The Just Shall Live By Faith, #4

The Righteous Person Shall Live By Faith.

“But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:38–39, NASB95)   The Scripture is not inhabited by superhumans, but by ordinary folk who walk and talk like the rest of we mere mortals. I'm not denying the miraculous. You find that in scripture, but interwoven with the mind-boggling we find the mundane. The angel who caused Peter's chains to fall off of him, and enabled the Apostle to just walk by the guards, told him to put on his own robe and shoes. Jesus fed the 5,000 and the 4,000, but the Disciples had to gather the leftovers. That basic humanness is not only seen on the front side of the Bible, but when you look behind the screen at those to whom the various books are written, you see a motley crew, much like us. One of the similarities is the people wanted something that they could touch and see, and carry in their pocket. The tendency comes out in our first-cousin Thomas--good oldDoubting Thomas. It's a family trait, isn't it? “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Let's not be too hard on him. The other Apostles had seen the marks. Later Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who believe without seeing. This is a tension that comes through very clearly in the book of Hebrews. The writer of the book, again and again, makes known the superiority of Christianity over Judaism, yet it is clear that the people to whom he is writing were tempted to go back to the old ways, just as their ancestors had turned back to idolatry when they "threw [their gold] into the fire, and out came this calf" (Exodus 32:24). What is the way of life of the Christian? What do we hold on to? What do we look at? For the third time the New Testament quotes from the Prophet Habakkuk. "The just shall live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4) The writer of Hebrews goes on to tell us a bit about faith.     “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, NASB95)   I tend to think of faith as an act. There was a point in time when Ibelieved. Faith, though, needs to be a way of life. As I walk in faith, God gives assurance and conviction, but believe, I must. It's a bit like getting out of bed, some days it is harder than others, but it's worth the effort.   It's STTA (Something To Think About).

I Can Walk. Where Am I Going?

I saw a man walking this morning with a gait I've seen hundreds of times. His slow, short steps, stooped posture and expressionless face reminded me of folk I'd seen in hospitals or nursing homes. Their doctor had just told them they could take a short walk. Usually pushing an IV pole, they would go a few yards down the hall and back. The combination of pain, stiffness, and concern not to do any harm eliminated any possibility of conversation. In those circumstances, it takes all of one's concentration to move one foot in front of the other and stay upright. This man wasn't in a hospital or a nursing home, though. He was at least a half a mile out on a walking route where my wife and I exercise, and he was going away from the starting line. Kathy and I walk fast. We are sort of proud of the record we have on that route--no walkerspass us--but that guy was way ahead of me. If I had to guess, I'd say he was dealing with the aftermath of a stroke. What impresses me is He is dealing with it. Not the other way around. He seemed to list to one side a bit, but his determination kept him moving straight ahead. As I walked by the man I thought about what he is dealing with, and all that I'm not dealing with, and all that I'm blessed with, and I asked myself,  "What am I doing with what I've got?" It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Faithfulness:

Something To Think About, Faithfulness:

Faithfulness has to be an ever present reality. 1 Corinthians 4:2 is perhaps the preeminent passage of scripture in the Bible about being a steward.  What is required is faithfulness.     “In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” I think the Apostle Paul had a story the Lord Jesus had told in mind when he wrote this.    ““Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. “Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. “Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. “Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.” (Luke 12:35–38, NASB95)    Being faithful/trustworthy part of the time won't get the job done.  "It is required" is a present-tense concept.  When is it not required?  Never. The revealing moment is when one is found.  When will that be?  We don't know. If you are young, start now being trustworthy.  The Lord has given you abilities, resources and gifts.  Use them faithfully. If you are in the middle of life, continue on.  Sometimes it will be slog on, faithfully.  Show yourself to be trustworthy concerning the tasks the Lord has given you. If you are old, know that you can't quit.  Finish well.  Though you may have been faithful in earlier years, you don't want to be found less than trustworthy, now. It's STTA. You'll find some guidelines for preparation here.

Keeping My Feet On The Ground:

I look forward to heaven, but my address is still 2106 S. Carpenter Drive.  As I pointed out yesterday, I need to leave final relocation plans to the Lord.

As I think about those I have known,  personally, and through scripture, I can think of no one more heavenly minded than the Apostle Paul.  I also know of no one who kept his well-worn sandals more firmly on Terra-firma than the Apostle from Tarsus.  In fact, by keeping his eye on eternity he found motivation to keep going down here.

 

 After  stating "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ," Paul goes on to say, "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men."

 

While interpreters disagree as to just what the "upward" or "high" call of Christ is in Philippians 3:14, it is clear that it is "heavenward" (NIV).  This motivated Paul to "Press on . . ."

 

He labored with the realization that there was something to be lost.  He did not want to be disqualified from the race he was running.  Rather he looked forward to receiving the prize.  ". . . woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"  

   "Run in such a way that you may win [the prize]."   He says no sacrifice is too great.  Comparing the race he was running to that of the athletes at the Isthmian Games, the Apostle said "They . . . do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."  On that basis he found no effort in fulfilling his ministry too great.  I think he would have liked the song, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus."  (You can read about Paul's heaven-earth reasoning in 1 Corinthians 9.)

Indeed, it seems that all of Paul's life was tied up in heavenly investments.  He clearly lived out the Lord's admonition to "lay up treasures in heaven."  Concerning the Christians at Thessalonica, people in whom he had invested his life, he said, "[You are my] hope or joy or crown of exultation. . . . For you are our glory and joy."  (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

The Apostle's focus on heaven was not a distraction.  It kept his focus clear.rd,

It's STTA.

It's Not Fair!

"It's not fair!"  You don't actually find the words in the text, but they would certainly make an excellent sidebar to the story the Lord told.  A landowner needed people to work on his farm.  He went to the place where the day laborers gathered and hired a group, telling them he would pay them the standard rate.  At various times during the day he returned to the manpower facility and hired more workers.  There was no contract, he simply told them, "whatever is right I will give you."  The workers had to trust him to do right.  The last batch of workers he hired showed up at the farm just one hour before quitting time.  
At the end of the day the employer lined up his workers.  He first paid those who had only worked an hour.  They must have been overjoyed when they received a full-day's pay.  The average day-laborer of the time lived a hand to mouth existence.  What they could earn in a day was sufficient to support life for a day.  These men, because no one had hired them in the morning, faced the prospect of a hungry night, but here it was: a whole day's pay!  Those who had worked all day, observing that the workers who had barely broken a sweat were paid a day's wage, naturally figured that they would be paid more.  No wonder when they were paid the same they "grumbled at the land owner."   
You read it for yourself.  It is a story of grace.  What the workers took home was not determined by how hard or long they worked, but by the graciousness of the landowner.  "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?"
Inherent in the concept of grace is unfairness-or at least the perception thereof.  If you are getting more than you earned that is wonderful.  If you perceive that you are not getting a fair shake . . .
People look at a passage of scripture like John 3:16
, the passage we are looking at this Sunday morning at CBC, with its "whosoever believeth," and say "That's not fair.  You mean to tell me that this person with all the bad things-really bad things-they have done can be forgiven just by their believing?"   Yes, that is what I mean.  It appears to me that is what Jesus meant when he told the thief on the cross "Today you will be with me in Paradise."  (Luke 23:43) Or what Paul said to the Philippian jailer in reply to his question about salvation, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, and your household."  (Acts 16:31)
It's not fair, but it is wonderful.
Stay tuned.

It's STTA.

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Demas?

"Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone. . . ." (2 Timothy 4:10)

I've been wondering about Demas for a while.

During the imprisonment when the Apostle Paul wrote several of the New Testament Epistles, Demas was there with the "Prisoner of Christ." Apparently he was well known in the Christian community; Paul passed greetings from him to the believers at Colossae and to Philemon. (Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24) He is called a fellow worker. Being on the same team as the great Apostle is quite a line for ones resume.

But at the end of Paul's life, Demas had decided to go elsewhere. He wanted something else. He forsook his old friend. I wonder what was in Thessalonica that attracted him so? Based on some Demases I have known, and the inner Demas that tempts me, here are some possibilities:

• There is short-term enjoyment in sin. Moses turned it down in favor of permanent benefits. (Hebrews 11:25-26) Demas may have been looking over Paul's shoulder, when he wrote, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.". (Colossians 3:2) Like the prodigal son, though, he decided in favor of the here and now.
  
• I figure that Demas didn't make the decision all at once. Certainly Lot--an Old Testament counterpart--didn't. You can follow his decline in Genesis 13. He looked, chose, and moved toward that wicked place. He was a part of the City of Sodom in chapter 14 and when we get to chapter 19, he has become a leader there.
  
• There is a need for constant vigilance. "Be sober, be on the alert." Why, because the enemy of God's people, one who is integrally involved in and holds power over this world, goes about like a lion looking for a meal. (1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 2:2, & 1 John 5:19)
  
• Maybe Demas had watched Paul be treated badly and decided he wanted better, not taking into consideration that by walking away from what seemed negative he was forsaking the infinitely positive. It takes grace to rejoice that you have "been considered worthy to suffer shame for Hisname." (Acts 5:41)

I'm sure Paul wrote about his friend and former co-worker with a great deal of sadness. I'm not sure exactly what happened to Demas. I'm looking to God's grace to keep it from happening to me

Lord, keep me from following the pattern of Demas. May I be faithful like Timothy. Amen.

It's STTA.