Trust AND Obey » Christ

Concerned With Many Things

Dave Miller — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:52:52 +0000

A very long time ago, when I worked for the Kent State University Museum, I saw a piece of artwork at the Canton Museum of Art. It was called, “Concerned With Many Issues.” I wanted to find a photo of it online to share with you, but had no success finding any reference to it. I’ll have to describe it instead.

It was a diorama about twelve inches square and nine inches high. It depicted a simply appointed living room with a chair, a carpet, a door, and a woman vacuuming. It was an ordinary scene with absolutely nothing remarkable about it. What made this piece of art so memorable to me was what was going on outside the room.

Outside was a fanciful array of men and monsters of all different colors, sizes and shapes. Their tentacles, arms, legs and eyes were all interwoven and they surrounded the room and the woman doing her chores. Inside was a scene of mundane toil; outside was total chaos.

UPDATE: Here is the work of art described above. Click for a larger version.

That piece of artwork depicted my life at the time. To the casual observer, I was an average guy working an average job living in an average house and driving an average car. My main worries were losing my job, losing my wife, losing my house, losing my car and my dwindling bank account.

Since saving faith was granted to me by God through Jesus, I really don’t worry much about my job or whether I will have enough food or clothing (Luke 12:29-31), nor even about having enough money. Strangely enough, I still identify with this piece of artwork and am still concerned with many things.

The monsters lurking outside my window today are my sins that I don’t want to do, but keep doing (Romans 7:15); my unsaved family (both those who claim to know Christ but produce no fruit and those who overtly deny Him); my friends at church who seem biblically illiterate and apathetic about the Gospel; people I work with who are trapped in a legalistic religion; and what, if anything, I can do to help bring these people to Christ.

For now I think I will pray about it (1 Peter 5:7), be still, and know that God reigns. (Psalm 46:10)

The Paradox of Humility

Dave Miller — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:11:09 +0000

Two weeks ago at church, our council of Elders called a man up to the front of the church before the worship service began. They presented him an award for being the most humble Christian at our church. The award was a tiny lapel pin a little smaller than a dime. The man accepted the award with a tearful and red-faced “Thank you all, so much” and returned to his seat. Last Sunday, the man came to church wearing the pin in the lapel of his jacket and the head elder took it away from him because he showed pride by wearing it and didn’t deserve it anymore.

This actually didn’t happen. It is an old joke rephrased. Nevertheless, humility can be a difficult concept to understand. Last week I listened to a two-part sermon preached by John Piper entitled Battling the Unbelief of a Haughty Spirit. You can download it and listen to it yourself here:

Battling the Unbelief of a Haughty Spirit Part 1.mp3

Battling the Unbelief of a Haughty Spirit Part 2.mp3

When I listen to podcast sermons (usually about a dozen each week) I like to take notes on the parts that hit me hard, or speak to my heart. Sometimes I’ll stop the playback and just start writing about instances where I have personally experienced what the preacher is talking about.

Here are the notes that I took while I was listening to the sermons linked above. If you get anything out of this, I encourage you to download and listen to the entire sermon. Not all of what appears below is Piper’s and not all of it is mine.

All acts of unbelief and all acts of sin flow from selfishness and pride. We know what selfishness is, but pride is more complicated. There are two main forms of pride. The first is our traditional understanding of pride that John Piper defines very well as “…knowing we’re good and wanting others to know it.” This is what the bible calls boasting. The other, trickier, sneakier form of pride doesn’t look like this at all; it is called false humility. False humility is when we go out of our way to demonstrate to people how humble we are. Yes, you can be prideful about being humble just like the man in the old joke.

If you are a Christian and you know anything at all about humility, I am confident that you have encountered this type of pride at least once. Here are two examples: The man who volunteers for the worst task at a church function and then for weeks afterward, brags about doing such a menial job. The woman who helps somebody anonymously and then “lets slip” what she did to one friend who she knows can’t keep her mouth shut. These are examples of a craving that people have for other people to think well of them.

Each of these forms of pride is an example of making much of yourself. As Christians, we should be delighting in Christ alone and in God’s mercy to us.

Isn’t it funny, considering our size and place in the universe, that we humans would struggle with genuine humility?

True humility means casting everything on the Lord. Casting your anxieties on the Lord is humility, because proud people don’t feel that they need help from the Lord. Pride makes people deny their anxieties and want to look like they’ve got it all together. Piper says, “…how easy it is to ‘be made much of’ even for my self-denial.” We have to be such cool customers. God is our LAST refuge instead of our first thought. We are afraid to be vulnerable. We are afraid to look human.

Piper says, “God loves people, but hates pride.” The condition of your heart is of utmost importance. It is almost impossible for anyone to tell the difference between genuine humility and false humility in another person, but it is easy for us to know it in ourselves. This is a skill that we work inwardly on ourselves, not an outward skill that we work on others.

If we are making much of Christ and little of ourselves, then we are practicing humility well. And the proper response is to make much of Christ for granting us a humble heart.

Various Quotatious

Dave Miller — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:32:32 +0000

Some wonderful quotations from some Godly men:

When you see that saving faith is a being satisfied in all that God is for you in Jesus, then the good fight of faith (as Paul calls it in 1 Timothy 6:12) becomes a fight for JOY! A fight for Joy in Christ, not television. In Christ, not sex. In Christ, not money. In Christ, not fame. There’s the battle. And it is to be fought every day as we put to death what is earthly in us and all of our cravings for this world and they rise up again and again and they must be killed with this truth. Put to death what is earthly in you. (Colossians 3:2) Die every day to the things that will destroy your Joy. That changes everything. – John Piper

The only foundation and basis upon which those of us who have been called through the teaching of the bible by the enabling of the spirit to mediate the rule of Christ’s headship among his people is as we have the bible preached to ourselves. And unless it comes in power to us, it cannot come in power through us. Therefore, no man can exhort you to submit to the headship of Christ with any sense of realistic integrity unless that man himself has been so beset upon by the necessity of his bowing to the headship of Christ. So it is not some monarchy that God has established, where with Kings and popes and princes he has established some hierarchical structure, and in the midst of that you have the proletariat in Colossae or Cleveland or Corinth and they are called upon to do what the leaders say. No. It is that together we bow beneath He who is the supreme one and the all sufficient one and He who alone is the head of the Church. So who is in charge around here? Christ! – Alistair Begg

A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. – John Calvin

Grant what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt. – Augustine

Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will. – Jonathan Edwards

Discernment Q&A – Part II

Dave Miller — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:45:11 +0000

We now continue the Q & A on Biblical Discernment. I hope you’ve studied; there is a test at the end. Seriously!

Q. How and when should biblical discernment skills be used?

A. Let’s take the last part of the question first. When should discernment skills be used?

The most important times that they can be used is when you are listening to a sermon or reading a book or an article on religion, or when you are involved in a conversation about Christianity. When listening to a sermon even your favorite, most trusted minister can get things wrong. If you have studied your bible and have prayed fervently for wisdom you should start to trust your instincts a little more. If a minister says something that doesn’t sound quite right, something that sets off your “Spidey Sense” or that might not be supported by scripture – write it down.

Now we get into the “How?” part of the question. The first thing you should do when you have a question about a sermon is to ask your minister about it. Give him a chance to explain it better. It is possible (hopefully even probable) that you have just misunderstood him. If it is not a misunderstanding, don’t back down if the truth is at stake. Tell him that it still isn’t clear to you. Respectfully ask him to cite the scripture from which he gets his statement. (Acts 17:11) Don’t put him on the spot in front of others and be sure to give him time to research the matter and get back to you when it is convenient. In the meantime, research the matter yourself. Dig into the Bible and research what various commentators have said on the subject. The Blue Letter Bible and Crosswalk.com have excellent Bible study tools available online.

Remember, the whole point is to come to a better understanding of God’s word; for you and for your minister.

Q. Sounds like a good plan, but what about when you read something that bothers your “Scripture Sense?”

A. The same goes for when you are reading a book or an article about religion, write down the statement that strikes you as wrong and take it to your minister or a trusted elder in your church. Ask them to help you understand what is being said. Rely on godly people you trust to guide you to the scripture that explains your question. Oftentimes, researching things on your own will answer your question, but sharing it with a brother in the faith can often help strengthen the discernment skills of both of you.

Q. What about when you are involved in a conversation about Christianity? It’s not as easy when you’re on the spot and have to defend something controversial.

A. That is true. You should rely on what you are certain that you know. Again, don’t back down when the truth is at stake. In the Bible, the main things are the plain things and the plain things are the main things. You should have a solid understanding of the “main things” before you engage anyone in serious discussions relating to Christianity.

Something that should not be forgotten is that you should always be respectful and loving in your dealings with brothers in the faith. We are called to speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15) If the question involves an issue that is secondary to Essential Christian Doctrine, be sure to point that out and don’t argue with brothers over issues where we have the freedom to disagree without breaking fellowship.

Discernment Test #1. What we believe.

Don’t get all worked up, this is just a practice test. Take a look at this statement from an American Mainline Protestant church.

We believe that the persistent search for God produces an authentic relationship with God, engendering love, strengthening faith, dissolving guilt, and giving life purpose and direction. We believe that all of the baptized ‘belong body and soul to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’ No matter who – no matter what – … no matter where we are on life’s journey – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized – past, present and future – are connected to each other and to God through the sacrament of baptism.

On the surface, this looks like a solid theological statement. Who could possibly argue with a persistent search for God or an authentic relationship with God? Who could disagree that baptized people are all part of a worldwide community of faith?

But here are some questions I had after reading it three or four times: Where in the Bible does it say that simply searching for God produces an authentic relationship with Him? Is baptism what binds believers together or is it something else?

John 3:3 states very clearly what is necessary for somebody to have a relationship with God. Searching for knowledge of God is a good thing, but the search doesn’t produce faith or a relationship. Only by repenting and believing can one be born again to new life in Christ Jesus.

And about that baptism thing… I don’t deny that all believers are part of a worldwide community of faith (aka The Invisible Church), but it isn’t a sacrament that makes it happen. Believers’ baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. (Acts 10:44-47) There are probably millions of non-believers who have been baptized. The thief on the cross can attest to the fact that baptism is not absolutely necessary for salvation. (Luke 23:42-43)

The above statement is part of the “What We Believe” statement of the United Church of Christ – or at least it was at one time. The UCC changes what they believe the way the wind changes direction in a tornado. This was taken from the UCC’s old website. This statement is not on their current website as far as I can tell. If you have time, read the whole thing. Tell me if I missed the place where it says you have to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus. The statement is also available here.

Discernment Test #2. Faces in the Clouds – A message from God.

Watch this video and then read the page at the link below.

Interpretation of the above video.

What do you think? Use your discernment skills. Is this a biblical interpretation of the clouds in the video or not? Is it a message from God? Are you sure?

Nancy Bush certainly does seem to know the bible, she even quotes Latin and Greek. She is obviously not an opportunist who sees the Virgin Mary in a partially eaten grilled cheese sandwich and sells it on eBay for $28,000.

What do your discernment skills tell you? Please post a comment. I’ll try to approve comments within a few hours and once you’ve had one comment approved, your subsequent comments will post immediately.

One last thing: please remember to speak the truth in love. Thanks.

Discernment Q&A – Part I

Dave Miller — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:00:57 +0000

I’ve mentioned before how the attribute of discernment is sorely lacking among many Christians, and that reading the Bible is the best way to develop discernment skills. As is my habit, I’ll start this Q&A with an A.

A. Discernment is the most important skill that a Christian can have. Having it is partially a gift, but mostly the result of diligent work. Every Christian can and should develop sound biblical discernment skills.

Q. So what is discernment?

A. You know what wisdom is, right? Well, discernment is the heart of wisdom. It is simply good judgment and critical understanding derived from knowledge of the Bible. The Oxford dictionary says it is to “perceive clearly.” Our great-grandfathers might have called it “horse sense.” It is the wisdom and understanding that comes with experience.

In our secular lives, we develop social discernment skills through experience. At a fancy dinner party, belching out loud is rude and anyone who is discerning wouldn’t do it. At a ball game with your buddies however, it may be expected. This is a crude example of discernment, but it makes the point well enough.

At school, work, or home we know not to treat our teacher, boss or spouse with contempt. This also is discernment. To act otherwise would be ill advised and would result in painful repercussions.

In our Christian lives, twisting or ignoring the clear teaching of the Bible to fit our own desires is analogous to belching at a dinner party, sassing our teacher, ignoring the boss or disrespecting our spouse. It’s liable to get us thrown out or fired. The Christian equivalent is eternity outside the presence of God, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Q. Why is discernment so important?

A. 1 Kings 3: 9-10 tells us that Solomon’s request for “an understanding heart” to “discern between good and evil” was “pleasing in the sight of Lord”; so much so that God gave him “a wise and discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:12) as well as the “riches and honor” that he didn’t ask for (1 Kings 3:13). Discernment helps us to know the will of God and to glorify Him by making His will our will. This may not sound like a big deal, but consider the alternative; without discernment, we will live our lives outside of God’s will and will not bring Him glory. The alternative to Solomon’s blessing is a curse: God will be displeased with us if we willfully keep ourselves in ignorance and don’t develop the skills to discern good from evil.

As for why biblical discernment is important in our day, John MacArthur answers this question better than I ever could. Here is his startling conclusion:

All those who truly love Christ and care about the truth have a solemn duty to defend the truth by exposing and opposing these lies that masquerade as truth. If we fail in that duty because of indifference, apathy, or a craving for the approval of men, we are no less guilty than those who actively spread the lies. – John MacArthur

Q. How do you develop discernment skills?

A. The easy answer is, “Read the Bible and pray,” and any other answer more complicated than that just confuses the issue. But what is the best way to do this? Start out by reading the book of Proverbs. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs and 31 days in January. You can do this in just five to ten minutes each day. This will give you a solid foundation for increasing your bible knowledge and understanding. Then pray for wisdom and understanding to be given to you so that you can glorify God by rightly discerning His Holy Word.

I would also recommend a book called, “Now That’s A Good Question” by R.C. Sproul. It answers many difficult questions that both long-time and short-time believers will face.

Q. Once you have discernment, what can you do with it?

A. Discernment is like a good pocket knife; you have to carry it with you all the time. You have to learn how to use it efficiently and safely. Most importantly, you have to keep it sharp. Having biblical discernment enables you to judge between lies and the truth, or between truth and half-truths as is most prevalent.

Discernment will also allow you correctly judge the claims of people who say they know the Gospel when in fact; they may be distorting it or denying it altogether. The importance of this should be apparent.

Keeping your skills sharpened is done by staying in the Word – continuing to read the bible and listening to faithful teachers preach the Gospel.

Up next: How and when to use discernment, and some sample tests.

Who Sits on Your Throne?

Dave Miller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:21:37 +0000

There is no such thing as a carnal Christian

- Paul Washer-

Take a look at the graphic below. Which of the two circles represents your life most closely? Be sure to read the descriptions carefully.

There is a third circle that is also a possibility. It is a blend between the two circles above, the dots might be a little more organized than the Self-directed life, but not as organized as the Christ-directed life. Christ is inside the circle, but Self is still on the throne. This circle is typically known as the “Carnal Christian” circle. See below and read the descriptions carefully.

In the “Carnal Christian” circle above, Christ is a part of your life, but you have not fully yielded to Him and probably about half the bullet points apply to you. Sadly, this is the most fitting description for most people who claim to be Christians. In my experience, more than half of the people sitting in church on any given Sunday fall into this category.

Perhaps you are one of them. Until relatively recently, so was I. Are you trying to take the Bible more seriously, trying to live a better life, trying not to worry, trying to pray a little more often, trying to consider what Jesus would do before you decide what you will do? Doing these things usually just leads to a legalistic attitude where you do your best and hope it is enough. Sadly, according to Matthew 7:22-23, most of the people who try to “do” their religion this way will be turned away from the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now, take a look a this short video from OneTimeBlind.

The hard news of Christianity is that until you relinquish complete control of your life to Jesus and let His will be your will, you will not be living in Him and will have no part of the Kingdom of heaven when this life is over.

The good news of Christianity is that when you relinquish complete control of your life to Jesus and let His will be your will, you will be living in Him and will have a part of the Kingdom of heaven when this life is over.

Repent and believe, trust and obey.

But I’m a good person…

Dave Miller — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:38:13 +0000

“But I’m a good person…” I’ve heard that statement many times, usually from a Christian friend or family member; often from a non-religious person as well. When a discussion about life after death comes up, the subject inevitably turns to heaven, who goes there and why. According to an ABC poll, 85 percent of Americans believe they are going to heaven. The most amazing part of this poll is that 77 percent of people who describe themselves as “not religious” think they are going to heaven.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:21 that not everyone who calls him “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Just a few verses earlier, in Matthew 7:14, Jesus says that few even find the gate to life eternal. This should give even the most religious Christian pause. What are the chances that everyone in your church is among the few who find the narrow gate? Could some of them be on the wide path, even though they think they’re not? Could you?

One of the things that might falsely convince you that you are on the narrow path is if you think you are just as good or better than other people in your life. The fact of the matter is that virtually everybody can find somebody more despicable than himself without looking too hard. In a church setting, all you have to do is find the busybody, the gossip or the world-pleaser and compare yourself. You’ll certainly measure up better in the eyes of God, right?

“…do not think more highly of yourself than you ought…” Romans 12:3

This is a deadly step toward self-deception. We must never minimize our own sinfulness by comparing ourselves to our sinful brothers or sisters. God doesn’t grade on a curve. We won’t be compared to the adulterer, the homosexual or the thief – we’ll be compared to Jesus, and we will be found wanting. Romans 3:23.

One of the dominant features of universal human fallenness is deception about one’s true condition. The sinner is unwilling to see himself in his true condition and is convinced of his own goodness. People deny they are sinners. They deny that there is evil in their lives because they are good – and they do not see the evil in their religion. They are self deceived. They may claim the name of Christ, but in reality they hate God. They may have some sentimental feelings for Him, but only for the parts of Him that they find acceptable. — John MacArthur

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.” James 4:10

It is impossible to understand how holy God is until you have an inkling of how sinful and depraved mankind is. Start with yourself. Take a good hard look in the mirror and dig deep into the corners of your life where you would rather not go. Dig out that sticky sin. Pull it out into the open and thrust it into the light! Yes. It is going to hurt. Hold it up to God with tears and cry for forgiveness. Lay down that burden and NEVER pick it up again. Take comfort that God promises to all who trust him, forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16