Jim Wilson's Blog, page 27

No Substitute for Bible Reading

In the last month,* I have been studying the New Testament,looking for teaching on salvation. I have been overwhelmed. It has caused me towonder why people in evangelism (including me) always use the same few texts.It has also convinced me even more of the necessity of the distribution of NewTestaments and Bibles. Evangelists and Bible teachers cannot possibly teacheverybody everything they ought to know, even with internet, radio, television,and books. Learning from a teacher should not be a substitute for readingand studying the Bible. Teaching should always include an incentive to readand study for yourself.

Here is a salvation text:

“This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed fromheaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who donot know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will bepunished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of theLord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified inhis holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed” (2 Thessalonians1:7-10).

If you are not in a daily Bible reading plan,please join us in reading the New Testament this summer. Find the plan and more details at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us!

 

*Written June 1991.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Finals - Failure or Success?

UGHH!! Here it is again, one of the most demanding times astudent at the university must face—final exams. Without fail, they arrivesooner than expected (or wanted), and unlike taxes, finals come at least two orthree times a year! It is a time that some find stimulating and rewarding, but forthe majority of students it is a time that they could do without. It is a time ofstress, lack of sleep, and headaches.

This is especially true if you are one of those who haven't beenpreparing all along for this week. You find yourself with projects due that youhaven't begun, books to read that are currently paperweights on your desk, and examsworth the majority of your grade, all staring you in the face. What do you do? Atthis point, you gut it out. Hopefully you will survive, and next time you willstart preparing right from the beginning.

Unfortunately, people often approach their lives in the samemanner that they do the university, waiting for the last minute to prepare forthe Final Exam—death, and then the judgement of God. Both are certain,"just as it is appointed for men to die once and after that comesjudgement."

Why judgement? It is because mankind has rebelled against God,going our own way and not loving God with all our heart. The Bible calls thissin and says that the result of sin is separation from God, resulting in death.This will become eternal on the day of judgement.

"Wait, I'm not so bad." The Bible says that"whoever keeps the whole law and yet fails at just one point is guilty of it all." If you have blown it once—lied,lusted, cheated, stolen—you're guilty. For example, if you have driven to workfor the last ten years and always stop at the stop sign near your home, you arelaw abiding. But suppose that one day you are late, so you roll through thesign, and a policeman catches you. Is he going to let you go because you havebeen “good” before? No! You are guilty and face the penalty.

The same holds true with God: "all have sinned and fallshort of the glory of God,” and “the wages of sin is death” (eternal separationfrom God).

What a dilemma. We are facing a final that requires a score of100% to pass, and we have already failed! What can be done?

The professor can take the test for us, and that is what Goddid.

God became a man, Jesus, and lived among us for thirty-threeyears showing us what God is like. He also came in order to die in our place,to take our penalty for us. This He did when He died on the cross, and “He diedfor sin, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring usto God." Then He was raised to show that the penalty has been paid in full—goodnews! Yet now you have the responsibility to respond to that good news.

"How do I respond?" First you must realize it is agift, something that you cannot earn, "for by grace you are savedthrough faith—and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works,so that no one can boast.”

Second, you must repent and believe in the gospel. To repentis to turn away from sin (living for yourself) and turn to God, to live as Hedeems fit. In essence, it is to stop trusting in yourself (your good deeds andhopes) to get you by and to start trusting in Jesus alone for your eternal life.Thus you must believe in the Gospel (which is that Jesus is God, that He diedfor your sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day) which means to put thewhole weight of your life and future in the hands of Jesus.

If this is your genuine desire, then honestly talk to God, thankHim for Jesus dying in your place and then raising Him from the dead. Tell Him thatyou want to, and will, turn from sin and that you want Jesus to be the Lord of yourlife. You are no longer separated from God because of sin and now have apersonal relationship with Him!

Like any other relationship, this one must be fostered andnurtured. Spend time with God in prayer, read the Bible, and meet with othertrue Christians.

You are now ready for the ultimate final exam!

 

 

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Promised Peace

Have you noticed the series of listed troubles that are in 2Corinthians? They are in chapters 1, 4, 6, 8, and 12. Have you also seen thecomfort, thanksgiving, glory, rejoicing, grace, and strength in the samechapters? Please take a look and notice the connection.

I will listen to what God the LORD will say;

He promises peace to his people,

His saints—but let them not return to folly.

(Psalm 85:8)

 

Written September 1992.

This post coordinates with Friday and Saturday's readings in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Creation & Redemption

The two greatest events in the history of the world are thecreation of man and the redemption of man by the death of the Lord JesusChrist.

The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders singabout these two events in Revelation 4:11 and in Revelation 5:9-10. Both hymnsstart out the same: “You are worthy.” There are different reasons given: “Foryou created all things” and “because you were slain.” The first hymn is limitedto the choir of twenty-eight. For the second hymn, the twenty-eight are joinedfirst by upwards of 100 million angels, and then by every living creatureeverywhere. Let us thank and praise God for our creation and redemption.

 

Written April 1989.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Persevere

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love andChrist’s perseverance” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).

We have all known of God's love and that our hearts shouldbe directed into it. But we may not have known or thought of the steadfastness(RSV) or the perseverance (NIV) of Christ. What is it? And how was itshown, and how should our hearts be directed into it? Hebrews 12:1-4 answersall three questions:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud ofwitnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix oureyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy setbefore him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the righthand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinfulmen, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle againstsin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood."

He endured the cross by keeping His eyes fixed on the joybeyond the cross. We consider Him who endured. We lay aside everything thathinders and entangles, and we persevere, keeping our eyes fixed onJesus.

 

Written March 1987.

This post coordinates with yesterday's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

For Fathers: Encouraging Your Children

“Just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploringeach one of you as a father would his own children, so that you may walk in amanner worthy of the God who calls you Into His own kingdom and glory” (1Thessalonians 2:11-12).

It seems to be a given from the Scripture that fathers encourageand comfort their children. It is part of common grace. However, in many casesfathers are not doing that. Here is a quotation from George MacDonald:

“Like many Scots, while Phemy was his one joy, he seldomshowed her sign of affection , seldom made her feel, and never sought to makeher feel how he loved her.” Heather and Snow, George MacDonald

Unhappily, in thirty-two years of ministering to high schooland college-age people, I have found that the above description is an accuratedescription of many father-child relationships. If you are a father, please donot let it describe you.

 

Written April 1988.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

How to Know You're Saved: Loving Christians, Loving Enemies, & Jesus Said So

Loving Christians

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because welove our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14).

Christians love non-Christians. Non-Christians lovenon-Christians. It takes a Christian to love a Christian.

In her autobiography, Climbing, Rosalind Goforthtells of an elderly man who was unsure of his salvation. He said, “I wanted toconvince myself all these years that I’m going to heaven, but I can’t.” Sheasked him if he loved the Lord’s people. He said, “Oh, it’s my greatest joy inlife to be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s Day singing the Lord’spraises.” Then she pointed out 1 John 3:14 to him: “We know that we have passedfrom death to life because we love our brothers.” Love for the brothers isevidence of salvation.

Consider the opposite. Suppose you brought a non-Christianto church. He would not feel comfortable. He might admire and respectChristians, but he wouldn’t love them like they love each other. He cannot.Jesus said that the pagans love pagans and that Christians are to love pagans;but it takes a Christian to love a Christian.

When you love other Christians, not only do you know thatyou are saved—everyone else also knows:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have lovedyou, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are mydisciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

Loving Enemies

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, dogood to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreatyou. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someonetakes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone whoasks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do toothers as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what creditis that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good tothose who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that toyou? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But loveyour enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to getanything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of theMost High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, justas your father is merciful” (Luke 6:27-36).

Jesus Said So

“I tell you the truth; whoever hears my word and believeshim who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed overfrom death to life” (John 5:24).

Notice the present tense: hears my word, believes in Him whosent me, has eternal life. Notice the future tense: will not be condemned.Notice the past tense: he has crossed over from death to life.

Excerpted from Assurances ofSalvation , available at ccmbooks.org and Amazon.com.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

How to Know You're Saved: Obedience & Discipline

Obedience

“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one whocontinues to sin has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6).

“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, becauseGod’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born ofGod. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children ofthe devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; noris anyone who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:9-10).

“We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin;the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him”(1 John 5:18).

We know we are saved because we are no longer living in sin.If it looks like we are living in sin, then there is no reason for others toknow that we are Christians, and no reason for us to, either.

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands”(1 John 2:3).

Obedience is not the means of salvation; it is evidence ofour salvation. Are you obedient?

Discipline

If obedience is a means of knowing that you know the Lord,what happens when you disobey?

“And you have forgotten that word of encouragement thataddresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, anddo not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those heloves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.’ Endure hardship asdiscipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by hisfather? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), thenyou are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all hadhuman fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much moreshould we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplinedus for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for ourgood, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at thetime, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousnessand peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

God does not discipline those who are not His children. Ifyou are getting away with disobedience, you are not a child of God. If you arebeing disciplined, pay attention and repent. It is evidence that you are saved.

To be continued on Wednesday.

 

Excerpted from Assurances ofSalvation , available at ccmbooks.org and Amazon.com.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

How to Know You're Saved: Confessing Jesus as Lord

“Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by theSpirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ andbelieve in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Forit is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with yourmouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

This confession is not a matter of the mouth only. Peoplewho do not have the evidence of the Holy Spirit say it in liturgies all of thetime.

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored upin his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up inhis heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

To be continued on Monday.

 

Excerpted from Assurances ofSalvation , available at ccmbooks.org and Amazon.com.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Where Morning Dawns & Evening Fades

This morning* my attention has been drawn to every phrase ofthe sixty-fifth Psalm. Here are a few of those phrases:

Verse 3: “When we were overwhelmed by sins you atoned forour transgressions.”

Verse 8: "Where morning dawns and evening fades you callforth songs of joy.”

Verses 9-13: “You care for the land and water it; you enrichit abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people withgrain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges;you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with yourbounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desertoverflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered withflocks, and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

 

*Written June 1985.

This post coordinates with Friday's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships