I’m currently drawing each of the pieces of the Armour of God, & today it’s the turn of the belt of truth, as mentioned in Ephesians 6:14a (NLT), ‘Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth...’
Notice the imperative “stand your ground” at the beginning of the Bible reference above. When we are told to stand our ground we get the sense of being unmoving, regardless of what opposing forces come against us. The apostle Paul (who wrote the book of Ephesians) was using the metaphor of a soldier, drawing our attention to each of his pieces of armour in turn. Each one is vital & often inter-linked, forming a complete method of protecting the soldier in battle.
Taking the metaphor further, we can think of a group of soldiers standing & fighting in a real battle. The apostle Paul might have been drawing our attention to the way soldiers rely on each other to survive. This idea of inter-dependence would certainly have been familiar to anyone (such as Paul) who had seen the Roman military machine: side by side, each soldier stood facing the enemy, being an integral part of the whole formation. Note that Roman soldiers had armour primarily on the front of the body, since they were trained & commanded to face forward, towards the enemy, in battle.
Further, the imperative “stand your ground” seems to denote urgency. After that we can note that there are four Greek participles that denote how we are to stand: the cause or means of standing. The participles are rendered as follows in the NIV (New International Version): “buckled,” “in place,” “fitted,” “take up” (see Ephesians 6:14-16).
The Belt of Truth: what is it & what’s it for?
To get a broader sense of what the belt of truth is, lets look at several versions of the Bible:
New Living Translation
Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth...
Amplified Bible
Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins...
New International Version
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, ...
New King James Version
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, ...
We can conclude that the belt of truth is sturdy & strong & that it protects the vital organs of the body. It was the first item of clothing/armour to be put on by a Roman soldier, from which the other pieces were connected or attached. The “belt” or “girdle” may also refer a “breechclout,” which was a sort of leather apron, worn beneath leather or metal armour that protected the lower abdomen.
Incidentally, the “belt” or “girdle” may have also braced a soldier’s back, giving support in battle.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary has further points of interest:
‘Before a Roman soldier put on his armor, he put a belt around his waist. This held his garments together and served as a place on which to hang his armor. The belt of truth refers not to the facts of the gospel but to subjective truth, a believer’s integrity and faithfulness. As a soldier’s belt or sash gave ease and freedom of movement, so truth gives freedom with self, others, and God.’
(Source: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.)
Application: why a belt of truth?
When the belt was fastened, the soldier was “on duty,” ready to fight. A slackened belt meant “off duty.” Christians, however, must face each day with a fastened belt, ready to fight the battle when needed. As the belt formed the foundation of the soldier’s armor, the truth is the foundation of the Christian life. When the enemy, the father of lies (John 8:44), attacks with his lies, half-truths, and distortions, we believers can stand firm in the truth.
(Source: Life Application New Testament Commentary.)
Bearing that in mind, we can see why it is SO important for us to KNOW the truth. Christians need to read their Bibles, so that they do indeed know the truth about themselves, about God, about life & the world, about the Devil, sin, etc, etc. After all, how can we correctly interpret the circumstances we face, & take appropriate action, if we don’t know the truth in the first place?
Some Bible passages about the truth.
Why is truth important?
If we do not know the truth then it follows that we must be following a deception, a lie, an un-truth. Basing our thoughts, words, actions & lives on a deception will not lead us to peace, joy, confidence, hope or success, especially in view of our eternal future!
When we come to know the truth, we can be confident that we are heading in the right direction. In terms of the military metaphor of a soldier, if he/she knows the substance of the truth for which they stand, then they will stand strongly, with resolve, with determination. On the other hand, if they discover that all that they have based their lives on has been a deception, then they are undermined: that which has previously given them their military strength, determination & resolve will disappear (since it is untrue) & they will become very vulnerable to attack.
Truth is the FOUNDATION of our personal determination & resolve, particularly, especially & vitally in the spiritual battles we face as believers in Christ Jesus.
Where is truth to be found?
For the Christian, God’s word (The Holy Bible) is the source of all truth. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [1] (in the New Testament) reminds us, the Bible is breathed out (exhaled, inspired) by God Himself, & it’s purpose is for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The end result of all of that is provided in the next part of the quote, “... so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
So here we have the SOURCE OR ORIGIN of the truth (which is God Himself) & the PURPOSE for which that truth is given: Christian maturity & service in the world.
2 Samuel 7:28 [2] (a reference in the Old Testament) also informs us that “Your words are truth”, referring to God’s word, the Holy Bible. Psalms 51:6 [3] reminds us that it is God’s will & desire that we have truth within us, & that God is the source of that truth in the first place. Psalms 145:18 [4] informs us that GOD IS NEAR to those who call on Him, in truth.
1 John 5:6 [5] informs us that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to believe in Jesus the Christ. The Bible here asserts the Holy Spirit’s own is trustworthy, “because the Spirit is the truth.”
What happens if we reject the truth?
What happens if we reject the truth (as revealed in the Holy Bible) & believe the deceptions of the world & the Devil? Well, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 [6] informs us that Satan (the Devil) will perform many counterfeit signs & wonders, resulting in deception of those people destined to perish. Verse 10 tells us that, “They perish because they REFUSED to love the truth and so be saved.” We need to recognise that refusal is an ACTIVE CHOICE, not simply a reference to ignorance, which is not knowing, or not having heard the truth in the first place. Therefore, it is not the fault of Satan that he has deceived people, rather, God puts the fault of not believing the truth (as revealed in Creation, & the Bible) squarely in people’s own lap! God asserts that 1) we have all HEARD the truth, & 2) we all KNOW the truth, so if we CHOOSE to ignore the truth & do not follow it’s guidance, then the only person we can rightly blame for that is ourselves.
The outcome or results of believing & acting on the truth.
Psalms 15:2,5 [7] reminds us that if we SPEAK the truth from our hearts, then we will NEVER BE SHAKEN.
God makes it very plain & obvious what He wants us to do; in reference to Zechariah 8:16-17 [8] He says, "Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts." Furthermore God informs us not to lie (in verse 17) & not to plot evil, telling us that ‘ “I hate all this [lies & deception]," declares the Lord.” ‘
In the New Testament, in John 8:31-32 [9], Jesus tells his listeners that if they BELIEVE & ACT on his teaching then that teaching (the truth) will set them free, literally it will provide liberty FOR US, since the truth is revealed TO US in the Bible.
When it comes to our (Christian) response to the truth, in answer to the question, "I know the truth now, so what am I to do next?!”, John 4:23-24 [10] is helpful. That verse informs us that, "God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." John asserts that the time has now come when true worshippers of God will enjoy close fellowship with God, in spirit & truth, tell us that, "they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks."
There are many more references I could make to what the Bible tells us about truth. It shows us that KNOWING the truth, BELIEVING the truth & SPEAKING the truth all have very positive benefits for us.
Lastly, I refer to Matthew 28:18-20 [11], in which Jesus gave what is called “The Great Commission”. In these verses Jesus told his disciples to go out into the world, baptise people & teach them about Jesus, & the commands He gave: his way of life & His words. Although the word “truth” is not used in this scriptural reference, I hope that it is seen to be implied, that we should tell the truth to those we talk to. I’m referring not simply to being honest & factually correct, but rather when we have chance to give an account of our faith; telling other people about the truth we know & believe; evangelizing other people & “snatching them from the fire” [12] through our words, if we are able.
And what should we tell others? Everything we can about Jesus! As He himself said in John 14:6 (ANIV) ‘Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me." ‘
Bible References
[1]
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ANIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
[2]
2 Samuel 7:28 (NLT)
For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.
[3]
Psalms 51:6 (ANIV)
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
[4]
Psalms 145:18 (ANIV)
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
[5]
1 John 5:6 (ANIV)
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
[6]
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ANIV)
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
[7]
Psalms 15:2,5 (ANIV)
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart...
...who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
[8]
Zechariah 8:16-17 (ANIV)
These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbour, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.
[9]
John 8:31-32 (ANIV)
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
[10]
John 4:23-24 (ANIV)
[Jesus said] "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."
[11]
Matthew 28:18-20 (ANIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
[12]
Jude 1:22-23 (ANIV)
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Thursday 19 September 2013
Tuesday 10 September 2013
To party or not to party... that is the question!
Isaiah 5:11-12 (NLT)
11 What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning
looking for a drink of alcohol
and spend long evenings drinking wine
to make themselves flaming drunk.
12 They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—
lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—
but they never think about the Lord
or notice what he is doing.
That last part really struck me today, “... but they never think about the Lord, or notice what he is doing.”
That sounds VERY SAD to me. Not from God’s perspective, because the Lord is totally self-suficient; He doesn’t have the human desire or the human anxiety & need to be recognised, noticed & affirmed! No, it is sad from the perspective of people who DON’T notice the subtle, wonderful things God is doing. They are the ones who are missing out, & Big Time!
God’s not a KillJoy!
In the “story” above (Isaiah 5:11-12) we have a word picture description of people who seem to be having fun: partying, drinking, making music, revelling, grand parties. That sounds like a good description of fun... until you read the last part, “... but they never think about the Lord, or notice what he is doing.” It seems to me that this Bible passage is suggesting that God does things that are fully observable: anyone can see them, the problem is that not everyone NOTICES them. We can have fun (parties, music, etc) & that’s OK - no problem there. But if that is the height of what we do; the pinnacle of what we do, then I think we have missed a higher purpose or meaning in our lives. Parties can be fun, no doubt about that. It’s great to be with friends, having a laugh. And I believe the Lord provides us with these opportunities - & expects us to enjoy them too! He’s no “kill joy”, after all! But I think the Lord also wants us to notice what He is doing after the party comes to an end; when we are quiet; when we are reflecting on the events of the party, or other events of our lives.
Imagine a life-long party!
We imagine that if life was one long 70-80 year party that we would have fun all the time. But actually I think we need variety; changes in pace within our lives. Quiet, reflective times are useful, & act as accents & counter-points to the more quick-paced, fun-loving, party times. I think a life-long party would become pretty stale & pretty boring after the first 3-4 days, never mind the first 3-4 years!
Missing out.
If we “never think about the Lord, or notice what he is doing” then I think we miss out on some pretty amazing, wonderful, subtle, mysterious, awe-inspiring things. For me, THINKING about the Lord & what He is doing is great fun, encouraging, faith-building, & life-affirming. It helps me to enjoy the parties, AND enjoy the quieter times too. I like to notice the “little” things in life. I like to ponder & question & wonder about stuff: large-scale & minute. And amongst all my musings & thoughts, there I find the Lord... “walking” along beside my thought-self, quietly, subtly conversing with me. The Lord God, supreme being, King above all others, Creator & sustainer of the whole universe - this person who deserves everyone’s attention; who is most able & most capable; who is subtle & mysterious & wonderful & amazing... He deigns to “walk” beside me, & wants to talk to me - Wow! He enjoys showing me “stuff”, He seems to enjoy me noticing what He is doing...
... He wants to talk to YOU too... will you “give him the time of day”? Will you allow God to “speak” to you through a sunset; through something that someone says to you? Through a thought or an event in your life? God seems to enjoy us noticing what He is doing, though He is never anxious that we notice what He is doing. I think He just likes to SHARE WITH US the various things He does. It’s about relationship, after all.
For me, one of the saddest things in this life is to consider people who are “blind” to the subtle works of God, & who only live for the more obvious things... like the fun of the party. You’re SO missing out! Look up from the party floor & notice what God is doing... He really will AMAZE YOU with what He is doing... if you let Him get your attention first.
11 What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning
looking for a drink of alcohol
and spend long evenings drinking wine
to make themselves flaming drunk.
12 They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—
lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—
but they never think about the Lord
or notice what he is doing.
That last part really struck me today, “... but they never think about the Lord, or notice what he is doing.”
That sounds VERY SAD to me. Not from God’s perspective, because the Lord is totally self-suficient; He doesn’t have the human desire or the human anxiety & need to be recognised, noticed & affirmed! No, it is sad from the perspective of people who DON’T notice the subtle, wonderful things God is doing. They are the ones who are missing out, & Big Time!
God’s not a KillJoy!
In the “story” above (Isaiah 5:11-12) we have a word picture description of people who seem to be having fun: partying, drinking, making music, revelling, grand parties. That sounds like a good description of fun... until you read the last part, “... but they never think about the Lord, or notice what he is doing.” It seems to me that this Bible passage is suggesting that God does things that are fully observable: anyone can see them, the problem is that not everyone NOTICES them. We can have fun (parties, music, etc) & that’s OK - no problem there. But if that is the height of what we do; the pinnacle of what we do, then I think we have missed a higher purpose or meaning in our lives. Parties can be fun, no doubt about that. It’s great to be with friends, having a laugh. And I believe the Lord provides us with these opportunities - & expects us to enjoy them too! He’s no “kill joy”, after all! But I think the Lord also wants us to notice what He is doing after the party comes to an end; when we are quiet; when we are reflecting on the events of the party, or other events of our lives.
Imagine a life-long party!
We imagine that if life was one long 70-80 year party that we would have fun all the time. But actually I think we need variety; changes in pace within our lives. Quiet, reflective times are useful, & act as accents & counter-points to the more quick-paced, fun-loving, party times. I think a life-long party would become pretty stale & pretty boring after the first 3-4 days, never mind the first 3-4 years!
Missing out.
If we “never think about the Lord, or notice what he is doing” then I think we miss out on some pretty amazing, wonderful, subtle, mysterious, awe-inspiring things. For me, THINKING about the Lord & what He is doing is great fun, encouraging, faith-building, & life-affirming. It helps me to enjoy the parties, AND enjoy the quieter times too. I like to notice the “little” things in life. I like to ponder & question & wonder about stuff: large-scale & minute. And amongst all my musings & thoughts, there I find the Lord... “walking” along beside my thought-self, quietly, subtly conversing with me. The Lord God, supreme being, King above all others, Creator & sustainer of the whole universe - this person who deserves everyone’s attention; who is most able & most capable; who is subtle & mysterious & wonderful & amazing... He deigns to “walk” beside me, & wants to talk to me - Wow! He enjoys showing me “stuff”, He seems to enjoy me noticing what He is doing...
... He wants to talk to YOU too... will you “give him the time of day”? Will you allow God to “speak” to you through a sunset; through something that someone says to you? Through a thought or an event in your life? God seems to enjoy us noticing what He is doing, though He is never anxious that we notice what He is doing. I think He just likes to SHARE WITH US the various things He does. It’s about relationship, after all.
For me, one of the saddest things in this life is to consider people who are “blind” to the subtle works of God, & who only live for the more obvious things... like the fun of the party. You’re SO missing out! Look up from the party floor & notice what God is doing... He really will AMAZE YOU with what He is doing... if you let Him get your attention first.
Monday 9 September 2013
But God doesn’t give the seed...does He?
I read 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 this morning (which you can see below), which is a figure of speech about farmers sowing & harvesting crops.
What struck me about the passage?
It was the thought that Christians CREDIT GOD with the provision of seeds for a farmer to sow; that we credit God with making the seeds grow & produce a harvest & that we credit God (& give thanks to Him) for enabling the farmer to grind the harvested seeds to make bread to eat. All of that is seen as “evidence” for holding the view that their is a God who cares & provides for us.
For atheists, evolutionists, & people who do not believe in a supreme being, they see EXACTLY the same information (seeds, plant growth, harvest, bread) but they do not credit a supreme being with any involvement in any of that.
So what struck me about this passage?... It was simply the fact that EXACTLY THE SAME information or “evidence” can be seen by different people, of different convictions, & INTERPRETED IN TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAYS. It was the realisation that there is probably no “evidence” at all which can categorically prove one thing to be absolutely true, beyond all doubt... simply because someone else can come along & interpret the same data in a completely different way.
I suppose that is why INFORMATION & EVIDENCE, of itself, can be unconvincing in support of one persons views, simply because exactly the same data can be interpreted in exactly the opposite direction, as a counter-argument! So, for me (a Christian), the existence of seeds, plants, the mystery of plant growth, harvesting & bread are all “evidence” of the existence of a loving & caring God. But I realise that EXACTLY THE SAME information or “evidence” (seeds, plant growth, harvest, bread) can be given a completely different interpretation by atheists & evolutionists, who would see that as evidence of their views on the non-existence of God & proof of their evolutionary ideas.
So it’s all really a matter of how we interpret the data we have. This is probably obvious to everyone else, but it was interesting for me to note this, this morning!
And for me personally, I’m still more than happy to interpret the data (of seeds, plant growth, harvest, bread, etc) as “evidence” for the existence of a loving, caring God who wants the very best for us.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NLT)
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[1] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” [2]
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity [3] in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem [4] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
[1] Prov 22:8.
[2] Ps 112:9.
[3] Greek: righteousness.
[4] Greek: of God’s holy people.
What struck me about the passage?
It was the thought that Christians CREDIT GOD with the provision of seeds for a farmer to sow; that we credit God with making the seeds grow & produce a harvest & that we credit God (& give thanks to Him) for enabling the farmer to grind the harvested seeds to make bread to eat. All of that is seen as “evidence” for holding the view that their is a God who cares & provides for us.
For atheists, evolutionists, & people who do not believe in a supreme being, they see EXACTLY the same information (seeds, plant growth, harvest, bread) but they do not credit a supreme being with any involvement in any of that.
So what struck me about this passage?... It was simply the fact that EXACTLY THE SAME information or “evidence” can be seen by different people, of different convictions, & INTERPRETED IN TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAYS. It was the realisation that there is probably no “evidence” at all which can categorically prove one thing to be absolutely true, beyond all doubt... simply because someone else can come along & interpret the same data in a completely different way.
I suppose that is why INFORMATION & EVIDENCE, of itself, can be unconvincing in support of one persons views, simply because exactly the same data can be interpreted in exactly the opposite direction, as a counter-argument! So, for me (a Christian), the existence of seeds, plants, the mystery of plant growth, harvesting & bread are all “evidence” of the existence of a loving & caring God. But I realise that EXACTLY THE SAME information or “evidence” (seeds, plant growth, harvest, bread) can be given a completely different interpretation by atheists & evolutionists, who would see that as evidence of their views on the non-existence of God & proof of their evolutionary ideas.
So it’s all really a matter of how we interpret the data we have. This is probably obvious to everyone else, but it was interesting for me to note this, this morning!
And for me personally, I’m still more than happy to interpret the data (of seeds, plant growth, harvest, bread, etc) as “evidence” for the existence of a loving, caring God who wants the very best for us.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NLT)
6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”[1] 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” [2]
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity [3] in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem [4] will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
[1] Prov 22:8.
[2] Ps 112:9.
[3] Greek: righteousness.
[4] Greek: of God’s holy people.
Friday 6 September 2013
But do I have to go to church?!
Some additional thoughts regarding my previous blog post: “Freedom” versus Belonging
The Lord provides a safe zone: with a sense of belonging.
For me, the sense of belonging (to God) far, FAR outweighs any possible feeling of being “corralled” by His rules. When we discern the true nature of God’s “rules” THEN we begin to understand the purpose of them, & can correctly infer the motivation of God: which is LOVE for us & utter dedication to our welfare.
God’s “rules” are not something that are designed to curtail our freedom, or fun or enjoyment in life. They are not deliberately sent to cause us doom & gloom! Quite the opposite: God wants us to enjoy our lives to the full. He is committed to our freedom & our welfare.
The point of worship.
The greatest expression of our freedom & welfare is in our CHOICE to worship God. God doesn’t NEED our worship; God is entirely self-sufficient. Our free will worship of God reveals our RELATIONSHIP with Him: our commitment to Him. If we have a relationship with God then we understand who He is & what He has done, & that knowledge leads to spontaneous worship: gratitude, thanksgiving & praise of an all-might & all-loving God in heaven. Worship is automatic when we begin to fathom the depth, breadth & commitment of God’s love for us & all His created cosmos.
The Lord of the heavenly hosts receives glory when we live our lives in devotion to him. Worship & trust in God brings Him the glory that is rightfully his.
But do I have to go to church?!
Church attendance is not mandatory for a Christian... it’s just a really good idea!
Yes, it’s possible to worship God all on our own. Yes, it’s possible to relate to other people by not attending church. Church attendance is useful in terms of encouraging one another in our faith in God.
Church... and me!
As a person who is MUCH happier on my own, rather than in company, I can completely understand people’s reservation about going to church. Just about every time I go to my local church I go with trepidation! But I realise that the fallible church, full of hurt human beings is a good place to be, even if it doesn’t feel like that!
For me, it’s not so much about belonging to a church congregation, it’s about BELONGING TO GOD. Attending church is simply one way that my allegiance to the Lord is publically DEMONSTRATED. Sure, I could find a hundred & one other things I’d much rather do than going to church on a Sunday morning! And our local congregation has it’s foibles, problems, issues, etc, just like every other human organisation, which can make it even more tempting not to attend church! But my attendance at that congregation (or any congregation for that matter!) has a higher, heavenly purpose, than simply going along “because I should”!!!
I admit, I find it difficult sometimes to go to church. It doesn’t come naturally, at least not for me. I think that’s because I enjoy my own company & I often find that being around other people “costs” me emotionally. But, as I pointed out, I answer to a “higher calling” of God, even when He & I know that answering that call will cost me something. I wouldn’t choose to attend church, or lead a house group (a mini-church on a Wednesday evening), or be involved in children’s work, or run an art & craft stall at Messy Church once a month, or be involved with an Alpha course. But I know that my activities honour God, and that’s the higher purpose that I am alluding to.
My natural inclination is to remain on my own... and mercifully, in most of my working life I am able to do that! But I mustn’t remain in my “natural” state. Jesus died & rose again: saving me & my soul in the process, & for that reason alone I owe Him everything I am, even (& especially?) when it costs me something.
The Lord provides a safe zone: with a sense of belonging.
For me, the sense of belonging (to God) far, FAR outweighs any possible feeling of being “corralled” by His rules. When we discern the true nature of God’s “rules” THEN we begin to understand the purpose of them, & can correctly infer the motivation of God: which is LOVE for us & utter dedication to our welfare.
God’s “rules” are not something that are designed to curtail our freedom, or fun or enjoyment in life. They are not deliberately sent to cause us doom & gloom! Quite the opposite: God wants us to enjoy our lives to the full. He is committed to our freedom & our welfare.
The point of worship.
The greatest expression of our freedom & welfare is in our CHOICE to worship God. God doesn’t NEED our worship; God is entirely self-sufficient. Our free will worship of God reveals our RELATIONSHIP with Him: our commitment to Him. If we have a relationship with God then we understand who He is & what He has done, & that knowledge leads to spontaneous worship: gratitude, thanksgiving & praise of an all-might & all-loving God in heaven. Worship is automatic when we begin to fathom the depth, breadth & commitment of God’s love for us & all His created cosmos.
The Lord of the heavenly hosts receives glory when we live our lives in devotion to him. Worship & trust in God brings Him the glory that is rightfully his.
But do I have to go to church?!
Church attendance is not mandatory for a Christian... it’s just a really good idea!
Yes, it’s possible to worship God all on our own. Yes, it’s possible to relate to other people by not attending church. Church attendance is useful in terms of encouraging one another in our faith in God.
Church... and me!
As a person who is MUCH happier on my own, rather than in company, I can completely understand people’s reservation about going to church. Just about every time I go to my local church I go with trepidation! But I realise that the fallible church, full of hurt human beings is a good place to be, even if it doesn’t feel like that!
For me, it’s not so much about belonging to a church congregation, it’s about BELONGING TO GOD. Attending church is simply one way that my allegiance to the Lord is publically DEMONSTRATED. Sure, I could find a hundred & one other things I’d much rather do than going to church on a Sunday morning! And our local congregation has it’s foibles, problems, issues, etc, just like every other human organisation, which can make it even more tempting not to attend church! But my attendance at that congregation (or any congregation for that matter!) has a higher, heavenly purpose, than simply going along “because I should”!!!
I admit, I find it difficult sometimes to go to church. It doesn’t come naturally, at least not for me. I think that’s because I enjoy my own company & I often find that being around other people “costs” me emotionally. But, as I pointed out, I answer to a “higher calling” of God, even when He & I know that answering that call will cost me something. I wouldn’t choose to attend church, or lead a house group (a mini-church on a Wednesday evening), or be involved in children’s work, or run an art & craft stall at Messy Church once a month, or be involved with an Alpha course. But I know that my activities honour God, and that’s the higher purpose that I am alluding to.
My natural inclination is to remain on my own... and mercifully, in most of my working life I am able to do that! But I mustn’t remain in my “natural” state. Jesus died & rose again: saving me & my soul in the process, & for that reason alone I owe Him everything I am, even (& especially?) when it costs me something.
Wednesday 4 September 2013
“Freedom” versus Belonging
Isn’t Christianity simply a set of rules you have to follow?
People who criticise the Christian faith often see it as being no more than a set of oppressive, prescriptive rules, with a strong sense of “You can’t do this”, or “You can’t do that”.
My experience is the EXACT OPPOSITE! Having been a Christian for about 30 years I would say that there are very few God-given rules. And ALL of the ones God has given us are actually for our benefit. Far from being prescriptive & oppressive, the “rules” of the Lord are ALL for our good. He is like a parent who warns a child against a danger. Of course, the child can still go & do the dangerous thing anyway, & get hurt in the process. God doesn’t want us to get hurt, but He is committed to our freedom of choice & so won’t stop us from choosing to hurt ourselves, if we are bent on doing that.
Dangers around the bend in our life choices.
In terms of understanding God’s MOTIVATION, it is not that he wants to “spoil our fun”. That is not the purpose of “all those rules”! It is simply that God knows what is good for us, & what is not, & his “rules” help us to determine which is which. All of his directives are to MAXIMISE our freedoms, not minimise them.
God’s foresight is a lot better than our own. He can “see over the hedges” & “see around the corners of our life’s “roads” much further than we can. We might think our choice(s) will send us towards something good, but often we can not see the hidden dangers of our own choices. We can not see the “potholes” in the roads of our lives. The Lord’s warnings to us are to help us; to prevent us from following a course of action that may harm us, &/or other people. The problem is, WE OFTEN CAN’T SEE that far ahead of our own choices in life; what the consequences will be. We can’t see over the “hedges”, or “round the bends” of our life’s road, so we don’t REALLY know where our choices will take us. But God does know, & He really wants us to be successful, & happy & healthy. That’s why He warns us of impending disaster, if we follow the course we are set on.
The question is: WILL WE LISTEN?
Will we trust God to lead us away from the dangerous situations we have inadvertently chosen?
The only way we will do that is if we TRUST God.
Do you?
Willfulness gets us into hot water!
The problem comes when we become willful; when we INSIST on going our own way; doing our own thing, even despite God’s warnings. As Proverbs 14:12 reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” The thing(s) we do; the new things we try may seem OK to us, at least initially, but sometimes they will lead us towards hurts, downfalls & real dangers which we can not (yet) see. It’s at times like that which God will try to tell us (as a loving heavenly Father) that our choices may lead to our own hurt, or the hurt of other people, through our actions & choices.
But if we choose to ignore God & do the thing anyway, then who is actually at fault? Can we blame God... No. It is our (poor, shortsighted) choice which led to our misery or injury, not God’s. We can not blame Him for our willfulness. Nor can we shout “You didn’t warn me!”... because God HAS, in the Bible. All those “oppressive, prescriptive rules” that people bang on about are there PRECISELY for one purpose: to keep us safe from harming ourselves, or anyone else for that matter.
God would be negligent if He DIDN’T warn us!
As I wrote earlier, my experience of the Lord is that he is utterly committed to me & giving me freedom to achieve & enjoy many things in life. But if I veer off course & approach something dangerous, then He can warn me. That’s God being like a parent. How can I complain about that? Wouldn’t I consider a human parent UTTERLY NEGLIGENT (and UN-loving) if he/she DIDN’T warn me of impending danger or hurt?
Why then do non-Christians consider God’s warnings (in the Bible) to be oppressive & prescriptive, when all the Lord is doing is trying to keep them safe? They are really being unkind & almost deliberately misunderstanding what the Lord’s loving nature, & His revealed wisdom (in the Bible), is really all about.
... And always let your conscience be your guide!
Real freedom, where I can be secure & safe, comes from knowing that my choices are right, both for me & for other people who my actions may influence. When I’m unsure of what to do, God is there to help me see the right thing. That knowledge is in the Bible. He also “talks” to us through our own conscience. God has set the eternal within the heart of every person, & our conscience is a vital way of letting us know what is good & what is bad, both for us personally & for other people.
Conclusions.
1) God is for us, not against us. As Romans 8:29-30 (NLT) reminds us:
‘For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son [Jesus the Christ], so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.’
2) It’s not actually about following rules at all. The history of the Hebrew people proves that! Most of the Old Testament shows how people who try to follow rules INEVITABLY FAIL in that attempt, no mater how hard they try.
What’s the point of the Bible... what’s the message then? It’s actually God showing us that following a set of rules (no matter how good they may be) will not make us holy, or happy, for that matter!
The point of the Bible’s long Old Testament narrative is to show us that the one thing we REALLY NEED, in order to get our lives in order & “fly straight & true” is to get into relationship with the living God, Jesus the Christ.
3) God doesn’t want us to slavishly obey his rules, or else! He wants us to feel safe & secure; to recognise that He loves us; to know that we BELONG - that’s where the sense of freedom comes from.
4) If we’re “hung up” about the rules of God, then we actually missed the point of the Bible’s message.
The Bible’s message is this: God really loves you... He really, really, REALLY loves you. He really, really, really loves YOU.
People who criticise the Christian faith often see it as being no more than a set of oppressive, prescriptive rules, with a strong sense of “You can’t do this”, or “You can’t do that”.
My experience is the EXACT OPPOSITE! Having been a Christian for about 30 years I would say that there are very few God-given rules. And ALL of the ones God has given us are actually for our benefit. Far from being prescriptive & oppressive, the “rules” of the Lord are ALL for our good. He is like a parent who warns a child against a danger. Of course, the child can still go & do the dangerous thing anyway, & get hurt in the process. God doesn’t want us to get hurt, but He is committed to our freedom of choice & so won’t stop us from choosing to hurt ourselves, if we are bent on doing that.
Dangers around the bend in our life choices.
In terms of understanding God’s MOTIVATION, it is not that he wants to “spoil our fun”. That is not the purpose of “all those rules”! It is simply that God knows what is good for us, & what is not, & his “rules” help us to determine which is which. All of his directives are to MAXIMISE our freedoms, not minimise them.
God’s foresight is a lot better than our own. He can “see over the hedges” & “see around the corners of our life’s “roads” much further than we can. We might think our choice(s) will send us towards something good, but often we can not see the hidden dangers of our own choices. We can not see the “potholes” in the roads of our lives. The Lord’s warnings to us are to help us; to prevent us from following a course of action that may harm us, &/or other people. The problem is, WE OFTEN CAN’T SEE that far ahead of our own choices in life; what the consequences will be. We can’t see over the “hedges”, or “round the bends” of our life’s road, so we don’t REALLY know where our choices will take us. But God does know, & He really wants us to be successful, & happy & healthy. That’s why He warns us of impending disaster, if we follow the course we are set on.
The question is: WILL WE LISTEN?
Will we trust God to lead us away from the dangerous situations we have inadvertently chosen?
The only way we will do that is if we TRUST God.
Do you?
Willfulness gets us into hot water!
The problem comes when we become willful; when we INSIST on going our own way; doing our own thing, even despite God’s warnings. As Proverbs 14:12 reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” The thing(s) we do; the new things we try may seem OK to us, at least initially, but sometimes they will lead us towards hurts, downfalls & real dangers which we can not (yet) see. It’s at times like that which God will try to tell us (as a loving heavenly Father) that our choices may lead to our own hurt, or the hurt of other people, through our actions & choices.
But if we choose to ignore God & do the thing anyway, then who is actually at fault? Can we blame God... No. It is our (poor, shortsighted) choice which led to our misery or injury, not God’s. We can not blame Him for our willfulness. Nor can we shout “You didn’t warn me!”... because God HAS, in the Bible. All those “oppressive, prescriptive rules” that people bang on about are there PRECISELY for one purpose: to keep us safe from harming ourselves, or anyone else for that matter.
God would be negligent if He DIDN’T warn us!
As I wrote earlier, my experience of the Lord is that he is utterly committed to me & giving me freedom to achieve & enjoy many things in life. But if I veer off course & approach something dangerous, then He can warn me. That’s God being like a parent. How can I complain about that? Wouldn’t I consider a human parent UTTERLY NEGLIGENT (and UN-loving) if he/she DIDN’T warn me of impending danger or hurt?
Why then do non-Christians consider God’s warnings (in the Bible) to be oppressive & prescriptive, when all the Lord is doing is trying to keep them safe? They are really being unkind & almost deliberately misunderstanding what the Lord’s loving nature, & His revealed wisdom (in the Bible), is really all about.
... And always let your conscience be your guide!
Real freedom, where I can be secure & safe, comes from knowing that my choices are right, both for me & for other people who my actions may influence. When I’m unsure of what to do, God is there to help me see the right thing. That knowledge is in the Bible. He also “talks” to us through our own conscience. God has set the eternal within the heart of every person, & our conscience is a vital way of letting us know what is good & what is bad, both for us personally & for other people.
Conclusions.
1) God is for us, not against us. As Romans 8:29-30 (NLT) reminds us:
‘For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son [Jesus the Christ], so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.’
2) It’s not actually about following rules at all. The history of the Hebrew people proves that! Most of the Old Testament shows how people who try to follow rules INEVITABLY FAIL in that attempt, no mater how hard they try.
What’s the point of the Bible... what’s the message then? It’s actually God showing us that following a set of rules (no matter how good they may be) will not make us holy, or happy, for that matter!
The point of the Bible’s long Old Testament narrative is to show us that the one thing we REALLY NEED, in order to get our lives in order & “fly straight & true” is to get into relationship with the living God, Jesus the Christ.
3) God doesn’t want us to slavishly obey his rules, or else! He wants us to feel safe & secure; to recognise that He loves us; to know that we BELONG - that’s where the sense of freedom comes from.
4) If we’re “hung up” about the rules of God, then we actually missed the point of the Bible’s message.
The Bible’s message is this: God really loves you... He really, really, REALLY loves you. He really, really, really loves YOU.
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