Tag: love

It’s All About Faith, Grace, and Love (Galatians 5:7-12)

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

You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn’t come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don’t toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.

As for the rumor that I continue to preach the ways of circumcision (as I did in those pre-Damascus Road days), that is absurd. Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn’t matter one way or the other. Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves! (The Message)

It’s a beautiful thing when someone comes to faith, connects with their spiritual self, and discovers a deep truth about their need and how to meet it. It’s like starting a whole new life of wonder and freedom.

But then, someone else comes along and questions the life-giving and life-improving project. And, in their estimation, grace needs a bit of help, and love isn’t quite enough. This someone throws doubt on the nature of faith. Then, like a naïve computer user caught in a phishing email scam, they’re caught in a worldwide web of deceit, half-truths, and false teaching.

The Apostle Paul was both sad about and frustrated with the Galatian Church for giving into the scam without even having the spiritual sense to know that they had been duped.

I have found throughout my Christian life that folks with a past in which they did not live by grace, but only looked out for themselves, have a temptation to embrace strict rules from legalistic teachers after they come to faith in Christ. They know what it feels like to not have Jesus in their lives, so they sometimes go beyond Scripture and become open to imposing standards on themselves, and then others, in order to keep on the straight and narrow.

If, and when, that happens, the Apostle Paul has something to say about it. Embracing certain practices to obtain or maintain a right standing with God and others means absolutely nothing. There’s no spiritual value in it. And, in fact, it’s even destructive.

For the Galatian Church who bought the snake oil of strict outward rule-keeping, Paul had strict words. Here is how one version of the New Testament puts it:

“You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace! We eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness through the Spirit by faith. Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t matter in Christ Jesus, but faith working through love does matter.” (Galatians 5:4-6, CEB)

Any Christian tradition or individual believer which ignores God’s grace in favor of controlling one’s own faith through certain rules is no Christianity, at all. Paul will have nothing to do with it.

The Apostle’s position was clear and pointed. We are called to freedom, and we are to use that freedom to serve others through love. Freedom is not something where we do whatever we want without regard to others. That is selfishness, not freedom.

Freedom is a gift of grace. It is given to us so that we will live freely into who we are meant to be as humanity. That means there are to be no obstacles of extra-biblical or unbiblical rules impeding us in realizing our full potential as Christians saved by grace through faith.

The possibilities of grace through faith include full unhindered expressions of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control for the benefit of ourselves and the entire community of the redeemed.

Grace is the currency of God’s kingdom, flowing freely through love. God has your back – not because you have a superior form of righteousness – but because grace has already given us everything we need for life and godliness in this present evil age. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

God’s amazing grace forgives, and never runs out. God’s love endures and never withdraws. When we grab hold of this essential and beautiful truth about God with spiritual gusto, then the only rule we want to keep is to love one another.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:8, NIV

Outward displays of righteousness and piety for all to see how spiritual we are is like a dog returning to it’s vomit. Once we get the bad stuff out of our spiritual stomach, it makes no sense whatsoever to turn around and gobble it up again. If grace is what’s needed for deliverance, then grace is good enough to sustain us throughout the entirety of the Christian life.

For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love. (Galatians 5:6, GNT)

Are there any practices, rules, beliefs, or doctrines you impose on yourself which are burdensome to you, or others?  Why do you do them?  Do you expect others to keep them?  What would change if you threw grace and love into the mix?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit be with you, now and forever. Amen.

A Life-Giving Message of Grace and Love (2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5)

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

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (New International Version)

Turn to any page in Holy Scripture, focus on it’s contents, seek to live the message you find, and you will discover a rich and full spiritual life.

Standing firm in faith, holding to the apostolic teachings, and living into the good news of grace will translate into a daily life of loving others in both word and deed.

There are several elements contained in today’s New Testament lesson to spotlight in living a solid spiritual life: gratitude; salvation; sanctification; truth; spiritual calling; sharing in God’s glory; love; grace; hope; encouragement; prayer; faithfulness; perseverance; and, deliverance.

We could even highlight just one of these words and, if seeking to do a deep dive with it, could spend unending days learning and living into its multi-faceted dimensions.

I want to pause here and do a bit of a check-in with you. How we approach this passage of Scripture, as well as any other verses which encourage us to hold onto sound teaching and living, will likely determine our level of joy, satisfaction, confidence, and success in life.

It all begins with our view of self. If we come at the Christian life and Holy Scripture with a view of self as a mere tool or object for God’s use – then we are truly objectifying ourselves.

The key point of awareness to realizing whether we have such an objectifying view is if we continually “should” ourselves. The word “should,” brings self-hatred. We primarily see only shortcomings and original sin – and are blind to the majesty of being in God’s image.

In such a view there is typically boat loads of shame for not living up to the ideal form of a devoted Christian. Belittling ourselves inwardly only translates outwardly to looking down on others for their failures. Any exhortation from me or anybody else would be seen in this view as demanding a duty.

Instead, we can approach Scripture’s admonitions, encouragements, and exhortations with the glasses of grace. After all, our text for today says that God loved us and by grace gave us this teaching. The dense amount of Christian living in such a few verses, when viewed through the lenses of grace, are merciful words of support and encouragement.

God wants to strengthen us with grace just because of love. God does not objectify us by peering down on us as pawns in some twisted divine game of cosmic pleasure. Rather, God is looking to direct our hearts toward a delight in love. Because only love and grace is what endures throughout our Christian lives.

Not everyone has faith, and that saddens the heart of God. It also puts us, at times, in awkward situations. Again, the love of God does not leave us alone. Divine love will strengthen and protect us.

The Apostle Paul never wags his finger and levels the “should” on us like some uptight legalist. Paul expresses confidence, knowing that we most certainly have the capacity to live the will of God. The Scriptures are given to engender strengthening of faith and spiritual growth rather than self-hatred – which has a nasty tendency to come out sideways in a lack of compassion and grace toward others.

The second letter to the Thessalonian Christians was written because the believers were finding it difficult to endure their hard circumstances. They began longing for heaven to such a degree that they were losing their grip on living presently in the moment of now. This is one reason why Paul encouraged them to pray for him and his colleagues. The people needed to put some focus on the now of spreading the message of God’s grace and love.

The truth be told, the chief reason I write these daily reflections on Scripture is because I need God’s Word. Yes, I do, of course, write for the reader. I want to contribute to people’s growth in grace and I have a deep desire to make the message known.

Yet, honestly, I write more for myself. This is a way for me to remind myself of God’s love and grace and utilize it every day. When I hear Paul talking in biblical texts like these, I detect some of the same reason – Paul himself wants to continue growing in grace, and when writing to and for others he is very much writing to himself.

The reading of the Bible and the dedication to living its message is meant to be life-giving, or rather, eternally life-giving.

So, today, I offer you this blessing:

May you take refuge in the wondrous grace of God, and all the little miracles of mercy which he bestows each day.

May you always be inclined to rush into God’s Holy Word and discover it working within you.

May you imitate the flower as it opens to the day’s sunshine in receiving all that God has for you this day.

May you be in solidarity with brother stone, who sits in silence, calm and secure, and be excessively gentle with yourself.

May you wisely steer clear of those vexed in spirit with only God knows what; and, when in that space of others walking all over your boundaries, may your confidence surge and God’s protection deliver you.

May you return to the glory that is yourself, learning a new respect for your heart, and the joy that has always been there, given graciously to you by a God who has invited you to share in Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Encourage One Another (1 Thessalonians 3:1-5)

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

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. (New International Version)

If life were always a bowl of cherries, we would not continually need to be encouraged. But, as you well know, we all need encouragement in order to keep going, be patient, and persevere through the hard slogs of this life.

The Apostle Paul, although sometimes coming across as a driven Type A sort of personality in Scripture, was nonetheless sensitive and attentive to the spiritual and emotional needs of the churches in his care. And because of that concern, he sent his young protégé, Timothy, to encourage the believers in Thessalonica and support them in their efforts to live a faithful life.

Encouragement is a vital practice for all people; it isn’t optional. To need encouragement is not a sign of weakness, any more than needing food is. Ideally, encouragement happens daily, just as much as we need three square meals a day. (Hebrews 3:12-14)

The church is to be a community of mutual support for one another. The world can be a tough, unfriendly, and lonely place. It’s easy to get hurt.

The word “encourage” is a beautiful word (Greek: παρακαλέω and English transliteration: parakaleo). It is actually two words smashed together (compound word) to communicate a wonderful truth. “Para” means to come alongside. It’s a word found in many of our English words (i.e., parachute, paramedic, etc.). The other half of the word, kaleo, means “to call out,” that is, to exhort someone to do something. 

When we put those two words together, parakaleo means to exhort someone to do something by coming alongside them and helping them to do it. Therefore, we do the dual work of saying helpful words and backing it up with helpful actions.

We are to do the patient work of building up and strengthening the faith of each other. Not everything goes according to plan in life; there are unforeseen delays and issues and problems which causes us to find creative work arounds. At other times, we just have to submit to the wait and not become upset or discouraged about it.

When it comes to faith, we are not to give up when things don’t go as we think they should, or as planned. In stressful situations, we must avoid tearing down one another. And we are not to look at other people as objects to be “fixed” when they don’t perform, or do, or say, what we want them to. 

Everyone needs a continual stream of encouragement to keep going so that we do not lose heart or lose hope. If we are in the habit of only pointing out things to others we don’t like, or consistently feel the need to correct people, then we really must say at least five encouraging things for every single complaint. 

“Do you see how everywhere Paul puts the health of the community into the hands of each individual?  Encourage one another and build each other up. Do not then cast all of the burden on your teachers, and do not cast everything on those who have authority over you. You are able to edify one another…. If you are willing, you will have more success with one another than we (pastors) can have. You have been with one another a longer time and know more about one another’s affairs. You are not ignorant of one another’s failings and have more freedom of speech, love, and intimacy. You have more ability than we do to reprove and exhort. I am only one person. You are many. You will be able to be teachers to one another.”

Saint John Chrysostom, 4th century Bishop of Constantinople

We encourage and edify one another with Christ – who is both our example and our substitute. Jesus is our example of leaving the comfort of heaven and coming alongside us in our human condition; he lived the holy life we could not live, and so, is our substitute. 

Jesus came alongside us and taught us how to live by showing the way of love and taking care of the sin issue once for all. After rising from the dead and ascending to heaven, we now have the hope that Christ will return.  Then we will no longer have to deal with the world, the flesh, and the devil dogging us at every turn, seeking to discourage us. 

The three indispensable elements of the Christian life are faith, hope, and love. We need all three in order to be encouraged and strengthened in faith.

For faith to be strong, it needs exercise through continual repetitions of handling hard and challenging circumstances.   

For hope to flourish, we need the confident expectation that God will make good on all divine promises.

For love to abound, it needs to become the very air we breathe. Love is to be so common and routine for us that we put it on every day just as we put on our clothes. We love one another by encouraging each other through meeting needs. We love each other enough to say what needs to be said, and back it up with help so that they will not become discouraged but will persevere and keep going.

The Holy Spirit of God is referred to by Jesus as the Paraclete – the noun form of the word for encouragement.  The Spirit is the one who comes alongside us and teaches us all things by helping us. The Spirit’s work is to sanctify us and make us holy. 

God does not shout commands from heaven; the Lord comes alongside us by means of the Spirit to help us live the Christian life. And that is how believers are to function – pointing one another to Christ, exhorting and helping and edifying each other until the Lord Jesus comes again. 

Almighty God, by your Word you laid the foundations of the earth, set the boundaries of the sea, and still the wind and waves. Surround us with your grace and peace, and preserve us through all the vicissitudes of this life. By your Spirit, lift up those who have fallen, strengthen those who work to rescue or rebuild, and fill us with the hope of your new creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Final Exhortations on the Christian Life (Hebrews 13:1-16)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Forever Hebrews, by Anthony Falbo

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (New International Version)

Whenever I read this final chapter in the New Testament book of Hebrews, it gives me the feel of a parent blurting out a bunch of loving exhortations before the kids leave.

Throughout this incredible letter to a group of struggling Jewish Christians, the author of Hebrews offered a mix of pastoral encouragement along with pointed spiritual warnings. Now, after doing his best to demonstrate that Jesus is worth holding on to, the author exhorts the people with several practical instructions to help focus them for a life of guidance and direction in the ways of Christianity.

Keep on Loving Each Other

Love is the distinguishing characteristic of a Christian. A group of people can only persevere if they encourage one another daily with a combination of cheerleading and rebuke. The big idea is that everyone must hold each other accountable for living the Christian life.

Show Hospitality to Strangers

The word for hospitality literally means “love of stranger.” It’s the opposite of xenophobia (fear of the other). Hospitality is an expression of love for Christ in meeting the needs of people we don’t even know. Why do it? One good reason is that they just might be angels.

Remember Prisoners and Mistreated Persons

In the ancient world, there was no state-supported prison system. Incarcerated persons were completely dependent upon the mercy of their family and friends for food and relational connection. In the case of those who were truly alone, the church extended needed benevolence to them. Otherwise, prisoners would languish and eventually die.

Furthermore, we are to be observant of those who endure suffering from mistreatment. Why? Because the believers were in that position, too. Instead of “looking out for number one,” the church was to engage the community and not be isolated from its needs.

Honor the Institution of Marriage

God cares about how we honor our commitments. Ideally, couples are to keep their relationship pure without adulterating themselves with others. They submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. And they keep their promises to each other, no matter what circumstances they find themselves in.

In God’s economy, there’s no such thing as “free love” in the sense that we can have multiple partners without any sort of consequence or fallout. Friends with benefits is a misnomer. Random sex is oxymoronic. And casual lovers are in huge denial. There is a high cost to it all.

Don’t Love Money

This, of course, is a tricky one. We need money. Everyone must use money. But the love of money sets us on a dark path from which few are able to return. The best way (and really the only way) of avoiding the money pit is to be content with what you have.

Gratitude and thanksgiving has the power to grant us a happy life, even though it may be a very simple one. The only permanent things in the universe are relationships – everything else will burn.

Remember Your Leaders

Recall those persons who were good examples in both their speech and action. And imitate their faith. I wonder how many of us could say that to another person – to mimic our own life. If you’re like me, one of the things which stick out to you about respected leaders in your life, is their passion and desire in living for Christ. And, like Jesus, they were never fickle, but were always consistent and unwavering in their commitments.

Don’t Be Carried Away by Different Teachings

The basic message of the gospel has not changed: There is still good news of great joy for all who believe, because Jesus has taken care of the sin issue once for all through his singular sacrifice. And Jesus will sustain us by means of the Holy Spirit graciously given us. There’s no need to look elsewhere for our needs to be met.

Bear Christ’s Disgrace

Go to Jesus outside the camp – or in other words – live a holy life. Live into the words and ways of Christ. In doing so, we will actually end up being ridiculed, even abused. In concluding the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus promised that living a holy life of humility, righteousness, mercy, purity and peacemaking will result in persecution. (Matthew 5:10-12)

So, why live this way? Because it is the path to our eternal inheritance. The broad road leads to destruction, but the narrow way of holiness brings us to eternal life.

Continually Offer to God a Sacrifice of Praise

Praise comes from a heart full of gratitude for deliverance from sin, death, and hell – for salvation from all the guilt and shame of things done and things left undone. Praise is our sacrifice, not animals. In a world where many people want followers of Jesus to keep their mouths shut, those devoted to Christ find themselves incessantly chattering about Jesus because of their union with him.

Be Benevolent

Part of offering a sacrifice of praise is using our time and resources for the benefit of blessing the church and the world. We aren’t simply consumers who receive salvation and blessing from God; we are also producers who thoughtfully and compassionately give of our gifts, talents, time, and money for those in need of grace and love.

Conclusion

Why are we to obey these various exhortations from the author of Hebrews? Because we were purchased at a price – the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And as a result of receiving such a grace from God, the believer willingly gives themselves to becoming holy, serving faithfully, and offering compassionate spiritual care in the name of Christ.

For love is always the true litmus test of every genuine follower of Jesus, and the thing which gives motivation and shape to each exhortation.

Amen. May it be so, to the glory of God.