The Gospel and the Christian Life – Part 6

On September 12, 2014July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Practical, The Gospel and the Christian Life1 Comment

Over the next several weeks we are going to follow the story line of Scripture from Creation to Jesus’ return in an effort to deepen our understanding of the Gospel and how Christians are to live after they have professed Christ as Lord and Savior. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5)

What do those who profess Jesus as their Savior believe?

When you profess Him as Savior, you are saying you believe several things:

You believe if it weren’t for Jesus and His death on the cross, you would receive punishment for your sins — When Jesus dies on the cross, He is punished in your place.

You believe you can’t save yourself — There is nothing you can do. No amount of good works (service, helping others, living right) will ever be able to pay for your sins.

You believe you are not good enough to have a relationship with God — You are a sinner whose sin hinders your relationship with God. We can only have a relationship with God through our belief in Jesus.

You believe you are a sinner who must turn from (repent) of your sin — Christians don’t continue to live a life of sin. Instead they turn from their sin and try to live like Jesus.

You believe nothing else is needed for salvation but belief in Jesus as your Lord and Savior — All that is required of you to be saved is to believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior. There is nothing else we must do in order to be saved.

You believe your salvation is a gift — You did nothing to earn your salvation. God gave you the faith to believe in Jesus as your Savior, which means your salvation was a gift from God.

Reflect

Do we need to do anything more than believe Jesus is our Lord and Savior to be saved?
What would happen to us if we did not believe Jesus was our Savior?
Do you believe Christians should live differently after they have professed Jesus as their Savior?
Do you believe salvation can be earned?

Resources

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Some posts’ structure influenced by Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware

On the World’s False Promises

On September 11, 2014October 12, 2020 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, QuotesLeave a comment

De Maupassant’s narrative, A Parisian Affair, begins with a pretty woman living in the country who dreams of Paris whilst sleeping next to her snoring husband.

She had never “known a thing beyond the hideously banal monotony of regularly performed duties, which by all accounts was what happily married life consisted of.” For her, Paris is a dream world of escape – the city of lights, “representing the height of all magnificent luxury as well as licentiousness.”

The Promise

The woman’s lusty view of Paris has been cultivated by a steady diet of newspaper gossip, creating in her mind the model of a very different kind of man to her white-collar, small-town, conservative husband. Instead she dreamed of

“Men who made the headlines and shone like brilliant comets in the darkness of her sombre sky. She pictured the madly exciting lives they must lead, moving from one den of vice to the next, indulging in never-ending and extraordinarily voluptuous orgies, and practicing such complex and sophisticated sex as to defy the imagination. It seemed to her that behind the facades of the houses lining the canyon-like boulevards of the city, some amazing erotic secret must lie.”

The Fear of Missing Out

The woman, no longer able to resist the lure of the city, gripped by a nineteenth-century version of “the fear of missing out,” concocts an excuse to travel to Paris.

Giving Into the Allure of the Promise

Once arrived, she searches the streets looking for tantalizing scandal and spectacle. She fruitlessly searches the cafes, “Nowhere could she discover the dens of iniquity about which she had dreamed.”

Her dreams decomposing, she by chance happens upon an aging celebrity writer in one of the new department stores. Throwing aside her usual reserve, she aggressively flirts with him. The writer takes her on a tour of the sights and sounds of Paris.

At the theatre, thrillingly, “she was seen by the entire audience, sitting by his side in the first row of the balcony.” As the entertainment ends, the writer bids her goodnight. She, however, is determined to cross for the first time into the landscape of adultery and offers to accompany him home.

The Let Down

After an awkward and unsatisfying sexual encounter, the woman lies awake in the writer’s bed, wondering what she has done. She spends the night staring at the unattractive features of the man who, like her husband, snores and snorts through the night. She continues to stare, repulsed as the man’s saliva dribbles down his mouth as he sleeps. She flees home feeling as though

“Something inside her, too, had now been swept away, through the mud, down to the gutter and finally into the sewer had gone all the refuse of her over-excited imagination. Returning home, the image of Paris swept inexorable clean by the cold light of day filled her exhausted mind, and as she reached her room, sobs broke from her now quite frozen heart.”

Question for Reflection

When did you discover this world cannot satisfy us?

Resources

Quoted from Mark Sayers, Facing Leviathan, 55-56

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On the Power of God

On September 8, 2014July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, QuotesLeave a comment

³ If one wished to contend with him (God),
one could not answer him once in a thousand times.
⁴ He is wise in heart and mighty in strength
—who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—
⁵ he who removes mountains, and they know it not,
when he overturns them in his anger,
⁶ who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble;
⁷ who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
⁸ who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the sea;
⁹ who made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;
¹⁰ who does great things beyond searching out,
and marvelous things beyond number.
¹¹ Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
¹² Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back?
Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

Question for Reflection

Have you tried contending with God? If so, what did you discover?

Resources

Job 9:3-12

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On Prayer: The Chief Exercise of Faith

On September 5, 2014March 3, 2016 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Quotes5 Comments

Over the years I’ve found much of what I’ve read about prayer to be unhelpful. Here’s why: Prayer is usually considered under the heading of ‘spiritual disciplines’ which makes it the spiritual equivalent of running on a treadmill or flossing your teeth, neither of which are attractive to me. Viewing prayer purely as a discipline drags the whole business back into the world of law, and law can never impart life.

I awakened to this when I discovered a description of prayer that warmed my heart with a fresh desire to pray. Calvin describes prayer as

“the chief exercise of faith by which we daily receive God’s benefits.”

Then he offers this compelling picture:

“We dig up by prayer the treasures that were pointed out by the Lord’s gospel, and which our faith has gazed upon.”

Imagine walking over a field where vast treasure lies buried. To make these riches your own, you need two things: a map and a spade. Scripture is your map, and prayer is your spade.

I find this picture helpful because it delivers prayers from the austere world of law and discipline and brings it into the realm of the gospel and promise, where it belongs. Prayer is more than a duty to be fulfilled; it is a gift to be enjoyed. There is a world of difference between ‘having your quiet time’ as a spiritual discipline and drawing near to God to possess what He promises to you in Christ.

Since prayer is “the chief exercise of faith by which we daily receive God’s benefits,” it follows that the primary gifts you will receive go far beyond ‘answers’ to items or needs on your prayer list. Prayer is the means by which you lay hold of all that God has promised in your own life and in the lives of others for whom you pray.

Question for Reflection

What do you think about prayer?

Resources

Colin Smith, Jonah: Navigating a God-centered Life, 62-63.

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The Gospel and the Christian Life – Part 5

On September 5, 2014July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Practical, The Gospel and the Christian Life2 Comments

Jesus as our Penal Substitute and Propitiation

(1) Jesus as a Penal Substitute

The word substitute tells us Jesus took our place and died instead of us having to die. The word Penal tells us Jesus took our punishment paying the penalty for our sins. If we put these together, we learn Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin as He died in our place.

Several scriptures speak to Jesus’ penal substitution.

Galatians 3:13 tells us Jesus became a curse for us as He died on the cross. He accepted the curse of the Law, which is death. A curse we deserve because of our sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us Jesus, who was sinless, was made to be sin for us. On the cross, He took our sin on Himself. He died our death, so we could experience salvation.

Isaiah 53:4-6 tells us Jesus bore our grief and carried our sorrow. He was stricken, afflicted and wounded, not by man, but by God for our sins (transgressions). He suffered in our place so we might be healed.

What an amazing thing Jesus has done for us. All so we might experience eternal life.

(2) Jesus as our Propitiation

The word propitiation, while it is a big word, tells us a big truth. It means Jesus, through His death on the cross, satisfied the wrath of God against us. Not against Him, but against us.

As sinners, we deserve God’s wrath. We deserve His anger to be directed at us in punishment. Jesus, however, satisfied God the Father’s wrath. Since Jesus satisfied the Father’s wrath, when He looks at His Son’s (Jesus’) death, He sees a full and complete payment for sin.

Several scriptures speak to Jesus as our propitiation.

Hebrews 2:17 says,

“Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Heb 2:17)

1 John 2:2 says,

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 Jn 2:2)

As well as 1 John 4:10 says,

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 Jn 4:10)

So we learn Jesus is our propitiation, the One who satisfies the wrath of God.

The amazing fact in all this is that God Himself sent Jesus to be our propitiation. Isn’t it amazing that God makes a way for us to be saved? And that His way is by sending His own Son to die in our place, taking our punishment, and satisfying His wrath against us all so that we can enjoy everlasting life. God really loves us!

Declared Right By God Through Our Belief

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul says,

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Co 5:21)

And in Romans 4:5 Paul also writes,

“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,” (Ro 4:5)

These verses teach us we are declared right by our belief in Jesus. In other words, we are declared to be righteous, right in our standing before God.

How can that be? Especially since Romans 3:23 tells us that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We are told that as sinners we cannot be righteous. Here, however, we are told we are. So how?

As sinners we have broken God’s commands, rebelled against Him, chosen our own path to walk, so we aren’t made righteous by our own efforts. It’s not according to our own work or good deeds.

Instead of our righteousness being based on our work, it is based on Jesus’ work. He is the One who lived a perfect life. Imagine that. Imagine that Jesus perfectly kept the Law. He didn’t sin once, nor did He ever rebel against God. Since He never sinned, Jesus is considered righteous.

When we believe in Him as our Lord and Savior, His righteousness is put on us. It is, and here is a big fancy word, imputed to us. That’s how we can say we have been given Christ’s righteousness. We have been declared righteous. Again, that doesn’t occur through our work, but through our faith in Jesus’ work.

So when sinners (that’s you and me) place their faith and trust in Jesus, they are declared righteous.

Reflect

What does the word propitiation mean?
What is the biggest problem we have? What has God done to correct our problem?
What does imputation mean?
Why is it true that when God looks at Christians — those who have placed their hope and trust in Jesus — He sees His Son, Jesus, instead of unrighteous sinners?

Resources

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Some posts’ structure influenced by Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware

How Should We Handle Distressing Situations?

On September 3, 2014July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical1 Comment

What should we do when we are troubled? When we are distressed? When our emotions are running out of control? I believe we should do what Jesus did. We should pray, ask others to pray for us, and rest in God’s will.

Jesus’ Enlists Others to Pray for Him

In the Garden of Gethsemane, feeling the weight of what He is about the face, Jesus goes off to pray, but not before asking His disciples to watch with Him.

What I think He means by “watch with Him” is that they are to be on alert. They are to be aware that something is about to happen. As well as I believe that while they are awake watching, they should be praying for Him. He just told them He was sorrowful and distressed, so I believe they should also be praying for Him during this time.

Jesus Prays to the Father

After Jesus asks His disciples to watch with Him, Jesus goes further into the garden and He prays to the Father. In Matthew 26:39 Jesus prays saying,

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Mt 26:39)

Notice: Jesus Doesn’t Try to Handle It On His Own

What I believe is important for us to notice is that Jesus doesn’t try to handle this on His own. He doesn’t try to pull Himself up by His own bootstraps. Nor does Jesus keep His distress bottled up inside. Instead He enlists others and He prays to the Father Himself. He prays to the only One who can do anything about it.

Jesus’ Prayer is Honest

When He prays, He is honest with His Father. He reveals how He feels then and how He feels about the suffering He is about to face. Distressed by the situation, He asks the Father to take the cup away, if possible.

The cup that Jesus refers to is God’s wrath. You see, apart of Jesus and the Father’s plan was for Jesus to take on the wrath of God. God’s wrath would be poured out on Him instead of us. He would pay the penalty for our sins. In an extreme act of love, Jesus has planned to die in our place. He has planned to take the punishment we deserve on Himself. Which tells us, Jesus’ death didn’t just happen. It was apart of a plan. A plan known by Jesus ahead of time. A plan three times He asks the Father to change if possible.

Jesus Rests in God’s Will

Through His prayers, however, He realizes the Father is not going to change the plan. Realizing nothing is going to change, Jesus ultimately rests in God’s will because He knows there is no better place to be.

That’s true for us as well. There is no better place for us than in God’s will, so we should rest in it. While doing so won’t change the circumstances — Jesus still went to the cross, He still suffered and died — it will help us through our circumstances because we know they are apart of God’s plan.