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February 9, 2021

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Christianity

What is love?

With Valentine’s day less than a week away, love is on many minds. Love is a topic of great concern in our culture. Hundreds of songs have been written about love. Love is the subject of hundreds of books, the discussion of philosophers, the study of scientists, the concern of philanthropists and the desire of everyone. The universal fascination with love has produced a myriad of definitions and descriptions of love. From the unclear, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” to the comedic, “Love: a temporary insanity curable by marriage” to the serious, “There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” love has been defined thousands of ways.

The Bible commands Christians to love God and love offers, but it does not give a definition of love. What the Bible gives is numerous examples of love. The most important example being God’s love for fallen humanity. The most important passage describing human love for others is 1 Corinthians 13.

First Corinthians 13 does not define love, but describes fifteen key characteristics of love. A person who is practicing Biblical love endures the wrongs of others against them, is benevolent towards others, does not covet the good others have received, does not boast, is not puffed up with pride, acts appropriately towards others, is not self-seeking, does not have a quick temper, does not keep a record of wrongs done against them, does not delight in sin but delights in truth. The person who practices Biblical love is patient and trusting, he does not lose hope and he does not quit when things are difficult.

Love, like faith, can only be known through actions. A declaration of love that is not joined by loving deeds is not Biblical love. The book of First John insists that love works. Love does not just wish someone well it does well for them. First John also insists that love is sacrificial. Love gives- even at great personal cost. Biblical love imitates the God who loved mankind and gave His life for their salvation. Biblical love is willing to give of itself, even to the point of death. Biblical love gives with no thought of what it will get in return. Biblical love gives even if those being loved do not respond with love or appreciation. “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2 Corinthians 12:15)

The Biblical description of love and the example of God’s love for humanity leads us to a definition for love. Love is a commitment to do what is best for another person no matter the cost or how they respond. A key component in the Biblical depiction of love is commitment. Biblical love is not an on again/off again feeling. It is a willful mindset that perseveres through negative feelings and difficult times. Biblical love is not devoid of feeling, but it is not defined by feeling. Further, Biblical love is sacrificial in nature. It gives of itself freely for the benefit of others. Love is an unwavering commitment to the good of another.

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)

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February 2, 2021

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The Bible

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Why do preachers talk about “the Greek” so much?

You are sitting in the pew on Sunday morning listening to the pastor talk about a Bible verse and all of a sudden he says, “The Greek word is ‘didaskolos.’” Why do preachers do that? Why do preachers like to bring up Greek and Hebrew?

The prophets and apostles did not write the Bible in English. Most of the Old Testament was written in ancient Hebrew, the language of the Jews before they were taken captive by the Babylonians. Most of the New Testament was written in Greek, the common language of the Roman Empire in the days of the apostles. A few portions of the Bible were written in Aramaic, a language related to Hebrew that was probably the native language of Jesus and his disciples.

When studying the Bible it is helpful to remember all of our English Bibles are translations of another language. Unfortunately, whenever a text is translated from one language into another something is lost in the transmission of information. A word that is very precise in one language may not be able to be translated by an equally precise word in another. Emphasis communicated by grammar or word order in one language may not be easily communicated in another.

Many of those who study the Bible recognize the value of the additional information that can be learned by looking at the Greek or Hebrew words behind the English the translation. One example of this value is the different meanings of the Greek words translated “love” in English. One word emphasizes a deep commitment to another and the other word points towards a deep fondness for another. Neither of these concepts are easily translated into English, and are not clearly communicated by the word “love.”

A preacher will refer to the Greek or Hebrew when he wants to point out the significance of a meaning that is not immediately obvious in the English translation. This is not to imply the average reader cannot understand the Word of God. Instead, it shows that Scripture is understandable to modern readers. We can know what the original authors wrote and meant.

On a related note, modern technological tools make it easy for the Bible student to see the original text and the meanings of those ancient words. The most accessible of these tools is based on the concordance of James Strong. Smartphone apps like Olive Tree and YouVersion offer Bible translations with built in links to Strong’s Concordance. By tapping a word you can see the Greek or Hebrew word, the various ways it is translated into English and, most importantly, a basic definition of the Greek or Hebrew word.

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January 26, 2021

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God, Prayer

Why are my prayers not answered?

In the gospels Jesus gives incredible promises about prayer. One of these promises is, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14) Yet, many people pray and do not have their prayers answered? Why is this? Since Jesus gave broad, sweeping promises about prayer, should not every one who prays get what they ask for? Why are many prayers not answered?

First, the promise of answered prayers is only given to believers. The Bible never promises the unsaved that God will give them what they ask. God may graciously answer some of the prayers of the unsaved, but He does not promise to do so.

Second, every one of Jesus’ promise of answered prayers is conditioned upon the properness of the prayers. The gospel of John contains the most remarkable of Jesus’ promises. The promises in John are all dependent based upon the one praying being in a right relationship with Jesus. This propriety in prayer is described in one place as,“asking in Jesus name.” Asking in Jesus name is more than ending a prayer with “in Jesus name, amen.” Asking in Jesus’ name is asking under the authority of Jesus and in agreement with His character. Sinful prayers or prayers for things opposed to the increase of the kingdom of God will not be answered. The promises of answered prayers are not unlimited promises from God that He will give whatever the person asks for, no matter what. The promises are dependent upon the requests being in submissive obedience to will of Jesus.

James 4 gives another reason prayers are not answered. Requests are not answered if they are never asked.“Ye have not because ye ask not.” A desire for something is not the same as praying for something. To have your prayers answered you must speak to God and ask Him to grant your desires.

Sin in the life of the believer will cause prayer to go unanswered. Sin hinders the Christian’s relationship with God, and if a Christian willfully continues to disobey God he cannot not expect God to grant his requests. God is gracious. He often answers prayers despite our sin and He does not withhold answers because of inadvertent or unnoticed sins. The Christian need not fear that some forgotten sin is keeping God from answering his prayer. Rather, it is when the child of God “Regards iniquity in his heart” (Psalm 66:18) that the Lord does not hear.

One final reason God may not answer your prayer is if your requests are selfish. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your own lusts.” (James 4:3) This is related to the promise of answered prayer in 1 John, “If we ask anything according to His will He heareth us.” God does not promise to give you whatever you want whenever you ask. He is not in the business of spoiling His children. When the Christian asks for something merely to gratify his own desires, he must not expect God to give it. When the Christian asks for good things, for the glory of God and the increase of the kingdom of God, God promises to give His child the desires of their heart. God answers prayers that are selfless and seeking the furtherance of His kingdom.

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January 19, 2021

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Jesus

Was Jesus Rude to His Family

Early in Jesus’ ministry as He was teaching in the region of Galilee He was confronted and opposed by the Pharisees. They charged Him with violating the Sabbath day laws and then they accused Him of being in league with Satan. Then while Jesus taught from a house in Capernaum his mother and brothers stood outside. They sent a messenger inside calling him to come outside to them. Jesus’ response to their request is shocking to us.

Jesus answered the messenger with, “Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” (Mark 3:33-35) This seems surprisingly callous. How can the perfect Son of God disregard his mother and insult his brothers?

The events leading up to that moment are important. Matthew 12 presents a series of confrontations with the religious leaders. Every interaction in that chapter reveals the attempts of skeptics to shut Jesus down. The call of Jesus’ family to interrupt His teaching and come outside takes place after multiple attempts by the Pharisees to discredit Jesus.

Jesus replied in the way He did because the call of his family is interfering with His ministry. Their actions, whether intended or accidental, were in opposition to the will of God. This was not an interruption to the personal ambitions of Jesus. He was not being petty and peevish because they were inconveniencing His own plans. They were asking Jesus to stop doing the will of the Father. Jesus would not be deterred from the task given to Him by God the Father.

His commitment to the will of God was evident early in Jesus’ life. At the age of 12 Jesus stayed in Jerusalem after His parents began the journey back to Nazareth. His parents finally found him after three days of searching. When they found Jesus He was in the temple discussing the Word of God with the teachers of the law. His mother rebuked him because she and Joseph had searched for him with sorrow. Jesus’ response was, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” Jesus’ commitment to doing the will of God was unchanged twenty years later. Nothing was going stop Him from being preaching the message of repentance.

Earlier in Jesus’ ministry He taught His disciples, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37) Jesus’ taught that serving the Lord must be most important, even more important than family. Everything must take second place to God. Jesus modeled that attitude when confronted by His family. He made clear that the work of the Lord was most important to Him.

Jesus’ response seems a bit harsh. When seen in its proper light it is understood as a faithful response to a distraction from the work of preaching the message of His kingdom it. Jesus was not being unkind. He was refusing to be turned aside from the most important task. He was showing that nothing is more important than the message of salvation. Even family.

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January 12, 2021

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Christian living, The Bible

Is the Bible authoritative?

The Bible claims to be the Word of God. The Bible does not claim to be an inspirational message about how to be more spiritual. The Bible claims to be instructions directly from God that have been written down by men. The Bible is what God has said to men. The Bible includes God’s requirements of people.

The Bible speaks with authority. The authority of the Bible does not come from the wisdom of its teachings, though it is wise. The authority of the Bible is not based upon its instructions being superior to all others, though its principles are best. The authority of the Bible is not a result of the superior skill of its human authors or because of the many millions who have followed its instructions. The authority of the Bible is based entirely on the authority of God.

As the Word of God, the Bible has the same authority over the individual that God does. Wayne Grudem said, “To disbelieve or disobey any word of God is to disbelieve or disobey God.” This is why James 1 says, “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only.” (James 1:22) The Bible certainly expects its words to be obeyed. For example, the commands in the books of Moses come with warnings of severe consequences if they are not obeyed. And the letter to the church in Thessalonika instructs the church to punish those who did not obey its commands. (2 Thessalonians 3:14).

The Bible’s authority covers every area of life. Though the Bible does not give specific instructions about every possible situation (Scripture does not teach a dentist how to repair a broken tooth), it does give instructions that apply to every possible situation. The Bible teaches a dentist what his behavior and attitude should be while repairing a tooth. The Bible gives many specific instructions that speak directly to daily life. The Bible teaches an employee to work with diligence for the pleasure of God. (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Colossians 3:22-23) Scripture teaches children to obey their parents and parents to train their children with care and compassion. (Ephesians 6:1-34) The instructions in the Word of God cover every area of life, and are to be obeyed.

God in His grace has given us commands that are good for us. The commands of the Bible are always wisest and best. Through obedience to the Bible, the individual is made wise, joyful and understanding. The Bible’s commands are not always easy to obey but they are always right and good. The one who obeys God’s Word will be blessed of God. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:1-2)