Looking ahead to 2020, my greatest desire was to strive toward contentment in all things. Though positive, I recently found that my desire was misplaced. This was in light of discovering the biblical truth that contentment cannot be found apart from Jesus. To take a lesson from Scottish theologian Dr Sinclair Ferguson, if we seek contentment then we will never find it. This is because we do not find contentment in the pursuit contentment itself. Rather, it is found in Christ who brings us unspeakable joy and satisfaction.
Contentment is not our natural tendency
An appropriate starting point is this: contentment is not the natural tendency of man. In our natural, unregenerate, fallen state, we do not seek after God (Romans 3:10-11). We must firstly be born again by water and the Spirit of the Living God (John 3:1-8). Upon this occurrence, God gives us a new heart, a new nature that gradually desires God more and more by the work of His Spirit. This is promised in the prophecy concerning the New Covenant in Ezekiel 36:24-28.
Once justified (declared righteous before God by faith in Jesus for our salvation), we are sanctified (made positionally holy, set apart unto God). Sanctification is also the process where God makes us more like Christ by the work of His Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). With this being a progressive work, the flesh and the Spirit are constantly at war within us, (Galatians 5:17), indicating that contentment in God is not our natural tendency.
Consequently, we may become swept up in what ethicists and social commentators call ‘Affluenza’. This is the notion that as affluence and consumerism in the Western world becomes exacerbated, so does the desire for more. Tim Challies writes:
“Many of us have discovered that as our wealth and our possessions multiply, so too does our discontentment… There is an inverse relationship between how much we have and how much we are convinced we need to be content.”
Tim Challies
This was illustrated in Genesis 3. Although God supplied Adam and Eve with all they needed (Genesis 1:29-30), including unbroken fellowship with Him, they were mistaken in believing that they required more to be satisfied. They had great abundance, yet still felt empty. This points toward the truth which Saint Aurelius Augustine of Hippo asserted in his classical work “Confessions
“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”
St. Augustine
Our hearts are made for God. The human heart longs to worship someone/something; God, false gods, money, self, etc. Ignorance of this reality and seeking the utmost satisfaction outside of God denies one the possibility of becoming fully content. This goes to the heart of the gospel:
“The God who made us has come to redeem us and remake us, being our access route to our contentment, pleasure and satisfaction for which we were created.”
Dr Sinclair Ferguson
Contentment must be cultivated
In Philippians 4:11, Paul writes “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” The gravity of this statement can only be understood in the context of his ministry. Paul penned his letter to the church at Philippi while imprisoned in Rome. He was held captive for relentlessly sharing the gospel much to the rage of the Jews and the Roman authorities. Paul’s life spoke volumes of the chastening experienced as contentment is cultivated.
At Corinth, there was an emergence of false teachers who were rapidly gaining popularity. Paul details his credentials which set him apart from these “super -apostles” including: countless imprisonments and beatings to the point of near-death. Innumerable floggings, shipwrecks, dangers of all kinds, not to mention the pressures of overseeing and disciplining the churches he founded (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).
Saul of Tarsus was a prolific persecutor of Christians and a wealthy Jew. This starkly contrasted his latter days where he was sustained by God’s provision and the gracious donations from the churches he founded (Philippians 4:10). Paul had experienced life at both ends of the spectrum. Having known what it meant to be both in need and having plenty, he had learned the secret to contentment (Philippians 4:12). Contentment is not circumstantial. He was a faithful steward with whatever he had, learning to submit to the will and good pleasure of God.
Contentment is cultivated by the spirit of rejoicing
In Acts 5, the apostles were arrested in response to the attention they drew to themselves as they shared the gospel and performed many signs and wonders. Upon their release, they were ordered to cease from speaking in the name of Jesus (see Acts 5:17-40). Verse 41 reads:
“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering for the Name.”
Acts 5:41
The Jewish council flogged the apostles and warned them to never speak of the name of Jesus again, yet they rejoiced in their suffering, taking joy in what they viewed the highest honour of all. The key here is that they rejoiced in God, not circumstances.
You train yourself to be joyful, by trusting in the provision of the Lord and staying in the place of obedience.
DrJohn MacArthur
In the Pauline epistles, the apostle encourages the churches to do exactly this. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul exhorted God’s people to rejoice, ceaselessly pray and give thanks in all circumstances.’ (v.16-18). This was not written at a time of great celebration. Timothy had reported to Paul on the unexpected deaths within the church. Nevertheless, Paul told the church to delight in God’s good pleasure; to live in peace with one another (v.12-15) and rejoice always because “this is God’s will for you in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Contentment is taking satisfaction in the loving-kindness of God
In Psalm 36, David speaks of the contrasts between wicked man and righteous God, thanking Him for his goodness toward His people. Psalm 36:7-9 reads:
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”
Psalm 36:7-9
God’s ‘loving-kindness’ encompasses his grace, mercy and love. David saw the merciful God as a place of rest and refuge for His people. The Psalmist makes known that God cares for and protects those who trust in Him as a gracious and honourable host would for anyone in his house. The fullness of God’s house is enough to satisfy anyone, offering a flow of ‘rivers of pleasures” in Him. Here is a picture of contentment which is echoed in Psalm 23. With God as his Shepherd, the Psalmist had everything he required (Psalm 23:1).
Contentment through Christ
So how did Paul learn to be content whatever the circumstances? The key is Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
The fullness of God’s loving-kindness is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, it is in He alone that we receive the capability to cultivate contentment and it is in He alone that contentment is found.
Valentines has come and gone, but regardless of whether you have found your boyfriend (or girlfriend), love, as they say, is still in the air. And while it’s a subject on many of our hearts and minds it is well worth discovering what true love is.
We are all by nature created for love. To love and to be loved. Even more so Christians are to be marked by love (John 13:35) so we must understand how this love we have is both distinctive and yet desirable to those who are perhaps still intoxicated with the love of the world (1 John 2:15-17)
In our culture, the idea of love is heavily romanticised. Sexualised even. We are bombarded with various depictions of what love is. Whether it be in what we read on our small screens, what we watch on our large screens, what we listen to in our music or even when we speak with friends. And whilst there are romantic and sexual expressions of love, alongside familial and platonic forms, the human heart’s greatest need for love is not fully met in any of these expressions. Ultimately, we are filled when we encounter the love of Christ. It is in His love that we are truly satisfied. You may have come to that conclusion already. You may not have. Regardless of whether you have or not, it’s one thing to come to this conclusion – it’s another entirely to experience this reality. This is where a prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Ephesians is really enlightening. He asks that the Ephesian people
“may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19)
Now if you’re anything like me, you read this and thought “Wow sounds great!” but after pondering on it for a moment you then slowly ask yourself “How do I comprehend the incomprehensible?”. Because this is precisely what Paul is asking the Ephesians to do. He petitions for them to have “strength to comprehend…the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge”
Beyond intellect
For those of us with tendencies to try and work things out intellectually, this “experiencing the love of God” can be particularly challenging. We see height, breadth, depth and length and our natural tendency is to concoct some sort of equation for how we are to experience God’s love. This can be a fatal trap and lead to an increasingly deteriorating and debilitating spiritual condition.
We must recognise that in order to experience this love, it is contingent upon recognising the “incomprehensibility” of this truth and going to the One who alone is wise (Rom 16:27), who can empower us to truly know. We must resolve to know that this is a supernatural experience and recognise that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). By the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of God becomes more than just a theological concept, but it becomes the bedrock for our walk with Him and our mission to represent Him as an ambassador to a dying and hopeless world.
Notice however, the heading says “beyond” intellect. Not abandoning intellect. Jesus commands us to love us with our minds (Matt 22:37-40) and Paul instructs us to “think about such things” that are noble and good (Phil 4:8). We don’t abandon our minds in the pursuit of God’s love but rather fill our minds with the truth of His love for us and pray that we experience the glories of the truths we know.
Beyond emotion
However, intellect isn’t the only pitfall. For some, the love of God is so overly emotional that if one does not feel goosebumps or the shivers then the only conclusion is that they are not experiencing the love of God anymore. And this can be even more dangerous than the intellectual pitfalls, because emotions have taken the lead and become the governing influence in your life as opposed to glorious biblical truth. One can end up in all sorts of theological maladies when subscribing to a purely emotion-based understanding of the love of God.
Speak to any married couple. There are seasons of expressly heightened emotions in their love for one another. And there are seasons where their love for one another is most clearly evidenced by their simple committed choice to love one another regardless of the emotion. In fact, very often the truth of their love for another informs their emotional state. As believers, we are to routinely remind ourselves and be reminded by others of the love Christ has for us, regardless of our immediate feelings.
Yet, our feelings are not evil. In some Christian circles, any expression of emotions can be greeted by a rather uncomfortable response. This is unfortunate, seeing as the Psalms are filled with weighty truths about God but also the very real emotions of the Psalmists in their personal walks with the Lord. “Beyond emotion” does not mean banishing all emotions from the equation. Far from it. It means that our emotions are not our sole determiner for experiencing God’s love but like David, when circumstances play a bearing on our emotions, we “encourage ourselves in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6) and move forward with His grace and love.
Final thoughts
Knowing the unknowable. Comprehending the incomprehensible. The love of God towards us is so vast that it exceeds the capacity of our finite hearts and minds. So, if you looking to be loved like no other come to Christ. If you are searching for satisfaction draw near to Him. His love is readily available.
For those of us who are convinced of this love but desiring to experience it as a more consistent reality, here are some final reminders.
The love of Christ in us is supernatural. We cannot work it out with a solely intellectual or emotional framework. Continually echo the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 5:18,19 for yourself
Although we don’t use or intellect or emotions as means to conclusively comprehending this love, they do help serve our experience of experiencing the love of Christ and loving others. Remind yourself that like any relationship, there are seasons of unhindered heightened emotion which you must cherish and seasons where you must encourage yourself what to feel based on the truth of what you know.
Seek Christian community. Notice how Paul prays that the Ephesians “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints…” Very often just the mere presence of sincere Christian brothers and sisters can remind us of the love of God. If you remove yourself from Christian community, not only are you robbing yourself of this great blessing but you are also robbing someone else of the opportunity to experience God’s love through you.
I recently came across a story of a systematic theology professor who opened his lecture by stating ‘God does not exist’. The professor then took his seat and watched as chaos erupted as he listened to his students debating such an audacious claim. At the end of the lesson, the professor stood up and concluded: ‘God does not exist; God is’. God does not ‘exist’. That is a word that is far too limiting to be ascribed to God. God does not exist. Rather, God is. God is part of creation, He is inside all that He has made as well as outside. God is near us, present with us, active on earth and involved in our world.There is nothing passive about our God.
” God is other and set apart from everything else, that he is in a class by himself. God is not just quantitatively greater than us, but qualitatively different in his greatness.” – Thomas Trevethan
The problem of a solely transcendent God.
To simply define God’s transcendence, it’s a term used to refer to his distance, His ‘otherness’. The idea is that God is distinctively separate from His created beings. The transcendence of God describes the notion that He is above us, greater than us, before time, uncreated, separate and holy. ((Isaiah 55:9,Psalm 113:5-6,Isaiah 40:22-23). Some would say that on a foundational level, there are only two kinds of existence: God and everything else. This is why throughout the Old Testament there are numerous laws against the creation of idols. These prohibitions are made to utterly emphasize the wholly otherness and distinctiveness of God who cannot be represented physically. This is where the principle of a solely transcendent God originates from. It is an attribute with world religions such as Islam and Judaism tend to gravitate towards. The problem of a solely transcendent God is that He is simply just ‘up there’, confined by space and time. A solely transcendent God cannot be interacted with. A solely transcendent God cannot demonstrate love. This is a god who cannot be worshipped.
The problem of a solely immanent God.
God’s immanence simply refers to his nearness. God is wholly present with and active in the created order. God is near us, present with us, active on earth and involved in our world. He is present and active in nature, in history, in our lives. He acts in this world and dwells with his people. This is an attribute of God which tends to be over-emphasized in many eastern religions. The fallacy with a solely immanent God is that where God is simply a being who is anywhere and in everything, this view diminishes the holiness of God. This god cannot be worshipped. If we embrace the immanence of God without firstly contextualizing his transcendence, it diminishes the capacity of the believer to worship Him rightly because a god who is like us cannot be worshipped. In order to truly worship God, we must firstly recognise, grasp and then rejoice in the truth that He is completely distinct from us and holier than anything we know.
There is nothing “passive” about our God, nor any of His attributes. God is always all powerful (omnipotent), all knowing (omniscient), all places present (omnipresent) – Bill Gray
God is Both
Where we came from – a transcendent God created us.
Why are we here – an immanent God seeks relationship with us.
The biblical view of God is one of which affirms both God’s transcendence and immanence. This almost seems too paradoxical. This is what we see in Jeremiah 23:23-24 in which God asks“‘Am I only a God nearby,’ declares the LORD, ‘and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:23-24).
On one hand, we have God’s transcendent nature which strives to keep Him distant and remote from His creation and yet, on the other hand, His immanent nature works to draw Him near to His creation. From the very beginning, God demonstrates both of these attributes towards his creation. In Genesis 1 we learn of God’s transcendent nature when He created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). However, we also have Genesis 3:8 where God walked in the garden to find Adam and Eve. This becomes even more clear in the person of Jesus Christ. Where we witness God’s immanence in human form when Jesus redeems, purchases and rescues humanity from the penalty of sin and to draws us back into a close and personal relationship with a transcendent God. As Bill Muehlenberg said, “Our sin magnified his transcendence, but our repentance and faith enables new and deeper immanence”
In order to fully grasp and the importance and significance of God’s immanence, we must first understand his transcendence. They are two sides of the same coin. We cannot isolate one of God attributes from another. When we do so we are left with incomplete and malformed thoughts about the character and nature of God. This is what modern culture and other world religions struggle to comprehend. Pantheism, the belief that everything is God (i.e Buddhism and Hinduism) denies God’s transcendence. Judaism and Islam deny God’s immanence. However, both the truths of God’s transcendence and immanence must be affirmed. This is what makes the Gospel message so profound and powerful. That a transcendent God chooses to make himself known! The same God who spoke the cosmos into existence, knows the number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:29-31). Only Christianity affirms both. To have one without the other creates a caricature of the biblical God and that is not a god that is to be worshipped. As C.S. Lewis put it in The Problem of Pain, “God is both further from us, and nearer to us, than any other being.” In conclusion, we must hold on to both of God’s transcendence and immanence, any lessening and lowering of the dull extent of who God is, is walking down the path of idolatry. Ultimately, any distortion of either of the two would not allow us to witness the beauty of the Gospel message.
I’ve spent the last week bombarded by people asking me “can Christians go to Afro Nation’. This article will address this. For those unaware, Afro Nation 2019 is self-described as,
“Europe’s biggest urban music beach festival, taking place from 1-4 August on the stunning Praia da Rocha, bring[ing] together some of the most exciting names in afrobeats, hip hop, R&B, dancehall and bashment.”
I suspect this question comes from two different places and so this article is written for two different types of people:
Christians who attended Afro Nation 2019; who perhaps feel guilty and are earnestly seeking to know whether their decision was wrong and how they should approach festivals of this kind in the future.
Those who didn’t attend Afro Nation 2019, however, are in eager anticipation of the next festival and are wondering what the bible says about this.
This article is not about Afro Nation (the organisation). Instead this article will focus on how Christians ought to consider the impact of decisions on their soul, others and their own personal witness.
Perhaps at the top end of this article, we ought to reframe the question. To grow as Christians, we must move past the type of questions that dominated most of my early-youth. I can recall the prepubescent whining now… ‘can Christians do this’, ‘can Christians do that’. Part of Christian maturing is no longer starting questions with, ‘can I’, but starting to consider more weighty and important questions like, what impact does this decision have on me and/or on others around me? Does it aid my consecration? Does it add to my witness or spoil it? Does it aid my enjoyment of God? Does it glorify God? Does it feed my flesh or my spirit? Does it help me worship God or does it place an idol in his place?
When making decisions, ‘can I’, should be circumvented with ‘should I’, and then a Christian must also be open to correction and teaching. This is another crucial marker of maturity. After all, this is the Apostle Paul’s helpful advice, in 1st Corinthians 13.
‘All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].’
The idea here is simple enough. There is more to consider when making decisions than simply whether the said activity is fun/makes you feel good, or even whether you are justified in doing it. Some things may be lawful to you but destructive to your soul.
The truth is, we have to be open to correction and we have to be malleable. Any Christian that is not teachable and/or only considers trivial questions like ‘is this fun’ when making decisions is naive and fails to grasp the ramification of his/her decisions. This Christian must also repent and take the bible more seriously.
“I’m a Christian” “Me too”
We live in an age where the lines between genuine authentic Christianity and secularism are extremely blurred. When you tell a stranger you are Christian, these days you are more likely going to get a ‘me too’ or ‘my nan is one too’ or ‘we go to church every Christmas’. As opposed to genuine intrigue at why you have chosen to die to the world, pick up your cross and follow Jesus. In our society, where everyone can be anything they declare, imagine or at worst feel; the behaviour and decisions of Christians have become the final frontier for telling people apart. See, believers must actually live differently in an age where people only often speak differently. That is what makes us stand out; we make different choices. With this being said, our conduct is hyper important and people are genuinely watching. Those who think people aren’t are misguided. Those that think this article or perhaps these questions are much ado about nothing are also misguided. It concerns remarkably important themes which we will now dive into.
Where does desire come from? – Koinonia gone wrong
We are all social beings. This is, for the most part, what festivals and gatherings like Afro Nation offer. A chance to meet and catch up with friends, make memories, perhaps forget work and altogether, have a good time. The desire to socialise is not a self-generated desire. As human beings, we are specially designed by our creator to be social creatures. We live in groups, work in groups, and socialise in groups. So when we desire to party, we are responding to the need for human interaction, fun, and relaxation. This is normal and natural. Even the Holy Spirit dwelt in fellowship. Look no further than the trinity (1 Corinthians 8:6, John 1:10) to see The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit in an eternal and unbroken fellowship.
However, it is important to trace back this idea of fellowship. For Christians, the desire for human interaction has the added dimension of wanting and needing fellowship. The Greek word translated “fellowship” in the New Testament is koinonia, which means “partnership, participation, social interaction, and communication.” The important concept for Christian fellowship is “partnership.” The Bible tells us we have been called into fellowship (partnership) with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9), with the Father (1 John 1:3) and with the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:1). John tells us that, as believers, we have fellowship with one another by virtue of the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross (1 John 1:7). This means in the heart of every believer is a specific desire for fellowship. Deep and meaningful partnership with God and with each other. We crave it and for the most part, we need it.
The problem with the question “should Christians go to Afro Nation” is that Afro Nation and festivals of this kind are not “fellowship parties.” There is no reason to even ask the question regarding parties that are focused on Christian fellowship. No, this question is almost always in regards to parties that involve alcohol, drugs, and/or sex. Certainly, there are non-Christians who can party innocently, but a party that involves things that are immoral and/or illegal must be avoided. Gatherings that leave us empty afterwards, are aided by drugs and alcohol or has us revelling in immorality are not gatherings we should attend. They are a cheap imitation of the fellowship Christians are to enjoy with God and each other. They are a bastardisation of the fellowship God offers us through Jesus Christ. Choosing these events over Gods offering is akin to leaving a beautiful and responsible Bride jilted at the altar for a floozy. It simply isn’t worth it.
You are not above temptation
Much is made of Christians who say. “Clubbing and partying is not my weakness” or perhaps, “I don’t struggle with this”, “I just go to have a good time”. There is no denying some are being sincere when they reveal their intentions. However, professing Christ doesn’t make you immune to temptation. Are you really saying you’ve never had one lustful thought? Stared at a low cut dress just that bit too long? Danced just that bit too intimately? Drank that little bit too much? Become envious of other people? If attending these festivals is causing you to think wrong thoughts, the biblical advice is to cut it off! Stop going! Matthew 18:8 tells us
“If your hand and foot causes you to sin cut if off and throw it away.”
It is important to ponder on this imagery, Consider the ramification. Whatever leads you to sin cut it off and throw it away. ‘If your hand leads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away’. This means it is better you cut off your hands, and as a result never get to feel the sensation of running your hands through your daughter’s hair, than to sin. It is better you cut out your eyes and never get to see the sunset again, than to sin. Through this scripture, God shows us that he is very serious about sin and holiness. The idea here is that God expects you to make some sacrifices to protect yourself from sin. Sometimes this means denying yourself some lawful things, some enjoyable things which may be mired in immorality. As believers, we are to guard ourselves against temptation, remembering that “bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
The fact of the matter is this: we don’t like to admit how sinful we still are. But, to not admit so is placing confidence in ourselves rather than God. Yes, we are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21),however sin can still drag us down! It still deceives us as it deceives you now if you think wild parties are ok.
Even if you are currently not being tempted at these festivals, a question to consider is, just how long will this last? Going to these festivals means placing yourself directly in the path of temptation. It’s unwise. You’re putting too much trust in your ability to resist the Devil. Be wise, remember how pitiful you are, how prone to sin, how often you break God’s law. Don’t go. Galatians offers some helpful advice regarding this.
Galatians 5:19-21 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Saved but trying to fit in (I’m a cool Christian)
Let us be honest, even as a Christians, there can often be (an albeit fading) desire to fit in and to be socially relevant. I still get excited every time I make a successful pop culture reference. Although we have left the club, we may still feel the desire to keep our membership card, just in case. We attend the same parties but miss the ones that are really bad, we speak the same but avoid really bad speech, we watch the same things but avoid really bad shows. We have been sold a false Christianity.
Being a Christian does not mean being “less bad”… it means being different.
Moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD) is a term that was first introduced in the book Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers (2005). The book is the result of the research project the “National Study of Youth and Religion. The author’s study found that many young people believe in several moral statutes not exclusive to any of the major world religions. A central statute in this book is that most young people think the point of religion is to help you behave better and make you into a better person. This is false. Alarming as it may be, this is what some Christians may have been hoodwinked into or knowingly started believing. This is the view that Christians are to be less bad than the world. To attend wild parties but not sin, to drink but not get drunk, to dance intimately but not have sex.
Many Christians believe Christianity is about being less bad than the world. Sure, this is a part of the Gospel, but not the thrust of the Gospel. The thrust of the Gospel is about making you right with God. It’s about satisfying eternal and weighty wrath and being born again. It’s about a change of nature and essence and not solely managed behavioural change. That comes after. Why is this important? Well because when we consider that we have been reborn (John 3:1-21) and set apart (1 John 4:4-5), we begin to understand that standing out and being different is the very call of the gospel. It’s not a choice or an optional module, its the very point of being saved. Saved from what? Yourself!
In the gospel of Matthew, Christians are likened to a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (5:14), this is very different to our approach some times as Christians, who want to be consecrated and set apart but also fit in and cool.
Here is a sobering thought for those of us struggling with this pull. The world does not need ‘less bad’, irrelevant copies of itself. The world needs more aliens. More folks that are willing to stand out and be different. Who are willing to be called prudish, bizarre and old fashioned. Who are willing to embrace the ‘shame’ of the world and let it do its work. After all, look at the effect shame had on the life of Jesus. Shame stripped away every earthly support that Jesus had: his friends gave way in shaming abandonment; his reputation gave way in shaming slander; his decency gave way in shaming nakedness; his comfort gave way in shaming torture. It reminded him that he was different, set apart and holy. Crucially, mature Christians must embrace a similar type of shame and instead rejoice in Gods approval of their behaviour. The truth of the matter is that we (Christians) cannot hope to change the world if we are motivated by the same things they are motivated by. What’s the difference? How can you aim to influence people who don’t see you as different? If they only see you as ‘better’ than they are, then they will wrongly assume that they just need to work harder to get to your ‘level’ when in reality they need to be saved and born again. Here are some helpful passages on standing out.
1. Romans 12:1-2 Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.
2. 1 Peter 1:13-15 Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again. Because you are children who obey God, don’t live the kind of lives you once lived. Once you lived to satisfy your desires because you didn’t know any better. But because the God who called you is holy, you must be holy in every aspect of your life.
3. James 4:4 You people are not faithful to God! You should know that loving what the world has is the same as hating God. So anyone who wants to be friends with this evil world becomes God’s enemy.
Don’t spoil your witness
Before Jesus left the earth and ascended into heaven, in Matthew 28:19- 20, he tells us ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’. This is sometimes called the Great Commission and details Gods final instruction to us through Jesus. Our life decisions should be made through this prism. How does my behaviour help me fulfil the great commission?
Attending festivals of this kind where sinful activities occur—even if we don’t participate in them—weakens our witness and brings reproach on the name of Christ (Romans 2:24). I’m reminded of this helpful scripture “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” (2 Timothy 2:19). Consider, just what sort of witness are you setting? Ok, maybe you don’t get drunk or don’t dance that intimately. But so what? A lot of people might not drink or like dancing. Appearing at these festivals is your tacit consent to what is going on. You are willingly supporting and funding a system that you know is harming and hurting other people. You’re sending out the message that Christians are no different to everybody else. We can go to clubs as well! Dance, drink, sin.
Conversely, we are called to live in the world but not be part of it (John 17:16). To be distinctive in our lives. Now imagine that when you’re friends invited you to a club you said no. And you explained it was because you rejected all the sexual and lustful sins that go on there. What an amazing witness! What a spectacular example of Christ-like behaviour. As believers, we cannot maintain a strong prophetic witness if we do not keep a prophetic distance. That is to say, it is hard to speak about the virtues and vices of swimming when you are in the pool yourself. It is imperative that you live differently and are not in the midst of these things. Here is a wise proverb “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them… Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.” (Proverbs 11:3; 19:1)
Sanctification takes time
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and saviour, we are justified (Romans 3:21-26, Romans 5:18-19, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Immediately we are forgiven for our sins and declared righteous and holy. Jesus takes on our sin and his atonement buys us a relationship with God. This is called imputed righteousness (Romans 10:3). There is nothing a believer can do to embellish this or change it. Our justification is forensic and final. However, our sanctification is progressive and modal. Parallel to our Justification, our Sanctification begins. God begins the work of making us progressively holy (2 Peter 3:18) and we start becoming privy to our own growth and development. It takes a lifetime for our behaviour to change and to be progressively made better. Sanctification and justification are two sides of the same coin. “Sanctification” is a translation of the Greek word hagiasmos, meaning “holiness” or “a separation.” In the past, God granted us justification, a once-for-all, positional holiness in Christ. Now, God guides us to maturity, a practical, progressive holiness. In the future, God will give us glorification, a permanent, ultimate holiness.
You may be wondering why this foray into theology? Well, this knowledge teases out a very important point to consider in closing. When we read Romans 8:1.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We are reminded of our Justification. Through his sovereign providence, nothing we do can separate us from him. There is no condemnation for Christians who have sinned or have fallen short. However, the second clause of that scripture lets us know “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”, that is to say, there is an expectation that Christians would walk after the Spirit. They would only go where the Holy Spirit would lead them and would not be grieved. Demonstrated in scripture is God’s commitment to beautifying you and your life. As you make decisions about what you do for leisure, who you relate with. Questions that must come to the foreground are, how does this aid my sanctification? Does this help me grow in the way God would have me grow or does this take me back? Does this fatten my flesh or my spirit?
Our decisions are like pebbles thrown into a pond. Sure, initially we see the pebble make a splash. We are sometimes naive in thinking this is the sole impact of our decisions. What we don’t see when we turn around and walk away is that, after the initial splash, the pebble makes its way down the pond, disturbing local ecosystems and habitats, causing ripples through the water and causing wildlife to change their routes. It then hits the seabed and again sends mico tremours through the Earth’s core.
If we started to consider the sheer impact our decisions may be having, we may make better ones.
Discussions concerning the kingdom of God often raise questions such as “is there an afterlife?” or “what will the new heavens and the new earth look like?” Although they importantly enquire into eternity, solely focusing on these questions may draw our attention away from a crucial reality: The kingdom of God is among us, right here and right now. It exists and is experienced within the body of Christ, giving us a foretaste of heaven which we shall experience in full when our flesh gives way and we dwell in the immediate presence of God forever.
The Kingdom of God is near
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, andthe kingdom of Godis at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Mark 1:14-15
The preceding verses detailed John the Baptist’s ministry of baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins through faith in the coming Messiah (Mark 1:4). This was preparatory work which pathed the way for Christ’s ministry (Mark 1:1-8; Isaiah 40:3-5). This was followed by Jesus’s baptism and subsequent temptation in the wilderness (Mark 1:9-13).
Jesus’s ministry began upon the imprisonment of John the Baptist. The way was pathed, all prerequisites met, the hour had come. Behold: The Messiah had arrived, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God. This was not a distant, dream-like land of peace, political independence and prosperity as the Jews anticipated. Contrastingly, it was a kingdom they could presently partake in and dive into upon the confession of their sinful nature, repentance and belief in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the only one who could and can save.
The Greek for “at hand” is akin to nearness. Therefore, the kingdom of God is within our grasp! This is a joyous call to immerse ourselves in it and live according to its culture. As Bruxy Cavey writes, ‘The good news of the kingdom is that we can participate in God’s will and God’s way on earth as it is in heaven’.
Essential to the Gospel
The centrality of the kingdom of God is often overlooked, yet critical in maintaining a holistic scope of the Good News. The Kingdom of God concerns the present and future life. The way of His kingdom is transforming us from the inside out. Its essence is revealed in the relationships among believers and engagement with the world at large. To God’s kingdom we are citizens but to this world we are ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20-21; 1 Peter 2:11-12).
What is a kingdom?
The Greek word ‘Basileia’ translates to kingdom, sovereignty or royal power. From this word we have ‘baileus’ – king – the one who shapes a kingdom’s values and vision. In God’s messianic kingdom, Christ is the sovereign power. Our allegiance is toward Jesus as King and the one who continually revealed insights into the way of His kingdom throughout the gospels.
The ethos of His kingdom: Radical love and acceptance
The kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world are antithetical. However, the distinction between the two has become increasingly blurred, reflecting a failure of the citizens of God’s kingdom to live out its values as a collective. The ‘you can’t sit with us’ culture is one remote from the kingdom Christ preached and presides over, yet it seems to have crept through the church doors. Some accountability must be taken as this is somewhat self-inflicted. We may attribute one the of numerous reasons to a failure to embody the first point of our ethos. We’re to love all people, welcoming and accepting all who repent and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of all their sins, submitting to His rule as Lord over their lives.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:7-8
The same chapter details the depravity of man in the wake of the fall. We were a people so detached from God, unworthy to be in union with a righteous, perfect and blameless God. As sin entered the world through Adam, we received an inheritance of death as its penalty and were in desperate need of a Saviour (Romans 5:12). None were qualified nor deserving, but Christ died and took our rightful place on the cross. Through faith in His life, death and resurrection we were reconciled to the Father and can have a relationship with Him. Though unacceptable, Christ levelled the playing field and sacrificed Himself so that we may be forgiven and welcomed into the family of God (John 1:12).
This revolutionary type of love ought to govern our relationships with non-Christians, making known our open invitation of salvation by faith in Jesus. One which extends to the most self-righteous (Luke 18:9-14); Romans 2:17-24), morally corrupt and hated (Luke 19:1-10).
In light of this, the Kingdom of God should be a diverse body of people made right with God through faith in Christ’s finished work. A justified people who are in being continually transformed into the image of His son by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:29-30; Philippians 1:6). The common denominator which binds us together being none other than Jesus Christ Himself. His overwhelming love is the model to follow and foundation upon which relationships are founded. We too must be willing to engage with all, sharing the Gospel and living out out the ethos of radical love acceptance by which the kingdom of God is characterised.
The ethos of His kingdom: An others-centred love
God’s kingdom is defined by an agape love: an others-centred, selfless love which esteems others above the self. Jesus walked as good a game as He talked as vividly illustrated in the thirteenth chapter of John’s gospel.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
In the previous verses, Jesus did something extraordinary as He and His disciples prepared to eat. He takes a cloth and girds Himself (wrapping it around His waist), adopting the lowly status of a servant, ready to work. God incarnate does the work of the lowest servant in the Jewish home. He washes His disciples’ feet as was the custom of the day where travellers arrived at their destination with their feet dirtied by the Palestinian roads. This striking act epitomises Jesus’s thirty-three and a half years on earth: it was one of servitude (Matthew 20:28). He did not stubbornly clutch onto His divine privileges for His own benefit. Maintaining His divinity, He put on flesh, becoming the God-Man so that He may be a sufficient atonement for our sins. (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus served to the point where His greatest desire and sustenance was found in fulfilling His Father’s will. (John 4:34).
Thus, the command given to the twelve to serve one another as He had served them carried great gravity. The newness of the command can be seen in the example provided and how it was demonstrated being brought to its culmination at Calvary. Its freshness is also seen in how we are enabled to display it. This is through a deep-rooted connection in Him; to abide in Christ. (John 15:1-5). God’s people should be a body which an onlooker gazes upon and is marvelled by the magnitude of love each person has for one another.
What does the bible have to say about Women Pastors? Do we have a bible framework for females as pastors and leaders over Men? In this episode, we tackle leadership in the church?
Join the debate online by using the hashtag #ThePulse
What does the bible say about Spiritual Gifts? In particular, Is the gift of ‘speaking in tongues’ for everyone. In this question, we tackle the debate surrounds gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Join the debate online by using the hashtag #ThePulse
In this podcast, our team address the question, How should Christians react to Kanye West. Kanye West is a world-renowned rapper and producer who recently confessed a belief in Jesus Christ. Despite this, controversy surrounds his conversation.
You can join in with the conversation online #ThePulse
In the episode of The Pulse, we discuss what a Christian response to cults should be. In a time where cults appear to be grabbing headlines, It’s important to be aware of a Christian response.
