Archive for November, 2022
Life at Its Best
“… that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” I Thessalonians 4: 11 – 12)
There are many motivational books on the market. Some promote a lifestyle and work ethic. None are more on target that this brief Scripture.
Aspire in Greek is “philotimeomai,” meaning to make it your ambition to strive earnestly, to strive eagerly, to be zealous, to make something your goal, your aim, the passion of your life. Like the people who received this message initially we are charged and challenged by it.
First, lead a quiet life.
Quiet in Greek is “hesuchazo,” which means to be still and/or to be silent. Such is essential for a thoughtful mind to work.
This is present tense which stresses that we must constantly strive to lead such a life. We must eagerly endeavor to live a peaceful life.
“When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship—when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us.” –Oswald Chambers
Second, mind your own business.
Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.”
Don’t stick your nose in on matters that do not concern you, it only creates more problems. Make folks happy today, mind your own business.
Third, rest in the Lord. This means to have confidence the Lord is in control. Psalm 23 is a commentary on this concept. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want….” This dispels anxiety.
Fourth, work with your own hands. This was addressed to a working class, today called blue collar workers, but the principle is applicable to all classes.
The type work hereby encouraged means to work up a sweat. In general this means to extend yourself in your task. Thus, you have cause to be fulfilled, and not become a burden to anybody..
Fifth, walk worthy. Walk in Greek is “peripateo,” which refers to one’s lifestyle. One’s conduct should be above reproach. It means to conduct oneself properly and take full advantage of opportunities.
If you conduct yourself in this way you will “lack nothing.” For then you can be assured your “…God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 19)
Such a well ordered life is a witness to “those who are outside,” that is, unbelievers. They see such composure and positive work ethic are attracted to the source enabling it, Jesus, and be attracted to Him.
Are You Worthy?
Got a problem? Ever get to acting or feeling like you are the only one with a problem? Consider the persecution of the church in Corinth of which it was written.
“We know sorrow,
Yet our joy is inextinguishable.
We are handicapped on all sides,
but we are never frustrated;
We are puzzled,
but never in despair.
We are persecuted,
but we never have to stand alone,
We are knocked down,
but we are never knocked out!”
(II Corinthians 6: 10; 4: 8, 9 Phillips Translation)
First-century Christians expected difficulty, deprivation, and even death because of their faith.
There are places in the world of which that is still true today. We need to pray for the many persecuted Christians of our time. We also need to “tighten our belts,” and let the holy son-shine of Jesus within us shine out. I have two signs in our garage I see every time I go out. One is a large yellow smiley face. The other is a cherished wood carving made for me by a college friend with the message:
“The joy of the Lord is thy strength.”
Remember that little chorus, “I’ve the peace that passes understanding down in my heart?” That becomes an attractive factor. It is show and tell time for the Christian community. It is virtually impossible to tell a person of the peace that passes understanding until we show it to them by example. When they see what it is, they are attracted to it.
Consider one example by which to judge your attitude when someone causes you pain. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” (Matthew 5: 11) Blessed?
There is a dear lady who lost her job and suffered greatly because of living out her faith. She said she gained peace and stability when it was called to her attention that she, like the apostles, had reason to rejoice in that she was counted worthy to suffer for the Lord.
Few of us really suffer for our Lord, but all of us have disappointments, difficulties, pain, problems, losses, opposition, heartbreaks, and trials. All are an opportunity to be counted worthy to deal with them in a way that shows Christ is alive in us.
By your responses are you “….choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” (Hebrews 11:25)
Death Defying
Blaise Pascal wrote, “Since men would not do away with death, they decided not to think about it.” Dwelling on it is not mentally healthy. Failure to think about and plan for its inevitably is foolish.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives death its proper perspective. Biblically there are only three reasons a Christian dies.
One is they have finished the earthly mission on which God sent them and they are allowed to come home and get their reward.
At death of a believer they pass on to a higher form of life. A full and rich life cannot be determined by chronology, but by character.
Second is martyrdom that advances the cause of Christ.
A third is that the Christian has committed “the sin unto death.” This means the person has committed a sin, any sin, of which they will not repent that impairs their witness of which they will not repent thus, their death will bring more glory to God than their unrepentant life.
Death, like other events in life, is not a goal, but a gateway.
If all the infants in all the wombs of all the women of all the world could speak, at the birth of one of them named Sam, one could be heard to say, “Poor ole Sam passed on.” The world he passed on to is much larger and more beautiful than the womb. So life in heaven is more grand than life on earth.
In light of that, could it be that we have gotten things backwards? At the birth of a child we smile, coo, and laugh. At the death of a friend we weep and grieve. Known of the difficulties awaiting in life perhaps birth is when we should cry, and at the death of believers rejoice.
Most healthy people take precautions to avoid death. This is a healthy preservative of life. It results in a healthy fear of death. However, one of God’s graces is that in death there is no fear for the believer. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me.” (Ps. 23) Virtually mocking death Scripture heroically avers, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15: 55 – 57)
“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (II Corinthians 5:8),” is the fate of a Christian.
The long shadow of death is removed by life — eternal life.
May the equivalent of this inscription on the tombstone of George Washington be appropriately inscribed on yours.
“A sincere Christian doing all things for the will of his Master and resting his hope of eternal happiness alone on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.”
Did Jesus Descend Into Hell?
Between the crucifixion and the resurrection did Jesus descend into hell?
Reading the current English translations of Scripture it is easy to understand why some say yes. The question often arises from the King James translation of Acts 2: 27 – 31 (a quote from Psalm 16: 8 – 11), that the soul of Jesus “was left in hell.”In the Apostles Creed it is said Jesus “descended into hell” (descendit ad inferna). “Hell” in both cases refers not to the hell of eternal punishment (Gehenna), but to the realm of the dead, the underworld (OT Sheol, NT Hades). Hence modern translations of both the NT and the Creed read “Hades,” “dead,” not hell.
That coupled with I Peter 3: 18 – 20 cause some to be misinterpreting the concept. “For Christ also suffered once for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient….”
Regarding this I Peter 3 passage it means in the Old Testament time He, by means of the Holy Spirit, went and preached to the people of that era who were disobedient and didn’t repent. They are now separated from God and in hell. It was not at the time of the writing of this text He preached to them. In the era of the Old Testament He preached to them, by means of the Holy Spirit, before their death while they were on earth.
The question lingers, why would Jesus have gone to hell and preached to those therein? Doing so would have been virtually a taunting, a nana-nana-nana.
Exactly where in the realm of the dead Jesus was during that interval is just one of God’s little secrets regarding something we really don’t need to know.
Exactly when He got to heaven and began His building program isn’t known. It is known He ascended into heaven and is there now preparing a place for all who by faith place their trust in Him obediently.
In order that provision be made for whosoever will join Him in heaven, “… Christ also suffered once for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit….”
Jesus took our sin on Himself at Calvary and offers to apply His righteousness to whosoever will receive it. Thereby one is prepared to live an abundant life and then go to heaven.
A related relative issue is are you prepared for that prepared place?
The Real Suffering of the Cross
With the celebration of the resurrection in our rear view mirror it is appropriate that we reflect on the theology of the event, much of which is overlooked. To do so it is expedient to look outside the gospel. We can look back to the Old Testament and forward to the Book of Acts and beyond to the narrative parts of the New Testament for details.
The crucifixion and resurrection are inseparable events.
Romans 4: 23 – 25 frames the two. “Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”
The “his” in the text is a reference to Abraham who was justified by faith expressed in the foreshadowing events related to the cross.
Jesus’ crucifixion was necessary because of our offenses, sins that is.
His resurrection was necessary in order for us to be justified.
The resurrection of Jesus was God the Father’s seal of approval of God the Son.
Paul who was a witness of both the crucifixion and resurrection said, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (I Timothy 1: 15)
Crucifixion was a devastating act of horror. The human body contains about a gallon and a half of blood. With the loss of 40% of it exsanguination sets in. Death follows if the bleeding isn’t stopped and treated quickly. His was not.
All that Jesus went through leading up to the cross plus the actual act of crucifixion would have caused even greater loss of blood. This refutes claims that He only swooned and was refreshed and revived by being in the cool tomb.
In focusing on the horror and suffering of crucifixion the real suffering is often overlooked. The physical suffering is not to be minimized. However, there was even greater suffering experienced by Jesus. It was the spiritual aspect. For an understanding look back to Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”
Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This had a twofold meaning. Foremost, it was this separation for the Father that caused the greatest suffering. He was experiencing what those in hell experience, separation from God the Father. That was Jesus’ greatest suffering.
Secondarily, the cry had another application. In that era Scripture did not have chapters and verses. When a Jewish mother was teaching her children Scripture she would simply start the first part of the text and the child knew the location. In Jesus’ shout He was saying if you want to know what is happening here look it up in Psalm 22. Do so now.