God’s Not Dead

Is who we are determined by how we look or what we do? We tend to identify ourselves with how we look (tall, short, thin, heavy, blond, brunette), what we do (clerk, cashier, lawyer, banker), and even our denomination or doctrinal position (Baptist, Methodist, Calvinist, Armenian, Dispensationalist).  Who we really are is far more than what we see on the outside. How we act is rooted in how we perceive ourselves. We live out of our identity.

“Gentile” is a word describing who we were outside of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 10:32, there are three groups of people listed: Jews, Gentiles and the church of God. We find our true identity in one of those three groups.

“This I say therefore” – Up to this point in Ephesians, Paul has been describing the identity of the Body of Christ and our individual part in it. But if you continue to perceive yourself as who you were before becoming part of this interconnected organism of redeemed souls, you will continue to act accordingly.

“that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk” – Based on who we now know ourselves to be in Christ and part of His Church, we should no longer live like those outside of Christ. We should not think of ourselves as Gentiles but rather we are children of the Most High God.

“in the vanity of their mind” – This is how the unsaved think. Outside of Christ, there is a spiritual void that leads to futile thoughts or empty purpose. This is why so many people who seem to have all the money and success in the world still cannot find fulfillment. Living without a sense of spiritual identity creates a life that can only find temporary physical satisfaction in the next high or more intense thrill.

Are you feeling empty today and struggling? You are more than a physical shell. In Christ you are more than a “sinner saved by grace.” Because you are part of His Body, you are an important part of what God is doing today. You are somebody that God designed and intends to use for His purpose. Start thinking of yourself according to who you are now, not who you were before salvation. Allow your life to conform to that identity. You can live a different and fulfilled life starting today, regardless of your circumstances, by discovering who you really are.

Q&A: Notorious pastors atheist son speaks out at Reason Rally.

(John 18:38) “Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? …”

• If there is absolute truth, it is it’s own standard of what is true
• If there is absolute truth, it cannot change, otherwise there would be the capacity for it to be false
• If there is final objective truth, I do not have the capacity to change it but it has the capacity to change me
• If there is final objective truth, it is still true even when everyone else disagrees
• If there is absolute truth, it is still true even when it is outlawed by man
• If there is absolute truth, it is still true even when society considers it outdated
• If there is final objective truth, by definition it has been devised and declared outside the realm and mind of man
• If the truth is absolute, final and objective, I may only move my thinking closer to it – I cannot move it closer to my thinking

We just had a triathlon in our city. Even though I run occasionally, it was no surprise that I did not compete. I’m what you call a “casual runner.” I try hard but I wouldn’t call what I do “training.” So what sets a triathlon athlete apart from the rest of us who run, bike or swim? After talking to a couple of people who compete, it’s obvious: They have a balanced, disciplined training program. Not only are triathletes dedicated, they focus on every body part, nutrition, and mindset. They put themselves daily in a well-rounded test of endurance that builds up the whole person.

The Bible describes the Church (every saved person) as the Body of Christ. This Body is designed for endurance, just like the triathlete. Just like an elite competitor, the Body of Christ has a purpose aimed at victory. But just like any athlete, the Body of Christ can be weakened or it can be made stronger. This verse in Ephesians gives 3 keys to understanding what it takes to make the Body stronger and ultimately, more useful and fit for the purpose of God.

Christ Is The Source

“From whom” points us back to the previous verse where the last word is “Christ.” Not only is He the Head, He also places each one of us into a particular place in the Body so that we are “fitly joined together.” In the big picture, this how we are supposed to function as the Church. We aren’t supposed to be a fragmented group of people with our own agendas. He places each one so that we fit together perfectly to work as one living organism.

 Every Person Is Important

“…compacted by that which every joint supplieth…” – compacted in the Greek means “to drive together, that is, unite.” There are no insignificant people in the Church. Regardless of our physical or mental abilities, as we are spiritually nourished, there is a strength we bring to the Body (Colossians 2:19). Our individual spiritual growth through understanding is intended to contribute to the strengthening of the entire Body. Unfortunately, too many people mistake intellectual understanding for spiritual growth. When they are around Christians who don’t understand as much as they do, they cut themselves off out of impatience. They wind up isolating themselves from the Body and often feel bitter or combative against other Christians. God designed us to work together and allow for others to grow in grace. Every Christian working in close contact with other Christians is critical.

Love Is The Key Ingredient

Love is the key to strength in the Body. Without love, there is no growth. It is the motivation behind grace. If we truly lived under grace, wouldn’t love be our identifying characteristic? If every Christian would value and esteem all the other Christians more than they value and esteem themselves – without conditions – what kind of revolution could we have in the Church?

We need a stronger Church today – will you do your part?

In this one verse, we find the foundation needed to train every preacher going through Bible college or seminary. This verse answers three fundamental questions about preaching. It is also a verse every one of us can use to evaluate whether the preaching is truly near the heart of God.

 What Is Being Preached?

“Speaking the truth” – In John 17:17, the Lord said “…Thy word is truth.” The Word of God is what should be preached. The pulpit is not the place to share an opinion, a book report, or the latest movement in psychology. In your church, is the Bible the basis and foundation for every sermon? Sure, illustrations are great too but they are only meant to illustrate what is being said. Messages should not be built around a story. Messages should be built around the Word. Some people have natural talents to tell a funny story or engage people in a dramatic way. But God doesn’t call people because of their natural talents. God calls people to preach because He can use them to deliver His Word regardless of their talents. Listen carefully and ask yourself, “Is this person preaching the Word?”

 What Is The Heart Behind The Preaching?

“…in love…” – This should be the primary motivation for why preachers preach. I’ve heard many who use the pulpit as a hammer to beat up their listeners. They think they are doing people a favor but the delivery beats up the congregation so badly they live in continual guilt instead of the freedom that God’s Word is supposed to produce. The pulpit is not a place to satisfy or build up the self-esteem of the preacher. The pulpit is a sacred place for a man who is empty of self. Messengers who preach in hate or anger only produce the same in their audience. On the other hand, I’ve also heard preachers who want people to love them so much they aren’t willing to give them all of the truth. People walk away feeling great about themselves but they don’t walk away changed. Love is the primary motivation for grace. Grace changes people. The pulpit should be the place where grace is infused into the souls of human beings. Listen carefully and ask yourself, “Is this person preaching out of love?”

 What Is The Expected Outcome of Preaching?

“…may grow up into Him…” – Spiritual growth should be outcome expected. Spiritual growth should be the targeted of every sermon. The Lord Jesus Christ is the goal for every believer. As the truth becomes more and more part of the believer’s thinking, He becomes more and more prevalent in believer’s actions. If the truth is preached in love to a listener who is receiving with an open heart and open ears, then the eventual result should be a life that conforms to Christ. This is a crowning achievement to the glory of God. This is the design for preaching. Listen carefully and ask yourself, “Is the goal of this sermon to produce spiritual growth?”

After listening to a few sermons and answering the three questions, you will know the true spiritual temperature of the preacher and your church.

God intends for your life to have meaning, purpose and stability. Your life in Christ is meant to be anchored. The walk of faith is the walk of a spiritual adult. As an adult, you acknowledge there are people who want to use you for personal gain. You understand there are people who want to gain personal power at your expense. But truth protects you from these deceivers. As an adult, you measure what you hear and experience against what you know to be true. You have a Person who is a Perfect Standard and you have truth recorded in His Word. As an adult you don’t believe everything you see until you measure it against His Word. As an adult, you don’t believe every voice that sounds spiritual until you measure it against His Word. As an adult, you don’t follow your emotions but rather let your emotions follow your faith.

Your stability depends on the body of doctrine residing within you. Sound doctrine is the anchor protecting you from going after a man, a doctrine or a church that would lead you away from Christ. When the sea of religion is tossing and turning around you, know Who you believe and why you believe it. You have stability and adulthood because you are able to measure everything against what you know to be true. The goal of pastors and teachers should be to bring you into knowledge of the truth that gives you this capacity to have stability in your walk of faith. If you want to have a sense of meaning and purpose in your life, you must surround yourself with those who pave the road for your spiritual stability.

Christians aren’t perfect. That doesn’t surprise you does it? We all have our flaws and issues. In Ephesians 4:12, we see the ongoing work of “perfecting” in the life of the saints. This isn’t about becoming sinless. “Perfecting” is the active work of God to change our lives into the type of life God intended when He saved us. The goal is for us to grow up and live in full spiritual maturity. Christ is the standard. Spiritual maturity is not measured by what we know but by how much our lives resemble His life. As we think with a renewed mind more and more as He thinks, we begin to act more and more as He acts. Our lives here on this earth begin to resemble more and more what our life will be like in Heaven. We begin to reflect our true identity in Christ. This is the point and goal of perfecting the saints. This is the long term view of true ministry work.

One day, we will all be unified in our faith. This is our potential as a Body. It’s at that point that we will reach a fulfilled knowledge of Christ and attain in our experience the full spiritual adulthood that matches the freedom and privileges we already have in Him. This is our potential individually. Until then, we each grow at a different rate and have an individual understanding of the faith. Today our faith looks at potential in the future from a point of reference based on how much we’ve grown. On the day when we are all unified in Him, our potential will become our reality. He is our potential. We will have real unity by experiencing the same intimate knowledge of Christ. This picture of the future is also the promise that our failures will not abide forever.

Until the time when we no longer have to live with our flaws and mistakes, God uses ministry and ministers to help us in the faith, help us to know Christ intimately, and help us grow up into a mature reflection of Him. This is the process of “perfecting.” It gives us a glimpse of heaven as we become the living products of the cross and the resurrection. Even though we may suffer the consequences of the past, we can live beyond the past because Christ does not dwell on the past. This is also what allows a local church to be a small picture of heaven if Christ is truly at the center and the source of spiritual growth and life.