Colossians 1:28 says: “ We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching everyone so that we may present every man complete in Christ….”
The word for complete is “telos” or “mature.”
The same thing shows up in Hebrews 5:14 : “ But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
I was talking to one of my friends in Birmingham and I asked him how he was doing spiritually and he said: “ how do you measure spiritual growth ? “ I thought this was a good question and when I thought about it, I went looking for answers in the Scriptures….here’s what I found:
A mature person is someone who exercises their gift in the church. ( Eph 4:13)
they are also equipped for service
they also equip others for service
2. I Corinthians 13 A mature person demonstrates love.
All of our giftings and knowledge without love amount to nothing.
3. A mature person works toward unity with other believers.
a. Philippians 2
b. I Corinthians 1;10
c. Amos 3:3
4. A mature person is a servant
a. Mark 10:45 “ For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. “
b.I Peter 4:11 ff
5. A mature person is mature in his thinking and an “infant” concerning evil.
a. I Cor. 14:20
6. A mature person is teachable. ( Colossians 1:28)
7. A mature person is able to discern good and evil even without a Bible verse. ( see also birth control, gambling, educational choices, etc…)
a. Hebrews 5:14
8. A wise man can receive correction. ( multiple proverbs)
9. A mature person brings forth vegetation. ( Hebrews 6)
- It makes sense to me that this would be related to Galatians 5 ( fruit of the Spirit)
- Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control
10. A mature person is diligent ( not sluggish)
a. Hebrews 6:11-12
11. Mature people are people who give.
- Matthew 5:42 “ Give to him who asks you…”
12. Mature people love their enemies. ( Matthew 5:44)
13. Mature people pray for those who persecute them. ( Luke 6)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
problem of evil
Topic: The problem of evil
How can the Bible be true when we know that there are babies who die, and people get cancer and are killed by Tsunamis ? If God is in “control of everything” how do you account for pain and suffering that seems to have been caused by Him ?
This question has been asked for a long time and there are no easy answers. The short answer is this:
In order for things like love, freedom and enjoyment to exist, there must necessarily be pain, evil and suffering.
Ok, that being said we also have to establish this: what will be the basis for our truth ? The question is not : “ what is truth ? “ but a better question is : “ where do we go to find truth ? “ The El Paso times ? Inside of ourselves ? God’s word ? What will we accept as an authoritative word on life ? I am convinced of the truth of God’s word and here are some thoughts from the Bible that specifically address the question of pain and suffering in the world:
# 1 Isaiah 45: 6-7 “ I am the Lord, there is no other; besides Me there is no God. ( I am) the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.”
( comment: God does not apologize for natural disasters but takes responsibility for them.)
# 2 Genesis 6:17 God states that He will bring a flood on the earth to destroy people.
( comment: Even still, He saves Noah and his family.)
#3. Amos 3:6 “ If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it ? “
( again: The Lord states without apology… “ I brought this about…” )
#4. John 9:1-5 The disciples were walking with Jesus and they came across a blind man and asked Him ( Jesus), “ who sinned, this man or his parents that he should be born blind ? “ Jesus answered: “ It was neither this man nor his parents that sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in Him.”
#5. Luke 13 A tower fell on some people. Jesus comments: “ Do you think that these people were worse sinners than other people ? I tell you ‘no’ but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
( comment: Jesus really doesn’t answer the question of why this happened. He just says this should motivate us to repent so we are ready for death. )
Ok, there are several verses that seem to make God out to be a mean person, but think about this way. What if you built a house for yourself and then put a guest house out back with a pool ? You invited some friends to stay in your guest house and use your pool. You gave them a hospitality bar that was fully loaded and you paid all of their bills for them. You gave them a car, paid their insurance and provided them with daily meals.
After all this kindness, they begin to come into your house and steal from your wallet. They never clean up after themselves. They even got to the point where they took your debit card and put you in financial bind because of excess spending. They ran up excessive cell phone bills and abused just about everything you gave them. At some point you would say: “ that’ s it “ and kick them out. When you tried to do this, they got so angry they assaulted your daughters and attempted murder on some of your family members.
Needless to say, your relationship with these people would be broken. You might even want to commit acts of violence against them.
I see this world as God’s house. He gave us fruit, vegetables, cattle, sunlight, rain, scenic overlooks ,taste buds, ears, the ability to touch, warm coffee, and pick up basketball games. At the same time, God in His infinite wisdom has said ( about some things) ,
“ these things will hurt you” in the same way a parent says to a child: “ don’t play in the street.”
What have we done with God’s gifts and God’s rules ? We have abused the gifts and broken the rules.
A brief look at world history reveals that some cultures have practiced child sacrifice, bestiality and a whole list of sins that shouldn’t even be described here ( see El Paso Times). The book of John says that Jesus was full of grace and truth. Grace to forgive sin, but truth to say that there are things that are always right and things that are always wrong.
This is an incomplete thought but in the same way that a child cannot always under a spanking, humans cannot understand how God deals with people who reject Him. I cannot explain why God is merciful to some and not others. I don’t have my own answers to why 100,000 people die in the pacific rim because of a tsunami. All I have is what God’s word says. I don’t fully understand the mind of God, and if I could, He would no longer be God.
Summary: You have wisdom that a 2 year old does not have. You tell that child, “ don’t play in the street.” The child doesn’t understand and if he persists in going into the street, the parent spanks the child. We would also say that the punishment rhymes with the crime. God is an infinite being and to sin against Him deserves an infinite punishment. This is the bad news, but it’s not all the Bible has to say about our condition. God has provided a solution to this problem. I believe God’s word teaches that God did punish someone: His own son. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved and offers us a restored relationship with our Creator.
“ 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 3:9)
This relationship that is offered to us cannot be earned by doing good things but is a gift that eliminates all boasting. If salvation were by good works, why would Christ have to suffer and die ?
Afterthoughts:
If you had authority over a group of people ( and you actually created them ) … how are you going to feel when they not only reject you but murder your son ?
If we enjoy love…. then the other side of that is hatred.
3. We have American “lenses” that we interpret events through. Our idea of fairness comes from a Texan, American sense of fairness. Does this line up with what God has written in His word ? I see the issue of “evil and suffering in the world” very much related to our source of truth. What do we think is ultimately true ? Does truth come from our “gut reaction” to what is fair based on our opinion or God’s word ?
4. I am disturbed by the news that “innocent” people died from various causes. But I would seriously question whether they were really “innocent” ? Innocent according to who ? ( The El Paso police dept ? ) Who sets the terms for who is innocent and who is guilty ? If God has revealed His mind to us, what have we done with that revelation ?
Carl
How can the Bible be true when we know that there are babies who die, and people get cancer and are killed by Tsunamis ? If God is in “control of everything” how do you account for pain and suffering that seems to have been caused by Him ?
This question has been asked for a long time and there are no easy answers. The short answer is this:
In order for things like love, freedom and enjoyment to exist, there must necessarily be pain, evil and suffering.
Ok, that being said we also have to establish this: what will be the basis for our truth ? The question is not : “ what is truth ? “ but a better question is : “ where do we go to find truth ? “ The El Paso times ? Inside of ourselves ? God’s word ? What will we accept as an authoritative word on life ? I am convinced of the truth of God’s word and here are some thoughts from the Bible that specifically address the question of pain and suffering in the world:
# 1 Isaiah 45: 6-7 “ I am the Lord, there is no other; besides Me there is no God. ( I am) the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.”
( comment: God does not apologize for natural disasters but takes responsibility for them.)
# 2 Genesis 6:17 God states that He will bring a flood on the earth to destroy people.
( comment: Even still, He saves Noah and his family.)
#3. Amos 3:6 “ If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it ? “
( again: The Lord states without apology… “ I brought this about…” )
#4. John 9:1-5 The disciples were walking with Jesus and they came across a blind man and asked Him ( Jesus), “ who sinned, this man or his parents that he should be born blind ? “ Jesus answered: “ It was neither this man nor his parents that sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in Him.”
#5. Luke 13 A tower fell on some people. Jesus comments: “ Do you think that these people were worse sinners than other people ? I tell you ‘no’ but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
( comment: Jesus really doesn’t answer the question of why this happened. He just says this should motivate us to repent so we are ready for death. )
Ok, there are several verses that seem to make God out to be a mean person, but think about this way. What if you built a house for yourself and then put a guest house out back with a pool ? You invited some friends to stay in your guest house and use your pool. You gave them a hospitality bar that was fully loaded and you paid all of their bills for them. You gave them a car, paid their insurance and provided them with daily meals.
After all this kindness, they begin to come into your house and steal from your wallet. They never clean up after themselves. They even got to the point where they took your debit card and put you in financial bind because of excess spending. They ran up excessive cell phone bills and abused just about everything you gave them. At some point you would say: “ that’ s it “ and kick them out. When you tried to do this, they got so angry they assaulted your daughters and attempted murder on some of your family members.
Needless to say, your relationship with these people would be broken. You might even want to commit acts of violence against them.
I see this world as God’s house. He gave us fruit, vegetables, cattle, sunlight, rain, scenic overlooks ,taste buds, ears, the ability to touch, warm coffee, and pick up basketball games. At the same time, God in His infinite wisdom has said ( about some things) ,
“ these things will hurt you” in the same way a parent says to a child: “ don’t play in the street.”
What have we done with God’s gifts and God’s rules ? We have abused the gifts and broken the rules.
A brief look at world history reveals that some cultures have practiced child sacrifice, bestiality and a whole list of sins that shouldn’t even be described here ( see El Paso Times). The book of John says that Jesus was full of grace and truth. Grace to forgive sin, but truth to say that there are things that are always right and things that are always wrong.
This is an incomplete thought but in the same way that a child cannot always under a spanking, humans cannot understand how God deals with people who reject Him. I cannot explain why God is merciful to some and not others. I don’t have my own answers to why 100,000 people die in the pacific rim because of a tsunami. All I have is what God’s word says. I don’t fully understand the mind of God, and if I could, He would no longer be God.
Summary: You have wisdom that a 2 year old does not have. You tell that child, “ don’t play in the street.” The child doesn’t understand and if he persists in going into the street, the parent spanks the child. We would also say that the punishment rhymes with the crime. God is an infinite being and to sin against Him deserves an infinite punishment. This is the bad news, but it’s not all the Bible has to say about our condition. God has provided a solution to this problem. I believe God’s word teaches that God did punish someone: His own son. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved and offers us a restored relationship with our Creator.
“ 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 3:9)
This relationship that is offered to us cannot be earned by doing good things but is a gift that eliminates all boasting. If salvation were by good works, why would Christ have to suffer and die ?
Afterthoughts:
If you had authority over a group of people ( and you actually created them ) … how are you going to feel when they not only reject you but murder your son ?
If we enjoy love…. then the other side of that is hatred.
3. We have American “lenses” that we interpret events through. Our idea of fairness comes from a Texan, American sense of fairness. Does this line up with what God has written in His word ? I see the issue of “evil and suffering in the world” very much related to our source of truth. What do we think is ultimately true ? Does truth come from our “gut reaction” to what is fair based on our opinion or God’s word ?
4. I am disturbed by the news that “innocent” people died from various causes. But I would seriously question whether they were really “innocent” ? Innocent according to who ? ( The El Paso police dept ? ) Who sets the terms for who is innocent and who is guilty ? If God has revealed His mind to us, what have we done with that revelation ?
Carl
Thursday, May 7, 2009
husks
" Most men are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives. Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within His followers except the adoption of Christ's purpose toward the world He came to redeem. Fame, pleasure, and riches are but husks and ashes in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of His eternal plans. The men who are putting everything into Christ's undertaking are getting out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards."
J Campbell White
( qtd in Desiring God by John Piper page 222)
J Campbell White
( qtd in Desiring God by John Piper page 222)
thoughts on the family
Taken from New International Dictionary of Theology ( Colin Brown - roots of education)
Vol 3 page 776
“ The OT bears witness to God’s self revelation to Israel and intervention in his life. In response to His love and care for the chosen people, He expects in return trust and obedience. The priestly nation is to be stamped with God’s nature, and to become increasingly fitted for the sphere of His holiness. The trouble that God has with His people forces Him to severe disciplinary measures, or chastening. But God does not educate in order to achieve an ideal; He watches over His people’s faithfulness, which He intends should flow from trust and from that constant readiness to hear and truly listen which arises from obedience ( to the prophetic message). This education by God, which Israel is ever trying to escape, although for its own good, is shared equally by all members of the nation. There is no special religious education of the young. It is God who educates, and the upbringing of children takes place within the sphere of this God who instructs in love and punishes because of the recalcitrance of His own.
The educational aim of God is to lead His people ( ministry not tyranny) to the realization that they owe their existence to the saving will of Yahweh alone, and therefore owe obedience to their divine instructor ( Deut. 8:1-6). “
Stop – take a breath ---
Page 777
“How does the education of the young proceed in Israel ? God commands that they obey their parents, who are next to Him in importance. The father acts like a priest to the family. He hands on the tradition to the family; he does so in answer to the question of his children ( see Exodus 12:26 ff), and his answer is a confession of God’s saving activity towards Israel. The children are told of this not only in words, but also by means of impressive signs in the form of monumental stones ( Joshua 4:6,21). Education takes place in the execution of justice ( see Achan /and Deut 21:21), and in the teaching of the law. There is no theory of education, no special institutions; but the young become accustomed to the life of the nation, which stands under the loving discipline of God. Watching and listening, they enter into the inheritance of their forefathers. For he who hears aright will obey.”
Vol 3 page 776
“ The OT bears witness to God’s self revelation to Israel and intervention in his life. In response to His love and care for the chosen people, He expects in return trust and obedience. The priestly nation is to be stamped with God’s nature, and to become increasingly fitted for the sphere of His holiness. The trouble that God has with His people forces Him to severe disciplinary measures, or chastening. But God does not educate in order to achieve an ideal; He watches over His people’s faithfulness, which He intends should flow from trust and from that constant readiness to hear and truly listen which arises from obedience ( to the prophetic message). This education by God, which Israel is ever trying to escape, although for its own good, is shared equally by all members of the nation. There is no special religious education of the young. It is God who educates, and the upbringing of children takes place within the sphere of this God who instructs in love and punishes because of the recalcitrance of His own.
The educational aim of God is to lead His people ( ministry not tyranny) to the realization that they owe their existence to the saving will of Yahweh alone, and therefore owe obedience to their divine instructor ( Deut. 8:1-6). “
Stop – take a breath ---
Page 777
“How does the education of the young proceed in Israel ? God commands that they obey their parents, who are next to Him in importance. The father acts like a priest to the family. He hands on the tradition to the family; he does so in answer to the question of his children ( see Exodus 12:26 ff), and his answer is a confession of God’s saving activity towards Israel. The children are told of this not only in words, but also by means of impressive signs in the form of monumental stones ( Joshua 4:6,21). Education takes place in the execution of justice ( see Achan /and Deut 21:21), and in the teaching of the law. There is no theory of education, no special institutions; but the young become accustomed to the life of the nation, which stands under the loving discipline of God. Watching and listening, they enter into the inheritance of their forefathers. For he who hears aright will obey.”
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