Worldview Finder: Truth
November 20, 2023 at 4:06 pm | Posted in Worldview Finder | 7 CommentsTags: 2 Peter 1, Biblical Christian worldview, Biblical worldview, Christian worldview, Deuteronomy 32, Ecclesiastes 3, John 18, John 6, Proverbs 14
At the risk of being overly simplistic, your worldview is how you view the world. It is the lens through which you make sense of the big questions in life. It determines how you comprehend, understand, and answer life’s biggest or most fundamental questions, such as: Who am I? How did I get here? Where am I going (both in this life and after it)? Do I have any purpose, and if so, what is it?
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Are you aware of your worldview, and are you able to articulate it? Do you think of it as personal to you, or do you share it with others? Can you identify it, or clarify it? I believe that we are called to think about and ask ourselves these questions.
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
II Peter 1:3
The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
Proverbs 14:8
A good place to start when seeking to identify or clarify your worldview is to ask, “What is truth?“
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
John 18:37-38
A Biblical Christian worldview acknowledges that there is such a thing as objective truth.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4
A Biblical Christian worldview is one where objective truth is acknowledged. The alternative viewpoint is sometimes called Relativism. Relativism holds that truth is subjective, but it is a worldview that immediately collapses into its own inconsistency. The statement, “There is no such thing as objective truth,” would not itself be true in a relativistic worldview, and this view can only be a form of absurdity or delusion. It is impossible to consistently and logically support the idea of Relativism.
However, despite the obvious inconsistency, Relativism is integral to many people’s worldview in our day and age. Whether they have thought through its implications or not, they espouse it, and they do so under two main categories, one of which is Subjectivism (or subjective relativism). This is the view that what is true for you might not be true for me. A Christian asks a subjective relativist, “Is Jesus the only Way to Heaven?” and the relativist response is, “For you He is, but not for me.” This is the idea that a person’s opinions, preferences, feelings, and lived experiences can somehow shape reality. There is even a pseudo-Christian version of subjective relativism: “God said it, and I believe it, and that makes it true.” In fact, what God says is true whether anyone believes it or not.
The more outright non-Christian version of subjective relativism maintains that all people should be treated equally unless they feel oppressed or underprivileged, and then the way to treat them “equally” is to treat them better. This is the idea behind microagressions and the demands of germophobes: people should ignore or deny reality if it helps others feel better or helps them continue their delusions.
Christians are susceptible to falling for this ruse because of God’s commandments (and our regenerated natures) which prompt us to kindness. Kindness is actually great if it is based on truth, but if it lapses into an inferior version called “niceness” it can get us in a great deal of trouble.
The other sub-form of Relativism is cultural relativism (sometimes called “groupthink”). This is evident when a Relativist admits that one person’s preferences can’t forge or determine reality, but claims that society’s or culture’s majority preference can. This is the dark side of democracy, which works well as a form of government in general, but is hopeless as a worldview.
Once again, there is a pseudo-Christian version of cultural relativism which argues that what was declared by God to be true in one part of the Bible (typically the Old Testament) is no longer true in the New Testament (or at least not today).
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Ecclesiastes 3:19-20
Contrast those Old Testament verses with this verse from the New Testament:
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:40
It appears that Solomon, from his earthly, limited point of view, dictated that Old Testament saints were soulless like animals, and would not be resurrected from the earth, whereas John in his Gospel quotes Jesus’s seemingly-contradictory revelation. This is easily resolved, though, when we understand that, in the first case, the Bible records Solomon saying what was in his heart and expressing emotional feelings concerning his observations of the human life cycle. The New Testament interprets and enlightens the Old by showing us that the reality of biological death is overcome by eternal life in Christ.
Non-Christian cultural relativism is evident in statements like, “Trust the science,” as though a “consensus of experts” could never be wrong, when history has shown time and again just how wrong the “experts” have been.
How to Give Thanks
November 15, 2023 at 2:36 pm | Posted in Biblical Thanksgiving, Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: Biblical gratitude, commentary on Psalms, gratitude, Psalm 100, Sunday School lessons on Psalms, thanksgiving, Thanksgiving devotions
“Thanksgiving” is an interesting word. We normally think of the second half of it, and apply it (correctly) as an obligation. We owe thanks to someone (most notably God!), and so it is right and good that we give it to Him. However, we need to also remember that the reason for the “thanks” is that He has first given something to us. Thanksgiving is the arena of receiving AND giving.
Psalm 100 was probably sung or recited during the ceremony of peace offerings, as described in Leviticus 3 and the second part of Leviticus 7, or perhaps when a worshiper brought a sacrificial animal or grain offering to the gates of the Tabernacle. It highlights for us five ways to give thanks:
1. Give thanks harmoniously.
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psalm 100:1-2
Our thanksgiving as Christians ought to be expressed and acknowledged together with other believers in common unity and peace, with one accord. Our individual reasons for gratitude ought to be blended together in harmony, just as our thoughts, attitudes, and actions ought to be in harmony with God’s own will and Word.
2. Give thanks happily.
The joy in our hearts ought to be expressed outwardly as we demonstrate our appreciation to God with praise on our lips and smiles on our faces.
3. Give thanks humbly.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psalm 100:3
It ought to be kind of obvious, but sometimes we overlook the fact that the blessings for which we are giving God thanks are undeserved blessings. We are His people because He made us His people. He is the Shepherd who rescued us and made us His sheep and provides for us and protects us and makes us to dwell in a bountiful pasture. We are thankful to know that He is God and we are not.
4. Give thanks here.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 100:4
We need to show up for corporate gatherings of thanksgiving. It is one thing to be sedentarily thankful – thankful in our private thoughts, devotions, and meditations – but it is another thing to be actively thankful: arising and going forth to meet with His people in a formal way at a certain time for an intentional occasion.
5. Give thanks hopefully.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 100:5
Be thankful for what God has done in the past. Be thankful about what He is doing in the present. But do not forget to thank Him for what He will do in the future. He is going to keep being faithful to His covenant for generations to come, and forever.
Bible Study as a Means of Grace (Part 2)
November 9, 2023 at 4:32 pm | Posted in Means of Grace | 5 CommentsTags: Acts 17, Acts 6, Bible study, commentary on Psalms, Means of Grace, Psalm 119, Romans 12, Sunday School lessons on Psalms
The Holy Scriptures are sufficient, inspired, infallible, and inerrant. Another attribute of God’s Word is its perspicuity. Does this mean we can call it perspicuous? Perspicacious? I’m not sure what the correct adjective would be, but what it means is that the principles and precepts in the Bible can be understood by believers. Its essential truths and fundamental messages are clear to anyone who will read them honestly.
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Psalm 119:30 (emphasis added)
Scripture is profitable for doctrine: instruction and teaching concerning what is right. It is profitable for reproof: conviction or testing by evidence concerning what is wrong. It is profitable for correction: showing us how to change from wrong to right, and from fallen to upright, and from crooked or perverse to straight. The Bible “straightens us out.” It is profitable for instruction: ongoing nurturing and training, which includes chastening in love.
Here are some practical ideas from the Bible itself to apply to your Bible study habits:
1. Study the Bible in community.
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Acts 17:10-11 (emphasis added)
2. Study the Bible daily (or at least regularly).
The Christians in Berea had an eagerness to hear the Word of God, and they did not trust a proclamation about it that could not be independently confirmed by reading and studying it, and specifically by reading and studying it in COMMUNITY.
3. Study the Bible by committing it to memory.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
Psalm 119:11-13
Bible study should be accompanied by prayer. Ask the Author of the Word to teach it to you.
4. Study the Bible with joy.
5. Study the Bible through meditation.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psalm 119:14-16
In community we converse with others about the Bible. In meditation we converse with ourselves about it.
6. Study the Bible with wonder.
Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Psalm 119:18
Have curiosity when studying the Word. Look for surprising and unexpected things in it. Ask the Lord to break the chains of your preconceptions.
7. Study the Bible as a priority.
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
Psalm 119:147
Study the Bible at the beginning of an enterprise and at the conclusion of an enterprise.
8. Study the Bible as a performance review.
Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
Psalm 119:48
Meditate on the Word at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, at the beginning of a project and at the end of a project.
9. Study the Bible intellectually.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2
Don’t underestimate the Holy Spirit’s ability and willingness to boost up your intelligence, understanding, and reading comprehension.
10. Study the Bible humbly.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Romans 12:3
Try not to see yourself as the hero in every Bible story you read. Try to see yourself as the sinner in every Bible story.
11. Study the Bible cooperatively with other disciplines, such as prayer and ministry.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:2-7
While studying the Bible, don’t just sit, soak, and sour. Instead, sit, soak, and serve.
Exceeding in Ephesians
November 3, 2023 at 2:48 pm | Posted in Ephesians | Leave a commentTags: Bible lessons on Ephesians, Book of Ephesians, commentary on Ephesians, Ephesians, lessons in Ephesians, Sunday School lessons on Ephesians
The Greek word hyperballo is found three times in Ephesians. It has the sense of “throwing beyond” – the way a javelin or an arrow would fly beyond some mark or limit. It is translated as “exceeding” twice and as “passeth” (“surpasseth”) once, but this idea of going beyond whatever limits we, as finite human beings, would seek to place on God and His gifts and attributes is a central theme in Ephesians.
The word “excess” is also found in Ephesians – in connection with drunkenness and drunken behavior – but that is translated from a completely separate Greek word meaning wastefulness or loss of control veering toward reckless expenditure. We might be tempted to link “exceeding” with “excess,” but that is not the case here. God does not waste His gifts, nor does He carelessly lavish them without good purpose. God is not “excessive,” but He does exceed all human limits, expectations, and imagination.
Exceeding Blessings
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 1:3 (emphasis added)
Perhaps it would not be a stretch to think that God would bless us with SOME spiritual blessings, or at least one blessing, even considering that He owes us none and we deserve none, but, no, He exceeds the blessing of creation with the blessing of revelation, and He exceeds the blessing of revelation with the blessing of conviction, and He exceeds that blessing with the blessings of calling, and salvation, and regeneration, and justification, and adoption, and eternal life, and His presence, and sanctification, and ultimately glorification. He is blessed, and His act of blessing is itself a blessing, and what we receive are ALL spiritual blessings, secure for us in the securest place – Heavenly places – the royal treasury of God’s throne room in Heaven. Fort Knox may be robbed or destroyed, but God’s Heaven may not.
Exceeding Wisdom
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Ephesians 1:8
To know anything of God and His glory is a wonder and a gift, but He has caused true Christians to know Him in a saving way. He has exceeded the wisdom of the wisest people ever to walk the earth, and He has given us the knowledge and the wisdom to understand and apply that knowledge, and the even greater wisdom to exercise it with caution and discretion and discernment (prudence). There is nothing that God wants you to know that you can not know.
Exceeding Power
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Ephesians 1:19
God not only exceeds in blessing and in wisdom, He also exceeds in power over us and for us. True power is not unbridled energy. It is the power of One powerful enough to focus and control this power. God exceeds our puny abilities and strengths, but then He condescends His power through us so that we have the joy of experiencing it in Him. We are far more spiritually powerful than we often believe, and we have yet to even come close to fully accessing the exceeding power that God will channel through us.
Exceeding Mercy
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Ephesians 2:4
God is not grudgingly merciful, although we sometimes think of Him that way. We might think that all He’s willing to give us is just a rescue from punishment, and, admittedly, even that would be a great mercy indeed. Or perhaps He would even go so far as to give us the role of mere servants, maybe messengers, and that, too, given our sinful and wicked rebellion, WOULD be a tremendous mercy. But God’s mercy comes from an infinitely rich store of mercy. He has not merely pardoned us, or given us some menial tasks. Rather, He has made us His own children and has exceeded anything that the world can comprehend when it thinks of its own stingy version of mercy.
Exceeding Grace
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:7
We might anticipate some act of grace from a gracious God, but God’s grace, the other side of the coin of His mercy, comes from the same treasure of riches, and it will be eternally marvelous and eternally effective. It exceeds time, for there are always more ages to come in eternity.
Exceeding Glory
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Ephesians 3:16
Of course identification with God – the most glorious Being in all of existence – would naturally reflect glory on those associated with Him, but here, again, we are surprised to learn just how exceedingly glorious God is, for His glory does not shine merely in an outward display. It is evident, too, in an inward strengthening that transforms in the deepest, innermost level. Exceeding glory completely permeates everyone and everything which shall be strengthened by God.
Exceeding Love
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Ephesians 3:19
God’s love (the love OF Christ) can not be fully grasped. We might expect to be the recipients of it on some level (for He is love, and love naturally finds an object to love), but this loves goes beyond merely affecting those who are loved by God. It is such an intimate, unconditional, ACTIVE love that it engulfs us fully, through and through: our hearts, minds, will, intellect, emotions, feelings, actions, thoughts, words, attitudes. Furthermore, He does not stop at filling us with PART of Himself. No, we are filled with His FULLNESS. This is truly exceeding love. It passes all demarcations of what we think of as love in our shallow experience of mere human love. It goes to places of which we can not as yet even dream.
Exceeding Expectations
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Ephesians 3:20
This is the summation of the doctrinal section (the first three chapters) of Ephesians, before the Holy Spirit through Paul would go on to the practical application section (the last three chapters). Whatever problem you encounter – if you are truly in Christ Jesus – whether it is a temptation to sin, difficulties with other people (including fellow church members and those in your own household), direct frontal assaults and sudden all-out ambushes by Satan himself, remember that God goes beyond what we would expect in every regard. He has provided and will continue to provide not only what we need, but what we don’t even yet have a clue that we will need.
Below are links to a series of lessons on the Book of Ephesians:
1. From Ephesus to Eternity (1:1-5)
2. Only Apostles Elected? (1:1-7)
3. Causality and God’s Will (1:1-9)
4. Did God Really Choose? (1:4)
5. Is the Doctrine of Election Evil? (1:4)
6. God’s Purposes and Our Obligations (1:6; 2:5-7; 4:1,22-25)
7. Elective Salvation (1:3-14)
8. he Bible Word that Makes Some People Mad, When It Should Fill Them with Joy (1:5-14)
9. An Exceedingly Rich Inheritance (1:15-23)
10. A Different Kind of Gravedigger (2:1-6)
11. What Is the Gift of God? (2:4-10)
12. No More Wondering, Working, and Waiting (2:4-5,8-9)
13. Bloodwork (2:10-14)
14. The Family of Faith (2:19)
15. Family Privileges (2:12,19)
16. The Provision of Peace (2:13-16)
17. A Mystery Revealed (3:1-14)
18. A Sublime Digression (3:10-14)
19. Four-Dimensional Love (Part 1) (3:14-19)
20. Four-Dimensional Love (Part 2) (3:14-19)
21. Prayer as a Means of Grace (3:20-21)
22. All Dressed up and Nowhere to Go (4:1; 6:10-15)
23. Pursuing Peace in Marriage (4:1-3)
24. The Correlation between What You Believe and How You Live (4:1-13)
25. God’s Specific Will for You (4:11-12; 5:15-20)
26. Sanctification as a Group Project (4:13-23)
27. When and How to Speak Up (4:14; 5:17-21)
28. Be Ye Angry (4:26)
29. The Propriety of Paragonal Parenting (5:1)
30. Like Father, Like Child (5:1-2)
31. When We Stink before God (5:2)*
32. An Aromatic Marriage (5:2,28-29)
33. Negative and Positive Charges for a Walk in the Light (4:31 – 5:15)
34. Beware Forensic Filth (5:5)
35. Keep Your Head on a Swivel (5:15-24)
36. The Blessings of an Unhappy Marriage Part 2 (5:24-25)
37. Mysteriously Meaningful Marriage Part 1 (5:24-32)
38. Reverence in Marriage (Part 1) (5:25-33)
39. Reverence in Marriage (Part 2) (5:21-22,31-33)
40. Through Whom God Works out His Plans (5:22)
41. Submission and Honor in Marriage (5:22,25)
42. The Household Code: Husbands and Wives (5:22-26)
43. Why Not Get Divorced? (5:22-32)
44. Juliette and Joey (5:22-33)
45. Modesty and Louis (5:22-33)
46. An Indicative Marriage (For Husbands) (5:23)
47. Mercy and Charlie (5:23,25,33)
48. John Piper: S.W.I.M. to be Married (5:31-33)
49. An Illustrative Marriage (5:31-32)
50. The Problem with Popular Parenting (6:1)
51. The Household Code: Parents and Children (6:1-3)
52. Don’t be an Abusive, Angry, Absent, or Addicted Parent (6:4)
53. The Household Code: Masters and Servants (6:5-9)
54. Closing in Prayer (6:10-24)
55. The Privilege of Protection (6:12)
56. The Armor of God (6:12-14)
57. These Shoes Are Made for Standing (6:15)
58. Shield, Helmet, Sword (6:16-18)
*most-viewed post in category
The Deep End 
Good Preaching with Bad Motives
November 28, 2023 at 5:02 pm | Posted in Philippians | 1 CommentTags: Christian preaching, commentary on Philippians, Gospel preaching, hypocritical preaching, Paul's imprisoment, Philippians 1, Sunday School lessons on Philippians
Paul wanted the believers in Philippi, who, he knew, loved him dearly and were aware of his imprisonment, to see that his imprisonment had not affected his joy, and that therefore it should not affect theirs, either. In fact, his imprisonment was working out for the furtherance of the Gospel in both expected (Paul was taken to Rome where the Gospel needed to go) and in unexpected ways.
Expected:
Philippians 1:12-13
Unexpected:
Philippians 1:14
Why would seeing a Gospel preacher in chains make others more confident about preaching the Gospel? For one, it encouraged and challenged them to see such boldness. For another, it inspired loyalty (togetherness being a key them in Philippians). Furthermore, they were impressed by the power of the message itself, that it would both inspire and sustain such perseverance. They could observe that the Lord does not leave the Gospel preacher even when he is persecuted. They could be reminded of Jesus’s words about fearing God versus fearing man.
Philippians 1:15-16
The preaching of Christ by those who disliked or envied Paul caused contention or added affliction to his bonds by making it seem like he was the tip of the iceberg and that a greater movement was afoot that needed to be squashed more severely. They may have also been trying to gain personal followers and become “greater” than Paul.
Philippians 1:17
Of course, love is a better motive for Gospel preaching than envy or strife, but here we learn how we should feel about those who preach Christ (correctly!) with insincere motives:
Philippians 1:18
Paul rejoiced! Togetherness in a unified spirit and message is the optimum ideal for spreading the Gospel. However, even a divisive spirit still produces some beneficial “togetherness” if the message is true, and this togetherness is a reason for rejoicing, keeping in mind that we do not rejoice in the motives of those who preach insincerely or out of some ulterior scheme, but that we do find joy in knowing – in HOPING and in EARNEST EXPECTATION – that the proclamation of the Gospel message WILL be effective.
Philippians 1:19-20
Paul considered everything he had as really belonging to Christ. Even his own body, the most basic thing we think of as “ours,” was, to him, merely a vehicle for magnifying Jesus – whether he lived or died. He had a tough time deciding which was objectively better: to live and serve Christ here on earth, or to die and be with Christ in glory?
Philippians 1:23
Christians long to be with Christ, but for the sake of others it might be God’s will for us to stay here longer.
Philippians 1:24-25
This kind of mindset can only come from a God-given assurance that He is in charge of salvation – not just that He WANTS to save you, but that He is FULLY ABLE to save you, and that He HAS saved you, and that He WILL KEEP you saved, not according to your ability or merit or performance, but by HIS power.
Philippians 1:28-29