Who is ultimately responsible for Jesus’ death? Often, this question contains political and personal agendas. Some blame the Jews, citing the mob’s call for His death and their claim to bear the responsibility. Others blame Pilate because He was the one to declare the sentence. Many of us say we ourselves are to blame because of the sins in our lives, but one we often omit is God. Ultimately, God sent Christ to Earth, and it was His plan for Jesus to die on the cross to fulfill His plan of salvation.

Sin Entering the World

The first couple of chapters in Genesis really lay a foundation for the relationship God and man should have. Simply, God provided for man’s well-being and personal freedom’s on the sole condition of obedience. God places a single boundary for His creation to avoid crossing, but Adam and Eve transgressed that boundary, bringing sin to the human experience. This creates a condition where mankind is separated from God, and God put in motion a plan to give hope to humanity, bringing them back to His presence.

From this point, the focus of God’s words begins to deal with the problem of sin and initializes a plan to eliminate the power sin has over our lives. In Genesis 3:1-8, that first sin is recorded as the serpent convinces Eve (and Adam through her) to transgress God’s command. In this, Satan shifted their attention from God’s goodness – away from the many blessings they already have – to them to desiring what they don’t have. He attacked God’s word, and brought God’s character into question. God knows the pain sin can bring us, but Satan is good at making it look appealing and inviting.

Defeating Sin

In Romans 5:12, Paul states that death enters the world through sin. Adam and Eve did, in fact, suffer physical death, but there is also spiritual death. In Isaiah 59:1-2, the people of Israel are told that their sins separate them from God and His grace. Spiritually, they are dead to God at this point, and the same can happen t o us and did happen to Adam and Eve. However, in Romans 5:10-20, Paul speaks of a free gift available through Christ that results in life, salvation from the death brought by sin. God’s plan in His grace defeats sin.

When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree, they fulfilled a desire to forsake the many blessings God had already provided them to have something that was not rightfully theirs. We do the same when we sin. We are blessed in so many ways, but we always desire more and better, even when we have no right to claim those things as our own. Unfortunately, once we are captured by sin, we cannot formulate our own escape. We are problem-solvers, but sin has no solution that man can provide.

Jesus was the solution. Only His sacrifice could provide an escape from sin, but, even during His life, He met with obstacles on His path. In Matthew 16:21-23, one of the many opportunities Jesus would have to escape is presented. Many times throughout his ministry, Jesus is given the choice to disengage, but nothing would alter this plan. God chose to send His Son to ensure the fulfillment on His plan, and no one could derail that plan.

In Ephesians 1:7-8, we are told we have forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus. Even Jesus, during the last supper, says His blood is shed for the remission of sins, and Acts 3:18 reinforces that these things are all part of God’s plan. He lovingly laid out His plan to provide us an avenue of reconciliation with Him, to remove the death brought by sin.

Conclusion

It’s hard to understand why exactly God chose to create a world and populations to fill it, but He did so, and He loves His creation. He wants us to spend eternity with Him after our life here is complete, and all He asks of us is to reject that sin which separates us from Him and subject ourselves to His word. Isaiah 53:10-12 reinforces that God put Jesus here to bear our iniquities, He lived sinless, but He carried sin and its consequences as He hung on that cross for us. He has taken care of dealing with the spiritual consequences of sin. Now all that remains is for us to accept the gift He has provided.

By Ben Lanius

Tags: sin, jesus, forgiveness

Is baptism for past sins, present sins, or future sins? On the surface this might not seem like a difficult question, but there is some depth here to investigate. What sins are washed away by baptism?

Washing Sins Away

Matthew 26:26-29 records the last supper of Christ, and, in this, Jesus says His blood is poured out for many – those willing to receive it. Also, Luke 24:44-48 says Christ’s followers were to offer this salvation to all nations, Romans 1:16-17 additionally states this salvation is for all who believe. The gospel is for all, and baptism washes away sins. Which sins, though?

Baptism washes away our present sins. Before we enter into Jesus’ blood through baptism, we are in a sinful state of being. Ephesians 2:11-13 contrasts the state of those Christians before and after accepting Christ – once separated, now close. In Acts 2:23, Peter condemns his audience for the blood of Jesus, but he offers reconciliation in Acts 2:38 through repentance and baptism despite their current situation of sin. Another example can be found in Simon the Sorcerer of Acts 8. He was currently living a life a deception, and his baptism washes that away.

Baptism washes away past sins. In Acts 22:16, Paul is in the midst of recounting his conversion after his Damascus road vision. Paul repented directly after the vision and was actively penitent and praying to God. Ananias tells him that baptism will wash away those past sins. Cornelius, in Acts 10, is described as a devout, generous individual, and the angel, in verses 13-14, tells him to send for Peter to discover how he should be saved. This leads to his baptism in verse 48, washing away a past of sins that were not yet atoned for.

Baptism does not automatically forgive future sins. Returning to Simon in Acts 8, we see the former sorcerer fall back into sin pretty quickly, trying to bribe the disciples for spiritual power. Peter instructs him to repent of that sin and pray for forgiveness. Jesus provides an avenue for forgiveness, but we cannot be presumptuous of that forgiveness. The Hebrew writer, in chapter 2:1 warns against drifting away, even after being converted. Hebrews 3:12 also speaks of Christians falling away, and this concern is voiced more times in Hebrews.

Conclusion

Baptism puts us on the road to salvation, but sin can still drive us off that path. Being baptized brings us into a new relationship with God, washed of our imperfections, made sons and daughters of God. From this point, we put sin behind us and strive to live after the pattern Christ set for us.

I John 1:6 warns us that we have no fellowship with Jesus but we live sinfully. However, if we keep walking in the light, then we have forgiveness in Christ, and verse 9 reminds us that confession of our sins brings us back to that relationship if we fall. Once uniting with Christ, we do have an avenue of forgiveness when we fall, but our goal should be to live as Christ-like as we can.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: forgiveness, baptism, conversion, sin

The song Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw came out in 2004 shortly after the artist’s own father passed away from terminal cancer. It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Country charts, won AMC single and song of the year, CMA single and song of the year, and Tim McGraw netted an Grammy award for the song. He also performed the song in Rome for Bono’s Live 8 concert, and his song was the most played during news coverage of the event. With the possible exception of “Don’t Take the Girl,” it is easily the single most recognizable song by this artist.

The song tells the story of a man with a terminal illness having a conversation with the narrator, telling the narrator how he changed his life with the news, and, in doing so, he expresses his desire that the narrator make these changes himself. In this lesson, we’re going to take a look at three of the improvements this individual makes (and, no, riding a bull named Fu Man Shu is not included) because we really should be living like we are dying. After all, we are.

Living Like We’re Dying

“I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn’t.” I really am just going to focus on husbands here, but these words do apply both ways. Most of us could probably quote Ephesians 5:25, but I think this “giving” of one’s self here is deeper than we usually apply. Yes, we should be willing to give up our lives for our spouses, but what about giving up our time? How do we feel about giving up a hobby or a bad habit? How do we feel about giving up a preferred activity in favor of spending time with our wives, doing something they want to do? If any of us husbands were to pass away right now, could our wives say that we were the husbands that we should be? Wives, can your husbands say that of you?

I Corinthians 13 describes love as something optimistic, patient, kind, faithful, and tender. I think how we treat our spouses and how we behave towards and around our spouses can provide a very good mirror of our true character. Personally, I would like to say one day that I spent every moment I could being the husband my wife wants to have.

“I became a friend a friend would like to have.” What do we look for in our friends? We want someone who is trustworthy, reliable, helpful in a pinch. However, do we demonstrate the friendship toward others that we want in return? In Romans 15:1 we are instructed to bear the burdens of those who are struggling or feel weakened. Paul goes on in verse two, telling us to do good toward our neighbors, being an encouragement to all.

Galatians 6:9-10 encourages not lose faith in doing good and that our friendly attitude should be demonstrated to all. In our daily lives, we sometimes seem to confuse “friend” with “acquaintance.” We call each other friends – fellow Christians, people we work with, our physical neighbors – but how well do we really know each other? Are we willing to go out of our way to help our friends out? Can they rely on us, or do we make excuses to them and ourselves to avoid a true commitment in our friendships? If I’m going to be a good friend, then I need to be the friend I want to have.

“I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin.’” We hold grudges so easily. “Never forget. Never forgive,” is a phrase used in so many contexts it’s hard to think of just one example. Unfortunately, we can sometimes get caught up in this attitude over the smallest of offenses which seem so huge from our limited perspective. In Matthew 18:21-35, after the well-known “seventy-times seven” response to Peter’s question on forgiveness, Jesus tells the story of a master who forgives his servant a large debt. Unfortunately, this servant is unforgiving toward another indebted to him, inciting the master to punish him for his callousness. Jesus simply states that our Lord looks upon us this way when we refuse forgiveness.

Likewise, during Jesus’ model prayer in Matthew 6:12, God is asked to forgive us as we forgive others. Are we forgiving, or are we denying forgiveness? Regardless of the reasons we think we have for withholding forgiveness, all we do is hurt ourselves and others when we do so. We want our God to forgive us. We should be willing to forgive others in turn.

Conclusion

At the outset, I said we should all live like we are dying because, in reality, we actually are. Our bodies mature and grow for a given time. When that maturation process ceases, we begin to slowly break down. Every day brings us closer to death – expected or unexpected. Now is the time to make things right with others and with God. We don’t want to miss the chance we have because we waited until it was too late.

By Robert Smelser

Tags: my thoughts, behaviors, priorities, forgiveness, purpose

Beginning in Psalm 51:11, David asks that God not withdraw His presence, and he offers praises to God based on the salvation He provides. He will sing and tell others of God. Hezekiah says much the same thing in Isaiah 38. These two stand as examples of God’s grace to us.

Amazing Grace

Grace is amazing thing, but we do not always appreciate the power in God’s mercy and love. We live in fear, guilt, and trepidation because we have a hard time really accepting God’s grace. We understand the role of faith and Jesus’ blood. We understand the role of obedience. However, we cannot forget grace’s role in our salvation. (See Romans 3:23-24.)

Paul calls this grace “free.” There is nothing we have done to earn that grace. We love many things based on the joy or pleasure they bring us. However, God gave His love when we were still sat at enmity against Him. (See Romans 5:8-11)

Beginning in Romans 4, Paul speaks of Abraham. He asks if Abraham was justified in his works, if he had room to glory in himself. In verse 4, Paul makes it clear that God does not owe us salvation. It is a gift resulting from grace, and, if Abraham had no room to boast before God, we have no room to undermine the role of grace in our spiritual lives.

Paul on Grace

In Romans 3:7, Paul facetiously asks if it is okay to continue in sin so grace may come. (He reiterates this question in Romans 6:1.) Galatians 5:19-21 is a good example of how hard Paul is on sin. Did he tolerate sin in Corinth? Of course not, but his teachings on grace apparently made some feel he was being tolerant of sin for the sake of grace.

Returning to Romans 6 and 7, Paul addresses grace and questions regarding our response to this grace. He addresses this in 6:1, 6:15, and 7:7.

Romans 6:1. Grace comes and covers our sins. Grace demonstrates God’s glory. Should we then continue sinning so we may glorify God? Paul denies this idea, and he says that we have died to sin, to live no more in it. (See also Luke 9:23-24.) Through grace, we have entered a covenant with God, and he reiterates this separation from sin in Romans 6:12-14, dying to sin and being alive to God.

Romans 6:15. Being freely justified, does grace make it okay to sin? Are we free to do whatever we want? Again, Paul’s response is the same. We are either servants of sin or servants of God. Our character changes when we enter into God’s grace. Verses 22-23 makes it clear that both righteousness and sin are distinct paths with separate conclusions. If we abuse grace, it is removed.

Romans 7:7. Does all of this mean that the law is sin? Do the works of the law negate the role of grace? Once more, Paul vehemently denies this, and he claims that one dovetails the other. The law makes us aware of those things that separate us from God and His grace. The word makes us aware of what pleases and displeases God, allowing us to approach the Creator who has shown us His grace. He restores us, and we, in turn, follow His expectations. The law points me to God.

Our Application

Grace is God’s free gift. There is nothing I can give that will equal what God gives us. This grace brings us into a relationship with God that changes our character and our behaviors, and we can use God’s word as a guide to continue that relationship. Like David and Hezekiah, the gift of grace should make us wish to reciprocate – to praise God and tell others about Him.

God freely offers us a remedy for sin. He offers to heal us and make us whole. All we need to do is approach Him on His terms and accept the gift.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: godly qualities, forgiveness, grace and mercy

We are continuing our look at Paul’s view of the cross. In the last lesson, we looked at the problem of sin in our lives and how all have sinned and have been separated from our God. In this lesson, we are going to look at how the cross intercedes in context of this problem.
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Earlier in his life, Paul strove against Christ in his attempt to live pleasing to God, and, when Christ appeared to him, the meaning of the cross and all it implies came crashing down on Paul. The cross is God’s salvation, and it is a culmination of all the Old Testament promised.
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The Role of the Cross

It Was the Culmination of God’s Promises. In Romans 1:1-2, Paul says that the gospel is promised through the prophets and the scriptures (the Old Testament). I Corinthians 15:3-4 states that Christ’s death and resurrection is according to those same scriptures. In Romans 10, Paul quotes Isaiah to teach Christ, and Galatians 3:8 claims the gospel was shared with Abraham when He made the promises. (See also verse 14.) It was important to Paul to impress on his audiences that Christ’s sacrifice and the gospel message is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament foretold.
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It Delivers Us. In Romans 6:1-2, Paul asks if we should sin more to gain more grace from God. He emphatically denies this idea, saying that Christians have died to sin, and this idea continues through verse 6 where he describes us as delivered from sin. (See also verses 16-17.) We are no longer dominated by sin. We are redeemed (Galatians 3:13), bought back from slavery to sin by the blood of Christ, and Galatians 4:4-6 reinforces the concepts of redemption and adoption. Finally, Galatians 5:1 says Christ’s sacrifice is for the purpose of freedom.
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It Justifies Us. Justification carries with it the idea of being acquitted of a penalty we deserve. Jesus stepped in and took that punishment we deserve. In Romans 3:21-26 we are described as justified through Christ who came to take our sins to the cross. Staying in Romans, chapter 5:9 and 18 speaks of free justification through Jesus. The demands of justice are met and God handles this process justly.
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It Reconciles Us. Romans 5:10 says we were reconciled even while we were enemies to God. (See also verse 8.) This all serves as an illustration of God’s infinite love, for God did not wait for man to become humble or pious before He set Christ up as the sacrifice for our sins. II Corinthians 5:18-20 states that we are reconciled to God through Christ and that His message is a message of reconciliation.
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It Sanctifies Us. Returning to Romans 6:22, the idea of sanctification is included with these concepts of deliverance and justification. In I Thessalonians 4:4-7 and 5:23, Paul says that God calls us to sanctification. Chapter after chapter in the Old Testament parallels sanctification with blood offerings, and, in the New Testament, Christ’s sacrifice provides that sanctifying blood.
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Conclusion

Sin affects all, and it separates us from Christ. However, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross intervenes on our behalf, acting as the fulfillment of all God’s plan had been pointing toward. The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ offers us deliverance, justification, reconciliation, and sanctification.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: sin, paul, salvation, forgiveness

In our last lesson, we considered the Pharisees in light of Matthew 9:13 – Jesus instructing the Pharisees to learn of God’s desire for mercy and justice. We looked at the roots of the Pharisee movement, where they had good motives, and where they went wrong. We concluded that we must speak where the Bible speaks, remaining silent where it is silent, but we must not become unmerciful and self-righteous in our efforts.

Because Jesus emphasized mercy with the Pharisees, we are going to look at the concept of mercy and how it affects us. Mercy and compassion are not the same thing. Having compassion is not being merciful because mercy requires action while compassion is merely an emotion.

Why Is Mercy Important?

It Is a Characteristic of God. In Exodus 33:18, Moses asks to see God’s glory – God mentions grace and mercy before He shows Himself to Moses. In Exodus 34:5-6, His mercy is mentioned again in context of revealing His glory. In Deuteronomy 4:31, Moses calls Jehovah a merciful God, and Psalm 145:8 describes God as merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. In Joel 2:13 and Jonah 4:2 regard the Lord’s mercy (even though Jonah’s intentions are not exactly right).

We emphasize God’s holiness and the importance of emulating that holiness, but on the same token, God describes Himself as merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. Mercy should be important to us because it is a quality of our Lord.

It is Something We Ask of God. In Luke 18:9-14, we have the familiar story of the publican and the Pharisee. Very simply, the publican asks for mercy, and Jesus describes him as justified in God’s eyes. We recognize that we need God’s mercy, and we know we are unjustified without that mercy. Mercy is asked for around forty times in the book of Psalms. We ask for mercy because we know we need it.

It is Something God Asks of Us. Paul, in Romans 12 speaks of the opportunities and talents we should be using for the Lord. Paul speaks of spiritual gifts and natural gifts, and in this context, mercy is emphasized. Luke 6:31 is commonly referred to as the Golden Rule, and verse 36 brings mercy into this context of how God expects us to treat each other, and James 2:13 warns us that being unmerciful results in judgment without mercy. However, James also says that mercy can triumph over judgment.

Hosea 6:6 states that God desires mercy, and Micah 6:8 asks of kindness. These are qualities God looks for in His people. He takes delight in merciful people (Micah 7:18). I Corinthians 13 emphasizes love heavily, and, in verses 2-3, Paul states that great deeds done without love are no good to us spiritually. As God is merciful, we should be merciful.

Areas We Can Grow

Showing Mercy to the Lost. Do we have concern for the souls of those who do not agree with us, or do we view them as enemies. Remember how the Pharisees treated the healed blind man – casting him from the temple – and the adulteress – seeking her execution. Are we similar? Matthew 9:10-13 provides context to the quote we’ve been looking at on mercy. Sometimes we act as if the gospel is for the righteous – not for all. In that, we may be unmerciful.

Showing Mercy to New Converts. All too often, we treat a new child of Christ as if they are already matured. We expect instant knowledge and resolution on principals and scriptural interpretation. Sometimes, we come down too hard on individuals who are not at the same level of understanding.

Showing Mercy to Fellow Christians. We listen to “reports” about other brethren, within our own congregation and without. We pass judgment, but we don’t look for verification nor speak to the individuals we may be judging. We condemn on the basis appearances, and we have a difficult time giving the benefit of doubt, and we have a difficult time merely listening when differences of opinion arise. In Galatians 5:13-15, Paul warns Christians not to bite and devour each other lest they destroy themselves. This is spiritual cannibalism that can cause congregations to self-destruct. Matthew 12:7 provides a warning: judging without mercy can result in condemning the innocent. While we fight each other, we fail to fight the fight of faith.

Conclusion

Mercy is an incredibly important part of our Christian lives. We need to work hard to demonstrate mercy to others, even those it may be most difficult for. We strive to “be holy as [God] is holy,” and God expects us to be merciful as we hope for His mercy.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: forgiveness, godly qualities, growth, one another, grace and mercy

How do we typically share the gospel? Often, we share the good news, emphasizing the commands of the New Testament. We assume someone knows the fact of Jesus’ life and death and the promises surrounding the message. However, the commands cannot be truly obeyed without a good understanding of the facts and the promises surrounding Jesus and His word.

The Facts

It is too simplistic to merely say Jesus died for our sins. Why did Jesus not save us some other way? Why is Jesus’ blood necessary for salvation?

1. Jehovah God is holy, perfect, upright, and just. His plan is not merely for forgiveness, but is designed to make us like Him so we can live with Him. I Peter 2:21-24 discusses the example of Jesus and encourages us to walk in His steps and live unto righteousness. I Peter 1:15-16 calls us to emulate God’s holiness. His plan helps us be like Him.
   
   
2. Christ died to meet the demands of justice. Genesis 9:4-5 sets forth a principal that the shedding of blood requires likewise payment. This carried over into the law of the Old Covenant. Later, in Romans 1:18 speaks of God’s wrath against ungodliness. When we sin, we spiritually have taken our own lives. When a life is taken, a life is required. (See also Romans 3:23-24 & Romans 6:23.)

Why is God’s plan what it is? His purpose is to make us like Him so we may live with Him. Why is Jesus’ blood required? His perfect life is the perfect repayment for the spiritual deaths we have created. God’s plan is designed around justice and righteousness. My sin put Jesus on the cross, and God buys me back with the sacrifice of Christ.

The Commands

How can we cover these concisely? We could jump all over the New Testament to illustrate several different commands covering multiple facets of our lives.

1. We can cover the “hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized” mantra, but we have to remember that God is not interested in ritual absent of righteousness and sincerity. In Hosea 6:6, God calls for understanding and sincerity. He condemns rote tradition. However, obedience is important.
2. We cover baptism as a command leading to salvation, but how does baptism save? Romans 6 illustrates our baptism as a parallel to Jesus’ death and resurrection, a crucifixion of our old selves, dying to sin, raised again to live for Christ. We are symbolically reenacting the sacrifice that atones for and pays for the debt of sin.

The Promises

God promises forgiveness, peace of mind, and a home in heaven – all based in the power of hope. Romans 8:24 says hope is a key ingredient to our salvation. I Peter 3:15 speaks of the “hope you have within you,” and Hebrews 6:18-19 tells us of hope that God has promised us. This hope is an anchor, and it provides stability to our spiritual lives.

I John 1: 7-2:2 promises us forgiveness of sins and advocacy from the Father. We are promised an atoning sacrifice in Christ. This is the core of our hope – that God defends us and that He is looking out for us. With these promises, how can we not want to learn more about Him and honor Him in our obedience and service?

By Tim Smelser

Tags: godly qualities, salvation, baptism, forgiveness

In the last lesson, we looked at what it means to be “poor of spirit” – to be empty of self and full of Christ. Prior to that, we examined Jesus’ meaning in saying that He came to “fulfill the law.” He summed up and accomplished all that the Old Testament pointed to. From here, Jesus sets a higher standard of righteousness for God’s people, and he contrasts several accepted truths of the time and contrasts them with God’s desire.

Matthew 5:20 specifically speaks of becoming more righteous than the spiritual leaders of the time period in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven. The Scribes and the Pharisees were highly respected in the religious community, but Jesus condemns their grandstanding on ceremony and their hedging of God’s law. Matthew 23 sets as a good example of Jesus’ view of these leaders: they teach good things, but their examples should not be emulated.

In the eyes of many of those listening to Jesus, this may have seemed an impossible task. However, to achieve this level of righteousness, Jesus emphasizes the role of the heart in achieving this level of spiritual purity.

Going the Next Step

Murder & Anger. Beginning in Matthew 5:21, Jesus brings anger into the spotlight. There is more to our relationship with others than our physical actions. If we harbor feelings of anger or hatred, then we are guilty before God as if we had murdered that individual. Avoiding reconciliation will only bring pain. There is no justification for animosity. Romans 12:18 tells us to be as peaceful as possible. (See also the story of the wayward son – specifically the actions of the older brother.)

Adultery & Lust. Again, the heart is the focus here, and Jesus offers an extreme example of just to what lengths we should be willing to go through to remove obstacles between us and our relationship with God. James 1:14-15 says that lusts and enticements draw us away into sin. Once we accept those thoughts in our heart, we have sinned.

Marriage & Divorce. Jesus says that it is not justifiable to sever the marriage vows for any reason. In fact, Jesus goes on to say that there is to be no divorce at all. Yes, one provision is maintained – that of unfaithfulness – but the principal is that divorce equals adultery. This is elaborated in Matthew 19:3 when Jesus appeals to the Creation as the cornerstone of God’s view on the topic. Yes, in Matthew 19:10, people recognize this as a difficult concept, but difficulty does not invalidate God’s law.

Vows & Oaths. During the time period, it was not uncommon for people to swear by different objects to demonstrate the validity of one’s word. Jesus merely tells us that we should merely keep our word. If our heart is right, we will keep those promises we make, and we won’t look for ways to wriggle out of those commitments we make. Christians do not look for loopholes.

Eye for an Eye. Retribution was provided for under the Old Law, but Jesus advises His followers not to seek such retribution or for vengeance. This is where we get the sayings, “Turn the other cheek” and “Go the extra mile.” There will be times that we have to endure hardship and accept the fact that everything is not all about “me.”

Neighbors & Enemies. Jesus advocates blessing and praying for one’s adversaries. This point really sums up the previous five. Jesus asks what reward there is in merely being kind to those who are kind to you. Such an attitude provides no differentiation from worldliness. Instead, our hearts and attitudes emulate God.

Conclusion

All of this comes back to God wanting His followers to follow His example. If God wanted an eye for an eye; if He hated his enemies; if He did not keep His promises, where would we be? These attitudes are qualities that God has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate toward us, and Jesus tells us to take that level of righteousness and live it. It begins with the heart, and that starting place will determine our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: attitude, behaviors, forgiveness, sin, baptism, jesus

A couple of lessons ago, we drew a contrast between defending our faith and sharing our faith. We are usually prepared to go one the defensive regarding our faith and practices, but we sometimes fall short on being able to simply share our faith. This lesson will expound on this concept some more as we continue to grow in our ability to reach out to others with God’s word.

Our evangelic efforts are mostly rooted in Matthew 28:18-20 – a directive given to go out and bring people to Christ. Evangelism is one of our main tasks, but, in this lesson, we are going to examine four other directives we are given by our Savior.

The Other Directives

Matthew 9:9-13. Go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” We cannot afford to believe that we have it all figured out and be quick to point out the ills in everyone else’s life. Our ministry needs to be characterized by mercy and compassion.

He is quoting from Hosea 6:6. In this context, God is discussing true religion and true repentance. The people seem to believe that lip-service will appease Jehovah and that God will deliver them from captivity because that is His job. God recognizes this repentance is superficial, and this is when
God states that He desires something deeper than ritual sacrifices.

The people who were criticizing Jesus’ appearance of character were the one’s who were most intimately acquainted with God’s word, but they had not learned the deeper meanings within it. (Mark 7:6-8)

Mark 5:15-20. "Tell others how the Lord has had mercy on you." Again, we like to start out by telling others how they are wrong. We turn God’s “good news” into “bad news,” and we turn others away by a message of self-righteousness. I Peter 3:15. Our evangelism focuses on our hope, and it is typified by meekness and humility. I have hope because of what God has done for me, not because of what I do or have done.

Romans 1:15-16; II Timothy 2:2. God’s good news has the power to positively impact people on an individual basis. On a secular level, we share things we like and enjoy with others, and this should be no different when it comes to spiritual matters.

Luke 10:29-37. “Go and do likewise.” The parable of the good Samaritan illustrates an application of how we are to treat others. Again, the concept of mercy is heavily emphasized here. Just showing compassion and kindness is a significant portion of my Christianity, without which any teaching I might do will be potentially ineffective.

John 8:2-11. “Go and sin no more.” Jesus does not excuse her sin in this instance, but He demonstrates mercy – He gives her a new lease on life – and He tells her to correct her life. We can easily point out others’ faults, or we measure ourselves by standards based on what others do, but this does not excuse faults in our own lives. I John 2:1. We are given God’s word so we can make ourselves more complete in His sight. Our goal is to be Christ-like, and Christ lived a sinless life. That is our goal, and, by the blood of Jesus, we have the power to achieve that goal.

Romans 6:1-11. When we are baptized, sin loses its power over us. We can overcome.

Conclusion

Going and making disciples is an important task, but if that is all we are focused on, we are being narrow-sighted, and our Christianity will be incomplete. We must broaden our focus and learn to fill our lives with God’s word. If we do so, we will have little time for finding fault in others, hating our neighbor, or quibbling with a brother or sister, and our efforts in evangelism will become more effective.

By Tim Smelser

Tags: behaviors, sin, forgiveness, study