-evident.They are also parabolic—riddles. Moses was one with whom it was believed that God spoke"face to face" and did not use His dark and parabolic speech of visions and dreams with whichHe communicated with most people."When both of them [Aaron and Miriam] stepped forward, He said, 'Listen to Mywords: 'When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself to him invisions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of My servant Moses; he isfaithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles;why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?'" (Numbers 12:6-8)In the time of Saul dreams were viewed as one of the regular means of receivingmessages from God (1 Samuel 28:6,15). They are often associated with prophecy, both authentic(Numbers 12:6; Joel 2:28) and false (Deuteronomy 13:1,3,5; Jeremiah 23:25,27f.,32; 29:8;Zechariah 10:2).When God is not with His people, the prophets maintain with Saul that "calamity uponcalamity will come, and rumor upon rumor. They will try to get a vision from the prophet; theteaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders" (Ezekiel 7:26).The same idea is found in Isaiah 29:10; 32:15; Jeremiah 31:34; Lamentations 2:9; Ezekiel 39:29;and Micah 3:5-8. Here we see that dreams, visions, and prophesies are inextricably linkedtogether.The New Testament as well as the Old Testament provide a significant place to visionsand dreams. The Greek New Testament uses twelve different words and expressions tocommunicate different ways of saying that a person has come into contact with some realityother than that perceived through the physical senses. 9Those who argue that God sometimes spoke in the parabolic form of visions and dreamsin the Old Testament, but no longer does so in the New Testament since believers now have theHoly Spirit indwelling in them completely miss the point of Joel's prophecy which was fulfilledon the Day of Pentecost:"In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sonsand daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will

dream dreams. Even on Myout My219servants, both men and women, I will pourSpirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavenabove and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sunwill be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the greatand glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lordwill be saved" (Luke quoting Joel 2:28-32 in Acts 2:17-21).Here we see that Peter interprets this prophesy as referring to the latter days of the newcovenant (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27; 39:29), in contrast to the former days of the oldcovenant. His point is that the age of Messianic fulfillment has arrived with the coming of theHoly Spirit whose manifestation is seen in prophesies, dreams, visions, and wonders. And we seehere that the Spirit is bestowed on all, irrespective of sex, age and rank. Rather than a cessationof the supernatural, whether in terms of prophesies, dreams, visions, or wonders, there is anincrease of such signs as they point to the fact that the Messiah has come and that He has sentHis Spirit to indwell all people.The Purpose of Visions and DreamsThe purpose of dreams is spiritual and moral:To turn people away from the pit of hell (sheol).Lead them back to Himself."In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as theyslumber in their beds, He may speak in their ears and terrify them withwarnings, to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, topreserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword" (Job 33:15-18).The Interpretation of Visions and DreamsIn biblical literature revelatory dreams (of the visual type except for those appearing toJacob) required subsequent interpretation. The most prominent interpreters of dreams in thebiblical narratives are Joseph at the court of Pharaoh, and Daniel at the court of Nebuchadnezzar.Both of these men of God succeeded when the "wise men" of the pagan nations had failed, andboth testified that it was God who had sent the dreams and that He, the God of Israel, alone couldgive the interpretation. 10

220According to the Law, prophets, visionaries, and dreamers are false if they say,"Let us go after other gods and let us serve them." This is so even in the cases where they showwonders and correctly foretell the future. Although these seers have the power to see beyond thepresent, if they use this power to turn Israel away from its God, then their words shall beshunned, and they shall be put to death (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).Guidelines of InterpretationSome symbols portrayed represent general characteristics, such as the ferocious beastsin Daniel's dream representing powerful nations. There are also universal images such as thedragon and the serpent representing Satan. There are also the beautiful images of the river of lifewith luscious fruit hanging from the trees. The variety of images that visions and dreams take toconvey their messages are endless.The most common error in the interpretation of a vision or dream is that we take itliterally and interpret it rationally. Instead we should look at a dream or vision as pictoriallanguage similar to a cartoon. If you see the common political cartoon of an eagle and a bearfighting, you know that it probably speaks symbolically of the United States and Russia at war.So when a dream speaks of animals we should inquire immediately to find what that animalrepresents to the visionary or dreamer and sometimes, if it is a universal image, such as ananimal, what it represents in literature, what its characteristics are.In dreaming about people, experts in revelatory images tell us that about ninety-fivepercent of the time we are not dreaming of them as individuals but of that which theyrepresent. If you question this, try to make sense of your images and you will find they becomenonsensical.Visions and dreams are usually not objective. They rarely speak of the actual individualwe dream about. This makes it difficult to interpret visions and dreams about individuals. We aretold that since visions and dreams use natural imagery, the most natural interpretation isthe correct one. This means, for instance, that when we dream of falling, we should check andsee why we are not on solid ground psychologically and/or spiritually. When we dream that weare not properly dressed, we should examine what we are embarrassed about or what we feeluncomfortable about in relation to others. When women dream that they are ready to give birthto a child, this may likely mean that new ideas or concepts are being born in them. 11

221Death in a dream usually does not mean physical death, but the death of apart of ourselves. A common dream is that we see ourselves attending a funeral service and aswe look into the casket, we see ourselves in that very casket. This probably means that the dreamwas picturing the conscious part of ourselves observing the death of another part of ourselves.Such a death may be good or bad, depending on what part of ourselves had died. 12When a death represents physical death, however, it does so symbolically. An examplewould be seeing an animal suddenly die which may possibly foretell our own sudden death, orsomebody else’s..Although visions and dreams are not to be taken literally, they are to be taken seriously asthey are interpreted symbolically.Since visions and dreams speak to us in pictorial language, their interpretations are moreaccessible to children who in their simplicity better understand such language. Therefore, tounderstand visions and dreams we need to become more like children.In order for God to communicate through visions and dreams, we must discerningly trustour visions and dreams as we trust our thoughts. Just as we yield ourselves to God and trustHim to guard our thoughts, so we trust Him to guard our visions, and especially, our dreamssince they are much more common.Some say that the spiritual realm, and especially the mystical realm, is a dangerous realm,the fact is that staying out of it is more dangerous in that divine guidance and blessing isimpossible apart from the realm of the Spirit.13. FASTING. Fasting conjures up all kinds of weird ideas in our minds. Many of usassociate fasting with fanaticism. People who fast appear a bit strange, a bit odd for God. Theytend to be the John the Baptist types, the overly serious, legalists, health nuts . . . or all of theabove.Food, like everything else, can be a blessing or a curse. When exalted beyond God'sintended purpose, it produces spiritual enslavement and physical harm. Nothing--includingfood--should catch our focus and attention. Only God deserves our worship and devotion.In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus addresses this issue of fasting. Earlier in this SermonJesus had given two other examples of Christian piety: prayer and giving to the needy(Matthew 6:1-3). These first two examples do not seem particularly difficult. To most people,prayer and giving are familiar, even though they may not understand them completely orpractice them.

Whatever our opinion of fasting mayfasting would be practiced by His disciples:222be, the Bible is clear that Jesus assumed that"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure theirfaces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received theirreward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, sothat it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father,who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."(Matthew 6:16-18)Jesus did not say "If you give to the needy," but "When you give to the needy." He tookit for granted that succeeding generations of disciples would recognize their responsibility togive. Jesus did not say, "If you pray," as though praying were optional. He said, "When youpray," taking for granted that they would recognize prayer as a vital necessity.The prevalence of fasting in the Bible is shown by the fact that the word "fast" and otherforms of the word are used 78 times. The root of the word means "to afflict the soul" or "todeny oneself." It is not merely the ultimate crash diet for the body; rather it is abstinencefrom food for spiritual purposes. While the specific meaning of fasting has to do with thedenial of physical food, in a larger sense, it refers to anything we deny ourselves in order tofocus on spiritual matters.BenefitsThere are numerous benefits to fasting such as Cleansing (Psalm 69:5,10,16) Expression of humility (Luke 18:12 vs. Psalm 35:11-13; Ezra 8:21-23;1 Kings. 21:27-29) Grief (1 Sam. 31:13; 20:34; 2 Samuel 1:11,12) Empathy and Generosity (Isaiah 58:6-7; 2 Corinthians 8:10-15)An Expression of Deep concern for God's people and work.(Nehemiah 1:3-4; Daniel 9:4-19) Thanksgiving (Numbers 28:9-15; 29:1-6) Oneness with God (Philippians 3:19) Overcoming temptation (2 Peter 2:19; Romans 13:14) Self-control (1 Corinthians 9:27) Wholeheartedness (2 Samuel 12:16; Ezra 8:23; Jeremiah 29:13; Joel 2:12)

223 Minister to the needs of others (Isaiah 58:3-4) Release those spiritually enslaved(Judges 20; Isaiah 58:6; Acts 14:21-23; 2 Corinthians 11:27) To seek deliverance or protection or for a safe journey(2 Chronicles 20:3-4; Esther 4:16; Ezra 8:21) Purification and strengthening of body (1 Corinthians 6:19) Sharpen the mind (Colossians 2:20-23; Galatians 5:23) An expression of worship and love of God (Luke 2:37-38) Understanding God's will (Daniel 1:12-17).Purpose/MotiveFasting easily lends itself to a mechanical exercise. Like other spiritual disciplines,fasting is a spiritual grace. Also, like other disciplines, it can readily deteriorate to religion byrote and lead to spiritual pride, the deadliest pride of all. Because it is the least practiced of allspiritual disciplines, it is that much more prone to such dangers. We dare not fall into themistaken notion that we can somehow manipulate God to do our bidding by fasting. Godcannot be coerced! Rather, fasting is seeking God to hear from Him and respond to His stillsmall voice. Fasting is not a means whereby we try to bend God's will, but it is God's method ofbending our will to His.Guidelines1. Reach a personal conviction on the subject through a careful biblical study so youcan exercise this spiritual discipline in faith.2. Approach fasting with a positive attitude of faith that God will meet you when youfast with the right motives.3. Watch out for presumption. Faith fastens onto God's promises, but presumption isreckless as it goes beyond what is reasonable or realistic and thus can endanger a person.4. Examine your motives. Ask yourself the following questions?Am I confident that this desire to fast is God-given? Would He have me undertake a normal or just a partial fast? Is there any hidden desire to impress others or myself? What are my objectives in this fast? Do my objectives tend to be self-centered?

2245. Keep checking your motives throughout the fast since it lends itself soreadily to spiritual pride (Isaiah 58:1-12).6. Begin with short fasts and gradually move to longer periods of time. The bodygrows accustomed to fasting by degrees, and God does not usually ask us to run before we havebegun to walk, or even crawl.7. Usually, the body goes through four stages during a prolonged fast with symptomsdiffering slightly from person to person. For the first two or three days, your body craves food.Such initial craving is not the symptom of real hunger. Rather it is simply your stomach givingsignals of hunger at certain hours because it has been trained through the years of conditioningto give such signals. Be prepared for some dizziness, headache or nausea in the early stages offasting. This is especially true for those who drink coffee, tea or soft drinks and those who eat"junk food.” The second stage is weakness as you may feel faint for two or three days. Thisstage, however, quickly subsides. The third stage is increased strength with little if anyhunger. This stage lasts until all waste products are eliminated. The last stage is starvationwhich begins any time between the twentieth and fortieth day when the body begins to feed offliving cells. Hunger pangs begin again, and, if the fast is carried much beyond this point,serious damage may occur.8. Try to undertake the fast when your body will not have to be so active. Physicalstrain makes fasting more difficult. Exercising should be continued, but not strenuously.Fasting is another means provided by God to help us to grow in grace and a powerfulweapon for our spiritual armory. Our age of intense spiritual warfare demands that we recallfasting from spiritual exile. God's people dare not attempt to fulfill God's plan and purposeapart from all the resources God has provided. God's work is to be accomplished by Hisappointed means. One such means is fasting.9. CASTING LOTS. Are there times in seeking God's will that one should cast lots, pullstraws, flip a coin? Many Christians contend that such a method sounds so unspiritual. Whatdoes that have to do with it? The better question is: Do we find any evidence in Scripture thatsuch a method was ever practiced? Definitely! In fact, we find several examples.I believe that this method is more the exception than the rule of finding God's specificwill. I'm not sure why I feel that way. Maybe it is for the same reason that others object to thismethod outright: it sounds unspiritual, it seems so arbitrary.

225Yet it can easily be argued that its very arbitrary nature makes it a better methodof discerning God's will since our own faulty discernment is not involved. After all, we have nocontrol of the outcome by such a chancy or providential method. God is given the right ofchoice.Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, seemed to approve of this method:"The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:33).Casting lots, drawing straws, or flipping a coin fall into the same category.Personally I would recommend this method after having expended all the other methodswithout a clear understanding of God's specific will. Obviously, such an arbitrary choice byflipping a coin should be done only when you are choosing between good options. If thereis a bad option you already know that is not the right one.The Bible, our rule of faith and practice, gives several examples of how God workedthrough such techniques to reveal what He wanted done.Aaron cast lots on the Day of Atonement to select a goat to sacrifice.(Leviticus 16:8-10)Lots were cast for each gate in determining the divisions of the gatekeepers whohad duties for ministering in the temple (1 Chronicles 24:5,7,9; 26:13-16).Nehemiah used lot-casting to distribute responsibilities for work.(Nehemiah 10:34) Solomon said that casting lots could stop people from fighting (Proverbs 18:18). Jonah was discovered as the villain when a ship captain cast the lot (Jonah 1:7).The apostles cast lots when they needed a replacement. Matthias was chosen toreplace Judas who defected (Acts 1:23-26).I have heard many Christians who have argued that lot-casting is a mistake evidencedby its poor result in the case of Matthias. They have suggested that the apostles should havewaited until Paul was ready to fill the vacancy in God's good time. However, this suggestion isunfounded because Paul did not yet possess the qualifications set out in Acts 1:21f. Besides, his

226apostleship was unique in character, as he himself maintains (1 Corinthians 15:7). Hewould certainly have dismissed as preposterous the idea that he was rightfully the twelfthapostle on the same footing as the rest of the eleven.Even if Matthias proved to be a poor choice that does not necessarily mean that themethod of choosing him was wrong. After all, Judas was chosen by Jesus, hardly a goodselection from our point of view. But according to God's sovereign counsel Judas was just theright choice in carrying out the greater purposes of God.To argue that Matthias was a poor selection is purely conjecture. In fact, the oppositeseems to be true, even from our vantage point, since church tradition represents him as amissionary to the Ethiopians.It should also be observed that the apostles did not cast lots haphazardly. They firstselected the two men whom they judged most qualified or worthy to fill the vacancy. It maywell be that there was nothing obvious to choose between Joseph and Matthias. In that case thecasting of lots, which had very respectable precedent in Hebrew sacred history, was a veryreasonable and godly way of deciding on one of the two, especially as they sought God to overrulethe lot.Some have argued that there is no New Testament example of this procedure after thedescent of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). But this does not mean that casting lots isinvalid. There are many things taught in Scripture that was not repeated after Pentecost bywhich we still abide.Furthermore, this argument would hold some water if guidance only has to do with theinner prompting of the Holy Spirit. But there are numerous other principles to keep in mind intrying to ascertain God's will in specific matters.15. FAITH (SANCTIFIED COMMON SENSE OR PREFERENCE). This principle isclosely related to the preceding one in that it is by faith that you are trusting God to guide youin using your God-given common sense or preference.Most of the time, God’s will makes sense to our reason and intelligence. God's willis usually an area of general direction, within which He leaves us relatively free to work forHim (Proverbs 6:20-22; 11:3). However, sometimes His direction cuts across all human reason,and even goes totally contrary to it. When the inner voice of God speaks clearly, obediencemay be counted as madness in the eyes of the world. But if we are willing to be God's fool, thenwe will see His power (Matthew. 11:25; Mark 3:21; Acts 26:24-25; 1 Corinthians 3:18-20).

227When you have sought God’s specific guidance through all other methods withouthaving yielded clear direction and a decision is needed, use your freedom in either using yoursanctified common sense, or by casting lots. God can use either method to His glory.We should be patient and wait upon the Lord for His direction (Psalm 27:14; Habakkuk2:1; Acts 16:7). If God’s will is delayed in a certain area we should wait before Him in prayerand wait for further guidance.SUMMARY OF PRINCIPLES FOR FINDING GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFEI. CLEAR CONSCIE--Unconfessed sin gives Satan a foothold in our lives. A clearconscience is essential to be able to distinguish between the voice of God, one’s own voice(desire), and the voice of the enemy who so often appears as an angel of light (2 Corinthians11:14; Isaiah 6:8, 59:2; Psalm 31:3-4; Acts 24:16; Luke 16:10; Revelation 12:10).II. INTEGRITY—Our uprightness or integrity will lead us in the right direction.(Proverbs 11:3,23,27)III. LORDSHIP (COMMITMENT TO DO GOD'S WILL)—Am I willing to do God's willwhatever it may be? This is the indispensable foundation for finding His will (Luke 9:23;Romans 12:1-2; Acts 20:24).IV. OWN DESIRES—God is not a killjoy who wants to make us miserable in doingsomething we are not equipped to do with joy. Our own desires point the way to what Godwants us to do since He made us with those desires (Psalm 37:4).V. INNER PROMPTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT—Does the Holy Spirit motivate metoward or away from a particular course of action? (John 16:13; Galatians 5:16,25; Acts 16:6-10; 20:22-23).VI. THE BIBLE—GOD'S WORD—What principles, commandments or prohibitions apply?Has He given me any motivating verses or promises on the subject? (Psalm 119:105,130;John 8:12,31-32; 17:17).VII. PRAYER—Have I prayed adequately about this? As I pray in a certain direction, do Ihave continued freedom in prayer or lack of it? (Hebrews 11:4; Proverbs 8:34; Philippians 4:4;James 1:5-6; 4:2-3; 1 Kings. 19:11-13).VIII. GOD-GIVEN ABILITIES (TALENTS AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS)—What gifts andabilities has God given me, and how does He want me to use these to accomplish His purposesin the world? (Exodus 31:1-5; Matthew 25:14-30; 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Romans12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7,11; Ephesians 4:7,11-16).

228IX. PROVIDENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCES—Has God arranged circumstances to give mepositive guidance, or to stop me or slow me down? (Acts 16:6-10; Revelation 3:7-8;Philippians 1:12-14; Romans 8:28).X. GODLY COUNSEL—What is the prayerful counsel of someone who knows me and issomewhat familiar with the factors in my situation? Am I disregarding or avoiding counsel thatI should consider? (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 15:22). We find an exception to this in Scripture:Acts 21:10-14.XI. PEACE—Do I have continued inner peace as I consider the above factors in prayer, or doI experience restlessness, impatience or inner conflict? (Isaiah 26:3; 32:17; 2 Corinthians 2:13;Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:15; 1 John 3:21-22).XII. VISIONS & DREAMS–This method has strong scriptural precedent (Numbers 12:6; Joel2:28; Psalm 25:9; Acts 2:17; 16:6-10; 18:9-10; 23:11; 26:19), even though there is the tendencyamong conservative Christians to dismiss this principle, probably because of its subjectivenature.XIII. FASTING—When Daniel had difficulty understanding the prophecies of Jeremiah heturned to the Lord in fasting (Daniel 9:3) and he received insight and understanding (Daniel9:22,23). One of the major advances of the gospel after it had been first proclaimed as theHoly Spirit came upon Paul and Barnabas was attended by fasting (Acts 13:2-3; 14:21-23).XIV. CASTING LOTS—Although many Christians consider this method of casting lots tobe sub-Christian or unbiblical, its principle is advocated by the wisest man who ever lived,Solomon (Proverbs 16:33) and is commonly used in Bible times (Leviticus 16:8-10;1 Chronicles 24:5,7,9; 26:13-16; Nehemiah 10:34; Proverbs 18:18; Jonah 1:7; Acts 1:23-26).Since such a method seems arbitrary, in some ways it could be argued that it is a better methodfor discerning God's will since our own faulty discernment is not involved at all. Such a methodshould be used only when you are choosing between good options.XV. FAITH (SANCTIFIED COMMON SENSE OR PREFERENCE)—Faith means that weproceed (or halt) by responding to the light He has given through one or several of the aboveprinciples? (Proverbs 3:5-6; Acts 16:7; Hebrews 11:1-40). This principle of faith also is closelyrelated to the preceding one in that it is by faith that you are trusting God to guide you in usingyour God-given common sense or preference. It may be helpful to write down under thecategories of "pros" and "cons" and "alternatives" (Proverbs 6:6; 31:16; Isaiah 1:18; Matthew7:24-27; Luke 14:28-32; Romans 14:5).

229When you have sought God's specific guidance through all other methods withouthaving yielded clear direction and a decision is needed, use your freedom in either using yoursanctified common sense, or by casting lots. God can use either method to His glory.We should be patient and wait upon the Lord for His direction (Psalm 27:14;Habbakkuk 2:1; Acts 16:7). If God's will is delayed in a certain area we should wait before Himin prayer and wait for further guidance.CONCLUSIONThe Lord's words to His disciples in the Upper Room were essentially:"You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."(Matthew 26:17-35)Here Jesus was referring to His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. This is howGod works in all of our lives. While we may not realize what is really taking place at themoment, we will understand one day. The Puritan writer John Flavel stated:"The providence of God is like Hebrew words--it can be read only backwards." 13In the strictest sense this is true. There are many times in our lives when we think, "Itjust does not seem to make sense." At such times, and at all times, we need to fix our minds andhearts on God's wise, gracious, and sovereign rule with the confidence that He workseverything together for His children's good. Such assurance can free us from inquiring tooproudly or feverishly as to why we cannot always understand His sovereign purposes.Although we need to acknowledge our limitations in always understanding God's willfor our lives, we are reminded by Scripture that until that time when we shall see Jesus as He is(I John 3:2), and when we "shall know fully, even as [we are] fully known" (I Corinthians13:12), we are to graciously seek to be continually filled and led by the Spirit of God as weattempt to live as wise and not unwise people in this dark and evil world (Ephesians 5:15-18)."The will of God will never lead us where the grace of God is inadequate to keep us."

230NOTESPREFACE81.1A. W. Tozer, That Incredible Christian (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1964),INTRODUCTION1Edythe Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Wheaton:Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), 290.2Ibid., 291.3A. W. Tozer, That Incredible Christian (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, Inc.,1964), 82.4Ibid.5Ibid.6Ibid.CHAPTER I1Tozer, That Incredible Christian, 53-54.2A. W. Tozer, Of God and Men (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, Inc., 1960), 66.CHAPTER II1Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 236.CHAPTER III1Edythe Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 201.

2312Wesley D. Camp, Camp’s Unfamiliar Quotations from 2000 B.C. to the Present(Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990), 95.3Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 200.4Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict (Nashville: ThomasNelson Publishers, 1999), xxxiii.5Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 207.6Colin Brown, Christ Above All: The Message of Hebrews (Downers Grove, IL:InterVarsity Press, 1982), 197-198.7Elton Trueblood, The Predicament of Modern Man (Harper & Row, 1944), 52-53.8Shirwood Eliot Wirt, Topical Encyclopedia of Living Quotations (Minneapolis:Bethany House Publishers, 1982), 75.CHAPTER VI1Vance Havner, The Vance Havner Quotebook (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,1986), 136.2William Barclay, Jesus As They Saw Him (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. EerdmansPublishing Company, 1962), 408.3Maurice Irvin, “His Name: Lord,” Alliance Life (September 7, 1977), 5.4Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 600.CHAPTER VII1Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), 37.2“God’s Word In Your Life,” Navigators (Colorado Springs: The Navigators), 15.3Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart, How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth (GrandRapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982), 16.

232CHAPTER VIII1“Prayer,” Navigators (Colorado Springs).2Ann M. Velia, "Praying on the Go," The Christian Reader (May/June, 1995), 71-72.3Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 481.CHAPTER IX1Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers,1978), 15.2Ibid.3Ibid.4Leslie Flynn, Your Inner You (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1984), 41.5Edmund Clowney, Christian Meditation (Philadelphia: Craig Press, 19), 9.6Christian Herald, 52,54-55.CHAPTER X1Roger Hazelton, The God We Worship (New York: The MacMillan Company, 1946),1.2Karl Barth, Fireside Chat.3John R. Stott, “Worship,” Christianity Today (March, 1979), 37.4Vance Havner, Why Not Just Be Christians (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell,1956), 32.5C. S. Lewis, The Joyful Christian (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1977), 32.6Bruce Leafblad, “Recovering the Priority of God,” Worship Leader (April/May,1992), 20.

2337Webster’s Encyclopedia of Dictionaries, John Gage Allee, ed. (OttenheimerPublishers, Inc., 1958), 432.8Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 158.9Sherwood Wirt, A Thirst for God (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Company,1980), 130.10D. J. Fant, A. W. Tozer (Harrisburg: Christian Publications, 1964), 90.11Ronald Allen, Worship: Rediscovering the Missing Jewel (Portland, Ore: MultnomahPress, 1982), 18-19.CHAPTER XI1Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 217.2Ibid.3Billy Graham, Peace With God (New York: Doubleday, 1953), 177-178.CHAPTER XII1Design for Discipleship, Navigators (Colorado Springs: Navigators), 37.2Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 181.3Ibid., 182.CHAPTER XIII1Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 556.2Ibid., 560.3Ibid.

2344Frank S. Mead, The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations (Westwood, NJ: FlemingH. Revell Publishing Company, 1965), 404.5Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 126.6Helen Harris, The Newly Recovered Apology of Aristides (London: Hodder andStoughton, 1893) cited in Sherwood Eliot Wirt, The Social Conscience of the Evangelical (NewYork: Harper & Row, 1968), 29-30.7Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1988), #1296.8Oswald Chambers, Disciples Indeed (1955) cited in Oswald Chambers: The BestFrom All His Books, edited by Harry Verploegh, Vol. I (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1987), 319.9Mead, The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations, 404.CHAPTER XIV1Wells, Inspiring Quotations, 199.2Bob Phillips, Phillip’s Book of Great Thoughts, Funny Sayings (Wheaton: TyndaleHouse Publishers, 1993), 309.3Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 605.4Ibid.5Ibid.6"Christianity Today" (November 9, 1984), 31.7Bernard Bangley, Growing in His Image (Wheaton, Il: Harold Shaw Pub., 1983), 35.8Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Man,” cited in Rhoda Thomas Tripp, TheInternational Thesaurus of Quotations (New York: Harper & Row, 1970), 674.

2359E. C. McKenzie, Mac's Giant Book of Quips & Notes (Barker House: Grand Rapids,Michigan, 1980), 510.10Draper, Draper’s Book iof Quotations for the Christian World, 605.CHAPTER XV1Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Portland: Multnomah Press,1977), 147.2Walter Martin, Screwtape Writes Again (Santa Ana, CA: Vision House Publishers,1975), 16.CHAPTER XVI1Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 271.2J. I. Packer, “Wisdom Along the Way,” Eternity (April, 1986), 19.3Leslie Weatherhead, The Will of God (Abingdon Press, April, 1995).4Oswald Chambers, He Shall Glorify Me (Fort Washington, PA: Christian LiteratureCrusade, 1946), 131.5Kelsey, God, Dreams, and Revelation (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1991), 18.6Ibid.7Ibid.8Ibid., 21.9Ibid., 31.10Ibid., 94.11Ibid., 45.

23612Ibid.13Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World, 310.

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