A restoration took place in the days of Josiah, king of Judah. He sought to restore the practices of the Law of Moses that had been abandoned.
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September 11, 2013
Who Calls You a Christian?
If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? That question, or a variation of it, has been asked many times in order to remind us all of the importance of letting our lights shine (Matthew 5:16), being ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15), and defending the truth (Philippians 1:16-17). We need to live in such a way that others can see Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20).
However, while the question raised in the first paragraph is good, there is another point that is just as important for us to consider. Just because the world sees you as a Christian, that does not necessarily mean that God sees you that way, too. To illustrate this point, notice what Paul said about the adulteress in his letter to the Romans:
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April 10, 2013
The Chief of Sinners
Because of his past, Paul would have seemed to be an unlikely candidate for salvation, let alone apostleship. In the following passage, he explained to Timothy why the Lord chose him and how he was able to be saved.
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all [of whom I am chief, KJV]. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:12-16).
March 26, 2013
Does God Want Us to Be Happy?
Ohio Senator Rob Portman wrote an editorial that was published on March 15, 2013 in which he announced his change of position on same-sex marriage. Previously, he had been against such “marriages.” Now he believes “the government shouldn’t deny [same-sex couples] the opportunity to get married.”
In the editorial, he explained the reason for his change of heart. Two years ago, one of his sons informed him that he was a homosexual. After learning this, Senator Portman began re-evaluating his stance on same-sex marriage and eventually changed his mind on the issue. He said he is “a dad who wants all three of his kids to lead happy, meaningful lives with the people they love.” Couple that with his statement about “the Bible’s overarching themes of love and compassion and my belief that we are all children of God,” and we see one who has tried to find a way to harmonize – in his own mind – faith in God and man’s desire to be happy.
His statement about wanting all of his children to be happy seems reasonable to a lot of people, even among those who are religious. Many people believe that God would want them to be happy. Therefore, if something like homosexuality makes one happy, they conclude that God must accept it and that we should accept it, too.
So we should ask the question: Does God want us to be happy? In answering this question, we must be sure that our conclusion comes from the Bible and not our emotions.
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December 20, 2012
As Obedient Children (12/20)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Peter 1-5.
Christians are the children of God. Just as an earthly father would, our heavenly Father expects certain behavior out of His children. We are not free to do as we please and expect God to be happy with whatever we do. We are expected to do His will.
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14-16).
What does God expect of His children? This passage mentions a few things:
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December 5, 2012
Godly Sorrow (12/5)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Corinthians 5-9.
It is common for one to feel guilty after doing something that is wrong. Whether it is due to conscience, negative consequences, or shame that comes from others learning of our actions, we often feel remorse over our sins. Only after one’s conscience is seared does he no longer feel such guilt (1 Timothy 4:2). But while this guilt (sorrow) over our actions may be common, not all of it is necessarily helpful. Notice what Paul told the brethren in Corinth:
“For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10).
In his first letter to these brethren, Paul rebuked them for several sins. Naturally, they were sorrowful (they had a sense of guilt and remorse) after Paul brought these sins to their attention and condemned them. Fortunately, the Corinthian brethren had the right kind of sorrow.
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December 4, 2012
A New Creature
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When Paul spoke of Christians (those “in Christ”) as being new creatures, he did not mean that we are no longer human as if we had become a new species. We remain human beings made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). But there are significant changes that come when one becomes a disciple of Christ. Let us notice a few of the “new things” that come when one becomes a “new creature” in Christ.
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