Last week we looked at the importance of declaring war against our own sinful flesh and we uncovered and examined some truths about the nature of this war.  In brief summary, we outlined 3 key strategies in declaring this war: 1) Don’t conform to the world 2) Renew your Mind 3) Put on Christ and realize your identity in Him.  If you remember, this third strategy is where our true power lies, by realizing that this fight of the flesh in our battle toward holiness cannot come from any internal power of our own, but instead from the power of Christ living in us.  It’s on this point that we must advance and avoid the wartime ambush.

Picture it like this, you’ve declared war against sin, against your own sinful nature, against your fleshly desires of anger, greed, lust, fear, anxiety, money, power, selfishness, racism, hatred, every ungodly impulse that runs through your body and you’ve developed your battle plan, a list of do’s and don’ts that are sure to make you victorious.  Just like the troops ready to storm the beaches at Normandy, you too are ready to begin your war.  There’s only one problem, that list of do’s and don’ts, the warfare strategy that you thought would be so helpful, has actually disarmed you and is sending you into battle with no weapon in hand.  This is quite the precarious situation, because surely you cannot do battle without a plan, yet to proceed into war without a weapon would be spiritual suicide.  This is why the third strategy from above is so critical; your warfare strategy must come from a total reliance on Christ.  It is He that arms you with His Spirit. 

Let me attempt to put this in terms we can relate to.  Suppose in your declaration of war, you resolve that you will not lose your temper toward your children, spouse, co-worker, friend, etc. for 6 months.  That’s a goal you’ve created in order to wage your war.  What happens when you lose your temper and get angry after the first week?  Have you already lost the battle?  Will you start the 6-month period again?  What would be the point in that?  A second scenario might be that you’ve decided to avoid all lusts of the flesh and after a few months have passed you are able to look back and say, “I haven’t committed a lustful sin in 7 months 4 days and 3 hours.”  This is equivalent to building the Titanic and declaring that God Himself cannot sink it.  That “sinless” streak will end nearly as soon as your Pharisaic declaration has been made.  How then did our “list” strategy fail us?  Especially when we had intentions of doing good.  These lists that we like to create are really no different than what the Apostle Paul addresses in Romans chapter 8, because just like the “Law” that he speaks of, our lists cannot sanctify us, only Jesus Christ working in us through His Spirit can bring us progressively closer to Christ-likeness.

In Romans 8:3 ESV Paul states, ‘For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.  By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.”  The law that Paul speaks of here, namely the Mosaic Law (10 Commandments), is perfectly Holy, perfectly good, but our sinful flesh is unable to uphold them, just like we are unable to keep those lists we created.  If you remember, in our last post we said that legalism was “doing” works, i.e. law keeping, in attempt to gain right standing with God.  Legalism (”law-keeping/list-making”) can’t improve our standing or justify us, just like it can’t move us toward holiness, or sanctification.  The same principle is at work here; we must be totally dependent on Christ trusting in Him that, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 ESV

Our instruction from Jesus is to obey the law, to follow the commandments that God has outlined for us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15 ESV The law however, reveals areas of personal weakness (Romans 5:20) in our hearts that needs to be changed.  But the law, and to a lesser extent our list based on the law, isn’t a personal improvement plan; it’s a standard of holiness, one that without Christ at work in our lives any attempt to uphold it would be futile.  How then can we move toward holiness and progress in our sanctification without checking off a list of do’s and don’ts?  By loving Jesus.  If you love Him, you WILL keep His commandments.  It’s conditional on love, not on list keeping.  Do you want to move toward victory in your war?  “This land cannot be entered by moral effort or by moral attainment.” (A. Redpath). It can only be entered by the redeeming blood of the Savior Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of His Holy Spirit within us.  Run to Jesus and love Him, treasure Him, obey Him, and you will have victory.

“Absolute triumph is achieved only in response to utter obedience.”

“For the greater the obedience, the greater the discipline, the greater the faith, the fuller and more complete the allegiance to our precious Lord, the more does the heart expand and receive more and more of Jesus.” A. Redpath- Victorious Christian Living

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies” Psalm 23:5a KJV

What are we to learn from the implications of this oft-overlooked but familiar passage?  Our Lord prepares a table for us to dine in the presence of our enemies.  It is He that is the Master of the house, selecting those who will dine, the lamb and the lion, friend and foe.  If yesterday’s post left you hungering for warfare against the enemies of your flesh, take comfort in knowing that they have no power or authority except that which is granted by the Lord God Himself.  He prepares the table in accordance with His will for you to know your enemies.  This isn’t a peacetime meal of two sworn enemies finally making a truce, it’s a declaration by God that you are His and that none shall harm you, yet at the same time an introduction to your adversary.  At the Lord’s Table, all your nourishment has been provided, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51 ESV) and your thirst satisfied, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14 ESV)

Consider for a minute Job, a pillar of faith and strength in the face of adversity.  Satan had no power, except that allowed by God, “And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” Job 1:12 ESV The table was prepared before Job and he had been given all that he needed at the supper of the Lord to withstand the attacks, knowing full well the Lord was in control at all times.  Remember also the “Rock” of the early church, Peter, as the Lord Jesus tells him of the enemy desires, “”Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.” (Luke 22:31 ESV)  Demand as he may, the enemy could not touch Peter except he go through the Lord first.  Take comfort in this Christian, it is God that prepares the table, never the enemy.  Christians, do not be afraid to dine with your enemies.  Get to know their strategies, methods, and your own exploited areas of weakness during this time and take heart in knowing that it is the Lord who has prepared this banquet and provided you with sustenance necessary for victory.

It’s been nearly a year since I asked the following questions on this blog, “What’s it going to take Christian?  What will it take for you to stand and say enough is enough?  What will it take to arm yourself with the sword of the Spirit and prepare yourself for this war?” If you read that post,  The Unseen War, or  Make War from October, or Battle Cry  in November, then you know this battle is not something to be taken lightly.  I would really like to know, why it is that most Christians are not only unwilling to fight, but most don’t even realize there is a war going on? 

Pastor John Piper puts it like this,

“Until you believe that life is war - that the stakes are your soul - you will probably just play at Christianity with no bloodearnestness and no vigilance and no passion and no wartime mindset.  If that is where you are [this morning], your position is very precarious. The enemy has lulled you into sleep or into a peacetime mentality, as if nothing serious is at stake. And God, in His mercy, has you here [this morning], and had this sermon appointed to wake you up, and put you on a wartime footing.”

If you’re reading this message today, then I pray too that God would have mercy and awaken you to the battle that is taking place.  It’s literally all around us and it is taking place on multiple fronts.  It’s an unseen war, but the casualties are very real, very visible. The primary front where the war is taking place lies within you.  Be honest, did you ever think that 24/7 there is a war going on right inside of you?  It is a battle for your soul and if you are a Christian you need to be made fully aware of this fight, which you are equipped to defend yourself against, and that you should not be satisfied with anything less than victory. 

Have you ever wondered why it is that you have so much inconsistency in your Christian walk with God?  Consider the ups and downs, triumphs and failures that seem to happen so frequently in your life, as though you were being tossed around like a ship at sea.  Maybe you make it a week reading the Bible consistently, only for it to make it back to the shelf for a month.  Perhaps you are battling a particular sin: lust, alcoholism, laziness, gluttony, anger, greed, indifference to everything that doesn’t include you, pride, fear, or jealousy.  You want to fight and make some progress, but can never seem to claim victory.  Do you know why that is Christian?  It’s because you haven’t declared war!

Author Alan Redpath offers the following statement, “Every gain I have made in Christian character will be resisted by the devil down to the end of life’s journey, and there will be no personal experience of the power of Jesus Christ in victory until I declare war on sin.”  Do you get that Christian?  This isn’t a game.  Christianity is not a show up once a week and play church.  “Christianity is not a settle-in-and-live-at-peace-with-this-world-the-way-it-is kind of religion, like most Christians live there daily lives.”  It’s a war.  Yet it’s not a war against anyone else, but against every one of those sinful desires that are battling inside of you.  As the Apostle Paul states in Romans 8:13 ESV, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  Each of us needs to come to the realization that “The only foothold Satan has in your life is your flesh and your sin.”  Now read that second part of Romans 8:13 again, “put to death the deeds of the body”, that’s war!  That is an all out war against sin and you need to learn how to fight. 

How then do we fight?  Romans 12:2 ESV states, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  The First assault for you to make in this war is to break free from the world, “Do not be conformed to this world.”  The pattern of the world lies to you and makes you believe that you have rights and freedoms that you can enjoy because after all it’s your life right?  The world tells you that it’s all about you, about you making money, you having a nice job, you having a big house, you having a new car, you saving for retirement.  What about God?  The world also lies to us and wants us to make peace with sin.  For instance, it’s not ok to make peace with pornography, it’s not ok to make a few clicks of the mouse and visit certain sites.  It’s not ok to go out drinking with the “guys/gals” or to subject yourself to offensive language in Rated-R movies or Explicit Lyrics music.  It is not ok to make peace with anger, greed, pride, or laziness because you are resolved that “this is who I am, so I might as well live with it.”  No, all of those are conforming to the world’s pattern and making peace with sin. 

You’re probably thinking, “wait a second, this sounds like legalism, you can’t say what I can and can’t do.  I’ve got rights and freedoms.”  It’s not legalism, dear friend, it’s holiness, it’s living Christ-like and trusting in Him to complete the good work He has started in you.  Legalism means that you are depending on your “good works” or morality to improve your standing with God.  Sanctification, or the process toward holiness, is wholly dependent on Christ, who has not only justified your standing with God if you’ve trusted Him as Savior, but it is Christ continuing to work in your life to make you more like Him.  It’s understanding that your power to fight doesn’t come from within, but instead comes from Jesus Christ.  It’s knowing that, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 ESV 

The second advancement in this war is found in the latter part of Romans 12:2 ESV, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Renewing your mind comes from thinking not on the everyday trivialities of this world, like money, a big house, or nice/new car, but on eternal things, like treasuring the Son of God, worshiping and loving the Lord, serving others.  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 ESV Have you ever thought about just taking off a day of work to spend time with the Lord, or to do something for someone other than yourself?  What about focusing on your relationship with Christ, instead of focusing on the fleeting material possessions of this world?  What about filling your mind with Scripture, not just the lyrics of your favorite song or catchy sitcom phrases.  This is the renewal of your mind.

The third wave of your attack in this war on sin is to realize your identity in Christ and that if you have trusted Him as your Savior then He has given you the Holy Spirit to help you wage your war.  Just like we alluded to earlier, this is where your true power towards victory comes from.  Ephesians 1:4-14 describes perfectly this identity we have in Christ.  1) vs. 4, We are chosen in Him 2) vs. 4, We are to be holy and blameless before Him 3) vs. 7 We are redeemed in Him 4) vs. 11 We have obtained an inheritance in Him. 5) vs. 13 We are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  How can we  not win this war, if we have fully realized our position in Christ?  As the Apostle Paul writes in his Roman epistle, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 ESV Every morning we wake up, our goal should be to “put on Christ” so that we are “clothed with the armor of light” and prepared to face the battle of the day. 

Redpath tells us to declare total war in our souls, “against everything that has not yet been judged, condemned, and confessed before God.”  As Pastor Piper concludes, “So immerse your mind and heart in the fountain of truth and life and power - the promises of God, and when the temptation comes, take this all-satisfying word, this sword of the Spirit, and believe it, and by it sever the root of sin. Kill it.”  Isn’t it time to make war Christian?  If you don’t pick up the sword of the Spirit, the Bible, and engage in war, you will be swept away when the more difficult battles begin.  There is no sideline in warfare, the battle rages on and you can either be a casualty or a victor.

By Charles H. Spurgeon

Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” KJV

It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises.  We scarcely open the Bible before we read, The began men to call upon the name of the Lord; and just as we are about to close the volume, the Amen of an earnest supplication meets our ear.  Instances are plentiful.  Here we find a wrestling Jacob-there a Daniel who prayed three times a day-and a David who with all his heart called upon His God.  On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas.  We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises.  What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer?  We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in His Word, He intended to be conspicuous in our lives.  If He has said much about prayer, it is because we have much need of it.  So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray.  Dost thou want nothing?  Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty.  Hast thou no mercy to ask of God?  Then, may the Lord’s mercy show thee thy misery!  A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. 

Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus.  It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honor of a Christian.  If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father’s face and live in the Father’s love.  Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of His love.  Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master.  The motto for this year must be, Continue in prayer.

In the previous post  we established that Jesus is the perfect Bridegroom and has created an ideal model for each of us to follow and pattern in our own marital relationships.  If you haven’t read it, please take the time to do so, because it’s so foundational to marriages.  Not only has the marriage model been provided, but the Bible has established guidelines for us to adhere.  The first guideline is provided by Jesus in the Gospels and the second two are found in chapter 5 of Ephesians.  While the Bible is the ultimate authority on marriage with numerous guidelines to help us, today we will focus on 1) The marriage bond 2) Husbandry love 3) Bridal submission.  Each of these is core to the marriage vows that are taken at the altar, but their implementation comes straight from the Word of God.

Our first point comes from Mark 10:7-8 ESV, Jesus is in a dialogue with religious leaders regarding the rules of marriage.  These overly zealous men know the Scriptures and that is exactly what Jesus quotes to them in this passage as He states, “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’”  In this passage, Jesus is quoting Genesis 2:24 and not only do we see that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we get an intimate picture of what this is supposed to look like, “two shall become one flesh.”  How many times have we heard that marriage is 50/50 relationship?  Nothing could be further from the truth, in fact, it’s not even Biblical.  It’s 100/100, all of you joined with all of your spouse, together in one accord, one mind, one body, yet two souls joined in Christ.  And this last part is so critical.  If your life is not Christ-centered, or your spouse’s life is not Christ-centered, then your marriage will not be Christ-centered.  This, not finances, infidelity, incompatibility, nor falling out of love, is the number one cause of divorce.  The two shall become one flesh, with Christ as their center.    

Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  Men, the bar is raised high on this truth.  If you truly think about this passage, about what it means, then there is no need for books, classes, or counseling for how to be a better husband.  Don’t complicate it, simplify it, love your wife as Christ loved the church.  Give yourself completely to your wife in everything.  If Jesus had one single selfish motive in stepping down from heaven, becoming flesh, taking on our sins, and dying on the cross, then His mission would have been an abject failure.  He gave all of Himself, willingly, for His bride because that’s how much He loves and cares for her, unconditionally.  Should we be any different with our wives?  The Bible says no.  Lay down your life symbolically for your wife as Jesus laid down His physically for the church.  Put your selfish desires and wants to death and love your bride as Christ loved the church.   

In the same regard women have been given the following directive, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Ephesians 5:22-24 ESV  I realize this is often a point of contention in marriage vows because as soon as someone hears the word “submit” they immediately become defensive, taking the position of, “No man is going to tell me what to do.”  Really?  How much did Christ love you?  Enough to die on the cross for your sins?  Do you have a problem submitting to Him?  We’ve already discussed how the husband is to love his wife, and when you receive this kind of love, how can you not submit?  Now obviously we are not talking about an abusive submission, we are truly saying submitting to the love of Christ that is being shown by your husband.  That is what you have been called to do and it is your role in the marriage in the same regard as it is the Church’s role in its covenant with Jesus.

“Marriage is God’s showcase of covenant keeping grace.  In marriage, you live moment by moment in grace, the grace extended from Jesus Christ.  All of the Christian life is meant to display covenant grace, but marriage is a unique display.” (John Piper)  This unique display of grace is found when marital relationships are rooted in Christ.  This means Godly sorrow and repentance when wrongs are committed and the Grace of God extended in forgiveness, no matter what.  Every marital problem, every divorce, every blowup, every issue, argument and fight comes back to Jesus Christ.  If we are not centered in our own relationship with Christ, our marriages will be out of line.  If we are centered personally on Christ, yet not centered on Christ together, our marriages will be out of line.  Marriage is a Covenant Love, it’s covenant keeping, just as between Jesus and His bride.  Christ’s covenant is never broken and therefore neither should ours be.  Pastor John Piper points out that, “God patterned marriage after His Son and the relationship to His redeemed people.”  In this respect, marriage reflects the Gospel and neither should be mocked, dissolved, or entered into lightly.

The institution of marriage is under attack.  It has been and will continue to be more and more pervasive.  With that thought in mind, this post, which will be a series, has been on my mind for several months now.  It began when the Lord placed it on my heart with regard to the sweeping legislation to allow civil unions to be legalized, essentially ignoring all Biblical guidelines for marriage.  But this isn’t the only attack taking place, not even half of the battle.  Not surprisingly the second attack is divorce.  But before we look at either of these attacks, it’s important for us to lay the groundwork of the Biblical model for marriage, namely the marriage of Christ with His bride, The Church.

One of the more beautiful symbolisms of Christ and His relationship to His church is that of marriage.  Very few people in the Church understand this relationship and even fewer in the world.  John the Baptist uses this analogy in John 3:29 ESV, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.  The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.”  John’s statement here is that Jesus is the bridegroom, He is coming to declare His bride, and John himself is the “friend” of the bridegroom who rejoicing at the sound of Jesus’ voice.  To fully grasp this analogy we have to understand what is happening in the context of marriage with God the Father, God the Son, and the Church body, or body of believers.  Ephesians 1:4 ESV says, “even as He [God the Father] chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”  Don’t get lost or lose sight of the wedding analogy here.  God chose the bride for His Son Jesus, “before the foundation of the world.”  Jesus then purchased that bride, or keeping with the symbolism, paid the dowry, with His blood on the cross and He will unite with His bride at His second coming.  This is why the institution of marriage is so important, it represents Jesus and His love for His bride, all those who trust Him as Savior. 

With this model in mind, think about how we treat our Bridegroom.  We are idolatrous towards Him, chasing after money, material possessions, every fleeting pleasure, we are selfish, neglectful, and because of all these things we are adulterous in our covenant relationship with Jesus.  Yet if we are true believers, true partakers of this covenant, how many times has He left us?  Never.  He has every right to be unsatisfied, even angry, not to mention so painfully hurt with how we treat Him; this is His bride that He paid for with His life!  Even the most lavish wedding costs are merely monetary, yet Christ paid for His with His life and took all of the sins of His bride on Himself.    Oh how easy it would be, and deservedly so, for Jesus to divorce His adulterous bride.  Yet He promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” Hebrews 13:5 ESV and He keeps on forgiving His bride, keeps on loving her no matter what.

Pastor John Piper puts it like this, “Marriage represents covenant keeping love between Christ and His church.  It shows the truth of Christ’s love to the church and the devotion of the church to Jesus.”  Jesus always cares for His bride, never abandons her, never abuses her, always comforts her, always loves her, always protects her, always delights in her, and always welcomes her back when she strays.  He never, ever leaves His bride. Don’t miss this foundational point Christian, it’s so critical to see it.  That’s the standard that Christ has set for marriage, the bar is high, and the world simply cannot understand this without this model established by Jesus Christ.  Don’t play with this truth.  The apostle Paul emphasized this model and truth in Ephesians 5:31-32 ESV, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Marriage is a reflection of the covenant Christ has with His church and it puts this truth on display.  To break a marriage through divorce is to disregard Christ’s covenant with His church and if the covenant with Christ is ever broken, if He ever divorces His bride, then we have no hope, no eternal life, no salvation from sin or wrath, nothing.  That’s the importance of marriage, that’s the model Christ has provided, and it is not to be taken lightly.

In the next post, we’ll look at the Biblical guidelines for marriage.

Battles were waged. Daily, victory was declared.

Jericho’s walls were torn down.

On to the next battle we marched, not knowing defeat was near.

Lord why bring your people across the Jordan, to revival?

Wasn’t it safer on the other side?

Rise up Joshua!

Why do you lie on your face? Sin has entered the camp!

Victory will no longer be ours.

Get up! Sanctify the people!

Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow!

There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel.

The covenant of the Lord has been transgressed.

Do not hide your wrongdoing, give glory to the Lord, make confession!

The sin is buried under the tent.

Why have you troubled us with your offense? The Lord will trouble you this day!

The transgressor must be cast out.

Lord, have mercy on your people.

Turn from the fierceness of Your anger.

That we may have peace with you.

And return to Victory once again.

“Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have.” II Peter 1:12 ESV

As my first year of blogging here about the Word of God has concluded, I thought it best to look back over this year and see just what God has done in my life and the lives of those of you who read.  In doing this I wanted also to reexamine why it is that I write, or maybe even why you should read.  Throughout this year-long journey one thing has become overwhelmingly evident.  In order to effectively preach the Word, even in written form, one must spend time in the Bible daily, soaking up every message, every passage, every theme so that these truths may be passed on to others, specifically you. 

It’s often easy to get frustrated through a medium such as an internet blog, because of the distance between myself and those of you who read and also no doubt the irregularity with which some pass by here, so much so that admittedly I’ve sometimes wondered is this making a difference.  God often reminds me the answer to this question is unequivocally YES! because everything written here is a lesson I’m being taught.  I’m likewise encouraged by God’s promise that His Word will not come back to Him void, “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 ESV Through this promise, I’m increasingly encouraged by the emails or messages that you send that tell me how God is working in your lives, perhaps even through some posts written here and that’s what makes it all worth it. 

It’s far too easy to allow the enemy to trick my mind into becoming cynical and thinking that no one really wants to hear the Word of God speak to their lives.  That those who receive this blog, via email, Twitter, Facebook, or a simple Google search already know the Truth, so why then would they need to read the words written here?  The answer is so simple and it’s why Peter is writing to the churches of Asia Minor in the verse from his epistle above.  It’s why the Apostle Paul wrote his monumental letter to the church at Rome.  (Romans 15:15) To remind you.  Most likely those of you who are reading this have heard the Truth.  You have been preached and taught the Gospel, yet each one of us no matter how spiritually mature, no matter the level of education in theology, pastors, teachers, preachers, or those of us who slumber in our contentment with spiritual mediocrity, all of us need reminded of the qualities necessary in the Christian life.  So that is why I write, to “stir you up by way of reminder” that perhaps God may use these words to ignite a fire within you to “equip you” and “build up the Body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:12-13 ESV

So with this in mind, let’s briefly examine those qualities of which Peter reminds the churches. Beginning in II Peter 1:5 faith is the first characteristic that we see.  This is faith in Christ as Savior.  Faith that results in being justified, faith that Christ will complete the good work He has started in each of us who follow Him as Lord.  But that faith needs supplemented, this is a quick reminder that life doesn’t end at the point of salvation, it begins.  Your learning, your growth, even your faith, doesn’t stop, it is constantly progressing.  Peter instructs us to supplement our faith with virtue.  This isn’t a haughty proud look at me quality of moral goodness like the Pharisees might’ve had, but a genuine reflection of the Holy Spirit working in you.  It’s putting to death your old desires and passions that you had prior to your profession of faith, just as Romans 6:12 ESV says, “Let not sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.”  Be virtuous, seek to live pure.  Build upon your faith with a desire to do good, serve God, become involved, that others might see the virtue supplied by God shining forth in your life.    

But I want to remind you, do not merely let your faith carry you into service, grow also in the knowledge of God.  This is Peter’s second supplement to faith (vs. 6).  If you have faith in Christ, not only should you have a desire to do good and serve but also a desire to learn more about Him.  Study the Scripture, soak in His Word, meditate on it daily.  “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2 ESV  In this way you won’t be “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, [or] by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Ephesians 4:14 ESV Don’t be a reed tossed in the wind, be an oak tree solidified by the knowledge of Biblical truths.  Know what you believe and why.  Desire solid food and be not merely satisfied with milk. I Corinthians 3:2, Hebrews 5:12-13

Yet be reminded also Christian, to add not only virtue and knowledge to your faith, but develop self-control.  Peter’s third quality instructs us that once we have a virtuous desire to do good and we are increasing in our knowledge of God it becomes increasingly more necessary to develop self-control.  The Apostle Paul discusses his level of self-control in I Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”  The worst thing we can do as Christians is to bring shame to the name of Christ.  When we make our profession of faith, become involved in service through our desire to do good, increase in our knowledge of God, self-control becomes so paramount.  A desire should grow so strong within us to not only walk in a manner worthy of our calling so that we won’t cause others to stumble, but to control ourselves, flee from sin, lest we bring shame to Christ.

The fourth quality that we need to be reminded of is steadfastness or perseverance, which Peter mentions in vs. 6.  Nobody said walking the Christian life was going to be easy, in fact quite the contrary.  It is hard and there will be trials and tribulations.  We are constantly bombarded with not only spiritual attacks, but attacks on the flesh that seek to cause our stumble and fall.  This race is a marathon and it requires endurance (Hebrews 12:1), yet endurance requires nourishment through daily feeding on the Word of God and seeking Him daily in prayer.  “…so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” John 6:57 NKJV  

Be reminded also to add to your faith with godliness.  “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” I Timothy 4:8 ESV Godliness should become a way of life for all those that profess Christ as Savior.  We’ve heard the familiar verses of, I Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”, and Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Don’t just trivialize them, live them.

Finally be reminded of brotherly affection and love that Peter speaks of in vs. 7.  The Apostle Paul affirms this in Romans 13:8 ESV, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”  Love is the fulfillment of the law, the commandments that we’ve been given to follow, not merely the 10 that were etched in stone, but every Biblical command that we can find is fulfilled to the letter by love.  To actually “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” Matthew 22:37 ESV and to “love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22:39 ESV is so vital to our lives because everything depends on these two commands.

So I write to remind you Christians, of the faith you have and to add to it with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness and brotherly affection and love, so that you may be sanctified. I write to edify you that you may desire that Christ complete the good work in you and that you not be satisfied with the mediocrity of the world.  To walk worthy of the manner in which you were called that we all may mature to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”  I write to remind you to seek those things in heaven not things of this earth that fade away so temporally like vapors or dust in the wind.  Be reminded Christians, and live for Christ.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 ESV

If you’ve spent any time on this blog then you’ve likely seen that among the various topics and passages discussed the centrality of the message is one geared toward awakening those “Christians” that are slumbering or merely coasting through life in their relationship with Christ. In fact, maybe this best describes your situation right now. Perhaps you aspire for spiritual growth, but try as you might in your own strength, you simply are not progressing. Author Alan Redpath provides the following analysis, “Full blessing in the Christian life is not bestowed except to eager, hungry people who press in to receive it.” So if the full blessing comes  to those who hunger to grow in their relationship with Christ, how then does one develop this hunger?

In his book Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, author Francis Chan asks, “Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions?” His book provides answers to these questions and many more as Chan explores the depths of religious complacency in all of our lives and exposes us to thoughts about God, the Creator of the universe, who loves us with a “crazy, relentless, all-powerful love” that seeks to draw us ever closer into a relationship with His Son, the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Throughout this book, Chan’s tone is more like a conversation with his readers than a textbook style lecture. His thoughts flow from one point to the next and through the extensive use of Biblical references, he succeeds in drawing readers to examine themselves on the inside to see if their Christian life would be better classified as “lukewarm” or “obsessed”. The book opens with a request to stop reading and proceed to his website www.crazylovebook.com where Chan directs the reader to view the first video of the awe-inspiring majesty of the Creator of the universe and just how immense and worthy of praise this creation is. The second video is a dynamic monologue that Chan delivers as he walks along the coastal cliffs of California on his way to enjoy the splendor of God and also surf a few waves (included below).

As the book unfolds the reader begins to get a glimpse of just who God is, why He loves us so much, and why anything less than a heartfelt, passionate, pursuing relationship with Him, simply will not do. Chapter 4 is perhaps the most penetrating as Chan details 18 characteristics that makeup the “Profile of the Lukewarm.” It’s here where he makes a bold assertion based on the Parable of the Sower that Jesus teaches in Matthew 13, by saying, “Do not assume you are good soil.” Chan argues that, “most American churchgoers are the soil that chokes the seed because of all the thorns. Thorns are anything that distracts us from God.” In concluding this bold approach to establish the “lukewarm” Christian, Chan provides the following conviction, “lukewarm living and claiming Christ’s name simultaneously is utterly disgusting to God.” So disgusting in fact that Jesus makes reference to the lukewarm in Revelation 3:16 by literally stating He will spit, or more accurately, vomit, them out of His mouth.

In the chapters that follow, Chan speaks of the love of God and how we are to let God do the work in us and make the changes in our heart. He states that running toward Christ, pursuing, and loving Him is much less exhausting than running from guilt and fear of sin and in fact it is liberating because it frees us up “serve, love, and give thanks” to Him. This message of loving God, fully surrendering to Him, and allowing Christ to work in our hearts are the marks of genuine intimacy that all lead up to perhaps the boldest chapter of Crazy Love, chapter 8, “Profile of the Obsessed”, which includes 14 characteristics that contrast those given earlier for the “Lukewarm.” In concluding his book, Francis Chan presents examples of real, everyday Christians that have lived their life in complete surrender to God, obsessed in their relationship with the One that pursues us relentlessly with a Crazy Love. In this final chapter, Chan supplies 2 quotation gems worth noting, “It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives that will change the church” and “The world needs Christians who don’t tolerate the complacency of their own lives.”

Crazy Love is a passion-filled message to the “lukewarm” church that has become so pervasive in America today. It’s message is one of urgency that should not only awaken those that are slumbering, but should invigorate those who are already living passionately for Christ to examine their relationships with friends, family, and fellow churchgoers to help them encounter the love of God. Chan closes his book with a Q&A section where he makes the following statement, “The idea of Crazy Love has to do with our relationship with God. All my life I’ve heard people say, “God loves you.” It’s probably the most insane statement you could make to say that the eternal Creator of this universe is in love with me. There is a response that ought to take place in believers, a crazy reaction to that love. Do you really understand what God has done for you? If so, why is your response so lukewarm?”

In light of the earthquake in Haiti and the controversy surrounding some comments about how or why God allows calamities like this to happen, I found the following excerpt a very applicable Biblical explanation.  It’s  from a sermon series entitled, “Don’t Waste Your Life” by Pastor John Piper.   Too often our finite fallen minds cannot grasp events like these, but thankfully the Bible addresses them and provides answers in times when we think there are none.  The passage in Pastor John’s sermon that you do not hear the reference for is from Romans 8:18-25 ESV.

Be in prayer for the people of Haiti, that God would have mercy on the survivors, that God would use those who are offering support and assistance as missionaries for the Gospel, and that God would awaken the people of this world to run to Him for repentance.