Attributes of a Christian #1

What would make someone a Christian in your eyes? What would a person have to do to make you think that they were on their way to heaven? What actions would they have to be doing if they were going to prove to you that they were Christians?

 

There’s lot’s of answers you could give but I think that most of the answers would fit into one of two categories. We can see these two categories in Ephesians. The book breaks down in a very organized manner; chapters 1-3 deal with who God is and what He’s done to set a sinner free and to make him alive. I counted 22 times that Paul makes reference to something like this in these chapters.

 

In chapters 4-6, Paul deals with the Christian’s response to God’s goodness and gives us all these things we can do for the Lord because He has saved us. Chapter 4 opens up with “therefore I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that the God we just talked about called you to.” And from there goes on to give 70 instructions for holy living.

 

These are your two categories.

The Ephesians 1-3 kid is a guy who knows a lot about God. He’s got all the answers, he knows how to stump the evolution teacher, he understands the Bible, but his Christianity stops there. He’s not a very nice person. He’s promiscuous, he’s selfish, he reeks with arrogance. No one cares one bit how much he knows because no one likes him enough to talk to him for very long.

 

The Ephesians 4-6 kid is a guy who’s a nice guy. Everybody likes him, no one has anything bad to say about him and he’s earned it. He’s a guy who has kept his head on straight and he’s done others right. He’s outwardly humble and unselfish. On the outside, he’s a nicer person than most Christians.

 

But the reason he’s so nice has nothing to do with the Lord. He’s nice because the ladies like him. He follows the rules because he’s scared to get in trouble. He acts humbly because he’s built up this reputation and he can’t let that go, he likes who he is and he likes the kind of person he’s known as.

 

Neither one of these kids are Christians. The proud smart one is producing no evidence that he’s been changed by an all-powerful God. The nice humble one is simply mature enough to know that there are many benefits to being nice to people and even though he goes to church, God is no more real to him than Santa Clause.

 

A true Christian has right actions with right motivations. He has godly behavior and the reason he acts that way is because God has magnificently done great things for him. It’s not simply a knowledge of God that he uses to make fun of others. It’s not simply friendly behavior and a nice attitude. A Christian is a person who has been drastically changed in an unexplainable way by God.

 

What I’m going to do the next few posts is very dangerous. I’m going to give you 10 characteristics of a Christian. The reason that this is so dangerous is that some people will try to take this list and say, “all right, as long as I do what this list says, I will be a Christian.” That’s false. You could convince yourself that you are keeping this list with no fault and still remain unconverted.

 

So without any more delay, here’s the list that I’ve made.

1. A Christian is careful in his approach to God.

In our Sunday school class we just got through going over the Ten Commandments and reading how God used Moses. Moses was a man greatly used by God. He had led the nation of Israel out of the land of Egypt and ultimately to the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 32 you can read a song that Moses sang worshiping God. After the song is over God wants to speak to him and we read this in

Deuteronomy 32:48-52  The LORD spoke to Moses that very same day, saying,  ⁴⁹ “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession.  ⁵⁰ “Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people,  ⁵¹ because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel.  ⁵² “For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.”

So after 40 years of leading these people for God, Moses is punished for not treating God holy in the midst of His people. Reader take warning from that. God is not your homeboy. You can’t just approach him anyway you want to. He must be approached in reverence and Christians understand that.

 

To illustrate this point better, imagine a bunch of pastors at a pastor’s conference. The speaker is very good and very bold and he says this: “There are many of you here today that have no business being the shepherd of souls. You don’t have a clue how to run a biblical church.” Now a young wordling will get very upset at that and start defending himself. “Who are you to tell me I don’t know what I’m doing?”

 

But a Christian pastor will hang his head and say, “I know, I need to do better.”

The difference is that this man knows Who he is dealing with. God is not a god you can figure out and this man understands that. Because the other man has not seen God, he has a very high view of himself and is not careful about how he approaches God. He thinks: I’m approaching God, isn’t that good enough? So a Christian is careful in his approach to God.

 

2. A Christian loves Christ.

 

There can be doubt about this one.

Song of Solomon 3:4…When I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go…

When a man sees the love of Christ specifically for him, his love for Christ will overwhelm him. How could he do anything else with his time but serve the One who gave up so much to come and love him? He is willing to be a slave to Christ for the rest of his life. He loves Christ and will live in gratitude to him for the rest of his days.

 

A Christian loves Christ and will stop at nothing to get Him. It’s like a merchant that’s looking for pearls and finds an extraordinary one. He will sell all that he has in order to buy that pearl. A Christian cannot be content without Christ. Thomas Watson said this

“What scorn and contempt they put on the Lord Jesus who prefer a damning pleasure before a saving Christ.”

What is your joy in this life? If Christ is not at the top of the list you need to be careful about claiming you’re a Christian. You might be a Christian who’s either young or struggling, but I wouldn’t boast too loudly that you know the Lord.  A Christian loves Christ.

 

3. A Christian pursues holiness as an act of worship.

Because a Christian loves Christ he strives to please him in every deed.

John 14:15 If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.

A Christian not only loves Christ with his lips, but he loves Christ also with his actions. A Christian longs to be more and more godly and less and less worldly.

It seems that most churches always present worship as if it is done only through singing songs. Most churches call the man who leads the hymns a worship leader. He’s not a worship leader, he’s the song director. Churches mess up when they do this because it portrays a picture to the congregation that the only time they can worship God is when they are singing songs.

 

If worship is showing love to God and love is manifested by obedience, I can worship the Lord in whatever I do and that is a more biblical time to worship.

1Cor 10:31 Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

I’m going to do my homework for the glory of God, I’m going to wash dishes for the glory of God. I’m going to honor my Mother as a way of showing honor to God so that He may get glory. A Christian strives to be holy so that their actions might bring honor to God and He may be continually worshiped in their lives.

 

4. A Christian hates sin.

Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Romans 7:24

Do you know who said these words? You would think that it would be someone like Hitler who finally saw all the pain he had caused. You might think it was Bin Laden who finally feels remorse for killing people. No it was Paul the apostle late in his ministry. He’d been walking with the Lord for probably close to 15 years and he says something like this.

 

There are two extremes we can believe about this and both are dangerously wrong. The first extreme is to think that Christians don’t sin. That will lead to legalism and hypocrisy. Legalism is when you think you do everything right and set up these rules that you think others have to keep in order to be right with God like you are. If they keep the rules, they’re a Christian in your book, but if they mess up on these man-made rules they’re not.

 

To think that Christians don’t sin would also lead to hypocrisy. If you’re claiming Christians don’t sin what are you going to say whenever you fall into sin? You would never say that you’re not a Christian so what you will do is make a new definition for sin and water it down so that it doesn’t touch you. You go blind to your sin and walk around calling others sinful while you can’t see any sin in yourself.

 

The other extreme would be to think that a Christian has no chance not to sin and because of this it gives you basically a license to do what you want because in your book, you can’t help it. You’ve gotten used to your sin and actually you’ve also grown quite fond of it.

A Christian has sin in his life and quite a bit of it. But he hates it. It makes him sick. He mourns that he sins, something a non-Christian knows nothing of. A non-Christian celebrates their sin, they don’t repent of it.

There is as much difference between sin in the wicked and the godly as between poison being in a serpent and in a man. Poison in a serpent is in its natural place and is delightful, but poison in a man’s body is offensive and he uses antidotes to expel it. –Thomas Watson

A Christian hates sin.

 

5. A Christian loves discipline.

Proverbs 3:12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Usually that discipline we get is hated at first and the Bible even tells us that.

Hebrews 12:11   All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

It’s like the discipline of training for sports. Running and training is hardly ever enjoyable. However, once the training is over and you get to play in games you find that it was well worth it to be in shape.

 

When God disciplines us it shows us that he loves us. Picture it like this: Suppose a father is in the kitchen and sees his toddler son reach for a knife. If he loves his son he will discipline him and teach him not to play with knives. If he doesn’t love him he will let the boy play with the knife and probably end up hurting himself. When the Lord disciplines us, it proves that we are His children and that He loves us.

 

A Christian wants to please Christ so when he finds out that he is doing something that offends his Master he wants to know and he wants to change. Listen to Thomas Watson

A godly man loves the menaces of the Word. He knows there is love in every threat. God would not have us perish; he therefore mercifully threatens us, so that He may scare us from sin. God’s threats are like the buoy, which shows the rocks in the sea and threatens death to such as come near.

A Christian loves discipline.

These are half of the 10 attributes of a Christian that I’ve come up with and we’ll try to cover the others in the days to come.

Peace Too Soon

Peace Too Soon

I’m ready for them to die off. The only problem is, their ideas have already been planted too deep in our minds to be erased. In the name of Christ they have put their well-intended methods in place advising all who listen to conform to their methodology. There’s a little in you and me and it needs to die as well.

It’s this attitude that the worst thing in the world is an offended brother. Whatever you do, don’t offend anyone. Jesus was the Prince of Peace. He died so that you and I might have peace with God and a man that goes around sewing discord is not pleasing God. We’ve got so much pain in the world we need to be relieving it and not delivering it.

It sounds good, but let me communicate it. “Let them walk blindly down their path, but don’t offend them. “ I’ll even be fair and quote it this way, “If you offend them, you’ve lost them and you might blow any chance you might have had down the road. You’re better off keeping the relationship so don’t ruffle any feathers.”

We’ve been taught to water things down so much that a misunderstanding is nearly impossible. If you make a bold comment, follow it up with a joke and a smile and back off if you need to.

We’ve spent more time developing our thoughts on how not to offend a person than we have on not offending God.  

Like I said, people do this in the name of Christ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” Matthew 5, but how about Matthew 10? Jesus says, “Don’t think I came to bring peace, I come bringing a sword.” Apparently Jesus was not a son of God? Does anyone else follow that logic? Maybe the understanding of peace is misinterpreted.

Let me give you an example from this week that happened to me.

I had a friend tell me that my former pastor had to go behind my back and fix messes that I caused when I was a youth minister. He said, “Nathan doesn’t realize how many bridges he burned when he was here.” Listen, I’m a flake and there were probably several occasions where it was all my fault. My bad, I’ll pay for that. But I feel pretty certain that there were some incidents where it was the Gospel’s fault.
For instance, once a man in our church came to me and the pastor after a service and after he heard that I was preaching, got angry and said, “I don’t like it when you preach. Every time you preach I feel like I’m going to hell.” Only to hear my pastor say, “Well, Nathan will mature and get better at preaching.”

 If that man doesn’t repent he’ll be in hell for a million years, but at least we’ll spend the next few months in peace right?

The way I see it, there are times when a deep sword is necessary. Pain is an absolute necessity and sometimes God calls me and you to do it.

Many people have seen that there are problems in the church, but not all have found the correct solution. The answer is not to push the problems under the rug and claim everything’s fine, the answer is the Gospel. God doesn’t think of these ministers as helpful at all. Jeremiah 6:14 God speaks to them, “they have healed the brokenness of my people superficially, saying Peace, Peace, but there is no peace.”

We’re all different and God has given each person a different personality to do His will. There are times when an attitude  of peace and silence is the correct response, but there are also times when offence is the necessary response.

 NN

Shut’em Down: “Corruption Uncovered at Kentucky Abortion Mill”

“Authorities have shut down the Lexington abortion clinic and suspended the license of Hamid Sheikh. Troy Newman of Operation Rescue says the clinic was closed due to several botched abortions.
 
“… [I]n other words, leaving baby parts inside the uterus of the mother causing major infections …,” he details. Newman also says unsafe and unsanitary conditions led to the closing of the abortion mill.
 
In addition, Sheikh was accused of using outdated medication, failure to provide adequate pain relief, and Medicaid fraud. One teenager who received an abortion was in such pain she screamed, but was told to shut up because her screams would disturb the other patients.
 
Newman contends this is not an isolated case, and states that extensive research shows that similar corruption is typical at abortion mills.”             -From ONENEWSNOW

*Here is a link to a news video about it and as well a more full article from Operation Rescue.

** I would also encouage you to click on the link in the article about abortion mills that have been shut down as of late…..its pretty shocking as to some of the reasons why….then again….its not. I just praise God they got shut down. May He shut more of these butcher houses down….

video:   http://www.whas11.com/video/index.html?nvid=255814&shu=1

article:   http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=976

 

Remember the Laughter

We’re in the minority gentlemen. The world has figured out things that we can’t know in our narrow-minded Christian worldview. We believe in a fairy-tale and they believe in proven facts. We’re stuck in the stone-age using an ancient book as authoritative while they are moving forward to bigger and better things. The world gives others the freedom to live as they want to live and do as they want to do and we’re prudes who want to impose our beliefs on others.

Is there any hope for Christians? Where is God at a time when the world is throwing stones at His name and His reputation? It seems we’re outnumbered and outsmarted. But let’s step back and think about some of these things that our world is saying and put them under a slight microscope.

1. You are an absolute idiot to think that an animal was made by Someone. Yet, you are respected if you think that an animal mutated from mud. You really don’t even have to believe that, you just have to say anything but “God did it”. “We don’t exactly know how the first life-form made it to earth, but we’re positive that God didn’t do it.” Well I guess that makes sense to the world.

2. If you think there is an absolute truth, then you are insane. The only absoute is that there is no absolute. Doesn’t logic have to enter somewhere into the conversation? Let me make it clear, my way claims that it is the only way. Therefore, you cannot believe that I am right and you are right. Somebody’s got to go to hell. Because of the teachings of my King, I must reject whatever you say that contradicts what he has said. If you’re right, I’m going to hell. If I’m right, you are. Don’t miss the point I’m trying to make: We can’t both be right.

3. Christianity suppresses women. If Christians had their way women would never have any fun, they wouldn’t work outside of the home and they couldn’t be pastors, and they couldn’t run for president. But thanks to the feminist movement everything is great in America. Premarital Sex in down, Divorces are down, and children growing up without parents is down. All False. I’m sure that the feminist movement has righted some wrongs that were done in the past, but the attitude that it has produced must catch some of the heat for broken homes. Feminists will not allow a biblical family. A woman submitting to her husband is unacceptable. So now, instead of a Husband looking out for the family, there are now two heads, and those heads clash.

4. Virginity is out. How can you expect to live life to the fullest without having sex with more than one person in your life? It doesn’t take you long to figure out that life is mainly about getting some. Watch MTV for 10 minutes. Watch every sitcom, drama or reality TV show and you will see something that draws your mind to our ultimate goal of having sex with whoever we can. You can’t even watch a super bowl without seductive enticements. Where has this landed us? Now, we can justify killing another person. If you get pregnant with a child, just head down to a local clinic and they can murder it for you…and it’s perfectly legal.

It seems that Psalm 2 is right, “the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed.” As unintelligent as popular opinion has become, it seems that people would rather die and go to hell than to give any kind of credence to Christianity. The world is against us, what can we do?

For one thing we can read the rest of Psalm 2 and find out how God responds. Do you think that the Lord is in the heavens biting his fingernails? Verse 4 says that he laughs at this kind of action. This does not worry him. It’s like an ant marching up to the owner of the Dallas Cowboys (Jerry Jones) and telling him that his team can’t play on the field anymore because the ants were on it first. No matter how much he threatens Jerry Jones with his army, Jones will simply laugh.

So in times where you recognize how outnumbered we are, remember the laughter. There is coming a Day when our Lord is coming to right the wrongs and clear his name.

How to Waste Your Theological Education

Check out this sobering list from Southern Seminary (Louisville, KY) student Derek Brown on how to waste your theological education.

http://fromthestudy.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/how-to-waste-your-theological-education/

 

JB

Mere Ministry

John MacArthur one time said that the most important job in the world is that of the minister. I would have to say that I agree. I am but a small child when it comes to ministry and already I can see the great responsibility that comes with the calling. The true minister of Jesus Christ is called to preach the most important message in the world, that is, the gospel. Ministers have the greatest calling in the world and we know this because (a) the bible says that the minister will receive greater judgment and (b) would it not be the most important job in the world to preach the most important message in the world? It is a privilege. When you speak, you speak on behalf of God Himself. Therefore, everything you say should be said with such fear and reverence. Shouldn’t ministers more carefully discern what they are saying? Ministers should stand in a constant fear because of the greatness of the job they have before them. They are called to attend to God’s flock. They are the under shepherds that God Himself has assigned. They should take the care of souls with the utmost seriousness! And that is what God calls them to do; to walk in His ways, above reproach, and to preach truth, teach truth, be ready in and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort! That is our job and it is the most important job, although I do not consider it a job. A minister is called to follow these guides from 2 Timothy regardless of situation, persons, or emotional circumstances. That is a hard job, especially in a society that is built like ours where everyone is supposed to ‘deal’ with everyone else with political correctness. We must do this though it is tough, because that is what we are called to do, because it is what brings God the glory.
The ministry is strenuous, laboring, and sometimes overbearing. The minister is always at fault when things go wrong and is always having to stave off the wolves when it comes to getting everyone not to hate him. And to steal another MacArthur quote, “it’s the only job in the world where you get all the blame when things go wrong and get none of the glory when things go right”. The ministry is a rough place. Paul lived out possibly the hardest life known to man, being beaten, stoned, castaway and a lot of other terrible things in his life. Every single apostle was martyred except for the likes of John, who was beaten then abandoned on an island of thugs and criminals. Its also a rough place for the family, just ask O.T. guys like Eli and Samuel, whose families were full of wickedness and cared nothing for the things of the Lord. You have missionaries like Adoniram Judson, who lost numerous children and 2 different wives, and pastors like John Bunyan, who lost a child and a wife while spending 12 years in prison. Ministry is a tough place.
The world outside isn’t the only place that endangers the work of the minister. Our churches are full of false prophets. Tele-evangelist and easy-believism pastors have made the gospel a very laughable idea that only promotes a free ticket to heaven. Ravenous wolves are preaching from the pulpits and churches are leading people down the broad path by the thousands. There is no church discipline, there is no repentance and there is no holiness. 2 Timothy 4 is very accurate when it proclaims the wandering of men’s souls: “They will not endure sound doctrine; but want[ing] to have their ears tickled…and will turn away their ears from truth, and will turn aside to myths.” Today the ministry is considered to be a big joke throughout this nation. I suppose that’s what happens when you preach a soft gospel.
Its hard to preach truth. Its hard because a lot of people think you are a legalist or way to conservative because you preach a narrow, hard-nosed gospel. They will gossip about you constantly. I’ve lost unconverted friends who I knew would leave me and then I’ve lost friends who I thought were saved but turned out to abandon the faith just the same. It isn’t pleasant to watch someone you once called ‘brother’ stab you in the back and walk away from the gospel. My unsaved parents constantly question everything I do and the school I attend is full of people who claim Christ as their king but do everything they can to keep the true gospel out. It seems as a daily occurrence to hear of a young ‘preacher‘ falling into sin and corruption. These are not the same sufferings as Paul or Peter, but the gospel is no less hated today than it was when it was written. You will be hated if you preach the truth of Christ.
So what is there to look forward to? What is the joy I have in the ministry? I can only say that there are times when I wonder, then I read the hope that Paul had in Romans 8. In verse 18 he says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed.” And what is that glory to be revealed? The grand and wonderful glory that we have in Christ! I can only say these words with a joyous heart that I have in my King. Oh how my heart is anxious to see my Savior and delight in Him! This is the hope that Paul is talking about in verse 24! Oh the hope we have in Christ! And then he tells us of how God is taking care of us right now. Paul reassures us again in verses 28 and 31 that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God…” and again, “If God is for us who can be against us?”
So I say to ministers and myself alike to keep the faith! Alas, God is for us! Take joy in the things that you do have in Christ. Take joy in the grace that God has given you to walk in His path and in His ways. Take joy in the Christian brothers of like faith that you do have. Take joy in the ministry that you have, to be able to preach God’s gospel.

To God be the Glory,

bawillett

The Return of the King

So the word on the street is that New York is about to redefine marriage and allow 2 people of the same sex to get married. I guess it’s truly not redefining it anymore, since (by my count) it’s the third state to do such a thing. Without getting too deep into arguing against gay marriage, let’s just accept that it’s happening and deal with that.

If New York goes forward with their gay marriage allowance, this movement will be on both coasts. But what about the area in between? I haven’t heard of any more states that are thinking of allowing gay marriages, but anyone with their eyes open can see that the movement is gaining influence. Everywhere you look businesses are proudly giving credence to these anti-biblical relationships.

I’m sure Josh could give you a list, but we can pretty much recite their stance. “we at ______ are supportive of alternative lifestyles and feel as if all men and women should be treated equal no matter what their sexual preference…” It seems as if the trend of the times is to support the beliefs of those living in sin. You’ve seen on this blog that McDonald’s is supporting it, and last year I remember Arkansas based Wal-Mart giving a portion of their proceeds on their busiest shopping day of the year to the homosexual movement (they have “rolled back” their stance since, but not enough see artcle below)http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/22/magazines/fortune/pluggedin_gunther_walmart.fortune/index.htm

If you read the article, it seems clear that the only reason Wal-Mart did pull back support of the homosexual movement is that they felt it would cost them money if they continued to support the movement.

Here’s my take:

Do they not realize that their life is over within 50 years? That is a poetic vapor in time. They will lose more than money if they continue to ignore biblical truth. They don’t realize this, but keep in mind that we  Christians live expecting our King to return. California, Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, the company you work for, they will all regret these decisions when He comes.

Just picture a high-up at Wal-Mart explaining to King of Glory why they thought this was a good idea. It seems like they always have an answer to any question, but my guess is that on that Day, in the presence of our King, if they speak they will stammer and beg for mercy in repentence.

If I can give you any advice, Mr. New York legislator, let me just suggest to you that you reject this movement and stand for the literal Word of God. You will not regret that you did.

 

The Chair is beautiful

I just want to retell a story that was told this weekend at the New Attitude conference in Louisville, KY.

John Piper was speaking and he told a story about a speaking engagement he had a conference with RC Sproul in Orlando. He said that Mr. Sproul concluded his sermon with an illustration of faith in Christ being like faith in a chair. It’s a common illustration, and it’s exactly what you’re thinking. We are not exercising faith until we sit in the chair.

Mr. Piper spoke next and (knowing that Sproul was watching from the back) posed a question to Mr. Sproul. He said, “what if the chair’s ugly and I don’t want to sit in it?” The point he was making was that it’s more than simply exercising faith, it’s desiring something and then exercising faith. He concluded the story by saying that Sproul came back around, put his arm around him and said, “the chair…is…beautiful.”

Yes, the chair is beautiful, but Piper went on to say that what if the chair has two dozen marksmen standing around it with arrows pointed at your face so that if you sit in that chair they will fire?

I just thought this was an interesting story, thoughts?

NN

Good Logic from Huckabee On Gay “Marriage”

Here’s a great video of former Governor and Presidential Candidate from Arkansas Mike Huckabee answering some questions from a student at Union College concerning “Gay Marriage”. His reasoning is pretty overwhelming. I’ve listen to the governor address this topic in detail many times and have learned a lot from the way he goes about it, both from his logic and from his compassion and humility. This is not an easy issue to take a stand on in our culture and especially in the political realm, but Huckabee has stood firm….and for good reasons.

I think more people need to hear this. If you’ll notice, even though he’s a Christian, his response here is on a level that is not explicitly based on some Scripture that he believes (though in my opinion, he could easily appeal to the Bible or God’s authority and he probably would in a church or some other setting.) We must ultimately look to what God says and obey the Scriptures, but Huckabee has thought hard on explaining the dangers of ”gay marriage” even for people that will reject what the Bible is saying. I think we all, Christians and non-Christians alike, can learn a lot from listening to Gov. Huckabee.

 

 

 

 

 

Eagerly Anticipating

Today I was continuing my trek through Matthew and I came to 25:19 and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was the parable of the servants who were given 5 talents, 2 talents and 1 talent. Verse 19 says that after a long time the master came to settle the accounts. I know that verse is just a subpoint to the whole of the text, but I was forced to stop and meditate on it.

What a terrible and joyful Day that will be when the Lord returns to settle accounts. I pray that the wicked will repent but praise God that the wrong will be made right. The blood of the martyrs will have its hearing in God’s courtroom and their oppressors will be judged and judged rightly. Atheists who claim to be so smart will see clearly that they knew nothing and will face their pride and judgment with the Almighty. What a terrible Day for them.

O but think of the joy for God’s church! I don’t know exactly what the new heavens and new earth will be, but let’s just say that the new earth is just like this one except sin is banished. In our present world, the cause of all sorrow is sin. Imagine a life without sorrow and death. Imagine a life without the restraints of lust and pride. Imagine a life without the restraints of lust and pride of others. How can we not long for this?

I’m not sure what the new heavens will be either, but it has to be an upgrade. Surely there will be powers that will be given to us that we might not have even thought of. Maybe we’ll be able to fly and perhaps we can walk through walls, but what about the things that God hasn’t revealed to any of us yet. Perhaps a 5th or 6th dimension that our brains can’t comprehend right now.

Whatever the case I’m sure that the Great Day of the Lord will not leave His children disappointed. He’s been too good to us thus far.

NN