Category: Thinking about Biblical TEACHING

¹⁵ Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; ¹⁶ however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.    Philippians 3:15,16  NASB

Paul invites those who are perfect or mature to share his attitude.  Yet apparently there were some who would dare to think differently or have a different attitude than the apostle Paul.  This sounds quite up-to-date.

In the case of the Philippians, Paul was very gracious and expressed his expectation that eventually they will get it.  Eventually God would reveal the truth to them.

Paul’s ‘attitude’ may be referring to his thoughts on how to press on in the faith – but in a sense it doesn’t matter.  The point is that there were those people – and there are those in our day – who think that they can ignore or disagree with the apostle Paul.

To disagree with a writer of the New Testament is to claim an authority above that of the writer.  On what basis?

– SSXG

 

 

⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss ^[c]in view of the surpassing value of ^[d]knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, ^[e]for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, ⁹ and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith…  Philippians 3:7-9  NASB

The Greek word for faith can also mean faithfulness.  So the 2011 NIV has a footnote pointing out that the verse could be saying through the faithfulness of Christ rather than through faith in Christ.

If it means through the faithfulness of Christ, then Paul is not repeating himself at the end when he emphasizes that this kind of righteousness comes by faith.

Also, if it means through the faithfulness of Christ, then Paul is making the contrast sharper between righteousness based Paul’s own efforts and righteousness based on Christ’s faithfulness.

Either way, the contrast is there.  If we are not found in Jesus, having a righteousness that he provides when we put our trust in him; then we are stuck with whatever righteousness we can manage to achieve.  And that’s not enough.

– SSXG

¹⁷ Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. ¹⁸ For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their ^[l]appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. ²⁰ For our ^[m]citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will transform ^[n]the body of our humble state into conformity with ^[o]the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.   Philippians 3: 17-21  NASB

We notice in verse 18 that the “walk” or life of many is that of enemies of the cross.  Paul is not concerned here with those who are outsiders and have never known Christ.  And it is for this reason that he is grief-stricken because of their un-Christlike lifestyle.

The frightening part is that their “end is destruction”.  The life we enjoy in Christ is not something to take for granted.  It requires commitment and effort – and time and money – as we “work out our own salvation”.

– SSXG

⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.   2 Peter 3:3-9  NASB

In my earliest posts, I suggested strongly that we need to take our theology from scripture.  Beware the theological system that affirms God’s salvation for only a select group – an elect group.  The ‘any’ and the ‘all’ of this verse prevent us from narrowing the gospel to any subset of humanity.

If we think we are to confine the good news to the Jews [as did the disciples at first], to Europeans [as did many before the age of missions] or to the hypothetical ‘elect’ [as do many in our own day]; we are putting our own understanding – our own system – ahead of the teaching found in 2 Peter 3:9.

May God grant us to understand his word and to love ‘the world’ with his love – the love that sent Jesus to the cross to die for everyone.

– SSXG

 

 

¹What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? ² You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. ⁴ You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:1-4  NASB

If we read something like this – that friendship with the world is hostility toward God – we must immediately ask ourselves what do we mean by ‘friendship’?

Does this mean that we cannot have friends who are unbelievers?  Most of us have neighbours and acquaintances that we would categorize as ‘friends’ even though by a spiritual definition they are ‘of the world’ in their outlook and their commitments.

We need to look at the context.  In context, James is concerned about the attitude of at least some of those who claim to be Christian.  Their desire for pleasure is very much like that of their neighbours.   In this case, ‘friendship with the world’ refers to the way they have aligned their values to that of the world around them, rather than to the spiritual values they should have as followers of Jesus.  In fact, the situation is so bad that he accuses them of spiritual infidelity.

May our commitment to Jesus Christ be pure and unmixed with the desire for worldly pleasure.

– SSXG

²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”
²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.   Lamentations 3:24-26  NASB

It strikes me in this scripture that “The Lord is my portion” comes first.  Those who seek him and who wait for him find that he is good.  Those who do so also see God’s salvation or rescue from their suffering, whether deserved or not, from the hand of God.  [See the previous chapters to this point.]

However, we are to seek the Lord for himself.  Jeremiah’s portion’ is not what the Lord gives him – not even his goodness and his salvation.  Jeremiah’s portion is the Lord himself.

– SSXG

²¹ This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
²² The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”
²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.     Lamentations 3:21-26  NASB

Many years ago a friend drew my attention to this scripture passage.

Lamentations is, as the name indicates, a lament.  But verse 21 is a turning point in the lament.  Up to this point Jeremiah expresses grief at what God has done in punishing his people and in Jeremiah’s own suffering as the prophet called upon to express God’s (unwelcome) call to repentance.

However, in verse 21, he begins to voice hope.  He has hope because he reflects on the love and compassion and faithfulness of God towards his people despite the circumstances.

It is the content of his reflection that is important, of course.  But perhaps it is well to note that he calls or recalls this to mind.  He deliberately meditates on the love, compassion and faithfulness of God.

They are in his mind – to be recalled – in part because of his own experience of God, of course, but also because he has a knowledge of the history of God’s dealing with his people as found in scripture.

It is likely that the tribulations experienced by Jeremiah would exceed those experienced by the reader of this blog.  However, the principle applies.  We can and should remind ourselves of God’s love, compassion and faithfulness to us personally.  We can and should remind ourselves of his love, compassion and faithfulness as demonstrated in scripture.

– SSXG

 

2 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. ² For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, ³ and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” ⁴ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? ⁵ Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?   James 2:1-7  NASB

James is warning against the sin of favouritism or partiality.  The example he gives is quite stark – giving the prime seating to a rich man while relegating the poor man to an uncomfortable or awkward location.

I wonder if there is another area where we show favouritism.  Do we assume that the businessman – or even the professional – is the ideal person for the board or for that committee?  Is our respect for them based on their success or on their spiritual wisdom?

The ones we need are those with the understanding of Christ’s kingdom – whatever their social standing.

– SSXG

 

 

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.   James 1:19  NASB

When I was younger, there were stories of people pouring out their feelings on paper and mailing the letter before calming down and regretting what they had expressed in anger.

Today it is even easier to dash off a quick email response.  If sent in anger the recipient has documented proof of both our anger and our foolishness.

James gives a reason for being slow to anger…  He says that the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  This seems to leave no room for ‘righteous indignation’.

Perhaps it is possible for us to feel the burning anger of the prophets against sin and evil.  Yet I fear that so often what we call ‘righteous indignation’ is a result of feeling hurt because we think that someone has stepped on our toes or shown us disrespect.

– SSXG

 

1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.   James 1:1   NASB

I find it significant that the author of this letter identifies himself as ‘a bond-servant… of the Lord Jesus Christ…‘

This is James, the half-brother of Jesus.  James could have said so in his introduction.  Reminding his reader that he was the Lord’s brother would have given him status – would have given his words more authority.  Yet he does not do so.  Why not?

The only fact that counts is that James has put his trust in Jesus the Messiah.  His relationship to Jesus is that of bond-servant to his Lord.  Any other person in Christ’s kingdom has likewise put his or her trust in Jesus Christ the Messiah – as a bond-servant to the Lord.  James has no greater status because he happened to be born to Joseph and Mary.

I believe that this speaks to James’ humility.

Would that all the leaders of the Christian church today showed similar humility.

– SSXG