In chapter two, we move from hope to something deeper and more substantial. In the first four verses leading up to Paul’s attempt at poetry, we come across some pretty amazing imperatives. They are heart-warming and yet each one of them hinges on a single phrase that, at least for mature believers, is easy to miss: “in Christ”. All the encouragement of faith, all the comfort of love, all fellowship affection and mercy are found only in our savior. Many people search their entire lives for the one person they cannot live without, but Christians have already found him.
I remember well at the tender age of 15 sitting on a bench with a friend while waiting for the number 100 bus. We were both Christians and we both desperately wanted to be obedient to God and to win the world for Christ. Looking across the street we saw another guy waiting for his bus and it struck us both that we should make an effort to tell him the gospel. We had probably 20 “Knowing God Personally” tracts in our backpacks. We sat there and looked at each other. Finally I stood up and said, “that guy needs Jesus” and started walking across the street.
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are all rapidly approaching and, for most of us, that invokes mixed feelings. Buying and wrapping presents, preparing a turkey dinner, spending time with family and friends -- including a few we haven’t seen since last Christmas -- can be both rewarding and anxiety inducing. With so much to do it’s easy to let our normal spiritual practices slip, when what we need to do is increase our time with God. We at Think-Biblically have created a few ways you can prepare yourself for the season to come, both heart and soul.
Last week we started a series on the “five solas” of the Reformation period, and today we finish up and we’ve saved the best (if one can classify such things) for last: Solus Christus, or Christ alone. This theological principle is expressed as: Christ alone is the mediator between man and God and salvation is found in no one else. This was a direct response to the Catholic church who taught that man must confess to a priest, and the priest would mediate between God and man. In fact, the Catholic system at the time resembled the Jewish system of the first century.
I understand that Thanksgiving is a wholly American holiday and some of our readers in the international community may feel a little left out, or possibly slighted by a shorter entry on this day. I am trusting that any such emotions will be thwarted by today’s passage. In fact, I highly recommend reading these verses aloud. More than once. Let them wash over you. It is my Thanksgiving Day wish that they would come to characterize every believer on this day, the day America celebrates its traditions and foundation.
Paul begins his letter in the typical Roman fashion, with a couple caveats. The Roman template included an introduction that identified the recipients, a statement of thanksgiving, and an introduction. Paul usually lengthened the thanksgiving section by including prayers for the people. We see this exemplified here as he introduces himself and timothy as slaves of Christ, then the letters recipients, and providing a long thanksgiving section (verses three through 11). The word translated as “slaves” is better understood as a bondservant, someone who sells himself into the service of another. This was not unethical or done unwillingly, and in Jewish culture denoted honor.
From the beginning the church has faced deadly difficulties. Jewish assassins, Roman armies, Muslim jihadists, atheist dictators and more have killed, maimed and attempted to destroy the bride of Christ. While it doesn’t make headlines in the west, dozens of Sunday services throughout Africa are interrupted by Muslim warlords who murder every believer who will not convert to Islam. Though there is no evidence that Devin Kelly in Sutherland Springs, Texas or Stephen Paddock in Las Vegas had any connection to Islam, they shared something in common with the African militants who murder believers nearly every week (more on this in a minute). What can we do?
All this week we’ve been celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by exploring the five “solas” of that period. So far we’ve examined Sola Scriptura, Sola Fidea and Sola Gracia, or Scripture alone, faith alone and grace alone. We’ve seen the importance of these first three in today’s culture, and now we turn to Soli Deo Gloria, or “Glory belongs to God alone”. Before we begin, however, a special shout out to my friend Janice who toured the Reformation landmarks in Germany earlier this year and brought me back the commemorative cookie that is the graphic for today’s article.
Paul steers the topic toward his imprisonment, something from which he is certain he will be “delivered”. Unlike most inmates, Paul didn’t view jail as representing a conflict between himself and the Roman government, or of a fight with the law. Rather, Paul understood it to be a spiritual battle. He was sidelined by Satan because his missionary journeys had been too successful. But this was a battle the devil could not win, for God was fighting for Paul. As evidence of this, Paul’s mission carried on even when he couldn’t go anywhere! The gospel was reaching out to the Praetorian guard, and to everyone else who was part of “the system”.
Today is special in two ways. First, it marks the fourth anniversary of Think-Biblically.com. That’s right, we’ve been helping people build connections with God and teaching people to think God’s thoughts for four years. This is truly a labor of love, and we prove that every day by being free of advertising and memberships. This is not a financial venture, it’s a spiritual one. While our reader base isn’t as grand as some sites, we’re proud to have helped others increase their faith and improve their relationship with our creator. So please celebrate with us today the work we do for you and for our Lord.
After a tragically malicious shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas where a gunman killed 26 people and wounded many others in the First Baptist Church last Sunday, a nation turned to its leadership for understanding. President Trump stated his prayers were with the victims and their families and, whatever you may think of him personally, he pointed the people to connect with God -- which is always the right thing to do. Senator Ted Cruz did what the president, who was half way around the world at the time, could not when he visited the small town and mourned with its people the brutality and loss of life.
As a result of posting his 95 Thesis and extoling a deep belief in the infallibility of the Bible and fallibility of the Pope, Luther was taken to task. He was required to defend his belief in Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) eventually questioned by his superiors who demanded he recant. Instead of submitting, Luther restated his belief stating, “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason… my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me. Amen."
