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1 Peter 1:1-2

The Encouragement of God’s Omniscience

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 23, 2023

Verse two of the first chapter of Peter’s first epistle introduces us to some pretty heavy theological topics. First, the foreknowledge of God is mentioned regarding election. Second, is the idea of the sanctification of the Spirit for the obedience to Jesus and the sprinkling with his blood. The passage says, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” There are so many philosophical complexities related to God’s foreknowledge and election, that I’ve given up trying to understand them all. I did a google search on “God’s foreknowledge” and had 754,000 hits! I tried to read a couple of them but then went back to Peter’s letter and determined to allow God’s omniscience to remain a mystery with me. However, I do come away with the impression that Peter is telling his suffering readers that God knows all about it from beginning to end and he knows it will all turn out for our best. I don’t know much, but I trust in the God who knows all.

The scattered believers that Peter is addressing are called the elect “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” When a loved one is sick and we take them to the doctor we might ask what’s the “prognosis”. That is we want to know what will come of this particular sickness in the future. The doctor’s answer is always based on his medical knowledge but doesn’t involve a supernatural insight into the future. In the Bible, the Greek word for foreknowledge is “prognosis.” It expressed the idea of knowing reality before it becomes reality. One writer says, “In Christian theology, foreknowledge refers to the all-knowing, omniscient nature of God whereby He knows reality before it is real, all things and events before they happen, and all people before they exist.” But, as the writer continues, “The foreknowledge of God is far more than His ability to see the future; His foreknowledge is a true knowing of what will come to pass, based on His free choice. He decrees what will come to pass. In other words, foreknowledge is not just intellectual; it is personal and relational.”[1]

Several commentators see the foreknowledge issue being one way Peter wants to encourage all believers amid their trials. Sam Storms concludes, “It’s simply amazing that at the beginning of Peter’s letter to the hurting, persecuted, oppressed people facing a myriad of trials he focuses on election! Why? Because God’s eternal purpose for us and in us and through us is the only thing ultimately that will sustain us in hard times. Knowing who we are as God’s elect and whose we are is a truth that the Spirit will repeatedly bring to mind to encourage us in times of affliction and to strengthen our wills when tempted and to sustain hope when everything appears to be falling apart.”[2] David Helm gives us an encouraging summary as well. He writes, “In the strongest way possible, Peter has told us: The Lord God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is behind all of this. The hidden counsel of the Eternal Trinity has planned for us to be known as his ‘elect exiles.’ And he has done all of this through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. So take heart. Be encouraged. Christians are those who are chosen by God and called to live in this world. There is something in this letter for every Christian. This is a fine mail day. As you read on, Peter’s desire is that you would experience God’s grace and know his peace. In fact, verse 2 says that he wants them to be yours in abundance (May grace and peace be multiplied to you).”[3]

[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/foreknowledge.html

[2] https://www.samstorms.org/enjoying-god-blog/post/elect-according-to-the-foreknowledge-of-the-father

[3] Helm, David R. 2008. 1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ’s Sufferings. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

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James 1:2, John 16:33

Though He Slays Me

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 22, 2023

James is writing to the scattered believers who are facing a multitude of trials in life. His opening advice is something very contrary to our natural impulses. When we face trials, hardships, disappointments, or any negative experience, we get depressed, angry, discouraged, and other emotions that match the negative experiences in life. James’ advice is to do just the opposite. He says in James 1:2, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” The Greek word translated as “count” means to evaluate and conclude. It’s not just to think about something but to sum it all up. The term is actually a financial term that describes the bottom line. James wants us to look at life’s hardships differently than we normally do. A. E. Housman wrote one of my favorite poems and gives similar advice. He writes, “And while the sun and moon endure, lucks a chance, but trouble is sure.” I’m not sure about good fortune being “chance” but I do agree that “trouble” is sure. Isn’t this what Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world, you will have trouble.” Housman goes on to suggest how one should come to grips with that reality. His poem continues, “I’d face it as a wise man would, and train for ill and not for good.” Jesus doesn’t advise us to “train for ill” but to be prepared for it and to “take heart” because He has overcome the world.

It’s interesting also that the word for joy and the word for “greeting” are closely related. James is referring to how we respond when we “meet” hardships that cross our paths. We should greet them with joy but not happiness. One commentator deals with the various English translation of this passage and says “Happiness would be a weak term to use in place of joy; moreover, it would be misleading.” The Living Bible says “be happy.” The New English Bible says “supremely happy.” The Jerusalem Bible says to trials should be welcomed as a “happy privilege.” This commentator goes on to say, “Happiness is a subjective state, whereas James is instructing us to make a more objective judgment when he says to consider it pure joy. ‘Happiness’ might encourage readers to expect a carefree life or a constantly cheerful mood. Neither of these is what James has in mind. He acknowledges the presence of extremely unhappy experiences in his readers’ lives. At the same time, and with no perception of any contradiction, James counsels these readers to rejoice during those very experiences of hardship.”[1]

I’ve always found the word for “trials” used by James is the same word that English translators call “temptations.” The key to me is that the two, trials and temptations, have one thing in common. They are a test of faith. When you are tempted to do what you are not supposed to do, your faith is put to the test. Do you believe that God has your best interest foremost in mind when he keeps something that you want from you? This is the test that Adam and Eve faced. They failed. I have to admit, I often fail also. Then trials are a test also. Will we trust God to be well-intentioned toward us even when he takes something away from us? This is the kind of test that Abraham faced when God called for him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Both temptations and trials ask us the same question. Will I continue to trust God during this hardship? This is also the story of Job. God allowed all the blessings that Job had to be taken from him. Job’s great answer is what James is pointing to in his advice. Naked came I into the world and naked from it I shall go. The Lord gives, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him?

[1] Stulac, George M. 1993. James. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Westmont, IL: IVP Academic.

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Hebrews 1:2-3, John 8:28

Jesus Speaks for God

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 21, 2023

Martin Luther tells a story about being up late studying the scriptures when he had a vision of Christ standing before him in all his radiant glory! After studying the vision with great interest Luther concluded that the Jesus of the Bible would not appear in such a way today. He was convinced that this visitation was a delusion or possibly a demonic apparition designed to distract him from the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the bible. He spoke to the vision and said something like, “The Christ of the Bible is sufficient for me.” After that, the visage vanished. The man who coined the phrase, “sola scriptura” stood by his conviction of the sufficiency of the Christ as recorded in the Bible. God speaks to us today, in these times, as the author of the book of Hebrews says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” Luther was convinced that Jesus alone, as revealed in the Bible alone, is sufficient for him. It is for me too! He didn’t need an angel or any other supernatural visitation to confirm for him the truths of the Bible and the reality of the sufficiency of Christ. God’s greatest communication to Luther and all mankind came from God’s Son who gave himself for us.

The author of Hebrews goes on to explain why Jesus and the message from God that he brings is the most important. The passage continues “but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power…”

In a very real sense, when Jesus speaks, God speaks. He doesn’t say, “thus saith the Lord…” as the Prophets do. He simply says it. My former seminary professor, Stanley Toussaint used to say, “if God has spoken, there is nothing more important than to listen to him. Let me say that again. If God has spoken, there is nothing more important than to listen to what he says.” God speaks to us all in Christ and through Christ. There is nothing more important than what He has to say. Jesus, Himself, made it clear that His words were God’s words. John 8:28 gives us Christ’s testimony. It says, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.”

 

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Philemon 1:3-4

A Plea for Mercy

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 20, 2023

When Paul writes to Timothy, he sends a three-fold blessing of grace, peace, and mercy. In all the other letters he only commends grace and peace. This is the way he begins his letter to Philemon. He says, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers.” During this short letter, Paul is pleading for Philemon to have “mercy” on his runaway slave, Onesimus. I guess it’s not necessary to include that concept in the opening greeting since it will be the subject of the entire letter. Grace and peace are the twins that identify the Greek or Roman greeting along with the Jewish greeting of peace. The Roman and Greek greeting is a word that is usually translated as “hello.” But with just a one-letter change in the word, it becomes “grace” in Paul’s writings. Shalom, to a Jewish audience, is the normal greeting and is used for hello and goodbye, even in Modern Israel. But Paul uses it with the clear idea of how God’s grace through Jesus gives us peace with God. Richison observes, “A Christian can no more operate in the Christian life apart from grace and peace than he can run his car without gas and oil.  Grace is God’s favor and goodwill that He bestows on us because of Christ.  We do not earn or deserve this favor.  God is not only the Giver, but He also is the Gift.  Grace is personified in the person of Christ.”[1]

Philemon was a wealthy slaveowner in Colossae. Apparently, the Apostle Paul had led Philemon to faith in Christ. This letter is encouraging Philemon to have his newfound faith which brought him God’s grace and peace in Christ, affect the way he handled his relationships in the world. One of the great dangers of religion is that we can live two different lives. First, we profess our faith and perform religious rituals. Then we go about our lives as if nothing has changed. Paul was encouraging Philemon to allow his new faith to change his life. Colson tells the story of Mickey Cohen’s conversion, “Mickey Cohen was one of the most infamous gangsters of the fifties, and something of a publicity hound. On one occasion he visited an evangelistic meeting and there showed an interest in Christ. Christian leaders, realizing that Cohen’s conversion could have a great influence upon others, visited him regularly. One night after a lengthy conversation on Revelation 3:20, he opened the door of his life. There were great expectations, but as the months passed there was no substantive change in the gangster’s life. Finally, his Christian friends confronted him. Cohen responded that no one had told him he would have to give up his work or his friends. After all, there were Christian football players, Christian cowboys, Christian politicians; why not a Christian gangster?”4

In some of Paul’s letters, he asserts his authority as an Apostle. We see that in the letter to the Galatians where he even stands against the Apostle Peter on a particular issue. Some argue that Paul “pulls rank” on his readers when he does that, expecting they will listen and pay heed to his instructions out of respect. But this doesn’t seem to be the case with this letter to Philemon. Paul is interceding on behalf of Onesimus, a man in bondage. Paul himself is in bondage in a Roman prison. I like the way Exell put this thought. He writes, “Himself a bondman, Paul pleads the cause of that other bondman, whose story is the burden of the letter. It is when he is a much-wronged captive that he begs forgiveness for a wrongdoer, and when society is making war upon himself, he plays the part of peacemaker with others. As dewdrops are seen to best advantage on the blades of grass from which they hang, or gems sparkle brightest in their appropriate settings, so may we regard Paul’s imprisonment as the best foil to the design of this letter. Wrongs and oppressive suffering may drive even wise men mad; but here it only seems to evoke Paul’s tenderest feelings, and open wide the sluices of his affectionate sympathies.”[2] Although he doesn’t mention mercy in the letter to Philemon, he is taking up the case of Philemon’s slave and asking for mercy on his behalf.

[1] Richison, Grant. 2006. Verse by Verse through the Books of James and Philemon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems.

4 Charles Colson, Who Speaks for God? (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1985), p. 153.

[2] Exell, Joseph S. n.d. The Biblical Illustrator: Second Timothy–Titus, Philemon. Vol. 3. New York; Chicago; Toronto; London; Edinburgh: Fleming H. Revell Company.

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Titus 1:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The Encouragement of Eternal Life

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 19, 2023

Putting the first two verses of Paul’s letter to Titus together, we can see Paul’s three-fold focus regarding his life’s mission. Titus 1:1-2 says, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” Paul calls himself a “servant” of God “for the sake of the faith of the elect.” This is “Evangelism.” Paul’s primary role as God’s servant is to bring those chosen to their full stature as believers in Jesus Christ. The mission always begins with evangelism. Paul is God’s servant in this respect. The second aspect is “Edification.” Paul is God’s servant, not only for the sake of the faith but also for the “knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness.” This speaks to me of building up the faith we profess through learning God’s word and growing in our understanding which will change the way we think and live. Paul wants to lead others to faith in Jesus and then help them grow in that faith. Thirdly, it’s “Encouragement.” Paul is God’s servant for evangelism, edification “in the hope of eternal life.” Paul charges those with growing faith to live their lives with an eternal perspective.

The resurrection is the key theme of Paul’s ministry. He preached it wherever he went. It was considered foolishness by the Greeks. He found himself laughed off of the stage at Athens. People listened to him until he got to the resurrection. People want to live for today. It’s hard to convince non-believers that there is something “more” than what this short time on earth offers. However, if Christ did not rise from the dead, there would not be any church. His closest disciples, Peter, James, and John had gone back to fishing after the crucifixion. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were discussing their disappointment at Jesus’ death when he appeared to them. The resurrection was the event that set the church on fire through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the resurrection that gives us hope. Jesus not only rose from the dead, he promised that we would rise from the dead also. That is our hope. Paul explained that to those in Thessalonica who had lost loved ones. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, he says, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this, we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord, himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Campbell says, “Hope, of course, in everyday speech refers often to something uncertain. You know how often we hope for something that we have no guarantee will happen—especially if it has to do with the weather! In the Bible, however, hope is always something certain. And that is how it is with the hope of eternal life. We can be certain that one day the more will be ours—the blessings of salvation in their fullest measure to be enjoyed forever and ever. For the God who does not lie promised eternal life to his elect before this world began. That was his eternal plan and purpose.” If then we believe in Jesus and trust His promise, “we can be certain that this eternal life will be ours.”[1]

[1] Campbell, David. 2007. Opening up Titus. Opening Up Commentary. Leominster: Day One Publications.

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2 Timothy 1:2

Blessed are the merciful

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 18, 2023

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he commends grace, and peace, and adds mercy to make it a triad of blessings. He repeats that greeting in the second verse of his second letter. He writes, “To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Stott says, “We may perhaps summarize these three blessings of God’s love as being grace to the worthless, mercy to the helpless, and peace to the restless, while ‘God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord’ together constitute the one spring from which this threefold stream flows forth.”[1]

Paul’s mention of mercy in his two letters to Timothy is compelling. Paul knew God’s mercy. He persecuted the church and participated in Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts chapter seven. Who knows how many more lives were affected by Paul’s attack on the believers before his conversion? He referred to himself at one point as the “chief of sinners.” That was in his first letter to Timothy. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 says, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” At the beginning of Paul’s writing ministry in the book of Galatians, he defends himself as equal to all the Apostles, even Peter. In later books he calls himself “The least of the Apostles” (See 1 Corinthians 15:9). In Ephesians 3:18, he calls himself “the least of all the Saints.” But in the Epistles of Timothy, which were written just before his death, he refers to himself as the greatest of all sinners. I wonder if maturing in our faith may not be becoming better and better but just the opposite. Growing up entails a clear view of oneself in the presence of a perfectly holy God. Jesus told the story of the woman caught in adultery and publicly displayed by the religious leaders. They expected Jesus to have her stoned to death as the law required. Jesus hand them a stone and said, “you who are without sin, should cast the first stone.” The interesting ending of the story shows the crowd dispersing starting from the oldest. Isn’t it age and maturity that results in seeing ourselves as we really are?

I have received God’s mercy. He has forgiven many sins and even today helps me find forgiveness in my daily weaknesses. One commentator makes an interesting application regarding mercy. He writes, “God’s people often plead for his mercy (Gen. 43:14; Ps. 51:1). In the Gospels, Jesus’ mercy moved him to heal the sick (Matt. 9:13; 12:7; 15:22; 20:30). For Paul, God’s mercy brings salvation to sinners (Rom. 9:15). Peace and mercy are divine gifts that become elements of a disciple’s life. We then offer them to others, as Paul does here. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the merciful.… Blessed are the peacemakers’ (Matt. 5:7–9). If we taste God’s mercy, we should also long to show mercy.”[2]

[1] Stott, John R. W. 1973. Guard the Gospel the Message of 2 Timothy. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[2] Doriani, Daniel M., and Richard D. Phillips. 2020. 2 Timothy & Titus. Edited by Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani. Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

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2 Thessalonians 1:3

My Cup Runneth Over!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 17, 2023

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he thanks God for them, particularly mentioning their faith, love, and hope. In the third verse of his second letter to them, he says something similar, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” Unlike the first letter, Paul explains that his giving thanks for them seems to be a compulsion – it is a moral obligation. That’s what “ought always” (ophello) means! I have a moral obligation to thank God for you, and it is right that I do just that! It is my obligation to do that because God has answered my prayers for you.  As mentioned in I Thessalonians Paul prayed for them to “excel more in faith & love.” I am obligated to thank God for both your growing faith and love!

The phrase “growing abundantly” is one word in Greek. It’s to grow but with a preposition prefixed to the word. The preposition is “hyper.” It’s kind of like “super” growth. I used Miracle Grow on my tomatoes sometimes. I’m not sure that it works all that well every year, but I want it to. I think God wants our faith to be in the “hyper” growth mode. We planted pumpkins one year in Michigan. I got the seeds from a special catalog. They were super-growth pumpkins and these things never stopped growing.  One vine had three pumpkins. One weighed 108 pounds, one weighed 94 pounds, and one weighed about 75 pounds. They were huge. They were “hyper-growth” pumpkins.

One website asks a great question, “God wants us to have faith and to increase our faith. But how? It’s not something we can just wish for or work up on our own. How can we grow in faith?”[1] I don’t care too much for their answer. Although there is some truth to their three-step process to increase faith, I think it’s bigger than just doing these three things. They say we should “Ask God for more faith.” That’s good. Then we need to “Focus on obeying God.” Of course, we should do that. Finally, they tell us to “Put God’s Word into your mind.” The importance of the Bible in our growing faith cannot be overemphasized. I believe that is how we get to know God most. Like any relationship, we grow in trusting someone by getting to know them better. We grow in faith by recognizing God’s positive disposition towards us. God loves us and shows that love to us every day. He fills the world with color and gives me eyes. He fills the world with music and gives me ears. He fills the world with good things to eat and gives me the ability to enjoy them. Noticing how God’s everyday sustenance of our lives is a clear demonstration of His love for us helps our faith grow. Even when we suffer hardships, God is at work in making it come out in the end for our best. This is growing faith. The more we see God at work in the minor details of our lives, the my “hyper-growth” we will experience. When we see how good God is to us in our everyday life, we will naturally grow in our love for Him as well. It has a lot to do with how we process the world around us and our experiences in life. Some people see the glass as half full. Others see the cup as half empty. Not me! Like the Palmist in Psalm 23, “My cup runneth over.”

[1] https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/faith/how-to-grow-in-faith/

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1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Faith, Love, and Hope

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 16, 2023

According to the book of Acts, Paul narrowly escaped from Thessalonica. The Jews from Philippi came searching for him to kill him most likely. He was stoned on his first missionary journey at Lystra. He was beaten and imprisoned on his second missionary journey in Philippi, so I conclude that the enemies of the Gospel were out to silence him once and for all. They never go that job done! He continued his second Journey preaching the Gospel wherever he went and praying for those that he had to leave behind in places where he left believers. He left a small church in Thessalonica. In his first letter to them, he tells them in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Because of the enemies of the Gospel, Paul knew those he had to leave behind in Thessalonica needed prayers. His prayer begins with giving thanks to God for them. He thanks God for “all of you.” I think his prayer is very general in that he is thankful that God allowed him to be successful in planting the church in Thessalonica and he prays for the whole body corporately. But then Paul also says he “mentions” them in his prayers. Richison thinks, and he might be right, that this implies Paul prayed for each individual. He says, “He calls people by name in prayer. This is the only good — gossip on your knees! Paul loved God’s people enough to pray specifically for them by name.”[1]

Paul says his prayer of thanksgiving for them is because of three things: Their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope in Jesus. Faith, hope, and love are a triad that Paul uses often. They represent the three most important qualities desirous of Christians. I think Holmes understands it correctly when he writes, “This familiar triad of faith, love, and hope (cf. 5:8; Rom. 5:1–5; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:5–6; Col. 1:4–5; Heb. 10:22–24; 1 Peter 1:21–22) functions almost as a shorthand summary of the essentials of Christianity: faith as the assurance that God has acted in Christ to save his people, love (‘poured … into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,’ Rom. 5:5) as the present expression and experience of the restored relationship between God and his people, and hope as the confidence that ‘he who began a good work … will carry it on to completion (Phil. 1:6), and that the future, therefore, holds not ‘wrath but … salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Thess. 5:9).”[2]

[1] Richison, Grant. 2006. Verse by Verse through the Books of 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems.

[2] Holmes, Michael. 1998. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

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