Colin S. Smith's Blog, page 14

What Does It Mean to Pray ‘Hallowed Be Your Name’?

What does it mean to pray ‘hallowed be your name’ as Jesus taught (Matthew 6:9)?

Notice, first, how heaven frames the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:9, 10)

We want God’s name hallowed, His Kingdom to come, and His will to be done all “on earth as… in heaven.”

How is God’s name hallowed in heaven? Angelic creatures cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isa 6:3). The worship in heaven never ends: “Day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (Rev 4:8). Every creature in heaven joins in saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev 5:13). That’s the scene in heaven. God’s name is honored and adored in unceasing worship.

What about the scene on earth? Listen to what God says through the prophet Isaiah,“continually all the day my name is despised” (Isaiah 52:5). The scene on earth could not be more different from the scene in heaven. In heaven, God’s name is honored as the angels worship without ceasing. On earth, God’s name is despised, blasphemed all day long. 

And into that chasm, we pray the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer. To pray ‘hallowed be Your name’ means to ask God to let His name be worshipped, exalted, honored, and adored on earth as it is in heaven. It is to ask God to so move and act in the world, that people will worship and treasure Him above all else. 

Will this prayer be answered?

Our Lord did not teach us to offer futile prayers. Every petition of the Lord’s Prayer will be answered. So when you frame your prayers around the Lord’s Prayer you can always pray with confidence. You know that you are praying in the will of God because these are the things the Lord has taught you to pray. 

Each of the six petitions will be answered when our Lord returns and each has an answer that we can experience here and now. There’s a ‘now’ answer and a ‘then’ answer. 

When Christ returns in power and glory, God’s name will be hallowed, honored, glorified and exalted.

“The earth will be filled with
the knowledge of the glory of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab 2:14)

This world will be the home of righteousness. Never again will God’s name be blasphemed. God’s name will be honored on earth as it is in heaven. And all of God’s people will worship Him, love Him, and adore Him forever. Lord hasten that day!

But how can this prayer be answered here and now in this world that despises God’s name? What is God’s answer to His name being blasphemed all day long? God tells us the answer:

…continually all the day my name is despised.
Therefore my people shall know my name. (Isa 52:5-6)

God’s answer to a world that despises His name is a people who know His name.

‘Hallowed be Your name,’ is not a prayer for a change in God but for a change in us. We’re not asking God to make Himself more holy. His holiness is already infinite, perfect, and complete.

When we pray ‘Hallowed be Your name,’ we are asking God to raise up here on earth, people who know Him, love Him, and treasure Him more than life itself. We pray so that in a world that despises and blasphemes God’s name, His name may be honored.

 

This article is adapted from the sermon “God’s Name” from the series on the Lord’s Prayer, Six Things to Ask of God .

Body Shaming Demeans Others and Insults God

Infirmity is not the only problem we encounter with our body. It is possible to experience minimal health problems and yet still find that our body causes us deep and lasting grief. Bodies are not just subject to infirmity; they can cause us shame.

For some, the shame comes from appearance. We might feel as though there is something deeply wrong with some aspect of how we look, convinced that in certain key ways we do not measure up. Some can even feel disgust with the entirety of their body.

These feelings seem to be on the rise in the West. In 2014, 54 percent of women described themselves as “unhappy with their body,” and 80 percent said that looking in the mirror “made them feel bad.” These numbers are significantly higher than in previous years. I am sure there are many contributing factors, but one is surely that, more and more, we are being presented with unrealistic standards of beauty. Models and actors are subjected to training and dietary regimens that are often unsustainable, hugely expensive, and extreme. And even then, images are cropped, airbrushed, and recolored so that the final image we end up seeing on a giant poster may not actually be anyone’s actual body but a weird hybrid of one or more people and a whole lot of digital editing.

The trouble is, the end result is presented to us as representing the bodily perfection to which we should all aspire. It may not be how the actual model or actor looks, or at least how he or she looked for long, but we’re left thinking that the model is what human beings are meant to look like. Author Matthew Lee Anderson notes that earlier generations were not exposed to such outlandish standards of beauty.3 The best-looking person you’d see back then was likely in a newspaper or magazine, or someone you knew in real life. But it was a real person. Today we all collude in upholding an expectation of beauty that is virtually fantastical. No wonder we view our bodies as increasingly flawed. We’re not comparing them to the best of our species but to the best of our species’ imagination.

Whatever the cause, body shame is a serious issue for all of us, men and women alike. The impact around us is more and more evident. Over the past couple of years or so, as it’s come up in conversation that I’m thinking through what the Bible says about our bodies, many people have opened up about their own experiences of body shame. I’d always known that body shame isn’t uncommon, but I hadn’t anticipated just how widespread it is. It may actually be abnormal not to struggle with it in some way.

Shelby, a good buddy of mine, is in his mid-thirties, married, and has a great job where he can use his creative skills as a writer and speaker. I’d always assumed Shelby is a confident guy. He is good at what he does and really likable. But then he told me how he struggles:

Here’s the thing—I’m short. I’ve always been that way, and from a very early age, I can remember being made fun of for being below average when it came to height. Naturally, I joked about this on a regular basis to get laughs and protect myself from getting injured by the cruelty of people’s words, should they be inclined to get laughs themselves at my expense. I would just try to beat them to the punch.

On one occasion, as a student, Shelby was hanging out with some friends. Two of the girls said they were about to take off and asked if any of the guys wanted to walk them back to campus:

I quickly volunteered to walk them both back, and after doing so in what I could only assume was an attempt to be funny, my friend Anne looked at Kirsten and said, “Does he count?”

And because I was regularly willing to shell out short jokes about myself, Anne probably felt comfortable that night doing so, thinking it would be funny and really no big deal. What Anne didn’t know, however, is that I would carry that little three-word question with me for years to come. It would deeply wound me and define the heart of my struggle in life as a person, a man, a friend, a romantic option for a girl, a missionary, and even a child of God.

Sharing the incident with me even decades later, Shelby choked up. These words had truly haunted him ever since, hanging over his life as a constant charge against him. Those words made him believe his height was forever proof that he is diminished as a man, as a person, and even as a Christian. But then words do that. And words about people’s bodies can particularly do that, because our bodies are so often things we have little control over. When we pass a verdict on someone’s body, we are passing a verdict on something about who that person is that he didn’t necessarily choose and can’t necessarily change. No wonder Shelby was so deeply scarred by what they said. Such wounds can easily stay with us for the rest of our lives.

One of the curious features of body shame is how varied it can be. Someone struggling with one kind can be baffled that someone else would struggle with another kind. I’ve known some guys who don’t ever want to take their shirts off at the beach or the pool because they’re overweight. I’ve known others who won’t do the same thing because they’re skinny. Those in the former category can sometimes wonder how someone could feel shamed about being thin. But that’s how these things work. One thin friend shared that when he was growing up, he was always told men were meant to be powerfully built. Being scrawny was a sign you weren’t a real man.

The nature of body shame is that there’s no one variety. We all seem vulnerable, especially in our formative years, to hearing or seeing things that trigger a deep sense of shame about the way we look.

The Bible speaks to bodily shame. When Adam and Eve turned against God in the garden of Eden, it wasn’t just their relationship with God that was spoiled. Their relationship to each other and to themselves was also affected. The first thing to happen when they each sinned against God was that they became physically self-conscious:

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Gen. 3:7)

Previously they had been naked and unashamed (Gen. 2:25). It would never have occurred to them that nakedness was anything to be ashamed about. Afterward, in Genesis 3, everything had changed. They were still together as a couple and would remain so. They would continue their one-flesh relationship (Gen. 4:1). But they no longer felt completely safe around each other. A deep instinct had arisen in each of them that they needed to cover up, to self-protect. Exposure had become something to fear.

We’re now, it seems, hardwired to feel a sense of vulnerability when it comes to our body. We fear not just literal nakedness but a more general sense of being uncovered. We don’t want to be seen. We fear the shame it could bring. This being so, we need to be careful not to make our own words the cause of someone else’s physical shame. In the case of my friend Shelby, it was just three syllables: “Does he count?” That can be all it takes.

A few years ago I was flying to Sydney, and the plane flew high above a vast bushfire. The scale could only really be appreciated from the height of 40,000 feet. Horizon to horizon was scorched. I couldn’t begin to calculate how many thousands of acres were affected, and yet all this havoc was likely started by a single spark. Just like what can happen with our words:

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life and set on fire by hell. (James 3:5–6)

There is another reason why these sorts of comments are so serious. When we disparage people because of the way they are physically, we are not just disparaging them; we are disparaging the God in whose image they have been carefully made. A person may be the intended target of a cruel joke or comment, but God is the one who is ultimately insulted. We are asserting that he has made something substandard. We insult not only what he has made but also him for making it.

I think of another friend who has struggled with an eating disorder over the years. At its worst he had been dangerously thin. He explained that part of what had been going on was that, because of some earlier abuse he had experienced, he had come to view his body as shameful and so felt a compulsion to make it as thin as possible. Food became not something to enjoy but merely calories and micro-nutrients to quantify. Thankfully he has begun to think about himself differently and to achieve a much healthier weight.

These are obviously highly complex issues. The examples I’ve given happen to be men. Most of my pastoral encounters are with men rather than women. And given that many people today still think body shame is predominantly an issue for women, it might be helpful to consider these male examples. The effects of the fall touch all of us in varying ways. All of us experience something of the shame of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. All of us feel the need for covering. All of us have some degree of self-consciousness. In many cases, the brokenness is not so much the body itself, but how our experience has taught us to view the body. The brokenness of our culture, our family, our friendship circle, our own distorted view of who we are meant to be and what we are meant to look like—all these things interact and contribute to our sense of shame.

Underlying all of it is our collective and individual turning away from God. Whatever relief and help we may be able to find from other places, we ultimately need to come back to God.

Content taken from What God Has to Say about Our Bodies by Sam Allberry, ©2021. Used by permission of Crossway. 

Five Psalms to Pray When the Wicked Prosper

If you’re like me, it drives you crazy when you observe people advancing their careers through deceit, politicians acting corruptly, and swindlers using the COVID-19 crisis as a pretense to exploit others. And so, we wonder: Isn’t God going to do anything about this?

Prayer is a sure and steady weapon for times like these, and there’s no surer guide for prayer than the Psalms. This article shares five Psalms that teach us how to pray when the wicked prosper.

1. Psalm 37 – When Our Hearts Need a New Focus

Psalm 37 is probably best known for verse four, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” It’s a great promise, but one often plucked from the context of not envying the wicked. Verse four is one of several commands that help us focus our hearts during such times:

“Trust in the Lord, and do good” (verse 3)“Delight yourself in the Lord” (verse 4)“Commit your way to the Lord” (verse 5)

These commands are often followed with the future results for both the righteous and the wicked: The wicked will “fade like the grass” (verse 2) and “be cut off” (verse 9), while God will make the innocence of the righteous plain to all (verses 5 and 6).

Verse 34 aptly summarizes the Psalm:

Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

A Prayer:

Father God, help me to trust in You and not focus on who or what bothers me right now. Be my stronghold and refuge in troubling times and make my heart look forward to my glorious future in Christ, one that will “inherit the land” of the new heavens and new earth and enjoy Your presence forever.

2. Psalm 73 – When We Grow Envious of the Wicked

Asaph struggled with envy, anger, and bitterness. To him, it seemed like the wicked faced no punishment or troubles like the rest of us. Such a thought is enough to derail one’s faith and betray God’s people (verse 15). What changed the equation for Asaph was entering the sanctuary of God and discerning the end of the wicked. Our God of perfect justice will give the wicked their deserved punishment (18–20). After confessing his sin (21–22), Asaph voiced his trust in God:

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:23–26 )

 A Prayer:

Father God, I praise You for being a God of justice and righteousness. Thank you that I can always trust that You, the Judge of all the earth, to do right (Genesis 18:25). Please fix my mind on You and Your truth, not on what makes me bitter. Keep me from idolizing earthly comfort and be my greatest treasure.

3. Psalm 10 – When the Wicked Oppress the Vulnerable

Psalm 10 opens with the Psalmist crying out to God for seeming far off while the wicked pursue the poor. Filled with pride, the wicked act as if God never see their actions (verse 11) or call them to account (verse 13). And it may seem like that. But the Psalm ends affirming God’s justice and Lordship. It proclaims that He sees the trouble of the afflicted (verse 14), and will “do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more” (verse 18).

A Prayer:

Father God, thank You that I can cry out to You even when you seem distant from my troubles. Please save the wicked from their sins, causing them to see Christ in His glory and repent of their wickedness. And if they don’t turn to You, bring justice on them in a way that will cause many to see and fear You. I am confident that one day You will bring perfect justice for the wicked and vindicate Your oppressed children.

4. Psalm 49 – When Cheaters Prosper Financially

Why does God allow the immoral to get rich while I’m struggling to get by? That’s the question behind this Psalm. The answer is to remember that no matter how rich or powerful the wicked get, they can’t take anything with them to the grave.

Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him. ( Psalm 49:16-17 )

A Prayer:

Father God, it’s so easy for me to fear when sinners get rich at the expense of others. Help me to trust in You and Your provision, knowing that all earthly riches, power, and acclaim are temporary, but our heavenly rewards in Christ are eternal. Help me remember how You will raise Your children one day for reward and the wicked for disaster, and to live accordingly. Thank You that Jesus took the punishment that we deserve.

5. Psalm 2 – When World Leaders (Including Your Own) Drive You Crazy

When the nations and their leaders plot against Christ and His Kingdom (verses 1–3), God’s response is telling. He doesn’t sit in heaven wringing His hands in despair; He laughs (verse 4). He has all power in the universe and has appointed His chosen King, His Son Jesus, over the nations as ruler and judge.

Our response? Worship and service to this King (verses 10–12). As we submit to Him as Lord, the final phrase of the psalm becomes true of us, “Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”

A Prayer:

Father God, so many in this world don’t like Jesus or His followers. Help me have a realistic perspective of political drama and our raging nations, firmly fixing my eyes on Christ, my Lord and Savior and the King of all history. Help me to live confident in Your power as finite man rages against against You, and stir in me a great compassion for all who haven’t yet found the eternal blessing of refuge in Christ.

God Our Refuge

Prayer doesn’t usually change our situation immediately, but it changes us. We grow in trust of our sovereign God, and take refuge that “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:9).

Our situation may stay the same or get worse in the short-term, but we are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) in Christ and will see God’s justice in due time. Until then, take refuge in God through prayer.

 

Editor’s Note: Kevin Halloran’s new book is When Prayer Is a Struggle: A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer (P&R, 2021).  Pastor Colin Smith called the book, “A treasure chest of wise and practical counsel. . . . This book will expand your horizons and give you a new vision for how you can pray more effectively.”

A Biblical Profile for Christian Leaders

In 1 Samuel 8, Israel asks God for a King to lead them.  Up until that point, Israel was led by God himself, bringing deliverance and battle and anointing prophets and judges to help lead his people.  Living by faith in God frustrated Israel, and for this reason they eventually asked for a King to rule over them so they could be like the other nations.

Once the decision to appoint a king had been made, the people had to determine the qualifications.

God did not ignore His people; He gave guidelines for the leaders they would elect.

The king would have the responsibility of making sure that God’s will was done among the people. He was to deliver the people from their enemies and to lead them in right paths. This is a high calling, and God’s people needed to be very careful about selecting a person who could be trusted with this kind of authority.

Saul was anointed as the first king of Israel, and when he was crowned, “Samuel explained to the people the regulations of the kingship” (10:25). God had anticipated the time when His people would ask for a king. So back in the book of Deuteronomy, God had already given a profile of the person who should be king among His people.

There are seven distinct qualifications, and each one is reflected in the New Testament teaching about qualifications for leadership in the church.

First, the king must be anointed by God.

“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,’ be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses” (Deuteronomy 17:14–15). If God did not approve the king, there was no hope whatever of him advancing God’s purpose. The New Testament parallel to this is in Acts 6, where the first deacons are appointed, and the church is told to “choose men who are filled with the Holy Spirit” (v.3). There must be the mark of God’s presence in their lives. That is the primary qualification.

Second, the king must belong to God’s people.

“He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite” (Deuteronomy 17:15). Again in Acts 6, church members are told that they are to choose leadership from among the number of believers (6:3). The church is not to depend on the sponsorship of famous names; it is to find its resources from within the body of believers. God’s people should look for leaders who have proved themselves in the local church.

Third, the king must exercise faith.

“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them” (Deuteronomy 17:16). Chariots and horses were the key to Egypt’s military power. Israel had never enjoyed these resources. All of their fighting had been done on foot, and their victories had been given by God. Now God was telling the people, “If you have a king, then I do not want him building personal security by making alliances with My enemies.”

The king is to model faith. He is to put his trust in the living God. When the church appointed the first deacons, they chose Stephen because he was “a man full of faith” (Acts 6:5). Leadership among God’s people must always be in the hands of people who know how to trust in the living God.

Fourth, the king must be loyal.

“He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray” (Deuteronomy 17:17). The same principle is reflected in the New Testament: The elder must be “the husband of but one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2). In Old Testament times it was common for kings to seal alliances with marriages. God said, “Don’t do that.” Today, a Christian leader’s loyalty to God will be expressed in his loyalty to his wife.

Fifth, the king must be ready for sacrifice.

“He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold” (Deuteronomy 17:17). Kings in the ancient world had the opportunity to make a pile of money. But God said that the one who is given leadership responsibility over His people must not use his privileged position to feather his own nest. He must not be greedy, but must use his power for the benefit of the people. In the New Testament, Peter wrote to pastors and elders, instructing them not to be “greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over” the flock (1 Peter 5:2–3).

Sixth, the king must know the Scriptures.

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees” (Deuteronomy 17:18–19). This is marvelous! The king was to make a handwritten copy of the Law for himself.

Imagine if, when an American president was inaugurated, his first job was to go into the Oval Office and copy out the Law of God by hand, and then keep it beside him so that he would be careful to lead the people into following all these decrees! Again the New Testament reflects this priority for leaders in the church. Deacons must “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9). Leadership is to be given into the hands of people who know the Word of God and will lead the people in it.

Seventh, the king must be an example of obedience.

The king must “not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left” (Deuteronomy 17:20). The king could not say to the people, “Do as I say, not as I do.” The most powerful man in the land must be the first to model commitment to the Law of God. Others were looking to him, and they would follow his example. For the Christian church, Peter wrote that pastors and elders are to be “examples to the flock” of God (1 Peter 5:3).

A Profile for Christian Leaders

This profile for leaders of God’s people is of great importance for pastors, elders, lay leaders, and all who participate in appointing them to positions of leadership. It is a profile for students preparing for ministry and for everybody else who wants to see that God’s will gets done.

If you want to be used by God, seek the anointing of His Spirit. Be committed to God’s people, and learn to trust God for great things. Cultivate loyalty to all your commitments and especially within your marriage; place the pursuit of money on the altar and determine to receive whatever God gives you gladly. Be crystal clear in your convictions regarding the central truths of the gospel, and feed on the Word of God every day. Ask for the grace and help of God to live a life that is worthy of the calling that God has given you in Christ Jesus.

That’s the profile of the man or woman God will use to get His will done, and these are the first things that we should be looking for in the process of trying to identify leaders for the church.

This post is adapted from Chapter 16 of  Unlocking the Bible Story, Volume 1.

5 Marks of a Spiritually Abusive Leader

I’m grateful for God’s emphasis on both sound doctrine and sound living for Christian leaders. That’s why Paul commanded Timothy to watch his life and doctrine closely (1 Timothy 4:16)—a Christian leader needs to live a holy life to back up the message of God’s holy Word.

Unfortunately, many leaders have sound doctrine on paper, but fail to live it out—to the peril of their church and their church’s gospel witness. In the oft-neglected letter of 3 John, we hear about Diotrephes, a leader causing great harm for the church he serves. John writes to Gaius in 3 John 9–10:

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. 

From John’s description of Diotrephes, we see at least five marks of a spiritually abusive leader.

1. A spiritually abusive leader displays selfish ambition.

Diotrephes “likes to put himself first.” May that never be said of us! Selfish leaders who crave attention and adulation are fleshly leaders, for our calling isn’t to exalt ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and we as His servants (2 Corinthians 4:5). We are to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves” (Philippians 2:4). When we push ourselves to the front of the line, we cut in front of Jesus and rob Him of His glory. Godly leaders are humble servants who humbly shepherd the flock, knowing God will hold them accountable and reward them (1 Peter 5:1–4).

2. A spiritually abusive leader does not respect authority.

Diotrephes did not acknowledge the apostolic authority of John or other leaders in the church. Rejecting the authority of God’s apostles is tantamount to rejecting God’s authority and trying to exert our own. These days many reject the apostolic authority by rejecting Scripture. Others reject God-given leaders of the church due to pride and selfishness. If you or anyone you know brushes off clear commands of Scripture for church life, the qualities of leadership found in 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1, or directly undermines the words of another leader without Scriptural warrant, beware. You may have a Diotrephes on your hands.

3. A spiritually abusive leader spews unjust accusations.

Talking wicked nonsense is a serious charge as it reveals the lies and malicious intent of Diotrephes’ actions. Spouting unjust accusations can work like poison in the life of a congregation, turning friends against each other and causing them to choose sides and attack each other. Instead of letting harmful words do such damage, Jesus gave clear instructions in Matthew 18:15–20 of what to do if we have a problem with our brother or sister in church. This is especially crucial for leaders who serve as examples to the flock.

4. A spiritually abusive leader lacks hospitality for those who differ.

We don’t know why Diotrephes refused to welcome the traveling itinerant missionaries, but the letter makes it clear that he should have welcomed them. His selfish ambition and desire for power kept him from practicing Christian hospitality to his fellow laborers in Christ. There is clearly an issue between Diotrephes and John and the itinerant brothers. Instead of working to resolve conflict, Diotrephes digs his heels in and lets his “enemies” know the battle is on.

The “one anothers” in Scripture aren’t void if we have a disagreement (assuming it’s not a major theological difference), they exist to help us remember our identity as the one body of Christ by exhorting us to serve one another. If there are people you don’t welcome in your church, don’t play into the devil’s hands, but rather make every effort to reconcile and welcome them as Christ has welcomed you (Romans 15:7).

5. A spiritually abusive leader creates division.

Diotrephes not only refused to welcome the brothers, he makes sure others didn’t either. He also excommunicated those who disagree with him! This “my way or the highway mentality” may work in the business world, but it has no place in the leadership of a church. A church and her leaders are to work hard to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

A Better Example

In writing 3 John, John wants Gaius to understand God’s desire for leaders which is to model the truth and grace of the gospel in every action. The negative example of Diotrephes flies in the face of this. There is no room for selfish ambition, stirring division, and power grabs in the church. Following his description of Diotrephes, John points to a positive example:

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. (11–12)

When abusive leaders like Diotrephes discourage you, don’t think there aren’t any good examples. There are also many Demetriuses out there, each characterized by humility, godly discernment, and love. Follow them as they follow Christ.

What You Share When You Show Christian Hospitality

Hospitality is an obligation for every Christian. Peter says to “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). One reason why he says to do so without grumbling is because his original audience, and you and I, are tempted to grumble when we show hospitality. But sharing our homes and our lives and our things should feel like a blessing, not a burden.

What exactly do you share when you show hospitality?

The answer to this question is not one I could have easily articulated until I read two sentences from Alexander Strauch. In his book, Leading With Love[image error], he writes, “Hardly anything is more characteristic of Christian love than hospitality. Through the ministry of hospitality we share the things we value most: family, home, financial resources, food, privacy, and time. In other words, we share our lives.”

These two sentences had a profound effect on me and put into words what I always knew cognitively. As it’s been argued before, true Christian hospitality is not just having Christians over into your home, but unbelievers too. Building on Strauch’s work, here is what we share when we practice Christian hospitality:

What You Share When You Show Christian HospitalityYou share your family.

For those who have a family, you share your family when you let others in. Instead of concentrated time that you could be having with family, you give that energy to those to whom you are being hospitable. And no doubt the kids and your spouse often help with serving, often making hospitality a family event.

You share your home.

The most obvious thing you share is your home. For many, especially those in suburban culture, the home is an idol. It’s seen more of as a place of refuge than a place to serve. While it’s okay to have a nice home and get plenty of rest in it, we follow in the place of the early disciples when we gather in homes and invite others in.

You share your financial resources.

“Can I get you something to drink? Want something to eat? Would you like me to turn the AC up?” Drinking and eating is a uniting act. No good host allows others in without asking them if they want something to drink, and this is frequently combined with a meal and even dessert. It takes time, energy, and money to provide a comfortable environment. You share your financial resources when hospitality is practiced.

You share your food.

Some people love to cook. Others don’t. Everyone loves to eat. When you have people over for a meal, you share something that is valuable to you and everyone in your family.

You share your privacy.

If you meet me in real life you’ll likely encounter me as bold and outgoing and easy to talk to. I can talk to anyone, really, and enjoy being around others. But naturally, I get recharged by alone time and treasure my privacy. So this is a big one for me, although it’s gotten less important over the years. Few things make you more vulnerable than having someone into your home, something that opens the door for true Christian love.

You share your time.

We’re called to make the best use of time (Ephesians 5:16), to be productive, to not waste our lives. It can feel as if having people over is not the best use of time because you are not concretely accomplishing tasks, so to speak. But you are using your time wisely, for having people over is a great expression of love, and loving others is never a waste of time.

Hospitality to Show Christ’s Love

Showing Christian hospitality is always worth it. It’s not always easy and fun, but it is one of the biggest expressions of love you can show your neighbor.

Who can you bring into your home to exemplify the love of Christ?

 

This article originally appeared at Gospel Relevance.

5 Ways to Benefit from the Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a wonderful gift from God and is a seal of God’s promises to all who have come to Christ in repentance and faith. 

The more you grasp the meaning and significance of the Lord’s Supper, the more you will benefit from it. Here are five ways you can enter more fully into the Lord’s Supper.

1. Look back

“The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me .” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this , as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me .” (1 Cor. 11:23-25)

At the Lord’s table, Christ calls us to look back and remember His sacrifice for us on the cross by partaking of the bread and the wine.

Since Jesus and Paul gave distinct significance to both the bread and the wine, it is worth thinking about the significance of each.

The Bread

The bread speaks of Christ’s body, in which He lived a perfect human life. Jesus lived the life that none of us could ever achieve. He never spoke a sinful word or had a sinful thought. He always obeyed the Father’s will. He always loved, always hoped, always believed.

The body of Jesus speaks of His perfect life that was given for us. He laid down that life of perfect obedience so that we who are so far from the righteousness of God may find in Him what we do not have in ourselves.

When we come to the Lord’s table, we often feel unworthy. But God reminds us in the picture of the bread that our salvation does not rest on the progress of the work of the Holy Spirit in us, but on the completion of the work of Christ for us. None of us has ever offered God perfect obedience and we never will, but when we take the bread, we are reminded that God counts His perfect obedience as if it were our own.

The Wine

The wine speaks about the blood of Jesus poured out. Blood in the veins speaks of life, but blood separated from the body speaks of death. The bread speaks of our Lord’s obedience; the wine speaks of His sacrifice.

Having no sin of his own, Jesus chose to bear ours. He became our sacrifice, absorbing the judgement of God. And through the shedding of His blood, He released forgiveness for us.

God wants to seal what Christ has done for us into our minds and our hearts, so He tells us to partake of the bread and wine in remembrance of Him.

2. Look In

“Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:28)

When you come to the Lord’s table, Christ calls you to ask yourself some honest questions. This is important because Paul says that “whoever… eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:27).

What does it mean to drink in an unworthy manner? How do I know if I should take the Lord’s Supper? Here are two simple questions that will help you to examine yourself:

1. Am I believing?

Look at the cross. Consider what God says through the picture of the bread and the wine. Do you believe in the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself for you? 

If the answer is ‘Yes’, then you should come to the table and take the bread and the wine. If the answer is ‘No, I am not believing,’ then you need to ask another question: Am I willing to believe in Christ now?

Christ invites you to the table. You can come to Him with all your doubts with all your unresolved conflicts and say, “I need Your grace. I need your help. I need your forgiveness.” 

If you are willing, come to Christ in faith, ready to receive from His gracious hand.

2. Am I repenting?

If your answer to that question is ‘Yes’– then you should come to the Lord’s table. This table is for sinners who see their need of Jesus Christ. 

“Self-righteous people, who think that they are saved by their own works, have no business to come to the Lord’s table,” wrote J.C. Ryle. “For what do we declare at the Lord’s Supper? We publicly profess that we have no goodness, righteousness or worthiness of our own, and that all our hope is in Christ. We publicly profess that we are guilty, sinful and corrupt and naturally deserve God’s wrath and condemnation… Now what has a self-righteous man to do with an ordinance like this?”[1]

The Lord’s Supper is for sinners who see their need for the grace and mercy of God. If you see your need for God’s mercy today, then come. But if there is a known sin that you refuse to give up, you should not come to the table. Notice, I didn’t say ‘if there’s a sin you find difficult to give up, but if there is a sin you refuse to give up. If you are saying, “I know what I am doing is wrong, but I am going to continue doing it” you are shutting yourself off from the grace of God. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa 55:6, 7). God’s grace can be received by any person who is ready to turn from sin and receive it.

3. Look up

The Lord’s Supper began as a meal in which the disciples shared fellowship with Jesus. It is the same for us. Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. And we share fellowship with Jesus as we draw near to Him by faith. The bread and the wine remind us that Jesus will sustain your soul as food sustains your body.

Imagine going into a fine restaurant. You are seated at a table, and you are given a menu that shows pictures of the food. When the waiter comes, he explains the menu, and recommends his favorite entrees. But suppose you then left the restaurant without ordering or eating any of the food. The whole point of going there would be missed. The reason you go to a restaurant is not to see pictures of the food, or to hear the waiter describing the food, but to nourish yourself by eating the food. 

When you come to the Lord’s Table, order what is on the menu. Tell the Lord that you want what He has promised. Tell Him you are hungry for a fresh touch of His love. Tell Him you want to see more of His glory. Tell Him you would like to taste His goodness. Tell Him your soul is dry and thirsty and that you need to be renewed by His Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Table gives us a special opportunity to draw near to Him in faith and to be nourished by Him. So when you come to the Lord’s Table, look up to your risen Savior. Ask and receive from Him.

4. Look around

“This is my body, which is for you” (v24)

The “you” here is plural, and that is significant. You cannot have communion on your own. The Lord’s Supper is for the Lord’s family. 

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus said to His disciples “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Lk 22:15). Christ wants the whole family to gather at His table. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old, rich or poor, black or white, pastor or lay leader, Bible scholar or Bible novice: We all receive the same invitation. We all need the same Savior. We all come to the same table.

So when you come to the Lord’s Supper, give thanks for the family of God. Pray for other members of the body of Christ. And look for an opportunity to encourage someone who is sitting near to you before you go home. 

5. Look Forward

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26)

Some folks have the idea that people who come to church think they are better than everybody else. The opposite is the case. In taking the bread and the wine we are stating openly that our hope of everlasting life is not found in anything we have done for Jesus, but rests entirely on what Jesus has done for us.

We proclaim Christ’s death “until he comes.” After instructing His disciples to drink the wine, Jesus said, “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).

When we come to the Lord’s Table, think about the glorious day when all who believe will dine with Jesus in his perfect kingdom, rejoicing in his presence for all of eternity. Looking forward to that day will strengthen you in hope. 

Until That Day

One day you will come to the Lord’s Supper for the last time. When Christ calls you home, your faith will be turned to sight, as you are translated from the worship of earth to the worship of heaven.

Until that day, look back, look in, look up, look around, and look forward. Draw strength from your Savior as you partake of the bread and the wine.

[1] J. C. Ryle, Practical Religion p.137

This article is adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “The Lord’s Supper”, from his series, Worship: What We Do and Why We Do It

Book Briefs: Rejoice & Tremble by Michael Reeves

What exactly is the fear of the Lord? Does our own experience of the fear of the Lord adequately reflect what the Bible is talking about?

If you have wondered about these things too, then you will appreciate Michael Reeves book Rejoice & Tremble. Nowhere have I ever seen a more thorough and insightful examination of the idea of the fear of the Lord from the Bible.

Reeves does a nice job of surveying what earlier generations of Christians believed about the fear of the Lord. There is a pretty stunning harmony of views among the likes of Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Owen, John Bunyan, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and others.

To be honest, there are times when this book feels more academic than I would like. But in the end, I found that Michael Reeves thoroughness provides a firm and stable biblical foundation for adopting a nuanced understanding of the fear of the Lord. (If you’d like a more concise version of Rejoice & Tremble, Reeves released an 80-page version called What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?)

If you are used to reading more popular Christian books, you will find some of Reeves arguments to be longer and more tedious than you’re used to. But, if you persevere, you will be rewarded. This book will not only give you substantial biblical reasons for agreeing with God that the fear of the Lord is a good thing, it will also provide the spark you need to pursue it.

These ten quotes will give you a glimpse of the insight, pastoral wisdom, and breadth of understanding that Michael Reeves writes with:

The gospel both frees us from fear and gives us fear. It frees us from our crippling fears, giving us instead a most delightful, happy, and wonderful fear. (p. 16)It is, Bunyan says, the devil’s work to promote a fear of God that makes people afraid of God such that they want to flee from God. The Spirit’s work is the exact opposite: to produce in us a wonderful fear that wins and draws us to God. (p. 43)Be encouraged. For the nature of the living God means that the fear which pleases him is not a groveling, shrinking fear. He is no tyrant. It is an ecstasy of love and joy that senses how overwhelmingly kind and magnificent, good and true God is, and that therefore leans on him in staggered praise and faith. (p. 67)Without Christ we see nothing in God but an angry and terrible judge. – Martin Luther (p. 88)The Nicene Creed begins, “We believe in one God, the Father…” Through the Son we see behind creation in the eternal and essential identity of God. It is as if, through Christ, we step inside the front door of God’s home to see who he is behind what he does. (p. 92)The fear of the Lord is the reason Christianity is the most song-filled of all religions. (p. 111)The deepest and most powerful change of heart toward a true fear of God comes at the foot of the cross, where our sin and God’s judgment and grace are supremely revealed. (p. 123)As the fear of the Lord grows, it outgrows, eclipses, consumes, and destroys all rival fears. (p. 144)The fear of the Lord is the only fear that imparts strength. (p. 146)Where the final appearing of the Lord in glory fills believers with an unprecedented joyful fear of the Redeemer, it fills unbelievers with a new level of dread at their Judge. (p. 157)

Get your copy of Rejoice & Tremble this month for a gift of any amount.

Why Our Secular Age Needs Ecclesiastes

This world is desperate for answers to life’s fundamental questions. What is life about? Why is life so unjust? Why does work have to be so toilsome? How can I be happy when the world seems pointless?

The spirit of the age recommends both finding meaning inward, i.e. we create our own meaning in life; and outward, meaning comes from advancing in our careers, accumulating possessions, and pleasurable experiences.

A few thousands of years ago, there was a Preacher king who pursued meaning this way. He concluded:

“I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11 ).

That Preacher king was Solomon, who wrote of his experience in the book of Ecclesiastes, a book whose frankness and pessimism about life is sometimes shocking. Does the Bible really say that?

Phil Ryken calls Ecclesiastes in jest “the only book of the Bible written on a Monday morning.”[1] Ecclesiastes at times even seems to contradict other parts of Scripture. (Chew on 1:17–18 or 4:1–3 for a bit.) But what Solomon captures are the paradoxes of living in a fallen world. At the same time, we can enjoy the goodness of God’s creation (Genesis 1:31) and groan as we live in its post-fall futility (Romans 8:20–23).

Our secular world groans as well but doesn’t know where to find hope. Secular solutions only exacerbate the problem, leaving us wanting.

Life apart from God doesn’t satisfy

Ecclesiastes contrasts life “under the sun” with life “under heaven.” Life under the sun takes a human-centered view of existence (which is why it sounds like a way a scientist would describe life) while life under heaven takes God into account. How easy it is to fall into an ‘under the sun’ mindset and only think of life in human terms, swept along by the secular current of our culture!

According to Ecclesiastes, God “has put eternity into man’s heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)—we know there is more than what we see, and the secular world knows this. That’s why we long for transcendence and greatness. We want our lives to make a lasting difference. We adore rock bands or talk about the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) of our favorite sport or look to politicians to fill the worship void in our hearts. Why are palm readers still in business in a secular culture? Why do secularized nations like Iceland believe in elves?[2] Our hearts tell us there’s something more than what social media influencers or our textbooks offer.

If fame and fortune aren’t enough, what is?

Life wasn’t meant to be lived merely under the sun as rising suicide rates in the US testify.[3] Celebrities like Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, who had it all in the eyes of the world, longed for greater purpose. Reaching the top of the ladder of fame and fortune leads nowhere.

Jim Carrey is reported to have lamented, “I wish everyone could experience being rich and famous, so they’d see it wasn’t the answer to anything.” Halle Berry, an actress known for her beauty, confessed, “Being thought of as a beautiful woman has spared me nothing in life. No heartache, no trouble. Love has been difficult. Beauty is essentially meaningless and it is always transitory.”[4] Even the famed quarterback Tom Brady shared on 60 Minutes, “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me?”[5]

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher”—and apparently many celebrities as well.

If more money and possessions aren’t enough, what is?

John Rockefeller, one of the richest men to ever live, was asked how much money was enough. His answer? “Just a little bit more.”[6] His response wouldn’t have surprised Solomon, who wrote thousands of years ago:

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10 ).

You can’t buy joy on Amazon (even though many spend as if you could). Money may fill a bank account but it will never fill the soul. Only in a God-centered life can wealth and possessions find their proper place in life and be enjoyed.

“Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart” (Ecclesiastes 5:19–20 ).

“One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15 ).

If self-seeking pleasure isn’t enough, what is?

Gratifying self drives our secular age. In many ways, the self is the chief god of secularism. The better we eat, enjoy entertainment, have sex, and experience the world, the better life is.

This too, is vanity. Even the secular world admits it from time to time. In 1964, Time Magazine presented the following argument against unrestrained sexual freedom, “When sex is pursued only for pleasure, or only for gain, or even only to fill a void in society or in the soul, it becomes elusive, impersonal, and ultimately disappointing.”[7]

Pleasure for pleasure’s sake is futile (see Ecclesiastes 2:10–11), but enjoying pleasure as a gift from God’s hand brings joy:

“And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 8:15 ).

Our only true and lasting pleasure is in God (Ecclesiastes 3:11, 2:24–26, 3:12–13, 5:18–20, 7:14, 8:15, 9:7,9), the one who “richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). In the words of Pastor Zack Eswine:

“If we use God’s gifts as mini-gods, we are like those who try to play soccer with a watermelon. The melon isn’t designed to withstand our kicking and will crumble. But if we enjoy God’s good gifts the way he intended, not as mini-gods but as kindnesses, then we grow wise in locating the feisty joy that refuses to quit under the sun.”[8]

If pursuing wisdom isn’t enough, what is?

Mere access to information doesn’t make one wise. If it did, our smartphones wouldn’t be making thought and discourse shallower. Solomon, called by some the wisest man who ever lived, wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:17, “I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.”

There is no wisdom apart from the fear of God, for “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). If you don’t enter the race for wisdom from this starting line, you’ll find yourself on the wrong course chasing the wind. Only in Jesus Christ can we correctly perceive reality and be truly wise (1 Corinthians 1:24). Apart from Him, every scientist, cultural commentator, and worldly sage proves foolish.

If our work isn’t enough, what is?

Ecclesiastes laments the vanity and injustice of work (see Ecclesiastes 2:18–26)— and no, Solomon wasn’t just having a case of the Mondays. Due to humanity’s sin, work is toilsome and often emotionally and physically painful (Genesis 3:17–19). Days slog on to weeks and months and years with repetitive, frustrating work that seems to accomplish nothing. Will my work be forgotten once I’m gone? Why do some get rich on the hard work of others?

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 )

Yes, work can be toilsome. But the answer is not found rejecting the good gift of work God gave humanity at creation, but by embracing it with thankful hearts and realizing that our work is ultimately for His glory and will be rewarded (Genesis 1:28, 2:15; Ephesians 6:5–8). Don’t let work’s fleeting nature discourage you, let it drive you to worship the One whose Word and work endure forever:

“I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:14 )

The End of the Matter—or, How to Find Meaning in Life

What is our purpose here on earth? Where can we find meaning? Many in our secular world don’t believe we can actually know. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy jokes that “42” is the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.”[9] Somehow, I don’t think Solomon would have laughed.

Solomon’s conclusion in chapter 12 provides the interpretive key for Ecclesiastes and all of life:

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14)

Without God, all is futile. But with Him, all has incalculable value. Fearing Him is the only way to escape vanity and taste the satisfying nectar of life that comes only from His hand (Ecclesiastes 3:14, 5:7, 8:12, 12:13–14). We will live in futility until we center our lives on God and live submissively before Him.

Without God, all is futile. But with Him, all has incalculable value.

Why? Look again at verse 14: “God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (emphasis added). Every little thought or action has eternal significance because God says it does—even if life feels like a passing cloud.

We aren’t the captains of our souls or the masters of our fate—our holy God is. We can’t live as if we had authority over life and death without facing the Creator’s wrath. All sin and injustice in the world will be dealt with, either by Christ absorbing it on the cross or at the final judgment.

Ecclesiastes comforts me is by reminding me that Christ understands life’s frustrations better than I do, and thus can provide the appropriate remedy. “Everything Solomon pursued, Jesus was tempted by, but resisted.”[10] He died as the perfect sacrifice for our sin and rose from the dead as evidence to His authority over this broken creation and as the firstfruits of a greater redemption for His children and the new creation:

“[T]he creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21 ).

Yes, creation and our lives under the sun were subjected to futility, but Christ gives us joy-producing hope in the present as we await our glorious future. Yes, this world is a difficult place to live; but we won’t always live here. Christ will set us free to enjoy Him and His glory forever.

Until that day, let’s avoid frustration by making Augustine’s prayer our own, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”[11]

 

 

[1] Shared in Ecclesiastes (Preaching the Word).
[2] Ryan Jacobs, “Why So Many Icelanders Still Believe in Invisible Elves,” The Atlantic, October 29, 2013, https://www.theatlantic.com/internati....
[3] Amy Ellis Nutt, “Suicide rates rise sharply across the United States, new report shows,” The Washington Post, June 7, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t....
[4] “Being beautiful isn’t easy, Halle Berry says,” DeseretNews, August 3, 2004, https://www.deseret.com/2004/8/3/1984....
[5] Brady shared this in a 2005 60 Minutes interview, clip accessible at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHPx....
[6] Also shared in Ryken’s Ecclesiastes (Preaching the Word).
[7] Shared in the January 24, 1964 edition of Time Magazine.
[8] Zack Eswine, “Preacher’s Toolkit: How Should I Preach Ecclesiastes?,” The Gospel Coalition, August 24, 2017, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ar....
[9] https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_...
[10] Phil Ryken quoting Mark Driscoll in Ecclesiastes (Preaching the Word).
[11] Found in Book 1 of Augustine’s Confessions.

5 Lies I Believed About Work

Ever since I turned fifteen and could get a worker’s permit for a summer job at a pool concession stand, I have loved to work. My work history includes time delivering mail, as a garbage collector on my college campus, in marketing sound systems, and now serve with Unlocking the Bible as a writer and trainer.

Even though I had wonderful Christian parents who taught me the value of working hard, I didn’t always see work as a major element of Christian discipleship. In my head, I knew some truths about how my Christian faith informs my work, but those truths didn’t make the journey down to my heart.

Several times I had to learn the hard way of how God wants us to approach work as a Christian. God, in His grace, revealed to me several lies that seeped into my work life. I pray that the lessons I learned will give you a greater view of God and His purpose for your work while strengthening you to work for His glory.

Lie #1: Work is not a part of God’s perfect plan.

For a long time, I believed that the necessity of work was a result of sin and not part of God’s original plan and good design. This probably entered into my brain as a kid watching TV characters complain about work or hearing the constant whining of peers complain about their homework. “In a perfect world,” I would think, “Nobody would have to work and I could just sit around all day doing what I wanted”—which in those times was playing video games, eating junk food, and watching sports. (Funny, I didn’t think about the thousands of people whose work made enjoying food, video games, TV, or even sitting on a couch possible for me!)

The Scriptures show a different reality, one that says work is a fundamental part of God’s good plan for the world. God gave Adam what theologians call the “Creation Mandate”—the command to subdue the earth and have dominion over every living thing (Genesis 1:28). This command for purposeful work to cultivate the earth came before humanity’s fall into sin. Sin tarnished God’s good design, making our work toilsome (Genesis 3:17–19). While sin changed many elements of work for us today, it did not change the fact that we are image bearers created to reflect the image of a working God.

Lie #2: Work is all about me.

I believed this lie for a long time. In my mind and heart, I was the one I worked for. I wanted the money, opportunity, and status that came from my work. When something at work made getting what I wanted difficult, frustration would overwhelm me, causing my attitude and motivation to suffer.

Scripture says that our work should be done, “as to the Lord” (Ephesians 6:7). This means that He is our ultimate boss, the One we will ultimately report to for our work. Our work also touches many other people because in God created work as a means of blessing others—this goes for the barista, the car salesman, the truck driver, the teacher, and the banker. This new focus away from ourselves helps us obey the two great commandments of Scripture: to love God and love others.

Lie #3: Full-time ministry is the only work that serves God.

I struggled finding my calling in work for a while because I believed the false dichotomy that said I couldn’t serve God while working a “normal job.” Sure, a ministry job like pastor or a missionary uses your skills to more directly advance the Kingdom (which is an honorable thing!). That doesn’t mean a job other than pastor or missionary doesn’t serve God as well. If you do your job for the Lord, it is serving Him.

Think of Joseph, who by faith honored God as a shepherd, prisoner, overseer of Potiphar’s house, and eventually the second in command of all of Egypt. By faith, Daniel similarly served in the Babylonian government and stood for his God against strong cultural pressures and even death warrants. By faith, Obadiah, as an official of the king, protected and fed God’s prophets in a cave while they ran from the queen who sought to kill them (1 Kings 18:3-4). Time would fail me to tell of all of the other brothers and sisters throughout history who were faithful gospel witnesses in their workplace, stood compassionately for biblical truth, fought for justice, showed mercy, cared for the poor, and stewarded the resources God gave them in service to His Kingdom. Bottom line: We are servants of God no matter if we serve in “official” ministry positions or not.

Lie #4: Rest is optional.

One summer during my seminary days, my boss gave me a great offer: “Kevin, this summer you can work as many hours as you want—even if you go into overtime.” Overtime and overtime pay? The ears of this cash-strapped seminary student perked up and I soon made it my goal to cash in on this offer. After a few weeks filled with 55+ hours of work while trying to balance other responsibilities, I realized that I slowly began to dread work, serving at church, and spending time with friends. I was drained both physically and spiritually—I needed a break!

I was missing a vital part of God’s plan for work. In God’s design, man is to work and to rest from his work. This imitates God’s rest in creation (Exodus 20:8-11) and in the words of Tim Keller is “a celebration of our design.” True rest refocuses our hearts on the Creator and rejuvenates us for more work.

Rest has many dimensions and doesn’t only refer to physical rest. Spiritual rest is found in Christ and obtained when we put our faith in Him. In Christ we rest from trying to earn God’s approval through works (Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:3). This means we need the rejuvenating effects of spiritual rest in communion with God through prayer and the Scriptures, solitude, and fellowship with other believers.

Lie #5: My work gives me an identity.

This lie is actually more of a half-truth—work does shape part of our earthly identity. But if I bank my life and entire identity on my work, my self-worth and emotions will be dependent on my performance. If work is going well, it quickly becomes an idol. That idol will eventually disappoint me, leaving me disappointed until I have reason to hope in myself again. And when things get difficult, I question my identity and if I’m doing what God called me to do.

Jesus wants us off of the emotional rollercoaster that comes with finding our identities solely in our work. First and foremost, we are forgiven sinners, bought by the blood of Christ and are children of God. The very reason Jesus died was “to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession” (Titus 2:14). If you believe in Christ, your core identity is no longer in your work but is in your new identity as belonging to Christ. This fundamental aspect of your identity should be weaved into the very fabric of your being both today and 100,000 years into the future.

Working in the Gospel’s Power

Christ’s death and resurrection gives believers a new identity and a new power in the Holy Spirit for our work. Instead of separating work from worship, we can fuse them together for the glory of our King. Instead of focusing on the frustrations of work in a fallen world, we can rejoice that Christ’s work on the cross makes it so it won’t always be this way. And instead of striving to achieve worth, you can rest knowing that you are of infinite worth in your Father’s eyes.

When you are tempted to believe lies about work or who you are in Christ, may these truths serve as a steady anchor for your mind and heart.