The Law

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, or for correction, and for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16. In this statement, Paul was referring to the value of the Old Testament writings. He was often inspired by the Old Testament and quoted it throughout his letters. In a commentary of this verse, Barnes makes a comparison between the breath of God, that brought life to man, with the writing of scripture. It’s like saying that the words in the scriptures are as much the production of God as life is. That’s a bold statement! It shows the confidence Paul had that the men who wrote the books of the bible were wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit. If the whole bible is meant for our betterment, then why is it that people shy away from reading it? At the very least, people read it as history only and refer to the laws and precepts as “Old Testament” (the sense of the phrase meaning that it is old fashioned or no longer relevant). On the other hand, Paul also said that we are no longer under the law but are under grace (Romans 6:14; Romans 7:4,6; 2 Corinthians 3:11,13; Galatians 3:25; Galatians 5:18). What does that mean? I will attempt to explain the purpose of the law and how it is relevant to us today, with reference to some of the mosaic laws mentioned in Leviticus.

OLD TESTAMENT LAWS

There has been speculation in the secular world about whether Moses was influenced by previous written laws, such as the code of Hammurabi, when he wrote the first books of the bible: Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy (Got Questions Ministries). However, the Mosaic Law, unlike other laws, had the authority of God stamped on it. The bible assures us that God had scripture settled before the creation of the world (Psalm 119:89). It is an obvious strategy of the enemy to undermine God’s word to make people doubt, distorting other works to look like they are truth, but God said that His word would stand firm without changing (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35). The Mosaic Law, unlike other laws, dealt with the cause of crime and not just its effects. It tells us that the problem is that men are sinful and they cannot follow the law. God understood this when He gave them the law, which was why He also gave them a promise that there would be someone who would come and He would fulfill the law perfectly: Jesus.

Some of the laws were cultural and some of the laws were based on ethics and morality. The Ten Commandments fit into the last category. When moral laws were broken, it often resulted in the death penalty, such as with adultery or kidnapping (Leviticus 20:10; Exodus 21:16). Some of the Levitical laws, such as not sowing together two kinds of seeds or breeding two kinds of animals together (Leviticus 19:19), and not having sexual relations with someone of the same sex (Leviticus 20:13) were written as part of the moral code that the Israelites were expected to live by. They were designed to preserve God’s order in creation, so that nothing was taken from what God intended and nothing was added to it. If you look back to the book of Genesis where the creation story is recorded, you can read God’s assessment of what He created: “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). God created and designed things as He liked them. He even made things with the intention that they would bring pleasure and fulfillment to the man He created. For example, He gave man a partner (woman) so that he would not be alone (Genesis 2:18). God wanted to preserve this good world that He had made and didn’t want us to taint it in any way. However, the sin in our heart led us to do things that would benefit ourselves and harm others and creation. That is partly why our environment is in such a sorry state, why there are a lot of diseases and why so many of our animals are becoming extinct—we have mixed up the order of God’s original design. Even his separation of men and women has been challenged in the latter years. Women dress like men, and men dress like women. Women act and fulfill the roles of men, and men do not take responsibility. There is no order. God has given man dominion over the earth and His commands are like a manual that show us how to use creation in the best way possible. When we disobey God’s laws we are not in danger of losing our salvation (as some would claim), but we are not living in a way that is pleasing to Him.

It’s worth it to mention some of the ceremonial laws too, because they were designed to: show the Israelites how to remain in right standing with God (by making sacrifices), to remember what God did for them (through feasts and festivals which recounted His deeds), how to be distinguished from God’s enemies (by dressing differently and eating differently), as well as completing different signs to remember the Messiah who was to come (such as circumcision, Sabbath, and redemption of the first born). While we do not do these things anymore, the Christian faith has obtained new ceremonies and traditions by which we remember Jesus: Christmas, Easter, Sunday church, communion and baptism. Christians do not believe that observing these things will make them any holier, but they believe that they will assist us in remembering what God wants us to remember and carrying on the word for generations to come (Luke 22:19).

FOLLOWING THE LAW

You can read all the laws in the bible and feel overwhelmed. There are over 600 of them and a lot of them were cultural and can be hard to understand (or seem quite stupid to us). However, there is wisdom in God’s word and it can be translated into our own lives if we endeavor to understand it (all scripture is God breathed…). Jesus made it easy to follow the law. He broke it down into two categories: love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). If you are able to accomplish this, then you will have no problem when it comes to the other laws. For example, if you love your neighbor you will not steal from them, covet what they have, cheat them, abuse them, or even kill them. If you love God you will not worship other things, ignore Him, speak against His name, or mess up His good order. When we break God’s order, we are telling Him that we know better and our hearts are proud—like Adam and Eve, or even worse, like Satan. The Old Testament law is applicable to us if it helps us to love God better and love others better. Without a doubt, I believe it does!

NOT UNDER THE LAW

Why was there a need for the law in the first place?

Paul wrote that without the law there would be no sin and that the law was given to the people to convict them of sin. In other words, it is to clarify what God’s standards and expectations of us are. According to John Piper, when we are confronted with the law our sins increase (Romans 5:20) because we ultimately want to be perceived as good and right and be satisfied with ourselves (which is pride and idolatry). Therefore, the law increases sin even for those who set out to obey it.

We need to remember that it is not the law that is evil; it is our sinful hearts that are evil. However, looking to the law cannot make you a loving person—but the Spirit can. The attitude of the Christian is not to say, “I am saved by grace, therefore I can keep sinning” (Romans 6:1), but instead the Christian understands that grace, which is received through faith, is the only way we can fight sin. John Piper wrote that the reason Israel stumbled into destruction wasn’t because they didn’t follow the law, but that they did it in the wrong way: from their own efforts and not through faith. It was an effort of their flesh and did not touch their hearts at all. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 15:11 that what goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, it is what comes out of his mouth that makes him unclean. He wanted people to understand that the problem was not in people’s behavior, but in their heart.

RENEW YOUR MIND

In the book ‘Radical Womanhood: Feminine faith in a feminist world’ by Carolyn McCulley, McCulley lays out her testimony as a young woman who was influenced by feministic teachings. However, when she became a Christian she said, “Little did I know that the Holy Spirit was in the process of turning me upside down and shaking loose all my prior beliefs and ideas like so much pocket change. Point by point, the Holy Spirit used the Bible and the church to renew my mind.” The picture that she paints is that she was once a woman who was very strong on certain world views. She believed that men were the problem and that women were oppressed. When she trusted in Jesus as her Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit changed the way that she thought. She realized that men were not the problem; sin was the problem. Her testimony illustrates what the bible meant when it prophesied that the law would be written on man’s heart. Paul saw this in some of the Gentiles when they were obeying the law without any knowledge of it (Romans 2:14). Our justification makes us as a new creation, reborn in the eyes of God, however we are still under the consequences of sin—since our bodies still decay and we are still tempted towards rebellion against God. The bible describes a process, often referred to as sanctification, where a person is being made into the image of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit counsels us and convicts and changes us into the person that we can only be in Christ.

We may not be slaves to the law anymore (as a Gentile I know that the laws were not given to me anyway, they were given to the Jews who were God’s chosen people among whom the Messiah would be born from), however, it is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in us when we follow these laws in our everyday life. If we love God, we obey Him (John 14:15). The temptation we are often faced with is to look at the laws and think that we have to follow each one in a legalistic manner that makes us somehow holier. Luther, commenting on Romans, wrote, “Because of our natural and spiritual gifts, men may regard us as wise, righteous and good. But God does not regard us as such, especially not if we so esteem ourselves. We therefore must remain so humble, as if we as yet nothing.” The bible says that God considers our best efforts to be like filthy rags (Isaiah 54:6, Philippians 3:8). It is wrong to think that we are somehow earning God’s favour. Wayne Grudem wrote that Christians who think this way cut themselves off from the hope of salvation. He quotes Galatians 3:10-11 where is says that everyone who relies on upholding the law is under a curse, because no man can be justified by the law (except Jesus).

GOOD NEWS
The good news is that Christians have been freed from the covenant of works because of Jesus’ work on the cross and there is a new covenant of grace. God does not demand us to obey all of His laws, but that we would be led by the Holy Spirit. Nothing we can do can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39). Charles Spurgeon, in his defense of Calvinism, wrote “if I believed what some preach about the temporary, trumpery of salvation which only lasts for a time, I would scarcely be at all grateful for it; but when I know that those whom God saves He saves with an everlasting salvation, when I know that He gives to them an everlasting righteousness, when I know that He settles them on an everlasting foundation of everlasting love, and the He will bring them to His everlasting kingdom, oh, then I do wonder, and I am astonished that such a blessing as this should ever have been given to me!”

It is not for us to understand why we are saved, but to accept salvation and to live in gratitude of God for what He has done—to “take up our cross,” if you will (Luke 9:23).

WALKING WITH THE SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit speaks to men in different ways, expecting different things from each person. It is damaging to add any rules to the gospel, especially relating to issues that are not even mentioned in the bible. People like to eliminate certain movies, activities, words, clothing, or even acceptable social groups to feel as though they are pleasing God. However, what is right and good for one person is not good for another person. I have a friend who loves the Harry Potter books and movies who often quotes things from them in her everyday life. She shares things with me about Harry Potter that makes her excited about the gospel. For her, her viewing of Harry Potter brings glory to God, therefore it is not wicked. I know of some people, on the other hand, whom have had a past where they have participated in activities of the occult and are tempted by any form of witchcraft, whether it would be reading their signs or playing satanic board games. For that person to watch Harry Potter would not bring glory to God, but would further tempt them into doing something sinful. In my own life, I have a tendency to obsess over romance. It has been a lifelong struggle. It is tempting for me to put romantic love and certain individuals above God in my heart. Watching romantic movies and reading romance novels does not bring glory to God in my life. I try to use wisdom and the direction of the Holy Spirit when I approach these things. I do not restrict my life so that I cannot watch any romantic films, but when I feel myself struggling with temptation, I recognize that I would not be doing myself any favours if I read a certain book. Like it says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial…” So, I often choose to open up a book that would put my mind back onto Jesus.

Another friend of mine even challenged me about pornography, seriously wondering if we have set legalistic rules about that and whether it could actually help people who are struggling in their marriage because they are not informed about sex. This stumped me for a minute, especially since I am not married and therefore I haven’t got the experience to draw from, but then I wondered if it would be possible to watch those films and not lust and if it would be possible to watch those films and not covet. I’m not sure that it is possible, but then I would only be confident to say that it is not right for me. We live in a fallen world and we can sin without even opening our eyes. We can choose to only listen to Christian music, only watch Christian movies, only read Christian books and only spend time with Christian people…and all we succeed in is becoming religious, proud and unrelatable to the world.

I believe the things we participate in, assist us in our mission for Jesus. I am the kind of person who likes to follow rules, not because I can be satisfied that I am more righteous, but because they make me feel safe. I like to be neat and I don’t often curse or talk about things that are inappropriate. I cannot help but think that because of the person I have become, due to the choices I have made in my life, it is not likely that I would be an effective witness to someone in a gang or someone who goes to parties, or even anyone who is a little wild. I could not relate to them. My sister often points out that when I hang around her friends I have a tendency to flinch when they swear. This does not make them feel comfortable with me. It makes me unrelatable. I often heard sermons growing up where the pastor would say that we need to show ourselves to be different to the world in order to win the world for Jesus. I have not seen this to be true in the bible or in real life. In the bible, whenever it talks about being different to “the heathens” it is always in reference to inward attitudes or desires (Romans 12:2 and 13:14; John17:15-18; 1 Corinthians 6:19). We need to respond differently, making wiser choices, be more loving and be more generous. However, Paul also told the church that he would become anything for anyone if it meant that they might be saved (1 Corinthians 9:22). We need to be relatable. We need to know what the world is doing, thinking about, watching and listening. Then again, I think that even though I cannot reach the wild-at-heart, I have a certain way with people who are religious. I can hopefully present to the religious people God’s gospel, and they would feel comfortable with someone like me (since I struggle with falling into religious ways myself and I can relate).

The best advice that is given to the church, is to work out their own salvation for themselves (Philippians 2:12). As long as we love God and love each other, we will not stray from the gospel. The gospel is more important to get across than the law.

CONCLUSION

The law was given to God’s people to point towards Jesus. It was never intended to make God’s people holier. The law was created for Jesus to fulfill and for God’s people to understand that they are sinners (Romans 3:20). It worries me when I hear that people read the laws and think they are old fashioned, or not applicable to us anymore, because the response after reading the law should be sober reflection and humility. We should want to please God—at the same time, knowing that our efforts can never be enough.

May we understand God’s freedom and grace and live in a way that is pleasing to Him. May we endeavor to understand his gospel fully.

REFERENCES

Barnes, A. (N.d.). ‘Timothy 3:16,’ Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, retrieved from http://biblecommenter.com/2_timothy/3-16.htm

Gill, J. (N.d.) ‘Leviticus 19,’ Gill’s Exposition of the entire bible, retrieved from http://biblecommenter.com/leviticus/19-19.htm

Got Questions Ministries. (N.d.) ‘Did Moses copy the Law from the Code of Hammurabi,’ retrieved from http://www.gotquestions.org/Moses-Hammurabi-code.html

Got Questions Ministries. (N.d.) ‘What does it mean that Christians are not under the law?’ retrieved from http://www.gotquestions.org/not-under-the-law.html

Got Questions Ministries. (N.d.) ‘What is the difference between the ceremonial law, the moral law, and the judicial law in the Old Testament?’ retrieved from http://www.gotquestions.org/ceremonial-law.html

Grudem, W. (N.d.) ‘The Covenant of Works,’ Systematic Theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine. Retrieved from http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/covofworks.html

Luther, M. (1954). ‘Commentary on Romans,’ translated by J. Theodore Mueller. Zondervan Publishing House: United States of America.

McCulley, C. (2008) ‘Radical Womanhood.’ Moody Publishers.

Piper, J. (1983). ‘Why Then the Law?’ Galatians: Broken by His Cross, Healed by His Spirit, retrieved from http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/why-then-the-law

Spurgeon, C. (N.d.) ‘A Defense of Calvinisim,’ retrieved from http://www.spurgeon.org/calvinis.htm

Colossians series: submission

Colossians 3:18-21“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Father’s, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.”

There are strong views associated with the topic of submission which arise from verses like this one from Colossians. The words appear as commands, hence why religious people use them to establish rules in their churches and in their personal lives. They are very general, hence why feminists and contemporary-minded people can talk around them and miss the truth there. The purpose of instruction is that someone wise enlightens someone less knowledgeable. Paul identified some truths in his reading of the Old Testament and through his observations of the society around him and shared them with his struggling congregation. He concluded some very simple things: that a marriage would function as God intended if the wife trusted her husband enough to lead and if the husband took his responsibility seriously enough to love and protect his wife. Children would flourish if they obeyed their parents and parents would have better success with their children if they dealt with them out of love and not a need to control. These things he referred to as being our duty in the Lord. He meant that it was certain to be the case, if a person was in Christ, that these things would exist in their lives and in their characters. It is the territory that comes with being a child of God. So I hope to unpack these ideas a bit further in order to see the truth that Paul brings under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

When dealing with a fight between two children, there are always two sides. No child would silently accept being judged before a parent and take it as a fair assessment. The parent usually listens to both sides of the story and deals with both children at the same time e.g. “You need to stop teasing your brother. And you shouldn’t hit your sister! If she teases you, you need to come to me.” We read a similar approach in Colossians where Paul writes “Wives, be subject to your husband’s” BUT “husbands, love your wives!” He says, “Children, obey your parents” BUT “Father’s don’t provoke your children.” There are two sides in these stories. We tell children that regardless of another person’s actions, they are responsible for their own actions. Likewise, if a wife is not submitting to her husband, that doesn’t mean he should stop loving his wife. If a parent is annoying their child, that doesn’t mean the child should stop obeying their parents. However, if a husband doesn’t love his wife, it makes it harder for her to submit to his leadership, in the same way that a child teasing their sibling finds it hard not to retaliate.

If we could speculate as to why men are the head of the home and parents have authority over children, we could say that it is so that everyone has a role and has someone to listen to. Men listen for God’s direction, women listen to the direction of their husband (trusting that He is seeking God’s will), and children listen to their parents (trusting that all communication has run down the chain of command all the way from God). That’s not to say that these individuals can’t go directly to God themselves—of course they can!—but God chooses not to appear to us in a bodily form, or speak to us in an audible voice, therefore He must use others to do it. There is something about a woman that wants to trust someone, to know that she is in good hands and there is something about a man that needs to be needed—to protect something. I believe it is human nature. It’s not about one person having all the power while the other person is weak. Like in a workplace, if people know their role and they have someone to go to when they need help with that role, or to speak on their behalf and take the blame if something goes wrong, then they are confident. The bible doesn’t give reasons as to why God ordered things the way He did, but we know His way is the best way.

The verse states that wives should submit to their husbands. It gives the reason as it is “fitting,” or proper, in the Lord. Meaning, that’s how it was meant to be. Man was made first before the woman for an important reason. There is nothing that God does that doesn’t represent an important truth. Woman was made from man—and for man. She is described as a “helper” that is “fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). Someone that isn’t him, but whom compliments him. Women are meant to work alongside men, but are not designed to be the head, or to rule over men. Also, the woman, Eve, led the man, Adam, into sin, which was given as a reason why she would receive the curse of having man ruling over her thereafter. In other words, when she took the initiative as the leader she led her husband into sin; so as part of her punishment she is subject to following the leadership of her husband, even if he leads her in the wrong direction sometimes. The only authority that is higher is God’s—God’s commands come before the husbands’. Another reason, beyond the curse, for women to submit to their husbands, is it brings honour to them. In Proverbs 31 it describes submission as an ornament for women—it makes them more beautiful than any outward adornment could.

If the bride is compared with the church, then it’s clear that the groom is a reflection of Jesus Christ. If the church is under the leadership of Jesus, then that means that the woman is meant to be under the leadership of the man. Likewise, Jesus loved His church enough to die for her (Ephesians 5:22-28). Shouldn’t this then be the self-less, strengthening, powerful love that a man shows his wife?  Jesus gave His own fleshly desires up to make us holy. Nothing makes a person holy like marriage. If the husband loves his wife as he is meant to, then he will change her with his love. His love will show her more of Jesus and will make her want to choose to serve him, as opposed to being forced or obligated.

It is not just husband and wives that are the focus here, but also children and parents. Honouring our parents by obedience is a command of God that is followed with a promise: those who listen to their parents are the most likely to prosper in the world and enjoy a long life (Exodus 20:12). Why? Well, a short answer would be that sometimes our parents are right and we are just too immature to see it. There is often, but not always, wisdom that comes with age and there is usually such a large age gap between children and parents. In Job it says that advanced years should teach wisdom (Job 32:7). It is up to the older generation to teach wisdom to the younger generation. Children need to receive it and obey, even if their minds cannot yet rationalize the wisdom of the instruction. It is their duty. It is the role that they have been given—for it takes courage to be obedient, as it takes courage to lead.

Children are responsible for fulfilling their role, which is obedience. However, parents can make this really difficult by provoking their children with harshness and control. A controlling, severe, parent can start to feel, to a child, much like a prison warden and will inspire a desire of escape or retaliation. It is enough to make a child lose heart. They will not speak well of their parents and call them blessed, like the children of the women of good character in Proverbs 31. They will resent them. The bible, instead, gives parents the advice that if they use gentleness and kindness in the bringing-up of their children, then their children will flourish.

Paul concludes in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.” In other words, God is watching and judging you. Not the other person. He holds you responsible. The bible tells us that we are placed in the circumstances we are in for a reason, so we should make the most of it. Whatever is pleasing to God should be done with pleasure by us.

Colossians series: patience and endurance

Colossians 1:11, “may you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.”

The bible often exhorts people to have patience and stresses the importance of enduring in this life. Those who endure will receive the gift of eternal life (Matthew 24:13). It is not a career, a ministry, or an act of service that the bible says we are strengthened for. We receive strength and power to give us patience where we would otherwise be lacking.

It’s easy to simplify this gift. To most, it is defined as biting ones tongue in an argument, or waiting a little longer in a queue without getting annoyed. However, if patience is something that requires supernatural strength, it must be something more.

Patience, by definition, is the ability to tolerate delay, practicing restraint and not demanding what is due, but resigned to what is (The Free Dictionary). In the New Testament, patience is the characteristic of a man who does not swerve from his purpose, his faith, or godliness, by even the greatest trials and sufferings (Strong’s Concordance). Job was such a man. He lost all of his possessions, his children, and his health in the most horrific and miserable ways. Job may not have been a happy man and he may have grumbled and complained, but he never wavered from his belief that it was within God’s right to give anything He wanted, or take away anything He wanted (Job 1:21-22). Job’s persistence in holding to this belief stopped him from cursing God and evoking God’s wrath. It saved his life!

Sometimes patience is waiting in expectation for a promise to be fulfilled. Joseph, the dreamer, is an example of this. He received a prophetic dream that he would be someone of importance and that even his father and his brothers would bow down to him. Instead of this happening right away, he experienced a life of emotional, familial and physical pain. The most tragic thing about Joseph’s story is that it always seemed as if the promise was within his grasp, only to be taken away and he would hit rock bottom again. Despite this, Joseph never showed signs of blaming God or doubting His promise. He expected, no matter how long it took, that it would come to pass.

There were many other great men and women, in the bible, who waited patiently on God and at the same time, had to endure through trials. Abraham and Sarah waited for a son and heir, the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit, and Jesus waited for when He would be a sacrifice for all men.

What Paul is saying in this verse, to his fellow brothers in Christ, is that patience is something that doesn’t originate from man, but from God. It promotes God’s glory, not ours. It is the firmness and unwavering nature of man that is a reflection of God. God’s patience is both astounding and necessary. In other words, He has infinite patience—and we are lucky that He does. God’s patience delays His vengeance and allows others to join His family. If He let Himself act NOW, the world would be reduced to rubble! But God is slow to anger (Psalm 145:8).

The best analogy to explain this is the song of the vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7). The song uses a number of different images that portray the time and effort that the vineyard owner invests in the vineyard e.g. he “cleared it out of stones” and he chooses only “choice vines” to plant in it. The owner doesn’t just plant the vines for no reason. He is expecting an investment from the vineyard—he expects it to “yield grapes.” He had a larger purpose in mind than just creating something. When it comes to farming, the famer needs to have confidence in the future outcome of the investment in order to justify the cost and the effort. He also needs to have patience since there are months, or years, of waiting for the crops to be harvested.

The story ends in tragedy, where the vineyard produces nothing but wild grapes, which are useless. This is an outcome that could have been achieved with no effort or money at all. Yet the farmer has proven that he did all he could with the vineyard and it can now be destroyed.

Patience may not always produce fruit, but it brings glory to the person who possesses.

So we, too, should reflect this kind of patience. We should have patience each day of our lives. Not just biting our tongue when someone annoys us, but understanding that suffering is a part of life and is just as vital as joy. We should see the import of every day and not long for tomorrow. Patience comes from understanding—understanding we are in a temporal situation. But our hope is that eternal life waits us. Paul’s letter to the Colossians goes on to say, in verse 12, that we should give thanks to the Father because He has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints, which is the eternal life Jesus promised. It is this life that will last forever!

REFERENCES

CRI Voice, ‘Commentary on Isaiah 5:1-7,” retrieved from http://www.crivoice.org/lectionary/YearC/Cproper15ot.html

The Free Dictionary, ‘Patience,’ retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/patience

GotQuestions?org, ‘What does the bible say about patience,’ retrieved from http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-patience.html

Strong’s Concordance, ‘Colossians 1,’ retrieved from http://net.bible.org/#!bible/Colossians+1:11

Colossians series: grace and peace

Colossians 1:2 “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”

In early A.D, papyrus was expensive and majority of people were illiterate; this meant that if you wrote something down, it was valuable. So when we approach the bible, it’s imperative to think of words within this context. The authors would not have written a word lest it was important to have it on record.

Through reading Paul’s letters to the early church, there is a phrase that is used in every letter, “Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus.” In our 21^st Century minds, we could easily brush this aside, as if Paul were merely saying, “Hello, how are you!” Part of the reason it has been thought of in this respect might have something to do with the fact that the Hebrew greeting shalom can also be translated as peace. However, the word that we find in Colossians 1:2 where Paul says, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father” is in fact the Greek word eirene (pronounced i-ray-nay) which means peace in times of warfare. It’s like saying “We were once at war but now we’re not.” More than that, peace is about wholeness, tranquility, contentment and safety. Paul doesn’t mean that there is no longer a war, he means that we are no longer at odds—completely out-of-step and under judgement—with God.

Humans were designed to be in a relationship with God, since He created man in His image and communed with him in the beginning (Genesis 1 -2). This relationship is essential to the wellbeing of man who is reliant upon God. However, when Adam and Eve made war against God by sinning, they messed with the natural order of things. Instead of wanting to serve God and have Him as their King, they decided that they wanted to be masters of their own lives (Genesis 3). God’s response was to give them what they wanted—along with the consequences that came with it. God cursed mankind, cursed the world in which mankind resided and separated Himself from them by driving them out of Eden. First century Jewish writings such as ‘The Life of Adam and Eve’ depict Adam after his expulsion from the garden as being conscious of the gravity of his sin and in a state of depression. No longer did he have the peace that attributed to his wellbeing.

Not a single man or woman lived a righteous life (surrendering themselves completely to God and resisting sin) which would make them exempt from these consequences. God, not wanting to destroy man altogether, decided to delay his judgment. But forgiving them for their sins would be going against His just nature. His anger needed to be appeased, so He found a way for justice to be fulfilled: Jesus. Jesus was the recipient of God’s wrath and took the punishment of the people that God wanted for His family.

Instead of punishment, we now have confidence that everything has been made right and we can now live in harmony with God, with each other and with creation. With this peace we can learn to be content with all things here on earth, no matter what it is. That kind of peace is just staggering! It is so much more than the peace most people know. They experience peace as if it’s just a reprieve from their busy lives. True peace, however, comes from God and is lasting. It is a covenant that is greater even than God’s promise to Noah that He would never again flood the world (Genesis 9) or the covenant with Moses, where He gave His people the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). Paul extends a wish, for those that would hear his words, to have peace; which is saying that he hopes that they are receivers of this divine act of mercy and not rejecters of it.

Grace works alongside peace—it is God’s action that maintains peace. The Greek word is charis (pronounced Khar – ece). It means ‘favour or goodwill.’ Where mercy is the act of forgiving someone who is not deserving of forgiveness, grace is actually a reward—it benefits the recipient.

In the Old Testament we see that God communicates with, and even at times waits on, men. This is incredible! A God that has it within His right to destroy mankind, not only withholds His retribution but He also gives Himself to His creation. In the New Testament, the idea of grace is best expressed in the parable of the prodigal son. The son rejects his father and goes down a path of destruction but humbly returns expecting his father’s wrath (and rightly so!). Instead, the father embraces him, welcomes him back to his position in the family and showers him with gifts (Luke 15). It is almost a ludicrous thing to do, but it shows such love that cannot be better expressed in any other way.

Grace is not something that can be earned, hence why Christians refer to is as a gift. It’s not like a present that is given to one person at one moment. It is continual and active. Grace encompasses everything that we receive from God.

So, when Paul says, “Grace and peace to you,” he wishes all these things for his congregation and fellow believers. He wishes that they would know about the peace that has been established and the grace that is working in their lives every day. Hence why he later says, “We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” He means that despite their basic understanding of what salvation is and God’s love for them, there is so much more to learn about God and what Jesus really accomplished on the cross. All it takes to gain wisdom is to pray and ask God (James 1:5-6).

REFERENCES

http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/grace.html

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/759-adam-book-of

Wente, Edward F. (1990), Meltzer, Edmund S., ed., Letters from Ancient Egypt, translated by Edward F. Wente, Atlanta: Scholars Press, Society of Biblical Literature, ISBN 1-55540-472-3

Friendship

I was watching some clips on Youtube yesterday when I spotted some episodes that had been posted from one of my favourite childhood television shows ‘Boy Meets World.’ I decided to watch it for old-time’s sake, but then ended up falling in love with it all over again. So much so, that the rest of my afternoon was spent flicking through different episodes of the series. While the romantic relationships annoyed me at times (especially the on-again-off-again Corey and Topanga) there was one relationship that drew me in: Corey and Shawn’s. There is something so powerful, so inspiring, and so attractive about friendship—not the kind of friends that just hang out together and sit together at school, but the kind of friends that love each other, hurt each other and are real with each other. In the show, at times, people struggled coming to terms with the friendship between Corey and Shawn and there was constant worry that there might be a homosexual element to it—with Corey’s dad even going so far as to ask him: “You still enjoy kissing Topanga don’t you?” However, the boys felt no discomfort about the jibes of others because they knew what they were to each other. My thoughts naturally went to the friendship I have with my own best friend and I was reminded of how rare yet how amazing it is to have someone say that they share a connection with you. C.S. Lewis wrote an accurate depiction of friendship and I thought I would compare his words with my experience and the stories of some of the men in the bible.

The first step whenever you speak on a specific topic is to define the important terms, so there is no confusion. However, friendship is not an easy thing to define. It is one of those things where it is easier to say what it is not. C.S. Lewis, in The Four Loves, wrote that while most people are preoccupied with romance and affection, few people truly understand the value of friendship—because few have truly experienced it. I would have to honestly say that I agree. I feel that the friendship I have with my friend Bek is vastly different to the friendships that I see around me. I don’t say that to boast, only as a sad and honest observation. In this day and age, few people have the courage to trust another person; fewer people find it easy to forgive; and fewer people again can maintain their true selves while getting to know another person. I will attempt to define it, nonetheless, as I have experienced it.

It is common, in churches especially, for people to present themselves as their best—no one wants the other to see that they have flaws. It is not to say that this is always the case, but that it is often the case. The thing that I value most from the friends that I have made is: honesty. It sounds almost trite, but the truth is that the very thing that makes a person a kindred spirit is the truth. Usually people say it is ‘being yourself’ that is important. I would agree with that, but I feel that it must be done with care. Usually when people are saying they are being themselves, they are teasing, impolite and often brutal and they expect people to love them as they are. Within every person there is the ability to show respect and restraint. Love is serving one another, not placing heap on another person and expecting them to take it with a smile. That is why I think it is not in the relaxing of manners, but in the openness of the mind. C.S. Lewis describes it as the moment where a person says, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one…”

There is a young, married couple that I have made friends with whom I have become closer to in two years than I have with other people I have known much longer. The reason, I think, is because when they first had me over for dinner we did not hold back our secrets, our beliefs, our struggles, or our real interests. I felt as though I really knew this couple after one dinner. The best way into a person’s confidence is to confide in them. I can say the same about my friendship with Bek. We were both attending the same highschool and were at times thrown together and we connected quite well, but it wasn’t until mid-way through highschool that we truly became friends. It still amazes me but the thing that brought us together was actually the thing that made us want to hate the other person: affection for the same boy. Since we were both ‘people pleasers,’ we didn’t like the idea that the other person was mad at us, so despite our opposing agenda, we felt as though we had to “talk about it.” We got together a number of lunch times to talk through our feelings and then, eventually, to talk about the problem. What turned out in the end was that the affection for the boy died and affection for each other formed. Even to this day, I feel a need to tell my friend everything. I do not hold back any information, because it is what we have in common: our honesty.

I have to say, that if it were honesty alone, our friendship would be strong, but it would not last. The thing that I have found that has attributed to the longevity of my friendships is simply an identical faith in Jesus. It’s a mistake to think that we choose our friends, the same as it is a mistake to think that we choose God. We didn’t choose God; He chose us (John 15:16). In the same way, we didn’t choose our friends; God in His providence was at work to bring us together. If Bek had not gone to my highschool, or we had both not liked the same boy, then we would never have had occasion to be friends. Friendship is God’s instrument to help us see the beauty in each other. Therefore, if it derived from Him, then it will be maintained by Him. In the same way that God works to maintain our friendship with each other, our friendship with each other helps to maintain our view and love of God. C.S. Lewis writes “friendship exhibits a glorious ‘nearness by resemblance’ to Heaven itself where the very multitude of the blessed (which no man can number) increases the fruition which each has of God.” Therefore God helps us to see the beauty in each other and with each other we can see more of God.

Companionship is usually the relationship that most people are referring to when they refer to their ‘friends.’ It can be born through a common culture or beliefs. It is what you often find in churches when you have been there for a while. Companionship should not be belittled. It serves a great purpose and friendship can definitely grow out of companionship. However, they are not the same thing. Companionship can include all who share in the same thing, but a friend is someone who sees something that you thought you were the only one who saw. It is a distinction of persons. Friends cannot help but exclude themselves from the crowd. When one thinks of companionship, what usually comes to mind is: men watching a football game or women sitting around a table drinking tea. It is the shared interests that bring you together.

Most people will say that everyone needs friends, yet their friendships are a mere diversion, a thing to pass the time. They are usually the same people who confuse friendship with eros (romantic love). Friendship, while being a powerful relationship, is not the same thing as romantic love. I like the way C.S. Lewis says that lovers are face to face absorbed in each other, whereas friends are side by side absorbed in the thing that makes them friends. I will never forget how when I was in highschool one day I was innocently walking down the street holding my friend’s hand and a building worker standing nearby said to us, “Are you girls lesbians?” My friend and I were annoyed at the inference and felt that it was an unfair assumption. However, when I think back to Boy Meets World I can see that people have a really hard time trying to separate friendship and eros.

Physical affection between members of the same sex has, in this day and age, become somewhat taboo. I was having a conversation with some men in my family where they were tickling me and my sister but instead of one tickling the other they said to me, “Nicky, tickle him.” I thought we were all having fun and it was somewhat comical that the boys were concerned that they would look, as they put it, “gay.” I did not understand how it was crossing boundaries simply to tickle your friend. It seems to me that men don’t trust themselves. Are they afraid that they might develop romantic feelings for each other if there is intimacy? Or are they simply afraid of what others will perceive of their relationship? All the real male friendships that I have observed have included physical touch, whereas companionships involve polite embraces (short hugs and handshakes). It makes me think of the musical Grease where Danny and Kenickie hug after a sentimental moment and then quickly pull away and start combing their hair to “save face.” Jesus had a special relationship with His disciples, in particular John whom is referred to as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ It is not surprising then that there are rumours that Jesus had a homosexual relationship with John. I cannot think of an example where friendship has not been turned into something sinister. All that I can say to that is, if it is okay for Jesus to show affection, then what makes us above Him? It is the culture that should change and not our relationships.

The relationships you see today are so different from the friendships that you see in the bible. Take David and Jonathon for instance. In 1 Samuel 18:1 we read, “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” I love Clarke’s commentary on this verse. He writes,

“The most intimate friendship subsisted between them; and they loved each other with pure hearts fervently. No love was lost between them; each was worthy of the other. They had a friendship which could not be affected with changes or chances, and which exemplified all that the ancients have said on the subject; Την φιλιαν ισοτητα ειναι, και μιαν ψυχην, τον φιλον ἑτερον αυτον; "Friendship produces an entire sameness; it is one soul in two bodies: a friend is another self."

David also makes a claim about Jonathan that his friendship with him was stronger than any relationship he had ever had with women (2 Samuel 1:26). They are not afraid to be affectionate with each other, in one instance they kiss and embrace and cry together (1 Samuel 20:41). It was acceptable in their culture to embrace and it showed that they considered each other to be family. David and Jonathan were both sons of the King (by birth or marriage) and were both warriors. The bible doesn’t exactly say that they had a common interest, instead it tells us that they loved each other enough to lay their life down for the other and that they were of the same mind. Their friendship was put to the test many times yet they upheld the covenant they made to each other and put friendship above fear of death. This is a reflection of what Jesus said to his disciples, “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus loved us that much. The best example of friendship that you will ever see is that between Jesus and His disciples. Jesus told them the truth. He told them when they were being stupid. He told them when they were under the influence of the devil. He told them He loved them. He embraced them. He asked them to pray for Him. He forgave them more than once. He considered them as family and His mother to be their mother. He died a crucifixion death to save them from their own destiny. He came back from the dead in a glorious form and still assured them, “Do not be afraid.” Jesus wants to be friends with us, but not the kind of friends that we mistakenly confuse with companionship. He wants to show us the truth and He wants us to confess everything to Him. There is no point holding back from Him. Give Him all.

The trouble perhaps after reading this is to think, “I’m going to find a friend.” To want a friendship cannot be the basis of a friendship though. It cannot be looked for. It is something that just happens. The best advice I could give is something that I have taken from The Matrix. The Oracle has a sign above her kitchen door which she shares with Neo. It says, “Know thy self.” If you know who you are and what you like and what you believe, somewhere along the journey of your life you will find someone who shares in that with you. Knowing yourself is not allowing culture to define who you are. In The Matrix Neo says to Morpheus, “I have these memories from my entire life, but…none of them really happened. What does that mean?” To which Morpheous replies, “That the Matrix cannot tell you who you are.” Culture is a human construct. It cannot tell you who you are. You’ve got to decide that for yourself. The trouble then is to think that you need to look within. The self-help industry makes millions—or perhaps even billions—telling people that they need to love themselves—that they need to do what makes them happy. I think that instead of looking inward, we should look to the Holy Spirit, our counselor and communicator, to help us to see what God wants for us. We will never be happy trying to be happy, because we were not designed to please ourselves. We were designed to please God. Therefore, the only way we will ever truly know ourselves is if we ignore what culture tells us, what our wicked hearts tell us, and start believing what God tells us.

It is a fallacy to say that God created us because he was lonely, as if we were designed to be his friends. God did not need to create. He is a triune God and has a communion with Himself that we could never understand. However, it is in His very nature to create and He designed us to bring glory to Himself. In the same way, we do not need friendship, yet it is something that gives value to our life.

With this article, I hope to pay homage to friendship and I hope I have inspired people to share of themselves and not to hold back from God or from each other.

REFERENCES

C.S. Lewis (1960). ‘The Four Loves.’

Clarke. ‘1 Samuel 18:1,’ Biblos commentary, retrieved from http://biblecommenter.com/1_samuel/18-1.htm

Filled with the Holy Spirit

Words matter

I often find myself obsessing over words and what they mean because of what they can create in people’s lives. Growing up, my parents used to always refer to the verse ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). I believe this to be true; only, not in a superstitious way. I don’t believe that if I say that I’m sick I will become sick. The power that this verse is talking about is the power of words to influence the mind—and the mind is a powerful thing. The mind can influence the decisions we make. Words, once said, cannot be retracted. As Christians we should be careful that our words don’t cause confusion. If we say “Holy Spirit fall down on us,” are we leading people to believe that the Holy Spirit resides somewhere in the sky and comes down to visit only when we ask Him to? Or do we believe that He is always with us? The danger in our words is that we could, without meaning to, lead people into false doctrine. Having said all of that, I wanted to pay particular focus on the phrase ‘filled with the spirit.” I am not claiming that I know all the answers, or that I have anything new to say on the matter, my sole purpose, as always, is to share what I have learnt. Usually, people begin with the Pentecost when they talk about the Holy Spirit. I believe that some background is needed first in order to understand what occurred on the day of Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit’s influence on men in the bible

As a result of Adam and Eve’s rebellion, sin came to live within the heart of men. In Genesis chapter six it describes the increasing wickedness of man. God’s response is to say, “My Spirit shall not abide in/with man forever, for they are flesh…” I’ve heard commentators say that this is referring to the length of days that a man lives and that God was saying that He didn’t think men should have immortality, but I think that’s only part of it. It’s more to do with the opposition between the Spirit and flesh. In Galatians it teaches us of the battle between the spirit and the flesh saying that they are against each other. The flesh wants you to sin, whereas the spirit wants you to obey God (Galatians 5:17). As Christians we have been given a new spirit, but we are still living in a body of flesh; hence there is a life-long struggle to please one or the other. In Romans 8:5 it says “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” The bible also shows how God gives man over to sin if it is what man desires most (Romans 1:28). So if we look back at what occurred in Genesis, men were increasingly living according to the flesh, not the spirit. God’s response was to remove His Spirit from them. He did this because He was grieved by the sin of His people. It says “it grieved the Lord to His heart” (Genesis 6:6). However, Noah was a man who walked with God—God instructed him and enabled him to carry out His work. After the flood, we see that the Holy Spirit rested on individuals, like Noah, that God favoured; not because they were holy, but because His glory could be revealed through them. In Numbers 11:25-26 we read that the helpers of Moses received the same Spirit that rested on him and as a result they began to prophesy. Other men under Moses were filled with the Holy Spirit and received the skill and ability to construct God’s sanctuary (Exodus 31:3). Joshua was filled with the spirit and he was given authority to lead the people (Deuteronomy 34:9). Saul was filled with the spirit on a few different occasions and as a result he prophesied, he changed into a different person (repented) and he burned with anger (1 Samuel 10:6-7; 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 11:6). [The last one may surprise some people, but God is by nature an angry God as much as He is a loving God. His anger is righteous because He hates sin.] Samson was filled with the Spirit and he received the strength to pull apart the jaw of a lion with his bare hands (Judges 14:6). There are many more examples of individuals in the Old Testament being filled with the Spirit and sometimes even whole nations were described as being under the guidance of the Holy Spirit for a time. This was the case even up to the time of Jesus. In the gospels we read that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 4:1, John 1:32). This was how God empowered individuals, whom He had chosen to do His work. After receiving the Holy Spirit, Jesus was able to perform miracles, signs and wonders.

The Holy Spirit for all men

In Joel 2:28, it was prophesied that in the last days the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all men. Jesus told the disciples that they should wait for the promise of the Father, which was that they would all be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). It was not only a miraculous event, but it was also fulfillment of prophesy. The word ‘baptised’ that Jesus used is a Greek word which means “immersed or washed/dipped in.” The idea is that a person is completely covered in or cleansed by something—particularly used in reference to water (Strong’s Concordance). In this case, Jesus meant that a person would be completely covered in and cleansed by the Holy Spirit. So when we come to the fulfillment of what Jesus said would happen on the day of Pentecost, all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (which is the same as saying ‘baptised in the Holy Spirit’). As a result of this, the men began to speak in unknown languages and witnessed the gospel to all of the people that heard what was being said.

While this is what occurred on the day of Pentecost, Jesus said that as a result of being filled with the spirit many things would occur e.g. casting out demons in Jesus name, speaking in new tongues, taking up serpents or drinking poisons without being harmed (i.e. God’s divine protection), and laying hands on the sick to be healed (Mark 16:17-20). Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and he spoke in other languages. He was filled with the Holy Spirit again when he was speaking to the priests and he received boldness (Acts 4:8). He was filled with the Spirit when he was praying with the other believers and he spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). Paul was not a believer when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples but he became a believer later on and when the Holy Spirit filled him, he received miraculous healing (Acts 9:17). He was filled with the Spirit when the disciples were witnessing to the Samaritans and he was able to discern the true motives of a man who was a magician (Acts 13:9).

The disciples experienced what it was like to live under the Old covenant and the New Covenant. After Jesus’ ascension into heaven prophesy was fulfilled and the Holy Spirit was poured out on all men who followed Jesus. Before, this wasn’t the case. Now, everyone who repents and names Jesus as their Lord is given the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit remains with us from the moment we turn to Him in repentance as a promise of what is to come (Ephesians 1:13). However, we still sin so we can quench or grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) He convicts us and counsels us about how to walk according to His ways and not the ways of the flesh. A Christian is a person who obeys and follows His directing.

Sanctified to be filled by God

I have heard people say “being saved is not the same as receiving the Holy Spirit.” I would disagree with that statement, but perhaps say that receiving the Holy Spirit is not the same as being filled with or baptized in the Holy Spirit. Being full of God is part of the sanctification process. It is where we reflect more of Him and less of us. This includes joy and hope, as well as the miraculous. John Piper states that, “Nobody stays full of the Spirit all the time—no one is always totally joyful and submissive to God and empowered for service. But this should still be our aim, our goal, our great longing.”

Charles Spurgeon preached often about the Holy Spirit, even going so far as to say that he didn’t believe a preacher should bother to show up on a Sunday if he wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit. Spurgeon also pointed out that it was the Spirit who convicted us of sin and revealed Jesus to us and in us in the first place. He then guides us in the way of righteousness. He states, “Ask God to make you all that the Spirit of God can make you, not only a satisfied believer who has drunk for himself, but a useful believer, who overflows the neighborhood with blessing.”

Receiving the Holy Spirit and His power

So is being baptized in the Holy Spirit a once off event? Is there a marked moment where a person receives power from the Holy Spirit, or is it simply part of the Christian walk? Most of the people in the bible experienced being filled with the Holy Spirit at the moment of their conversions. I think this may have been the case because at the moment a person first surrenders to God they are the most receptive and obedient. Jesus’ disciples first experienced being filled with the Holy Spirit at a marked time after Jesus ascended into heaven, but also many other times in their lives after that. Occasionally, people received gifts of the Holy Spirit with the laying on of hands, such as with the Samaritans. Laying hands on a person was a custom that was intended to symbolize sharing or bestowing something. In Acts it is seen as a sign of unity—hence there was no impartiality towards Jews or Gentiles. It’s important to remember that laying hands on a person is just an expression. It is not an act that forces God’s hand in any way. We can fall into the area of witchcraft if we are not careful—believing that the power is in a process or even from ourselves. God chooses whom He will give His power to and what gifts He will bestow on them (1 Corinthians 12:11).

Regardless of how or when it occurs, the bible instructs us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The only way we can ensure this is by loving God and being obedient to Him. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a spiritual experience that has to be sanctioned by your church leaders. But, if it happens in that way, then that’s great! It is God working through us—often in evident ways. For if salvation cannot be foreseen or controlled, but instead relies solely on God’s will (John 3:1-9), then neither can His Spirit. I do long for growth in my life so I can walk every day under the influence of His Spirit. At the moment I am content with small glimpses of what that life is like, but one day I can be certain that Jesus will finish the work He began in me (Philippians 1:6).

How to be sure

I worry for the people that are anxious about whether the Holy Spirit is with them or not and working through them or not. Perhaps their fears come from their church leaders who tell them that there is only one way to know and if it isn’t evident then they have to keep trying. So, I have found some really useful verses and questions that will help to guide you and, hopefully, ease your mind.

The bible mentions many different signs that a believer can be sure if they are truly saved, and therefore sealed with the Holy Spirit, but perhaps the best example is shown in Acts 2:42-47.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Or perhaps ask yourself the following questions (taken from John Piper) so that you can have assurance of the Holy Spirit’s influence in your life. Because it is a mistake to listen to Christians who put emphasis on only one area of the Holy Spirit’s outworking.

-      Have I seen the Spirit of obedience at work in my life, subduing sin and inclining me to acts of love?

-      Have I seen the Spirit of praise in my life, filling my heart and mouth with worship to Jesus and God the Father?

-      Have I seen the Spirit of courage at work in my life, overcoming fear and giving me a will to risk things for the cause of Christ?

-      Even though I know that speaking in other languages and the gift of prophesy are no sure sign of God’s grace, yet together with other evidences, they too are precious evidence that the power of God is on me.

(John Piper, 1981).

May you all know God and may He fill your hearts and minds so that you are overflowing with love!

REFERENCES

Murray, Iain, H. (1966). ‘The Forgotten Spurgeon.’

Piper, J (1981). ‘Be Filled With the Spirit.’ Retrieved from http://www.soundofgrace.com/piper81/030881m.htm

Spurgeon, C.H. (1882) ‘The Indwelling and Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.’

Strong’s Concordance. ‘Baptism.’ Retrieved from http://concordances.org/greek/908.htm