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Galatians 3:27-28, 1 Corinthians 12:13

Baptism of Equality!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 30, 2011

Baptism is a step of obedience and it illustrates many aspects of a believer’s new life in Christ. It illustrates the obedience of purification. Baptism pictures the symbolic purification ritual performed by those who have been cleansed from leprosy and sin. Baptism pictures the dedication of a person to live according to God’s standards and is pictured by full immersion. It says to God take my hands, my feet, my heart, my all! But one of the clearest illustrations of baptism is that of identification. Paul writes to the Galatians “for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ.”

In His commentary on this passage, Dunnam says, “Paul interjected the matter of baptism into this context because he wanted the Gentile converts to know that there is no reason for them to try to put themselves right by circumcision, by becoming like the Jews…Paul could have added other categories—Catholics, Protestants, professors, mechanics, preachers, domestic workers, whites, blacks—for in Christ all social stations, all cultural labels, all races and nationalities are made of no account in the economy of God.” Wisdom, authority, ability, personality, achievement, education, social status, financial means and any other means of distinguishing people from one another matter at all to God. We are all “one” in Christ Jesus.

Baptism illustrates our identity with Christ and His assertions of essential human equality. It marks the end of any sense of human superiority or distinctions of class, wealth, gender, or racial background. Worldly priorities like these come from human sin and the lies of Satan, not from God’s Word. All human beings are created alike in the image of God. All of us have equal dignity as children of our heavenly Father. For this reason every human being deserves our respect and is the object of the love of God. The teachings of Jesus make this clear. The greatest commandment is to love and worship God, but the second greatest is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The neighbor can be anyone— whomever God brings into my life.

Chuck
“For in one Spirit we were baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13

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Luke 3:16

The Baptism of Fire!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 29, 2011

Fire is sometimes used as an illustration of the purifying agent in the life of a believer. He takes us through the fire of trials and temptation to clear out all the imperfections in our lives just as the refiner takes the gold and silver through the refining fires. The goal is purification. John the Baptist said that while he baptized with water, the one coming after him would Baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

After His Baptism, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan. He was tempted in all ways that we are tempted. He was tempted to succumb to the lusts of the flesh when Satan challenged him to turn the rocks into bread to satisfy his hunger. He was tempted to succumb to the lust of the eyes when Satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said they could all be his if he’d just worship Satan. He was tempted to succumb to the pride of Life when Satan challenged him to throw himself from the temple knowing He was the unique Son of God. But Jesus came away from his temptation without sin.

Baptism is a step of obedience and symbolic of a person’s intention and commitment to follow the Lord. It’s the first step of discipleship. Baptized believers are also tempted in the same ways that Jesus was tempted. We too are tempted to give our attention to the “things” we could have if we didn’t make God and His Word the highest priority in life. We too are tempted to satisfy our fleshly desires in ways contrary to our commitments to obey God’s commands. We too are tempted to think or our loved ones should be exempt from the normal pains and sufferings in life.

In Mark 10, Jesus asks His disciples if they are able “to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.” They said we are able. And Jesus assured them that they would indeed be baptized with the baptism with which He was baptized.

Chuck
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3:16

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2 Kings 5:14

A Step of Obedience 2

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 28, 2011

Baptism is often identified with the rituals of purification in the Old Testament and I think one might identify some interesting parallels. Leprosy was frequently used as an illustration for sin in the Bible because of its defilement of the person as well as those around him because it was highly contagious. Once declared clean by a priest, a healed leper would then perform the ritual of water purification and would then be accepted into the corporate worship of the community.

Elisha instructed Naaman, the Gentile, to “immerse” himself into the Jordan River 7 times. Naaman was profoundly offended and needed encouragement from his servant to submit to such an illogical instruction. After all, there were many better rivers in his own country. But none of those rivers could do what a simple act of obedience could accomplish with respect to the Jordan river. It was there Naaman must be baptized, there was no other river offered, he would either accept and obey or reject and disobey. The Jordan was symbolic of the God of Israel and Naaman had to, by his action, denounce every other option. There are always the two options. Faith and obedience go together. Disbelieve and disobedience are Siamese twins. They cannot be separated. It’s not the Jordan River that’s the step of obedience regarding baptism today; it’s the simple obedience to the ordinance that was commanded by Jesus. The simple step of obedience for Naaman was an act of faith. Even though he had to be coerced and convinced to do it by his own servant, it was still an act of faith. Through that act of faith Naaman was healed. It sealed his destiny! He took with him a load of soil from Israel so he could always worship the God of Israel from that time onward. This pagan was solidly converted and his act of obedience was all that was needed.

Have you enjoyed the symbolic act of purification of believer’s baptism? Like Naaman, it’s often humbling for us, but the instructions and the example of Lord is paramount in this respect. Just like Naaman, you have a choice.

Chuck
“Go, make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that I’ve commanded you.” Matt 28:19-20

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John 8:29, 2 Kings 5:14, 1 John 3:21-22

A Step Of Obedience!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 27, 2011

While in Israel in the last two weeks, about 20 of us were Baptized or re-Baptized in the Jordan river. It probably wasn’t at the exact location recorded in Matthew 3:13, but it was in the same river and we also came from Galilee. This text says, “Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.” John Didn’t want to do it but Jesus insisted saying, “…is is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Last Friday my devotional thought was on pleasing the Father. When Jesus was speaking of His Father He said in John 8:29, “… I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” Obviously, Jesus began His ministry with His baptism by John, as a step of obedience and submission to His Father.

In 2 Kings 5, a diseased leper came to Israel to find healing from his disease. He expected Elisha to perform some radical ritual that would miraculously heal his sickness. But Elisha instructed him to “immerse or dip” himself seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman became angry and refused to do it because the rivers in his land were better than this little trickle. But he missed the point. It wasn’t about miracles or dramatic actions or great drama. It was about obedience. When Naaman’s servant convinced him of the simplicity of the action in comparison to what he’d be willing to do to be healed, verse 14 says, “so he went down and dipped himself (baptized) seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

As Jesus explained to John the ritual of baptism isn’t the issue. It’s simply fulfilling all righteousness or obedience to God’s instructions. Obedience is the step that pleases God. That’s why Mark 1:9 tells us that after Jesus came up from the waters of baptism, “a voice came from Heaven saying, “you are my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

Chuck
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.” 1 John 3:21-22

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Deuteronomy 5:16

A Far Better Life!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 23, 2011

When Moses repeats the law to the children of Israel as they were about to enter into the promised land, he again points out God’s instructions for a long and prosperous life. It’s intimately tied in to the stability of the family unit. So both in Exodus and Deuteronomy the responsibility for honoring parents is emphasized as well as the results. But Deuteronomy adds yet another reward. It says, “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

Deuteronomy is not just a blanket reiteration of the law already recorded in Exodus, but it’s an urgent appeal for God’s people to be obedient to it for their own sakes. In Deuteronomy 4:40, we read a similar statement regarding the whole moral law of God. It says, “Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”

Living God’s way is to live the “far better life.” These verses do not promise us a specific number of years, or a specific thing we might want, or any other specific thing we might want to call to God for from our human interests. Rather, they offer us a way to live a satisfying and meaningful life in this present world. There are still many injustices and much suffering in this world, but we must leave them with God and live the way He calls us to live. The instructions God has given us reveals to us that God intends us to live with the welfare of others foremost in our minds. When we put God first and serve others our lives become meaningful and joyful. Indeed, we can live a far better life. In contrast, as Thomas Merton once said, “To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell.”

Chuck
“He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.” 2 Cor 5:15 (TM)

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Ephesians 6:3

Honor your father

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 22, 2011

The fountain of youth, eternal life, has been the subject of more books, poems, songs and movies than one can imagine. Explorers spent years at sea on dangerous expeditions looking for it. Indiana Jones and others risked everything to find it. I’m reading Michio Kaku’s book, “Physics of the Future.” He claims the life expectancy will be well over 100 by 2040 or so. Ray Kurzweil in his “Age of the Spiritual Machine” thinks all natural causes of death will be eliminated in the next 20 years and says we all should take care of ourselves so that we’ll “live long enough to live forever.” One of my favorite cartoons is Calvin & Hobbs. In one strip, Calvin is talking to Hobbs and says, “God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things in my life. Right now I’m so far behind I’ll never die!”

The scriptures give us a particular instruction that one could follow that is to result in a long and prosperous life. Paul says this is the first commandment to which a promise is attached. It’s in Ephesians 6:2-3, “Honor your father and mother, this is the first commandment with a promise, that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Paul is quoting from Exodus 20:12, “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Under the Old Testament economy obedient children did live longer, but this is not a promise for long life as much as it is for a complete, satisfying and meaningful life.

My sons should be extremely happy and satisfied after this father’s day. I feel very honored to have had them both with me for dinner and to receive all the great gifts (including my new grill – see picture at www.chucklarsen.com)and expressions of love and honor from them and the grandsons. My heart is so full of gratitude for them all that I’d do anything within my power for them. I can’t help but think that this is how God feels toward children, at any age, who honor their parents.

Chuck
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

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Luke 1:17

“Patria Potestas” – The Father’s Power

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 21, 2011

Yesterday, I pointed out that the great advances for women in the world had its true roots in Biblical Christianity. But as great as those advances are, but it truly pales in comparison to the advances that Christianity brought in the elevation and development of children. Nothing has improved the status of children in the world more than Christianity. William Barclay notes correctly that under the Roman law of “patria potestas” (“the father’s power”), “A Roman father had absolute power over his family. He could sell them as slaves; he could make them work in his fields, even in chains; he could take the law into his own hands, for law was in his own hands, and he could punish as he liked; he could even inflict the death penalty on his child. Further, the power of the Roman father extended over the child’s whole life, so long as the father lived. A Roman son never came of age.”

James M. Boice points out, “There was also the matter of child repudiation, leading to exposure of the newborn. When a baby was born it was placed before its father. If the father stooped and lifted the child, the child was accepted and was raised as his. If he turned away, the child was rejected and was literally discarded. Such rejected children were either left to die, or they were picked up by those who trafficked in infants. These people raised children to be slaves or to stock the brothels. One Roman father wrote to his wife from Alexandria: ‘If—good luck to you!—you have a child, if it is a boy, let it live; if it is a girl, throw it out.’ Against such pagan cruelty the new relations of parents to children and children to parents brought by the Christian gospel stand forth like sunshine after a dismal storm.”

Although the Jewish community in Jesus’ day had a deeper respect for human life than their pagan neighbors, they were still shocked at Jesus’ loving treatment of children in the adult world.

Chuck
“…and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children…” Luke 1:17

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1 Peter 3:7

All Men Are Created Equal

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
June 20, 2011

Since I was in Israel the week before Father’s day, I thought I’d use this week following to write devotional thoughts on husbands and fathers from the Bible. The women’s lib movement of decades past took a stand in our culture to gain for women equal rights with men on the job, in the government, and in society as a whole. Remember the motto, “You’ve come a long way, baby!” Well, they certainly have, but it’s worth noting where the movement truly got started.

Nothing has done more for the advancement of those who cannot fend for themselves than Christianity. In a world where woman were recognized as chattel by the law, the Revolutionary teaching of Biblical Christianity is “There is neither male nor female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile.” Peter made it very clear that men should never treat their wives like the rest of the pagan world did. God is always on the side of the weaker soul. He writes, “In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”

When Peter writes his second letter, he makes his view clear. The opening verse (2 Peter 1:1) reads, “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ…”

One of my favorite sayings is “the ground at the foot of the cross is level.” We all stand on it as sinners and we all stand on it without rights and claims, only to call for God’s grace. In Matthew 23:8, Jesus said, “Don’t let anyone call you Rabbi, for you only have one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.”

Chuck
“But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

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