Tag: god’s sufficiency

Our Riches In Christ (Colossians 2:1-5)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. (New International Version)

When you already have everything you need, it’s useless – and can even be damaging – to indulge in listening to fine sounding arguments about how you are missing out, lacking something, and/or falling short in some way.

For the Christian, the truth is: You now possess God’s treasure chest of wisdom and knowledge in Christ Jesus. So, why would you ever let someone deceive you through slick persuasion about having something superior to what you already have?

“Heresy” is really nothing more than making a bold claim to an alternative theological understanding than what you presently adhere to.

In some cases, an existing belief system is inferior and bogus. So, it’s a good thing when someone turns from bad religion in order to embrace a religion which is life-giving, helpful, and good.

Yet, if we already have a belief which is robustly full of righteousness and justice, and is good for the common life of everyone in the community, then it is dangerous to consider replacing it, or letting it fall into disuse.

The Apostle Paul’s consistent and overarching theme throughout his letter to the Colossian Christians is that Jesus Christ is sufficient, he is enough – more than enough – for our life and salvation.

That means the task of the Christian is to hold on to and cultivate what already has been taught to them according to apostolic tradition (that is, the Scriptures).

Another way of putting the matter: Learn to appreciate and enjoy what you already have, because it really is worth exploring, living into, and celebrating.

So, let’s put away any notions that standing firm in the faith involves defending your own personal brand of the Christian life (which is usually done obnoxiously) or for others to adhere to every jot and tittle of your own dogmatic theology.

To remain steadfast in the faith means primarily to nurture your faith – to actively pursue the spiritual life and concern oneself with the development of the soul. It is, more specifically, to keep on struggling to live into the words and ways of Jesus Christ; and to keep on learning and applying the apostolic teaching which has been passed down to us.

This is not too much to ask. It is reasonable (and biblical) to expect professing believers in Christ to put solid energy into encouraging one another in love and unity by means of sound Christian theology and doctrine.

Genuine and lasting unity depends upon both truth and love. Christians need to be of one mind and one heart, embracing the same values.

My dear wife and I recently celebrated 39 years of marriage together. Someone asked me today how we’ve made it all these years. I said that the main reason is that, although we are extreme opposites in nearly every way, we have both shared the same basic core values throughout our marriage. And that has gotten us through a lot of things.

Love for one another in the church will be maintained when we understand there is nothing being held back from us by God. The mystery of Christ has been revealed. There are no secrets. Solid and lasting relationships are built upon the foundation of truth. Nothing is held back.

We might as well lay bare everything, because it’s eventually going to happen one way or another.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:13, NIV

If we begin to think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, then we start listening to other people – perhaps even inviting other lovers into our lives. But the truth is: If I have some delicious fresh fried catfish on my plate, why in the world would I ever settle for a measly can of tuna?

The unity of the Colossian Church was at stake for the Apostle Paul. Just because someone is skilled in the art of persuasion, and can speak a good line, doesn’t necessarily mean that those words are good, right, or just.

There’s nothing wrong with persuasion. In fact, Paul himself was highly skilled in rhetoric and persuasion. At issue is losing sight of the message and focusing solely on the means of communicating the message.

Oftentimes a false teacher who peddles a different message other than apostolic teaching, has a highly believable way about them – which is why folks can be deceived. When one is being charmed, then critical analysis is rarely on their mind.

We can also be self-deceived, deluding ourselves, and talking ourselves into going down a bad path. It is most necessary to evaluate things according to the content rather than the attractiveness of the packaging.

Gifts of speaking and persuasion are good, so long as they are used for good, and controlled by sound thinking and directed by compassionate hearts.

There is no compelling witness for Christ if the church is fragmented and divided. But if we are convinced that our spiritual riches are found in Jesus Christ, then we shall find ways to remain connected and caring.

Therefore, let’s live as if we really believe this.

I always pray to the great and glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that he will give you the Spirit, who will let you know truths about God and help you understand them, so that you will know him better.

I pray that God will open your minds to see his truth. Then you will know the hope that he has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. Amen. (Ephesians 1:17-19, ERV)

The All-Sufficient One (Genesis 17:1-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. (New International Version)

There were 13 years between the events of chapters 16 and 17 of Genesis. God’s servant, Abram, did not hear from God in those years. Then, all of a sudden, the Lord showed up, with a new self-reference as “God Almighty.”

“God Almighty” (“El Shaddai,” the all-sufficient God) appeared to Abram. The Lord brought a self-revelation to Abram as the all-competent God, the adequate God, the God who has the big picture and knows what to do with it.

Within those 13 years before El Shaddai showed up, Abram tried his own plan for acquiring an heir to God’s covenant promises. It didn’t go quite as designed. Along with Abram, people in every age need to discover or recover the presence of God Almighty, El Shaddai, the Lord who is completely sufficient for anything and everything in life.

Our role, much like Abram’s, is to bring a wholehearted devotion to our walk with God – not looking for some extra supplement to the Lord, as if divine resources and help is inadequate or untrustworthy. We are to have a sincere and obedient stance toward God Almighty.

Too many people seek to serve two masters, as if this will help cover all the bases of what we need. But Jesus was savvy to this, understanding that it only complicates things:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”

Jesus (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13, NIV)

God Almighty wanted Abram to know and believe that El Shaddai doesn’t allow any dual allegiances – mainly because all of us can only really serve one master.

This realization and determination to serve God Almighty alone elicits El Shaddai giving Abram a new name: Abraham. Knowing God in a new or different way always changes us, as if we are new people with new names. For Abram, now Abraham, the change is one of moving from the “exalted father” who had his own ideas, to the “father of many nations” who will bless all those with the same discovery and determination to let God be God, without all the puny human interference.

And You Shall Circumcise the Flesh of Your Foreskin, by Gerard Hoet (1648-1733)

With any seminal change of life, a very real and tangible sign is important, in order to never forget who God is, and who we as people are. For Abraham and those born to him, circumcision was that sign.

And what a sign it was! God actually told Abraham that all the males in his household were to have their foreskin removed. If anything, this was a sign given which could never get lost! It was enduring, always there, and unforgettable. It is a constant reminder that the people of Abraham, the Hebrews, are to be different and singularly devoted to El Shaddai.

In Christianity, we are to have a circumcision of the heart, and not necessarily the flesh. It is the heart, which is to be completely devoted to God Almighty, that is, the entirety of a person’s life. The whole person is to be oriented to one master who rules both body and soul.

A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. (Romans 2:28-29, NIV)

The one devoted to God Almighty in Jesus Christ is to use body, mind, emotions, and spirit for good divine purposes. Christians are meant to rely solely and completely upon Christ. They are to take every action, every thought, every feeling, every imagination and make it captive to Christ.

To be circumcised is to be set apart for good and noble purposes, to have a heart fully devoted to God Almighty as the ever-living, ever-loving, all-sufficient Sovereign of the universe.

God Almighty, open our eyes that we may see; incline our hearts that we may desire; and order our steps that we may follow the way of your commandments, now and forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit are one God, for all time. Amen.