Search

Living Theologically

theology and the Christian life

Open Search
Tag

Christianity

Humility is the Gospel’s Posture

Arrogant Christians should not exist. Of course, they do. But that’s a sign of God’s grace, rather than evidence that it’s acceptable. Pride and arrogance have always been vices for people of faith to overcome. Humility is usually held out as the solution.

The Gospel and Humility

A posture of humility and meekness is necessary for the Christian life. Afterall, how can you confess your sin and place all your confidence in Jesus Christ (rather than yourself) if you have never been humbled? Imagine a proud man (or woman) walking into God’s presence. That’s just laughable and silly.

Instead, Christians are called to, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). This biblical command is anchored in the gospel, which is clearly emphasized in the very next verses. Humility is not a mere add-on to the gospel. Christians are called to be humble because Jesus emptied himself of glory, was born as a human baby, was betrayed by his friends (whom he had not wronged), and died a painful death (which he did not deserve)… all for us. Therefore, Christians are called to walk in humility.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, …Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:16-24

Christians are people who are being sanctified. That means they are called away from arrogance, brashness, and pride… and towards humility, meekness, and compassion.

The Strength of Humility

Some of the most humble people I’ve ever met are also the most courageous. They have stood firm in the face of opposition, because their humility required them to defend the rights of the oppressed. Humility stands in the truth, and it will not waver or give in to an onslaught of pressure to conform.

Men and women who walk with humility add joy and happiness to those around them. They are not negative-minded people who always have something to complain about, nor are they self-deprecating blowhards searching for compliments. Their genuine care for others leads them to listen far more than they speak, and their words are life-giving – even when they say something that’s hard to receive.

You see – humility is resolute and firm in the face of oppression and deception. The humble man will oppose liars and stand in the way of the evil doer. He is no pushover.

The Cost of Humility

Christians often feel like humility means you need to allow others to have their way. But if their way is built on half-truths and shady motivations then the humble response is to (graciously and without accusation) press for the truth and full-disclosure. Humility knows how to say, “No, absolutely not!”

Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit will lead to disappointment and heartache. Not because the Fruit of the Spirit are dissatisfying and will let you down, but because they will sometimes lead you into conflicts that will break your heart and make your life more difficult. It’s easier to give people their way. It’s more convenient to look around and say, “Who am I to judge – live and let live!”

Walking in the Spirit requires conviction, resolve, and sacrifice. These are not virtues we look within to find. They grow and ripen in our lives as we are rooted in the gospel… and as we become more like Jesus Christ.

When you pay your own cost for humility, consider the price Jesus paid… and remember his reward.

0

Are Christians “Spiritual but not Religious?”

“I’m spiritual but not religious.”

“Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.”

These are statements most of us have probably heard. The question for today is this – are these Christian statements? The gospel offers a different perspective on religion and spirituality that’s worth considering.

What Does it Mean?

When people say “I’m spiritual but not religious” it can mean a host of things. It can mean “I pray and consider myself a Christian, but don’t go to church,” or “I believe in Jesus, but not in Christianity,” or “I believe in a higher power, but think religion only creates unnecessary division.”

While there are endless combinations of “I believe in _____, but ______” the core remains the same: I don’t want any part of organized religion. Whether you think it’s simply unnecessary, or maybe you believe it’s actually evil, the personal result is the same.

The statement in question is more about what you’re against than what you’re for. And “spiritual” can mean pretty much whatever you want it to, so it’s a perfectly nebulous word if you don’t know what you actually believe.

Can Spirituality and Religion Actually be Divorced?

I think about spirituality and religion like driving and a vehicle – one drives the other, but not vice-versa. Wherever there is spirituality, there is some form of religion: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Atheism, New Age’ism, etc. Spirituality requires religion the same way driving requires a vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, speedboat, bicycle, etc). It can take many forms, but the ideas behind the spirituality come from somewhere.

Religion, however, can be quite devoid of spirituality. Most of us likely know people who go through the motions of religiosity with very little spiritual belief. Go to church, give your money, refrain from certain foods, etc… but there is no passion in their prayers, not faith in God to provide, and no internal drive towards giving grace towards those who need it. These religious folk are like cars in a junkyard. They’re still cars, but they aren’t going anywhere without significant reconstruction.

Christianity: Spiritual and Religious

Let’s be clear: No one ever has been, and no one ever will be, saved because of their religiosity. The Bible itself has strong words regarding those who are religious but faithless.

“I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Amos 5:21-24

“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Matthew 15:7-9 (Jesus, quoting from Isaiah 29:13)

The gospel proclaims grace to sinners, through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 7 emphasizes the relationship between religion (“the law”) and faith. God’s Law is good because it shows us our need for God’s grace, which comes through Jesus. He perfectly fulfilled the Law (what theologians call his “active obedience”), and his righteousness is applied to Christians by the Holy Spirit when they confess their sin and profess their faith in who Jesus is and what he has done.

Salvation isn’t a “freedom from religion” in the sense that we become “spiritual but not religious.” Instead, it transforms our understanding of what religion was meant to be all along.

Christians are religious people. But they’re also spiritual. They participate (joyfully!) in organized religion. They happily become members of local churches, give their money as an expression of faith in God to provide, submit themselves to spiritual leaders, and pray for wisdom regarding big and small decisions in life.

The Christian life is a spiritually-religious life.

Don’t fall into wise-sounding platitudes that actually undermine the ministry of the gospel by breeding suspicion against the church. Christians are not spiritual-but-not-religious. No. The Christian life is a spiritually-religious life.

3

Lessons on Christian Liberty and Jerry Falwell Jr

Many words have already been spilled surrounding the downfall of Jerry Falwell Jr from his leadership at Liberty University. Rather than dealing with all the details of what happened and why, I want to take a few minutes to reflect on how Christians respond to situations like this.

No Christian Liberty Without Confession

The words “liberty” and “freedom” are synonyms. The gospel is a message that proclaims liberty and adoption for sinners who are enslaved by their sin. Through faith in Jesus Christ – who is he, what he has done, and what promises he will keep – sinners are set free from the slave-master of sin and adopted as children of God, heirs of God’s promise.

Confession of sin is central to the Christian’s profession of faith. This is a statement every Christian needs to confess in order to be a Christian, “I am a sinner. Here are some ways I know I’ve sinned. I cannot overpower sin on my own, and I cannot justify myself. There is no excuse. Before God I deserve nothing but judgment for the ways I have dishonored him as the Holy God who created me and is worthy of my unwavering trust and obedience. But thanks be to God, who gave his son, Jesus Christ, as the perfect substitute who took my judgment in order that my sin would be more than overlooked – it was paid for. I have no need to hide my sin, because it’s all been covered by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, I can walk in newfound freedom and peace, because I have been set free from the slave-master of sin and I’ve been adopted as a dearly loved son/daughter of God.”

If this is the foundational confession of Christianity, we should not be surprised by the depravity of sinful men and women. Jerry has professed to be a Christian – and this is why so many are deeply troubled by what has come to light.

[update: David Nasser, LU’s Campus Pastor, spoke in chapel today, saying, “I am sorry. In my opinion, you as a Liberty student deserve better. And the embarrassment that’s been brought upon you as a Liberty student, and more importantly brought upon the name of Christ, is wrong.” Following Nasser’s chapel session, Falwell contacted Nasser to ask where he had sinned. For more about Nasser’s message, click the link above.]

Accountability is Key

Christian leaders are called to lead with integrity as servant-leaders towards those who follow them. NonChristian leadership books are increasingly saying the same thing – this is simply a mark of good leadership. People want to follow leaders they can trust. Although leaders who drive and dominate their teams might “get things done,” their followers are merely cogs in the machine that make the organization grow. But integrity and a posture of servanthood bestow dignity while assuring teammates that the leader isn’t about his own self-glory, but about blessing those who benefit from their corporate mission.

This type of leadership requires accountability. Being surrounded by “yes-men” who will agree with and affirm whatever the leader says is deadly. If a leader never hears disagreement, they have either surrounded themselves with these “yes-men” or their leadership style is so domineering that people who disagree remain silent because they’re too afraid to speak up. When people make mistakes or a project doesn’t work out as hoped for, the leader’s response sets an atmosphere of trust or suspicion. Leaders who are harsh towards their followers, demand perfection, and verbally attack people who challenge their ideas have created a toxic atmosphere of suspicion. And yet they themselves demand unwavering trust and obedience – anything less is perceived as insubordination.

Jerry Falwell Jr. would have benefitted from allowing others to challenge his ideas and holding him accountable. Instead, he demonstrated a consistent posture of antagonism towards his critics and pointed to Liberty University’s enrollment and financial growth as proof that he was an effective leader. But in the end, Christian leaders will be accountable for their integrity and servanthood… or for their lack thereof.

Grace for Jerry

No one is “too far gone” to receive the grace of God by confession and faith. While there are many who seem to be delighted by Jerry’s downfall, Christians should not be among them. At a time like this, it’s helpful to remember the prophet Obadiah’s message, rebuking the Edomites when they celebrated over Israel’s destruction and exile. It is not right to celebrate over the failures of men and women you don’t like. Instead, Christians are called to hold out the grace and mercy they themselves have received. Remember that you, too, were a hopeless sinner who was saved by nothing short of the grace of God.

I believe Jared Wilson said it best in his tweet below.

There are some who say, “Shouldn’t we show him grace?” Yes, we should. But leadership (especially Christian leadership) involves accountability. As a representative of Liberty University, but even more-so, as a representative of Jesus Christ – it is good and right for him to step down and lose his position of power because of this hypocrisy. This type of discipline may be the very best thing that could happen for him and his wife, that they might see the depth of their sin and need for genuine repentance.

Yes, we should pray for Jerry and invite him to receive the grace of God. But no, that doesn’t mean that accountability and discipline are wrong. God will hold all people to account for their lives, especially those in places of spiritual leadership – and he has been in such a role, whether he wants to admit it or not. It is better to be chastised now and repent than it is to have his sin remain private and be chastised by the Lord.

A Lesson for All

The lesson we all have to learn is his: sin loves the darkness, but God is the light. What you do in the dark will come to the light… eventually. You can either confess your sin and walk in grace-drenched repentance, or you can hide it from others and pretend to be someone you aren’t. The first option is the way of Christian liberty; the second reflects someone who is still in slavery to sin. While it may be easy to point fingers and cast blame, take this moment to do your own heart-work. Talk with a pastor or mature Christian, confess your sin and ask for help to find freedom in the grace of Jesus Christ. This is the path of Christian liberty.

0

Four Ways to Read Your Bible

“Read your Bible.” It’s common advice to hear in church. Let’s pretend that you’re a new Christian hearing this advice, so on Monday morning you wake up half an hour early to do it. As you sit at the kitchen counter and set your english muffin and coffee down, you grab your Bible to wonder… “Ok, what now?” 

This raises a very practical question that I’m concerned we often overlook in church. Maybe we’ve told people what they’re supposed to do, and maybe we’ve even persuaded them to want to do it… but have we equipped them to know how to actually do it? In a previous post I covered a few basic ideas about How to Read Your Bible, but in this article I want to give four different methods that can help you realistically start reading your Bible. For other options, check out this post from my friends at LeaderTreks, How to Teach Students to Study the Bible.

Four Important Questions

These are four helpful questions to ask when studying the Bible. Usually, it is most effective to use these questions with a journal at-hand so you can write down some basic thoughts and reflections along the way. 

  1. What? Understand the original meaning. This involves working through basic “Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?” types of questions. Resist the urge to jump into application until after you’re sure you know what this Scripture passage actually means. 
  2. So What? Next, uncover the teaching of the passage. Do this by asking questions like, “What was the author trying to say to the original readers?” and “Of all the things that could be included in Scripture, why is this in here?” 
  3. Where’s the Gospel? Since all Scripture is about Jesus (Luke 24:25-27), any understanding of a passage that overlooks its relationship with Jesus is an incomplete understanding. Does this passage foreshadow the type of salvation God would offer, or display people’s failure to save themselves, or highlight our sinful depravity and need for salvation? For more on this, see Bryan Chapell’s article 4 Ways Your Whole Bible Points to Jesus or The Bible Project’s ebook The Scarlet Thread Through the Bible.
  4. Now What? Now it’s time for explore what the passage means for you. Based off the first three questions, what can you learn about God, yourself, the world, and the Christian life? Consider both general and specific ways this passage should shape your head/thoughts, heart/emotions, and hands/actions.

Read Until You Hit The Next Lightpost 

When non-runners want to become runners, one of the common methods they employ is to run the distance between a lightposts, then walk to the next light post, then keep repeating until they’re able to run the distance between two lightposts, then three, etc. When people start reading the Bible, it’s helpful to follow a similar approach. Instead of starting off with an in-depth approach, simply read until you reach something worth chewing on. Keep a journal to write down some notes. Turn your reflections and meditations on that keyword or idea into a prayer.

Bible Journaling

Find a fresh journal, a comfortable pen to write with, and your Bible. After reading a passage through, probably two or three times, write out a key verse or phrase that stands out to you. In your journal, write about why it catches your attention. More importantly, write about what that verse or phrase actually means in the text, not just about how it makes you feel. One of the benefits of journaling is it can guide us into deeper reflection, even if our mind tends to wander from time to time – once you get back on track, simply resume where you left off. 

It may also be a helpful practice to write out your prayers. Using the pages at the end of your journal, you can create a list of prayer requests others have shared with you, along with the date when you entered it. Then, during your Bible reading time you can journal about the Bible passage on the front of a page, and then write out your prayer (with the prayer requests in the back to remind you who to cycle through in your prayer-list) on the back-side of that same page. Remember, you aren’t writing a book, so don’t feel pressure to write significant amounts or use perfect grammar. The chances of anyone else reading what you write is very very slim – so resist the temptation to write as if you’re writing the next “My Utmost for His Highest” or anything like that. Simply read your Bible, write out your meditations, and pray. 

Study a Book of the Bible

If you are interested in studying a book of the Bible or a portion of Scripture (like the Sermon on the Mount) over the course of a month, this may be a helpful method to consider. 

  1. Read it in large sections quickly. If possible, set aside time to read it through in one sitting, potentially two days in a row. This will help you see the big picture.
  2. Read it in medium-sized sections. Slow down the reading by reading through chapters or other medium-sized sections of the passage in order to dig into the different emphases throughout the book. 
  3. Read small portions very slowly. By slowing down to read just a few verses at a time, you’ll pay careful attention to key words that stand out. At this level it is especially helpful to pay attention to conjunctions (if, therefore, because, but), because they connect the various sections together. 

Whichever method you choose, reading the Bible consistently over a long period of time will be of immense benefit to your soul.

0

Do False Teachers Concern You?

I was in college when I read a book that captivated me. It was an apologetics book where a theology professor was writing letters back-and-forth with his atheist father, and he carefully and winsomely explained his Christian views. The problem was, some of those views were radical reinterpretations of what the Bible teaches. Because of this book there were a number of significant doctrines that I misunderstood for years. Since then, I have grown more discerning and careful about evaluating what I read and listen.

We are all called to be careful readers and listeners, to be on guard against false teachers. Sometimes it might come off as spiritual superiority (“I know better than they do, I’m not falling for it!”) or spiritual arrogance (“I can’t believe you’d read that book”). We need to remain humble even as we grow in our spiritual discernment, but one of my great concerns for Christians today is a lack of spiritual discernment.

There are authors and musicians (yes, our Christian music can easily spread false teaching) who are on the Christian best seller’s list, but they’re false teachers who should be avoided. Sure, maybe their books are really fun to read, their personalities are engaging, and some of their stuff is helpful. But the Bible calls Christians to be spiritually discerning, because there are false teachers who can lead well-intentioned believers astray.

Do false teachers concern you? Do you ask theological questions about the books you read, music you listen to, shows you watch, or teachers you learn from? Sadly, we cannot simply trust anyone who talks about Jesus and quotes the Bible.

Careful Reading
Continue reading “Do False Teachers Concern You?” →

1

What Makes a Good Sermon?

Ask any church goer and you’ll hear a wide range of characteristics for a good sermon. Some people are looking for compelling stories, others want to laugh, and still others are turned off by humor and desire pure teaching. Here are the characteristics that I keep in mind while preparing to preach.

1. Be biblical

This seems like a no-brainer, but there are plenty of sermons which reference the Bible but they are not built on a foundation of Scripture. Sometimes the preacher seems to have an idea what he wants to say and then uses a Bible verse here or there to prove his point. This is not a biblical sermon. If the Word of God is living and active, a double edged sword that is God-breathed, then we should keep Scripture front-and-center.

2. Be Gospel-Centered

I know “gospel centered” has become something of a cliche over the last five years, but it’s a helpful (and biblical) grid through which to operate. If a sermon doesn’t clearly lead to gospel proclamation, and if it doesn’t clearly flow from the fruit of the gospel… then it isn’t a Christian sermon in any meaningful way. Many preachers have fallen off the cliff of works-righteousness in the attempt to be relevant (“Four keys to building a great marriage,” or “How to be the best you”). Sermons should be robustly biblical and gospel-centered.

3. Be clear

What good is brilliance if it’s so blinding you can’t behold it? Instead, I have always agreed with those who claim you don’t really understand something until you can explain it to a child. Preachers spend an average of 12-20 hours each week on their sermon but the people who listen only hear the final result. Gone are the days when preachers can reasonably assume any measure of biblical literacy, so using phrases like “Most of you know this verse already” only makes to those who don’t “already know” feel stupid and small and unwelcome. If something is worth saying, it’s worth saying clearly enough for everyone to understand. I generally keep seven specific people in mind while preparing the message: a child (kids over age 7 sit through our entire worship service), a teenager, a young parent, a businessman, a tradesman, a nonbeliever (who may be skeptical but is interested enough to attend a worship service), and a senior saint who has faithfully served Christ for decades. If these people can each understand what I have down on paper, then I’m ready to preach.

4. Be helpful

This is where the rubber meets the road and the sermon connects or falls flat. Rather than trying to be relevant, I find it more fruitful to pursue helpfulness. Here are some questions I consider: “What is confusing about this passage that needs to be explained?” “Where does our culture today agree and disagree with this message?” “What challenges will people face in the call to embrace this teaching?” “What is going on in our church where this message applies to either encourage or correct us?”

If a sermon hits in these four marks, I think it will demonstrate pastoral love for the listeners, reverence to the Lord in how Scripture is handles carefully, and great joy because it is anchored in God’s provision through Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

One final thing to note is this – every preacher needs to first listen to the sermon the Holy Spirit is preaching to him through his sermon preparation. If the preacher hasn’t first been moved by God’s Word through the preparation process then his sermon will be flat, one-dimensional, and either dryly-academic or hypocritical.

2

What is the Armor of God?

The Apostle Paul encourages Christians to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-20. This is a common theme for children’s ministry, but it’s incredibly important for every Christian to consider the meaning and symbolism. In this post I hope to unpack the various pieces of armor along with its relevance today.

Our True Enemy
Take a minute to consider the three greatest challenges facing Christians and the Church today. Now consider this quote from John Calvin:

“Let us remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood when the painful treatment of others provokes us to revenge. Our natural disposition would lead us to direct all our efforts against the men themselves; but this foolish desire will be restrained by remembering that the men who annoy us are nothing more than darts thrown by the hand of satan. While we are focused on destroying those darts, we leave ourselves open to be wounded on all sides.”
John Calvin (Calvin’s Commentary on Ephesians 6:12, slightly edited for understandability)

The Christian enemy is not the fiery arrows, but the archer who is shooting them. If we ignore the arrows then we’ll get struck, but the enemy isn’t the arrows themselves. Instead, we guard ourselves from the devil’s schemes which seek to destroy our faith and witness while remembering the bigger picture.

Armor Continue reading “What is the Armor of God?” →

0

What Do Christians Think About Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is not the “Jewish Christmas,” but a celebration of God’s provision for his people and a call to resist the allure of assimilating into a faithless culture. As a Christian pastor, I am well aware that the best person to offer a brief overview of the history and meaning of Hanukkah isn’t me… so please watch this instead.

I get asked by multiple people every year, “What do you think about Hanukkah? As Christians, what should we think about it?” Continue reading “What Do Christians Think About Hanukkah?” →

0

Is the Christian a Saint or Sinner?

Crowned

Every Christian continues to endure temptation and sinful desires… sometimes victoriously, and sometimes we indulge our sinful nature. How should we make sense of this?

Sometimes we can get the impression that once we become Christians our lives are immediately characterized by holiness and purity. But that’s just not the case. Sometimes, yes, the Lord graciously frees us from crushing temptations or addictions; but most Christians experience a more gradual and subtle growth in holiness.

I know some people who have seriously struggled with the question, “Am I really a Christian?” because of their lingering struggles with specific temptations (usually sexual ones). With this in mind, I believe Martin Luther’s theology of Christian identity as “Simultaneously Saint and Sinner” is extremely helpful. Continue reading “Is the Christian a Saint or Sinner?” →

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑