No hierarchy in the kingdom of God

Are pastors held to a higher standard than those who sit in the pews? As teachers of sound doctrine and for wisdom in leadership they are to stand tall:

“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:9)

That said, we once were members of a church in California that a writer of an article in a Christian magazine called “the church with 700 pastors.” By the time we attended, the membership was larger but the teaching was the same. The senior pastor held firmly to the following passage, particularly the part I’ve italicized:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.’  . . . . And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:1–16)

This passage reinforces the importance of pastors, yet clearly indicates that the rest of us in the Body of Christ are just as important. We must all do our part for the entire congregation to grow and grow up. We also must speak sound doctrine and rebuke those who contradict it. We are also priests because we have a responsibility to pray and care for, teach and help one another grow and become more like Jesus.

That church and many others call this doctrine ‘the priesthood of all believers’ and believing it sets a high value on every person who attends. It also plays a part in helping church members live the way God’s Word describes. We need one another and God gifts us to fill those various needs.

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Jesus, while each Christian has different gifts, different roles, different energies, and even different ways of looking at things, we realize that by following Your word, we are stronger in our faith and practice and more mature because of it. Reinforce this to my heart. May I be a better servant, but also a better learner.

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Note: we are on vacation for the next couple of weeks in a place where the Internet is not completely reliable. I will have devotions each day, and write my thoughts. Whether they get posted that day or not is anyone’s guess!

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Still in the classroom

The Ten Commandments are familiar to many, yet the New Testament has several “sin lists” that go into greater detail than those ten. When I read them, I shake my head in amazement that God bothers with any of us.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19–21)

While not guilty of all these, I cannot say I’ve never been jealous or worshiped something other than God.

Here is another list spelled out for the Christians at Corinth . . . 

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. (2 Corinthians 12:20)

Quarrels, anger, gossip, conceit? These attitudes and actions are common in our world, yet condemned by God and not at all appropriate for those who claim to be Christ’ disciples. If Christians struggle with sin and claim to be saved, how can anyone ever please God? If pleasing God depends on what we do, no one would be able to do it. But there is good news in those lists. This one gives it . . . 

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. But such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–11)

What happened between the condemnation in verses 9-10 and the victory of verse 11? Jesus happened. He came and changed lives. He transformed sinners guilty of everything from greed to gossip, conceit to sexual immorality and set them apart for Himself. He made sinners rich by becoming one of us and taking our sin upon Himself.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

There are days when I read these lists, look at the world around me and look in the mirror with marvel at the grace of God. He hates sin, but He loves His people. He determined that sin would not destroy us. By the power of His Spirit and through the death and resurrection of His Son, sin’s penalty was paid and its power has lost its grip.

I know the next question – why do we still sin? If the kingdom of God is here, and if “such were some of you” why then do we keep tipping over? Isn’t that the worst ingratitude?

Yes it is. I can make excuses. One of them is failure to realize how deeply sin has affected every part of me. I assumed that God’s zap will be enough whereas He ordains that in this life we fight sin and in that fight learn how weak and helpless we are and how powerful He is.

In this battle against sin, I also learn what it means to trust God with everything. Instead of trying to manage my life by myself, I need to rely on His grace and power every moment of every day, and to give Him glory for the victories won. I’m still learning . . .  

Growing through suffering

Lately I’ve been praying that God would increase in me the attitude of a child. I had some attributes in mind, such as innocence and carefree, but He surprises me with a focus I did not expect – needy and helpless. He has set me into a battle with an issue that is showing me how much I need Him every moment and that I am helpless without Him.

Today’s devotional reading points to the gifts of God to His Son, and by inference, the gifts of His Son to me.

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. (John 3:35)

In thinking about my situation, I must remember that Jesus did not live here as the exalted God the Son; that will come later. He even called Himself the Son of Man, perhaps because He took on our needy helplessness when He added human flesh to Himself?

Yes, Scripture says much of the power and glory of Christ, and this is needful for me to know…

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (Hebrews 1:3)

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell… (Colossians 1:19)

But at the same time, Jesus identified with sinners. Even though He was sinless, he lived in total dependence on the Holy Spirit and His Father as we must do...

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19)

As fully God, Jesus had to learn how to live as fully human. Hebrews 5:8 says that, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” This is the humiliation of Christ. It describes what it meant for Him to become One of us and shows that I must learn through what I suffer, just as He did. Those are not easy lessons, but for Christians, the only learning, the only entrance into glory, is through struggle and suffering.

Still, in the plan of God, all things were given to Christ. He has all the mercy of God in his hands; all the infinite love, pity, and compassion of God. What is Christ but the love of God displayed in flesh and blood?

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9–10)

Now I note this important truth; if Jesus learned obedience through suffering, then why should I expect God to take away all those things that trouble me, that make me feel needy and helpless? Or if I have one day or one hour of victory over a temptation, should I expect that the battle is won and it will never come back?

Yes, Christ is perfect righteousness and in Him, I am more righteous in God’s sight than I was ever guilty in His sight. In Him, I have the righteousness of God. In Him, I am justified because the justice of God is in Christ. In Him, I know the mercy of God because justice and mercy meet in Jesus and Jesus lives in me.

Because Jesus Christ has all the faithfulness and truth of God, all the character of the Holy One, then I can look to Him to change my life, make me faithful, truthful, even holy. Because He is the wisdom of God and all God’s fullness dwells in Him, Christ is for me the source of unsearchable riches and everlasting salvation.

But before glory comes suffering. I cannot eliminate the very thing that was lived out in Christ and that will make glory possible. Instead, He tells me to keep my head about me and not let one little victory make me forget the manner in which all victories come…

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5–8)

Creativity in Suffering

Our book club met yesterday to discuss Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ book, “Lies Women Believe.” Throughout our long conversation, we kept repeating that old definition of sin and immaturity: “I want what I want when I want it.” At one point we agreed that we mostly want comfort and happiness, but also that we learn best through suffering a lack of comfort and happiness.

Jesus was fully God, fully man. While on earth He lived as we should live, depending entirely on the Holy Spirit to do the will of God. He was well aware of the big lie: that we can have it all whenever we want it all, a lie preached by false teachers in what is called the prosperity Gospel. They say Christians do not have to suffer; we just need to have faith. However, the Bible says, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8) If Jesus suffered, what makes me think I should be exempt?

Not all suffering is discomfort and pain. Sometimes it is emotional or psychological. I know folks who must deal with unsaved spouses, cranky neighbors, and unreasonable employers. In other parts of the world, suffering could include lost freedoms, famine, war, and a continual threat of death.

Those things make my sufferings seem small, but to God, any suffering is an important tool to teach me obedience. For instance, I have ADD, a scattered mind. I wrestle to keep it out of places it should not go. Could this suffering be purposeful in teaching me to “pray without ceasing”? I think so.

This is an important part of theology. God uses all things together for good in the lives of His children (Romans 8:28). The “good” is in the next verse. It means being transformed into the image of His Son. Instead of simply bearing it bravely, I can grow from whatever life flings at me. The grace of God is sufficient to turn the darkest experiences into treasure.

In the hand of God, nothing is meaningless. One of my worst trials brought such change and goodness that I have been able to thank God for it, even for all the sorrow and tears. As today’s devotional says, the godly reaction to suffering and sorrow is seeing difficulties as God-given opportunities. He wants me to consider my troubles as a sacred trust and wear these thorns as a crown.

The devotional adds that this creative attitude toward suffering not only develops my character, but also makes me a source of blessing and strength to others. I cannot see that, just as a mirror cannot see what it reflects. I can only keep on, confessing sin when it occurs and trusting Jesus to meet the challenges. He faced the worst suffering anyone has ever faced, and came through it in great victory. He did that that I might know suffering can produce amazing results. For Him, it was salvation for sinners! For me, it is obedience and a character that is more like His. 

To Live is Christ — slowly learning

My dad died eleven years ago today. I’ve not marked this day as a sad anniversary, mostly because I’ve always allowed grief whenever it came calling, no matter what day it was. However, my dad and my mother came to mind today. As I thought of them, I also thought how children are like their parents. In some cases, the good comes out but far too often the not-so-good is multiplied in the next generation.

The Old Testament talks about the sins of the fathers being visited on the children. This idea of “generational sin” has intrigued me. I’ve concluded the main reason a child becomes a “chip of the old block” or worse, is that a parent cannot teach their child how to conquer a sin tendency that they have not conquered themselves.

I’ve seen this in several situations. A foul-mouthed parent will have children who do the same, or worse. A parent who lies should never be surprised that his child lies. A stubborn mom will fight stubbornness in her child.

On the other hand, my theory could be wrong. My mother’s mother never said a bad word about anyone. My mother was like that too. If she had bad feelings, she kept them to herself. Her and dad never fought, at least that I witnessed.

My father’s father was a quiet man too, but feisty and not easy to know. He had a rough childhood, but seldom talked about it. My father was not like that. He talked. He loved people. He didn’t like laziness or dishonesty. We always knew where dad stood on an issue or a circumstance.

What got handed down to me? I’ve also been outspoken. Everyone knows how I feel about situations and people. I can be a fighter and hold a grudge for a long time with or without words. When I became a Christian as an adult, my attitudes began to change. Yet God is still changing them, going deeper.

The process reminds me of a dog we used to have. He often came home full of quills after a run-in with a porcupine. I feel like that dog must have felt when we had to tie him down to remove the offending barbs. He never barked or whined because he knew this pain was for his good, but he didn’t like it very much.

Such is the effect of the Word of God. It hurts, but at the same time, I know it is good for me. There is healing — if I stop resisting and let the Holy Spirit change my life.

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8–9)

God gave me lots to wince over with these verses. As I read them, all I can remember are the times I had a contrary mind, was without sympathy or love, had a hard heart and was filled with pride. It seems that I picked up the negative side of the positives in my parents. I remember my mother surprising me with a rebuke when I complained about something she did, as if I knew how to do it better. Pride.

I think also about my dad’s example of “love thy neighbor” which made him so beloved in his community but didn’t wash off on me. Hard-hearted.

These memories sting, but God’s barbs are even more pointed. After almost forty years of Christ living in me, I still block Him with the sins of my childhood, the pride and lack of caring for others. I didn’t “learn” this from my parents. They tried. These verses speak even louder, and I am so slow to listen.

I’m not sure if folks in heaven can see us on earth. Likely not. When I get to heaven I want to hear “well-done” from Jesus. However, after I see Him face to face, I’d love to hear something similar from my dear mom and dad.

To Live is Christ — taking baby steps

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting my four great-grandchildren. I know that I’m too young to be a great-grandmother. Nevertheless, two of my grandchildren have little ones of their own. It was nice to see them.

It was also interesting to observe their personalities. One is less than two weeks old, but obviously male and alert to his surroundings. The oldest is three with a large vocabulary, and hugs everyone. The two in the middle are both blonde and blue eyed, but not at all alike. One is contented and methodical, a real thinker. The other is a sharp-eyed and smiling imp. I enjoyed watching them interact with mom and dad, sometimes testing their limits and always learning obedience.

Today’s devotional verse is about obedience at a different level. It is for children, but the children of God — who can be adults. These children are those transformed by His Spirit and called to be like Jesus. 

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. (1 Peter 1:14–15)

Because of our sin nature, no one has to teach any of us how to be bad. Children already know how to disobey and misbehave. Instead they must be taught obedience. This is a challenge for parents and important for the child’s safety and growth.

For the child of God, learning obedience is vital to keep us safe too. It is also part of our spiritual growth, since our destiny is to be like our Savior. He was obedient and so must we be obedient. However, for us the leaving aside sin and doing as God says is one thing; being called to holiness lifts the bar.

I’ve never found a good definition of holy. Some say it simply means “other than” in that God is higher and more than we can imagine or describe. He is unlimited love and goodness, totally and completely without sin, light that has no darkness. My dictionary says that holy is moral and spiritual excellence. That means that He is calling me to a very high standard.

When I think of holiness as excellence in all things moral and spiritual, I know that I fall short. Without the Spirit of God living in me, and without the imputed character and holiness of Jesus Christ, there is no hope.

When I think of unlimited love and goodness, and those other high degrees of measuring God, I also feel small and inadequate. Who can be like God? Only with God living in me, only with Christ giving me His nature, only with God seeing me through that filter, then there is a sense of it, but this holiness is not mine. Holiness truly belongs to God alone.

When I think of holiness as “other than” or being better than what I was before He saved me, then I can see myself (only because of Christ) as on the bottom rung of a very tall ladder. If I compare myself with those evil desires that I had before Christ came into my life, I know that He has changed me. When I look back, there has been change and progress, a glimmer of hope. However, when I look at the goal, the target described in this verse, I cannot imagine it. How can God ask such a thing?

Yet He asks it, which implies that perhaps holiness is possible. I know that I will not be like Jesus until I see Him face to face, but this verse says that I can do better, that I can climb up a rung or two. Refusing sin and insisting on God’s high standards for my life are hard enough to muster, but the Holy Spirit is at work, urging more.

Besides His outreached hand, I’m amazed that God assumes this is possible. I’m to stop looking at myself. I’m not to give up simply because His target seems completely out of reach. He wants me to press on — like a little one learning to walk. Like a dad with a little one, He holds out His hand and urges me to take the next step forward.

The path is straight, it’s me that gets twisted

I feel like a pretzel. Learning how to walk the Christian walk and please God takes me one way then another until sometimes I feel turned back on myself.

For instance, when I became a Christian I talked without thinking. God had to teach me to be quiet, then after months of lessons on that, He began teaching me to speak up at His bidding instead of my own impulses. Furthermore, these are ongoing lessons.

Yesterday the Lord repeated to me that I must not think evil about others or focus on the evil in them, but now I see another pretzel lesson in the second half of this verse.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. (Romans 12:17)

Here the English words “have regard for” come from a Greek word, pronoeo. It occurs three times in the New Testament and is translated as “provide for” and “provide” but it can also mean to perceive before, foresee, think of beforehand or to take thought for and care for a thing.

For many years I felt I had to plan everything. Then (here comes the pretzel lesson) God has been teaching me to quit making my own plans and just follow His leading, moment by moment. As I read this verse, I see that I am also supposed to plan ahead, think about what I am going to do. Arggg! Bend this way, now this way . . . !

But I know the difference between my planning in the beginning and this. It used to be that all my planning was about what I wanted and what would benefit me. Here, God is saying that I need to think ahead of time how I can do good things, planning how I can provide good for others.

Some versions say “right” or “noble” things. The word is kalos and it appears more than one hundred times. Most of them are translated into “good” yet other words are sometimes used such as better, honest, and so on. This word is about that which is beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, and admirable.

My mother used to joke that some people seem to think a good meal falls out of the cupboard. According to these words, I must not think the same thing about doing good to others. Perhaps at times a good deed could be spontaneous, but the idea here is to continually think ahead and plan for how I might provide something good for someone else.

I write this thinking that many people would not be so analytical; they would just do it. However, God is concerned about the heart. I remember a woman who was not a Christian saying, “I love to do things for others because it makes me feel so good.”

Her motives for doing things for others were mostly for herself. Mine can be also. As I read these verses and think about what God emphasizes, it seems clear to me that when I do good, God is not focusing one bit on what is in it for me — nor how I feel about it.

Pressures >>> obedience

Our granddaughter called last night from her new apartment home in South Korea. She arrived 8:30 Wednesday. Since her clock is 15 hours ahead of our time, when we talked to her she was preparing for her first day of work. This gal hit the ground running.

What an incredible adventure. Jet lag, new home, foreign country, different language, no food in her frig, a few thousand Korean Won to get her started (the exchange rate is 1000 to one), and starting a new job her first day in town. I can hardly imagine the complications of all this in her mind, but I am so glad that I can talk to God about it on her behalf, and that God can use all of this to draw her into a relationship with Himself.

What will she learn from her difficulties and challenges? Many things, I’m certain. Two verses in my reading this morning suggest two possibilities in regard to her spiritual life.

The first is in Proverbs 27:22, “Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.”

This is the worst case scenario. In Proverbs, a fool is someone who has rejected God. The figure of speech is an image for extreme difficulties. These pressures grind all stubbornness and self-will to powder, yet the fool remains foolish. All their suffering produces no change.

The second option is illustrated by Jesus. Hebrews 5:8 says, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”

My initial question about this verse was why did Jesus, who never sinned, have to “learn” obedience? It was not His nature to disobey. He knows everything, so why did He have to “learn” anything? He is God the Son, yet this verse sets Him out in His humanness. “Though He was the Son” of God, He was also the Son of man.

His obedience as a man depending on His Father was tested by trials. Whatever happened to Him, every circumstance, confrontation, and opportunity, called for a choice. Even though He would always make the right choice, no one, not even Jesus, would see that reality unless He first experienced the tests and trials that put Him into a position of choosing and obeying.

Learning obedience to God is the same for every human being. Proverbs 29:19 says, “A servant will not be corrected by mere words; for though he understands, he will not respond.”

As I read His Word, I hear His voice telling me His will. I know what He wants from me, but unless I’m in a place where I must choose to do something about it, I’ve not actually “learned” obedience. It might be in my head, but it is not part of my life until I obey.

I don’t like suffering. My first response ought to be, “God, how can I obey You in this?” Yet too often I complain and look for a way out. I fear this is also true of most Christians. Instead of seeking the will of God when we suffer, or instead of discerning why He allows such things and learning from them, our usual response is a prayer request that the suffering be removed. I’m somewhat amazed that God sometimes does remove the problem. He is so incredibly merciful. Or maybe He removes it because (sadly) He sees we are not going to “learn” obedience from it after all.

My hope for our granddaughter is that these pressures that she is experiencing will not crush her to no avail, but that they will result in a heart’s cry to the One who can rescue her. Hebrews 5:7 says of Jesus, “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear . . .” May this be true of her.

Yet I must also remember that God, who knows all things, can see what will produce a change of heart and what will not. If she manages to get through all of this without “learning obedience” then that too is by His mercy.