Sunday, July 28, 2013

Everything You Need to Know about the End Times

Everything You Need to Know about the End Times
1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18.


Introduction
It is possible for today’s sermon to be either a very long sermon or a very short sermon.  If I were a Dispensationalist, then the sermon today would be a long sermon with Bible verses from nearly every book of the Bible as well as maps and graphs and timelines to explain how biblical prophecies are being fulfilled.  Or, it can be a very short sermon.  I could say something like, “Everything you need to know about the end times is the fact that God is in control of the future.”
For most people, discussion about the end times basically revolves around beliefs about a future millennium—the one thousand year reign of Christ.  As a result, Christians are divided into three basic groups, premillennial, postmillennial and amillennial.  The premillennial view is that the world as we know it will one day come to an end.  Jesus will return to reign on earth for one thousand years.  The postmillennial view is that the world is gradually getting better and better (not a very popular view after two world wars).  Eventually, the world will become a perfect, peaceful utopia.  This utopia will last for one thousand years, and then Jesus will return.  The amillennial view is that the one thousand year reign of Christ is symbolic.  It does not refer to a literal one thousand years, and it possibly refers to the period of time between the birth of Jesus and the Second Coming of Jesus.
For most of my life, I thought these were the only three views on the end times.  However, I took a class in college on the Book of Revelation.  Our professor explained these three positions—premillennial, postmillennial and amillennial.  One of the students then asked our professor what he believed.  He answered, “I am a pan-millennialist.”  Of course, we didn’t know what a pan-millennialist was, so we asked.  He said, “It’s all going to pan out in the end.”
Our infatuation with the millennium is actually a recent phenomenon which developed in the 1800’s.  Before the 1800’s, there was very little discussion about the thousand year reign of Christ.  It did not factor into early theological writings, because it only shows up in one passage of Scripture—Revelation 20: 1 – 7.  This leads me to believe that we ought to treat the millennium (the thousand year reign of Christ) the same way we treat other things that only show up one time in the Bible.  We should read it and take it seriously (because it is in the Bible).  However, we should never base our entire doctrinal positions on something that only shows up one time.
What we believe about the end times is important.  On one hand, it is important for us to allow our views on the end times to shape our understanding of God and God’s providence.  God is not aloof and disinterested in what is going on in the world.  No.  God is actively involved in the affairs of this world.  And, God is directing things toward their final goal.  On the other hand, it is important that we allow the Bible to be the source of our views about the end times.
I want to repeat something I said last week about Heaven.  If what I say today doesn’t sound like what you believe about the end times, then I encourage you to read what the Bible says about end times.  I say this, because this is not what I was taught while growing up…And, it might not be what you are accustomed to hearing.
Most of what I used to believe about Heaven and the end times is closer to Greek philosophy than to the Christian theology of the Bible.  For example, the Bible does not teach the doctrine known as the “immortality of the soul.”  This is the view of Greek philosophy…that every person has an immortal soul which is released from their body at the moment of death.  The Greeks believed the soul went on to live an eternal, spiritual existence in Heaven, no longer hindered by the physical body.
Another Greek philosophical view which has crept into Christian theology is the view that one day God will completely destroy the physical earth.  According to Greek philosophers, everything physical is evil and temporary.  They also believed everything spiritual is good and eternal.  Therefore, we do not have to worry about the destruction of the physical earth, because our spiritual lives will be rescued from this destruction.  Some people get this position mixed up with the Christian view of end times by believing that Christians will experience a spiritual rescue from the physical destruction of the earth.
Now, compare this to what the Bible actually says.  The Christian view of Heaven is not the “immortality of the soul.”  Instead, both Jesus and Paul teach us about the Resurrection of the dead—eternal life in body and soul.  The Christian view of the end times is not the same thing as the destruction of the physical earth.  Instead, the Bible teaches us that the earth will experience death and Resurrection…Just as Jesus died and rose again, and we will also die and rise again.
If we believe that our bodies will be destroyed or that the earth will be destroyed, then we have to say that Satan has won…That Satan has so corrupted God’s creation (the physical earth and physical human bodies) that they are beyond redemption.  But, Satan has not won (and will not win in the end).  God’s creation is good.  It is not beyond redemption.  And, in the end, God will make all things new.
If you want to read what the Bible says about Resurrection and the end times, I recommend that you read Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5; 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5; and Revelation 21 and 22.

1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18.

Some interpreters believe that Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to address a concern that the Second Coming of Christ was delayed or that it had already taken place.  The assumption is that someone had infiltrated the churches and convinced the Thessalonian Christians they were in danger of missing out on the Second Coming.  However, we do not have any clear evidence that Paul is addressing this kind of questioning.
Instead, I think we can build a better case for a different concern in the Thessalonian churches.  Since Paul had left them, some of the Christians at Thessalonica had died.  This created some confusion among the church members.  They were worried about those who had already died.  Were they eternally separated from their loved ones?  Would they see each other again in Heaven?  Have those who died missed out on the Second Coming?

1 Thessalonians 4: 13…Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

Paul addresses these words to the “brothers” at Thessalonica.  “Brothers” is Paul’s favorite way to address Christians and members of the same church.  We are brothers and sisters, because of our relationship with Jesus.  This is significant, because it tells us that Paul is speaking to Christians only.  He is not speaking to non-Christians.
“Fall asleep” was a common way to describe death in the ancient world.  Jews, Greeks, Romans and Christians all used this figure of speech.  There is no reason for us to take this reference and build a doctrine of “soul sleep,” as if death ushers us into a state of unconsciousness as we wait on the final Resurrection.  Instead, we probably need to read it in light of Paul’s other teachings on death (2 Corinthians 5: 8 and Philippians 1: 23), where he tells us that we will immediately be with Christ after death.
Also notice that Paul does not tell Christians that grief is wrong.  He never says “Do not grieve.”  Instead, he says, “Do not grieve like those who have no hope.”  In other words, it is possible to grieve with hope.
The point Paul is wanting us to understand is that our grief is only temporary.  Our grief will not last forever, because our separation from our loved ones will not last forever.

1 Thessalonians 4: 14…We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 

What the New International Version does not show us in their translation is that this is actually a conditional sentence.  Most of the time, we translate conditional sentences as “If, then.”  This verse could read, “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
This is a specific kind of conditional sentence (first class conditional sentence) that actually affirms the reality of the first condition.  In other words, Paul is not casting doubt on the Resurrection of Jesus, and he is not questioning whether or not the Thessalonians believe in the Resurrection of Jesus.  He is actually affirming that he knows that they believe in Jesus’ Resurrection.  So, we could read this verse with the word “since” instead of “if.”  “SINCE we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep.”
The Resurrection of Jesus was not an isolated miracle.  Sometimes we hear people say that Jesus rose from the grave to prove that he really was who he claimed to be—the Only Begotten Son of God.  And, that is a true statement.  But, it is only part of the story.  Jesus rose from the grave as the beginning of a larger miracle that affects all of us who believe.
The Resurrection of Jesus set a precedent.  Before Jesus died and rose again, no one had ever survived death.  No one had died and come back to life.  Now that the Resurrection of Jesus has happened, Resurrection is not only possible for us…Resurrection is assured!  God will finish in us what he began in the Resurrection of his Son.
This is the source of Christian hope.  Christian hope is not that the soul will live forever, because that is what souls do.  Christian hope is the assurance that we will experience what Jesus experienced.  One day, we will participate in God’s final victory over death.  This is not a universal hope.  This is hope for Christians—who live by faith in Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4: 15…According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 

Some interpreters use this verse to suggest that Paul believe that Jesus would return in his lifetime.  It certainly sounds like he believed that—“…we who are left till the coming of the Lord…”  And, I suppose it is fine to think that Paul HOPED Jesus would return in his lifetime.  But, we should not say that Paul was wrong about the Second Coming.
There are two reasons why I don’t believe Paul was wrong about the Second Coming.  First, Paul never made a prediction about when Jesus would return.  He was hopeful that Jesus would return in his own lifetime, but he never predicted it.  Second, when Paul wrote these words, Paul was alive.  (I guess that is obvious, because Paul stopped writing letters to churches when he died.)  Paul described two groups of people: those who are living and those who have died.  Since Paul was still alive, he included himself when he described the living.

1 Thessalonians 4: 16…For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

The Second Coming of Jesus will not be a secret event.  It will happen in the most public way possible.  There will be a loud command from Heaven.  There will be angels making a loud commotion.  And, there will be a trumpet.  No one will be left wondering what is taking place.  It will be an obvious and public event.
One of the public aspects of the Second Coming will be the Resurrection of those who are “dead in Christ.”  This is an obvious reference to Christians—the Christian dead.  The Christian dead will rise.
There are a couple of reasons why this is important.  First, when the Christian dead rise, they will be just like the rest of us who are alive and, therefore, will not miss out on the Second Coming.  Second, when the Christian dead are raised, they will be with us.  The Christian dead will not miss out on the Second Coming, and we will be reunited with our loved ones who have died before us.

1 Thessalonians 4: 17…After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 

I want you to notice something about the word “meet” in this verse.  This is a very specific word for “meet,” which only shows up three times in the New Testament.

Matthew 25: 6, “At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'”

In Jesus’ parable, he described a common wedding practice.  After the wedding had ended, the groom would return to his parents’ house, and the bride would return to her parents’ house.  The wedding party (or the bridesmaids as we might think of them) accompanied the bride.  The bride would get dressed to meet her new husbands while the bridesmaids stood watch.  When the bridesmaids saw the groom coming, they would go out to “meet” him and then accompany him on the final leg of his journey to be with his new wife.

Acts 28: 15, “The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.” 

When Paul finally arrived at Rome, the Christians at Rome were excited that he made it.  They organized a welcoming party to go out and “meet” him outside the city limits.  When they “met” Paul, they accompanied him on his final leg of his journey.
Paul’s description of the Second Coming of Christ uses this same word for “meet.”  This word usually refers to the actions of a welcoming party who go out to meet a dignitary before he arrives at his house or his city.  When the welcoming party meets the dignitary, they are not going out with the understanding that they are never returning.  They go out knowing that they will escort the dignitary on the remainder of his journey.
Paul’s description of the Second Coming is complicated by the fact that Paul does not specifically say where we will go after we “meet the Lord in the air.”  He does not say that we will meet the Lord and then go into Heaven.  And, he does not say that we will meet the Lord and escort him back to the earth.  He simply says we will “be with the Lord forever.”
However, Paul does describe the Resurrected earth in Romans 8.  All of creation is groaning in the pains of childbirth as it waits for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed.  Because, once the sons and daughters of God are revealed, all of creation will be redeemed.  This leads me to believe that the return of Christ will be an actual return.  Jesus will not just appear and turn around to take us back to Heaven.  Jesus will fully return to earth.  The Christian dead will be raised, the earth will be redeemed, and Jesus will reign on the Resurrected earth for all eternity.

Conclusion: 1 Thessalonians 4: 18…Therefore encourage each other with these words.

There was a time in my life when this passage of Scripture was not encouraging to me.  It was terrifying!  But, Paul did not write this to scare us.  He wrote this to encourage us.  But, that raises the question…How are these words encouraging?
First, Paul is encouraging us by reminding us that God has a plan, and God will complete his plan.  Jesus is coming back!
Second, Paul is encouraging us with the assurance that our grief is only temporary.  One day, we will be reunited with our Christian loved ones who have died before us.  Heaven and eternal life is more than being reunited with Jesus.  We will know and be known, recognize and be recognized, love and be loved by those we have known, recognized and loved on earth.
Third, Paul is encouraging us to be ready for the Second Coming.  We cannot know for sure when Jesus will return, but we know for sure he is coming.  We cannot predict when Jesus will return, but we can be prepared.  Paul never predicted when Jesus would come again, but Paul did live his life as if Jesus was coming back today. 

What kind of difference would it make if you lived as if Jesus was coming back today?  Would it change your choices?  Would it change your view of the world?  Would it change the way you love other people?  Live as if Jesus is coming back today!

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Saved for Heaven

Saved for Heaven
Romans 8: 18 – 27


Introduction

Today is the third week I have preached about salvation.  There are three ways we can talk about salvation.  I like to think of it as past, present and future.  In other words, all three of these statements about salvation are true:  I have been saved; I am being saved; and I will be saved.
When I say “I have been saved,” I am saying that there was a time in my life when Jesus saved me.  I experienced “conversion” or “rebirth” through faith in Jesus.  Jesus changed my life and gave me a new life.
When I say “I am being saved,” I am saying that my salvation is an ongoing reality or process in my life.  God is still working on me.  Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life, God is shaping me and making me holy.
When I say “I will be saved,” I am saying that my salvation is not yet complete.  I will not experience the fullness of salvation until I experience the presence of God fully in Heaven.  Another way to express this is to talk about Hope.
The Christian experience of Hope is not the same thing as “wishful thinking.”  To Hope for Heaven is not the same thing as to hope the Lufkin Panthers will win the football state championship this season or to hope that it won’t rain this afternoon.
The Christian experience of Hope is to long for and to desire the very thing God created for us.  In fact, I would argue that it is more than just a Christian experience.  At some level or another, every person longs for a better world (or at least for a better life). 
When we experience suffering or disease, we long for a world where loved ones do not die, and there is no such thing as cancer.
When we experience disappointment or broken relationships, we long for a world where our dreams become reality, and there is perfect harmony between all people.
When we experience failure or inequality, we long for a world where people are not divided by race, social standing or finances.
Ultimately, I believe this is a God-given desire (or Hope) for Heaven.  However, many people do not recognize what they are longing for and make the mistake of trying to substitute more temporary pleasures.  People try to satisfy their desires with sex, drugs, alcohol, a new job, a new spouse and material stuff.  Ultimately, we will only be satisfied with a relationship with God and our eternal home in Heaven.

I cannot say this better than C.S. Lewis:  “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exists.  A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food.  A duckling wants to swim; well, there is such a thing as water.  Men feel sexual desire; well, there is such a thing as sex.  If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”[1]

We desire Heaven and a relationship with God, because that is what we were created to desire.  If we try to find satisfaction in anything else, we end up feeling empty and unfulfilled.  You were not created for this world.  You were created for Heaven.
Of course, I don’t want to give the impression that everyone goes to Heaven.  No.  As human beings, we have a sin problem.  And the only way for us to go to Heaven is for our sin problem to be resolved.  This is the reason for the Gospel.  God took the initiative to resolve our sin problem.  God loved the world and sent his Son Jesus.  Jesus offers us forgiveness of sin through his death on the cross and eternal life through his Resurrection.
Since we were created for Heaven and saved so that we can go to Heaven, I want to preach about Heaven today.  But, I want to begin with a confession and a warning.
Over the past couple of months, I have spent more time thinking about Heaven than the rest of my life combined.  I hope that doesn’t mean I am getting old (and I hope 42 is still young).  In this time, I have read four books about Heaven.  And I have discovered something very disturbing about myself.  Most of my beliefs about Heaven are closer to Greek philosophy and Plato than they are to the Bible and Paul and Jesus.
And now a warning…If you are like me, then what I say today about Heaven may not sound like what you believe and what you have been taught.  However, this is what the Bible says about Heaven.  I encourage you to look it up for yourself.  The biblical view of Heaven can be found in Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4; and Revelation 21.  We are only going to look at one of those passages today.

Romans 8: 18 – 27

Greek philosophy and Plato’s writings are filled with references to the concept of “the immortality of the soul.”  This view is based on the Greek assumption that human beings can be divided into two parts—the physical and the spiritual.  The physical part of our life is what we think of as our body.  The spiritual part of our life is our soul.  The body is temporary, and the soul is eternal.
Plato takes that a step farther and declares that physical life is evil and spiritual life is innately good.  Therefore, your good spirit / soul is trapped in an evil body.  Death is a welcome friend who comes to release your good and eternal spirit / soul from your temporary and evil body.  At the moment of death, your body begins to decay and your soul is released to an eternity with God, where your soul will live on eternally with no physical body and nothing physical to corrupt it.
Many people think this is the Christian view of death and Heaven.  But, this is not what the Bible teaches about Heaven.  In fact, this is not what the Bible teaches about your physical and spiritual life.
Instead, the Bible teaches us that in the beginning God created.  God created a physical world and created human beings with bodies.  After each day of creation, God said, “It is good.”  But after creating the first man and woman God said, “It is VERY good.”  Now, jump forward with me to the life of Jesus.  Jesus was not a spirit or a soul who floated around without a body.  No.  Jesus was and is human in every way as we are.  He experienced life in a physical body.  And when Jesus rose from the grave, Jesus rose in body and spirit.  And when Jesus ascended into Heaven, Jesus ascended in the body.  Therefore, the only way we can say that the body is evil and the spirit is good is to say that Jesus had an evil body and continues to have an evil body.
In Greek philosophy, the human problem is the fact that we have a physical body and live on a physical earth.  One day, the human problem will be resolved when our spirit / soul is released from the body and set free from the earth.
In Christian theology, the human problem is sin.  God created a physical universe and said, “It is good.”  God created human beings with physical bodies, placed them in the physical universe and said, “It is VERY good.”  But, something happened.  Sin entered into God’s good creation.  As a result, all of creation fell under the curse of sin and suffering.  The world is evil, because of sin…not because it is physical.  You and I are evil, because of sin…not because we have physical bodies.  In fact, sin affects more than just our physical bodies.  Sin affects our souls / spirits as well.

Romans 8: 18 – 21…  18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

There are several important things happening in this section.
First, Paul acknowledges that we are experiencing suffering in the present world.  God never promised us that our lives would be free from pain and suffering.  In fact, it is just the opposite.  God promises us that if we expect to share in the glory of Jesus, we will also share in the suffering of Jesus.
This takes me back to Psalm 23…Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.  Thy rod and Thy staff shall comfort me…  We are not promised a pathway that goes AROUND the valley of the shadow of death.  We are promised a pathway THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death.  And, we are promised that God will be with us.
Second, Paul tells us that whatever suffering we face will pale in comparison to the “glory that will be revealed in us.”  What do you think this is a reference to?  Paul tells us…but not yet…we have to wait for his description of the glory to come.
Third, Paul tells us that the creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay when the “sons of God are revealed.”
When sin entered creation, all of creation fell.  God pronounced a curse on Satan and a curse on the earth.  All of humanity experienced a separation from God, a separation from each other and a separation from the earth.  The earth would no longer grow fruit and vegetables naturally.  No.  The man would have to cultivate the earth, and the earth would fight against the man’s efforts to raise crops to provide food for his family.
This was not God’s original intention for humanity and the earth.  God’s plan was for men and women to worship God, to experience relationships with each other and to be stewards over God’s creation.  None of this is possible as long as sin is a part of God’s creation.
However, there is hope.  The hope is that one day God’s original intent will be restored.  And that can only come when the “sons of God” are revealed.  Paul is talking about Resurrection…actually, he is talking about two Resurrections—the Resurrection of the sons of God and the Resurrection of the earth.
The Christian view of eternal life is not the same thing as “the immortality of the soul.”  The Christian view of eternal life is Resurrection.  The sons and daughters of God will experience Resurrection and will life eternally on the Resurrected earth—the New Heavens and the New Earth.


Romans 8: 22 – 25…  22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

According to Paul, the earth is in the throes of childbirth.  It struggles.  It experiences pain.  It groans.  But, this struggle will not last forever.  Something wonderful will be born.  God is creating a New Heaven and a New Earth—a Resurrected Earth to replace this one which is corrupted by sin.
It is important to believe that this world will experience both death and Resurrection.  If we believe that this world will be destroyed and that God’s children will escape to a spiritual Heaven, then we have to admit defeat.  Satan has so corrupted God’s good creation that God had to start over.  Think of the story of Jesus as an example.  When Jesus died on the cross, it looked like Satan and evil had prevailed.  By killing Jesus, Satan had defeated God and his purposes.  However, Satan only thought he had won.  The Resurrection of Jesus was a great reversal and proof that God has won the victory over Satan and evil.
This is another point of departure from Greek philosophy.  The Bible never teaches us that death is our friend who releases us from physical life.  No.  The Bible teaches us that death is our enemy.  And the only way we can have victory over death is through Resurrection.  The Resurrection of Jesus defeated death once and for all.  One day, we will experience that victory fully.  Everyone who is a child of God will experience a literal Resurrection—a victory over death.  We will live eternally in bodies and spirit, no longer corrupted by sin.  And, we will live on a Resurrected earth, no longer corrupted by sin.
Everyone who is a child of God will experience victory and Resurrection.  Did you know that the Bible NEVER teaches us that we are all God’s children?
In the New Testament, there are two primary descriptions of God’s children.  On one hand, there is the teaching of the Apostle John.  John stated his views most clearly in John 3, in the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.  Nicodemus wanted to become a child of God.  Jesus told him that he had to be “Born Again.”  John teaches us that there is no such thing as an evolution from a human being to a child of God.  You must be Born Again. 
On the other hand, Paul has chosen a different image to describe God’s children.  For Paul, it is not about being Born Again…It is about being adopted by God.
I think Paul used the imagery of adoption, because he was preaching to the Gentiles.  In other words, it does not matter where you were born.  You don’t have to be a Jew before you become a Christian.  Through Jesus, God has adopted all of us into his family.  The only way anyone can become a child of God is through faith in Jesus.  We are NOT all God’s children.


Conclusion

It’s worth repeating here that this may not be what you believe about Heaven and eternal life.  It is possible that you have never heard of Resurrection and the New Heaven and the New Earth before.  But, this is what the Bible teaches.  I recommend you read the Bible and allow the Bible to shape your views on eternal life.  Look at Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4; and Revelation 21.  Don’t form your views on what you have always heard or what you have always thought.
I also recommend that we use our imaginations to imagine what Heaven will be like.  Don’t just use your imagination…Read the Bible and imagine what it will be like to experience eternal life as the Bible describes it.
For example, if eternal life will be Resurrection of the body, then we will have bodies in Heaven.  If we have bodies, that means we will have individual identities and personalities.  That means we will recognize each other in Heaven.  We will be able to know others and to be known by others.  We will love and be loved in Heaven.  If we have bodies, then I think we will hug each other in Heaven.
Another example…Do you like to experience the beauty of creation?  Some people love to go to the mountains and see the colors, the trees and the snowcapped peaks.  Some people like to go to the beach and watch the waves roll in and feel the sand in their toes.  Some people like to stare at the stars and the moon in the night sky, to witness the beauty and the vastness of the universe.
The beauty of creation as we see it today is not as good as it can be.  The creation is subjected to frustration.  It is under the bondage of decay.  It is affected by sin.  If the world, affected by sin, can be this beautiful, then imagine how beautiful it will be when sin is no longer a problem.
We ain’t seen nothing yet.



[1] C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book III, Chapter 10, “Hope.”

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Sanctification: God's Still Working on Me

Sanctification: God’s Still Working on Me

1 Thessalonians 4: 1 – 12


Introduction

I once heard a story about Joel Gregory, who used to be the pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas.  Whenever a child would walk down the aisle to make his or her profession of faith, Dr. Gregory would introduce the child to the church and say, “This is Andy.  He has come today to take the first step of his Christian life.”
I have always liked that image.  It tells us something very important about salvation.  Our profession of faith is the beginning of our Christian life and not the end.
I took the first step in my Christian life when I was nine years old.  I had heard the Gospel all my life.  But it became personal for me during Vacation Bible School when I was nine.  I met with the pastor in his office.  I walked down the aisle of the church.  I was baptized.  That was the beginning for me.  I was nine years old…But I didn’t stay nine years old for the rest of my life. 
Perhaps we could make a comparison between our Christian life and our physical life.  The birth of a baby is an exciting time for new parents.  But the birth of a baby is not the end of life…and it is certainly not the end of parenting.  The birth of a baby is the start of something wonderful…but it is only the start.  A baby becomes a toddler…then a child…then a teenager…and hopefully they will one day become an adult.
Sometimes parents have been known to say, “I want them to stay little forever.”  And, as a parent, I can understand that.  Children grow up so quickly, and we never get a second chance to influence our children.  But no one actually wants their children to remain little forever.  We want them to grow and to learn and eventually become responsible adults who pursue their dreams and make a contribution to the world.
Imagine the tragedy of a baby who never grows and develops beyond infancy.  Perhaps this baby lives to become forty years old but continues to depend on his mother and father to meet all his needs.  His parents feed him and change him and generally provide for all his needs.  That is not a wonderful story.  In some ways it is a tragedy.
When I look out in the sanctuary, I do not see a room full of infants.  I see people of all ages at every stage in life.  But, what about spiritually?  Are you the same person today that you were when you were baptized?  Have you remained nine years old spiritually?  Or, has your spiritual life grown as you have grown physically, emotionally and intellectually?
I guess there are a couple of ways we can describe spiritual growth.  One way to describe it is to use the word “discipleship.”  While the word “discipleship” does not appear in Scripture, the concept of discipleship does.  In the Bible, a disciple is a student or a learner.  Jesus had twelve disciples who learned from Jesus’ teachings and grew spiritually by imitating the life of Jesus, their teacher.  Eugene Peterson defines discipleship as “a long obedience in the same direction.”
Another way to describe spiritual growth is to use the biblical term “sanctification.”  Salvation is more than being “born again.”  The person who is truly saved first experiences a changed life / conversion / “born again.”  Then, God begins to work in us to mold and shape our lives to look more and more like Jesus.  God is still working on us as Christians.  This process is what the Bible calls “sanctification.”

1 Thessalonians 4: 1 – 12.
1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 
3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 
9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 
11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.


In verse 3, Paul makes a bold statement about God’s will.  He says it is God’s will for us to be sanctified.  It’s nice to have clear teachings about God’s will.  But what exactly does “sanctified” mean?
Even if we don’t know what “sanctified” means, it’s pretty easy to figure it out by comparing it to similar words.  “Sanctified” is closely related to words like “sanctuary,” “saint” and, less obviously, “sacred.”  What these words have in common is the concept of holiness.  A saint is a holy person.  A sanctuary is a holy place.  Sacred is something that is holy.  Therefore, we ought to think of “sanctification” as the process of becoming holy.
There are both similarities and differences in the ways the Old Testament and the New Testament talk about holiness.  In both Old Testament and New Testament, holy means “set apart.”  However, the Old Testament speaks more about holy things, while the New Testament is more concerned with holy people.
In the Old Testament, we read about how Moses received instructions from God on how to build and furnish the Tabernacle for worship.  The Tabernacle was to be a holy tent, and it was to be filled with holy articles to aid in worshipping God.  There were holy lamps, holy bowls and holy forks.  The holy lamps were to be “set apart” and could only be used to light up the Tabernacle in worship.  The holy bowls were “set apart” for holding oil and wine associated with sacrifices—the priests could not use these holy bowls to eat Frosted Mini Wheats.  And the holy forks were to be used only in placing sacrifices on the altar.
In the New Testament, there is no mention of holy things and holy places.  Whereas the Old Testament was concerned with Jerusalem as a holy city, the Temple as a holy building, and the furnishings of the Temple as holy articles, the New Testament was concerned with God’s people becoming holy.  God wants our lives to be “set apart” to be used by God and no one else…for holy purposes and not for worldly purposes.


Sexual Ethics

Interestingly, Paul begins his discussion on sanctification by talking about sexual ethics.  In fact, he gives three instructions about sexuality: avoid sexual immorality; control your body; and do not take advantage of your brothers and sisters.
I hesitated to talk about sexual ethics on Sunday morning.  Part of me thought that there would be parents here today who would not want their children hearing about sexuality in church.  Then, I realized that every time we watch the television news, someone is talking about sexuality.  Parents, if you are not talking to your children about sexuality, then you may be too late.  They may not learn about it from you…But our culture is so consumed by sexuality that they are already trying to teach our children what they believe about sexuality and not what the Bible teaches.
The reason Paul began with sexuality is because that was an obvious problem facing the early church.  The early church grew up in First Century Greco-Roman culture.  However, the sexual ethic of the early church was neither Greek nor Roman.  In one sense, we might say that the church’s view on sex was Hebrew.  But, Paul tells us in verse 8 that our views do not come from human laws, they come from God.  As a result, the early church had beliefs and behaviors that were countercultural to the world around them.
For example…It was common in the First Century for Greek and Roman men to practice homosexuality.  It was an acceptable practice for a married man to engage in some homosexual acts.  It was also common for wealthy men to keep male and female slaves for sexual purposes. 
Paul is responding to the lax sexual boundaries of the non-Christians and calls the church to be different.  He never says that sexuality is a bad thing.  Instead, he insists that sex can be holy and honorable.
Notice that Paul’s teaching stands in stark contrast to what the world outside the church practiced.  This ought to remind us of the world we live in.  As Christians, we have a different sexual ethic from the rest of the world.  This is not restricted to the Twenty-First Century.  The church has always been countercultural.  Another way to say this is to say there are people in the Twenty-First Century who say the church’s views on sexuality are old fashioned.  Good news.  They were old fashioned in the First Century too.
Christians do not get our views on sexuality from the culture around us.  We get our views from God’s teachings in the Bible.  We do not determine right and wrong based on popular vote, legislative action or judicial decree.  God’s standards do not change when popular opinion changes.
What if our culture decided the law of gravity was outdated?  After all, we live in the Twenty-First Century.  We really don’t need gravity holding us down.  We are supposed to have flying cars in the Twenty-First Century!  Let’s take a ballot vote to repeal the law of gravity.  Let’s convince congress to pass legislation that declares gravity a thing of the past.  Let’s get the Supreme Court to declare that gravity is unconstitutional.  Then, let’s all go stand on the roof of the courthouse and jump off.  It does not matter if one person jumps off the courthouse or if millions of people hold hands and jump off the courthouse, we will all fall down together.


Brotherly Love

In verses nine and following, Paul shifts his attention to brotherly love.  A couple of interesting things happen in these verses.
First, Paul tells the Thessalonians that he really doesn’t need to teach them about brotherly love, because they already know how to love their brothers and sisters.  I think this is interesting, because it makes Paul sound a little like you mother.  Remember when your mother used to say, “I am not going to tell you to clean up your room again?”  This is a rhetorical device.  Paul does not want to talk about brotherly love, because by now they ought to understand and practice brotherly love.  However, he still feels the need to teach them, because they are deficient in some ways. 
Second, Paul uses “brotherly love” in a special way.  Outside of the Bible, “brotherly love” always refers to the love between brothers and sisters.  When Paul speaks about “brotherly love,” he is not addressing biological siblings.  He is speaking to Christians about our relationships with other Christians.
For Paul, the church is the Family of God.  As a result of our faith in Jesus, we are now brothers and sisters.  Just as family members love each other, so individual Christians ought to love other Christians.
Notice that Paul mentions the way the Thessalonian church has “loved” all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia (verse 10).  When we read this in the context of both 1 and 2 Thessalonians, we realize that Paul is not talking about love as an emotion or a feeling.  No.  Love is an action.  We express our love for others through the ways we serve them…tangible expressions of love.
The Thessalonians showed their love in three ways.  They prayed for their brothers and sisters who were facing persecution.  They opened their homes and extended hospitality to other Christians who traveled through their region.  They gave financial support to meet the physical needs of other Christians.
I believe that brotherly love is an important mark of sanctification.  A person who is a Christian is a person who loves others and demonstrates that love through service.  Remember what Jesus taught us about the two most important commandments?  Jesus said to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  And, Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus not only taught these commandments with his words, he also demonstrated them in his life.
A sanctified Christian is a person who is daily becoming more and more like Jesus.  In one sense, we obey the teachings of Jesus.  In another sense, we follow Jesus’ example by imitating the life of Jesus.


In the World

One last thing to notice about sanctification is where Paul tells us it takes place.  Sanctification means to be made holy.  Holy means to be set apart.  However, Paul never tells us to withdraw from the world.
In fact, Paul tells us in verse 12 that we should live out our holiness where the world will see us.
We should expect non-Christians to live contrary to God’s commandments.  Non-Christians will always live like non-Christians.
However, Christians as individuals and the church as a community are not supposed to be like the world.  We are supposed to be different, set apart, holy, even countercultural.  But, we are to gain the respect of outsiders by not living like the rest of the world




Conclusion

I think it is significant that when Paul uses the word “sanctified,” it is in the passive voice.  In verse 3, Paul says, “It is God’s will for you to be sanctified.”  Paul does not say that it is God’s will for us to sanctify ourselves.  This is significant, because we cannot make ourselves holy.  Holiness is God’s work in our lives.  Holiness is the reason God gave us  the Holy Spirit.  It is God’s will to make you holy.
Of course, Paul also spends a lot of time in his letters writing about proper Christian behavior.  Typically, Paul spends the first half of his letters writing about theology and the second half writing about ethics.  Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between Paul’s theology and Paul’s ethics.  This is because Paul’s theology is an ethical theology and Paul’s ethics are theological ethics.  Paul teaches us that our behavior should always be tied to our beliefs—or in reverse, our beliefs should always affect our behavior.
If sanctification is God’s work in us, then why does Paul exert so much effort to teach us how to live as Christians?
Because, in sanctification we participate in God’s work in our lives.  God extends Grace and we respond.  Sometimes we respond in obedience and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our decisions.  Other times we respond by resisting God’s Grace and guidance.  It is possible to resist what God wants to do in your life.
It is God’s will to make you holy.

If you are not yet perfect, then God is still working on you.  

Sunday, July 07, 2013

New Life: The First Step of Salvation

New Life: The First Step of Salvation
Ephesians 2: 1 – 10.


Introduction.

Do you think this is a true statement… “Most of the activities we perform on a daily basis are motivated by our desire to be happy”?
We pursue relationships (both friendship and romantic) to be happy.  We go to work in order to earn money to buy stuff that makes us happy.  We travel and see the world as an attempt to be happy.
We do this to find happiness.  However, thousands of years of recorded history teaches us that none of our pursuits will lead to a lasting sense of happiness.  There must be more to life.
One of the basic theological beliefs of Christianity is…Yes, there is more to life than pursuing temporary happiness.  There is a Greatest Good in life.  There is a purpose in life which gives meaning to everything else.  For Christians, this Greatest Good is to discover and experience the Love of God…to experience salvation…to be saved.
Salvation is more than simply an option or a possibility for us.  Salvation is what we were created for…And anything less than the Love of God leaves us feeling unsatisfied.
There are three ways we can talk about salvation: past, present and future.  I have been saved.  I am being saved.  I will be saved.  (Over the next three Sundays, I am going to preach about these three different aspects of salvation.  Today we focus on the first step of salvation.  I say it is the first step, because salvation will not be complete until we are with Jesus, face-to-face in Heaven.)
For every Christian, there was a time in the past when we first became a Christian.  We were saved.  We could also say we experienced “conversion.”  A change happened in our lives.  Sometimes that change takes place dramatically and all at once.  (Think of the person who is in the midst of a crisis, watches Billy Graham on TV, and gets down on their knees to commit their life to Christ.  Think of the biblical story of Saul who was on the road to Damascus when suddenly he encountered the Resurrected Jesus, and his life was changed.)  Other times, conversion takes place over time.  A person grows closer and closer to God.  They go to church searching for answers, or they have numerous conversations with a friend.  But make no mistake, there is a moment when their life is changed…they are saved…they experience “conversion.”
We have a lot of different words for this moment of salvation.  Born Again.  Resurrected.  Redeemed.  Justified.  Reconciled.  Forgiven.  We get all these terms from the Bible.  They all describe the same thing, but they approach salvation from different angles.  For example, if we understand “guilt and sin” to be our primary problems, then we use a legal image to describe salvation—Justified.  If we understand estrangement from God to be our primary problem, then we use relational words—Reconciled, Forgiven.  If we understand death to be our primary problem, then we use words about life and death—Born Again, Resurrected.

Ephesians 2: 1 – 10.

Notice the way Paul alternates the pronouns “you,” “we,” and “us” in this passage.  This should probably remind us of Paul’s intended audience, as he described them in Ephesians 1: 1—“the saints in Ephesus” and “the faithful in Christ Jesus.”  Some scholars believe Paul is addressing two groups of people within the churches of Ephesus.  On one hand, he is writing to the saints—possibly the Jewish people who became followers of Jesus.  On the other hand, he is writing to the faithful in Christ Jesus—possibly the Gentile pagans who became followers of Jesus.
Paul, himself, is a Jew who became a follower of Jesus.  Therefore, we ought to pay attention to his use of personal pronouns.  When he uses the pronoun “you,” he is speaking to the Gentile Christians.  When he uses the pronouns “we” or “us,” we have to make a choice.  Either he is identifying himself with the Jewish Christians and thereby contributing to the divisions in the church by maintaining a distinction between Jewish and Gentile Christians; or he is using the first person pronoun to be inclusive and create unity between the races.  Given the tone and theme of the rest of Ephesians, I believe Paul is being inclusive and tearing down the racial barriers that could divide the church.  But, we don’t have to worry about this in verses 1 – 2.  He doesn’t say “us” or “we,” he says “you.”

Verses 1 – 2  …   As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.


According to Paul, the Gentiles were dead in transgressions and sins.  There are three significant words in this phrase. 
First, what does it mean to say someone is dead?  Well, there is only one kind of dead.  There are not degrees of death.  One person cannot be more dead than another.  You are either dead or you are not dead.
Second, Paul uses two words that can be viewed as synonyms: transgressions and sins.  We can make a slight distinction between the two.  Transgression literally means “to cross a known boundary.”  A boundary is set.  You know the boundary is there.  You know you do not belong on the other side of the boundary.  But, you willfully cross the boundary any way.  This is willful disobedience.  This is rebelling against God.  This is choosing to sin when you know it is sin.  The word “sin” literally means “to miss the mark.”  It comes from the world of archery.  An archer shoots an arrow.  He takes careful aim at the target but misses.  He tried to hit the target…He tried to accomplish the goal…He tried to do the right thing…But, his best efforts were not good enough.
These are the ways of the Gentiles.  Normal life in the Gentile world includes willfully sinning against God’s Law and not measuring up to God’s standards, even though we sometimes try…
These are also the ways of Satan, whom Paul refers to as “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.”  In Paul’s understanding of the world / cosmos, he believed there were at least two realms.  There was a physical realm and a spiritual realm.  We live in the physical realm.  God, Satan, angels and demons live in the spiritual realm.  However, the spiritual realm has influence over the physical realm.
In fact, Paul even believes that Satan places his evil spirit in the lives of those who do not follow Jesus.  Just as God places his Holy Spirit in us, Satan places his evil spirit in all others.  Paul is explicitly telling us that Satan influences the ways of the world.  Paul is implicitly telling us that God influences the ways of Christians.  Christians do not have to be controlled by transgressions and sins.  We can be controlled by God’s Holy Spirit.  We can break free from slavery to sin.  That is remarkable!  That is a radical thought.  No one is to be blamed for your transgressions and sins…No one but you!  We are accountable, responsible and competent before God.


Verses 3 – 5  … All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-- it is by grace you have been saved.


Now, notice that Paul has shifted his pronouns from second person to first person.  Now, he is talking to and about all Christians.  He is inclusive in the way he includes himself alongside the Gentile Christians.  AND he is inclusive in the way he says all humanity struggles with transgressions, sins and the influence of Satan.  But, notice that he says this happened “at one time.”  This is no longer the case for followers of Jesus.  We do not have to give in to sin and Satanic influence.
Again, Paul uses inclusive language to talk about the wrath of God.  God did not reserve his wrath for the Gentiles alone.  Both Jews and Gentiles were objects of God’s wrath. 
You might not be very comfortable thinking about God as an angry God, but that is a biblical idea.  Without God’s wrath, there would be no need for salvation.  After all, we have to be saved from something.  Also, without God’s wrath, we could not affirm God’s holiness.  If God is accepting and tolerant of all sins, then his holiness is compromised.  God cannot be holy and tolerate sin.  God cannot be holy and live in the presence of sin or sinners.

Verse 4 indicates that wrath is not God’s only side.  In addition to God’s angry side, there is also God’s loving side.  God’s love is demonstrated by his mercy.  The best way I know how to describe mercy is to say it is to withhold giving someone the punishment they deserve.  God is so “rich in mercy” that he has chosen not to give us the punishment we deserve.  We deserve death, hell and eternal separation from God.
Instead of killing us, God has made us alive in Christ.  In Paul’s theology the resurrection of Jesus is God’s perfect demonstration of his power.  There is only One who can raise the dead.  Only God is powerful enough to bring Jesus to life.  But, Jesus is not the only one God brought to life.  God raised us “with Christ.”
Think about some of the non-Christians you know.  I’m not going to call names, but our world is filled with people who seem to be very alive.  Professional athletes have the strongest bodies we can imagine.  Academic scholars have the brightest minds on earth.  Movie stars have the most interesting personalities.  But, Paul is not talking about the death of the body, death of the mind, or the death of the personality.  Paul is writing about having a dead spirit, or soul.  It is possible to be alive physically, mentally and emotionally while being dead spiritually.
If your body is healthy but you don’t know God…You are dead spiritually.  If your mind is sharp and vibrant but you can’t figure out God’s purpose for your life…You are dead spiritually.  If you have the most winsome personality but you live a life focused on yourself…You are dead spiritually. 
Now Paul shifts from talking about mercy to talking about grace.  Mercy is withholding the punishment we deserve.  Grace is giving us a free gift that we do not deserve.  Mercy is passive.  Grace is active.
What kind of free gift(s) has God given us?  Forgiveness of transgressions and sins.  Freedom from the influence of Satan.  Life that has purpose and meaning and direction.  Life that goes beyond the grave to eternal life in Heaven.


Verses 6 – 10  …  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Just as Jesus reigns in the spiritual realm, so those who are saved can have victory, through Christ, over the principalities and powers of Satan.
“In the coming ages” suggests that our salvation is not yet complete.  This is a significant theme in Paul’s writings.  Salvation is past, present and future.  Salvation happens at one moment in time—the moment of conversion, the moment we profess Christ as Lord.  Salvation happens over a period of time—the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who shapes us into the image of Jesus.  Salvation happens in the future—the moment of death or the moment of the Second Coming of Jesus.  Yes, we have been saved in the past.  Yes, God is still saving us everyday.  BUT, our salvation will not be complete as long as we live a physical, earthly life.

Verse 8 shows us two sides of the salvation experience.  On one hand, salvation is grace that comes from God.  We were dead, but God has made us alive.  Dead people cannot raise themselves.  On the other hand, salvation comes “through faith.”  Faith is an entirely human exercise.  No one gets saved against their will.  That would be salvation by Grace WITHOUT Faith!  God does not drag us into his Kingdom.  God does not force us into Heaven.  God does not force his Love on us.
This raises an interesting question.  How can salvation be a gift (Grace) if there is something we are required to do (Faith)?
There are two ways I reconcile this in my understanding.  First, there is the common illustration of receiving a gift.  Offering a gift and receiving a gift are two separate things.  It is possible to refuse a gift.  God offers us salvation as a free gift which we must receive by faith.  Second, I think of faith as yielding to God’s Love.  God offers us his Love, but Love can be resisted.  Forced Love is not Love at all.  Forced Love is assault.  As human beings, you have the freedom to say “Yes” or “No” to God’s Love.  Faith is saying “Yes” to God’s Love.
Since salvation is a gift from God, we should not boast about our status.  We should not even boast about our faith.  There are two good lessons in this for Christians.  First, we should never feel pride about salvation.  We did not save ourselves.  We COULD not save ourselves.  Second, we should never look down upon people who are not Christians.  This seems to be a bigger problem for Christians today than thinking we saved ourselves.  We are some of the most judgmental people in the world.  Non-Christians do not want to be around us.
The verb in verse 8 that is translated “you have been saved” is a Greek Perfect tense.  The Perfect tense suggests a completed action in the past, which has ongoing implications for the future.  In other words, to be saved is to be changed.  Salvation is a one time event in the past with results that take place in the present and the future.  God has changed our status.  God has changed the way we live our lives.
Even though we didn’t DO anything to save ourselves, our salvation ought to lead us to DO something.  What are we supposed to do?  Good works.  Of course, we could easily misinterpret Paul here and claim that he is laying down a new Law code for Christians.  We could say that Christians are to perform works of Law.  That is inconsistent with Paul’s life and teaching.  Paul does not give us a new Law, just as Jesus did not give us a new Law.  The good works God expects of us are very simply to follow the example of Jesus.  Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God.  Jesus took care of the sick and the poor.  Jesus spent his time with people who were outsiders and marginalized by the greater society.
You were not saved to sit and enjoy the benefits God gives his children.  You were saved to do something…You were saved to serve God.  This was God’s plan for your life from the very beginning.  He prepared a work for you to complete.

Conclusion.

There are two important concepts throughout this passage: resurrection and creation.  Only God can give life to the dead.  Only God can create something out of nothing.  And that is what we were.  We were dead.  We were nothing.  Until God gave us life…Until God saved us…and created something out of nothing.