Did you ever realize that the longest love poem in the Bible is not directed to a wife from a husband but to God’s Word itself? Psalm 119 is the largest of the psalms and bigger than 30 entire books in the Bible. This poem is an acrostic, which means that it is organized according to the alphabet. Broken down into 22 stanzas consisting of 8 verses, each stanza begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The first eight lines each start with the first letter of the alphabet (aleph), the second eight lines with the second letter (beth), and so forth.
And this poem is all about the Word of God. In fact, the author of the psalm finds himself so enamored with God’s Word that he basically refers to it in every single one of the lines of the poem. One word itself does not suffice for how he chooses to reference God’s Word. Instead, he needs to use nine different terms. He speaks of God’s “law,” “testimonies,” “ways,” “precepts,” “statutes,” “commandments,” “judgments,” “word,” and “ordinances.” He cannot speak enough about the Word of God.
Several times the psalmist mentions how he delights in God’s Word (vv. 16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 174). For him, Scripture is more desirable than any material treasure. “I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches” (v. 14). “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver” (v. 72). “Therefore I love Your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold” (v. 127). He certainly could sing that he “would rather have Jesus than silver or gold.” His love for God leads him to have a love for His Word that He has spoken to us. Such should be the desire for every Christian. Since God’s written Word points us to the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we love, we should have a similar attitude as that of the psalmist. Treasuring His Word far more than any earthly riches we may ever hold.
This delight in God’s Word greatly impacts how this man approaches the Word. He doesn’t just look at it once a week or a few minutes each day. It is constantly on his mind. He talks of meditating on the Word (vv. 15, 23, 48, 78, 148). “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (v. 97). He ponders the Word as he goes about the chores and tasks of his day. He states that he has “stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (v. 11). In order for him to do this, he must have been striving to become very familiar with God’s Word; both what it says and what it means. There seems to be the idea of him working to have it memorized here. How else can one “store” something in their heart?
The author of this grand poem even is thankful that he suffered because it caused him to learn more about God’s Word. “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (v. 71). He recognized that the trial or tribulation that he had to go through, which he never identifies anywhere in this psalm, had a silver lining as it produced a greater understanding of what God has said. Rather than complaining concerning his difficult experience, he rejoices. He recognizes that he would not have known God’s Word as much had he not gone through whatever the situation might have been. Do we ever think about how God may use hard situations to help us understand His Word better? To move us to trust Him more by taking Him at His Word? Or better yet, do we rejoice in our trials, knowing that in God’s purpose, we will come to know Him better in the revelation of Himself in His Word?
One thing this psalm certainly shows us is just how important the Word of God must be in a Christian’s life. So significant that we can’t just leave our Bibles sit on the shelf. Or substitute a daily Bible reading with a short quick devotion that tells a nice little story but only briefly mentions a verse of Scripture. I want to encourage you this upcoming year to make time to really read and study God’s Word. To set aside time each day to commune with God by reading a few chapters of Scripture. R. C. Sproul has stated that the real problem why so many of us are lax in our Bible study habits is not because we don’t understand the Bible or lack a desire to read it, but it stems from us being lazy. Reading and studying the Bible daily indeed is work and does take discipline. To help the congregation in which I serve in getting better at developing a necessary habit of Bible reading, I have invited them to join with me in following a Bible reading plan for the upcoming year that will take us through the entire Bible. I encourage those few who might happen to read this blog to find a good Bible plan and seek to read through the entire Bible this upcoming year as well. (If you would like some Bible plans to consider, or to join with the Mt. Joy congregation in the plan we will be following, please let me know.) Let’s pray that God would use our time in the Word each day to create in us the same passion and desire we witness in the 119th Psalm and further conform us into the image of His beloved Son.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Lee
Uplifting thoughts, notes of encouragement, and exegetical insights from God's Word of a young man following God's call into pastoral ministry.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Evidence of a True Believer-Part 3
The past few months we have been looking at the characteristics of a true believer in Christ. The evidence in one’s life that demonstrates them to have been born again by God’s Holy Spirit and having been made into a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). The difference that a saving encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ makes in one’s life. What actions and affections show one to be a true possessor of Christ and not a mere professor of Him. The deeds that demonstrate a living faith.
We have turned to the book of 1 John to examine some of this evidence as he provides concrete examples of what the heart of a genuine Christian should resemble. So far in our study we have seen that a true believer desires to be obedient to Jesus’ commands, has a genuine love for other believers, denies the world, and remains in Christ. Such should be noticed, in some capacity, in the life of one who has repented of their sins and trusted in Christ alone for their salvation.
The apostle gives even more evidence than these in his letter. He also states that a true believer in Christ will practice righteousness. He says, “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29). In the original Greek that this verse was written in, it says “everyone also who practices righteousness HAS BEEN BORN OF HIM.” In other words, the one who practices righteousness reveals that they have already been born of God. The practice of righteousness serves as an indication that they have been saved. It is a necessary fruit of their faith.
The word for “practice” basically means “do.” The one who has been born again in turn “does” righteousness. And this is in the present tense, conveying a continuous action. Righteousness should be a habit we see in the believer’s life. Now, does this mean that a true Christian will never sin? Of course not! John would be contradicting himself if that was what he intended to say here because earlier he acknowledged that no believer can deny their sin and points to Christ’s work on the cross as the only hope he has when he does sin (1 John 1:8-2:2). What he is saying here is that a Christian will be striving and growing in righteousness. Like Paul, he recognizes that he has not “already become perfect” or “laid hold” of this goal but continues to press forward to achieve it (Philippians 3:12-14). When he fails, which he will, it grieves him and, with the grace that God gives, he picks himself up to practice righteousness again. The Christian continues to grow in this area as they mature though sometimes it may seem as if they are taking three steps forward and two steps back.
The very reason why a righteous life must characterize a Christian is because it characterizes God Himself. Notice that John states that the reason why we can “know” that “everyone also who practices righteousness has been born of [God]” is because we “know that He is righteous.” Sons resemble their fathers in various ways. Not only in their appearance but also in their actions. They will often pick up the habits of their dads. Likewise, there should be an expectation that the one who has been adopted as a child of God through their faith in His Son will resemble the One they can rightfully call Father. They will practice righteousness just as He Himself is righteous.
This serves as a distinguishing mark of a Christian. Later in the letter John even says, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10). The one who does not continually practice righteousness but maintains an ongoing practice of unrepentant sin in their life we are told does not belong to God. Instead, he or she would be classified as a child of the devil, the one who “has sinned from the beginning” (1 John 3:7-8). There is a reason why Paul can confidently state that those who remain characterized by certain sins have no place in the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Because if one has been “washed,” “sanctified,” and “justified,” they would leave such sins behind and strive to practice righteousness instead (v. 11).
Do you see such characteristics in your life? A desire to be obedient to Jesus’ commands. A genuine love for other believers. A denial of the world and its philosophy. Continuing in the faith and remaining in Christ. Practicing righteousness. According to John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they should be there if you have been born again and are a Christian. While these will not be perfect in any believer’s life, they should be present in every believer’s life. Are they in yours?
Love in Christ,
Pastor Lee
We have turned to the book of 1 John to examine some of this evidence as he provides concrete examples of what the heart of a genuine Christian should resemble. So far in our study we have seen that a true believer desires to be obedient to Jesus’ commands, has a genuine love for other believers, denies the world, and remains in Christ. Such should be noticed, in some capacity, in the life of one who has repented of their sins and trusted in Christ alone for their salvation.
The apostle gives even more evidence than these in his letter. He also states that a true believer in Christ will practice righteousness. He says, “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29). In the original Greek that this verse was written in, it says “everyone also who practices righteousness HAS BEEN BORN OF HIM.” In other words, the one who practices righteousness reveals that they have already been born of God. The practice of righteousness serves as an indication that they have been saved. It is a necessary fruit of their faith.
The word for “practice” basically means “do.” The one who has been born again in turn “does” righteousness. And this is in the present tense, conveying a continuous action. Righteousness should be a habit we see in the believer’s life. Now, does this mean that a true Christian will never sin? Of course not! John would be contradicting himself if that was what he intended to say here because earlier he acknowledged that no believer can deny their sin and points to Christ’s work on the cross as the only hope he has when he does sin (1 John 1:8-2:2). What he is saying here is that a Christian will be striving and growing in righteousness. Like Paul, he recognizes that he has not “already become perfect” or “laid hold” of this goal but continues to press forward to achieve it (Philippians 3:12-14). When he fails, which he will, it grieves him and, with the grace that God gives, he picks himself up to practice righteousness again. The Christian continues to grow in this area as they mature though sometimes it may seem as if they are taking three steps forward and two steps back.
The very reason why a righteous life must characterize a Christian is because it characterizes God Himself. Notice that John states that the reason why we can “know” that “everyone also who practices righteousness has been born of [God]” is because we “know that He is righteous.” Sons resemble their fathers in various ways. Not only in their appearance but also in their actions. They will often pick up the habits of their dads. Likewise, there should be an expectation that the one who has been adopted as a child of God through their faith in His Son will resemble the One they can rightfully call Father. They will practice righteousness just as He Himself is righteous.
This serves as a distinguishing mark of a Christian. Later in the letter John even says, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:10). The one who does not continually practice righteousness but maintains an ongoing practice of unrepentant sin in their life we are told does not belong to God. Instead, he or she would be classified as a child of the devil, the one who “has sinned from the beginning” (1 John 3:7-8). There is a reason why Paul can confidently state that those who remain characterized by certain sins have no place in the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Because if one has been “washed,” “sanctified,” and “justified,” they would leave such sins behind and strive to practice righteousness instead (v. 11).
Do you see such characteristics in your life? A desire to be obedient to Jesus’ commands. A genuine love for other believers. A denial of the world and its philosophy. Continuing in the faith and remaining in Christ. Practicing righteousness. According to John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they should be there if you have been born again and are a Christian. While these will not be perfect in any believer’s life, they should be present in every believer’s life. Are they in yours?
Love in Christ,
Pastor Lee