During the month of March we have been talking about persecution. We've talked about how we, as Christians, should expect to be mistreated by the world because it hates Christ (John 15:18). During the past couple weeks at Campus Life, we have discussed external (or "earthly") persecution: what other people may do to you. This type includes the physical struggle of facing beatings, imprisonment, death, etc. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27), as well as the emotional difficulties of name-calling, gossip/lies, and otherwise having our reputations attacked (Matthew 5:11). On Monday, we addressed a different kind of persecution that is more spiritual in nature and almost seems to come from inside ourselves.
Even though there are people in the world who will want to harm us if they know that we're Christians, they are not our enemies (Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Our enemy is Satan (1 Peter 5:8). He is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44) and is seeking to destroy us. Since the time of Adam and Eve, Satan has brought havoc and devastation on humanity. How does he do it? He tells lies . . . and we believe them. While you may never be put in prison for being a Christian, you will certainly have to deal with the constant barrage of deception that Satan will throw at you day in and day out until God finally calls you home.
One of the reasons so many people (even Christians) are depressed and have a negative outlook on life is because they believe what Satan says rather than what God says. Satan says things like, "You'll never get anything right. Your life is pointless." But God has told us that we are His handiwork, specially created by Him (Psalm 139:13-14) for His glory (Isaiah 43:7) and pleasure (Colossians 1:16) and destined to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Now let's stop and consider what we know: God always tells us the truth and Satan always twists the truth and turns it into a lie. But who do we believe? Often, it's the liar. One of the reasons why Satan is so effective is that he disguises himself as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:4). He is a master of taking something evil, wicked, and vile and making it look good, right and pure. So what are we supposed to do against such a powerful enemy?
We must do what 2 Corinthians 10: 5 says and take every thought captive. The phrase, "take every thought captive" means submitting everything we hear or think by the authority of God's Word. Whether another person is talking to us, or Satan is whispering lies in our ear, or we're thinking thoughts inside our own minds, we need to start by asking this question:
"Does this line up with what God has said or not?"
God's Word is 100% true and right (Psalm 33:4); it has no flaws in it (Proverbs 30:5). It is our light by which we can see and make sense of the world (Psalm 119:105). If God had not spoken, we would have no way to discern between right and wrong, true and false. Therefore, His Word is the only defense we have against Satan's lies. As Jesus prayed before He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, we must be sanctified (or purified) by truth and God's Word is truth (John 17:17). So let your mind be changed to fit what Scripture says rather than trying to bend Scripture to fit your current way of thinking.
It's one thing to use the Bible to show that someone else is wrong. It's much more difficult to let God's Word correct our own thoughts and beliefs. Because of our pride, we are prone to elevate our positions above all others, even God's. But the Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). The world says, "Follow your heart," but God tells us that our hearts lie to us and lead us in the wrong direction. This brings us to the next question we need to wrestle with:
Am I willing to admit that God is always right and I am always wrong?
The only time that I am ever "right" is when I agree with God. Proverbs 14:12 tells us clearly that there is a way that seems right to us, but in the end it leads to death. I cannot even trust my own thoughts and feelings when it comes to deciding what is true and what is not. If I am going to be serious about understanding God's truth then I need to be humble and admit that God is true and everyone else is a liar (Romans 3:4), even me.
So if we are willing to filter every voice (including our own) through the lens of Scripture, then the question that remains for us is this:
"Do you know what God has said?"
When Satan comes along and says, "You're all alone. God doesn't care about you. You are worthless." do you know how to refute those lies with the Word of God? Jesus told His disciples that if they held to His teaching they would know the truth and the truth would set them free (John 8:31-36). If we are going to be free from Satan's lies then we need to be familiar with Jesus' teaching and cling to it as our only lifeline to truth. When we neglect the regular reading and study of God's Word, we are saying that we can figure things out on our own and we are leaving ourselves exposed to Satan's lies. Without a firm understanding of truth (remember, God's Word is truth), we will swallow those lies every time - hook, line and sinker.
Even Jesus did not rely on His own strength to oppose the devil's lies. All He did was repeat what was already written by God. And that is how we are told to resist our enemy. Whenever people quote James 4:7 they say, "resist the devil and he will flee from you," but they often forget the first part of the verse which says, "Submit yourselves, therefore, to God." Unless we submit ourselves to the power and authority of God's Word, we will not be able to resist the devil's lies because we will not be adequately equipped with truth.
So the next time you feel depressed, or even in despair, take your thoughts captive and test them with Scripture. Stop and think, "What am I believing right now? What am I telling myself? Do these thoughts line up with God's truth? Do my own words line up with His Word?" If you're not sure, then QUICKLY get out your Bible, your sword, and use it to put down Satan’s voice and/or your voice. Remember, if you’re a Christian and you have rejected the life of sin to put your faith and trust in Jesus, then you have no reason to be depressed. He’s given you too many wonderful promises (2 Peter 1:3-4). It does not make sense for any of us to sulk in God’s presence when He has given us such vast riches through Christ (Ephesians 1:18-19), given us such amazing promises, and called us His children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1).
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Expect Persecution
We have been talking a lot about the Gospel message, what it is, how people are saved through it, and how to share it with others. We have stressed that conversion is one of God's miracles, an act of the Holy Spirit that produces new life in a soul that was dead in sin. It is NOT the result of our clever or persuasive arguments, though we still honor God by using every tool He has given us to present truth and give a "reasoned defense for our faith" (1 Peter 3:15-16). So whenever we preach the Gospel to another person we give our best effort to be clear and we even try to be persuasive, but we are hoping, praying, and trusting that God will show up and do something amazing in his or her life. We also hold on to God's promise to bless the word He has given us, that it will not be powerless (Romans 1:16), but it will accomplish everything He has intended (Isaiah 55:10-11). However, this does not mean that everyone who hears the Gospel will respond the way we hope they will.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 that Christians are to God "the pleasing aroma of Christ." For some people, that is "an aroma that brings life," but to others it is "the aroma that brings death." Jesus told His disciples plainly that the world would hate them because it first hated Him (John 15:18-25). Jesus explained that the world hated Him because He spoke to them about their sin (v. 22) and testified that their deeds were wicked (John 7:7). If we want to be like Jesus, then we need to lovingly address sin in the world and call people to repent and believe the good news just like He did (Mark 1:15). The world hated Jesus because He told people they were wrong. If we're following in His footsteps, we should expect to be treated the same way.
No one wants to be hated, but experiencing persecution can be a sign that we are on the right track. Paul said that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). If we are NOT being persecuted, it may be that we are either preaching the wrong Gospel or we simply are not engaged in the world around us. The Bible describes the Christian life as a spiritual battle. If we are not experiencing any conflict, it may be because we are avoiding the fight. There is a reason why we are supposed to "put on the full armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-20). We also know that the Gospel is offensive. If we are regularly preaching God's Word to unbelievers and no one is upset by it, we may need to check and see if what we're preaching is biblical. However, we want to be very careful and wise to make sure that if someone is offended by us, it is because we have accurately communicated the Gospel, not because we have twisted Scripture or behaved sinfully in the process.
When (not "if") we are persecuted, we should find hope and comfort in the blessings that will come after our struggle. While Jesus was very clear in telling His followers that they would be persecuted, He also told them that they would be blessed because of it (Matthew 5:10-12). The Bible tells us that those who suffer for Jesus' sake will be rewarded. Paul writes that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). This statement is coming from a man who was no stranger to suffering (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). It does not matter how terrible our earthly experiences may seem at times; they are nothing compared to the greatness of knowing and being with God for eternity. In fact, Paul recognized that part of knowing Jesus more fully involved "sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death" (Philippians 3:10). When we endure pain and insults from the very people we are trying to love, we gain an even deeper appreciation of Christ's love for His Church. And let us not forget that the Apostles considered suffering for Christ an honor even while they were in the midst of it (Acts 5:40-42). They were excited to be identified with Him even at the cost of being publicly beaten and disgraced.
The goal of the Christian should not be to avoid persecution. The Bible makes it clear that it WILL be a reality for those who follow Christ. Our task is to hold on to what is true as our faith and perseverance are tested through trials and suffering (James 1:2-4). We must cling to the hope of what Jesus has secured for us, both in this life and the next. We must remember that God will sustain us, help us, and lead us through any difficulties we may face in life (2 Peter 1:3-4, Matthew 10:19-20, 2 Corinthians 12:9). And we must recognize the honor of serving and even suffering for our Lord, our King, Jesus Christ.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 that Christians are to God "the pleasing aroma of Christ." For some people, that is "an aroma that brings life," but to others it is "the aroma that brings death." Jesus told His disciples plainly that the world would hate them because it first hated Him (John 15:18-25). Jesus explained that the world hated Him because He spoke to them about their sin (v. 22) and testified that their deeds were wicked (John 7:7). If we want to be like Jesus, then we need to lovingly address sin in the world and call people to repent and believe the good news just like He did (Mark 1:15). The world hated Jesus because He told people they were wrong. If we're following in His footsteps, we should expect to be treated the same way.
No one wants to be hated, but experiencing persecution can be a sign that we are on the right track. Paul said that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). If we are NOT being persecuted, it may be that we are either preaching the wrong Gospel or we simply are not engaged in the world around us. The Bible describes the Christian life as a spiritual battle. If we are not experiencing any conflict, it may be because we are avoiding the fight. There is a reason why we are supposed to "put on the full armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-20). We also know that the Gospel is offensive. If we are regularly preaching God's Word to unbelievers and no one is upset by it, we may need to check and see if what we're preaching is biblical. However, we want to be very careful and wise to make sure that if someone is offended by us, it is because we have accurately communicated the Gospel, not because we have twisted Scripture or behaved sinfully in the process.
When (not "if") we are persecuted, we should find hope and comfort in the blessings that will come after our struggle. While Jesus was very clear in telling His followers that they would be persecuted, He also told them that they would be blessed because of it (Matthew 5:10-12). The Bible tells us that those who suffer for Jesus' sake will be rewarded. Paul writes that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). This statement is coming from a man who was no stranger to suffering (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). It does not matter how terrible our earthly experiences may seem at times; they are nothing compared to the greatness of knowing and being with God for eternity. In fact, Paul recognized that part of knowing Jesus more fully involved "sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death" (Philippians 3:10). When we endure pain and insults from the very people we are trying to love, we gain an even deeper appreciation of Christ's love for His Church. And let us not forget that the Apostles considered suffering for Christ an honor even while they were in the midst of it (Acts 5:40-42). They were excited to be identified with Him even at the cost of being publicly beaten and disgraced.
The goal of the Christian should not be to avoid persecution. The Bible makes it clear that it WILL be a reality for those who follow Christ. Our task is to hold on to what is true as our faith and perseverance are tested through trials and suffering (James 1:2-4). We must cling to the hope of what Jesus has secured for us, both in this life and the next. We must remember that God will sustain us, help us, and lead us through any difficulties we may face in life (2 Peter 1:3-4, Matthew 10:19-20, 2 Corinthians 12:9). And we must recognize the honor of serving and even suffering for our Lord, our King, Jesus Christ.
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