By Way of Reminder

By Way of Reminder

© 2016 by David A. Heywood. All rights reserved.

Published by Rediscover the Bible Ministries, Inc.

Verses marked ESV, Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked GW or God’s Word are taken from GOD’S WORD. Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved worldwide. 

Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Preface

“…To stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Peter 1:13b)

This book was written for all Christians, young and old. The purpose is just as the title suggests, to remind us what is important, to remind us who and what we are, to remind us that we serve a great and marvelous God and while we are remembering, to stir us up! Peter used a Greek word that really calls us to wake up and take note of what is going on around us. Throughout the Bible, God chose different ways to remind His people of things and events that were important, things that should be passed on from generation to generation. 

We know that the Israelites had problems remembering what God had done for them. For example, when you look at stories such as Moses in the desert or when he was on Mt. Sinai, you recognize just how fast some of them forgot even after witnessing God’s amazing power. Throughout the Old Testament we see a pattern that I often call the “sine of the times,” where God’s people are blessed and become prosperous but soon turn away from God. During this time they often embraced idolatry and pagan rituals making God angry. He then stops blessing them, putting an end to their prosperity and if that didn’t bring them back to God, He brought an enemy in forcing them to either slave labor or severely limit their freedom. After a period of time they realize what they have done (often through a prophet) and repent of their disobedience. God then provides the solution, they are freed from oppression and once again they become blessed and prosperous. Unfortunately they end up starting the cycle all over again, hence the use of the term ‘sine’, just like a sine wave (a positive period followed by a negative period), over and over again. 

Now before we say or think anything bad about the Israelites regarding their past behavior and their deplorable handling of God and His Word, we need to recognize this continues to occur with God’s people today.  True, the issue of memory affects all of us, but I am not just talking about forgetting Scripture or some other element of Christianity, I am referring to our failure to remember to make our Lord and Savior the most important part of our lives. Why is this happening? I believe that Christianity today is suffering from malnutrition; Christians are simply not taking in enough Spiritual food (the Word of God) to sustain them in this ever-changing world. We have forgotten to take time out for Jesus.

This book will help Christians review some of the basic concepts of Christianity. While not adhering to any denominational influence, this book will challenge Christians to examine their own daily walk with God, all based on Biblical principles. 

Rediscovering God’s Word is like rediscovering God’s love, He is after all, love. This book was written to lovingly guide us through what it means to be a Christian. It’s called “By Way of Reminder” and not by way of threat or by way of anger for the same reason Peter wrote his second epistle, to remind us to walk closer to and with Jesus.

In His Name,

Dave Heywood

What is Christianity? 

How do You Define Christianity?

How do you define Christianity or define what a Christian is? Beginning with a series of questions is probably not what you expected or hoped, however an honest answer to these questions will help us examine what it means to be a Christian. If you explore the dictionary definition you will probably find something like this:

Chris•ti•an•i•ty (kris’ chē an’i  tē), n. the religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. 

Another possible way to approach answering this question is by analyzing what the root word ‘Christ’ means. The word ‘Christ’ comes from the Greek language meaning ‘anointed’ which is equivalent to the Hebrew word ‘Messiah’.  Unfortunately knowing what the root word means doesn’t help us understand what Christianity is, but we now recognize that it points to a person who was at one time anointed, but now we have more questions. Such as what does it means to anoint, who was anointed, why was that person anointed and while we are asking, who did the anointing? All good questions! 

Perhaps we can look for the answer of what Christianity is by reviewing what some Christian leaders and scholars have said or written. 

“Christianity is not devotion to work, or to a cause, or a doctrine, but devotion to a person, the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

—Oswald Chambers

“Christianity isn’t only going to church on Sunday.  It is living twenty-four hours of every day with Jesus Christ.”

—Billy Graham

“I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”

—C.S. Lewis

“To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.”

—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity^[1]

“Christianity is a love relationship between a child of God and his Maker through the Son Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

—Adrian Rogers

Did any of these quotes match your definition of Christianity? Another component to consider concerns the term ‘religion’. What is a religion? Again going back to the dictionary we might find something similar to this:

Re•li•gion (ri lij’en), n. 1. A set of beliefs; 2. A person adhering to a set of beliefs; 3. The practice of religious beliefs, ritual observance.

Does your definition of Christianity contain a set of beliefs and require ritual observance? Many Christian theologians and leaders often use the phrase, “Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with Jesus Christ.” What does that mean? Once again if we go to the dictionary the definition might include:

Re•la•tion•ship (ri lā’shǝn ship’),  n. The way two or more concepts, objects or people are connected or the state of being connected.

The primary difference between the definitions of these words is the potential for a personal connection. But who is this person called ‘Christ’ that the Christians are to have a relationship with? Well, it seems all we’re able to do is come up with more questions! The source for true answers regarding Christianity can only be the Bible. The Old Testament pointed to a coming Messiah, anointed by God to rescue all humans from a birth defect known as sin. Then later the New Testament introduces us to someone known as Jesus and identifies Him as the Christ. 

Christianity is defined as a relationship with Jesus, which certainly falls outside of the definition of a religion since what He offers is a lot more than a set of rules or the practice of rituals. In a sense Christianity is similar to a parent-child interaction type of relationship and not just words of rules and regulations on a page. So who is this Jesus?

In summary – CHRISTIANITY IS: About a relationship, believing and following Jesus!

Who is Jesus?

HE IS REAL

To begin we need to start with the simple fact that Jesus was indeed an actual person and not a fable or just a story. He was born approximately 2,000 years ago. Not only does the Bible record His life and ministry, many secular (non-Biblical) historians have recorded the life and times of Jesus, the Christ. Even though the name Jesus was a fairly common name during the first century AD it is clear who these historians were writing about Jesus Christ. 

One of the more prominent of these historians was Titus Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37-100) who was born a Hebrew (original name was Yosef ben Matityahu) who later defected in favor of Roman rule becoming friends with Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus who became a Roman Emperor after his father’s death (A.D. 79). Josephus, as he is probably best known, researched and wrote several series of historical documents including Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War. Josephus wrote about Jesus and His following in his Jewish Antiquities compilation of books (called books but are more like chapters).^[2]   

Other historians to mention Jesus Christ include Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 55-120), Lucian of Samosata (A.D. 125-180), Suetonius (A.D. 70-130), Pliny the Younger (A.D. 61-112), Thallus (believed to have written around 52 AD), Phlegon (unknown dates however his work is mentioned by Origen, A.D. 182-254) and Mara Bar-Seraphion (unknown dates but was held captive in A.D. 72). Not to mention that even the Babylonian Talmud (a book of Rabbinic Judaism written around A.D. 200) references “Yeshu the Nazarene.”^[3] 

It is important to understand that there are many people who refuse to listen about Jesus because for some reason they believe He never existed. That is simply not true. Not only did historians record that He lived, His influence has been seen and heard around the world, plus there has been more written about Jesus by a wide range of historians, scholars and authors than any other single person. Has there been anyone else in history who ever had an influence like that? Do you suppose a fable about a fictitious person would have such an impact?

HE IS DIVINE

Even though the Bible does not use the term ‘trinity’ we see from the text that God has revealed Himself in three persons (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). However God also reveals that He is ONE God. How can one person be three or three people be one? There are many examples teachers and scholars use to illustrate this concept however there really is no perfect analogy (such as water having three potential states of existence with liquid, solid ice and steam) or way to comprehend as no one really knows for sure.  This concept is not something we as finite humans can fully understand but must accept that what God says in the Bible is true. Just as we must accept there are things beyond our own ability to reason. Simply put we are not ‘wired’ to understand. We call the three together as the ‘Godhead’ and Jesus being God is part of that Godhead also known as the Trinity. Each one is God and God is all three. 

Why is it important for us to acknowledge that Jesus is God? There are actually several reasons, let’s explore a few of them: Jesus referred to Himself, as God, if He wasn’t God then He would be a liar. Plus, Jesus spoke with authority, not the authority of a teacher but one with THE authority. He also fulfilled several prophecies including performing several miracles that only the Messiah could do (Mark 7:31-37; Luke 7:22; Isaiah 35:4-6).

Another aspect is that He fulfilled the requirements of the Law for our salvation. The Law required annual sacrifices for temporary atonement, if He was just a man He would have to die and rise again every year. However since Jesus, being also God and able to live forever, will never need to die again, He only had to die once (Hebrews 7:27; 9:26; 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18, more on this later). In addition, since the Law also requires perfection, only God could live without sin (more on this later too). 

HE NEVER CHANGES

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). Many Christians often overlook the fact that Jesus has always existed. Yes, even though He was incarnated (made flesh) when He was born, He remains the same and always will be the same. For example we see that He referred to Himself as being the voice in the “Burning Bush” (John 8:58; Exodus 3:14). In the Old Testament we see several stories describing the presence of Jesus (scholars refer to these as either a “Christophany” or “Theophany”) one example is the story of Joshua and the fortified town of Jericho, Jesus was the “Commander of the Lord’s Army” that Joshua met outside of town (Joshua 5:13-15). Plus John tells us that, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18, NIV) John is saying that whenever anyone saw God they actually saw Jesus. 

This helps us understand that Jesus will always be around to fulfill His promises and will always be there to hear your prayers!

HE IS THE CREATOR

While we more often hear that God the Father was the Creator (as stated in some creeds, etc.) we see that every member of the Godhead was involved in the Creation process. The phrase we all know so well is “In the beginning God…” the word here for God is the plural Hebrew word ‘elohim’ not referring to many Gods but one Godhead with, as we discussed earlier, are three distinctive persons or the Trinity. We are taught, for example, that the Holy Spirit hovered over the newly created earth to give it form (Genesis 1:2), we also see the use plural pronouns such as, “let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26), and that Jesus made all things (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).

HE IS A MAN

The first man, Adam, became a sinner introducing sin to all of mankind, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12, ESV). God’s standard is perfection but since man is born with a sinful nature he could never obtain perfection. Plus they would have to live a completely sin-free life. In order to save mankind someone would have to be born a human and then live a sinless life. Jesus was a man (John 1:14) and fulfilled all of the requirements for salvation (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). Since He is also God and never dies (unless He chooses to) He only had to die once (Hebrews 7:27; 10:1-18).

We have to understand that since God is a just God and never changes (Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6; Luke 21:33), His Word and Law are also unchangeable. God did not “set aside” the Law, like what we might see a judge in a courtroom do when granting mercy to someone, instead God’s mercy is seen through the sending of His Son to pay the price on our behalf. Since the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), Jesus willingly died on the cross. 

HE IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

The church is not a building or some place to gather, it is a group of believers. The Bible calls this group “the Body of Christ” or the church (1 Corinthians 12:27-28, Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18). All believers have been given a Spiritual gift to allow the body to function properly and completely. A church will be less effective in the ministry God provided if its members are not each fully participating and using their gifts (Ephesians 4:1-16). Since Jesus is the Head of the church all activities, programs and all efforts are to be as He directs. Anything that is contrary to what Jesus commands should not be part of a church’s agenda; His mission is clearly stated in the Bible.

After His resurrection and shortly before Jesus returned to heaven He made an astonishing statement. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV) Scholars and church leaders alike call this the “Great Commission” realizing that Jesus was talking to all Christians giving each of us the same instruction “to go!” Since understanding this edict is vital to all of us it will be examined more thoroughly later in this book.  

HE IS THE SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE

The Bible is about Jesus, from Genesis to Revelation the message of salvation and the One that made it all possible is clear. We see in Genesis how, as the result of the fall of man and sin, mankind was in desperate need of a way out of condemnation. God knew from before Creation and time that man would fall. His plan of sending Jesus to save us was not some last-minute-now-what moment. Jesus’ first and second coming was always Plan A. In the Old Testament we see prophecies and stories that model (give us insight) on the life and ministry of the Anointed Savor, the Messiah, Jesus. The New Testament reveals Jesus as the Messiah and provides great detail about His ministry and life. In summary the whole Bible is about Jesus (Luke 24:27, 44-49).

The Bible does indeed tell us about Creation, the fall of man, the Law and sin but it also tells about the Hebrew people and how through these people the plan of salvation became available to all people. When we read the Bible we read of wars, jealousy, hatred, devious politics, love, salvation and peace. However throughout the Bible the nature of God whose love culminates in the sending of His only Son to die for us is also revealed. Another way to look at this is, “The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.”^[4]

In summary – JESUS IS: God, Our Lord and certainly HE is Real! 

What Did Jesus Do For You?

PROBLEM: SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD

What did Jesus do? What was so critical that God would need to send His Son down to earth to fix? These are important questions to explore but before we can fully understand the ‘what’ we need to know something about the ‘why’. Let’s take a quick look at the problem.

We need to to go all the way back to the beginning of time. The problem of sin came into existence shortly after Creation. The Book of Genesis tells us that both Adam and Eve ate of a fruit that they were not allowed to eat per instructions given to them by God. As a result of their disobedience all of creation was cursed and everything was introduced to death, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12, ESV) From that point on all of mankind has retained a sinful nature (Genesis 3). 

Sin is indeed very serious, Isaiah tells us that our sin effectively hides us from God and due to our own sin we have been separated from God (Isaiah 59:2). The situation is truly grim as sin also condemns us to spend eternity away from Him, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, ESV) Jesus wants us to spend eternity with Him “not wishing any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9b, ESV). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV) We are not able to save ourselves. Isaiah reminds us that, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6a, NLT). If we can’t save ourselves and God desires to spend eternity with us, then He has to provide the way! 

In summary – FOR HIM: We live for Him, Love like Him and call Him Lord!

We Are Not Alone

NO SOLO ACTS

Not only are we never alone with God promising to never leave us, He also wants us to understand we are to work with other Christians. Being a Christian was never intended to be a solo act. Paul amplifies what Jesus said about all believers being one (John 17:11, 21-22) in the Body of Christ, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” (Romans 12:5, ESV) What Paul is describing here is the church. Paul goes on to describe how the church works. “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-8, ESV) He tells us that God will give each of us at least one gift; some ability that comes from Him directly that can and should be used in conjunction with others. 

Paul breaks this down even further when he describes the purpose of the church in the Book of Ephesians, “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 4:11-16, ESV)^[5] God will always provide where He guides, even when it comes to personal abilities and talents. 

Through the church we grow not only in maturity we all grow collectively closer to God if each of us do our part. If we fail to step up and become active in the church that God calls us to, there is the possibility that someone else, who may not possess the talent or gifts God had given you to use, may be doing the job or task that God originally called you to or it is simply not being done at all. If you are not involved with a church consider looking for one that is active in their community and accurately teaches the Word of God. Always pray for guidance before committing! God designed the concept of the church to be His primary “service delivery.”

FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS

The term ‘fellowship’ is used frequently in churches and often with different meanings. Fellowship at one church may mean a time to talk while others may call it a time to eat (most often both!) The word in the Greek is ‘koinōnia’ actually means ‘community’ referring to people sharing and associating together in joint participation.^[6] This level of fellowship goes a lot further than meeting or eating together. Luke describes this level of fellowship of believers in the Book of Acts, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47, ESV)

Unfortunately since many churches only meet once a week this level of fellowship is somewhat uncommon today. However we can see that they were taught by teachers, prayed together, regularly ate together, attended worship together, praised God together and helped each other out in more than just church matters. Since they depended on God for their provision they were even willing to sell off their possessions and share the money. Now before you are frightened away by the prospect of selling everything you own, understand this is no longer done at churches. However they still do learn, worship and pray together!

WORSHIP

Just like the differences in how churches handle fellowship the way people worship is often the subject of tireless debate. However before we get too discouraged we need to look at the Bible and clarify a few points regarding worship.

While most may not see much of a difference between worship and praise the Bible teaches that they are indeed very different. In the Old Testament worship referred to acknowledging or honoring God, the word in the Hebrew (shachah, used 192 times) described an action of either bowing or falling prostrate before God.^[7] There is an equivalent word in the New Testament however the term that we most associate with worship today is the Greek term Paul uses in Romans, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, ESV) Here Paul connects the dots between Old Testament sacrifice and New Testament worship, saying that we worship and honor God through our obedience to Him. In the next verse Paul explains how we are to do this, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV) The Bible teaches us what is good and proper or as Paul expresses it, “the will of God.” Again there is no way to please God unless we know what pleases Him! 

Paul is saying that we are to worship God by obeying Him at all times so what is a worship service? A worship service is an opportunity to spend a limited amount of time doing nothing but focusing on God. We pray, praise (sing), listen to His Word, share in communion and participate in various activities. These worship services are indeed special times of Spiritual refreshment and blessing but are never to replace our daily (24 hours a day, every day) walk in obedience with Him. What many of us often forget is the fact that worship is something we give to Him and sometimes we want to do it our way but what really counts is His way.

What is the Bible?

Where Did the Bible Come From?

BRIEF HISTORY

This is only a quick summary since the history of the Bible is a very complex subject with a lot of tedious information. The question of where we got the Bible is a hot topic today, especially among those who refuse to accept the authority of the Word of God. 

Old Testament

The Bible tells us that Moses’ books were kept by the Ark of the Covenant (See Deuteronomy 31:26) and that several copies of these books were also available at various times throughout the Old Testament, from approximately 1,500 B.C. to approximately 400 B.C. (See 1 Samuel 10:25; 2 Kings 23:24-25; 2 Chronicles 34:6-21; Ezra 7:6). Where did Moses get his information? Undoubtedly some was already written down as the role of documenting family history was handed down from generation to generation, but most would have come from God directly as He was often the only witness there!

Even though our modern Bibles delineate various sections of the Old Testament (such as law, history, poetry, wisdom, major prophets, minor prophets, etc.), the most common designation for the remainder of the Old Testament could simply be called, “the Prophets.”^[8]  The succession of these prophets and their writings are also documented within the Old Testament (See 1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Chronicles 9:29; 12:15; 13:22; 20:34; 32:32; 33:19; 35:27). 

Obviously copying machines did not exist during these days so copying was done very carefully and slowly. An early system, often referred to as an Assyro-Babylonian-Greek method of copying text, was embraced by the early Hebrews to copy sacred text. This system referred to as ‘gematria’ by the Hebrews, assigned numbers to various letters. The basic concept was that each row of letters and each column of letters were added together to provide what we might call today a checksum. If the number of the hand-copied version varied from the original, the page would be destroyed and they would have to start over with a new page from the begining. On a side note, this method also introduced an ungodly form of numerology used by false teachers and is often incorporated in the interpretion of various ‘sacred’ texts, which promotes heretical thinking and the development of fanciful ideas and philosophies such as the Jewish Kabbalah. 

Today we have a number of varied selections of the Old Testament from a number of different sources including the Dead Sea Scrolls. To the astonishment of most scholars, they have found very little difference between what we have in our Bibles today and all the various bits and pieces found throughout history. All of the variations between versions are considered minor and does not change the context or understanding of the text. Understanding that since it is God’s Word, it should not surprise us that He would take an active role in preserving it!

New Testament

The text of the New Testament is always under some form of attack. The truth of the matter is that we have more textual proof regarding the New Testament than any other ancient book. There are many different types of New Testament manuscripts including those written on papyrus, parchment and vellum some with uncial lettering and some with minuscules (what we might call today cursive). Some are dated back to early second century while others could be considered 19^th century, adding up to being several thousand different copies and portions of copies. There are some differences between these copies but most are due to copyist errors and like the Old Testament textual variations these differences are not significant.

Is the Bible the Word of God?

HOW DID GOD COMMUNICATE HIS WORD?

God has always used people to communicate to people. It is this fact that gets a lot of individuals, especially unbelievers, to question the authority of the Bible. However, God does speak to some people, those that He has chosen to speak through. These people are most often referred to as ‘prophets’, but that is not always the case. As God, He is not limited to only one form of communication, let’s explore a few methods He employed in just the Old Testament. These are not in any particular order, but since He created us to listen, we’ll start with hearing Him talk audibly, for example God called Samuel when he was very young audibly by his name (See 1 Samuel 3:1-21). Sometimes God speaks to us in a voice that only we can hear, some scholars call it our “inner voice” (See Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1). God also speaks to others through His angels (See Genesis chapters 18 and 19). Then there are dreams (See Genesis 15:12; 28:10-17; Numbers 12:6; Daniel 7:1) and visions (Isaiah 1:1; Ezekiel 1:1; 8:3; 11:24; 43:4; Hosea 12:10), while the differences between a dream and a vision may be subtle, most dreams require little to no interaction with God, the recipient is primarily just a listener. God also guides His people though external methods such as through miracles (See Exodus 3:2; Judges 6:37; Jonah 1:1; 4:6), through natural phenomena  (See Psalms 19:1), casting of lots (See Proverbs 16:33), inquiring through the use of the Urim and Thummim (See Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21) as well as through the writings of other prophets (See Daniel 9:1-2). 

SEPARATING GOD’S WORD FROM MAN’S WORD

How do you know that these words are actually from God? Who’s to say that these ‘prophets’ were not just using their own imaginations or that they even were chosen by God. Are we sure that the message they are conveying is accurate? Maybe they just want to be someone important so they invented the story of them talking with God, or worse, perhaps they were talking to a demon? The good news is that separating God’s Word from man’s word is actually not as difficult as it sounds.

While there are several criteria used to examine and evaluate written documents to determine whether they belong in ‘canon’ (from the Greek word that means rule or measuring stick referring here to what should be accepted or rejected as being truly inspired by God), the following are some of the major points that are considered. 

1. Was the document in question written by a prophet of God? While this may begin to sound like circular logic (a popular method used among cults and other quasi-religious groups throughout history and still used today, where the writer proclaims to be a prophet and the text confirms the claim), God provided some fail-safe mechanisms that we should review. Since God alone accurately knows the future He qualifies His prophets by having them state a near-term prophecy. In the Old Testament God told His people to kill anyone who claimed to be a prophet when their prophecies did not happen when and how they said it would (an effective method, see Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:20-22). Many prophets were not only given near-term prophecies (some being fulfilled very quickly after spoken) they were given mid-term (anywhere from one week to several years) and far-term prophecies (pointing well into the future beyond their lives and many are still yet to be fulfilled). But in each case there would be some prophecy given to let everyone know that they were legitimate God-sent prophets.
2. In addition to having their “qualification prophecies” being confirmed by God, did the prophet’s message come true too? Were there any miracles or any other supernatural support to collaborate the message? The Bible speaks of many signs, did the right sign or set of signs show up as predicted?
3. Did the message tell the truth? Did it match what we already know to be true about God? Using tools such as “expositional constancy” or other rules of interpretation (known as ‘exegesis’), do the words and the use of metaphors, idioms, phrases, etc. match how they are used in the rest of the Bible? God will NEVER contradict or change His Word, if you hear something that does not align with what you know to be God’s Word, disregard it. Many well-intentioned teachers can get off the path, if that happens remind them of Acts 17:11.
4. Was the message accepted by the people at the time of its writing? The further one gets from the time period a message was written about, the easier it becomes to elaborate a story or pass off myth as truth since the people who witnessed or heard first-hand the facts could not dispute. If a message was accepted as being true by the intended recipients or the people of God living at that time, then it ranks high in the possibility of being true. 
5. Does the message contain the power of God? While this sounds impossible to determine, it is probably one of the more important elements of examination. The Bible teaches that the Word of God is living and active (See Hebrews 4:12). If the message doesn’t have impact or the power to make changes, it may not be from God. 

This is only a quick review and should not be considered exhaustive by any means. God has guided the process of “weeding out the tares” (false doctrine) from His Word, we can accept the Bible as being the Word of God and not just think it partly contains some of His Word. If you are interested in learning more about the processes and criteria used throughout history by scholars to determine what does and what does not belong in the Canon, see our list of suggested books and other resources in the Further Reading section near the end of the book.

WHAT MAKES THE BIBLE DIFFERENT?

Many books claim to be the true word of God, but offer varied and often contrary points of view. So what makes the Bible any different? If we can only defend the Bible by saying something like, “well the Bible says it’s the Word of God,” that logic will not hold water for most. So we need to have a good idea of how the Bible came to be and what sets it apart and above all other “sacred writings.” In the previous section we discussed briefly the concept of prophecy. But what is prophecy? 

The word ‘prophecy’ has been, in many communities, hijacked by many well-intentioned Christians that are highly focused on eschatology (the study of end times, the events and situations leading up to the last days as recorded in the Bible). Many of those involved simply call it the study of prophecy. While it is true that much of eschatology involves prophecy, it is not exclusive to the study of end times. To put it bluntly, the concept of prophecy may be the single most important element that separates the Bible from all other books. 

Since God alone knows all things, including how things will “play out” in the future, He has included prophecy in the Bible so that we can know it came from Him. Some like to call prophecy, “the Signature of God,” as it confirms and verifies that the message came from God as He is the only one that can know details of the future. Unlike certain men in history who have tried to predict the future, God is always 100% correct (He does what He says and when He said He was going to do it). Prophecy goes way beyond referring to just events as various forms of prophecy (including descriptions, types and models) are used to point to future people, situations, conditions, etc. for example there are hundreds of details given in the Old Testament that describe Jesus and His role, one can easily use statistical probability to demonstrate how accurate the Bible is.

HOW SHOULD THE BIBLE BE INTERPRETED?

Even though there are thousands of books and commentaries written to help people understand the Bible, it remains to be its best commentary. The Bible does the best job of explaining the Bible, we just need to be diligent. We need to take the studying of Scripture very seriously, it is not to be done casually or sporadically. Studying the Bible should be a priority in our lives. 

The apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to his protégé Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV). Paul reminds us that since God loves us beyond measure, He reveals Himself to us and provides guidance on how we should live. From His Word we can learn, we can also use it to teach others and we see how we can please Him, it’s all there in the Bible. If we did not have the Word of God we might not learn about Him or His plan of salvation.

You might be thinking that knowing that the Bible is the Word of God does not help you understand the Bible. We come back to the question of how should the Bible be interpreted as it can be confusing and potentially misunderstood. Don’t give up thinking that you will never understand, we need to be diligent in our pursuit of understanding and pray for clarity and discernment. Peter wrote, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19-21, ESV) Peter tells us that God’s Word was meant to be understood as He intended it to be understood. The Word of God is alive, it is dynamic and it has power.

The greatest barrier to learning the Bible or discovering God’s Truth is thinking we already know everything we need to know about the Word of God. We need to spend time reading the Bible, going to Bible studies and listen to pastors and teachers. On this side of heaven we never graduate from learning, there really is no end to what we can learn about God. 

What Does the Bible Say?

Promises from God

There are a number of promises in the Bible, fortunately for us the promises in the Bible are very different than any promise that we might hear from each other. Something we may not have considered is the reputation of God, for example, when we believe in the name of Jesus we are believing, not only that the person named Jesus is real, but also that He will do everything He promised to do. If God says that He is going to do something there are several attributes of God to consider, first He does not lie, second, He is capable (does not experience exhaustion in either power or resources) and of course thirdly, He has and always will exist. These attributes will be discussed several times in this book.

Now with that said we can look at something that Paul wrote that will seem to be outrageous, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, ESV) No condemnation! If you are a Christian, that means that no one can you convict you of a sin or wrongdoing. This curious line is the beginning, or opening verse of what we know as the eighth chapter of the Book of Romans. This chapter is often considered a favorite by many Christians, because it contains some of the greatest promises in the Bible, and as a result, the chapter is also considered the most comforting. 

Paul writes about how the way of the world is contrary to the way of God. This type of thinking is often portrayed in the Bible as, “things of the flesh.” Verses 2-7 explain that our Christian walk begins with our minds being in alignment with the Spirit. In verse eight Paul makes another remarkable statement, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (ESV) Paul is giving us something that is critical to understand, listen carefully…we cannot please God unless we know God. 

Do you know God? Both apostle John and apostle Paul would remind us that we need to seek Spiritual maturity. 

Paul then connects the power that resurrected Jesus is not only available to us, it is already in us! V9-11

Then if that isn’t enough Paul continues to say that we are coheirs with Jesus.

Being children of God.

Can we be separated from the love of God?

Our Commission

Understanding what Christianity is and acknowledging that we are indeed a Christian we might be asking, “Now what?” According to the Great Commission we need to be making disciples. How do we do that if we are not disciples ourselves? So what is a disciple? The Great Commission itself gives us some insight: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20, ESV)

All authority has been given to Jesus. That’s ALL authority! His opinion is all that counts, period! Due to His obedience to His Father, leading a sinless life, dying and rising back to life again He has been granted all authority. So should we pay attention to someone who has more authority than anyone else? Yes! What is He telling us to do? He is telling us to GO! We are to make disciples by telling others about Jesus, and then embrace them by baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He taught and commanded us to do. This is not a catch and release program, we are to show them the truth (witness to them) and then see to it that they are baptized and taught so they can be disciples themselves. Let’s review a few potential steps of how we might prepare, “by way of reminder.”

Be Prepared

The Great Commission also appears in one form or another in each of the Gospel accounts and the Book of Acts (See Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21-23 and Acts 1:8). In Mark’s account Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15b, ESV) again making it clear we are to proclaim the message of salvation to everyone.

So what is the gospel message? As we previously discussed, we are sinners and as a result of that sin we are unable to spend eternity with God. He has provided the only way to prevent us from being condemned to hell and that was by sending His Son Jesus to live a sinless life, die on a cross and rise to life again thus conquering sin and death for anyone willing to believe and accept this free gift. 

How do we proclaim it? There are many ways to proclaim the Gospel message, however we are not only to be willing to proclaim the message, but remember we need to live as Jesus’ disciples too. We need to pray for the lost and follow Jesus’ teaching ourselves. 

Our Vocation

We all have different professions, livelihoods, hobbies and occupations as well as live in different locations. Regardless of whether or not we get paid for these activities, the things we regularly do in life could be considered our vocation. We need to remember that all of our vocations and locations have been ordained by God, meaning we are not where we are by mistake. Our vocations, whether sacred or secular, should be considered as callings by God to assist in His care for people here on Earth. The apostle Paul would remind us that the purpose of the church is to, “equip the saints for the works of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12, ESV). Paul is saying it is our job, regardless of our ‘vocation’, to be ministers for God. Many scholars and theologians call it, “the priesthood of all believers,” Martin Luther explained that through faith in Jesus Christ we are all on equal footing, he went on to explain that we are all priests, we are all prophets and we are all ambassadors for Christ.^[9] The simplest way to state this would be that we are all to be, “as Christ” to others, regardless if we are at home, at work or on the road. Paul wrote, “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:1-4, NLT)

Don’t Be Discouraged

Some will ignore or deny the message, some may want to hear more and some may be willing to give their lives to Jesus. If they choose not to commit to Jesus don’t get upset, debate, argue or challenge. Be a friend to them and pray for them! If they do accept Jesus then they will need help just like any newborn child does. Pray for them continuously, be available to answer any question about Jesus and Christianity, and help them find a fellowship of Christian believers they can associate with and be baptized. 

Learn and Live the Word

Not only be available to answer questions but also see to it they are involved in Bible study. In the Great Commission note that Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Spend time with them and teach them about Jesus and His teachings. Preparing for this requires us to know God’s Word and understand what Jesus commanded and taught. However, don’t wait until you are an expert in theology (we never stop learning as God is actually too big for any one person to fully understand, even after reading the Bible) to start witnessing and living according to the Word. When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples He gave them a warning, some advice and some much needed encouragement: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:16-20, ESV) If we are willing to speak, God will provide the words!

A good place for us to start learning (or to remember) about God’s Word is to begin with the lessons He taught His disciples and a group of people while on a mountain. We all know this teaching as the Sermon on the Mount. Undoubtedly these lessons were repeated a number of times in His ministry as they are the basis of most of the lessons found in the epistles. The following section is an overview of that message. 

Sermon on the Mount

INTRODUCTION AND THE BEATITUDES – Matthew 5:1-9

Jesus’ disciple Matthew recorded words Jesus spoke early in His ministry while up on a mountain. Even though this discourse is only fully recorded in Matthew’s account of the Gospels it is believed that this message, in part or in full was taught many times by Jesus. 

Many authors often begin their stories by taking the time to offer a story’s background or explain the situation from which the story is to start. Sometimes this is done in a preface or the first chapter of a book. This practice is often referred to as, “setting the stage.” A phrase taken from live theatre, being a description given either by a narrator or written in the program that when the curtain rises and reveals the stage, the audience can understand the story better. Here, Jesus begins His sermon with an unusual (and often misunderstood) series of blessings known by many throughout history as the ‘Beatitudes’ (from the Latin word for blessing, ‘beati’). The stage is set with the first beatitude, which calls us to strip away anything and everything that is not of God. If we are indeed “poor in spirit” we have been emptied of the world’s influence and can now be filled with God. One should always begin any Bible study or time with His Word with prayer, asking God for guidance and understanding and ask that the Holy Spirit open your hearts and minds to the truth. Pray now before continuing.

5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (ESV)

The term “blessed” is often translated as ‘happy’ which can be somewhat misleading since Jesus is not necessarily referring to those that are mourning, the patient and long-suffering (meek), the hungry, the thirsty, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers to be happy due to some temporary circumstance. Instead He is referring to a joy that remains, regardless of situation; a joy that finds satisfaction in God’s providence and provision. The stage is now set with the expectation that we believers are now ready to fully trust in God regardless of situation, condition or place in life.

WE ARE TO SUFFER TOO? – Matthew 5:10-12

How do we know we’re ready to follow Jesus? What is the best way to evaluate someone’s heart? Possibly the simplest way, but certainly not the easiest way, is to change the situation or conditions they live in. A huge question we need to ask ourselves is will we still have righteous (appropriate and Godly) attitudes when we are persecuted? 

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (ESV)

What would be considered righteous persecution or persecution for righteousness sake? Technically that would include nearly every persecution or setback you encounter including suffering diseases and disabilities as they slow us down and often prevent us from doing what we should be doing for Jesus such as witnessing to others, praying, being a mentor, teaching and helping others. Christian persecution also includes direct assaults and attacks on our character and perhaps our intelligence (more on this later). Jesus is saying we are blessed not because of any infirmity or problem we might encounter; we are blessed for desiring to do what is good and right even though it will not be easy. Instead of trying to find a way out, we should rejoice and persevere! “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV) Plus later in Matthew, Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, ESV) 

BE SEEN AND BE HEARD – Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus now asks about our willingness to be counted as a Christian. Do we walk the walk and talk the talk regardless of who and what may be around us?

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV)

Jesus calls His audience (and readers) to be salt of the earth. While some like to point out that salt was also used as a preservative, and even though the analogy does work referring to the need to preserve the integrity of God’s Word, that is not the lesson here. Jesus is referring to taste. Everyone knows how salt improves the flavor of most food. Christians should influence others around them, just like salt improves and influences the flavor of food. If a Christian looses that influence they have effectively loss their ability to witness for Jesus. Christians are to be like salt demonstrating to a world that Jesus matters

Since that world is a dark world (one that does not fully know the love of God or Jesus) we need to be willing to reflect the light of God so that others will: One, see that they are in the dark (being sinners); and, two, see where to find salvation. The problem with being a light in the world is that makes you an easily seen target. Hiding is not an option. Being a disciple means you are not an undercover or stealth Christian. As Jesus pointed out in verses 10-12 we can be persecuted or made fun of for our beliefs. When those moments come remember the words of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Luke, “…do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:11b-12, ESV) In other words stand firm (no retreating) and leave everything else to God!

GOD DOES NOT CHANGE AND NEITHER DOES HIS WORD – Matthew 5:17-20

It is important to understand why Jesus came. Here Jesus made it clear that He came in fulfillment of Scripture. Having Jesus come to earth to lead a sinless life, die and rise again was not some last minute plan of God’s, this was His plan from the very beginning. His suffering and death was necessary for our redemption. Sadly many were expecting a conquering king ready to do battle against those in power. The prophecies that refer to a conquering king will indeed be fulfilled during Jesus’ Second Coming but first He had to die so that we might live. 

In these verses Jesus points out the importance of teaching others and obeying His commandments. Jesus regularly spoke about this and we see it as one of the key elements in the Great Commission (teach them to observe all that I have commanded you, Matthew 28:20). Of course to do so we need to know the Word of God intimately ourselves. Why is obedience so important? In simple terms if we love God we will obey Him and while we are obeying Him we are less likely to sin. 

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (ESV)

Jesus further points out that He didn’t change the requirements regarding the Law (the rules and commandments given by Moses) or modify the prophecies given by the Old Testament prophets. He came to perfectly fulfill those prophecies and live a sinless life so that He would not only fulfill every detail of the Law (iotas and dots being minute marks and punctuations) but in so doing offer eternal life to others. He came because we could not fulfill the Law, "As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one.” (Romans 3:10, NLT) Jesus also gives us a powerful reason why we should know the Scriptures, so that we can also teach them to others. 

Next we hear that unless our righteousness exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees we won’t be entering heaven. This statement must have made mouths drop when He said it. Most people during that time couldn’t imagine a more pious group so if they couldn’t enter heaven who could? Jesus is pointing out that their understanding and application of Scripture served to only elevate themselves. That’s self-righteousness, not God’s righteousness! Jesus says we can’t pick and choose what we teach; we need to live and teach the whole counsel of God, not just selected or favorite verses. Unfortunately we live in a time where many teach only what they feel is appropriate all the while glorifying their own perspective. The Word of God is not to be compromised, watered down or in any way made more convenient. 

ANGER - Matthew 5:21-26

In this next section note that Jesus does not say that anger is a sin; He is saying that we need to make an effort to resolve issues that involve anger. Unresolved issues can keep us from maintaining a close relationship with God and destroy relationships with others even with our loved ones.

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. (ESV)

Jesus begins by challenging us to review what we think we understand to be true about God’s rules and regulations. This phrase “you heard it was said” is still true today as many Christians really only have a shallow understanding of the Bible (through minimal exposure to the Word either through a Christian parent, attending a Sunday School or VBS, etc.) or have heard popular phrases such as, “cleanliness is next to godliness” or “God helps those who help themselves” that are not in the Bible. 

Jesus is demonstrating that we need to look at these rules and regulations from God’s perspective. He sees our hearts, and even though we are responsible for our actions we need to understand that God sees who we are and that when we allow something to fester in our hearts it prevents us from having a close relationship with Him as well as others. He will repeat this phrase several times in this sermon to encourage us to align our thoughts with His. In this case Jesus points to what most would consider the absolute worse offense and compares it to anger, a concept that seems from a human perspective absurd. However we need to understand that forgiveness cannot occur if we can’t let go of anger and our pride. To God simply thinking about doing something against someone else is a sin. Guilty for just thinking, it certainly makes you want to rethink how we interpret the Ten Commandments! 

Those commandments were most often interpreted as being a reference to the physical act and not what was going on in our hearts or minds. Jesus explains that even calling a person empty headed (a fool) could escalate to something more serious if that anger was not quenched or the issue resolved. 

Jesus further illustrates using a reference of someone giving a gift to God, something very important to any believer. He is saying even while doing something this important you remember an unresolved issue, stop what you are doing and seek reconciliation. Do it quickly, as anger left unchecked or unresolved will become a lasting problem. Paul wrote, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27, ESV) Paul warns that anger can turn into an opportunity (Greek word ‘topos’, a place or foothold) where the devil can grab you. Deal with anger immediately and seek reconciliation.

LUST - Matthew 5:27-30

Lusts can quickly and easily change our hearts. Just like anger, our lusts can get in the way of our relationship with God. In the Old Testament lust and sinful desires were responsible for much of God’s judgments and the introduction of idolatry. Our pursuit of lusts prevents us from pursuing Christ.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (ESV)

Again we must look at Jesus’ words from God’s perspective. Lusts and sinful desires only feed the individual (selfish and self serving). Pursuing the fulfillment of our lusts essentially stops any desire to serve God and others. Today so many try to “follow their dreams” that they have either stopped pursuing God completely or only involve God when it is convenient to do so such as sporadic church attendance or when tragedy hits.

These verses may be considered by some to be extreme comparisons, possibly following with a comment like, “what could be the harm in thinking…” Some people get used to explaining away or justifying their behavior that way. Remember when we do we are only deceiving ourselves. The apostle John would remind us, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, ESV)

DIVORCE – Matthew 5:31-32

Often the result of anger and lust the subject of divorce reminds us that we are responsible for our promises. However before Jesus begins the subject of keeping our promises or oaths He talks about what might be the most important and critical oath one can make. In the Bible God emphasizes the intimacy of marriage (two becoming one) and is often used as an example of ultimate love. Knowing this we can understand why God hates divorce (See Malachi 2:13-16). Sadly the divorce rate among Christians is the same as non-Christians (in many places it is actually higher). 

31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (ESV)

Jesus expands on what Moses wrote many years earlier (See Deuteronomy 24:1-4) providing the only legitimate reason for potential divorce. We all know that adultery is a sin (See Exodus 20:14) and is considered idolatrous worship. If you have been involved in divorce in the past you know that God can forgive you. If you are currently thinking about divorcing or if the subject of divorce comes up in your future consider praying diligently before proceeding. 

Matthew later records Jesus’ reply to a question asked by a Pharisee as to why God allows divorce, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” (Matthew 19:8, ESV) The Greek for “hearts were hard” or harden hearts is one word that points to the callous nature of a person towards God. Our hearts become callous towards God the moment we take our eyes off Him. 

OATHS AND SWEARING – Matthew 5:33-37

Simply put what we say matters. There is probably no faster way to lose credibility than to say one thing or promise something and then not follow through. In addition to following through, our word should not require additional validation by us swearing to someone or some thing that what we say will be done. 

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. (ESV)

We should not need to offer additional words or provide an oath to support or emphasize that we are going to do what we said we’re going to do. Our actions reflect our priorities; our priorities reflect what is important to us. We need to regularly examine what is important to us and adjust our priorities accordingly. Is your witness and discipleship important to you? 

Many today often add expletives to express their emotion or enhance the validity of a statement. Some people regularly say things like, “to be honest,” or “I swear” to add a dimension of truth. Jesus reminds us that we should simply say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and not elaborate. 

RETALIATION – Matthew 5:38-42

In case we had not noticed up to now what the primary theme of this sermon has been, Jesus now clearly points out that life does not center on us. In the next several verses Jesus reminds us that He takes care of us and that we should instead of being focused and always be thinking about ourselves we should be thinking about others and perhaps the best way to begin is to relinquish our ‘right’ to retaliation. Even though someone may have seriously hurt us or embarrassed us we need to give that pain or issue to God. 

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. (ESV)

When Christians do something that is contrary to how the world would respond people take notice. Peter in his first epistle told us that we should always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (See 1 Peter 3:15). Peter is saying that when people see that you are different they will ask you why. Our actions will always speak louder than our words! Even though someone may intend to do you wrong we must be willing to go the extra mile. What better way to demonstrate the love of God than to do something you can never benefit from?

LOVE EVERYONE INCLUDING YOUR ENEMIES – Matthew 5:43-48

The world today teaches, preaches, advertises and regularly promotes something that comes naturally to all of us namely our priority of loving ourselves. If we belong to Jesus perhaps the biggest change in our lives is the overwhelming desire to put the needs of others ahead of our own and love them. Putting someone else first is something we can do every day. 

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (ESV)

Jesus was undoubtedly referring to what the Pharisees were teaching about hating our enemies. We are reminded that it is easy to love those that love us back but what about our enemies or total strangers? Jesus calls us to extend love to those we don’t normally think about. We are to open our eyes and look, as there are people all around us who are in great need. When Jesus says we are to be perfect the word implies being fully developed or mature. The ultimate demonstration of our maturity is when we love others more than we love ourselves. Our love for others is not natural pointing to the need for God to provide us with something supernatural, namely unconditional love for all.

GIVING TO THE POOR AND NEEDY – Matthew 6:1-4

While you are looking around notice those that might need something, perhaps it is food or shelter. This should not be an item that we simply check off our list of things we think we should be doing. If our love is genuine we will be regularly involved in helping others. We certainly cannot witness to people or talk to them about Jesus if they are hungry or lack something physically essential such as food, shelter or clothing. 

6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (ESV)

If we give to others for the sole purpose of being recognized or to feel good about ourselves we are giving with the wrong motive. We are to give in response to what God has done for us. God knows our hearts if we give without personal motives He will reward us. Giving without special recognition provides another way to witness.

PRAYER – Matthew 6:5-15

Prayer must be one of the more confusing subjects in the Bible. It is straightforward, simple and doesn’t cost us anything, so why is it that when Christians are asked to pray they often stumble for words. Simply stated, prayer has no rules. There are no proper prayer postures nor does it have any regulations as to how we are to pray. Here Jesus offers us a guide on some of the things we should consider when praying.

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (ESV)

Jesus not only spoke about prayer He spent a great deal of time during His ministry praying. Jesus modeled for us the importance of prayer. Here again Jesus calls our attention to using something we do for God as something we seek applause or to obtain attention for ourselves. Prayer is our time with God, it is not a ‘photo op’ for others to see or hear. 

Jesus gave us a basic outline on how to pray. Even though it is often spoken as He presented, it was given to us a model to follow. Here are some of the points He mentions. First of all prayers are to be directed to His Father, whose name is holy (not to be taken in vain). When we pray we are to desire God’s kingdom to come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven (one big difference is that there is no sin in heaven and there is here on earth). Next Jesus tells us to now ask for what we need, here He is telling us to ask for our daily (not weekly or monthly) provisions and seek forgiveness just as we forgive others. In closing we are to ask that we not be tempted to sin or be involved in any form of evil (anything that takes our eyes off Jesus). Jesus comes back to the subject of forgiveness and why it is important for us to forgive. Christianity is all about being forgiven and forgiving. Just like unconditional love we cannot forgive without God’s love and power in us. If we truly love someone we can forgive him or her. 

Asking God for provisions and guidance are only a few things we talk to God about. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians discussed the importance of prayer saying it is one of two offensive weapons in our Spiritual arsenal (See Ephesians 4:10-18). We can pray for those that are lost, the healing of diseases, intercede for our country and Spiritual revivals for a few examples. Prayer can and does change things! 

FASTING – Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting is rarely on anyone’s list of things to do. The Bible teaches many forms of fasting from total avoidance of food or nourishment to partial restrictions of one’s intake. Fasting provides a steady reminder as to why you are fasting, allowing you to concentrate on praying. 

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (ESV)

Even though there is no command to fast in the New Testament we see that Jesus said “when you fast.” We are to take fasting seriously and just like praying in private we are not to call attention to ourselves. Why fast? Fasting is to help us bring prayer to a higher level often considered for special circumstances.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN – Matthew 6:19-24

Another reminder that we are to have faith that God will take care of us. Jesus points out the futility of saving things here on earth. 

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (ESV)

He is not saying we are not to save money for practical reasons, Jesus is saying we need to be careful not to strictly rely on our own resources keeping us from fully trusting in Him. If what we value (career, education, possessions, memberships, automobiles, etc.) is more important than God then we may be living in darkness. Since we cannot serve both God and earthly desires we need to make a decision who or what we are going to serve or worship. Jesus summarizes by saying we cannot serve effectively God and money. Actually He’s saying it is impossible!

DON’T WORRY – Matthew 6:25-34

Who is in control of your life? If you’re in the driver’s seat what do you expect from God? Which would you prefer: insurance, guidance or total assurance? Which one would give you true peace? Jesus is offering us peace that transcends all understanding (See John 14:27 and Philippians 4:7). Although obviously easier said than done (that’s where faith comes in) we are to trust in God for all things. When we worry we once again focus on ourselves instead of Him.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (ESV)

Christians often worry needlessly. Since anxiety can often whittle down our trust in God we might be tempted to blame God for “putting us through” some ordeal, when in reality it was our lack of faith and trust in God that made us anxious, not Him. Here Jesus is saying if God is concerned about animals that were not made in the image of God can you imagine how much He cares for those that were created in His image? This is another example of God’s incredible love for us. This is not something that we should test to see if God’s promise is true by holding up our hands and say, “dress me God!” Total assurance and peace comes from believing God completely. How can we not trust God now and then later expect Him to fulfill His promises regarding salvation after we die?  

JUDGING OTHERS – Matthew 7:1-5

By now you should be noticing a major theme emerging from this sermon. Jesus has touched upon those things that often get in the way of our relationship with Him. If we are focused only on our families and ourselves we may miss out on what God has in mind for us. 

7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (ESV)

Verse one has become one of the most quoted verses even between Christians, especially when somebody is caught performing some unrighteous act. There are a number of things to consider here. First of all Jesus did not say that we are not to judge, He is saying that we should not judge hypocritically, since in just a few verses ahead Jesus will describe how to identify false teachers and prophets by examining their fruit. He points out that Christians should indeed speak out against sin and not be silenced by someone misusing this verse. 

Jesus uses the literary devices of hyperbole and satire to make His point understood. If someone sees a problem in someone else’s behavior, they should not be guilty of the same sin before offering any advice or judgment.

DISCERNMENT AND DUTY – Matthew 7:6

This next verse is well known and is also regularly quoted but it is often misunderstood. As Christians we need to always be listening to the Holy Spirit. He continuously guides us in our lives and ministries. 

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (ESV)

On the surface this verse may sound counter to Jesus’ teaching regarding evangelism. However Jesus explains that we need to understand that not everyone is ready or able to accept God’s promise of salvation and so when it is rejected we should continue to pray for them but we need to move on. He doesn’t stop there, Jesus next discusses throwing pearls at pigs! Now why would we ever throw pearls (words of great value) at anyone? We should always take the time to lovingly explain God’s Word to people and not throw them as if we are in some form of debate or shouting match. People’s hearts need to be prepared by the Holy Spirit; involving them in a never-ending dialog only results in consuming your time and ultimately angering the person you are talking to. 

Prayer should always precede any discussion regarding salvation and of course it is equally necessary afterwards. It then should not be a surprise that Jesus follows this point with the need for us to ask in prayer.

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ASK – Matthew 7:7-11

One of the greatest mysteries in being a Christian is why do we need to pray. After all doesn’t God already know what we need? The answer is obviously yes, but He still wants to hear from you. We need to pray everyday for our loved ones and those the Holy Spirit has placed on our hearts to witness to (especially those who have rejected God’s Word) as well as for ourselves. Even though we know that God will provide where He guides He still wants to hear from us. Why? Because He loves us and wants to talk! Remember prayer was His idea, not ours. 

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (ESV)

Paul instructs us that even if we do not know what to ask for the Holy Spirit will intercede for us (See Romans 8:26-27). Prayer may be a great mystery for us but we know it works just as He promised it would, making prayer the most important and certainly the most powerful thing we Christians can do. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke twice about prayer in this sermon.

Another way of looking at prayer is to see that it is God’s way to enlist us to be active in what He is doing here on earth, to align our will with His will. Just like when you talk face-to-face to another person you first need to get close and understand each other, when we pray we become closer to God and our relationship grows.

GOLDEN RULE – Matthew 7:12-14

There is nowhere in the Bible where this principle is called or referred to as the Golden Rule. However it truly is a solid and basic framework for us to consider for the proper treatment of others. 

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (ESV)

Some point out the similarity of these verses to other religions, especially those of Eastern origin, however there is one big difference. While other religions point to something that should not be done Jesus says we are to do something.  We are to treat others the same way we desire to be treated, another hallmark of Godly love. 

The lesson here is not that the entrance to heaven is literally a narrow opening that is difficult to find. Jesus understood that the lures of the world and the devil are indeed great, and that people often follow the easier and more comfortable path in life. A path that is typically shared with many others, each seeking similar goals (such as the obtaining of wealth, career, status, influence, etc.) The path to heaven begins with the understanding that we are all sinners and that we need to repent of those sins in order to be forgiven. While accepting Jesus’ plan of salvation is simple (believe and you will saved), it is not an easy path as temptations and ridicule provide heavy resistance. The path that leads to hell, on the other hand, is much easier, with little to no resistance.

WARNING! FALSE TEACHERS AND PROPHETS AHEAD! – Matthew 7:15-20

In addition to instruction Jesus adds, before He concludes the Sermon on the Mount, a series of warnings. Here He begins with the warning that false teachers and prophets do exist and will try to mislead you and others. Be prepared! Know the Word of God. 

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (ESV)

A great deal is written on the subject of false teaching in the Bible. Nearly every epistle warns us to watch out for false prophets and teachers. Here Jesus calls our attention that good fruit does not come from bad trees. As Christians we will bear fruit (Paul provides a great list of Spiritual fruit, read Galatians 5:22-23), so if fruit does not exist in a person’s life then, per Jesus’ instruction, we know that they are not a child of God. Do not confuse Spiritual fruit with Spiritual gifts. The fruit of any fruit tree provides visual evidence that the fruit tree is alive and functioning as intended. The Biblical metaphor of a Christian bearing fruit refers to external evidence of a changed heart that lives for Jesus. If we are truly disciples of Jesus then fruit will be visible in our lives, fruit that others can and will take notice. Spiritual fruit should be seen in all Christians, Spiritual gifts are unique to the role God has in mind for you and will more often be different for each believer. 

NO PHONIES ALLOWED – Matthew 7:21-23

Next Jesus, in what may be some of the most chilling words in the Bible, warns that we need to authentically seek Him. Warning! If you do not know Jesus as your Savior take the time right now and get right with Him!

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (ESV)

Jesus says that there will be people who may go through life sincerely thinking they are Christians. Even though they may seem to be good people, being selfless and regularly giving and serving others, these actions will not restore them before God. Unfortunately for those who claim to be Christian but do not have a relationship with Jesus are doing so only by name, title or inference, as He says on the Day of Judgment that He never knew them. They were sincerely wrong, so if you are wondering if you are believer or have any doubt go to Him right now in prayer and seek His grace today since it will be too late if you wait until the Day of Judgment!

JESUS, OUR FIRM FOUNDATION – Matthew 7:24-27

In His final illustration in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls us to build our house on Him. He and He alone will be able to hold us up during difficult times, plus He alone can offer salvation.

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (ESV)

Be wise or be foolish? It’s up to you. A disciple hears Jesus and then does what He calls him or her to do. If we do follow Him then we know that what we do will survive for eternity. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

To the world a committed Christian may look radical. Serving God and putting others above our own personal or family needs seems to be the exact opposite of what the world teaches. Children do not need to be taught to be selfish as we are all born with a myopic view of the world. Sadly it appears that this trend is getting worse by every new generation. So one might ask “Where is the return on investment serving God and others before ourselves?” We do indeed need a radical lifestyle. When it comes to commitment remember “Ham and eggs!” Both the chicken and the pig provide you with a good breakfast but the pig is fully committed and the chicken is only involved. Being a Christian should be a priority in our lives. Jesus wants us to put Him as number one. He promises to take care of everything else. 

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27-33, ESV)

There’s always a cost to any commitment. Here Jesus is saying we need to recognize that we will need to be identified as Christians willing to say no to the distractions of the world and be willing to sacrifice worldly gain (could include career, wealth, influence, etc.) for Him. As pointed out earlier the choice is ours to either follow Jesus or be an undercover Christian. Paul would remind us that regardless of where we are in life, God provides.

12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:12-13, ESV)

This was only quick overview of what Jesus taught. What’s left other than to go?

What Do You Think?

What is a Worldview?

The term ‘worldview’ is easily defined but it is not easily explained. It is defined by most dictionaries as either a philosophy of life or a particular conception of the world, while they both may be true, neither definition is very useful. Everyone has a worldview and after you recognize what shapes our worldviews, you will see why every person’s worldview is actually unique and different. 

This may sound like a far-fetched question, however in order to understand the construct of a worldview we need to ask, “What is reality?” Now before you walk away shaking your head, think about the process for a moment that you go through in your mind to determine if something is real. There is no need to dig out those old text books or wish you paid more attention in your philosophy class, if you are like most people you can quickly realize that, even though the majority of people don’t spend a lot of time analyzing their surroundings, the process is actually somewhat complex. For example, our understanding of reality is strongly based on a combination of perception (what we see, hear, smell, touch, etc.), facts determined from past experiences (such as touching something that is hot), and learned knowledge (inferences, deductions, assumptions, presumptions, etc.) all combined within a strong sense of what we believe is possible (things we were taught as well as discovered on our own). 

If you were right now distracted by a small bright point of light that quickly flashed from one side of you to the opposite side, would you think it was a small creature like a fairy or just a reflection off something like a passing car outdoors? Probably most of you would consider it to be a flash of light. Why? To begin with there are no such things as fairies, right? What about that small dark spot that is moving next to your foot? Is it a bug or a creeping ink spot? Our worldview is largely responsible for how we process information, not only to answer questions like these but also how we navigate through life (our decisions, values, morals, priorities, goals, etc.)

Everything from where we were born, where we lived, where we went to school, who our teachers were, who we had as friends, who were our parents and of course who were their parents, our neighbors, wealth, demographics, race, religious upbringing, level of education, exposure to politics and a lot more all have some influence in shaping how we view the world, our ‘worldview’. So you can see that you truly do have a unique view. The fact that you are unique is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good in the sense of having a unique perspective, something that you might be willing to share with others helping them see things differently. But sadly, since you do have a different view point it may mean more arguments or create contentious moments.

What is a Biblical Worldview?

As Christians we often hear the terms like, “Biblical Worldview” or a “Christian Worldview.” They generally refer to doing more than believing in Jesus for your salvation. A Biblical worldview entails believing that the entire Bible is true and as such we are to apply the truth of the Bible in every aspect of our lives. There really is no formal distinction between a Biblical worldview and a Christian worldview, although there may be people who find distinctions but those differences are usually not that critical. Now with that said we probably should take a moment to define what might be best described as the critical eternal-life-giving points of the Bible, also known as essential doctrine. 

Through the years scholars have attempted to identify and “the essential beliefs of Christianity”  During the Protestant Reformation movement, the reformers were able to identify five basic truths regarding the interpretation of the Bible and salvation. They are often referred to as the “Five Solas,” a reference to the Latin word for “alone” (some prefer ‘only’). Here are the five essential truths that guided the Reformation:

1. We begin with “Sola Fide,” or “faith alone,” a simple, but highly contended idea, that salvation is obtainable through the belief in Jesus alone. Christians are made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ alone, nothing else is required. I mentioned that this is highly contended, as there are well-intended people and groups, that will tell you that you need to add good works to be saved, including the sacraments, this is not true. The price Jesus paid was completely sufficient to fulfill the otherwise condemning law.

2. “Scripture Alone,” the concept of “Sola Scriptura” states that the Word of God is the only source of truth. The Bible is the sole authority of all matters of faith. I like to say it this way, “the Bible is the only book that counts, when we die.” Many organized religions and some church groups like to promote their founder’s books or some other document that “aids in interpretation” of the Bible. Scripture is, and always will be, the only source of the truth. 

3. “Sola Gratia” reminds us that salvation is provided through the unmerited favor of God. Grace alone is a simple way of saying that we cannot do anything to add to our own salvation. Many religions will demand of their people to do some form of ritual or follow some other rigid ‘protocol’, especially during worship that are both not needed, nor desired by God, as He wants your love, not some heartless following of tradition.

4. In alignment with “Sola Fide” and “Sola Gratia,” the idea of “Solus Christus” again reminds us that Jesus did all the work. There are some religions that will tell you that His death on the cross was not sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to God the Father. Jesus’ substitutionary death was indeed sufficient, faith in what Jesus Christ did is enough to enter heaven.

5. The fifth sola reminds us of what life is all about. “Soli Deo Gloria” essentially translates out to mean: “for the glory of God alone.” Salvation and everything God has done is for His glory alone. Everything we do should also be done for God’s glory! Not our own.

These five solas were contended during the time of the Reformation and they are still hotly debated today. Since the time of the Reformation there have been additional types and forms of corruption that have entered the church. Let’s look at a few of these issues.  I am limiting these to those that relate directly to salvation. 

The first is salvation is free. Let’s start by pointing out that salvation is a free gift, as there is nothing, we can do to earn heaven (See Ephesians 2:8-9). Combine the fact that we deserve death (See Romans 5:12 and 6:23) and that God and His Word demands justice, we might ask how can we possibly receive salvation? Since it is not possible for us to obtain salvation for ourselves, God sent His Son to die on our behalf. God’s mercy (not receiving what we deserve) is demonstrated through His justice (obtained through Jesus dying on the cross) which then allows us to receive salvation (and a lot more) through His grace (receiving what we do not deserve), all free, all we need to do is accept Him, the free gift.

The second issue is the understanding that Jesus is God. Christ is indeed divine, there are a lot of nay-sayers and even some so-called Christians that think differently, but this is what the Bible clearly teaches. Simply put, Jesus is God, if that was not true then much of what Jesus said would be a lie. Some say He never said He was God, that is not true, He did on several occasions. If He didn’t claim to be God, then why was He executed? Plus, if Jesus was not God, He would need to die again every year for God’s Law to be appeased and salvation offered. The author of the Book of Hebrews provides a good analysis and summary of that situation (see Hebrews 10:1-18). Another important point to make is that there seems to be several ‘alternate’ christs out there. The word ‘christ’ means, “the anointed one” or just simply ‘anointed’ and is a special title found in the Bible for the Savior and God’s Son, Jesus. But many people and groups like to redefine it, most often taking the title away from Jesus and giving it to a sinful human being.

Third, there is only one God. The Bible teaches that there is only one true God. Paul wrote, “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:5-6, ESV) We are surrounded by religions and beliefs today that claim they know the true God, ultimately these “so-called gods” serve only one purpose and that is to attempt to stop or at least slow down the progress of God’s Word reaching the ears of those that are lost, remember the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 6:15). The Bible teaches that God, the One and only God, is three different persons. Many scholars refer to the idea that One God being three distinctive persons as being difficult to understand. It is not difficult; it really is impossible for our brains to wrap around the idea of three things being one! This is one example of something we need to trust in God and have faith that what we are taught is true in the Bible (remember God cannot lie, see Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18). 

The fourth issue is that there is only one gospel (that works). We need to understand that the entire message of the Gospel as presented in the Bible is vital and important. The terms and phrases like ‘gospel’ and the “gospel story” get bantered around a lot these days. The term ‘gospel’ comes from the old English phrase that essentially means “good news” which is taken from the translation of the Greek word ‘euangelion’ meaning “good message.” It is most often used to refer to the great news about Jesus’ offer of salvation for all lost human beings. As we discussed in chapter three, this is exactly how the Bible uses the term, for example Paul wrote, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, ESV) Note how Paul added to the definition of the word ‘gospel’ to include Jesus dying for our sins, that He was buried and that He was raised from the dead, this is the gospel message in a nutshell. We are to believe and stand in that belief. What does Paul mean by standing? We are to believe the gospel message and just like anything else we know to be true, we are to defend our beliefs, to make decisions based on our beliefs and to live according to our beliefs. 

Fifth issue is that Jesus died but is alive again. The resurrection is real, if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then we certainly cannot expect to be resurrected ourselves. Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, ESV) The great news is that Jesus did in fact rise. “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, ESV)