Category: Grace

Why Your Good Works Won't Save You

11/28/2016

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

As we continue with our study of Ephesians we come across a passage most Christians know by heart. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). But first, a little background on the Ephesians, and why Paul was spending so much time instilling in them the knowledge that they are loved by God and saved.

Ephesus was the centre of idol worship and the occult in the ancient world. Much of its commerce stemmed from the worship of Artemis, also known as Diana. Yet Artemis was not the only idol worshipped in Ephesus. There were over fifty other idols as well. This was why Ephesus was so wealthy. It was the centre of travel and commerce in the Roman world. In fact, at one point, those merchants who profited off the sale of idols were enraged at Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s travelling companions from Macedonia. A mob formed and dragged them into the theatre to exact vengeance because too many people were believing in Jesus and their businesses were suffering because of it (Acts 19:23-41).

There were two kinds of people residing in Ephesus, pagans and Christians. There were Jews living there too, but they were almost completely Hellenized, embracing the gods of the city. So those who became Christians came out of this pagan lifestyle. They had worshipped idols and they would have dabbled in the occult. They would have been sexually immoral and drunkards. Yet these men and women repented of their sins and served the Lord with a holy zeal. However, they based a lot of their beliefs on good works, believing that they had to make amends or try to "work" their way into heaven to make up for their former decadent lifestyles. They struggled to grasp the idea that they were saved because of their faith in Christ alone. This is why Paul spends so much time reminding them of who they now are in Christ.

Sometimes, new believers also need reminders of who they are in Christ and how much God loves them. So today, I want to show you through Paul's letter, what has happened to you now that you are saved.

What You Were Before Jesus

You were dead in trespasses and sins - In other words you were without life, unaware that your sins separated you forever from fellowship with God.
You walked according to the course of this world - You followed the crowd, the ways of this world. In today's age you would be considered as one who is politically correct. Approving what is sinful in the eyes of God in order to make those around you think better of you.
You walked according to the prince of the power of the air - who is this "prince" Paul speaks of? In Hebrew, the word for "prince" is sar and it has many meanings, “prince, ruler, chief, captain, leader,” and quite a few other forms of leadership. It can be in reference to an earthly leader or an unearthly one, as we see in Daniel 10:13, where the archangel Michael is referred to as the “chief of princes.” But the word sar is also used in reference to the prince of darkness, or Satan. By referring to the "prince of the power of the air" Paul was using the Ephesians knowledge of the occult to drive home a point about who they were really listening to, because the term "air" was used in the ancient world to refer to spiritual realms where demons operated in the lives of people who refused God’s authority. Of course, Jesus disarmed Satan and his demonic army, stripping them of their power, when he rose from the dead. But Satan still has limited power, over "the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2), also known as fallen angels or demons, whom he uses to spread his lies. He also has limited power in the unseen world, over unbelievers and over the world system in general. As evidenced in Job 1:6-12, when Satan comes before the Lord to give an account of what he has been doing. In Job we learn he has to seek God's permission first, before he can do anything at all. But, we must never forget that he is a fallen angel, someone whom God has allowed a limited amount of freedom on earth and so we see evidence of Satan’s influence all around us: hate, war, murder, injustice, exploitation, abuse of power, racism and moral disintegration.
You once conducted yourself according to the lusts of your flesh - Before Christ we all acted upon our lusts, fulfilling as Paul states, "the desires of the flesh and mind."
You were a child of wrath - In other words you were not living for God and in danger of receiving eternal punishment (separation) from Him.

Who You Are Now in Jesus

You are alive in Christ - You are no longer dead, because God loved you so much that He extended His rich mercy towards you WHILE you were still living in sin (dead in your trespasses).
You have been saved by grace - Don't you see? You did absolutely nothing to merit your salvation! God DID IT ALL before you even acknowledged Him. Before you repented of your sins, He extended mercy and grace to you and saved you from the darkness of eternal separation (or death) from Him.
He raised you up - The Lord reached down to you, saw your sin, extended His hand and lovingly said, "Come to Me!" And once you reached out and grasped His hand and said, "Here I am!" He brought you up to sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. In other words, for now, God sees you as spiritually exalted with Jesus Christ. But one day, that position will become a physical reality as well. Why? So "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).
You have been saved through faith - and even that was a gift from God! "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
You are God's workmanship - One of the most precious parts of Ephesians 2:10 is not found in the NIV. This is how the NIV reads, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." This is how it reads in the NKJV, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." In other words, now that we are in Christ we should make the most of our opportunities to do good to others in His name. We are not saved by our good works, we do good works because we are saved.

So this is why we have no reason to boast about good works. Clearly, we have done nothing to merit our salvation and any good works we do, come about because we love the Lord. And one of the best "works" each Christian has had prepared beforehand by God to do, is to tell others about Him. So you can see that trying to "work" your way into heaven is pointless. You can do absolutely nothing by yourself that would make you redeemable in God's eyes. Only Jesus' sacrifice for you can do that. And that was a gift of grace.

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Why Jesus Asks Us to Love our Enemies

8/22/2016

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Read Matthew 5:43-48

Continuing on with our study of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus once again says some very hard things. Love your enemy? How is that even possible? How are we supposed to love those who murder innocent children persecute us for our faith like the members of the terrorist group ISIS are doing? How could Jesus ask that and how do we reasonably implement it? Fortunately, by digging into Scripture we find our answers. More importantly, we discover that once again the NIV leaves out crucial verses that make what Jesus has said, so much easier to understand.

Let's start by looking at the first verse of this passage:

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’" (Matthew 5:43)

Once again Jesus refers to the Torah to lay the foundation of where He is going. So let's look at the passage He was referring to.

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)

The first question we need to ask is - who is our neighbour? According to the Hebrew definition of the word used here, which is rea`, our neighbour would be everyone we meet, from friends and intimate companions, to fellow citizens. The Greek word for neighbour was plēsion and meant the same thing. Our neighbour was anyone we meet. The Law made it clear then that no one was to treat anyone badly, even to the smallest of citizens.

Jesus goes on to say: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44-45, NKJV).

And it is here that we find the NIV has once again deleted crucial verses that show us the steps to loving our neighbour. Here is what the NIV says:

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:44-45, NIV).

As you can see, the NIV deletes how we are to love our enemies - by blessing them, doing good to them and praying for them. And why are we to do these things? So that we may show we are children of God. This is what makes us different above all else and it is why Christians are supposed to be known as a peaceful, non-retaliatory people. We are not supposed to respond in kind. We are not supposed to behave like the world. We are to rise above it. Proverbs 25:21-22 says it best:

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Jesus goes on to say that if we only love those who love us how are we any different than tax collectors? FYI - tax collectors were on the low rung of the ladder in Jesus' day because they were public officials of Jewish nationality who worked for the Roman government, and were generally despised by the people. It was common knowledge that the tax collectors cheated the people they collected from by collecting more than was required and keeping the extra for themselves. The tax collector Zacchaeus, confessed to the Lord that he had done this (Luke 19:8). So, yeah - very hard to like, let alone love.

Yet Jesus said: "If you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?" In other words, loving our enemies by doing something good for them (bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you) is how we win them over to Christ and isn't that our ultimate goal? To see those still trapped in darkness enter into the light of Christ?

Matthew 5:48 sums up what happens to the Christian who loves their enemies as Jesus described.

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48, NKJV).

The KJV version and the NIV both say, "Be ye therefore perfect." The NKJV in a roundabout way explains how that perfection is attained. The word for "perfect" comes from the Greek word teleios which means "perfect, of full age, completed". In other words this final verse tells us that if we practice love the way Jesus taught us, we will become fully mature, perfect, and complete in Him - just as our Father in heaven is perfect.

Today is Monday Meditations – Please link your faith-based posts below.
Let's encourage one another. Don't forget to visit those who post.

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Five Ways to Live a Grace-Filled Life

8/15/2016

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“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person.
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic,
let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you,
and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."
Matthew 5:38-42

Have you ever noticed in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount how he gently prepares his audience to accept something new? He starts off by letting them know who is blessed and why (Matthew 5:2-12). He then goes on to point out that if they are going to follow Him, their behaviour will have to be different than those around them (Matthew 5:13-16). He enforces this by letting His listeners know that He is the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17-20). He then goes on to begin almost every topic with a variation of this set of words: "You have heard that is was said...but I tell you," referring to the laws of the Old Testament (Torah). In fact, for the rest of Matthew five that is how he begins each topic. He did this to contrast the Pharisaical interpretation of the Law with His fulfillment of its intent. And once again we see in the verses above that Jesus gets to the intent of the law and in the process shows us what grace is all about.

The principal of retaliation was taken from Exodus 21:24 as a means to end disputes. The judicial penalty of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" was a common practice among the Hebrew nation as well as other nations of the time. But Jesus realized those who enforced these laws were using them as a license for revenge. This is why he started this topic off with, "You have heard that it was said," because now He was going to tell them a new way to live and the proper interpretation of Exodus 21:24. Rather than give in to anger and revenge against your neighbour, Jesus proposed a better way on how people were supposed to react when confronted with evil. And by evil I am talking about the sin nature that is present within all people. It doesn't disappear as some Christians are taught to believe. Just because you have been forgiven by God and saved from eternal punishment because of Jesus' sacrifice for you, doesn't mean your sin nature (your ability to sin) has disappeared. It will be present with you until the day you die. This is why Paul voiced his displeasure at the war that raged within his body (Romans 7:13-25). Instead of responding with anger, violence or revenge (giving into our sin nature) Jesus wanted people to follow His example and rise above it. Therefore we need to "overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). As God showed grace to us, we are to show grace to others. Jesus then goes on to give us five examples on how we can extend grace to others.

Five Ways We Should Respond in Difficult Situations

Turn the Other Cheek - A slap on the cheek was symbolic of being personally insulted (it wasn't just about being attacked), so to turn the other cheek meant to ignore the insult. Jesus stood silent before His accusers, ultimately winning the battle over the enemy. This too, is how we win the battle over the enemy, by not giving in to anger, but choosing instead to forgive and rise above it - to extend grace. You see, if Satan can get you angry enough to react, he has already won the battle.
Settle Your Grievances Peaceably - In Jesus' day if someone had a grievance with another, they would have to take it before the court (Sanhedrin) to have it settled by the Teachers of the Law and the Priests. When Jesus said, "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also," I'll bet the people gasped in surprise. Why? Because a tunic was worn next to the skin and a cloak was the outer garment. Jesus was effectively telling them to go naked if someone was that desperate or angry with you. So again, Jesus' answer was to rise above it. Acknowledge the grievance another has with you, don't be the reason they will sin in their anger. Today we live in a litigious society where you can get sued just for smiling at someone the wrong way and we are hard-pressed not to give in to justifiable anger at some of the outrageous lawsuits people start. So we need to look at the intent of Jesus' words and live at peace with others as much as possible.
Go the extra mile - in other words, do all you can to help someone, even if that someone is your worst nightmare. How you treat others who treat you badly will have more of an impact than you can know.
Give when asked - If someone asks for money, food or help, give it to them, In Jesus' day they would bargain, "I'll do this, if you do that" sort of thing. Here He is saying, "Just do it without expecting anything in return."
Lend when asked - If someone wants to borrow something from you, don't worry about ever getting it back. Just give it to them. This too is a hard thing in our world because we place such a huge importance and value on "things". If we remember that all we own comes from God, and has been temporarily leased to us until we return home to Him, then clinging to those "things" is not the proper perspective God wants us to have. Be thankful, yes - and show that thankfulness by sharing what you have with those in need.

The passages above do not mean that a man or woman should not defend their family when threatened or defend their country. But rather they should not attempt personal vengeance, to compensate for a personal injury. Jesus' life is the best example of how to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21) and how to live life with grace. It is one every Christian should try to emulate.

Today is Monday Meditations – Please link your faith-based posts below.
Let's encourage one another. Don't forget to visit those who post.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Why God's Grace Makes Us Rich

4/11/2016

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In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesian 1:7-10

The above verses are just a small segment of what we have in Christ Jesus. The riches we have been given because we acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah and our Saviour are astounding when you think about the fact that it was all done for one reason - God loved us. There is, when it comes right down to it, no other reason why we have been granted these incredible gifts. Therefore, today I would like us to meditate on just a few of those gifts of love the Lord bestows on all who come to Him.

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Digging Deeper

Why Your Good Works Won't Save You

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

What You Were Before Jesus

Who You Are Now in Jesus

Why Jesus Asks Us to Love our Enemies

Read Matthew 5:43-48

Five Ways to Live a Grace-Filled Life

Five Ways We Should Respond in Difficult Situations

Why God's Grace Makes Us Rich

Archives

Categories

Digging Deeper

Why Your Good Works Won't Save You

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

What You Were Before Jesus ​

Who You Are Now in Jesus ​

Why Jesus Asks Us to Love our Enemies

Read Matthew 5:43-48

Five Ways to Live a Grace-Filled Life

Five Ways We Should Respond in Difficult Situations

Why God's Grace Makes Us Rich

Archives

Categories

What You Were Before Jesus

Who You Are Now in Jesus