Carol Swenson
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CONTENTS
1. Distortions
2. Law
3. Liberty
4. Antinomianism
5. Legalism
6. Children of the Light
7. Growth
8. Love
9. Obedience
10.Grace
11.Actions
12.Parable of the River
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From Tyndale iLumina Bible: Bible Charts
THREE DISTORTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY / Galatians 4
Almost from the beginning there were forces at work within Christianity that would have destroyed or sidetracked the movement. Of these, three created many problems then and have continued to reappear in other forms even today. The three aberrations are contrasted to true Christianity.
Judaized
Christianity
Their Definition of a Christian
Christians are Jews who have recognized Jesus as the promised Savior. Therefore, any Gentile desiring to become a Christian must first become a Jew.
Their genuine concern
Having a high regard for the Scriptures and God’s choice of Jews as his people, they did not want to see God’s commands overlooked or broken.
The danger
Tends to add human traditions and standards to God’s law. Also subtracts from the Scriptures God’s clear concern for all nations.
Application question
Do you appreciate God’s choice of a unique people through whom he offered forgiveness and eternal life to all peoples?
Legalized
Christianity
Their Definition of a Christian
Christians are those who live by a long list of “don’ts.” God’s favor is earned by good behavior.
Their genuine concern
Recognized that real change brought about by God should lead to changes in behavior.
The danger
Tends to make God’s love something to earn rather than to accept freely.
Would reduce Christianity to a set of impossible rules and transform the Good News into bad news.
Application question
As important as change in action is, can you see that God may be desiring different changes in you than in others?
Lawless
Christianity
Their Definition of a Christian
Christians live above the law. They need no guidelines. God’s Word is not as important as our personal sense of God’s guidance.
Their genuine concern
Recognized that forgiveness from God cannot be based on our ability to live up to his perfect standards. It must be received by faith as a gift made possible by Christ’s death on the cross.
The danger
Forgets that Christians are still human and fail consistently when trying to live only by what they “feel” God wants.
Application question
Do you recognize the ongoing need for God’s expressed commands as you live out your gratitude for his great salvation?
True
Christianity
Their Definition of a Christian
Christians are those who believe inwardly and outwardly that Jesus’ death has allowed God to offer them forgiveness and eternal life as a gift. They have accepted that gift through faith and are seeking to live a life of obedient gratitude for what God has done for them.
Their genuine concern
Christianity is both private and public, with heart-belief and mouth-confession.
Our relationship to God and the power he provides result in obedience. Having received the gift of forgiveness and eternal life, we are now daily challenged to live that life with his help.
The danger
Avoids the above dangers.
Application question
How would those closest to you describe your Christianity? Do they think you live so that God will accept you, or do they know that you live because God has accepted you in Christ?
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Concise Theology
LAW IN ACTION
GOD’S MORAL LAW HAS THREE PURPOSES
I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT SIN WAS EXCEPT THROUGH THE LAW.
ROMANS 7:7
Scripture shows that God intends his law to function in three ways, which Calvin crystallized in classic form for the church’s benefit as the law’s threefold use.
Its first function is to be a mirror reflecting to us both the perfect righteousness of God and our own sinfulness and shortcomings. Thus “the law bids us, as we try to fulfill its requirements, and become wearied in our weakness under it, to know how to ask the help of grace” (Augustine). The law is meant to give knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 5:13; 7:7-11) and, by showing us our need of pardon and our danger of damnation, to lead us in repentance and faith to Christ (Gal. 3:19-24).
Its second function is to restrain evil. Though it cannot change the heart, the law can to some extent inhibit lawlessness by its threats of judgment, especially when backed by a civil code that administers present punishment for proven offenses (Deut. 13:6-11; 19:16-21; Rom. 13:3-4). Thus it secures some civil order and goes some way to protect the righteous from the unjust.
Its third function is to guide the regenerate into the good works that God has planned for them (Eph. 2:10). The law tells God’s children what will please their heavenly Father. It could be called their family code. Christ was speaking of this third use of the law when he said that those who become his disciples must be taught to keep the law and to do all that he had commanded (Matt. 5:18-20, 28:20), and that it is obedience to his commands that will prove the reality of one’s love for him (John 14:15). The Christian is free from the law as a supposed system of salvation (Rom. 6:14; 7:4, 6; 1 Cor. 9:20; Gal. 2:15-19; 3:25) but is “under Christ’s law” as a rule of life (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2).
LAW OF GOD (Commandments, Instructions, Requirements)
Once we know Christ, what is the purpose for keeping God’s law?
BIBLE READING: Exodus 20:1-26
KEY BIBLE VERSE: “Don’t be afraid,” Moses told them, “for God has come in this way to show you his awesome power, so that from now on you will be afraid to sin against him!” (Exodus 20:20, TLB)
God’s law gives us direction for living a holy life. Why were the Ten Commandments necessary for God’s new nation? At the foot of Mount Sinai, God showed his people the true function and beauty of his laws. The commandments were designed to lead Israel to a life of practical holiness. In them, people could see the nature of God and his plan for how they should live. The commands and guidelines were intended to direct the community to meet the needs of each individual in a loving and responsible manner. By Jesus’ time, however, most people looked at the law the wrong way. They saw it as a means to prosperity in both this world and the next. And they thought that to obey every law was the way to earn God’s protection from foreign invasion and natural disaster. Law keeping became an end in itself, not the means to fulfill God’s ultimate law of love.
BIBLE READING: Leviticus 19:1-37
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:18, NIV)
God’s law is summed up in love. “Do not . . .” Some people think the Bible is nothing but a book of don’ts. But Jesus neatly summarized all these rules when he said to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. He called these the greatest commandments (or rules) of all (Matthew 22:34-40). By carrying out Jesus’ simple commands, we find ourselves following all of God’s other laws as well.
God’s law challenges our selfishness. God instructed the Hebrews to provide for those in need. He required that the people leave the edges of their fields unharvested, providing food for travelers and the poor. Laws such as this showed God’s generosity and liberality. As people of God, the Israelites were to reflect his nature and characteristics in their attitudes and actions. Ruth and Naomi were two people who benefited from this merciful law (Ruth 2:2). It is easy to ignore the poor or forget about those who have less than we do. But God desires generosity. In what ways can you leave the “edges of your field” for those in need?
BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:17-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17-18, NIV)
God’s law directs our love for him. God’s moral and ceremonial laws were given to help people love God with all their hearts and minds. Throughout Israel’s history, however, these laws had been often misquoted and misapplied. By Jesus’ time, religious leaders had turned the laws into a confusing mass of rules. When Jesus talked about a new way to understand God’s law, he was actually trying to bring people back to its original purpose. Jesus did not speak against the law itself, but against the abuses and excesses to which it had been subjected. (See John 1:17.)
Through Christ, our relationship to God’s law is clarified. If Jesus did not come to abolish the law, does that mean all the Old Testament laws still apply to us today? In the Old Testament, there were three categories of law: ceremonial, civil, and moral.
(1) The ceremonial law related specifically to Israel’s worship (see Leviticus 1:2-3, for example). Its primary purpose was to point forward to Jesus Christ; these laws, therefore, were no longer necessary after Jesus’ death and resurrection. While we are no longer bound by ceremonial laws, the principles behind them—to worship and love a holy God—still apply. Jesus was often accused by the Pharisees of violating ceremonial law.
(2) The civil law applied to daily living in Israel (see Deuteronomy 24:10-11, for example). Because modern society and culture are so radically different from that time and setting, not all of these guidelines can be followed specifically. But the principles behind the commands are timeless and should guide our conduct. Jesus demonstrated these principles by example.
(3) The moral law (such as the Ten Commandments) is the direct command of God, and it requires strict obedience (see Exodus 20:13, for example). The moral law reveals the nature and will of God, and it still applies today. Jesus obeyed the moral law completely.
Obedience to God’s law must always begin within us. Some of those in the crowd were experts at telling others what to do, but they missed the central point of God’s laws themselves. Jesus made it clear, however, that obeying God’s law is more important than explaining it. It’s much easier to study God’s laws and tell others to obey them than to put them into practice. How are you doing at obeying God yourself?
God expects from us wholehearted obedience to his commands. The Pharisees were exacting and scrupulous in their attempts to follow their laws. So how could Jesus reasonably call us to a greater righteousness than theirs? The Pharisees’ weakness was that they were content to obey the laws outwardly without allowing God to change their hearts (or attitudes). Jesus was saying, therefore, that the quality of our goodness should be greater than that of the Pharisees. They looked pious, but they were far from the kingdom of God. God judges our hearts as well as our deeds, for it is in the heart that our real allegiance lies. Be just as concerned about your attitudes that people don’t see as about your actions that are seen by all.
Shallow obedience to God’s law is unacceptable. Jesus was saying that his listeners needed a different kind of righteousness altogether (love and obedience), not just a more intense version of the Pharisees’ righteousness (legal compliance). Our righteousness must (1) come from what God does in us, not what we can do by ourselves, (2) be God-centered, not self-centered, (3) be based on reverence for God, not approval from people, and (4) go beyond keeping the law to living by the principles behind the law.
BIBLE READING: Galatians 2:11-21
KEY BIBLE VERSE: We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners” know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:15-16, NIV)
God’s law offers direction, not justification. If observing the Jewish laws cannot justify us, why should we still obey the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws? We know that Paul was not saying the law is bad, because in another letter he wrote, “the law is holy” (Romans 7:12). Instead, he is saying that the law can never make us acceptable to God. The law still has an important role to play in the life of a Christian. The law: (1) guards us from sin by giving us standards for behavior; (2) convicts us of sin, leaving us the opportunity to ask God’s forgiveness; and (3) drives us to trust in the sufficiency of Christ, because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. The law cannot possibly save us. But after we have become Christians, it can guide us to live as God requires.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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Concise Theology
LIBERTY
SALVATION BRINGS FREEDOM
IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY.
GALATIANS 5:1
The New Testament sees salvation in Christ as liberation and the Christian life as one of liberty—Christ has freed us for freedom (Gal. 5:1; John 8:32, 36). Christ’s liberating action is not a matter of socio-politico-economic improvement, as is sometimes suggested today, but relates to the following three points:
First, Christians have been set free from the law as a system of salvation. Being justified by faith in Christ, they are no longer under God’s law, but under his grace (Rom. 3:19; 6:14-15; Gal. 3:23-25). This means that their standing with God (the “peace” and “access” of Rom. 5:1-2) rests wholly on the fact that they have been accepted and adopted in Christ. It does not, nor ever will it, depend on what they do; it will never be imperiled by what they fail to do. They live, and as long as they are in this world will live, not by being perfect, but by being forgiven.
All natural religion, then, is negated, for the natural instinct of fallen man, as expressed in every form of religion that the world has ever devised, is to suppose that one gains and keeps a right relationship with ultimate reality (whether conceived as a personal God or in other terms) by disciplines of law observance, right ritual, and asceticism. This is how the world’s faiths prescribe the establishing of one’s own righteousness—the very thing Paul saw unbelieving Jews trying to do (Rom. 10:3). Paul’s experience had taught him that this is a hopeless enterprise. No human performance is ever good enough, for there are always wrong desires in the heart, along with a lack of right ones, regardless of how correct one’s outward motions are (Rom. 7:7-11; cf. Phil. 3:6), and it is at the heart that God looks first.
All the law can do is arouse, expose, and condemn the sin that permeates our moral makeup, and so make us aware of its reality, depth, and guilt (Rom. 3:19; 1 Cor. 15:56; Gal. 3:10). So the futility of treating the law as a covenant of works, and seeking righteousness by it, becomes plain (Gal. 3:10-12; 4:21-31), as does the misery of not knowing what else to do. This is the bondage to the law from which Christ sets us free.
Second, Christians have been set free from sin’s domination (John 8:34-36; Rom. 6:14-23). They have been supernaturally regenerated and made alive to God through union with Christ in his death and risen life (Rom. 6:3-11), and this means that the deepest desire of their heart now is to serve God by practicing righteousness (Rom. 6:18, 22). Sin’s domination involved not only constant acts of disobedience, but also a constant lack of zeal for law-keeping, rising sometimes to positive resentment and hatred toward the law. Now, however, being changed in heart, motivated by gratitude for acceptance through free grace, and energized by the Holy Spirit, they “serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Rom. 7:6). This means that their attempts at obedience are now joyful and integrated in a way that was never true before. Sin rules them no longer. In this respect, too, they have been liberated from bondage.
Third, Christians have been set free from the superstition that treats matter and physical pleasure as intrinsically evil. Against this idea, Paul insists that Christians are free to enjoy as God’s good gifts all created things and the pleasures that they yield (1 Tim. 4:1-5), provided only that we do not transgress the moral law in our enjoyments or hinder our own spiritual well-being or that of others (1 Cor. 6:12-13; 8:7-13). The Reformers renewed this emphasis against various forms of medieval legalism
Concise Theology
ANTINOMIANISM
WE ARE NOT SET FREE TO SIN
DEAR CHILDREN, DO NOT LET ANYONE LEAD YOU ASTRAY. HE WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHT IS RIGHTEOUS, JUST AS HE [CHRIST] IS RIGHTEOUS.
1 JOHN 3:7
Antinomianism, which means being “anti-law,” is a name for several views that have denied that God’s law in Scripture should directly control the Christian’s life.
Dualistic antinomianism appears in the Gnostic heretics against whom Jude and Peter wrote (Jude 4-19; 2 Pet. 2). This view sees salvation as for the soul only, and bodily behavior as irrelevant both to God’s interest and to the soul’s health, so one may behave riotously and it will not matter.
Spirit-centered antinomianism puts such trust in the Holy Spirit’s inward prompting as to deny any need to be taught by the law how to live. Freedom from the law as a way of salvation is assumed to bring with it freedom from the law as a guide to conduct. In the first 150 years of the Reformation era this kind of antinomianism often threatened, and Paul’s insistence that a truly spiritual person acknowledges the authority of God’s Word through Christ’s apostles (1 Cor. 14:37; cf. 7:40) suggests that the Spirit-obsessed Corinthian church was in the grip of the same mind-set.
Christ-centered antinomianism argues that God sees no sin in believers, because they are in Christ, who kept the law for them, and therefore what they actually do makes no difference, provided that they keep believing. But 1 John 1:8-2:1 (expounding 1:7) and 3:4-10 point in a different direction, showing that it is not possible to be in Christ and at the same time to embrace sin as a way of life.
Dispensational antinomianism holds that keeping the moral law is at no stage necessary for Christians, since we live under a dispensation of grace, not of law. Romans 3:31 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 clearly show, however, that law-keeping is a continuing obligation for Christians. “I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law,” says Paul (1 Cor. 9:21).
Dialectical antinomianism, as in Barth and Brunner, denies that biblical law is God’s direct command and affirms that the Bible’s imperative statements trigger the Word of the Spirit, which when it comes may or may not correspond exactly to what is written. The inadequacy of the neo-orthodox view of biblical authority, which explains the inspiration of Scripture in terms of the Bible’s instrumentality as a channel for God’s present-day utterances to his people, is evident here.
Situationist antinomianism says that a motive and intention of love is all that God now requires of Christians, and the commands of the Decalogue and other ethical parts of Scripture, for all that they are ascribed to God directly, are mere rules of thumb for loving, rules that love may at any time disregard. But Romans 13:8-10, to which this view appeals, teaches that without love as a motive these specific commands cannot be fulfilled. Once more an unacceptably weak view of Scripture surfaces.
It must be stressed that the moral law, as crystallized in the Decalogue and opened up in the ethical teaching of both Testaments, is one coherent law, given to be a code of practice for God’s people in every age. In addition, repentance means resolving henceforth to seek God’s help in keeping that law. The Spirit is given to empower law-keeping and make us more and more like Christ, the archetypal law-keeper (Matt. 5:17). This law-keeping is in fact the fulfilling of our human nature, and Scripture holds out no hope of salvation for any who, whatever their profession of faith, do not seek to turn from sin to righteousness (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rev. 21:8).
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Concise Theology
LEGALISM
WORKING FOR GOD’S FAVOR FORFEITS IT
.... DO NOT DO WHAT THEY DO, FOR THEY DO NOT PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH. THEY TIE UP HEAVY LOADS AND PUT THEM ON MEN’S SHOULDERS, BUT THEY THEMSELVES ARE NOT WILLING TO LIFT A FINGER TO MOVE THEM. EVERYTHING THEY DO IS DONE FOR MEN TO SEE...
MATTHEW 23:3-5
The New Testament views Christian obedience as the practice of “good deeds” (works). Christians are to be “rich in good deeds” (1 Tim. 6:18; cf. Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3:17; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14). A good deed is one done (a) according to the right standard (God’s revealed will, i.e., his moral law); (b) from a right motive (the love to God and others that marks the regenerate heart); (c) with a right purpose (pleasing and glorifying God, honoring Christ, advancing his kingdom, and benefiting one’s neighbor).
Legalism is a distortion of obedience that can never produce truly good works. Its first fault is that it skews motive and purpose, seeing good deeds as essentially ways to earn more of God’s favor than one has at the moment. Its second fault is arrogance. Belief that one’s labor earns God’s favor begets contempt for those who do not labor in the same way. Its third fault is lovelessness in that its self-advancing purpose squeezes humble kindness and creative compassion out of the heart.
In the New Testament we meet both Pharisaic and Judaizing legalism. The Pharisees thought that their status as children of Abraham made God’s pleasure in them possible, and that their formalized daily law-keeping, down to minutest details, would make it actual. The Judaizers viewed Gentile evangelism as a form of proselytizing for Judaism; they believed that the Gentile believer in Christ must go on to become a Jew by circumcision and observance of the festal calendar and ritual law, and that thus he would gain increased favor with God. Jesus attacked the Pharisees; Paul, the Judaizers.
The Pharisees were formalists, focusing entirely on the externals of action, disregarding motives and purposes, and reducing life to mechanical rule-keeping. They thought themselves faithful law-keepers although (a) they majored in minors, neglecting what matters most (Matt. 23:23-24); (b) their casuistry negated the law’s spirit and aim (Matt. 15:3-9; 23:16-24); (c) they treated traditions of practice as part of God’s authoritative law, thus binding consciences where God had left them free (Mark 2:16-3:6; 7:1-8); (d) they were hypocrites at heart, angling for man’s approval all the time (Luke 20:45-47; Matt. 6:1-8; 23:2-7). Jesus was very sharp with them on these points.
In Galatians, Paul condemns the Judaizers’ “Christ-plus” message as obscuring and indeed denying the all-sufficiency of the grace revealed in Jesus (Gal. 3:1-3; 4:21; 5:2-6). In Colossians, he conducts a similar polemic against a similar “Christ-plus” formula for “fullness” (i.e., spiritual completion: Col. 2:8-23). Any “plus” hat requires us to take action in order to add to what Christ has given us is a reversion to legalism and, in truth, an insult to Christ.
So far, then, from enriching our relationship with God, as it seeks to do, legalism in all its forms does the opposite. It puts that relationship in jeopardy and, by stopping us focusing on Christ, it starves our souls while feeding our pride. Legalistic religion in all its forms should be avoided like the plague.
LEGALISM (Judgmental, Self-righteous, Uncaring)
How can legalism destroy our faith?
BIBLE READING: Matthew 12:1-14
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Then he went over to the synagogue, and noticed there a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Is it legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day?” (They were, of course, hoping he would say “Yes,” so they could arrest him!) (Matthew 12:9-10, TLB)
Legalism puts rules above God. As they pointed to the man with the shriveled hand, the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus by asking him if it was legal to heal on the Sabbath. Their Sabbath rules said that people could be helped on the Sabbath only if their lives were in danger. Jesus healed on the Sabbath several times, and none of those healings were in response to emergencies. If Jesus had waited until another day, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees’ authority, showing that their petty rules were equal to God’s law. If he healed the man on the Sabbath, the Pharisees could claim that because Jesus broke their rules, his power was not from God. But Jesus made it clear how ridiculous and petty their rules were. God is a God of people, not rules. The best time to reach out to someone is when he or she needs help.
Legalism puts rules above human needs. The Pharisees were so concerned about Jesus’ breaking one of their rules that they did not care about the man’s shriveled hand. What is your attitude toward others? If your convictions don’t allow you to help certain people, your convictions may not be in tune with God’s Word. Don’t allow dogma to blind you to human need.
BIBLE READING: Galatians 4:8-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Before you Gentiles knew God you were slaves to so-called gods that did not even exist. And now that you have found God (or I should say, now that God has found you) how can it be that you want to go back again and become slaves once more to another poor, weak, useless religion of trying to get to heaven by obeying God’s laws? (Galatians 4:8-9, TLB)
Legalism kills joy. Have you lost your joy? Paul sensed that the Galatians had lost the joy of their salvation because of legalism. Legalism can take away joy because (1) it makes people feel guilty rather than loved; (2) it produces self-hatred rather than humility; (3) it stresses performance over relationship; and (4) it points out how far short we fall rather than how far we’ve come because of what Christ did for us. If you feel guilty and inadequate, check your focus. Are you living by faith in Christ or by trying to live up to the demands and expectations of others?
BIBLE READING: Colossians 2:6-23
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:23, NIV)
Legalism is attractive, but destructive. To the Colossians, the discipline demanded by the false teachers seemed good, and legalism still attracts many people today. Following a long list of religious rules requires strong self-discipline and can make a person appear moral, but religious rules cannot change a person’s heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do that.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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52 New Testament Sermon Starters, Volume One
HOW TO WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT
Key Verse: Ephesians 5:8
I. We Are to Realize the Change Produced in Us When We Turned to Christ (Eph. 5:8)
A. “Ye were sometime in darkness.” The word σκότος is used metaphorically here. The other two words for darkness, σκότια, “the result of darkness” and ζόπηος, “thick darkness, the gloom of the underworld”), are used, as in Hebrews 12:18; 2 Peter 2:4, 17; and Jude 1:6, 13.
1. In the Old Testament, darkness is used to depict man’s moral depravity (Prov. 2:13; Isa. 5:20; 60:2) and in the New Testament it is the emblem of sin as a state of spiritual ignorance (Matt. 4:16; 6:23; Luke 1:79; 11:35; 22:53; John 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35, 46; Acts 26:18; Rom. 2:19; 13:12; 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:8, 11; 6:12; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 5:4, 5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 1:5, 6; 2:8, 9, 11).
2. Darkness also stands for the desolation of divine punishment (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 2 Pet. 2:17; Jude 1:6, 13). When Paul says “you were in darkness,” he means not only that they were in sin, but that they were worthy of punishment because of it.
B. Paul urges us to realize what we are now.
1. “But now are ye light in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8). A look at the past helps us to understand the difference Christ has made in our lives as we compare our former sinful desires to our regenerated heart (1 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 2:8).
2. What precisely does it mean to be in the light?
a) Light in the Old Testament often denotes a state of life as opposed to death (Job 33:28, 30; Ps. 56:13).
b) Light portrays the salvation and blessing which God gives to His people (Ps. 4:6; 27:1; 36:9; 43:3; Is.10:17; Mic. 7:8; Acts 26:18). In Hebrews φωτισθέντες, or “enlightened ones,” denotes those who had the experience of salvation (Heb. 6:4; 10:32).
c) Light also symbolizes moral purity. “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5), where darkness represents sin (1 Thess. 5:5).
II. Being in the Light Involves Moral Responsibilities and Opportunities
A. Our responsibilities are expressed as a command to “Walk as children of light.”
1. Walking is commonly used as a figure of speech for Christian conduct (Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:7).
2. Walking indicates forward motion. The Christian standard is not attained at once (Phil. 3:12).
3. There is a certain destination and predetermined road that those who are in the light ought to follow.
a) The Greek word which is translated “walk” is στοιχέω from στοιχός, “a row” (Acts 21:24; Rom. 4:12; Gal. 5:25; 6:16; Phil. 3:16). It simply means to advance in rows, in an orderly fashion as opposed to the verb περιπατέω, which means “to walk about.”
b) The word στοιχέω is also used in Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk [στοίχῶμεν] in the Spirit.” It is the Spirit who indicates the pathway we should follow. In Galatians 6:16 Paul says: “And as many as walk [στοιχήσουσιν] according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy ….” In Philippians 3:16 he also declares “ … let us walk [στοιχεῖν] by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.”
4. In the Christian life there must be rules and thoughts common to all Christians. If we find ourselves all alone doing whatever we wish, there may be shadows obscuring our light.
B. Fulfilling our responsibility to walk in the light of God’s Word gives us the opportunity to produce the fruit of the Spirit.
1. Fruitfulness is what the Lord desires from our walk in Him as shown in the parable of the wicked vine dressers (Matt. 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19), the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-27), and the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30).
2. Metaphorically, believers are the ground which brings forth fruit according to the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:19ff.; Mark 4:15ff.; Luke 8:12ff.). We are also the branches which bear fruit as we abide in the Vine (John 15:5), the grain of wheat which brings forth fruit if it dies (John 12:24), and the trees which are known by their fruit (Matt. 7:19, 20).
3. Both in Ephesians 5:9 and Galatians 5:22 we have the word καρπός, “fruit,” in the singular and not in the plural. It is a quality of life that is spoken of here as being fruitful in contrast to individual good deeds.
a) Such a mind-set will in turn manifest the fruit of light as enumerated in Ephesians 5:9: “all kinds of goodness [ἀγατηοησύνῃ, ‘benevolence’] and righteousness [δικαιοσύνῃ, ‘rendering to God His rights’] and truth [as opposed to lying].”
b) Paul lists additional fruit in Galatians 5:22, 23: love (ἀγάπη, “unselfishly meeting the needs of others”); joy (χαρά, “rejoicing no matter what the circumstances”; see 2 Cor. 7:4; Col. 1:11, 24; 1 Thess. 1:6; James 1:2; 1 Pet. 4:13); peace (εἰρήνη, “tranquility in spite of the opposing forces we experience in the world”); long-suffering (μακροθυμία, “patience toward people”); gentleness (χρεηστότης, “benevolence”); faith (πίστις, “trusting God when circumstances tempt us to give up”); meekness (πρᾳότης, “active opposition to evil”); and temperance (ἐγκράτεια, “self-control”).
III. Being in the Light Involves Constantly Testing Ourselves
A. On the positive side, Paul calls this “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Eph. 5:10).
1. The word δοκιμάζοντες means “testing, putting something to trial, to judge whether it is fit and proper.”
2. As Christians, it is possible to act without proper discretion or what James calls “the wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17). Christ also warned us against “throwing our pearls before swine” (Matt. 7:6).
3. Our unchanging standard must be “what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
B. On the negative side, we are instructed to “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11).
1. The children of darkness sometimes have works more vigorous and persistent than the children of light, but their works will not last.
a) What are the poisonous products of darkness? The works of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21, “adultery, fornication, uncleanness [spiritually], lasciviousness [ἀσέλγεια, ‘readiness for as much pleasure as possible’], idolatry ‘elevating anybody or anything to the status of deity’], witchcraft [which includes drug addiction], hatred, variance [quarrelings], emulations [jealousies], wrath [outbursts of passionate anger], strife [party factions arising from selfish ambition], seditions [dissentions and discords], heresies [introduction of false beliefs], envyings [desiring evil upon others], murders, drunkenness, revelings [feasting and carousing].”
b) Paul also lists similar deeds of darkness in Colossians 3:5-9. A Christian cannot participate in any of these things without adversely affecting the light of his witness.
2. The Bible assures us that the fruits of darkness will be destroyed.
a) Paul expresses this in Romans 6:21, “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.”
b) In Romans 7:5 he describes the unregenerate life as producing fruit “unto death.”
c) When Paul speaks of the works of darkness as being unfruitful, he means that they cannot feed the soul or spirit of man. They simply satisfy the senses and will quickly fade away. Only what is done for Christ will last forever and ever (1 Cor. 3:11-15).
3. The very nature of a genuine Christian as light will expose and judge the works of darkness (John 3:20; Eph. 5:13).
4. To have fellowship with, to share in what is useless and temporary is to deny the eternal life we have in Christ.
C. The proper exercise of this testing will make us true “followers of God, as dear children” (Eph. 5:1).
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GROWTH (Development, Improvement, Maturity)
What factors bring about growth in our life?
BIBLE READING: Genesis 35:1-15
KEY BIBLE VERSE: And God said to him, “You shall no longer be called Jacob (‘Grabber’), but Israel (‘One who prevails with God’).” (Genesis 35:10, TLB)
Problems can be opportunities for growth. God reminded Jacob of his new name, Israel, which meant “one who prevails with God” or “one who struggles with God.” Although Jacob’s life was littered with difficulties and trials, his new name was a tribute to his desire to stay close to God despite life’s disappointments.
Many people believe that Christianity should offer a problem-free life. Consequently, as life gets tough, they draw back disappointed. Instead, they should determine to prevail with God through life’s storms. Problems and difficulties are painful but inevitable; you might as well see them as opportunities for growth. You can’t prevail with God unless you have troubles to prevail over.
BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 5:1-33
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Moses continued speaking to the people of Israel and said, “Listen carefully now to all these laws God has given you; learn them, and be sure to obey them!” (Deuteronomy 5:1, TLB)
Spiritual growth results from listening to and obeying God’s Word. The people had entered into a covenant with God, and Moses commanded them to hear, learn, and follow his statutes. Christians also have entered into a covenant with God (through Jesus Christ) and should be responsive to what God expects. Moses’ threefold command to the Israelites is excellent advice for all of God’s followers. Hearing is absorbing and accepting information about God. Learning is understanding its meaning and implications. Following is putting into action all we have learned and understood. All three parts are essential to a growing relationship with God.
BIBLE READING: Romans 14:1-23
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Give a warm welcome to any brother who wants to join you, even though his faith is weak. Don’t criticize him for having different ideas from yours about what is right and wrong. (Romans 14:1, TLB)
Recognizing weaknesses is often the beginning of growth. What is weak faith? Paul is speaking about immature faith that has not yet developed the muscle it needs to stand against external pressures. For example, if a person who once worshiped idols were to become a Christian, he might understand perfectly well that Christ saved him through faith and that idols have no real power. Still, because of his past associations, he might be badly shaken if he knowingly ate meat that had been used in idol worship as part of a pagan ritual. If a person who once worshiped God on the required Jewish holy days were to become a Christian, he might well know that Christ saved him through faith, not through his keeping of the law. Still, when the feast days came, he might feel empty and unfaithful if he didn’t dedicate those days to God.
Our response to others’ weaknesses is a measure of our personal growth. Paul responds to both weak brothers in love. Both are acting according to their consciences, but their honest scruples do not need to be made into rules for the church. Certainly some issues are central to the faith and worth fighting for—but many are based on individual differences and should not be legislated. Our principle should be: In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in everything, love.
BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:25, NIV)
Spiritual growth results from discipline. Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. Paul uses this illustration to explain that the Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward. The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with vigor and stamina. Don’t merely observe from the grandstand; don’t just turn out to jog a couple of laps each morning. Train diligently—your spiritual progress depends upon it.
Spiritual growth results from self-denial. At times we must give up something good in order to do what God wants. Each person’s special duties determine the discipline and denial that he or she must accept. Without a goal, discipline is nothing but self-punishment. With the goal of pleasing God, our denial seems like nothing compared to the eternal, imperishable reward that will be ours.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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God's laws are not burdensome. They can be reduced to two simple principles: love God and love others. These commands are from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament laws. According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all God's laws. Let them rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions. When you are uncertain about what to do, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others.
—Life Application Bible Notes
How much we love God can be measured by how well we treat others. Jesus' example of giving a cup of cold water to a thirsty child is a good model of unselfish service. A child usually can't or won't return a favor. God notices every good deed we do or don't do as if he were the one receiving it. Is there something unselfish you can do for someone else today? Although no one else may see you, God will notice.
—Life Application Bible Notes
Jesus said that his followers show their love for him by obeying him. Love is more than lovely words; it is commitment and conduct. If you love Christ, then prove it by obeying what he says in his Word. (John14:21)
—Life Application Bible Notes
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LOVE (Affections, Commitment, Compassion)
GOD’S LOVE
How does the Bible describe God’s love?
BIBLE READING: Luke 15:1-7
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Well, in the same way heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who haven’t strayed away! (Luke 15:7, TLB)
God’s love is forgiving. We may be able to understand a God who would forgive sinners who come to him for mercy. But a God who tenderly searches for sinners and then joyfully forgives them must possess an extraordinary love! This is the kind of love that prompted Jesus to come to earth to search for lost people and save them. This is the kind of extraordinary love that God has for you. If you feel far from God, don’t despair. He is searching for you.
BIBLE READING: Romans 8:28-39
KEY BIBLE VERSE: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)
God’s love is beyond measure. These words were written to a church that would soon undergo terrible persecution. In just a few years, Paul’s hypothetical situations would turn into painful realities. This passage reaffirms God’s profound love for his people. No matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, we can never be lost to his love. Suffering should not drive us away from God; it should help us to identify with him further and allow his love to reach us and heal us.
God’s love is eternal. These verses contain one of the most comforting promises in all Scripture. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, even death. These could cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ. But Paul exclaims that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of his unconquerable love. Nothing can stop Christ’s constant presence with us. God tells us how great his love is so that we will feel totally secure in him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid.
BIBLE READING: John 3:1-21
KEY BIBLE VERSE: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)
God’s love is sacrificial. The entire gospel comes to a focus in this verse. God’s love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships—when you love someone dearly, you are willing to pay dearly for that person’s responsive love. God paid dearly with the life of his Son, the highest price he could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he had bought for us. When we share the gospel with others, our love must be like Jesus’. We must be willing to give up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God’s love.
BIBLE READING: Psalm 136:1-26
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1, NIV)
God’s love is inexhaustible. Repeated throughout this psalm is the phrase, “His love endures forever.” This psalm may have been a responsive reading, with the congregation saying these words in unison after each sentence. The repetition made this important lesson sink in. God’s love includes aspects of love, kindness, mercy, and faithfulness. We never have to worry that God will run out of love, because it flows from a well that will never run dry.
HUMAN LOVE
What are the biblical guidelines for human love?
BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, TLB)
Love is more important than spiritual gifts. In chapter 12 Paul gave evidence of the Corinthians’ lack of love in the utilization of spiritual gifts; chapter 13 defines real love; and chapter 14 shows how love works. Love is more important than all the spiritual gifts exercised in the church body. Great faith, acts of dedication or sacrifice, and miracle-working power produce very little without love. Love makes our actions and gifts useful. Although people have different gifts, love is available to everyone.
Love benefits others. Our society confuses love and lust. Unlike lust, God’s kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is possible to practice this love only if God helps us set aside our own desires and instincts, so that we can give love while expecting nothing in return. Thus the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others.
BIBLE READING: 1 John 2:1-11
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Dear brothers, I am not writing out a new rule for you to obey, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the start. You have heard it all before. Yet it is always new, and works for you just as it did for Christ; and as we obey this commandment, to love one another, the darkness in our lives disappears and the new light of life in Christ shines in. (1 John 2:7-8, TLB)
Love is a command. The commandment to love others is both old and new. It is old because it comes from the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18). It is new because Jesus interpreted it in a radically new way (John 13:34-35). In the Christian church, love is not only expressed by showing respect; it is also expressed through self-sacrifice and servanthood (John 15:13). In fact, it can be defined as “selfless giving,” reaching beyond friends to enemies and persecutors (Matthew 5:43-48). Love should be the unifying force and the identifying mark of the Christian community. Love is the key to walking in the light, because we cannot grow spiritually while we hate others. Our growing relationship with God will result in growing relationships with others.
Love is a choice. Does this mean that if you dislike someone you aren’t a Christian? These verses are not talking about disliking a disagreeable Christian brother or sister. There will always be people we will not like as well as others. John’s words focus on the attitude that causes us to ignore or despise others, to treat them as irritants, competitors, or enemies. Christian love is not a feeling, but a choice. We can choose to be concerned with people’s well-being and treat them with respect, whether or not we feel affection toward them. If we choose to love others, God will help us express our love.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:38-48
KEY BIBLE VERSE: There is a saying, “Love your friends and hate your enemies.” But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Matthew 5:43, TLB)
Love chooses forgiveness rather than revenge. When we are wronged, often our first reaction is to get even. Instead, Jesus said we should do good to those who wrong us! Our desire should not be to keep score, but to love and forgive. This is not natural—it is supernatural. Only God can give us the strength to love as he does. Instead of planning vengeance, pray for those who hurt you.
LOVING GOD
How can we love God?
BIBLE READING: Mark 12:28-34
KEY BIBLE VERSE: “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31, NIV)
Loving God is the greatest human act. God’s laws are not burdensome. They can be reduced to two simple principles: love God and love others. These commands are from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament laws. According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all of God’s laws. Let them rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions. When you are uncertain about what to do, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others.
BIBLE READING: John 21:15-25
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Once more he asked him, “Simon, son of John, are you even my friend?” Peter was grieved at the way Jesus asked the question this third time. “Lord, you know my heart; you know I am,” he said. Jesus said, “Then feed my little sheep.” (John 21:17, TLB)
Loving God means serving him. In this beach scene, Jesus led Peter through an experience that would remove the cloud of his denial. Peter had disowned Jesus three times. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. When Peter answered yes, Jesus told him to feed his sheep. It is one thing to say you love Jesus, but the real test is willingness to serve him. Peter had repented, and here Jesus was asking him to commit his life. Peter’s life changed when he finally realized who Jesus was. His occupation changed from fisherman to evangelist; his identity changed from impetuous to “rock”; and his relationship to Jesus changed—he was forgiven, and he finally understood the significance of Jesus’ words about his death and resurrection.
Loving God requires everything we have and are. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him. The first time Jesus said, “Do you truly love [Greek agape: volitional, self-sacrificial love] me more than these?” The second time, Jesus focused on Peter alone and still used the word translated from the Greek word agape. The third time, Jesus used the word translated from the Greek word phileo (signifying affection, affinity, or brotherly love) and asked, in effect, “Are you even my friend?” Each time Peter responded with the word translated into Greek as phileo. Jesus doesn’t settle for quick, superficial answers. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him. How would you respond if Jesus asked you, “Do you truly love me?” Do you really love Jesus? Are you even his friend?
BIBLE READING: Revelation 2:1-7
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Yet there is one thing wrong; you don’t love me as at first! Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before; or else I will come and remove your candlestick from its place among the churches. (Revelation 2:4-5, TLB)
Loving God must guide everything else we do. Christ commended the church at Ephesus for (1) working hard, (2) persevering, (3) resisting sin, (4) critically examining the claims of false apostles, and (5) enduring hardships without becoming weary. Every church should have these characteristics. But these good efforts should spring from our love for Jesus Christ. Both Jesus and John stressed love for one another as an authentic proof of the gospel (John 13:34; 1 John 3:18-19). In the battle to maintain sound teaching and moral and doctrinal purity, it is possible to lose a charitable spirit. Prolonged conflict can weaken or destroy our patience and affection. In defending the faith, guard against any structure or rigidity that weakens love.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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OBEDIENCE (Compliance, Cooperation, Submission)
THE FREEDOM OF OBEDIENCE
In what ways is obedience to God true freedom?
BIBLE READING: Genesis 3:1-24
KEY BIBLE VERSE: He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:10-11, NIV)
Obedience keeps our relationship with God open and free. Adam and Eve got what they wanted: an intimate knowledge of both good and evil. But they got it by doing evil, and the results were disastrous. Sometimes we have the illusion that freedom is doing anything we want. But God says that true freedom comes from obedience and knowing what not to do. The restrictions he gives us are for our good, helping us avoid evil. We have the freedom to walk in front of a speeding car, but we don’t need to be hit to realize it would be foolish to do so. Don’t listen to Satan’s temptations. You don’t have to do evil to gain more experience and learn more about life.
BIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 30:11-19
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Look, today I have set before you life and death, depending on whether you obey or disobey. I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to follow his paths and to keep his laws, so that you will live and become a great nation, and so that the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to possess. (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, TLB)
Obeying God is in our best interest. God has called us to keep his commands, while reminding us that his laws are not hidden from us or beyond our reach. Have you ever said you would obey God if you knew what he wanted? Have you ever complained that obedience is too difficult for a mere human? These are unacceptable excuses. God’s laws are written in the Bible and are clearly evident in the world around us. Obeying them is reasonable, sensible, and beneficial. The most difficult part of obeying God’s laws is simply deciding to start now.
BIBLE READING: 1 Chronicles 15:11-29
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The Lord destroyed us before because we handled the matter improperly—you were not carrying it. (1 Chronicles 15:13, TLB)
Obeying God, even when we don’t understand, is true freedom. When David’s first attempt to move the ark failed (13:8-14), he learned an important lesson: when God gives specific instructions, it is wise to follow them precisely. This time David saw to it that the Levites carried the ark (Numbers 4:5-15). We may not fully understand the reasons behind God’s instructions, but we do know that his wisdom is complete and his judgment infallible. The way to know God’s instructions is to know his Word. But just as children do not understand the reasons for all their parents’ instructions until they are older, we may not understand all of God’s reasons in this life. It is far better to obey God first, and then discover the reasons. We are never free to disobey God just because we don’t understand.
BIBLE READING: Romans 5:1-21
KEY BIBLE VERSE: The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God’s laws. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us. (Romans 5:20, TLB)
Freedom to obey comes through God’s grace. As a sinner, separated from God, you see his law from below, as a ladder to be climbed to get to God. Perhaps you have repeatedly tried to climb it, only to fall to the ground every time you have advanced one or two rungs. Or perhaps the sheer height of the ladder seems so overwhelming that you have never even started up. In either case, what relief you should feel to see Jesus offering with open arms to lift you above the ladder of the law, to take you directly to God! Once Jesus lifts you into God’s presence, you are free to obey—out of love, not necessity, and through God’s power, not your own. You know that if you stumble, you will not fall back to the ground. Instead, you will be caught and held in Christ’s loving arms.
THE BENEFITS OF OBEDIENCE
What can we expect from God when we obey him?
BIBLE READING: Exodus 15:22-27
KEY BIBLE VERSE: If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you. (Exodus 15:26, TLB)
Obedience to God often keeps us from harm. God promised that if the people obeyed him they would be free from the diseases that plagued the Egyptians. Little did they know that many of the moral laws he later gave them were designed to keep them free from sickness. For example, following God’s law against prostitution would keep them free of venereal disease. God’s laws for us are often designed to keep us from harm. Men and women are complex beings. Our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives are intertwined. Modern medicine is now acknowledging what these laws assumed. If we want God to care for us, we need to submit to his directions for living.
BIBLE READING: Joshua 1:1-18
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Constantly remind the people about these laws, and you yourself must think about them every day and every night so that you will be sure to obey all of them. For only then will you succeed. (Joshua 1:8, TLB)
Obedience to God is pleasing to him. Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must (1) be strong and courageous, because the task ahead would not be easy, (2) obey God’s law, and (3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law—God’s Word. To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes—and his opinion lasts forever.
BIBLE READING: 2 Chronicles 14:1-15
KEY BIBLE VERSE: King Abijah was buried in Jerusalem. Then his son Asa became the new king of Judah, and there was peace in the land for the first ten years of his reign, for Asa was careful to obey the Lord his God. (2 Chronicles 14:1-2, TLB)
Obedience to God often leads to peace. Asa’s reign was marked by peace because he “was careful to obey the Lord his God.” This refrain is often repeated in Chronicles—obedience to God leads to peace with God and others. In the case of Judah’s kings, obedience to God led to national peace, just as God had promised centuries earlier. In our case, obedience may not always bring peace with our enemies, but it will bring peace with God and complete peace in his future kingdom. Obeying God is the first step on the path to peace.
THE CHALLENGE OF OBEDIENCE
How is obedience challenged?
BIBLE READING: Exodus 5:4-9
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Load them with work and make them sweat; that will teach them to listen to Moses’ and Aaron’s lies! (Exodus 5:9, TLB)
Obedience is often challenged by difficulties. Moses and Aaron took their message to Pharaoh just as God directed. The unhappy result was harder work and more oppression for the Hebrews. Sometimes hardship comes as a result of obeying God. Are you following God, but still suffering—or suffering even worse than before? If your life is miserable, don’t assume you have fallen out of God’s favor. You may be suffering for doing good in an evil world.
BIBLE READING: Joshua 9:1-6
KEY BIBLE VERSE: When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land to ask for a peace treaty with you.” (Joshua 9:6, TLB)
Obedience is often challenged by deception. As the news about their victory became widespread, the Israelites experienced opposition in two forms: direct (kings in the area began to unite against them) and indirect (the Gibeonites resorted to deception). We can expect similar opposition as we obey God’s commands. To guard against these pressures, we must rely on God and communicate daily with him. He will give us strength to endure the direct pressures and wisdom to see through the trickery.
How does obedience challenge us?
BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:17-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: And so if anyone breaks the least commandment, and teaches others to, he shall be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But those who teach God’s laws and obey them shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:19, TLB)
Obedience challenges us to go beyond mere understanding. Some of those in the crowd were experts at telling others what to do, but they missed the central point of God’s laws themselves. Jesus made it clear, however, that obeying God’s law is more important than explaining it. It’s much easier to study God’s laws and tell others to obey them than to put them into practice. How are you doing at obeying God yourself?
Obedience challenges us to go beyond mere outward conformity. The Pharisees were exacting and scrupulous in their attempts to follow their laws. So how could Jesus reasonably call us to a greater righteousness than theirs? The Pharisees’ weakness was that they were content to obey the laws outwardly without allowing God to change their hearts (or attitudes). Jesus was saying, therefore, that the quality of our goodness should be greater than that of the Pharisees. They looked pious, but they were far from the kingdom of God. God judges our hearts as well as our deeds, for it is in the heart that our real allegiance lies. Be just as concerned about your attitudes that people don’t see as about your actions that are seen by all.
Obedience challenges us to act out of love for God. Jesus was saying that his listeners needed a different kind of righteousness altogether (love and obedience), not just a more intense version of the Pharisees’ righteousness (legal compliance). Our righteousness must (1) come from what God does in us, not what we can do by ourselves, (2) be God-centered, not self-centered, (3) be based on reverence for God, not approval from people, and (4) go beyond keeping the law to living by the principles behind the law.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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GRACE (Forgiveness, Love, Mercy)
What are some aspects of God’s grace?
BIBLE READING: Nehemiah 9:1-38
KEY BIBLE VERSE: But in your great mercy you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are! (Nehemiah 9:31, TLB)
God’s grace is our only hope! Israel was devastated by times of intense rebellion and sin. Yet when the people repented and returned to God, he delivered them. God puts no limit on the number of times we can come to him to obtain mercy, but we must come in order to obtain it, recognizing our need and asking him for help. This miracle of grace should inspire us to say, “What a gracious and merciful God you are!” If there is a recurring problem or difficulty in your life, continue to ask God for help, and be willing and ready to make changes in your attitude and behavior that will correct that situation.
BIBLE READING: Ephesians 1:3-2:10
KEY BIBLE VERSE: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:7-8, NIV)
God’s grace makes our salvation possible. Grace is God’s voluntary and loving favor given to those he saves. We can’t earn salvation, nor do we deserve it. No religious, intellectual, or moral effort can gain it, because it comes only from God’s mercy and love. Without God’s grace, no person can be saved. To receive it, we must acknowledge that we cannot save ourself, that only God can save us, and that our only way to receive this loving favor is by faith in Christ.
God’s grace should lead us to serve others with love. We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, charity, and goodness, and not merely to please ourself. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in works of service. We are saved, not merely for our own benefit, but to serve him and build up the church (Ephesians 4:12).
BIBLE READING: Romans 2:1-16
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Don’t you realize how patient he is being with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. (Romans 2:4, TLB)
God’s grace leaves no room for self-righteousness. When Paul’s letter was read in the Roman church, no doubt many heads nodded as he condemned idol worshipers, homosexual practices, and violent people. But what surprise his listeners must have felt when he turned on them and said, “You are just as bad!” Paul was emphatically stressing that nobody is good enough to save himself or herself. If we want to avoid punishment and live eternally with Christ, all of us, whether we have been murderers and molesters or whether we have been honest, hardworking, solid citizens, must depend totally on God’s grace. Paul is not discussing whether some sins are worse than others. Any sin is enough to cause us to depend on Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life. We have all sinned repeatedly, and there is no way apart from Christ to be saved from sin’s consequences.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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ACTIONS (Doing, Efforts, Work)
How do actions and faith fit together?
BIBLE READING: Genesis 15:1-6
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6, NIV)
Actions mean little without underlying faith. Although Abram had been demonstrating his faith through his actions, it was believing in the Lord, not his actions, that made Abram right with God (Romans 4:1-5). God credited righteousness to Abram because of his faith. We too can have a right relationship with God by trusting him with our life. Our outward actions—church attendance, prayer, good deeds—will not by themselves make us right with God. A right relationship is based on faith—the heartfelt inner confidence that God is who he says he is and does what he says he will do. Right actions follow naturally as by-products.
BIBLE READING: Luke 3:1-18
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. (Luke 3:8, NIV)
Faith naturally leads to action. Confession and a changed life are inseparable. Faith without works is lifeless (James 2:14-26). Jesus’ harshest words were to the respectable religious leaders who lacked the desire for real change. They wanted to be known as religious authorities, but they didn’t want to change their hearts and minds. Thus, their lives were unproductive. Repentance must be tied to action, or it isn’t real. Following Jesus means more than saying the words; it means acting on what he says.
BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:13-20
KEY BIBLE VERSE: For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20, NIV)
There must be genuine faith behind actions. The Pharisees were exacting and scrupulous in their attempts to follow their laws. So how could Jesus reasonably call us to a greater righteousness than theirs? The Pharisees’ weakness was that they were content to obey the laws outwardly without allowing God to change their hearts (or attitudes). Jesus was saying, therefore, that the quality of our goodness should be greater than that of the Pharisees. They looked pious, but they were far from the kingdom of God. God judges our heart as well as our deeds, for the heart determines our real allegiance. Be just as concerned about your attitudes, which people don’t see, as your actions, which are seen by all.
BIBLE READING: Esther 4:1-17
KEY BIBLE VERSE: For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14, NIV)
God uses the actions of faithful people. After the decree to kill the Jews was given, Mordecai and Esther could have despaired, decided to save only themselves, or just waited for God’s intervention. Instead, they saw that God had placed them in their positions for a purpose, so they seized the moment and acted. When it is within our power to save others, we must do so. In a life-threatening situation, don’t withdraw, behave selfishly, wallow in despair, or wait for God to fix everything. Instead, ask God for his direction, and act! God may have placed you where you are “for such a time as this.”
BIBLE READING: James 1:19-27
KEY BIBLE VERSE: And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. So don’t fool yourselves. (James 1:22, TLB)
Believing God’s Word will lead to obeying God’s Word. It is important to know what God’s Word says, but it is much more important to obey it. We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.
When is more required than prayer?
BIBLE READING: Exodus 14:5-18
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!” (Exodus 14:15, TLB)
Prayer should not be used to avoid action. The Lord told Moses to stop praying and get moving! Prayer must have a vital place in our life, but there is also a place for action. Sometimes we know what to do, but we pray for more guidance as an excuse to postpone doing it. If we know what we should do, then it is time to get moving.
BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 7:1-17
KEY BIBLE VERSE: And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:3, NIV)
Obedience overcomes a sense of God’s absence. Sorrow gripped Israel for twenty years. The ark was put away like an unwanted box in an attic, and it seemed as if the Lord had abandoned his people. Samuel, now a grown man, roused the people to action by saying that if they were truly sorry, they should do something about it. How easy it is for us to complain about our problems, even to God, while we refuse to act, to change, and to do what he requires. We don’t even take the advice he has already given us. Do you ever feel as if God has abandoned you? Check to see if there is anything he has already told you to do. You may not be able to receive new guidance until you have acted on his previous directions.
The Handbook of Bible Application
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The Parable of the River
They knew God, but they did not give glory to God or thank him. Their thinking became useless. Their foolish minds were filled with darkness. ROMANS 1:21
Once there were five sons who lived in a mountain castle with their father. The eldest was an obedient son, but his four younger brothers were rebellious. Their father had warned them of the river, but they had not listened. He had begged them to stay clear of the bank lest they be swept downstream, but the river’s lure was too strong.
Each day the four rebellious brothers ventured closer and closer until one son dared to reach in and feel the waters. “Hold my hand so I won’t fall in,” he said, and his brothers did. But when he touched the water, the current yanked him and the other three into the rapids and rolled them down the river.
Over rocks they bounced, through the channels they roared, on the swells they rode. Their cries for help were lost in the rage of the river.
Though they fought to gain their balance, they were powerless against the strength of the current. After hours of struggle, they surrendered to the pull of the river. The waters finally dumped them on the bank in a strange land, in a distant country, in a barren place.
Savage people dwelt in the land. It was not safe like their home.
Cold winds chilled the land. It was not warm like their home.
Rugged mountains marked the land. It was not inviting like their home.
Though they did not know where they were, of one fact they were sure: They were not intended for this place. For a long time the four young sons lay on the bank, stunned at their fall and not knowing where to turn. After some time they gathered their courage and reentered the waters, hoping to walk upstream. But the current was too strong. They attempted to walk along the river’s edge, but the terrain was too steep. They considered climbing the mountains, but the peaks were too high. Besides, they didn’t know the way.
Finally, they built a fire and sat down. “We shouldn’t have disobeyed our father,” they admitted. “We are a long way from home.”
With the passage of time the sons learned to survive in the strange land. They found nuts for food and killed animals for skins. They determined not to forget their homeland nor abandon hopes of returning. Each day they set about the task of finding food and building shelter. Each evening they built a fire and told stories of their father and older brother. All four sons longed to see them again.
Then, one night, one brother failed to come to the fire. The others found him the next morning in the valley with the savages. He was building a hut of grass and mud. “I’ve grown tired of our talks,” he told them. “What good does it do to remember? Besides, this land isn’t so bad. I will build a great house and settle here.”
“But it isn’t home,” they objected.
“No, but it is if you don’t think of the real one.”
“But what of Father?”
“What of him? He isn’t here. He isn’t near. Am I to spend forever awaiting his arrival? I’m making new friends; I’m learning new ways. If he comes, he comes, but I’m not holding my breath.”
And so the other three left their hut-building brother and walked away. They continued to meet around the fire, speaking of home and dreaming of their return.
Some days later a second brother failed to appear at the campfire. The next morning his siblings found him on a hillside staring at the hut of his brother.
“How disgusting,” he told them as they approached. “Our brother is an utter failure. An insult to our family name. Can you imagine a more despicable deed? Building a hut and forgetting our father?”
“What he’s doing is wrong,” agreed the youngest, “but what we did was wrong as well. We disobeyed. We touched the river. We ignored our father’s warnings.”
“Well, we may have made a mistake or two, but compared to the sleaze in the hut, we are saints. Father will dismiss our sin and punish him.”
“Come,” urged his two brothers, “return to the fire with us.”
“No, I think I’ll keep an eye on our brother. Someone needs to keep a record of his wrongs to show Father.”
And so the two returned, leaving one brother building and the other judging.
The remaining two sons stayed near the fire, encouraging each other and speaking of home. Then one morning the youngest son awoke to find he was alone. He searched for his brother and found him near the river, stacking rocks.
“It’s no use,” the rock-stacking brother explained as he worked. “Father won’t come for me. I must go to him. I offended him. I insulted him. I failed him. There is only one option. I will build a path back up the river and walk into our father’s presence. Rock upon rock I will stack until I have enough rocks to travel upstream to the castle. When he sees how hard I have worked and how diligent I have been, he will have no choice but to open the door and let me into his house.”
The last brother did not know what to say. He returned to sit by the fire, alone. One morning he heard a familiar voice behind him. “Father has sent me to bring you home.”
The youngest lifted his eyes to see the face of his oldest brother. “You have come for us!” he shouted. For a long time the two embraced.
“And your brothers?” the eldest finally asked.
“One has made a home here. Another is watching him. The third is building a path up the river.”
And so Firstborn set out to find his siblings. He went first to the thatched hut in the valley.
“Go away, stranger!” screamed the brother through the window. “You are not welcome here!”
“I have come to take you home.”
“You have not. You have come to take my mansion.”
“This is no mansion,” Firstborn countered. “This is a hut.”
“It is a mansion! The finest in the lowlands. I built it with my own hands. Now, go away. You cannot have my mansion.”
“Don’t you remember the house of your father?”
“I have no father.”
“You were born in a castle in a distant land where the air is warm and the fruit is plentiful. You disobeyed your father and ended up in this strange land. I have come to take you home.”
The brother peered through the window at Firstborn as if recognizing a face he’d remembered from a dream. But the pause was brief, for suddenly the savages in the house filled the window as well. “Go away, intruder!” they demanded. “This is not your home.”
“You are right,” responded the firstborn son, “but neither is it his.”
The eyes of the two brothers met again. Once more the hut-building brother felt a tug at his heart, but the savages had won his trust. “He just wants your mansion,” they cried. “Send him away!”
And so he did.
Firstborn sought the next brother. He didn’t have to walk far. On the hillside near the hut, within eyesight of the savages, sat the fault-finding son. When he saw Firstborn approaching, he shouted, “How good that you are here to behold the sin of our brother! Are you aware that he turned his back on the castle? Are you aware that he never speaks of home? I knew you would come. I have kept careful account of his deeds. Punish him! I will applaud your anger. He deserves it! Deal with the sins of our brother.”
Firstborn spoke softly, “We need to deal with your sins first.”
“My sins?”
“Yes, you disobeyed Father.”
The son smirked and slapped at the air. “My sins are nothing. There is the sinner,” he claimed, pointing to the hut. “Let me tell you of the savages who stay there . . .”
“I’d rather you tell me about yourself.”
“Don’t worry about me. Let me show you who needs help,” he said, running toward the hut. “Come, we’ll peek in the windows. He never sees me. Let’s go together.” The son was at the hut before he noticed that Firstborn hadn’t followed him.
Next, the eldest son walked to the river. There he found the last brother, knee-deep in the water, stacking rocks.
“Father has sent me to take you home.”
The brother never looked up. “I can’t talk now. I must work.”
“Father knows you have fallen. But he will forgive you . . .”
“He may,” the brother interrupted, struggling to keep his balance against the current, “but I have to get to the castle first. I must build a pathway up the river. First I will show him that I am worthy. Then I will ask for his mercy.”
“He has already given his mercy. I will carry you up the river. You will never be able to build a pathway. The river is too long. The task is too great for your hands. Father sent me to carry you home. I am stronger.”
For the first time the rock-stacking brother looked up. “How dare you speak with such irreverence! My father will not simply forgive. I have sinned. I have sinned greatly! He told us to avoid the river, and we disobeyed. I am a great sinner. I need much work.”
“No, my brother, you don’t need much work. You need much grace. The distance between you and our father’s house is too great. You haven’t enough strength nor the stones to build the road. That is why our father sent me. He wants me to carry you home.”
“Are you saying I can’t do it? Are you saying I’m not strong enough? Look at my work. Look at my rocks. Already I can walk five steps!”
“But you have five million to go!”
The younger brother looked at Firstborn with anger. “I know who you are. You are the voice of evil. You are trying to seduce me from my holy work. Get behind me, you serpent!” He hurled at Firstborn the rock he was about to place in the river.
“Heretic!” screamed the path-builder. “Leave this land. You can’t stop me! I will build this walkway and stand before my father, and he will have to forgive me. I will win his favor. I will earn his mercy.”
Firstborn shook his head. “Favor won is no favor. Mercy earned is no mercy. I implore you, let me carry you up the river.”
The response was another rock. So Firstborn turned and left.
The youngest brother was waiting near the fire when Firstborn returned.
“The others didn’t come?”
“No. One chose to indulge, the other to judge, and the third to work. None of them chose our father.”
“So they will remain here?”
The eldest brother nodded slowly. “For now.”
“And we will return to Father?” asked the brother.
“Yes.”
“Will he forgive me?”
“Would he have sent me if he wouldn’t?”
And so the younger brother climbed on the back of the Firstborn and began the journey home.
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