Choose Your Words Wisely

 

President Calvin Coolidge was known for being a man of few words. His preference for not speaking earned him the nickname “Silent Cal.” His wife Grace told a story about a White House dinner party in which a young lady was seated beside the President. She told Coolidge that she made a bet with her friend that she could get him to say at least three words during dinner. 

 

“You lose,” Coolidge said, without even looking up from his plate, and he didn’t speak another word during the course of the meal. Talk about choosing your words wisely! Coolidge didn’t say much, but when he did, he tried to make his words count. 

 

Some speak more than others, but on average people say about 7,000 words a day. Whether you are on the top end of that number, or whether you are closer to Silent Cal, you should still choose your words wisely. That is what David wanted to do. He once wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14).” 

 

A great question to ask is, “Are my words acceptable in God’s sight?” Sometimes we deem things as unacceptable. A parent tells their child their behavior is unacceptable, or a teacher tells a student the assignment they turned in is unacceptable. I would hate to know that God found my words to be unacceptable. That assessment is probably true of all of us from time to time, but for some their overall speech patterns are unacceptable. 

 

Crude words are unacceptable, and Paul said, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification…(Ephesians 4:29).” Dishonest words are unacceptable, and Solomon said, “These six things the Lord hates…a proud look, a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:16-17).” Blasphemous words are unacceptable, and Moses wrote, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain (Exodus 20:7).” 

 

Some might wonder what the big deal is. How can words uttered into the air really be a problem? For starters, our words reveal a heart issue; if we are losing our temper and saying angry things, those words are just symptoms of a worse problem. But another reason to choose our words carefully is that they are a reflection of the God we serve. If we are liars, the world will not trust us when we tell them they need Jesus. When we are crude, they will not think they need Jesus if Jesus hasn’t cleaned us up. When we blaspheme, they won’t think Jesus is special to us. 

 

The words we say matter to God because they can turn people off to Him. You don’t have to be Silent Cal, but please choose your words wisely. 

 

A Spider Web

Frederick Nolan, a Christian living in Africa, told the story of the time he was a being pursued by a group of unbelievers because of a stand he had taken for the gospel. If this mob could get their hands on Nolan, he was certain they were going to kill him. After hours of pursuit Nolan finally collapsed from exhaustion. He had run into a cave to hide, but his strength was gone, and he feared he would be found and captured at any moment. 

 

While he was lying on the ground anticipating being found, he watched as a spider began to weave a web at the opening of the cave. In almost no time at all Nolan saw that spider produce an elaborate web from one side of the cave’s mouth to the other. Suddenly the men pursuing Nolan came upon the cave, but after observing the spider web, decided he could not have been inside. They decided the search was hopeless and called it off. 

 

Nolan would later write these words: “Where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall. Where God is not, a wall is like a spider’s web.” Obviously a spider web is not strong enough to keep people from tearing through it; in fact, we have probably all had the pleasure of accidentally walking through one and having to pull the web from our hair. But when God is with us, something as weak as a web becomes like a wall. 

 

Jeremiah once spoke of the power of God when he wrote, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you (32:17).” Because of this truth Paul was able to add, “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (II Corinthians 12:9).” When a spider web keeps an army at bay, God gets all the credit. That is a case of the power of God coming through in our weakness. 

 

Maybe you can relate to Frederick Nolan. You know what it is like to be pursued by an enemy that wishes you harm. I am not talking about a real army of people, but maybe your trials feel like that. The mounting debt is chasing you down. The pressures at work are pursing you. Your marital problems, your addictions, or a hundred other things can bring you to the point of exhaustion. When you are at your weakest, look up; God may just send a spider to weave a web—a hedge of protection—to keep the enemy away. The God who made the heavens and earth can certainly make a web around you, so keep praying, and don’t loose heart. 

A Spider and a Butterfly

Several years ago scientists learned how to merge together two insects very early in their development. One of the experiments involved the combination of a young fly spider and a young butterfly. These opposite creatures formed a freak of science. This poor insect was simultaneously drawn to the light and to the darkness. It wanted to fly and crawl at the same time. Worst of all, it had an appetite for both flowers and other insects. This Jekyll and Hyde-like insect was an experiment gone wrong. By being both spider and butterfly, it was really neither.

And yet the spider/butterfly may have something in common with us. There is a dichotomy that exists within many of us; we find ourselves pulled in two different directions. Maybe you hate alcohol because you know of its harmful effects, but yet you keep running back to it. Maybe you want to lose weight, but you also love ice cream (I mean the real kind, not that low fat nonsense). 

The dichotomy can also be spiritual. Maybe you know you should pray or read the Bible more, but every time you start to, you think of something else you could be doing with that time. Maybe you know you need to share the gospel with someone, but you choose to talk about sports, politics, the weather—anything but the Lord. Maybe you know you need to drop a bad habit, or pick up a good one, but you find yourself falling short. Perhaps you can relate to Paul, who wrote, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…Wretched man that I am (Romans 7:15, 19, 24)!”

Paul explained the reason for this. We are like the spider-butterfly hybrid in that we are Christians and humans, in this world, but not of it. The key is to keep our minds on the things of God, not the things of this world. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6).” If we dwell on worldly things, our actions will soon follow our thoughts. We could think about it like this: we are both spider and butterfly; whichever one we feed the most will win. We can feed the spider the carcasses of other insects, or we can feed the butterfly the flowers of the field. We need to pick just one. We can feed the flesh the things of this world, or we can starve the flesh while we feed the spirit the things of God.   

Which one will you choose to feed? 

Forever Homes

Everywhere we look we see people who are focused on taking care of their bodies. Many New Year’s resolutions include eating better, working out, or losing weight. And so we join gyms and start diet plans; we buy creams to smooth our wrinkles, and dyes to color our hair; we lift weights to build muscle, and get braces to help our smile. If there is a flaw, we fix it. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery noted a 173% increase of cosmetic surgery between the years 1997 and 2000, with more than ten million cosmetic medical procedures now being performed annually in this country. I’m not saying that any of that is right or wrong, but we certainly put an emphasis on taking care of our bodies.  

These bodies, though, are only temporary. On those reality shows where people buy houses or renovate their existing ones, they often speak of getting that “forever home,” that place that meets all their needs, and from which they will never have to move again. I like to think of our bodies that way. The ones we have now are good and serve their purpose, but we are in the market for a forever home—a perfect body.

Paul compares the body to a house that is only temporary. Remember, he was a leather worker and tent maker by trade, so he was very familiar with this concept. These tents were intentionally temporary, and were used by soldiers and nomads (most famously by the wandering Israelites during the Exodus). One day, though, these tents will be exchanged for a house with a foundation. These bodies will be exchanged for perfect ones. In II Corinthians 5:1 Paul wrote, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  

These reality shows always ask, “What are your must haves in a house?” Some need a fourth bedroom, an office, proximity to work, a mother-in-law suite, or a finished basement. What are your must haves for a body? One that never gets sick? One that will never slow down or wear out? One that will never die? No problem. God can give you that forever home, and once you move in, you will never be on the hunt for anything else ever again. 

In the meantime, that does not mean that we throw up our hands in futility. Just because we cannot be perfect here does not mean that we are not supposed to use our bodies for the glory of God while we wait for our perfect ones. In verses nine and ten of the same chapter Paul says, “For whether we are home or away (meaning in these bodies on earth or absent from them in heaven), we make it our aim to please the Lord. For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of things done in the body…” 

In the twin passage where Paul discussed this same concept—I Corinthians 15–he gave this conclusion: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (v.58).” 

It is great that we can look forward to living in our forever home—our glorified bodies. But we must never do so at the expense of the present. We must make it our aim to please the Lord, and be always abounding in this great work.

Stone Wall

In the famous Civil War battle at Bull Run the Confederate army found themselves in full retreat. The retreat ended, however, when the general of the Virginia army, Thomas Jackson, suddenly stopped in his tracks in full range of canon and gunfire. Standing firm instead of retreating, Jackson yelled for his men to do the same. General Barnard Bee ordered his South Carolina army to follow Jackson’s lead, yelling, “Form! Form! There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally ‘round the Virginians!” This event gave Jackson his famous nickname Stonewall. 

General Bee would not survive that battle, but the South rallied to win at Bull Run. Two years later Jackson would die from friendly fire, and the Confederates obviously lost the Civil War, but Jackson’s act of bravery in the face of fire became one of the highlights of an otherwise awful time in history. Instead of retreating away from the pursuing Union army, Jackson ordered his men to stand firm and hold the line. 

In Philippians 4 Paul gave a similar command. He told the church to, “Stand firm thus in the Lord, my brothers (v.1).” We are in a spiritual war, and our adversary the devil is looking for people to devour. He wants to divide churches by creating a wedge, just as he did with the two ladies Paul mentioned in the next verse. Satan also wants to neutralize Christians by getting them to stop focusing on God and focus on their problems. 

That is why Paul told them not to be anxious about one single thing (v.6), but to be thankful and make everything a matter of prayer. When we focus on the things in life that aren’t going our way, we will get ourselves down in the dumps; we get angry with God, we stop praying and reading the Word, and then stop fulfilling the Great Commission. This is exactly what Satan wants us to do. Paul said the opposite of anxiety is thanksgiving. We have to choose to be thankful. We have to determine to look on the bright side and appreciate the millions of blessings God gives us. 

When we choose thanksgiving over anxiety God will guard our hearts. Last week I wrote about how Philippi was a Roman colony and that Paul used that analogy to make his point (about their citizenship being in heaven). He does the same thing here. Rome sent soldiers to patrol the streets of Philippi to protect their interests there. In v.7 Paul wrote, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” It was as if Paul was saying, “Look out the window. You see those soldiers guarding you? That is what God does for your heart when you choose thanksgiving over anxiety.”

We have the ability to stand firm like a stone wall even though Satan is opposing us. We get our strength from Christ Jesus, who guards our hearts, giving us peace. We have much to be thankful for!

Citizenship

Where is your citizenship? As Americans we know we are citizens of this great country, and that entitles us to the full rights that all Americans enjoy. The Constitution and Bill of Rights recognize that we are all created equal, and we are endowed with these inalienable rights by our sovereign God, and those rights have been protected by every person who has worn the uniform over the years. We are also residents of our state and most local municipalities. 

For the Christian, though, we have dual citizenship. We are very much American citizens, and yet our citizenship is simultaneously in heaven. In Philippians 3:20-21 Paul wrote, ““But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

The Greek word for citizenship (conversation in the KJV) is unique and appears only hear in the Bible. The word refers to the locality where one’s name is listed among the official register of citizens. In other words, there is a place somewhere where each person’s vital records are on file; birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses are stored in a building somewhere, and that place is where the person is an official citizen. This was a great analogy for Paul to use for the Philippians for one important reason: Rome had adopted Philippi as an official Roman province. 

Because of its location Philippi was prime real estate, and it generated a lot of tax revenue for the Roman Empire. The famous Roman Road called the Ignation Way ran through Philippi, and traders from around the world came through to do business. Rome was so grateful for the profits that they made the Philippians official Roman citizens, giving them the full rights of those born in Rome, and they didn’t even have to pay taxes. 

So go back to Paul’s analogy. The Philippians lived in Philippi, but their names were written down in Rome. They lived in one place, but their citizenship was in another. The same is true for Christians. We live here, but our names are written down in heaven (Luke 10:20). We live on earth, but we have the full rights of those who already live in heaven. We are just strangers and pilgrims passing through this land on our way to heaven. In the meantime, we can go boldly before the throne of the King of Heaven while our mansion is being prepared just over the hilltop. When we get there, Paul said, we will get to exchange these earthly bodies for ones that match our new heavenly residence. 

I am proud to be an American, and am thankful for the ones who died to give these rights to me. But I am ecstatic that I am a Christian, and am thankful for the one who died—my Lord Jesus Christ—to make my salvation possible. Where is your citizenship? Is your name written down in heaven? 

That's too Easy

Do you use those store bought mixes to make your cakes or cookies? Sometimes I bake desserts from scratch, but the majority of the time, if I baked it, I used a mix. We use those because of the convenience factor; it is much easier to buy the box and add water or vegetable oil, eggs, or butter than to measure and mix all of the other ingredients. 

Several years ago one of cake mix companies developed a product they thought was going to be a big hit: a cake mix that said just add water. To the surprise of the company, their new product was a big flop. No one was buying it. It seemed like a good thing, but it wasn’t selling. After doing some internal polling they realized that the buying public was skeptical of a cake that only needed water. It seemed too easy. That company went back to the drawing board and tweaked their recipe; the new box said, “Just add water and one egg!” Sales immediately picked up, even though the new recipe required more work and more money for the costumer. 

Many people view salvation that way. We tell people it is a free gift, and all they have to do is trust in what Jesus has already done. That seems too easy. It seems too good to be true. We feel like we have to do more. I have to earn it. I have to work hard, or give more money, or get baptized, or say enough prayers, or read the Bible through in a year. But the Bible teaches salvation cannot be earned because it is a free gift, “not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9).” 

In Philippians 3 Paul gives many reasons he could have boasted if salvation were earned: he was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day in accordance with the law, a Pharisee who was zealous for the law, a persecutor of those deemed as heretics, and one who was blameless. In his younger days Paul was banking on those things getting him God’s favor and a spot in heaven. However, after he learned that Jesus is the only way, he came to look down on the very things he once gloried in. “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (v.7-8).” He went on to say he viewed all his accomplishments as “rubbish,” which was a strong word for excrement. 

Paul hated the things which he once trusted in because they would deem the cross of Christ as worthless. If our accomplishments could save us, then Jesus died in vain. It really is that easy. Like Paul, we need to despise anything that we could trust in instead of Jesus because our righteous deeds are but filthy rags in the sight of a holy God. There is no need to add anything because Jesus Himself has done all the work. 

The Big Picture

A college freshman wanted to please his father by following in his steps. His father had been a star on the track team, so even though the son had no athletic ability, he tried out for track. At the tryout that freshman was put in a two-man race against the fastest returning runner from the previous season. The poor boy got smoked, but when he sat down to write his father a note about the experience, he said, “Dad, you will be happy to know that I was in a race with the fastest guy in school. He came in next to last, and I finished in second place.”

Much of life is about perspective. We can see the glass as half empty or half full. We can view ourselves as losing a two-man race, or as finishing second place. Paul had his ups and downs in life, but he was always able to keep the big picture in mind. We frequently see him beaten and imprisoned for his faithfulness to the Gospel, but he was always able to rejoice because people were being saved, and he knew that was more important than his own comfort in life. In the first chapter of Philippians Paul wrote a classic paragraph, saying he was determined to honor Christ, whether through his life or by his death. He concluded, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (v.21).” Paul said he was hard pressed between the two, having a desire to live his life and share the gospel, but acknowledging that it is “far better” to die and be with the Lord in heaven. 

As Christians we find ourselves in that same position. We want to live. We want to watch our grandchildren grow up, and we want to be there for our children. We want to serve in our church and pursue our hobbies. But when this life comes to an end we understand that it is far better for us to be with the Lord. That is why Christians are able to stare down death and never flinch: we have the right perspective. We see the big picture. 

In verse nineteen of the same chapter Paul says something that seems a little odd. He said he knew that, “this will turn out for my deliverance.” Many people miss this as an Old Testament quotation because that phrase does not appear in the Hebrew Bible. However, Paul was quoting the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) verbatim, so the Philippians would have understood the reference. The quote comes from Job 13:16, and Paul was identifying with Job.  

We know that Job’s suffering was for the glory of God, and Job seemed to have a knowledge of that as well. Although he maintained his innocence, Job’s friends tried to convince him that God was punishing him. His friend Zophar had the nerve to tell Job he was getting off easy, and he actually deserved worse that what he was enduring. In 13:16 Job told Zophar that he knew his suffering would turn out for his deliverance. He knew that God would either deliver him from his suffering by healing his body, or else God would deliver him by taking his spirit to Paradise. Either way, Job was good because he trusted in God. 

In the previous verse (v.15) Job seemed to realize that God was behind Job’s suffering, so he said, “Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him.” Even if God took Job’s life, Job was going to rejoice because he would go to heaven. Similarly, Paul knew that he may lose his life for the Gospel (he would soon lose his head for the 

Gospel), but he was still going to serve God with what time he had left. 

That is a good perspective. Paul and Job had the big picture in mind. Many think that death is the worst thing that can ever happen to someone, but when we keep eternity in mind we understand that death has no sting. We do not need to worry or stress about the temporary because we know what is in store in eternity. In the meantime, as long as we are here, there is work for us to do, so let’s keep working for the Lord until He calls us home. 

Grieving the Spirit

I heard about a man who, while touring of a large manufacturing plant, noticed a man using a fiery torch of high intensity to work on huge slabs of steel. There were times, however, when the flame would not make any impression and the steel seemed completely resistant to the heat. When this happened, a worker applied a chemical substance to the stubborn area, and immediately the cutting could be resumed. The visitor inquired about what was happening, and his tour guide explained that although the torch was able to go through clean steel eight inches thick, if it encountered the slightest film of rust on the surface, the flame would not penetrate it. The visitor, who was a Christian, later remarked, “It struck me forcefully that this is a picture of the Christian. The Holy Spirit is seeking to produce in us God’s perfect design. If the life is unblemished, He is able to continue His efforts; but if we become carnal or backslidden, His work of shaping us is hindered until the area in question has been thoroughly cleansed.”

Part of the reason God has placed His Holy Spirit into the life of believers is to help mold them into the people He wants them to be. We are not spectators in this process; we can either work with the Spirit or against Him. God’s Spirit is a powerful force, but when He encounters the slightest resistance on our end, He cannot produce His fruit in our lives. When we tell him no or stubbornly refuse to repent of sin or follow His leading, we create an environment in which He cannot work. I believe this grieves the Holy Spirit. 

In Ephesians 4:30 Paul said, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” In his book Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, Francis Chan wrote “The Spirit is grieved when there is a breach in relationship, whether it be relationship with God or relationship with other people. When we are disunified, unloving, hateful, jealous, gossipy, etc., that is when we grieve the Spirit of God. And since He is the creator of emotions, I believe that the Spirit grieves more deeply than we can even understand.” 

The choice is simple. If we want God to continue making us into the people He wants us to be, we need to live in unity with each other and love our neighbor as ourselves. If we want to stifle His sanctifying work, we can live at odds with others, grieve the Spirit, and fail to grow into maturity. Don’t grieve the Spirit. Let Him work in you and through you so that you may be conformed into the image of Jesus. 

God's Masterpiece

Sir Edwin Landseer was one of the most famous artists of the Victorian Era. He was commissioned to do several official portraits of the royal family, and he even gave private painting lessons to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. One day he was visiting with a family at their mansion when someone spilled a pitcher of soda water, leaving a stain on the wall.

The family went out for the day, but Landseer stayed behind. He used charcoal and paint to incorporate the stain into a beautiful mural on the wall. What had once been an unsightly stain was turned into a waterfall surrounded by trees and animals. Landseer was able to turn a mess into a masterpiece. That is why Ephesians 2:10 is one of my favorite Bible verses. Paul said, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The Greek word translated as workmanship is poima;it has been translated elsewhere as masterpiece, and it gives us the English word poem.In that same chapter Paul described what a mess life was before Christ—we were dead in our trespasses and sins, walking with the devil according to world’s schemes, and children of God’s wrath. But God, who is rich in mercy, turned us from a mess to a masterpiece. We were made aware of Jesus in verse four, made alive through Jesus in verse five, and ascended with Jesus in verse six. We are now God’s masterpiece. Like a Nobel laureate crafting a perfect lyric, Jesus has made us into something noteworthy. 

That is how God thinks of His children. If you have been saved, you are now Shakespeare’s 23^rdSonnet. You are Beethoven’s 5^thSymphony. You are Michelangelo’s David. You are Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Don’t let the devil tell you that you are nothing. When God looks at you He sees His masterpiece. If you have not been saved, you are still dead in your trespasses and sins. Let the Master work His magic, and see what masterpiece He can make out of you.     

Our Weakness, God's Power

On Easter Sunday in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte’s army was camped on the hills above the border town of Feldkirch, Austria, poised to attack. The citizens knew they could not survive the attack, and could only hope that the Austrian army would come to their rescue in time. The town council held an emergency meeting to decide whether to try to defend themselves or surrender. Fighting looked like a suicide mission, but surrender is never a popular option.

The pastor of the town church stood up to address the frightened people. He is reported to have said, "Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. Since this is the day of our Lord’s resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services, and leave the matter in His hands. We know only our weakness, and not the power of God to defend us." The people agreed with their pastor, and they began to ring the church bells in celebration of the resurrection, and to let people know the service was still on. 

When Napoleon’s army heard the sudden peal of the church bells, they assumed that the Austrian army had arrived and was ready to fight. Before the service ended, Napoleon was in full retreat, and there was not a Frenchman to be found.

I like the way that Feldkirch pastor thought. All we know naturally is our own weakness, not the power of God. As Christians we should learn to understand more of God’s power, especially the fact that He has given that power to us. In Acts 1:8 Jesus told the disciples they would receive power once the Holy Spirit came upon them (which we now have as soon as we are saved), and Paul alluded to that same Holy Ghost power in Ephesians 1:19-21. His prayer was that the church would come to know “what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” 

That Greek word for power in both verses is dunamis, and it gives us our English word dynamite. No, Paul was not thinking of TNT when he wrote those words, because that did not exist. But when TNT was invented in 1867, the word dynamite was chosen because it accurately described the power that it held. That is the idea behind the power we have as believers. We have dynamite power to preach with boldness, pray, understand our Bibles, let our light so shine, and witness for Christ. We do not need to ask God for this power, because it is already within us as soon as we put our faith in Jesus. The question is not, “Do you have power,” but “Are you using your power?” 

Something New

Wise King Solomon famously said, “There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).” He continued by adding, “Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new’? It has been already in the ages before us (v.10).” 

There is nothing new under the sun, and that applies to theology as well. It troubles me when I hear people talking about their church or their pastor who always have a “new” message. I have heard people say things like, “At that church, its always the same old thing.” Please don’t misunderstand me; I am not talking about preaching timeless truth in a fresh way, for that should be our goal. Neither am I talking about bringing something to light, such as a cultural nuance that may help 21^stCentury Westerners understand 1^stCentury Middle Eastern life. That information may be new to us when we first hear it, but the truth of the message is not new. It is dangerous when we become bored with the gospel and go out searching for something new. 

Sermons on grace, mercy, love, the Golden Rule, heaven, sin, repentance, the cross, or the empty tomb should never get old to us. According to the Talmud, “One who repeats his lesson a hundred times is not like him who repeats it a hundred and one times (Hagigah).” In other words, the more we study the Bible, the more sermons we hear on the same topic, the better we will become. The Talmud continues: “He who studies the Torah but does not review it is like one who plants and does not harvest.” In the Jewish culture, the Bible was committed to memory by constant recitation. 

The Shemah of Deuteronomy 6 (that God is one, and we should love Him with all of our heart, soul, and might) is to be spoken of when we lie down and rise up, when we sit down and walk. The truths of God’s Word produce a harvest in our lives when we not just read them, but when we constantly review them. That is the idea behind Psalm 1, which says the blessed man is one who meditates on God’s law both day and night. We need to chew on God’s Word just as a cow chews the cud. Have you ever seen a cow that was not chewing? Every time I see one she is chomping on a bite of food. That is the picture the psalmist was painting, and it is how we are to reflect on the things of God. 

The Greeks loved to hear something new (Acts 17), but they did not give the words much reflection. Any new message or deity would tickle their ears, but it would go in one and right out the other. We need to reject any ear-tickling “new” doctrine, and instead constantly reflect on the timeless theology that God recorded for us in His Word. 

Togas

In Galatians 3:27 Paul makes an interesting statement. He says, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Being baptized into Christ was not a reference to water baptism so much as it was to their conversion to Christianity. To “put on” is the same concept as getting dressed; one must put on his clothes before he leaves the house. At salvation we first disrobe, taking off the old way of life, and we put on Jesus.

But Paul’s use of “put on” had a slightly different meaning than just getting dressed. He was making a reference to the toga virils, which was a common custom that would have been familiar to the Galatians. The toga was the symbol of the Roman man, reserved especially for adults. Similar to the Jewish bar mitzvah, the toga virils was the ceremony in which a young Roman boy would officially enter manhood. He would be given his first toga, and everyone would know he was officially a man.

This is the same idea Paul had in mind when he wrote, “When I became a man I put away childish things (I Corinthians 13:11b).” Once he earned his toga, the young man would never want to return to his childish way of life.

I remember looking forward to the first day of school after summer break so that I could wear my new shoes or clothes. I can imagine the recipient of his first toga having the same feeling, wanting his old friends to see that he had grown up. He would be proud of his new attire, and he would make sure everyone knew he was a man now.

In context Paul uses the toga ceremony to illustrate the instantaneous nature of salvation apart from the works of the law, but we can also be challenged by his words. Do people see a difference in you? Are you a different person than you were before you “put on” Christ? Are you eager to show off your new standing in Him? There should be no denying the fact that you are a believer because you are wearing the Lord.

Just Add Nothing

There are many great products that tell customers to “Just Add” something. We can make instant grits or oatmeal by just adding water to the package of mix; we can make beef stroganoff or chili macaroni by just adding meat to Hamburger Helper; we can make lemonade or Kool Aid by just adding water (and maybe a little sugar) to the powder. Even Ore-Ida has a breakfast bowl that says, “Just add an egg.” These items are part of a clever marketing tactic that stresses convenience. All the work has been done already, and you are only on the hook to add one little ingredient. Everyone who has ever made oatmeal from scratch appreciates the convenience of the “just add water” line of products.

Legalists try to apply that same philosophy to salvation. They say Jesus has done most of the work, but we are still on the hook to add something. They say to add works; add church attendance; add tithes and offerings; add the removal of old habits. And while each of those things is important in the life of a Christian, none of them are ingredients for salvation.

In Galatians 2 Paul wrote to believers who were being led astray by legalists telling them they needed to become more like the Jews in order to really be saved. He said they are justified by faith in Jesus apart from good works because good works are futile in their efforts to bring salvation. Paul concludes the chapter by saying, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose (v.21).”

If our good works were good enough to earn us a spot in heaven, then Calvary was a sad waste of time. This reminds me of MercyMe’s new song Best News Ever that says, “Some say He’s keeping score, so tried hard, then try a little a more. But hold up: if this were true, explain to me what the cross was for.” Anyone who tries to tell us that we are not really saved unless or until we do some extra act has misunderstood the cross. Jesus died precisely because no action on our part could merit salvation. Of course we must trust in Christ and call out to Him, but there is no meritorious deed that we can do to earn God’s favor. That was all dealt with while we were still sinners.

As convenient as it is to just add one ingredient, it is even easier to accept the gift of salvation. It is literally, “Just add nothing.”

All by Grace

Imagine you were a million dollars in debt. There was no chance you could ever pay back that amount of money, and if you didn’t pay the debt back in full, there would be drastic consequences. When you were a million dollars in debt someone decided to have compassion on you, and he gave you a check for the entire amount. After you deposited the gift and settled up with the creditor, what do you have to brag about? You cannot boast of your role in depositing the check or writing one of your own when the millions dollars was given to you in grace.

That is how silly it is to think any works on our part contribute to the grace of God. He gave us the million dollars to cover our sin debt, so any boasting must be done in God, not in ourselves. That is the theme of Paul’s letter to the Galatians; they had converted to Christianity, but then began to teach that there are outward works that needed to be added to grace. He wrote, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ, which is a different gospel (1:6).”

Paul championed the gospel of grace because he knew that was the only gospel that saves. Grace has always been, and will be always be the rallying cry of the church because we recognize that God did not ask us to work to come up to Him, but in grace He came down to us. That is why we do not sing, “Amazing works, how sweet the sound,” but “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” We do not sing, “Works, works, man’s works,” but “Grace, grace, God’s grace.” We do not sing “Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing my works,” but “come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing they grace.”

By grace God saved us from our sin. By grace God filled us with His Spirit. By grace God is preparing us a home in heaven. It’s all by grace. Grace is the firm foundation upon which our faith is built. Grace is the door that opens up to life everlasting. Grace is the river that supplies life-giving water to those who are thirsty. Grace is the ship that carries the pilgrims to their new home.

When this life is over we will not be able to boast of our works that earned us a place in heaven, but we will celebrate grace because it did what our works could never do. When I was a million dollars in debt, grace pulled out its credit card and paid my debt. Has yours been paid, or are you trying in vain to do it yourself?