Category: Men of Steel

Where to Hear from God

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Once again I hope to emphasize the importance of hearing God’s voice. I started a couple of days ago with this post on How to Hear from God. Let’s continue.

Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch, where the disciples of Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). They are in the list of prophets and teachers in the church (Acts 13:1), men not so much in it for the title or position, but they had a passion for God and His mission. Notice where they were when they heard God’s voice (Acts 13:2). The Message puts it this way, “One day as they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance—the Holy Spirit spoke:” I believe that these men heard from God because they were in a position to hear his voice; basically, when God spoke, they were listening. You’ve got to be near God to hear God.

What perfect timing. Paul tells us he was set apart from birth (Galatians 1:15) perhaps around AD 10. His salvation did not come until around AD 36, but he was not set for his primary ministry until around AD 46. No time was wasted, Paul used these years to prepare for this moment. When the time came, he was ready. So after the church fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:3).

It’s important to note that if the Holy Spirit sends, He is also going to equip those He sends. God gave these men wisdom, experience and even a helper (John Mark – Acts 13:5 – who later would be the writer of the gospel of Mark). So off they went.

At the first stop they find an interesting man whose name was Bar-Jesus (or Elymas), an attendant to Serguis Paulus, the governor of Cyprus (Acts 13:6, 7). The governor wanted to hear God’s Word but this Bar-Jesus did all that he could to prevent it (Acts 13:8). Interestingly enough, it is here that Saul name officially transitions to Paul (Acts 13:9). Paul looks at him and calls him the son of the devil (Acts 13:10) which is a play on the man’s name (Bar-Jesus means the son of Jesus). Paul describes him this way:

  1. Full of deceit – bait, fraud, guile, deceit – the man was involved in magic, astrology and enchantment.
  2. Full of trickery – often a word used for thieves and con men involved in wicked schemes or plots.
  3. Perverted the right ways of the Lord – to turn or twist, distort, pervert, seduce, mislead, turn away.

It is also here that Paul performs his first miracle (Acts 13:11) and the man becomes blind. The result was that the governor came to faith (Acts 13:12). God wants to amaze us with His Word as well. If we will only seek Him and examine His truth, He can blow our minds with what He was for us. How did the governor come to faith? Because he wanted to hear the Word of the Lord (Acts 13:7). He was ready to receive and God honored that desire.

Application: Are you in a position to hear God’s Word? Do you have a desire to hear from Him? Are you actively involved in worship or does that not fit in your schedule? How about a small group of people who can help you understand the Bible better and be challenged to live it out in everyday life? As in this story, our enemy will do everything in his power to distract you from hearing God. Stay focused, do not get distracted from your goal (Romans 8:29, Galatians 2:20, Acts 20:24). Allow God to use you for his kingdom. Be available to serve Him and others by putting yourself into a position to hear from Him.

How to Keep from Stumbling

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By the time we get to Acts chapter 11, Paul (Saul at the time) is reintroduced into the story. It was really a turning point in his ministry because after the Jews sought to kill him, Paul headed back to his hometown of Tarsus (Acts 9:29-30). We know that he went to Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1:21) but it was five years from the time he left for Tarsus and we pick up in Acts 11. Some scholars call this the missing years of Paul. Let’s consider what might have happened during this time.

God told Ananias that He would show Saul how much he must suffer for His sake (Acts 9:16), and God began to bring this into focus right away. Paul writes about his life of hardships (2 Corinthians 11:23-27); prison, floggings, five times he received 40 lashes, beatings, a stoning, lost at sea, constantly on the move, danger in the city, the country, at sea and from false brothers, gone without sleep, been hungry, thirsty, cold and naked. God wasn’t kidding about the suffering. A lot of the persecution is not recorded in the book of Acts so perhaps these sufferings took place during these missing years.

Persecution scattered the early believers and those in Antioch were faithful, so much so that many people came to faith in Christ (Acts 11:21). When God desires to do a new thing (Isaiah 43:19), He generally seeks out a remnant of righteous followers who usually don’t conform to what others might expect. These types don’t really care about popularity or tradition. The news from Antioch eventually reached the leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 11:22) and when they came to see for themselves, they saw evidence of God’s grace (Acts 11:23).

One of my favorite characters in the New Testament, Barnabas, encouraged the believers to remain true to the Lord (Acts 11:23); to basically plan in advance to remain faithful to Christ. It is a practical reality that the most effective time to resolve to be obedient to Christ is in advance of the persecution or difficulty. It’s hard to make up your mind to be faithful in times of trouble or temptation at the time you’re going through it. A conviction ahead of time settles the issue and allows us to remain strong when the world around us tells us to compromise.

Application: People may not be trying to kill you, beat you or otherwise harm you, but it would make many people happy to see someone who claims to be a follower of Christ stumble and fall to a moral failure, or compromise in some area that required integrity, or give in to some vice or habit that is left over from the old way of life. How will you stand when those around you fall? We stand tall when we are on our knees (in prayer).

As we seek God and strive to follow His direction in life, we can determine ahead of time how we will respond to temptations, how to flee from the trap set by the enemy (1 Peter 5:8). That’s what conviction is all about. After I was able to develop a settled faith, no one has been able to sway me into compromise or to consider that Christ is not the ultimate reality in my life. It’s not that I am immune to personal failure (I’m only human and I know the darkness that lurks within), but I have certain convictions of right and wrong that do not cause me confusion in the midst of these temptations. Heeding the encouragement of Barnabas, I have resolved to be obedient to Christ in advance of the persecution, difficulty or temptation. By God’s grace I am able to trust that He will provide a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). How about you? Do you need someone to whom you will be accountable to remain pure? It’s imperative that you enter into relationships with godly men who will hold you accountable and encourage you when you are ready to give in or give up.

How to Hear from God

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In January 2011 we will have a special emphasis on hearing from God. It is a critical that we understand this concept. How in the world can we know God’s will and do God’s will if we cannot hear God’s call? Volunteerism begins with a calling of God, not with the needs of people (or the church). If people serve only because we have a need, burnout or boredom will follow closely behind. However, if we serve or volunteer because we have heard a word from God, or we have a passion for that type of service, we will have much greater success in our work. Sometimes the calling of God is the only thing that keeps missionaries on the field; same for regular volunteers in church ministries.

Let’s take a quick look at Noah who built the ark in faith.the Bible says that “He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before…” (Hebrews 11:7). How did he believe these things that had never happened before would actually happen? Faith, of course, but I believe there’s more.

Noah believed because he could hear God. So, how do we do that? By listening of course. Perhaps you might want to trust God, but you don’t hear him. Here’s the key – to hear God you have to get near God.

  1. You don’t hear God when the TV is on.
  2. You don’t hear God when you are listening to your iPod.
  3. You don’t hear God when you are listening to the radio.
  4. You don’t hear God when your mind is filled with a thousand other distractions.
  5. You’ve got to get alone with God and be quiet.

The Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). That means we need to solitude and just be quiet with your Bible, and then ask God if there is anything He wants to say to you. This is a quiet time where you can read God’s Word and talk to him about what’s on your heart.

The Bible has a term for this “being with God,” it is called, “walking with God.” Noah walked in close fellowship with God, so if you want to hear God, you’ve got to walk with him. That’s the aim of discipleship; that we walk with God, and develop a closer relationship with Him every day.

Isn’t it time to begin hearing from God and stepping out in faith? Sometimes we are afraid to step out in faith, or to get involved in a certain ministry. But what is the result of walking with God? You fear nothing. Why? Because when God is near, you lose your fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

  1. If you are fearful about getting involved in a ministry with children or preschoolers, you are not walking with the Lord.
  2. If you are fearful about leading a small group, you are not walking with the Lord.
  3. If you are fearful about your future, you are not walking with the Lord.
  4. If you are fearful about your finances, you are not walking with the Lord.
  5. If you are fearful about your marriage, you are not walking with the Lord.

Because the more your life is filled with the power and love of God, the less fear you have in your life. Love and fear don’t operate in the same heart at the same time.

Listen for the voice of God to speak to your soul, and then allow God to move you into action. There are places of service throughout King’s Grant Baptist Church; could God be directing you to take the lead?

A Sudden Change of Focus

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Paul was a man with a mission, even before he became a believer in Christ. I find it interesting that when God changes a life He keeps the original DNA and refocuses our purpose. Since God wired us in a certain way, if you were a great leader of others in your old life, God can use that quality to make you a great leader with a renewed purpose in your new life. If you were generous in your old life, God can use that strength for His kingdom in your new life. God used Paul’s natural giftedness and retooled him for kingdom purposes. Let’s look at what Paul did after coming to Christ.

After his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road, Paul is told to go to see a man named Ananias (Acts 9:10, 17, 18). Paul’s eyes were opened, literally and figuratively. In Galatians 1:14-18, he mentions that he did not go up to Jerusalem or consult with any of the apostles, but went down to Arabia after his conversion. He needed to get to know the One who seemed to know him so well. Unlike us, Paul’s need was not discipleship from other believers and to know the Scriptures, he needed to get to know the author of the Scriptures. He runs off to the Arabia, likely to the mountain of God, Sinai, where God met with Moses and gave the Law to His people. All he had ever known in Scripture needed to be interpreted in light of Christ.

The result was that Paul grew more and more powerful and the Jews were astonished with his teaching, proving that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah (Acts 9:22).

  1. The word “powerful” is the same word used to describe Samson in Hebrews 11:34. I remember reading from an ancient history called, The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 1:7 “At length they saw a man coming (namely Paul), of a low stature, bald (or shaved) on the head, crooked thighs, handsome legs, hollow-eyed; had a crooked nose; full of grace; for sometimes he appeared as a man, sometimes he had the countenance of an angel.” A balding, bowlegged man with a boxer’s nose was not much to look at, but he had the power of God within him.
  2. Paul also spent time proving to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. The word “proved” means to come together, or bring together, or knit together. He literally knit together the old and the new; that Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament and the fulfillment of the promise is found only in Jesus. The whole of Scripture speaks of Christ, not just various parts of it. Luke 24:27 tell us that Jesus explained to the two on the Emmaus Road what was said in all the Scripture concerning himself. I like that, ALL the Scripture, not just a few isolated passages. Unlike the Greeks, the Jews knew Scripture. They just had not recognized the One they were waiting for.

What was the result of Paul’s ministry?

  1. At first, the Jews sought to kill him (Acts 9:23, 24) even the Greek speaking Jews (Acts 9:29).
  2. When he came to Jerusalem all the disciples were afraid of him (Acts 9:26). They were understandably cautious of Paul, knowing his past. Perhaps they were being punked and it was all a trick. But there was one guy, a man named Barnabas (the son of encouragement) who took Paul and brought him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). I can imagine the grumbling that must have taken place when Barnabas brought this despicable person into the room. I like this guy because he was willing to give people a chance even when no one else would.

Application: There is nothing greater than the men of God willing to become vulnerable in obedience to Christ. What can we learn today?

  1. How about standing up for the truth when those around you fall?
  2. Are you willing to become vulnerable enough to develop relationships with those considered to be on the outside?
  3. Can you spend time getting to know God in such a way that your confidence in the truth soars to a new level?
  4. Are you willing to take a risk, becoming like Barnabas to encourage other people, even if it will cost you something?
  5. None of us may be very impressive to the world, but are you willing to allow God to use you for His kingdom in ways that you could never have imagined? This is not just for pastors and missionary types, God can use each of us right where we are. There are people around each of us that only we can impact.

Get to know the author of Scripture and not just a head full of biblical knowledge. Allow God to change your focus and be used for kingdom work in ways you never thought possible. It takes only a step in the right direction and you begin the journey of a lifetime.

A Sudden Change in Plans

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Continuing this series in the life of Paul, after the stoning of Stephen, Paul began new threats against the followers of Christ (Acts 9:1-2) so he might jail them of kill them. This is the chapter where Jesus gets to Paul and reaches him with the life-changing message of the gospel.

If you’re like me, you probably have asked at some point in your Christian life, “Why in the world did you choose to save me?” Each of us knows our personal failures and vulnerabilities and have concluded that we are not really worth the price of our salvation. Then we look at Paul and decide that at least we are not like him! He was so anti-Christ (Acts 26:11). Paul was obsessed with destroying the church. The word really means “to act like a maniac” (the Greek term is mainomai).

Paul was a hot-headed rabbi determined to make a name for himself. One day on the road to the city of Damascus, Jesus Christ intervened in his life (Acts 9:3-4). This encounter left him blind and dependent on those around him (Acts 9:8). In a way, Paul is the perfect example of a guy who was totally sincere in his beliefs yet totally wrong. He thought he knew it all but actually knew nothing. In a world of black and white religious dogma, Paul comes face to face with shades of gray. Sincerity means nothing if it is misdirected.

Sometimes we feel that we should get our lives straightened out before we can come to Christ, but a great verse is Romans 5:8, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. No matter how dark or deep, we can begin a journey of faith in Christ. No one is perfect, but we all must press on toward the goal (Philippians 3:12). The phrase “take hold” means to seize with eagerness, like God snatched Paul by the hair. Paul never forget the depth of his sinfulness, out of which Jesus saved his soul (1 Timothy 1:15).

There is no room for pride and nothing can bring us back to reality and humble us like remembering how God saved us from ourselves. No one can teach forgiveness like the forgiven. Paul believed in his cause and it led him down a destructive path. That day on the Damascus Road, Paul not only was snatched from the devil but God snatched Paul from himself; from his misguided zeal and his obsessive behavior.

There is little doubt that Christ can save anybody. No one is too wicked or far from God (Isaiah 59:1). A gray question may be why God chose to save us, but a black and white answer is that “I once was lost but now I’m found.”

What About Church Discipline?

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The church, at times, must exercise discipline toward members who have sinned. Granted it is not done much, but why do you suppose? Could it be that people take the words of Jesus (about not judging, or getting the plank out of your own eye first) to keep us silent on correcting a fellow believer? Perhaps we don’t do it because we are very aware of our own sinfulness and failures to talk to someone else about their sin. But according to the Bible, church discipline must be handled carefully, straightforwardly, and lovingly.

The situations we find:

  1. Unintentional error and/or private sin.
  2. Public sin and/or those done flagrantly and arrogantly.

The steps we follow: (Matthew 18:15-17)

  1. Go to the brother or sister, show the fault to him or her in private.
  2. If he/she does not listen, go with one or two witnesses.
  3. If he/she refuses to listen, take the matter before the church.

The strategy we foster:

  1. Remove the one in error from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:2-13).
    1. The sin of others should bring on mourning and shame (1 Corinthians 5:2).
    2. The offender should be removed from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:2).
    3. The church calls a meeting (1 Corinthians 5:4).
    4. The unrepentant person is to be thrown to Satan (1 Corinthians 5:5).
    5. What? Why? A little bit of yeast affects the whole lump of dough (1 Corinthians 5:6, 7).
    6. Don’t pal around with people who indulge in sexual sin (1 Corinthians 5:9, 11).
    7. It is the responsibility of the church to judge believers who are sinning (1 Corinthians 5:12).
  2. The church gives united disapproval, but forgiveness and comfort are in order if he/she chooses to repent (2 Corinthians 2:5-8).
    1. Oppose the offender, but after the discipline, you must,
    2. Forgive and comfort him lest he get discouraged (2 Corinthians 2:7).
    3. Then affirm your love for him (2 Corinthians 2:8).
  3. Do not associate with the disobedient person; and if you must, speak to him/her as one who needs a warning (2 Thessalonians 3:14,15).
  4. After two warnings, reject the person from the fellowship (Titus 3:10).

Tough stuff, but how much is the marriage or the family of another man worth? When you see the dead end lifestyle and the failures in a professing believer, how can we not intervene, warn or sound the alarm? It’s not an issue of our superiority over the failing person, or that we have it all together, but it is an act of love and kindness to confront a man with his destructive habits or marital infidelity. Reach out a hand when you see a man about to step onto a slippery slope that brings tragedy and regret.

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Forgiveness, Faith, and Fear

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When we get to the life of Paul in the book of Acts, the first reference to him was at the execution of a Christ follower named Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1):

They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died. Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. — Acts 7:58-8:1

Perhaps Saul the Pharisee needed to oversee this event because he remembered the whole situation with Lazarus. In that story Lazarus died (John 11:14) and Jesus decides to go back to Judea where only a few days earlier the “people” tried to kill Jesus (John 11:7-8). The resurrection of Lazarus was a powerful testimony to Jesus and His mission and many people came to faith in Him (John 11:45, 48, 53, 57, 12:9, 17). To top off this celebration of people coming to faith in Jesus, the religious leaders decided to go ahead and kill Lazarus, too (John 12:10). I find that ironic, but Saul may have had this batched execution in mind when he came to witness the elimination of Stephen.

The Bible says that Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, faith, grace and God’s power (Acts 6:3, 5, 8). This tells me he was more than just a believer in Christ but had surrendered his whole life to Him. This is not just for those who eventually become pastors and missionaries, but for all of us.

During the stoning, Stephen showed such meekness, which is defined as power under control. He had such confidence in his message and did not fear the people who sought to do him harm. He stood before the religious leaders, who were shocked to see that he had the face of an angel (Acts 6:15). Moses may have had this same look when he came down from meeting with God on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:29). King Solomon wisely confirms that wisdom brightens a man’s face (Ecclesiastes 8:1). Whatever they thought, they did not expect to hear a history lesson of their ancestors being a stubborn people who killed God’s prophets and were disobedient to God’s laws (Acts 7:51, 52, 53). That was the last straw; they were ticked at him (Acts 7:54).

As frightening as this situation must have been, Stephen demonstrates the attitude of Jesus himself and asks that God not hold this sin against them (Acts 7:60). Forgiveness is a hard thing to do; the message and Bible study this past Sunday was called, strong families forgive. It is only through forgiveness that we can free ourselves of bitterness that will permeate all parts of our lives, not to mention that forgiveness is a powerful witness of Christ in our lives.

We tend to equate victory in our lives with survival, but the apostles had a different understanding… that they would be counted worthy to suffer or die for Christ (Acts 5:41). I like this picture given in Acts 7:56; did you catch it? The heavens open and Stephen sees Jesus standing in the place of honor. That which was happening on earth was so significant that it brought the Son of God to His feet. While Stephen was standing up for Christ, Jesus stood up for him. Stephen may have been covered in his own blood, but he was also covered by the blood of Christ. Stephen got a standing ovation from the only One who mattered.

Saul was a witness of all this and he was no innocent bystander. The Bible says that he gave approval for all this (Acts 8:1). The word used means “to take pleasure with” and the grammatical tense is continuous or repeated action; so basically he was cheering. At the same time, Jesus is standing in heaven noticing every act in this play on earth. One man was covered in blood; the other is covered by prayer shawls. One could not save himself from men; the other could not save himself from sin.

So, consider examining yourself to see whether you are on board with the mission of Christ or if you are actually an obstacle in God’s path. Are you striving to be found faithful by God, or will you allow the world to conform you into its image? I hope that one day, maybe every day, Jesus would stand to His feet and take notice of how we are involved in the Mission of God. How about you? What can you do for the kingdom of God?

Just Lead Me

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There is a great debate on roles within a marriage. The issue probably causes more conflict than anything else since people will often enter marriage with differing expectations. Those more conservative tend to focus on the leadership of the husband and father and the submission of the wife; those more egalitarian see the marriage as a partnership with no one person being the head or the leader. A partnership is a great way to go (Philippians 2:3-4, Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:25, 28, 31, 33), the two becoming one. I heard an old preacher once say that “anything with no head is dead and anything with two heads is a freak.” So without getting into that debate, (although I probably opened myself up for one) I have discovered that leadership is often misunderstood.

If a wife and mother says to her husband, “I wish you would take on more of a role of spiritual leader in our home,” I can guarantee she is not saying that she desires for him to be the boss over her, make decisions for the family, or tell her what she can do or where she can go, what to believe, what to cook, how to dress, how to raise the children, or how often she needs to make time for him. If a husband really leads and loves his wife as Christ loved the church, there is no way to lead with such abuse, bossiness or selfishness.

Look at the context of her statement. How many wives attend church alone and bring the children into God’s house without her husband? Or maybe when he comes, he’s thinking more about the game this afternoon than about how the truths he is hearing can change his life, his marriage and his kids? I suspect that what she desires is that her husband lead spiritually by taking the initiative to pray together, to go to church together, to demonstrate the love of God in the home and set the pace for her and the children.

I’m haunted by the lyrics of this Sanctus Real song and thought you all might allow God to speak to you through these lyrics. If you want to hear the song, [ Click Here ]

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying…

Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They’re just children from the outside
I’m working hard, I tell myself they’ll be fine
They’re in independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying…

Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I’m called to be
Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won’t You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can’t
Don’t want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I’ll show them I’m willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone

Father, lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone.

Men, that last section is addressed to the Father. Read it again, we cannot do this alone. Don’t leave you wife and kids hungry for love. Don’t let them stand alone because people stumble and fall when they are alone. Remind your wife that she is the love of your life. Tell your kids just how important they are to you. Make time for the important things in life.

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The Frat Brothers of Saul

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John the Baptist came preaching about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and he did not win many friends among the Pharisees (Mark 1:4, 5, Luke 3:7-8). Luke 7:30 tells us that the Pharisees rejected God’s purpose for themselves; now that’s taking your destiny into your own hands. They were hard-hearted and Jesus still loved them. But people who hide behind masks don’t like to be around those who peel them off, Jesus could see right through the Pharisees phony spirituality.

There was one guy named Nicodemus that needed to know more, and came to Jesus with some questions (John 3:1-2). He was not alone (John 12:42) but they were sort of behind the scenes followers who wanted to keep it quiet for fear of being fired. They loved the praise of men more than praise from God (John 12:43). We should not be too quick to condemn them since all of us at one time or another had remained silent seeking the approval of others.

By the time we get to John 11, we see evil making plans to get rid of the problem preacher since many people were coming to faith in Jesus (John 11:45, 48, 53). Did they fear the loss of the nation or really the loss of their “place” in the temple (John 11:48)? What a prophetic word, that it is better for one man to die for the people than that the whole nation perish (John 11:50).

These were the teachers and classmates of Paul; a glimpse of religion gone wild. Do not underestimate the evil that is deep within our hearts. One prominent tool the enemy uses is self-interest that leads to manipulation of others.

For a time, the Pharisees believed they had won; Jesus was dead, He even declared “it is finished” (John 19:30). They did all they could to make sure it stayed finished, but the resurrection still happened. In our lives, think about what is really finished and what is not. Our salvation is finished, Jesus paid it all, but our sanctification is not finished. We will spend the rest of our lives growing in godliness and into the image of Christ himself (Romans 8:29).

Jesus does not save us to let us live the rest of our lives without him. He wants to be involved in your marriage, your family, your work place, your school. With God’s power we can change into the kind of men that God desires for us to become. He changes us from the inside out. We are to be crucified with Christ and allow Jesus to live through us (Galatians 2:20). We are bought with a price and we are no longer to live without God (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Love the Lord or the Law?

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Paul had grown up in the home of a Pharisee, under strict adherence to the Law of Moses. The term Pharisee once represented genuine piety and deep devotion to God. We can assume that all followers of God would have a similar devotion for God. Look around at the Christians you know. How would you define what a follower of Jesus really looks like? Perhaps your list might look something like this:

  1. Careful student of Scripture
  2. Zealous and active in their stand for God
  3. Appetite for worship and prayer
  4. Consistent in worship attendance
  5. Practices Scripture memorization
  6. Not afraid to pray in public
  7. Active in the local church
  8. Fasts and tithes regularly
  9. Has desire to stand against blasphemy and ungodliness
  10. Has firm grasp of basic foundational theological truth

For a long time I thought this is what would honor God and help me become more like Jesus. But look again; these behaviors are not of Jesus’ disciples, but of His chief opponents, the Pharisees. Just something to think about.

While there are exceptions, by the time of the New Testament it appears that the Pharisees become synonymous with hypocrisy and cynicism. In Matthew 23, Jesus gets into a name-calling argument with the Pharisees.

  1. They made demands on others that they could not themselves keep (Matthew 23:4)
  2. They made their religious actions something into a show for others (Matthew 23:5)
  3. They loved to be at the center of attention (Matthew 23:6)
  4. They not only would not enter the kingdom of God but were preventing others from entering (Matthew 23:13)

I suppose what they really did was take the love out of obedience, which left only the Law. They became so obsessed with following the Law that they forgot to love God, and others. They choked on each letter of the Law, and God had something to say about them, Isaiah 29:13 for example: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up of only rules taught by men.”

Let’s check our motivation for following Christ. Let’s make sure that we follow Him out of love for God and not the reward from God, or simply to be obedient. Paul was a Pharisee, but he was far from God. Let’s not make the same mistake of having a head full of religion and a heart that is missing genuine love for God.