Current Events: Violence, Voyeurism, and Misogyny

(For the last Monday of every month this year, we will be turning the “Lens of Scripture” to some sort of current event. Please tune in each month to see how God’s Word applies to what is going on the world today.)

Many headlines of this past year have highlighted the tension that exists between men and women. We’ve seen high-profile domestic abuse cases in the NFL, a killing spree motivated by frustration with women, and a rash of hacking private photos and distributing them on the internet. Debates have sprung up in the media about the proper behavior of men and women along with catchphrases such as “Don’t blame the victim!” and Twitter hashtags like #NotAllMen and #YesAllWomen. As we trace the events and news stories of this past year, we may start to ask questions like: What is happening between men and women in our country? Should we focus on men and teach them to view and treat women like people rather than objects? Or do we need to focus on women and instruct them to stop dressing and acting like sex objects? Maybe some of both? Where do we go from here and how do we move forward as a society in this area?

If we go back to Scripture, we see that this “Battle of the Sexes” is as old as Adam and Eve. As we already discussed in the Myth of the Gay Christian, when they sinned against God they were not only separated from Him, but suffered a curse in their relationship as well (Genesis 3:16). Throughout the Old Testament, we see the results of the fractured relationship between men and women, mostly in the form of men misusing their God-given strength and authority at the expense of women. But when Jesus (God in the form of a man) came to earth, He did not just die for sins so that people could go to heaven someday. He also came to establish the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15; Luke 11:20) and to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). One of those areas that Jesus came to restore is the relationship between men and women and how women are treated. The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4 is just one instance when He honored women as DIFFERENT but EQUAL creations of God in a very male-dominated society. It is not a coincidence that the code of chivalry was not established until after Jesus’ earthly ministry as men began to follow His example.

More recently, as a society, we have made some strides toward equality between men and women, but we have not been able to heal the brokenness and frustration that is still evident in the relations between the two. Again, if we turn to the Word of God, we see that the problem goes too deep for legislation about women’s suffrage or sexual harassment to fix. James 4:1-3 tells us:

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

Much of the tension and frustration felt between men and women is born out of misplaced desires and unrealistic expectations. When we make finding the "right" man or woman the end-all be-all of our existence and the ultimate validation of our humanity, we set ourselves up for a crisis. We want a man or a woman to come into our lives and fulfill all of our needs and desires. When that doesn’t happen (either because no one ever comes or because the person who does come can’t live up to our expectations), we get upset, argue, yell, fight, hit, covet, and even kill. Men who hit or exploit women don’t just have a problem with anger or lust. Women who will wear or do just about anything to catch a man’s eye don’t just have a self-esteem/self-image issue. What we all have is a WORSHIP problem:

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25)

God made us to be worshipers. Therefore, we are always worshiping something. We are supposed to worship Him, but we end up worshiping the things that He has made rather than the Creator, Himself. Nothing that God has made can ever fill us like He can, not even people. When we try to put our idealized notions of the "perfect man" or "perfect woman" in God's place we create idols that will always disappoint us. There are no super-men or goddess-women who will satisfy all of your deepest desires and make all of your wildest dreams come true. You might be worshiping this kind of idol with the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the books or magazines you read, the clothes you wear, the posters you hang up, the conversations you have with your friends, or perhaps on the altar of your computer screen. You might even be asking God to give you the idol that you want so badly, but you will not get it. As James told us, you are asking with the wrong motives (see James 4:3 above). Essentially, you are asking for something that does not exist. God has made it clear that there are no other gods besides Him (Isaiah 43:10-11).

Instead of aiding us in our futile pursuits, Jesus tells us to turn away from them (Mark 1:15), come to Him, and find rest from them (Matthew 11:28-30). We can only find healing, restoration, and true fulfillment in Christ. Only when we become complete and secure in who God created us to be, through our relationship with Jesus, can we properly GIVE ourselves to a husband or a wife rather than constantly trying to GET satisfaction, fulfillment, and validation from them. And that is the picture of marriage that God gives us in Ephesians 5:22-33.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul tells us that wives are to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Many people get hung up on the first part about wives submitting to husbands before they understand the full picture that is being painted here. God’s command to men is to love their wives in the way that Christ (the infinite, perfect, almighty God in the form of a man) loves the church AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER. The woman is told to give in to her husband, but the man is called to give up his life! Which is the more difficult command to follow: Obey an imperfect man? Or mimic the perfect, sacrificial love of God who DIED for His bride even when she was unfaithful to Him (Romans 5:8)?

Men, your God-given strength and authority go beyond getting people to do what you want them to do. God has given you what you need to lead, protect, and serve the women and children in your lives in a way that honors Him. To paraphrase Voddie Baucham: Your job is to treat the women in your life so well that no loser would ever have a chance with them. Ask yourself, “How can we as men make sure the women around us feel safe and cared for?” Be intentional about using your power for good because when you use what God has given you to manipulate or exploit women or children for your own ends, you violate God’s created order. Remember that Jesus did not hold tightly to His ultimate authority as God, but let go of it to love and serve us (Philippians 2:5-11). When men follow Christ’s example and lay down their lives for their families instead of lording their authority over others (Mark 10:42-45), they will find women are more likely to respect them. But even if men don’t get the respect or satisfaction they want from women, they can still remember that their ultimate validation and fulfillment comes from God rather than people.

Women, don’t be quick to give your heart away to boys who don’t know what to do with it or scoundrels who are only looking to use you. Evaluate a man’s character through Ephesians 5:25-33 and stay away from the smooth-talkers who say a lot of the right things, but whose hearts don’t measure up. If that guy who likes you is not able to love selflessly and sacrificially, keep walking because he is nothing but trouble. If he is not committed to God’s Word, spiritual growth, and purity, then pass on him. If you can’t see yourself submitting to him, don’t waste your time with him. Trust that God really does have your best interests in mind even if He never brings you a husband. Find your identity and completeness in Christ, the only perfect man..

If Jesus Christ is not enough for us without a man or a woman in our lives, then our feelings of inadequacy and the problems in society will continue to perpetuate no matter how hard we keep chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14). Let us focus more on who God created us to be rather than on who God may or may not have created us to be with.

Myth-Buster Series: The Myth of the "Gay Christian"

We hear many different ideas about homosexuality and gay marriage in our culture today. Christians in particular are bombarded with conflicting messages about how we should respond to these kind of issues. We're told that "God hates gays" by people like the Westboro Baptist group (who do not represent Christianity in general or the Baptist denomination in particular AT ALL). Others tell us to apply the popular, Christian cliche, "Hate the sin; love the sinner" to those who identify with the LGBT community. Then there are people who say that they are "gay" and "Christian" and that God is fine with that. They assert that "God made some people gay" and they imply that nothing can or should be done to change that. We also see accusations such as "hateful" and "discrimination" leveled against anyone who opposes the notion of "gay marriage". Surely followers of Christ shouldn't hate anyone, right? We're supposed to love our neighbors and even love our enemies. What exactly is the loving thing to do here?

How do we make sense of this chaos? Is it possible to be a "gay Christian"? What does real "marriage equality" look like?

As always, we need to look at this matter just like we would anything else: through the lens of Scripture. Our opinions MUST be shaped by God's Word rather than what seems or feels right at a given moment. Feelings and sentiments change like leaves blown in the wind, but Scripture provides us with a rock-solid foundation that does not move no matter what the weather is doing (Matthew 7:24-27).

So let's start by looking at what God says about marriage. After all, He is the Creator and Designer of all things, including humans, marriage, and sex. He alone is qualified to set the parameters for how things are supposed to work. In the very first chapter of the Bible, Genesis 1, God creates the universe and everything it. He saves the best for last and creates man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:26-28). This male/female arrangement is what God says reflects His image (v. 27). This is what God blesses (v. 28). This is what God calls to be "fruitful" (v. 28).

In Genesis 2:18-25, we get even more insight into the creation of the first couple and the first marriage. God started by making the man out of the ground (Genesis 2:7), but did not make the woman right away. It is worth noting that the order in which the man and the woman were created says NOTHING about their respective value or importance! Both were equally created in God's image, both equally reflect God's nature, and both are of equal value and importance to God. The man was given the privilege of coming first as well as the responsibility of being the head of the family (Genesis 3:16; Ephesians 5:23). The woman was given the honor of being the pinnacle of God's creation (He saved the best for last) as well as the privilege and responsibility of bearing children (Genesis 3:16). Men and women are DIFFERENT, yet EQUAL, which is part of God's design.

God said that it was not good for the man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). There is more going on here than merely the possibility of Adam getting lonely. God's main purpose for humanity is to bear His image. Everything about mankind (apart from sin and its effects) is supposed to say something about God's nature. We know that even though God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4), He is not solitary. He exists as Trinity: three in one (Matthew 28:19). By himself, Adam could not reflect this aspect of God's nature. So God says that He will make a "suitable" helper for Adam. Notice how God defines what qualifies as a "suitable" mate: not another man, but a woman who is DIFFERENT, but EQUAL. In Genesis 2:22, we're told that God, Himself, BRINGS the woman to the man. It is clear that God's provision for a man in this area is a woman (and vice versa). To pursue anything else is to reject what God has given. Genesis 2 concludes with a firm affirmation of God's created order for marriage: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." (v. 24) The scope of the language shifts to let us know that this is is not just the pattern for Adam and Eve, but for humanity as a whole. Generation after generation, a man is to leave his parents (which consist of one father and one mother) and unite himself with a woman. This mysterious and beautiful phenomenon of two DIFFERENT, but EQUAL persons becoming "one flesh" reflects the three-in-one nature of God where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all DIFFERENT and distinct from one another, yet are all EQUALLY God. It is no accident that the only kind of union that can produce life is the one that reflects the nature of the Author of life.

In case anyone thought that God was not clear enough in Genesis 1 and 2 about His design for marriage, Jesus (God the Son) restates and provides further commentary on that design during His earthly ministry. In Matthew 19, the Pharisees ask Him a question about marriage and instead of offering an opinion based on the prevalent views of the day, Jesus goes directly to God's Word and quotes Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:24:

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:4-6)

Jesus regards these verses as authoritative for defining the terms of marriage centuries after they were written. He reaffirms the male/female aspect of marriage as well as the pattern for humanity laid out in Genesis 2:24. Then He gives the additional command not to separate what God has joined together. In the immediate context, Jesus is talking about divorce, but we know from Genesis 2:18-25 (and Genesis 1:27 which Jesus quotes here) that what God has brought together is a man and woman.

Unfortunately, marriage, along with every other aspect of humanity, has been radically damaged by sin. In Genesis 3, Adam and Even disobey God and everything changes. As a result of their sin, they experience separation from God, they feel shame, they are cursed, and they age and die. In that process, the relationship between humans and God was broken and the relationship between man and woman was also broken. Trust was fractured and our desires became perverted. In Romans 1:18-32, the Apostle Paul makes the connection between idolatry (worshiping creation rather than the Creator) and the distortions that result from it, including homosexual desires (v. 26-27), covetousness, malice, envy, murder, deceit, and others (v. 29-31). Therefore, the Bible contains commandments in both the Old and New Testaments that deal with inappropriate desires that go against God's created order for marriage.

In the Ten Commandments, God commands us not to commit adultery (Exodus 20:14). In Leviticus 18, we see commands against sleeping with relatives (v. 6-16), men sleeping with men (v. 23), and humans sleeping with animals (v. 24). All of these things pervert marriage as God designed it. People trying to defend homosexuality as a legitimate, Christian lifestyle might object and say, "That's the Old Testament. We aren't under the law anymore." However, there are at least two problems with that argument:

1.) The New Testament also deals with homosexuality (Romans 1:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-10). Even people who try to point out that Jesus never addressed this particular issue must face the fact that He condemned "sexual immorality" as a whole in Matthew 15:19. How did first century Jews define "sexual immorality"? Answer: the Old Testament law.

2.) Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (Matthew 5:17-20). Just because we do not need to obey the law in order to be saved, does not mean that we as Christians can ignore the law. Paul says that the law is good for making us aware of our sin (Romans 7:7 & 12). Jesus says that if we love Him, we will keep His law (Matthew 5:19; John 14:21). The reason why we don't worry about eating "clean" or "unclean" foods anymore is the same reason why we don't offer animal sacrifices at a temple. Jesus' death fulfills that part of t

he law: the ceremonial law. ALL of the law still applies, but Jesus has taken over the priesthood and the whole system of making atonement for sin. As Christians, we are still called to obey the moral commandments that have to do with the way we live and treat one another. Obviously commandments like "honor your father and mother," "do not murder," "do not steal," etc. did not go away because we are still supposed to "love our neighbors as ourselves." In the same way, commandments against adultery and homosexuality did not go away either because God's design for marriage has not changed.

In conclusion, homosexuality is wrong because it involves a denial of the created order and a turning inward toward one's self to seek out that which is the same rather than turning outward and giving to that which is DIFFERENT, yet EQUAL. It also involves giving into urges that contradict God's commands (just like any other sin). Someone might say, "God made me this way!" but just because we all have sinful desires that go against God's law it does not mean that we can blame the Creator for them. Our sinful rebellion against our Creator and His design for us is what led to our fallen state, not the other way around. The hope of the Gospel is that we can become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17) through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Romans 3:22-26) and experience reconciliation with God. The good news is that God is making all things new (Revelation 21:5) and is bringing healing and restoration to our brokenness, even while we are still on earth. We can either persist in our rebellion against God and continue to go the way of the world which is wasting away (John 2:15-17) or we can confess our sin before God, repent from it, submit to the authority of Jesus Christ, and be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). This is the hope that we, as Christians, offer to everyone, whether "gay," "straight," or whatever other labels people want to throw around. As far as the question of "marriage equality" is concerned, God does not exclude anyone from getting married. But He is very clear on what actually constitutes "marriage." If people choose to reject the suitable mate that God has provided for them, God will either give them over to their desires (Romans 1:24, 26, 28) or will eventually grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25-26). We earnestly pray for the latter.

Some additional resources on this subject:

-Sermon by Matt Chandler on homosexuality

-"'Gay Christianity' Refuted" by Dr. James White

-"Monogamy is Unnatural" by Matt Walsh (illustrates that marriage, as God defines it, is restrictive for every orientation, not just for homosexuals)

Myth-Buster Series: The Lens of Scripture

In 2 Timothy 4:4, the Apostle Paul warns the young Timothy that people "will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." The question that we should immediately ask is: "How do we tell the difference between truth and myth?" We might also wonder what tools could help us in our inquiry or if there is an objective lens that will give us a clear picture of reality.

Many are familiar with the popular TV show, “MythBusters.” In each episode, different ideas and claims are considered and then tested to determine their validity. Whether they realize it or not, the people on this show are facing this same question of: “What is truth?” (John 18:38). It is clear that the cast and crew from “MythBusters” use science as their standard for discerning fact from fiction. They follow the scientific method to create tests which will help them evaluate whether or not a claim is possible/plausible. In many cases, this method is a wonderful tool that helps us better understand the world in which we live. However, it can only answer certain types of questions. For example, “MythBusters” can use science to answer questions like these without any problems:

“Is it possible to swing so fast on a swing set that you do a 360^o over the crossbar?”

“If you microwave a piece of metal, will your microwave explode?”

“If you drop a penny off a skyscraper, could it kill a person?”

But what about this question:

“Should I drop pennies on people from the top of a skyscraper?”

Science can answer “What” questions, but it can’t touch the “Should” or the “Ought” questions. Science can help us understand the difference between true and false in a physical sense, but it cannot tell us the difference between right and wrong in the moral sense. Science can only describe the world as we observe it. It does not have any power to prescribe ethical behavior. One can give a recommendation to someone else based upon scientific observation: “If you put your hand in the fire, it will get burned. I wouldn’t do it if I were you.” But the suggestion to keep one’s hand out of the fire is based on personal preference, not an objective standard of right and wrong. Science provides information and greater power to act, but it doesn’t tell us what we ought (not) to do with that information or power. Science is not a respecter of persons: it aids those who wish to help as well as those who wish to hurt. For centuries, tyrants and thugs have intentionally used fire to torture and kill other humans beings to get what they want. Their actions are based on the same scientific observation, but motivated by a different personal preference. Who's to say if one personal preference is better than another? Science can only say "what" will happen to a person’s body if subjected to extreme heat. It can’t tell us if we "should" or "should not" do such a thing to other human beings. In fact, science is dependent upon non-physical principles of logic, knowledge, truth, uniformity in nature, induction, etc. and it is governed by a code of ethics which involves honesty and respect for human dignity. Science cannot account for its own preconditions. To answer the questions that move beyond the scope of "what" can or does happen in the physical universe, we need to use a bigger lens.

Right before Paul warns Timothy about the turning away from truth to myth, he includes this infamous statement about God's Word:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Paul has already answered the question of how to rightly discern truth. God has given us His Word for teaching, training, and equipping in matters of righteousness. If we want to know right from wrong, moral from immoral, ethical from unethical, God has given us the instruction that we need. As the transcendent Creator of the universe, He is the only One with the objectivity and authority to speak truth into our lives (Psalm 24:1-2; Isaiah 40:22; 55:8-9). He knows how everything is supposed to work and fit together because He is the One who made it! He alone is qualified to tell us about how we should live, how we should think, how we should treat one another, what we should believe, and even how we should do science. Without God, we would not exist, much less be able to do anything. He is the author of life and knows what is best for us. His commands and instructions are not burdensome (Matthew 11:28-30), but His Word guides us in the way of wisdom, righteousness, and truth (Psalms 23:3; 119-105; Proverbs 4:10-12; 8:20). So who will you trust: God or yourself? (Romans 3:4)

As we tackle different myths this year, we will examine them through the lens of Scripture because it is our source of truth. If an idea does not mesh with what God has revealed in His Word, it is "busted" and will unravel before our eyes. But everything that lines up with God's truth will stand the test of time:

"Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment." (Proverbs 12:19)

God's Holiness and Our Sinfulness

We’ve all heard the phrase, “God is holy,” but what does that mean, anyway? We think we understand that God is perfect, but since we’ve never seen perfection, it’s impossible for us to imagine what it’s really like. When it comes down to it, we hardly understand who God is at all.

The word “holy” comes from the Hebrew word “qadosh,” which means: “separated,” “marked off,” “placed apart,” or “withdrawn from common use.” God separate from His creation; He is not just another part of the universe. He is over and above what He has made, including us. He is greater in power, might, majesty, and everything else. He is perfect. Now, since we have no true understanding of what perfection is, we tend to think of God simply as better than the best we know. The truth of the matter is: God is MUCH better than that. He is greater than anything we could ever possibly imagine and then some.

God's holiness separates Him from us in another way: God is sinless. He is above our corruption. There has never been a moment when God did the wrong thing, or messed up in any way. He never sinned. In contrast, we sin constantly. Psalm 51:5 says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” There has never been a moment in our lives when we were sinless.

In the same way that we cannot comprehend God’s holiness and his perfection, we also cannot fully understand our sin. We know nothing of what it would be like to be free from sin; it’s just a normal part of our everyday lives. From God’s perspective, however, sin is abominable. He cannot stand to look at our sin (Habakkuk 1:13a, Psalm 5:4-5). Because of our sins, we have been cut off from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), and we are deserving of punishment, and that punishment is death (Romans 3:23).

Thankfully, that is not how the story ends. Rather than having to take our rightful punishment, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21),” and “he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).” So now, even though God, in His holiness, cannot stand our sin, we are forgiven. Even though we are terrible people and our sins are so horrid that we deserve death, Jesus came so that we could be restored and made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Through His death on the cross, Jesus made us acceptable to God so that we we could have a relationship with Him.

(written by Elizabeth)

The Depths of the Gospel: God's Greatness

We live in a reductionist society. This means that we tend to strip things down to their bare essentials in order to understand them. We don't like to waste time with a lot of extra "fluff." We prefer to be efficient. We like bullet points. We want to analyze and master content quickly, then move on. The problem is when we over-reduce and, as a result, oversimplify a subject.

For instance, if someone asks you about Einstein's theory of relativity, you might be able to write out his famous equation: E = mc². We can reduce a complex theory about the nature of a universe down to these five symbols, but how many people in the world actually know what all five of these symbols represent? It only takes a few seconds to scribble out this equation, but it takes years to comprehend what is being expressed here.

In the same way, we can try to reduce the Gospel to: a few verses (1 Corinthians 15:1-7), or even one verse (2 Corinthians 5:21), or possibly even the simple statement, "Jesus died for our sins." But just like with Einstein's equation, do we understand the full meaning behind each of these five words?

Just because we can recite John 3:16 or give a brief account of the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus does not mean that we have mastered all there is to know about the Gospel. We may feel like we're ready to move on to "the next step," but the Gospel is more than just the information we need to know in order to be saved. It's not just about how to become a Christian; it's the core of Christianity itself from which everything else flows.

Paul describes the Gospel as "the mystery from which true godliness springs" (1 Timothy 3:16). Christianity is not all about marriage, or family, or modesty, or charity, or even morality. These are simply the byproducts of a life that has been transformed by the truth of who God is and what He has done for us (a.k.a. the Gospel). Only as our understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ continues to deepen will we be able to walk more and more closely with Him.

So let's begin by taking some time to meditate and reflect on the first word of that "simple" statement above: Jesus. We could spend a lifetime contemplating who Jesus is and we would only scratch the surface because Jesus is God (John 1:1-3). If Jesus is God, then the Gospel does not start in the book of Matthew, or Mark, or Luke, or John, but in Genesis 1:1. That's right, the Gospel begins with God creating the universe. Everything that exists comes from God; He made EVERYTHING (Romans 11:33-36; Colossians 1:15-17).

Since God made everything, He also owns everything. From the physical earth and everything in it (Psalm 24:1-2) to non-physical concepts like knowledge and wisdom (Colossians 2:2-3), it all belongs to God. There are no rules or principles that govern His behavior because He created them all, including morality and justice. Now if we stop for a moment to reflect on these truths, we realize that if God owns everything, then He has the right to do what He wants with it (Psalm 115:3; 135:6). If He built it up, He can tear it down. If He gave it, He can take it away. God created the world out of nothing with His words! When He speaks, it becomes reality. If we really believe that God has that kind of power, then we should not have any problem admitting that whatever God says goes, even if we don't happen to like it or agree with it.

We, in contrast to God, have absolutely no power. How then can we object to anything that God says or does (Daniel 4:35; Ecclesiastes 8:4; Job 36:23)? Could we ever be wiser than God in any way? What could we possibly understand or tell God that He does not already know (Isaiah 40:13-14)? In Isaiah 40, we are given a small glimpse of God's superiority over man. Compared to Him, we're like grass that's here one day and gone the next (v. 6-8), or like a tiny drop in a bucket (v. 15), or like grasshoppers (v. 22). The hard truth we don't want to admit is that we are not significant by our own merits. Apart from God, we are nothing (v. 17). However, God is sovereign and rules over all things with a mighty arm (v. 10). He is bigger than everything else put together (v. 12). But at the same time, God can be gentle. He demonstrates restraint and complete control over His own power and size (v. 11). He holds all things together (v. 26). He has the power to create and destroy (v. 23-24).  No one is equal to God; none can even compare to Him (v. 25). He never gets tired and never experiences weakness (v. 28). Yet He chooses to demonstrate His grace to us who are weak and have nothing to offer (v. 29-31).

The more we contemplate the greatness of God, the more humbled we become that He would have anything to do with beings as tiny as us, much less love us enough to die for our sins. Once you finish reading this post, resist the urge to "move on" to the next thing. Stop. Look up these verses. Read Isaiah 40. Meditate on it. Ponder the words that God has written about Himself and know that taking time to think about God is more worthwhile than anything else you might want to do.

Leaving a Legacy

As we closed out the school year at Campus Life, we concluded our discussion of Acts by talking about service and legacy. We talked about why we serve: not to be more acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8-9), rather since God has saved us, we are now able do good works (Ephesians 2:10) out of obedience and love for Him (1 John 5:3). We also talked about specific opportunities to serve others which included teaching, mentoring, and other means of pouring into the lives of the next generation. Whether or not we choose to obey the command to serve others and put them before ourselves (John 13:12-14, 34-35), we will all leave a legacy of some kind for those who come after us. What kind of legacy will that be?

First of all, "legacy" is not the same thing as "reputation." Your reputation has to do with how you are remembered. Your legacy is what you leave behind. If you start a tradition that is carried on by later generations, that is your legacy whether those people remember you or not. When we think about what we want to leave behind, we should consider what will benefit others rather than what will make us look good. If we are known by God, it doesn't matter who else knows us or remembers us.

As you consider what you want to leave to those coming after you, consider the Apostle Paul's legacy:

1.) Paul's legacy of faith: How many people are Christians today because Paul went throughout the world faithfully preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and calling people to repent from their sin and believe the good news? (Acts 17:2-4) Obviously, Paul was not the only person involved in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, but I am sure that many of us today could trace our Christian heritage back to him. The important thing for us to notice is that the Gospel has been passed from one person to another (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). It is a legacy we have received that must be passed on to continue.

2.) Paul's legacy of instruction: Paul wrote at least 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament. His teachings span a wide variety of topics including our sin, God's grace, the nature of salvation and conversion, justification, faith, obedience, worship, unity, discipline, love, marriage, family, spiritual gifts, government, end times, and much more. All of this instruction came from a desire to pass on the truths that God had revealed to him to the young churches of the world . He encouraged them to keep and guard these instructions not because he wanted to be remembered, but because he knew they would be valuable for the churches (2 Timothy 1:13-14). The churches preserved these letters and passed them on to us because they also recognized that these teachings would help the Christians who would come after them.

3.) Paul's legacy of character: Paul gave us a model to follow. In his proclamation of the Gospel, he never compromised his message even when it caused him to suffer (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). Even though he was an Apostle, he never abused his authority (1 Corinthians 9:12-19). He also gave all glory and honor to God for anything good in himself (1 Corinthians 15:10) and called his own accomplishments rubbish compared to gaining Christ (Philippians 3:7-9). Thus, Paul tells those who come after him to follow his example, not out of pride, but so that others can know the peace of God that he does (Philippians 3:17, 4:9).

What will your legacy be? Will you strive to instill your faith in Christ into those around you? Will you pass on the valuable lessons and truths that you have received? Will you leave an example for others to follow by the way you live? Will they be better off for having known you? How will the world be different because God put you here?

Sharing Stories of God's Greatness

Many people have heard a person give their testimony about how he or she became a Christian - you may have already done this yourself. Perhaps you've only watched others as they have gotten up in front of a large group at church, or at youth group, or during a summer camp and talk about the problems in their lives, how they came to Christ, and how God has changed them since that time. Maybe you thought "That was great, but I could never do that," or perhaps you've wished that you had a "cool testimony" like them. Whether you are scared to tell your story, wish you had a better story to tell, or just can't wait for the next opportunity to share your story with other people, it is important to remember:

Your testimony is about God, not you.

As humans, one of our biggest obstacles is pride. We think too much of ourselves and our own situations while failing to recognize God's greatness. God is so vast, so holy, and so preeminent that it is more important for Him to receive praise and glory than it is for us to remain alive. In Luke 19:40, Jesus tells the Pharisees that if His people remain silent, then the rocks will cry out. His statement is consistent with the Psalms, especially Psalm 148, which paint a picture of all of creation praising God, not just humanity. When we start to realize just how BIG God is, we find that we are not as important as we thought we are. We are, in fact, very replaceable.

Yet, the very reason for our existence is to bring glory to God (Psalm 86:9; Isaiah 60:21; Romans 11:36; I Corinthians 6:20; 10:31; Revelation 4:11). We must not forget that we are created in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27)! This does not mean that God looks like a human, but it means that everything about our lives is supposed to say something about who God is. We do things like get married and care for each other because God is love. We have babies because God is the author of life. We build things and produce art because God is creative. We use concepts of organization and logic because God is a God of order. We laugh and celebrate because God does these things, too. The variety of human relationships all speak to God’s relational nature. We were all designed to be walking, breathing testimonies – declaring the greatness of God and giving Him glory through every aspect of our lives.

However, when we refuse to glorify God with our lives, we sin against the One who made us and violate the created order. In the end, EVERYONE testifies about God. We can't help it. We're doing it constantly and are unable to stop. That's how we were made. The problem is that we usually testify about God poorly. Even those who are too afraid to tell others what God is doing in their life are testifying. They are saying that it is better for them to remain comfortable than for God to be praised through what He has done in their life. The people who are jealous of the "cool testimonies" are saying that God is not at work in their lives or, at least, God is not doing anything important or noteworthy in their lives. And many people are too eager to give their testimonies because they simply crave the attention. Their testimonies become a story about how wonderful their lives are and not how amazing God is.

Everyone testifies about God everyday with their life. Are you lying or telling the truth about God by the way you live?

Giving your testimony is more than simply telling your life story to a group of people. It involves the decisions you make every day, the words you use, your attitude, and especially the way you behave (even when you think you're by yourself). But when we do have the opportunity to tell someone the story about how God saved us we need to be ready to do it the right way. The story isn't about how great your life is now that you've made God a part of it. The story isn't about how you tried Christianity and it’s working for you. The story is about God. It’s about His grace and His power to save, power so great that it saved even you. The story is about how God cleaned up a mess. Christians, we were the mess and what a horrific mess we were. We can’t tell the truth about what God has done in our lives without talking about our sin. And if we’re going to be honest about our sin, we can’t describe it in weak terms that protect our self-image. When we use vague phrases like “I made some mistakes,” “I was mixed up with the wrong people,” “I was doing things I shouldn't be doing,” or “I was looking for love in the wrong places,” we hide the truth. Testimonies like that, basically say all God did was straighten us out a bit. The truth is that we were rebellious God-haters. We knew God, but we ran from Him because we wanted to live for ourselves rather than Him. We knew His law, but we broke it because we loved sin and we were addicted to it. But because God’s love is so vast and so beyond understanding, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for our sin. He took the punishment we deserved, the wrath of God, upon Himself so that wretches like us could be declared righteous and blameless. But that's not all. Jesus also rose again from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power and victory over the grave. So we do not have to fear death. Because of His resurrection we now live in the hope of having eternal life with God. The Holy Spirit has revealed the truth of this Gospel to us and has led us to believe in it with our whole hearts and He has produced the fruit of repentance in us so that we can now turn from the sin we once loved and cling to the finished work of Jesus Christ. So whatever spiritual maturity we may see in one another now, whatever shred of humility, anything that looks like Christ, we give all glory to God and recognize it’s only possible because Jesus died for us, He rose again, ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and sent His Spirit to dwell within us. That is the story that we need to tell and that is the story we need to be faithfully living as we seek to be salt and light in a dark world (Matthew 5:13-16).