QT 29 Nov 14, Lev 19:17-18, Love as Jesus loved

Lev 19:17-18 (ESV) "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18  You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

NOTE: Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." Yet, we see that this is an old commandment from the OT. What is Jesus saying? The new commandment is the spin added in Jesus' second phrase "just as I have loved you." How has Jesus loved us? He sacrificed his very life for us. So the new commandment is to practice sacrificial love for each other. Jesus' statement is in the context of fellow believers "by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." But love is also to be extended to our neighbor. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus expands the OT definition of loving our neighbors to include our enemies as well, and to pray for them. Love is a characteristic of the Christian life and to not show love brings disgrace on the family name, as many shamefully do today. We should be the most gracious and kind persons on the earth--not afraid to stand up for sin and not afraid to love the unlovely. We people scorn us, we need to pray for them. We don't return eye for eye, but we return love for ugliness. God, help me to see where I subtly take vengeance on others with cutting words or feigned empathy. I want to live the life of love that you lived as an example for me.

QT 28 Nov 14, 3 Jn 1-4, The greatest joy is not health or a good life, but to walk in truth

3 John 1-4 (ESV) The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

NOTE: Sometimes I get annoyed by prayers that focus on sickness and health. I know that is not right; and I never express my annoyance (at least that I am aware). But in this passage, John is saying that he prays for the two things that I usually don't see as important, and two other things that I consider of paramount importance. John prays that things would go well for Gaius and that Gaius health would be good. That is a little like praying, "Bless Gaius." They are not very specific, and it could be that John's prayers are much more specific--it is just that in this short letter he does not go into detail and instead summarizes two areas of prayer for Gaius. So, one could hardly make a principle on the basis of a short note. The two other areas, also written generally and possibly prayed more specifically are that things go well for Gaius' soul and (inferred) that Gaius walks in truth. And John does state that he has not greater joy than to hear that his spiritual children walk in truth. Health and things going well are nice, but the greatest joy is walking in truth. That is my prayer for my children (spiritual and physical). I just don't want life to go nice, although that can be good. My greater joy is to hear that my children walk in truth. There is no greater joy.

QT 26 Nov 14, Ecc 9:10, Work hard!

Eccl 9:8 (ESV) Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,  for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

NOTE: This is wisdom under the sun. It is good and useful but also ignores wisdom from above the sun. The NT provides the fuller meaning in Colossians 3:23,24 "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward." The NT is fuller because it seems to take in the spiritual side of work for the Lord as well, since it promises a future reward as part of our promised inheritance. But both verses point out the key principle -- work hard and do a good job. This is such a key concept to life. In Prov 22:29 is a verse I've seen played out many times in my own life, "Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men." Good work has a reward, it is noticed. In this day of distractions, this truth is even more important. We must be careful to not grow lazy through all the distractions, but do a good job at work. Not only because we will be noticed at work, but more importantly because we are really serving the Lord.

QT 25 Nov 14, Lk 4:27, What is the plan?

Luke 4:27 (ESV) And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

NOTE: Jesus is back home speaking in the synagogue and responding to the theoretical question of why he does not heal more people in his hometown. Interestingly, he chooses to bring up one of the Messianic miracles, the healing of leprosy. Since the giving of the law and the instructions in it concerning leprosy, no person in Israel is ever recorded as having been healed of leprosy. Miriam's healing was prior to the law, and Naaman wasn't even an Israelite, so he was not required to follow the dictates of the law (report to a priest, etc). I believe Jesus has already healed the ten lepers, a fulfillment of one of the three Messianic miracles. And he specifically brings up leprosy in his discussion at his hometown. I doubt any of them had leprosy or they wouldn't be in the synagogue, but the focus on one of the signs of his status as the Messiah is hard to ignore. Ultimately, it is these words which upset the crowd, to the point that they try to stone their hometown son. But they don't or rather they can't, because God has a greater plan for His Son.

What is God's plan for me? Do I see his hand in my life or do I think I control my destiny? And should I be bolder with my words, like Jesus?

QT 20 Nov 14, Eph 4:20-24, Sanctification requires renewal of the mind

20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

http://bible.us/1/eph4.20,21,22,23,24.esv

From <http://bible.us/1/eph4.20,21,22,23,24.esv>

NOTE: Studying Romans has really opened up the rest of bible to me. I see Paul's same line of thought here but more fully explained in Romans. In Rom 6-8, Paul talks about the sanctification process and in particular the battle between our flesh and our new mind. This battle requires actions (works) on our part. It means a change in behavior. We need to STOP doing certain things which feed the flesh and START doing certain things that feed the spirit of our mind. To renew our mind means to think differently. That means as much exposure as possible in truth. Reading the word, listening to godly men, studying the bible, and memorizing it are important steps to a renewed mind. Rom 12-15 suggests surrender, mind renewal, community involvement, and purpose as the keys. So the first step is surrender which includes repentance. We need to repent of the deeds of the flesh and re-commit ourselves to the process of renewing our minds. Lord sanctify me. I want to be more like my savior in my life and actions.

QT 19 Nov 14, Tit 3:9-11, Warn the divisive twice, then avoid

Titus 3:9-11 (ESV) But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

NOTE: So this passage gives further details on how to handle disruptive brothers. In this case, the issue is not sin, but rather an argumentative spirit. The required actions are short, warn once, then twice, then break communication. Paul calls the person sinful although the actions are in a grey area, "being disagreeable." On the other side of the coin is the encouragement to be a person who does not divide but rather unifies. Many people will have different views regarding certain passages of scripture. It is possible to share a view that is contrarian without attacking the person. The key is to 1) keep the focus on scripture, 2) avoid naming groups or opposing persons, 3) do not use inflammatory language in describing the opposing view if a description is required, and 4) admit that you do not know everything and could be wrong in your analysis of the passage. I think if we all were more careful in our discussions, they would be more fruitful and less likely to divide.

QT 18 Nov 2014, Phil 2:12-13, Salvation by Sanctification

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

http://bible.us/1/php2.12,13.esv

NOTE: The "working out" of our salvation is not a salvation by works but the sanctification part of our salvation obtained by faith, faith alone. Why is it called salvation? Because we are being saved from our flesh through the renewal and transformation of our mind. We are being saved from the old nature. That is the battle that Paul describes in Romans 7 where we do what we don't want to do. To make progress in this battle, Paul encourages us in four areas (Rom 12-16). 1) We need to surrender our lives and our selfishness. 2) We need to transform our mind but changing the input and feeding the word of God into our life. 3) We need to involve ourselves in a community of believers, a body. And 4) we need purpose in our lives which is found in taking the gospel message to the unbelieving world. If we do these things, we will, from degree of glory to another, change to become more like Jesus Christ. And so we will not only have eternal salvation by our new position in Christ achieved through justification by faith, but we will also achieve salvation from our fleshly sinful bodies that are corrupted by sin. We will become more and more useful to the kingdom, and we will be able to accomplish the good works which God has prepared for us.

QT 17 Nov 14, Rom 16:17-20, The danger of no application

Rom 16:17-20 (ESV) I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

NOTE: After greeting many of the people he knew in the church, Paul seems to step and to add a thought he did not originally address. It is a warning about brothers who cause divisions and create obstacles. They are not serving God but rather themselves or as Paul, say their own appetites. It may be power or control or a sense of self-importance, but they are more interested in what they get out of a situation. These people call themselves believers and they may even be believers, but they have allowed the flesh to control their thinking. Knowledge can be very good, but it can also corrupt when it is not applied. Application prevents us from abusing knowledge. We are called (in Romans) to transform or renew our minds. That will help us in the battle described in Romans 7 against the flesh. But to transform our mind requires more than just study of the word of God, we have to use it--apply it. Otherwise, we will have knowledge and we will be like the believer Paul warns against in this verse. James say a similar thing, "but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

QT 13 Nov 14, Rom 14:20-22a, Put the weaker brother first

Rom 14:20-22a (ESV) Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21  It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.  22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God.

NOTE: The work of God is another person's faith. There are no longer clean or unclean foods. But some believers may not think so. If that is the case, then I need to abstain from what another regards as sin. For the most part I think that would mainly apply to hard drink, and possibly wine and beer in our day and age. Clearly, excess is sin in anything, and drunkenness is likewise sin. The passage is not addressing those issues but rather whether one can taste these "foods" at all. They are clean, but if another's faith would be hurt by seeing us indulge, then we need to avoid these "foods" for the sake of our weaker brother. I do believe there is a distinction between "weaker" brother and a mature brother who teaches that we must abstain from certain foods. In this case, the mature brother is a false teacher and must be rebuked and instructed in correct theology. But ultimately, our concern should be for the weaker brother, who is a work of God, and someone our actions could destroy if we are not careful.

QT 11 Nov 14, Rom 14:1-4, There are limited things for which we can judge others

Rom 14:1-4 (ESV) As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2  One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4  Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

NOTE: So this issue of judging is very nuanced. We are not to judge unbelievers for their behavior, that job is God's. We are not to judge those weak in the faith (called young believers) for their convictions. And in general, items of convictions are, for the most part, off limits (I will get back to this). But we are to judge believers for outright sin. There is a process. We are to confront them privately first. If they don't listen, we bring another. And if they still don't listen, the matter is turned over to the church. To me, these issues are blatant issues of sin, such as, sexual immorality, theft, a pattern of lying, and other licentious behavior (although, it might be wise to discuss first with an elder or leader). We can confront a person concerning convictions if they start to teach others that their conviction is required by God. In which case, they are now a false teacher and must be confronted about their false teaching. They don't have to change their conviction but they must agree that it is wrong to teach others that it is a biblical requirement. If they refuse, then they cannot teach in the body. Unfortunately, our problem is that we want to judge everyone whose lifestyles and beliefs do not agree with ours. We are only to judge believers, and even there, that requires special handling (should be overt and patterned, not incidental or a one-time thing) and requires much prayer.