In my humble estimation, many don’t grasp this one significant point about Christianity:

Christianity is a message, not just a way of life.

The message of Christianity is not a message that is a-historical.  In other words, it’s a message that was just discovered. 

Christianity is an objective, historical message that has been passed down and refined over the last 2,000 years.  This means that Christianity is not what we want or believe it to be.  It is a message that must be essentially believed. 

Anyone who claims to be a Christian, yet denies the essential, historical teachings of Christianity is not a Christian.  They can call themselves what they want, but calling themselves a Christian is deceitful and wrong.  Compared to non-Christian religions, these people and groups are arguably the most destructive because they use the same lingo that actual Christians use.

It is for this reason that people must use a high-level of discernment when opening themselves up to the teachings of self-identified Christians, even myself.  All of us must be people of the message, which is derived from the Bible, so that we can search out what others are saying to see if it is true (Acts 17.11). 

What I’m saying is nothing new.  What I’m saying has already been said, and expressed must more eloquently than myself. 

Consider these words from J. Gresham Machen in Christianity and Liberalism. Although they were written in the early 20^th century, they bear great significance today. 

J. Gresham Machen

In the sphere of religion, as in other spheres, the things about which me are agreed are apt to be the things that are least worth holding; the really important things are things about which men will fight.

In the sphere of religion, in particular, the present time is a time of conflict; the great redemptive religion which has always been known as Christianity is battling against a totally diverse type of religious belief, which is only the more destructive of the Christian faith because it makes use of traditional Christian terminology.  This modern non-redemptive religion is called “modernism” or “liberalism” (pgs. 1-2)

As a matter of fact, however, it may appear that the figure which has just been used is altogether misleading; it may appear that what the liberal theologian has retained after abandoning to the enemy one Christian doctrine after another is not Christianity at all, but a religion which is so entirely different from Christianity as to belong in a distinct category.  It may appear further that the fears of the modern man as to Christianity were entirely ungrounded, and that in abandoning the embattled walls of the city of God he has fled in needless panic into he open plains of a vague natural religion only to fall an easy victim to the enemy who ever lies in ambush there.

Modern liberalism may be criticized: 

1. On the ground that it is unchristian, and
2. On the ground that it is unscientific

We shall concern ourselves here chiefly with the former line of criticism; traditional phraseology modern liberalism not only is a different religion from Christianity but belongs in a totally different class of religions.  But in showing that the liberal attempt at rescuing Christianity is false we are not showing that there is no way of rescuing Christianity at all; on the contrary, it may appear incidental, even in the present little book, that it is not the Christianity of the New Testament which is in conflict with science, but the suppose Christianity of the modern liberal Church, and that the real city of God, and that city alone, has defenses which are capable of warding off the assaults of modern unbelief. 

However, our immediate concern is with the other side of the problem; our principal concern just now is to show that the liberal attempt at reconciling Christianity with modern science has really relinquished everything distinctive of Christianity, so that what remains is in essentials only that same indefinite type of religious aspiration which was in the world before Christianity came upon the scene.  In trying to remove from Christianity everything that could possibly be objected to in the name of science, in trying to bribe off the enemy of those concessions which the enemy most desires, the apologist has really abandoned what he started out to defend.  Here as in may other departments of life it appears that the things that re sometimes thought to be hardest to defend are also the things that are most worth defending (pgs. 5-6).

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Here is a great article by Ed Stetzer entitled Calling for Contextualization: Part 1.  This is the first installment of a multi-part series, so I encourage you to subscribe to his blog to receive them all.  

In this article he addresses what is culture and why does it matter.

I found his insight on why culture matters particular helpful.  Consider the following:

Over time, it became clear to me that we need to not only understand that culture matters, but that the particular culture we are in must be properly understood so we can best preach the gospel, make disciples, and function as the church.

Not only is this particularly insightful, but I appreciate what he had to say on two ways that church planters plant in their heads and not in their communities: bible-only and model-inspired. 

He says of bible-only church planters:

The Bible-only folks are convinced they only need to know Scripture in order to reach the people in a given community. I think we all need more scriptural fidelity, but unless they can also exegete the culture they will be ill-equipped to identify idols and understand the ways in which sin has brought ruin to the community.

Of the model-inspired group Stetzer said,

Others see an effective model of church flourish in one context and believe they only need to replicate that in order to reach the people in their context. They too avoid the hard work of studying their culture, and instead seek to import the work and conclusions drawn from a different context. Both types are hard at work primarily planting and leading in their head instead of their communities. This is bad missiology that disregards the importance of knowing and engaging culture.

If you’re interested in this topic, you may also enjoy Creation, Fall, Redemption: Understanding the Relationship of Christianity with the World

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[The following is an outline from Dr. Wayne Grudem’s presentation Christians and Politics: Five Wrong Views.  You can stream and/or download the mp3 to this message here].

Nations should value patriotism

Biblical reasons for patriotism (Acts 17:26; Gen. 12:2; Gen. 22:18; Gen.10:32; Job 12:23; Rom.13:1).

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors . . . (1 Peter 2:13-14).

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed (Rom. 13:7).

My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise (Prov. 24:21).

Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich (Eccl. 10:20).

Thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon . . . . Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare (Jer. 29:4-7)

Nations divide and disperse government power throughout the earth

The signers of the U. S. Declaration of Independence realized that they were establishing themselves as a separate nation:

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and nature’s God entitled them, it is respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The benefits of patriotism in a nation

1. A sense of belonging to a larger community of people
2. Gratitude for the benefits that a nation provides
3. A shared sense of pride in the achievements of other fellow-citizens of the same nation
4. A sense of pride for the good things that a nation has done
5. A sense of obligation to serve the nation and do good for it in various ways
6. A sense of obligation to live by and to transmit to newcomers and succeeding generations a shared sense of moral values and standards

[Question: Should Christians value patriotism?]

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Sermon from May 23, 2010 at Riverview Presbyterian Church

Romans 3.21-26:

²¹But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Bold mine).

There are many famous and unforgettable sayings in history that mark not only a change in the course of a family’s life, but that of the world. Consider just this small sampling.

Any given minister’s words, “I now pronounce you man and wife,”

Patrick Henry’s words that roused a state and country to war, “Give me Liberty, or give me death.”

Abraham Lincoln’s words, “Four score and seven years ago,” that marked “the “new birth of freedom that would bring equality to all of” the United States citizens (Wikipedia)

Martin Luther King Jr.’s words, “I have a dream,” which now serve as the defining moment to the American Civil Rights Movement.

In spite of the impact that these words have had on the course of individual and world history, what we’ll see today is that there have never been more life altering, world changing words than just these two simple words from Rom. 3.21, “But now…”

The Historical Background of the Letter to Rome

One of the primary reasons that Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome was to alleviate the tension that existed within the church between the Jewish and non-Jewish believers.

You see, many believe that the church in Rome that Paul wrote this letter to (A.D. 57) was originally started by a group of Jewish people upon returning from Pentecost (Acts 2.10).  By the time that Paul wrote this letter in A.D. 57 the church had already faced tremendous persecution and had a completely different make-up.

Several years before he sat down to pen these words; the Jewish people who founded the church were kicked-out of the city of Rome by the emperor Claudius (reigned A.D. 41-54) due to conflicts that arose over Jesus Christ (Acts 18.2).  Until the Jewish population slowly filtered back into the life of the church, the church had obviously developed a strictly non-Jewish population and practice, and this is why tensions began to flare between these two groups.

On one hand, the Jewish congregation would have been insisting upon the importance of maintaining the Mosaic Law as a means of making oneself right with God (Rom. 10.3).  They had a keen awareness of their sin and a need for God’s righteousness.

On the other hand, the non-Jewish Christians did not stress the importance of keeping the Mosaic Law.  By reading the first portion of this letter (Rom. 1.18-32) we could reason that this group of people were neither aware of the severity of their sin, nor grasped the importance of obtaining God’s righteousness.

It was this fundamental difference of opinion and practice that created so much tension between these brothers and sisters in Christ at Rome.

With the precision of a medical doctor examining their patient and providing a means of relief, Paul now addresses the root of their problem and applies the healing balm of the gospel.  Perhaps this allows us to better understand exactly why he was just so eager to preach this message to them (Rom. 1.15).

Just as it does today, this message confronted the congregation with the reality that everyone has offended God and needs to be made right with Him regardless of who we are and where we’re from (Rom. 1.17-18).

Now, if we were to trace Paul’s thoughts from the beginning of this letter (Rom. 1.18-3.20), we would discover that he addresses both of these groups’ positions and places them on equal ground at the foot of the cross.

He begins by addressing the non-Jewish congregation first.  Though they never had the Mosaic Law or Jewish ancestry, they are as guilty before God and in need of His acceptance as their Jewish brothers and sisters.

After addressing their need for righteousness, Paul now turns to the Jewish congregation who boasted in their knowledge of God’s law and their privileged history.  He goes on to tell them that they are no better off than their non-Jewish brothers and sisters because everyone is under sin and will face the wrath of God.

This is where every one of us find ourselves this morning.  Born separated and alienated from God, guilty before Him for the things that we have done, said, and even thought,  without even the remotest ability to earn His acceptance (Eph. 2.8-10).

With the first portion of this letter Paul has painted a hopeless picture for all of humanity.  The sky is black; there is no ray of light, no flicker of hope, or prospect of rescue (John Stott, Commentary on Romans, pg. 208).

“But now,” as we turn to Romans 3.21-22, Paul changes his utensils and beings to paint a new, bright, and radiant picture on the canvas.

But now

But now the righteousness of God has been made available apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 

After painting such a dark picture of hopelessness, Paul now writes a simple, yet profound phrase that marks the beginning of what some believe to be the most important paragraph ever written in all of history (Leon Morris, Romans, pg. 173). Others have even stated, “There are no more wonderful words in the whole of Scripture than just these two words, “but now.”

The wrath of God has been revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, but now.

For all have sinned with or without the law, but now

The entire world is held accountable by God for their sin, but now

For the wages of sin are death, but now

We cannot pay the sin debt that we owe to God with our good deeds, but now

But now, against the backdrop of the dark and sinful plight of humanity the sun is breaking fourth across the night’s sky that provides a radiant splendor of color and hope.  The sun has risen, a new day has dawned, and the world is flooded with light.  This light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it….This true light that has come into the world is Jesus Christ (John 1.4-5, 9)

I believe there are a few things that we could look at today from just these two verses, but for the sake of time I would like for us to observe what I believe to be the two most significant points: 

We are NOT made right with God by Obeying the Law; and

We ARE made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ

After we look at both of these points, I would like for us to consider their significance for us today.

We are NOT made right with God by Obeying the Law

Here in Rom. 3.21 we see that the “righteousness of God” has appeared apart from the law.

Even though the “righteousness of God” is not a phrase readily used or understood today, this would have been a phrase of significant meaning to those that would have originally received this letter in the 1^st Century.  Let’s unpack what this phrase, “the righteousness of God,” means. 

When the Bible speaks of the righteousness of God it is typically referring to God’s character of being and doing what is right.  In other words, God Himself is the standard of what is right much like a ruler is the standard measurement for a foot.  Not only is He the standard of what is right, everything that He does and asks of us is good and right. 

The Bible also speaks of God making people right with Himself.  It is this idea that Paul has in mind when speaking of the righteousness of God in Romans 3.21.  It is a “right standing that comes from God” (Morris, pg. 173).   

For God to make people right with Himself apart from their obedience to the law doesn’t mean much to us today, but this would have been a life altering message to the Jews. 

Think of it this way.  This one statement would have changed the very way they lived their lives.    

You have to imagine that the Jews would have been attempting to obtain God’s acceptance by obeying the law for more than a thousand years.  They have known nothing else at all and even went to great lengths in creating a community that supported such a lifestyle. 

Now they’re being told that their right standing with God has nothing to do with their obedience to the law because God accepts us apart from the law and through faith in Jesus Christ. 

This message would have practically affected the way they lived their lives as individuals and as a community.  For these people to have heard such a message would be much like someone coming to us today and telling us that we could no longer live with electricity.  It would completely change the way that we live our lives as individuals, a community, and city.

So what Paul is saying here is that there is nothing we can do to obtain God’s acceptance and approval.  God’s work of making people right with Himself has now been revealed apart from the law and through faith in Jesus Christ, which brings us to our next point:

We are made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ

The way that the Jewish congregation has lived their lives for such a long period of time has now changed.

They now see that the law reveals the problem and that it can do no more.

They now see that the way to God is not the way of the law and how well they keep it.

They now see that Paul is reminding them that the way to God is a way of faith, not works (Rom. 4).

For God’s very own righteousness , the very righteousness that all of us so desperately need and our being held accountable to obtain, is obtained only through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14.6)

What Paul was saying then is the same thing that we need to hear today:

We cannot obtain God’s approval, blessing, and favor by living our best life now.  We obtain God’s approval, blessing, and favor through faith in Jesus Christ.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that we can do that will make us more or less acceptable to God than believing in His Son, Jesus Christ.

What Does it Mean to Believe in Jesus Christ?

To believe in Jesus Christ is far more than just know about Him.

For instance, I’ve been reading a biography on Theodore Roosevelt and have learned a lot of things about him.  I’ve learned where he was born, lived, attended school, and even the most intimate details of his personal life.  At times when talking about him people may think I actually knew him.

In the same way is faith in Jesus Christ.

We can know all about Him, but not actually know Him.  I can know all the prophecies that were made about Him before He was born, I can know where He lived, what He did for a living, what He taught, the miracles that He performed, and that He died and rose again.  I can know these things about Him and talk with others like I actually know Him.

But knowing all about Jesus and even agreeing with what He taught is not enough.  There is one final facet of faith that is still missing and often forgotten:  A personal trust in Jesus.

Personally Trusting in Jesus Christ

Too personally trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins can be compared to sitting in a chair.

We have two chairs here.  We know these are chairs and believe that they can hold our weight if we were to sit down on them.

This first chair represents my personal trust in my own goodness for salvation.  It represents the time that I spend in prayer, reading the Bible, volunteering, giving, and attending worship services like here today.

MOVE FROM THE FIRST CHAIR TO THE SECOND CHAIR

This second chair represents my personal trust in Jesus Christ in making me right with God.  For me to sit in this chair means that I DO NOT trust in what I do as a means of making me acceptable by God.  It means that I come with nothing in my hands as an offering to God other than myself and trusting in Jesus Christ.

While I’m sitting in this chair representing my personal trust in Jesus Christ, what is it impossible for me to do?

It is impossible for me to sit in both chairs at the same time.

To personally trust in Jesus Christ for our own salvation is to completely abandon any trust in our own personal goodness.

This is what it means to personally trust in Jesus Christ.  Faith in Christ and a reliance on ourselves, even to the smallest degree, are mutually exclusive (Jerry Bridges, Disciplines of Grace, 50-51).

What was Just Said

Now that we’ve hopefully grasped that we’re NOT made right with God by Obeying the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ alone, I would like to now turn our attention to how this simple message impacts our relationship with God and others.

What Does this Mean for Us Today?

The Gospel means that our acceptance by God is not determined by our performance as Christians.

Let me put it to you this, if you feel less loved and accepted by God at the end of the day, after you overslept, didn’t read the bible, didn’t pray, snapped at your wife or husband, was short with your kids, and missed a deadline at work, then you may be trying to sit in the wrong chair.

The commandments of God and a life of devotion are not the end or focus.  They are simply the means that lead us to the end and focus of our lives, Jesus Christ.

The message of the Gospel does not end after we first trust in Jesus.  The message of the Gospel continues each and every single day of our lives.  For our right standing with God is not only obtained through faith in Jesus Christ, it is also maintained through faith in Jesus Christ (Phil. 1.6; 2.12-13).

Jesus wants us.  He wants our hearts, our love, and affection.  He wants to be with us today and for an eternity.

If you find that you may be trying to sit in the wrong chair this morning, then I encourage you to ask God to help you put your trust more actively in Jesus Christ, not yourself and your performance.

The Gospel means that our obligation to perfectly conform to God’s law every day of our life is accomplished by Jesus Christ.

Even though we are made right with God apart from the law, the claims of the law upon our life have not ended.  We actually read in Romans 3.31, “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith?  By no means!  On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

For us to “uphold the law” is to do so with the understanding that we do so as a means of pleasing God, not earning His approval.  To uphold the law is not to do so out of an emotionless duty, but rather a joyful choice.

Living a life of duty with God would be like me giving my wife a bouquet of flowers on our Wedding Anniversary out of duty rather than out of my love for her.

The reason that we are able to live our lives in such a way is because Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the law in its requirements and penalty.  That is, He perfectly obeyed the law in every way and He even took the punishment as one who had broken the law.  This means that in Christ we become all that we could never be and all that God requires us to be.

The Gospel means that if we are a non-Christian that you don’t have to clean-up your act before God will accept you, which also means that we don’t have to worry about cleaning them up either.

We are made right with God through the work of Christ without any assistance.  This means that as Christians we cannot be consumed with a non-Christians lifestyle and behavior.  We are to be consumed with pointing them to Jesus Christ so that God can make them right with Himself and enable them to live the life that He has called them to live.  

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It has been observed over the past few years that that people in America are identifying themselves as spiritual, not religious.  This is important for the church to know and respond appropriately.  Why?  Many non-Christians, and even scores of self-identified Christians, see the church as the problem, not the solution.

In combating this problem, Tim Keller believes there are three perceptions that the church needs to know and respond to.

3 Perceptions that the Church Needs to Know

In regards to the growing disdain for the church, Tim Keller believes this is associated with the “modern fears of religion.”  He goes on to say,

The powerful critiques of Freud, Marx, and Nietzsche have penetrated our popular psyche.  Freud saw religious performance as a way that guilt-ridden people cleanse themselves and force God to bless them. Marx saw religious principle used by one class of people to oppress another. Nietzsche asserted that anyone claiming to have the truth is making a power play.

It is for this reason that Keller believes that the church needs to “address the real issues of self-righteousness, exclusion, and power-plays.”  It is for this reason that “The church must echo Jesus’ own powerful critique of religion and visibly demonstrate the difference between religion and the gospel.”

3 Ways the Church Can Respond to these Perceptions

Tim Keller

This may come as a shocker, but in a sense Freud, was right about religion.  How so?  Glad you asked.  If you, as a self-identified Christian, are living under the guise that God will bless you and show you favor because of your good works you’re misguided at best.

To see if we possess such an attitude towards God, I don’t think we have to look any further than the way we treat people.  For instance, if you’re more concerned with the way someone looks and behaves than you are about introducing them to Jesus, then you probably believe the same thing about your relationship with God.

The solution to people’s behaviors is not moral reform, it’s the gospel.  This is why Keller said,

The gospel shows us a God far more holy than a conservative moralist can imagine–for he can never be pleased by our mere moral performance.  Yet it also shows us a God far more loving than the liberal relativist can imagine–for his Son bore all the weight of eternal justice.

The first response to the rightful perceptions of Freud and Marx we must preach the Gospel as the means of being right before God through faith in Jesus Christ, not keeping His Laws (Rom. 3.21-25).  The Gospel is a message that not only makes one right with God, it is also a message that reforms someone from the inside-out.  In other words, “Religion is outside-in; the gospel is inside-out.”

Relating to People through the Gospel, not Religion

As Christians we believe that we are made right with God by grace through faith.  If this is the case, our relationships with others, especially non-Christians, should be based this foundation.

If you snide others or look down the peak of your nose at them because of the way they look or behave, then you don’t have a grasp of the Gospel and how it practically works out in relationships with others.

Andrew Axsom has made similar observations, saying, “I am saying that it is wrong to look down on others because they do not follow your personal convictions. I am saying that it is wrong to look down on others because they don’t live up to your standards.”

Our judgment of others is not to condemn and oppress them, but rather to point them to Jesus Christ.  The Gospel forbids us from prideful judgment, but allows for humbly assisting others by pointing them to Christ.  This is why there is a right and a wrong way to judge (John 7.20).

All Christian judgment should have as its end the repentance and restoration of the person in sin towards God and others (James 5.20; cf. 1 Cor. 5.5, 9-13).  If our judgments of others lack this end, then our judgments are forbidden.  If our judgments are intended to point people to Christ, then our judgments should be done with humility and gentleness so that “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2.25).

Our second response to the perception of oppression and power-plays is to relate with others on the foundation of the Gospel, not the Law.

Preach Jesus First, not Morality

Keller emphasizes that we should “be careful with the order in which we communicate the parts of the faith.”  He goes on to say, “Pushing moral behaviors before we lift up Christ is religion.”

As I’ve said elsewhere, God’s acceptance and treatment of you is not based upon what you do or do not do.  It’s not based upon how well you perform, how holy you are, or how often you attend worship service.  God’s acceptance and treatment of you is rooted in His grace – not His Law, period.

This is one reason why the Church and ourselves cannot put the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the shelf after we put our faith in Him.  Just as God redeems us by grace, He also reforms us by grace and it is on the basis of grace that He relates with us. In following the advice of Jerry Bridges, we must remind ourselves of the Gospel daily and this church must teach about the Gospel constantly, so that our own life, the way that we treat others, and the way we view our relationship with God is saturated in grace that is found in Jesus Christ.  (Bridges, 78-79).

The third way that we respond to these perceptions is to preach the Gospel to ourselves, as well as others, on a constant basis.

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Claim: Christians should not be involved in Politics because God’s Kingdom is not of this world (John 18.33, 36)

Response: God’s Kingdom is not of this world,  God’s Kingdom is over this world.  His throne is in heaven and His kingdom rules over all (Psalm 109.19; cf. Psalm 93; Daniel 4.17, 25, 32; 5.21).  What is more, upon ascending into heaven, Jesus Christ took His place in the Father’s heavenly kingdom, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (Eph. 2.21; cf. Eph. 4.10; Col. 1.16-17; 2.10).  Although Satan may be alluded to as the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4.4), his authority is limited by the sovereign supervision of God over the nations (Job 1.12; 2.6).  If anything, God’s Kingdom is not to be identified with a particular country, political party, or form of government. What is more, Jesus has redeemed everything to Himself, including government (Col. 1.16), which means as Christians we are to work for the redemption of social structures.  Finally, since God has called us to submit to the governing authorities (Rom. 13.1), and since the U.S. government’s existence and wellbeing is dependent upon the involvement of its citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs, then as Christians we are obligated to be involved distinctly as Christians within the political process.  So, it is incorrect to say that Christians are not to participate in the political process since God’s Kingdom is not of this world.  This is just a snippet of the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20.27).

Food for further thought:

The Reconciliation of Culture – Living as A Cultural Creator and Reconciler

Christianity and the “World”

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After serving his time at Shawshank State Penitentiary, Red – Played by Morgan Freeman – finds himself working at a local grocer in a work release program.  Missing his role and community in prison, Red begins to grow despondent over his situation.

In the midst of his depression, he recalls to mind the words of his fellow inmate, Andy Dufresne, who had previously escaped from prison and asked for Red to visit a hayfield near Buxton to find something he had left for him.  It is here where the video clip below begins.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K30e9O3Nng[/youtube]

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and hope never dies.”

Christianity teaches that hope is a good thing.  Even though our hope in God may at times grow dim and faint, it can be argued that hope never dies.  For God is a God of hope and our hope in Him comes from Him (Rom. 15.13; cf. Heb. 13.20-21) and if we have been regenerated (i.e. Born Again), then nothing can ever separate us from Him (John 10.28; Rom. 8.37-39), which means that our hope in Him cannot be put out.

If this is the case, how then does God cultivate the very hope that He gives us?

How Does God Cultivate the Very Hope that He Gives Us?

Our hope in God is cultivated through various means, such as reading Scriptures and praying.  Another way that God cultivates hope within His children could be considered a textbook paradox.

Why?

Well, God uses the very struggles that cause us to doubt Him, His goodness, power, and wisdom, as a means of further cultivating our hope in Him.  It is for this reason that God calls us to rejoice within these times of despair for they will produce perseverance, proven character, and hope (Rom. 5.3-5).

With this, let’s take a closer look at why God desires for us to rejoice during tribulations for they strengthen our hope in Him by producing perseverance, proven character, and hope.

Why does God desire for us to rejoice in those things that cause us to doubt Him?

The main reason that God desires for us to rejoice during times of tribulations is due to the fact that they strengthen our hope in Him.  In other words, the very things that cause us to doubt God, His goodness, wisdom, and power are the things that strengthen our hope in Him.

This is why we should generally – not always – look not to avoid pain, sorrow, and difficulties, but rather embrace them, for they may very well be the means that God is using to strengthen our hope in Him.  So, if you find that you’re going through hell, perhaps you need to keep going (Hence the words of Winston Churchill).

Now, this doesn’t mean that we go out and look for problems as if God is looking to create a group of masochists who enjoy misery of any kind.   What this means is that when – not if – trouble comes that we respond to it in the way that God desires for us to respond, with rejoicing.

What we see in Romans 5.3-5 is that tribulations are not an end, but rather a means to producing perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope.  For the very tribulations that we go through bring us to a place of relying less upon ourselves, and more upon God.  Suffering is a time when we begin to become less self-reliant, and more God dependent. In a very real sense, God uses suffering as a way of bringing us closer to Him.

At some undisclosed point in the future I would like to delve further into the production of perseverance, proven character, and hope through rejoicing in tribulations.

[Question: Does God's intent with suffering help shed light on any tribulations you have personally gone through or currently are?]

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The last two weeks we discovered from Romans 13.5 that we are to submit (cf. Rom. 13.1) to the government of the United States of American because of wrath and also conscience.  It is for these two reasons why I am firmly convinced that God calls Christians to be active in the political process distinctly as Christians.  That is, Christians are to be people whose stances and actions are shaped by their faith in Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives and world.   

In picking-up where I left off last week, I would like to tease out the two ways that our conscience serves us in our relationship with the government.   

Two Ways that our Conscience Serves Us

Based upon Rom. 13.5 – in the context of Rom. 13.1-7 – I believe there are two important ways that our conscience serves us:  

1. Our conscience obligates us to be submissive to the governing authorities (Rom. 13.1); and
2. Our conscience sets a limit on our submission to the governing authorities. For what is against our conscience – which is to be transformed by the Word of God – cannot be done (John Stott, Message of Romans, 348)

In combining these two thoughts together we can reason that as Christians we are obligated to submit ourselves voluntarily to the governing authorities and engage the political and social structures of our community without giving up our ultimate allegiance to Jesus Christ.  

We do this not only because our conscience demands it, but for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

We are to Submit to Government for the Sake of Jesus Christ

From 1 Peter 2.13-15 we read:

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as one in authority or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

What we read here is a call to submit to every human institution irrespective of its form and function.  Even though the governments during this time were overwhelmingly monarchial in nature, this does not mean that God has limited our submission to monarchies alone. 

This is where opinions vary.

We are to Submit to the Existing form of Government

As I’ve pointed out elsewhere (Submitting to the Existing Form of Governmen Part 1 and 2), being called to submit to every human institution (i.e. government) is generally and universally applicable throughout time.  This means that as Christians we are to submit to the existing form of government wherever and whenever we live. 

Consequently, we are called to submit to the existing form of government in the United States which necessitates that we are involved in the democratic process since the existence of our government is dependent upon the very people it serves. 

Our submission to the governing authorities of America as Christians is only impossible when any political organization for public policy and social betterment rules out the redemptive force of Jesus Christ as a viable means towards achieving these ends.  This doesn’t mean that our positions must be accepted, but rather that we simply have the opportunity to witness to the redemptive power of Jesus Christ through faith in Him (Carl F.H. Henry, The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism, 81; cf. 2 Cor. 5.17-19).

We are to Submit to the Government Distinctly as Christians

This point I keep hammering week-in and week-out, but I believe it is one that needs to be made.  We are to submit ourselves to the governing authorities of the United States of America by participating within the Democratic process distinctly as Christians.

Even though we are told in 1 Peter 2.13-15 that submitting to every human institution is the will of God and right, this is not the case if we are doing what God forbids (or not doing what God commands).  Not only are we told to be doing the right thing, but our Christ-like submission to the government may very well “silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

We are to go out of our way and submit to the government right up to the point where obedience to the state would mean disobedience to God. There are many examples from Scripture and around the world that we could pull from, but let us just consider three: one from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament, and one from 2008.

Old Testament Example

In the second book of the Bible, Exodus, we read in the first chapter that the Egyptian Pharaoh ordered all of the Hebrew midwives to kill all baby boys as soon as they were born. But we are told that out of their fear of God they “did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.” They feared God more than the government, and God honored their decision (Exodus 1.8-19).  In fact, for their obedience towards God, God honored these Hebrew midwives by establishing households for them (Exodus 1.21)

New Testament Example

In the fifth book in the New Testament, Acts, we are told of a time when Peter and the other apostles were brought before the Jewish .government and were forbidden to preach in the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 5.29 says that Peter and the apostles answered them, saying, “We must obey God rather than men.”

2008 Summer Olympics

Considering that the 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China, I thought that it would be appropriate to bring to your attention China’s tight control over all religions.

There are only two legal “Christian” churches in China, and they are both under the control of the Communist Party of China. It is illegal for Christians to have activities as groups in public and in homes; it is illegal to have Sunday School; and the government, which controls the internet, blocks access to most Christian material online.

If Chinese Christians, out of their obedience to God, are caught participating in any of these “illegal” acts, then the government will shut down their meeting and imprison everyone involved.

In the End

Our conscience obligates us to submit to the existing form of government distinctly as Christians by placing a limitation on our submission.  Not only are we to do this for the sake of our conscience, we are to submit to every human institution for the sake of Jesus Christ.

It is for this reason that our involvement in the democratic process should not and must not mitigate our allegiance to Jesus Christ.  Our involvement in the political process is to be done so distinctly as Christians. 

For additional information on the relationship of Christianity with Democracy, see my series of posts in Christianity and Democracy: Understanding their Relationship.

[Question: What’s your response to this statement, “I am firmly convinced that God calls Christians to be active in the political process distinctly as Christians?]

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From Albert Wolters, Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview, 63-65.

………….

World is used in a number of different ways in the Bible.  Sometimes it means simply “creation,” as in the expression “from the foundation of the world.”  Sometimes it means “the inhabited earth,” as when Paul writes “Your faith is being reported all over the world” (Rom. 1.8).  Other times; however, when representing something that pollutes and that Christians must avoid, world has a distinctly negative connotation.  Consider the following phrases from Scripture [Drag your mouse cursor over the Scripture references to see them]

John 18.36

Romans 12.2

Colossians 2.8

James 1.27

2 Peter 2.20

What precisely is meant by world (usually kosmos in Greek, sometimes aion) in the very negative sense?  According to Herman Rdderbos, in Paul’s usage it refers to the “the totality of unredeemed life dominated by sin outside of Christ.”  In other words, world designates the totality of sin-infected creation.

Wherever human sinfulness bends or twists or distorts God’s good creation, there we find the “world.”  World here is the rottenness of the earth, the antithesis of creational goodness.  In a similar vein, James states bluntly, “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?” (James 4.4).

[How Misunderstanding “World” Can Lead to Error]

All of this may seem straightforward enough.  We should note, however, that Christians of virtually every persuasion have tended to understand “world” to refer to a delimited area of the created order, an area that is usually called “worldly” or “secular” (from saeculum, the Latin rendering of aion), which includes such fields as art, politics, scholarship (excluding theology), journalism, sports, business, and so on.
In fact, to this way of thinking, the “world’ includes everything outside the realm of the “sacred,” which consists basically of the church, personal piety, and “sacred theology.”  Creation is there divided up neatly (although the dividing line may be defined differently by different Christians) into two realms: the secular and the sacred.

This compartmentalization is a very great error.  It implies that there is no “worldliness” in the church, for example, and that no holiness is possible in politics, say, or journalism.  It defines what is secular not by its religious orientation or direction (obedience or disobedience to God’s ordinances) but by the creational neighborhood it occupies.  Once again, it falls prey to that deep-rooted Gnostic tendency to depreciate one realm of creation (virtually all of society and culture) with respect to another, to dismiss the former as inherently inferior to the latter.

This tendency is a serious matter and has far-reaching consequences.  Consider how it affects our reading of Scripture.

[How Misunderstanding “World” Affects the Way we Read the Bible]

When we read Christ’s words “my kingdom is not of this world,” many of us are inclined to understand it as an argument against Christian involvement in politics, for example.  Instead, Jesus was saying that his kingship does not arise out of (Greek: ek) the perverted earth but derives from heaven.

When James says that pure religion is to keep oneself unspotted from the world, we too easily read this as warning against dancing or card playing or involvement in the dramatic arts on the grounds that these are simply “worldly amusements.”  But James is warning against worldliness wherever it is found, certainly in the church, and he is emphasizing here precisely the importance of Christian involvement in social issues.  Regrettably, we tend to read the Scriptures as though their rejection of a “worldly” life-style entails a recommendation of an “otherworldly” one.

[Consequences of Misunderstanding “World”]

This approach has led many Christians to abandon the “secular” realm to the trends and forces of secularism.  Instead, because of their two-realm theory, to a large degree, Christians have themselves to blame for the rapid secularization of the West.  If political, industrial, artistic, and journalistic life, to mention only these areas, are branded as essentially “worldly,” “secular,” “profane,” and part of the “natural domain of creaturely life,” then is it surprising that Christians have not more effectively stemmed the tide of humanism in our culture?

[Question: What have you understood “world” to mean?  Does Albert Wolters observations better help you understand the relationship of Christianity with the “world?”]

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After wrapping up my work on Philippians 1.27-30 and looking to apply its meaning today across a vast historical gap, it is important that we keep in the forefront the main idea, live worthy of the gospel, with its complementary thought, suffering for Christ.

Live Worthy of the Gospel

Unlike suffering for Christ, the idea of living worthy of the gospel can be readily understood today.  Just like the Philippians who were to stand firm in one spirit and mind while advancing the gospel in face of opposition, so too are we today.  The opposition in which we face today – at least in the United States of America – is much different than what the believers in Philippi would have endured, yet it is no less real.

To live worthy of the gospel is to live with a set of guiding principles that naturally opposes the norms of the world. Living in such a way will garner hatred (John 15.19) and persecution from the world (2 Tim. 3.12; cf. Gen. 4.8; Heb. 11.4; 1 John 3.12).  Even though there are people who promulgate a message of victory, perpetual comfort, and the American Dream, we should not expect anything different from those before us, especially the Lord Himself who endured the same fate (John 7.7; 15.18, 23-24; 1 John 3.13)?

Although we don’t face the blight of physical torment or death itself, we still can anticipate enduring opposition.  So, in face of any level of opposition, we must heed Paul’s exhortation and not be frightened by anything or anyone.

Within a free and democratic society, to live worthy of the gospel does not mean that we seek our own interests alone as individuals or groups.  To do so will contradict one of the greatest commandments, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22.39).

The love for our neighbor will drive us beyond our own self-interests to seek the justice and common good for everyone in our community, state, and nation (Steve Monsma, Healing for a Broken World, 74) With this in mind, perhaps we need to reconsider organizations designed solely to protect the interest of Christians from would be detractors to promoting the wellbeing of others (Frank Thielman, Philippians, 105-106).

Even though in America we will not face the affliction of physical torment or death for being Christians, we – like Paul and company – can stand united with our brothers and sisters elsewhere that are experiencing such opposition in practical ways.

From praying for their deliverance (Phil. 1.4, 18-19), to visiting them as a means of progressing their joy and faith (1.25-26) and welfare (2.20), there are a myriad of ways that we can be united as one (ibid., 98).