How Can a Good God Allow Evil?

"This One will be our peace." -Micah 5:2

This December was the first time I have had to turn off the news because it was too depressing. Terrible events happened that changed the lives of so many. Christmas should be a season of celebration, but, even though the dust had settled, it was still marked with a cloud of sadness.

When evil events occur, the question that is undoubtedly asked is, "Where is God in all this? How can a good God allow this evil?" This is the question that is always posed at Christians in an attempt to 'stump the chump.' It is my belief that as Christians we are the only ones that actually have an answer to this question. The fact is, tragedies like the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, do not cause me to lose faith in God, but in humanity.

Consider this, in a world that embraces Postmodern thinking truth becomes subjective for each individual. This lack of a solid foundation of truth leads to moral relativity, meaning that the lines of good and evil are blurred. Of course, everyone in their right mind would admit that the killing of children is pure evil. However, the blame of this evil is still shifted away from the individual and excused with things like poor parenting, mental illness, or lack of gun restrictions. According to the Bible, the problem of evil does not reside with God, but with each individual man. "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually...and He was grieved in His heart" (Genesis 6:5,6b). Evil is man's rejection of God's way, choosing, instead, to go his own way. Romans 3:10-12 "As it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seek after God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one." This is a quotation from both Psalm 14:1-3 and 53:1-3 "The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good not even one." So, contrary to popular belief, man is NOT 'basically good' and evil resides on both the corporate and individual level.

Another destructive worldview stems from an evolutionary perspective. Evolution embraces the idea of survival of the fittest, thus, bringing about improvement over time. Death becomes progress, and, when this view is taken to its extreme, there is no difference between the death of a child and the death of an insect because death is an advancement toward a stronger more purified species. However, the Bible speaks of death as the result of man's choosing evil. Romans 5:12, 19a "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned...through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners." Death is man's separation from God as a result of his rejection of God. 

But God, being good, did not abandon us in our sinful state. He sent His child, Jesus Christ, to be born on earth, live a sinless life, then die (suffering the consequences of sin) on our behalf. Romans 5 continues, "For as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous...so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (verses 19 and 21).

When we take God out of the picture we are left to destruction, despair, and hopelessness. The only peace is Christ Himself. Micah 5, the passage that speaks of the promised Messiah being born in Bethlehem, which is a direct prophecy of Jesus' birth, concludes the prophecy with the words in verse 5, "This One will be our peace." This is why He is called the Prince of Peace and heralded at His birth was the message of "peace on earth!" But notice what the angels proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased" (Luke 2:14). God is not to be blamed for the evil, He receives the honor and glory for giving the gift of hope and peace. Also, this peace is not the sudden end of war, world hunger, and sadness, it is the gift of peace through Jesus Christ. It is peace with God to those who receive His gift. It is hope so man is no longer left in His sin, but made righteous through the blood of Christ. It is a glorious future so that death is no longer despair and separation from God, but entrance into eternal life with God. 



So I leave you with the words of the Christmas carol I have found particularly meaningful this season:1

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play, 
And wild and sweet their words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will toward men." 

1 "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" words by Henry W. Longfellow, 1864 (On an historical note, this hymn was written during the American Civil War).
2 For one of the most beautiful renditions of this song I recommend Casting Crowns

3 Image taken from sharedhope.org

Worship the King

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem saying, "Where is He who has been born Kind of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East, and have come to worship Him." And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him...And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him." And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the East, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly, with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh."
-Matthew 2:1-3, 8-11

The other day I was in the store doing some Christmas shopping. Nearby there were some women examining the nativity sets. One of the women said to the other, "My nativity scene is a big mix and match and I have two different sets of wise men!" To which the other woman remarked, "What! More than three wise men? What kind of church do you go to?"

In my opinion the wise men are the most misunderstood characters from the nativity. First of all, they were probably not kings. While they may have been royalty, and certainly were wealthy, they were actually religious scholars who specialized in astrology, medicine, and natural sciences. They came from Saudi Arabia, particularly, the areas of Persia and Babylon. This means they likely had copies of the Jewish Scriptures which would have been circulated through this area during the exile. Because of this, they were probably familiar with the Jewish Scripture that says, "A star will come out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel" (Num. 24:17). 

The star they saw may have been a comet, meteor, supernova, or a cluster of planets. While, at first, it could have been a natural phenomenon they saw that caused them to journey from the East, the way the star reappears, moves, and settles over a certain house, as it was leading them from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, suggest that it was a miraculous star-like manifestation that could have been similar to the Shekinah glory in the wilderness. Whatever the star was is not as important as what it represented- the birth of the King of kings. 

Also, while there were three gifts presented, there was likely a whole caravan of Magi, servants, camels, and other animals. I like to imagine it was something like the caravan from Aladin when prince "Ali Ababua" enters the city, although, that may be a bit overboard. Whatever the extravagance of the caravan, their entrance into Jerusalem was no small thing and it allowed an immediate audience with king Herod. 

The sad thing is that when Jerusalem heard all this news it says they were "troubled." It is understandable that Herod was troubled because he was a foreign king, set up by an outside nation, who was consistently paranoid about someone rising up to take his throne, so much so that he killed members of his own family when he thought they were undermining him. Herod had absolutely no intention of worshipping the Child (Matt. 2:8). Herod does seek out the priests and scribes to find out what is going on, and they rightly quote Micah 5:2 which speaks of a Ruler being born in Bethlehem. However, here were the scholars of Old Testament Scripture and the "wise men" for the Jews. They, of all people, should have understood what was happening and been running to Bethlehem to worship the Christ-child. They should have even recognized the presence of the Magi as a prophetic fulfillment of Isaiah 60- "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you...And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising...The wealth of nations will come to you. A multitude of camels will cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah [Sinai and Saudi Arabia area]; all those from Sheba will come; they will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the Lord." (Isa. 60:1,3,5b, 6).

Instead of the Jewish priests and scribes going to worship Christ, it was foreign, Gentile astrologers traveling from afar to worship and give gifts. I'm inclined to think that the Jewish religious leaders knew exactly what was going on because of the nature of the gifts the Magi presented to Jesus. Gold symbolizes value, nobility, and royalty. They knew Jesus was a distinguished King. Frankincense was an expensive, sweet-smelling incense used for the most special occasions. It was the traditional incense of deity and in the Old Testament times, Jews stored it in a special chamber in front of the temple and used for sprinkling on offerings as a way to worship God. The Magi were worshipping Jesus as deity. Lastly, Myrrh was a valuable perfume that represented mortality and humanity. It was later used with spices to prepare Christ's body for burial after His death (John 19:39-40). With these three gifts they highlighted significant characteristics of Christ. 

Christmas is an easy time to be distracted by all the festivities, complacent at the same old story and traditions, or it is the chance to be reminded of the birth of the Savior. We should be like the Magi and worship in awe the King of kings, fully God, fully man, who was born to die.


1 Reference material: "God in a Manger" by John MacArthur, "Matthew: MacArthur New Testament Commentary", and NASB marginal notes.
2 One other misunderstanding that should be cleared up is that the wise men are not present at the stable after Christ's birth. By the time the Magi arrived Jesus was likely a year or two old and Joseph and Mary were now living in a house in Bethlehem. 
3 Image taken from en.wikipedia.org

The Mighty Shepherd

10 Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense is before Him. 11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Isaiah 40:10-11

Last Sunday afternoon I celebrated my annual tradition of participating in a performance of Handel's "Messiah." Shortly after moving to Hawaii I was googling like crazy to see if there was a concert or sing-along of this beloved oratorio. To my excitement I found one sing-along, just one, on the whole island! It was at a small Presbyterian church and the choir just about outnumbered the audience. The soloists were not like the professionals I heard the year before when I attended "Messiah" at the Disney Concert Hall in LA, but their voices lifted the melody in a way that still lifted my heart to heaven. Afterwards someone commented that I was the only woman in the choir not wearing a floral hawaiian muumuu! Nonetheless, I plan to be there each year as long as I live in Hawaii. 

My favorite number from Handel's "Messiah" is the duet "And He Shall Feed His Flock." This beautiful tune is an alto soloist singing the words of Isaiah 40:11, followed by a soprano melodically declaring "come unto Him all ye that labor and He will give you rest; take His yoke upon you and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:29).

This duet grabs my heart because Isaiah 40 is such a rich text of Scripture. This chapter places the promises of God and the character of God side-by-side. Verse one opens with the words “Comfort, O comfort my people!” (another familiar solo from "The Messiah"). God promises forgiveness of sins, redemption, and His coming Messiah. Following the first few verses, the chapter list characteristic after characteristic of God: His power, sovereignty, superiority, wisdom, and the list goes on and on. Our Father never asks us to trust Him blindly, He gives reasons to trust Him. Verse 10 and 11 particularly stand out because they seem to be such an opposite juxtaposition- The Mighty Warrior (v. 10) and The Tender Shepherd (v. 11).

These verses are beautifully and intentionally woven together to form one amazing promise. Verse 10 speaks of God’s power and strength as a mighty warrior while verse 11 describes Him as a tender, compassionate shepherd. The description of the sheep are the youngest, weakest ewe lambs that are utterly dependent on their Master for protection and provision. God will powerfully fight our battles and lovingly care for us. He is both powerful and compassionate.

These qualities are purposefully placed side-by-side because they are two aspects of God that we naturally tend to separate. In times of discouragement we certainly believe that God is able and powerful enough to help, but we question that He actually will help.  We don’t doubt God’s power but we doubt His compassion. How many times have you prayed for the salvation of an unbelieving friend or family member, or the healing of a loved-one—hoping desperately for a miracle but secretly doubting that anything will actually happen? God promises that He is not only one-hundred percent willing, but one-hundred percent able.

God is powerful enough to help you and He is filled with compassionate so that He will help you. Relish and rest in that truth this season! Let the easy yoke of that promise rest on your shoulders. Also, make sure to get out and see a performance of Handel's "Messiah," attend a sing-along, or, at least, listen to a recording. This musical masterpiece captures the full extent of all we celebrate at Christmas in a way that is unparalleled.

1 Image taken from rain.org. This is a piece of Handel's Messiah written in Beethoven's hand. Beethoven so admired Handel's work that he wrote it out so as to get the "feeling of its intricacies" and "to unravel its complexities." On another occasion Beethoven is said to have remarked, "Handel is the greatest composer that ever lived."The music of Messiah so permeated Beethoven's being that on his deathbed he is reputed to have quoted from The Messiah stating that if there were a physician that could help him "His name shall be called Wonderful."

Thank You Jar

"You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan the the widow who are in your towns. Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful."
Deuteronomy 16:13-15

Thanksgiving, in my opinion, is a holiday that most resembles some of the Feasts of Old Testament Israel. God was all about annual celebrations and giant feasts to commemorate the good things He had done for His people. One of my favorite feasts was the Feast of Booths or Tents. It was essentially a glorified camping trip! It celebrated both the end of the harvest and the gathering of the last crops, as well as the wanderings in the wilderness. The people did not work for eight days and they spent that time feasting nonstop, offering thanksgiving and freewill offerings, and they built temporary shelters out of branches and leaves to stay in during that time. It was a glorious celebration! Just imagine if Thanksgiving was eight days long!

I love camping, but whenever the camping trip is over some of my favorite things to do include taking a long, hot shower, and sleeping in my comfy bed. In the same way God designed the Feast of Tents to help the people "appreciate their homes and realize how thankful they should be for their comforts (Deut. 6:10-11)."1 This feast combined both the gathering of the harvest and the reminder of wandering in the wilderness because "when the people dwelled in the land and enjoyed God's bounty, they could not forget the hardships of the temporary dwellings in the wilderness."2 It is a reminder that everything the people possessed came from God- in the same way He provided food, water, and shelter for them in the wilderness, He continued to provide food, water, and shelter for them now. 

It is only by remembering what God has done that we can step out in faith for the year to come. God never asks us to trust Him blindly, He always says "look back, remember, see what I have done...now trust Me." He was constantly reminding Israel of how He brought them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and preserved them in the wilderness. Usually these reminders came at a time when they were facing a great battle, hardship, or famine. God is always telling us "Remember how I took care of you in the past, you can trust Me to do the same for you in the future." That is why we are commanded, not encouraged, but commanded to give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." So often people say they want to know and do God's will for their lives, well, there you have it, give thanks!

When I was a child my mother had a big glass jar that she kept in the pantry. This was our "Thank You Jar" and whenever we felt thankful for something we could write in on a piece of paper and slip it into the jar. Then, at the end of every year we would pass the jar around, pull out the slips of paper, and read them one by one. Over time, as we grew older, the jar was replaced by a "Thank You Journal." Then as we moved away from home, my mother gave each of us a notebook to keep track of our blessings. Each year during the holiday season when we gather as a family we go month by month and share the various blessings that we recorded in our notebooks. It has become a special way to reflect on the year and be reminded on some of the huge blessings. 

In our attempt to keep the tradition alive, my husband and I each have a notebook in which we have been recording our blessings. I usually pull it out each night and jot down the blessings of the day. Some days are easier than others, but every day I write something. I always put a star next to the big highlights that I intend to share at the end of the year. It has always been overwhelming to look back over the year and reflect on all that God has done.

God is all about tangible reminders to help us reflect on the things He has done and offer Him thanksgiving. He knows that a heart of gratitude produces trust, and trust produces peace. Thanksgiving is the root that determines our mindset, and it is a habit that we must foster daily, not just once a year. Even the holiday of Thanksgiving is often no more than food, family, football, and more food. Take some time to make this Thanksgiving an opportunity to reflect on God's provision and praise Him for His many blessings. Consider setting the timer for an hour and using that time to write out a "thankful list." Take some time as a family to reflect and share month by month over the blessings of the year. More than anything, brainstorm ways to develop a daily habit that will cultivate a heart of thanksgiving.  

1 A. P. Ross, Holiness to the LORD, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2002, pg. 437.
2 Ibid, pg. 435.
3 Image taken from crunchycatholicmomma.blogspot.com

Where is your hope?

"Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD while I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Do not trust in princes,
In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;
In that very day his thoughts perish.
How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God;
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever;
Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous;
The LORD protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow;
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
The LORD will reign forever,
Thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!"
- Psalm 146

I was determined not to post something related to politics, but if you are anything like me, it is something that has been on your mind over the last couple of days. Whether you are thrilled at the outcome of the election or pessimistically bemoaning the results, one thing remains true, God is ultimately in control.

Israel was a nation that knew war, natural disaster, political upheaval, and poverty. The author and time period of this particular psalm is unknown, but some speculate that it could have been Ezra or Nehemiah, meaning it could be as far into Israel's history as during the exile or shortly after a remnant returned to the land. I cannot help but think that no matter what the context was, this psalm was written during a time of great transition, unrest, and political uncertainty. It could have been written during the reign of a wonderful king, a horrible king, or likely no king at all! This psalm was written as a reminder that no matter what the political circumstances the nation was currently facing, God was the one in charge.

It did not matter who the leader was, because every leader was mortal. It is rather explicit, but verses 3 and 4 essentially say, do not trust in princes because they die, they are not permanent, they cannot give salvation. Only God is eternal. He is the possessor of full sovereignty and provider of our salvation.

Just look at the actions of God in this psalm: He made, keeps, executes, gives, sets free, heals, raises up, loves, protects, supports, and reigns. He helps the helpless and executes justice. None of His children are overlooked- the oppressed, hungry, prisoner, blind, lowly, stranger, orphan, and widow. Are you in financial peril, in need of physical healing, isolated, alone, stuck, discouraged? Every need is covered with His provision, protection, healing, and love.

Finally, notice that the psalm begins and ends with praise and carries a tone of relief that no matter what the circumstances God can be depended on to provide and protect. He is on the throne- He was then, He is now, and He will be forever. So where is your hope? Are you depending on a certain political leader? Are you clawing for that next paycheck to make ends meet? Are you clinging to a human relationship or hoping for a change in circumstances to make you complete and satisfied? Or have you started to give up altogether? Be reminded that God is Creator and Sustainer. He has not forgotten about you or lost control. He can be trusted and He deserves our hope and praise.

Resentment or Sanctification?

"Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." 
-Hebrews 12:14-15

You may have seen infomercials for "Insanity Workout," well, my husband and I have been doing these workout videos together. It definitely lives up to its name. Usually at some point during the workout I am laying on the floor in the fetal position gasping for breath! I have also noticed my increasing habit to grumble at the video instructor and complain at the super-human athleticism of the spunky people in the video. The reality is it has nothing to do with them, and everything to do with me. Their energetic attitude highlights my frustration, and their flawless form accentuates the ways I am doing it wrong and need to improve. 

The same thing happens in relationships. Often we can be quick to criticize and resent another person, when the reality is that we are frustrated with them because they highlight areas in our own life needing sanctification. 

Let me offer some examples:

• The annoying co-worker or boss that we dread running into on a daily basis. We use the excuse that we have conflicting personalities, they are not a very hard worker, or they do not appreciate all the work we do. The reality may be that we resent them for drawing out our own impatience and polite pretending. They highlight how self-absorbed we really are. 
• A husband sits with his wife at dinner while she talks through the details of her day, recounting various stories about the children. He tries to be interested, but inside he is bored and distracted by things at work. He thinks about a few of his buddies that are much more interesting, funny, and stimulating to be around. He uses the excuse that he and his wife do not have much in common anymore. The reality is that they have a family and life together in common and he is making excuses for his own selfishness, apathy, and misplaced priorities. 
• A friend of mine is parenting a child with some learning disabilities. She admitted to me that while her child can act immature, be disrespectful, and presents extra challenges, the reality is that this child constantly points to her own parenting flaws. She is constantly confronted by her bad attitude and short-temper. She asked me to pray that she would not resent this difficult situation, but instead she would use it as an opportunity to grow. 

I understand every situation can be different and pose unique challenges. People can be incredibly difficult and you can attempt everything to work at the relationship. The problem is we are all sinful, selfish, and imperfect people. Are you willing to allow the conflict with others to help you acknowledge the sin in your own life and the personal opportunity for growth? Gary Thomas says, "when disagreements arise, the natural tendency is to flee. Rather than work through the misunderstanding (or sin), we typically take a much more economical path- we search for another church, another job, another neighborhood, another friend, another spouse."1 Beware of merely running away from the ways God is using difficult situations to confront your sin. Be careful not to let bitterness and resentment take root. Hebrews 12:14-15 warns that when we allow bitterness to have a foothold it prevents us from pursuing sanctification. When this happens we can miss out on God's grace, and it can even keep us from seeing God. This is why all throughout Scripture we are told to reconcile our relationships with others before coming to the altar of God (Matthew 5:23-24; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; Matthew 6:12-15; Ephesians 4:31; 1 Timothy 2:8). So what will the choice be, resentment or sanctification?

Let me end by sharing the beautiful, and rather convicting prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

1 Gary Thomas, "Sacred Marriage," Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. pg 162. 

Right Thinking = Right Fruit

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'"

-Matthew 7:15-23

I have always had a fascination with gems, diamonds in particular. No, I would not consider them to be my best friend, but diamonds possess a unique beauty that is unparalleled. The reason for this beauty is the way they reflect the light. Since they are multifaceted one can examine the diamond, then turn it slightly and the light is reflected in a whole new way. 

The many attributes of God are similar to the multi-facets of a diamond. You can be transfixed as you consider one of God's characteristics, then gaze at another attribute and be left in total awe. I have been reading A.W. Tozer's "The Knowledge of the Holy." In it he examines various attributes of God and how they relate to one another. One particular quote stood out during my reading:

I think it might be demonstrated that almost every heresy that has afflicted the church through the years has arisen from believing about God things that are not true, or from overemphasizing certain true things so as to obscure other things equally true. To magnify any attribute to the exclusion of another is to head straight for one of the dismal swamps of theology; and yet we are all constantly tempted to do just that.1

I am a firm believer that the foundation to our faith begins with right thinking about God and His Gospel. 

Matthew 7 gets at the heart of this issue. It is a passage that is often gravely misunderstood. Verses 16 and 20 says, "you will know them by their fruits;" but this is usually taken to mean that we will know someone is a Christian by his or her good works. However, when we examine this verse in context, the opposite is actually true.2 These "false prophets" demonstrated all kinds of good works- even prophesying and performing miracles, but what they lacked was a proper view of God and a correct understanding of the Gospel. So Jesus says to them, "I never knew you; depart from me."

We all know people or religious groups that are nice, charitable, and relatively moral. But all these good works are not what matter. Is the Jesus these religions teach about, the Jesus of the Bible? Is the Gospel they share the Gospel preached in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"? If not, they are still lost in their understanding and separated from God. 

What matters is the foundation of our doctrine. This is the fruit that should truly distinguish us. The Gospel, also like a diamond, is filled with simplicity and complexity:

• Simplicity: God is holy, we are sinful and, therefore, separated from God. The punishment for our sin is death. Since we couldn't get to God, He came to us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to take our sin on Himself and die in our place. God offers His Son as a free gift to us that we respond to through faith and faith alone. That is Romans 6:23! 
• Complexity: We could spend the rest of our lives unpacking the truth of that simple Gospel. I also believe that almost every attribute of God can be seen in the truth of the Gospel- His love, justice, holiness, grace, sovereignty, mercy, and the list goes on and on!

We must build our good works upon a foundation of sound biblical doctrine. A proper understanding of God's forgiveness is the only way we are able to extend forgiveness to others. It is by grasping the extent of God's faithfulness that we can maintain stronger fidelity towards our spouse. Don't get me wrong, though, I am not excusing a life without good works. It was just last week that I highlighted 1 John 4 and emphasized that if we want to love God, we must start by loving people. Our doctrine should lead us to action, but beware of shallow or misled doctrine. Is there a sin controlling your life? What lie might you be believing about God? Take time to study some attributes of God, start reading "The Knowledge of the Holy," or just get into the Word and let it saturate your mind. 

1. A.W. Tozer, "The Knowledge of the Holy," New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 1961.
2. For further reading on this interpretation of Matthew 7 see pgs. 194-199 of J.C. Dillow, "The Reign of the Servant Kings," Haysville: Schoettle Publishing Co, 1992.

Love Well

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
-Matthew 22:36-40

I have only been married for a few short months, but already I have seen whole new sides of myself. Never before have I been so confronted with my own selfishness, short temper, condescending tones, impatience, and negative attitude. 

Prior to getting married I lived in an apartment on my own for five years. Things were organized to my satisfaction and whenever I threw a temper tantrum the only one that heard it was my pet fish. Now when things don't go my way or I am having a day that I want to pout, my husband is the recipient of all my grumbling. Gary Thomas says, "If you want to be free to serve Jesus, there's no question- stay single. Marriage takes a lot of time. But if you want to become more like Jesus, I can't imagine any better thing to do than to get married."1 Marriage becomes the context where love is put to its greatest test. 

In Matthew 22 Jesus highlights the two greatest commands in all of Scripture: Loving God and loving others. Between these two commands He uses the word "homoia" which literally means "of the same nature, like, similar."2 It is as if He is saying "this second command is just as important as the first one!" He places the two commands on an equal level. It implies the idea that in order to love God well, we must love others well. 

This same theme is picked up in 1 John 4:20-21- "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also." When John says "this commandment we have from Him" he is speaking of Jesus' words in Matthew 22; and notice that John doesn't see them as two separate commands, he sees them as one singular command.

If you want to love God well, it means demonstrating love to those closest to you. I recently attended my cousins wedding and I will never forget how the officiant ended the ceremony. He said "if there is anything you should remember about today, let it be this: 'be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you' (Ephesians 4:32)." That is how we are to love, by speaking kindly and responding with a soft heart rather than a selfish heart.  

Beyond this, the most surprising discovery since being married has been the way my husband, Jon, loves and accepts me despite my selfish faults. Most people see the fun-loving, entertaining, extroverted side of me, but only Jon is close enough to see the full package- all the good and all the, well, not-so-good. This is why Scripture constantly uses the picture of marriage to describe God's love for Israel and Christ's relationship to the Church. God designed marriage, not only to teach us how to love well, but also to demonstrate His eternal and unconditional love for us. "'It will come about in that day,' declares the Lord, 'that you will call me Ishi [my husband]...I will betroth you to Me forever'" (Hosea 2:16a, 19a). 

(1) Gary Thomas, "Sacred Marriage" Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2000, p 21. I highly recommend this book if you want further reading on this topic. His main premise is that perhaps God designs marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy. An excellent read. 
(2) Bauer, "A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament" 3rd Ed. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 2000, p 706. 

Running the Race

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 

- Hebrews 12:1-2

Five years ago I ran the Chicago Marathon. Anyone who has run this race knows that the first six miles are filled with excitement and adrenaline. During these first miles one weaves their way through the heart of downtown, next to lofty skyscrapers and familiar sights, all while being cheered on by thousands of spectators. But at about the half-way point monotony sets in. The rest of the race consists of a long, grueling journey west- running away from the city, followed by a never ending run to the south. When, at last, you turn back towards downtown for the final stretch of the race, the once lofty skyscrapers now appear like tiny specks on the horizon. This is about the point you are ready to throw in the towel!

Running with endurance provides a beautiful illustration for our various seasons of life. Sometimes life is filled with thrills, new adventures, and excitement. At other times, however, life feels discouraging, mundane, even painful. 

Even in a short time my race has changed course a number of times. Five years ago I was just beginning my Masters degree in Biblical Exegesis from Wheaton College. I was filled with anticipation and speculation about how I was going to change the world! One year ago I was working as a Resident Director at Biola University. This was my dream job. I spent most of my days meeting with students, mentoring, counseling, casting vision, and planning events to enhance the social and spiritual life of the residents. A couple months ago my race changed again. I gave up that job to get married and move to Hawaii with my husband. Sounds thrilling, right? Well, vacationing in Hawaii and living in Hawaii are two very different things. My days now consist of cooking, laundry, dishes, and Netflix movies. We occasionally go for a hike or head to the beach, but most of the time Jon has to work so I'm left at home. God has been working in my heart to embrace this newest change of course and to run it with endurance.

Each of us has a different race set before us. No matter what the race, we are told to run it with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus. How are you obediently running the race God has set before you today? Take that chance to speak up when you overhear your unsaved co-workers discussing religion. Spend a little time in the Word before logging onto facebook. Think of one thing you are thankful for with each t-shirt and pair of socks you fold instead of grumbling that this is the fourth load of laundry so far this week!

Above all, take time to fix your eyes on Christ. It is only by having this daily foundation that you will be able respond obediently to each step of your race. He ran the perfect race, and in the face of the greatest trial responded "not my will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42b). He endured the cross so that we could be reconciled to God. The very next verse in Hebrews says "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb 12:3). Don't throw in the towel; remember, He ran for you and He runs with you.