What does it mean to call on the name of the Lord?
In the first four verses of Romans chapter 10, the apostle Paul expressed his heartfelt desire that his fellow Jews would be saved. He said that they were zealous for God, but misguided in their beliefs and practices. They were doing what he had once done, when he persecuted the church (see Acts 22:3). He thought that he was serving God when he was actually persecuting the Son of God. Many sincere people are still zealous for God, but ignorant of God’s will and his ways.
In Romans 10:5 we learn that the Israelites’ zeal was misguided because they had turned God’s law into a system of self-justification. They thought that they could establish their own righteousness by keeping the law with all their might and in this way, put God in their debt,. They misunderstood what Moses had said and the purpose of the law.
Through Moses, God invited Israel to be united with him in a covenant of love. They were to love God with their whole being and put their faith in Him. As an expression of that faith, God required them to be obedient by keeping his commandments and statutes. They were to obey God because they had already become his people, but not to earn the right to be His people. God extended that privilege by His grace and in fulfillment of the promise that he made to Abraham. But they had turned law-keeping into a system of self-righteousness which effectively denied that only God could save them.
That is what Paul was pointing out in Romans 3:20, when he wrote that, “…. no one will be declared righteous in his (God’s) sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” He repeated that thought again in Romans 7. True righteousness was possible only by faith. This is what Abraham was commended for. He believed in God and trusted Him to keep his promises, which included the salvation of the world. And he acted upon that faith by obeying his heavenly Father.
In Romans 10:6-8 the apostle Paul made the same distinction that Moses did between God’s work and our own (Deuteronomy 30:11-20). God has always extended salvation and forgiveness on the basis of His grace. His grace can only be received by an obedient faith. So it was, that God chose Israel and invited them into a covenant with Him that was enjoyed by no other nation.
This distinction between God’s work and our own continues on into His new covenant in Christ. The incarnation (bringing Jesus down from heaven) was God’s doing. His death on the cross as an atoning sacrifice was sufficient because he was the Son of God and entirely sinless. Jesus lived a sinless life of faith in God and obedience to Him. We are saved by his accomplishments and not our own. The resurrection (bringing Jesus up from the grave) was also God’s work. And while on earth, Jesus faithfully delivered God’s word and his will for believers. From start to finish, salvation through Jesus has only ever been accomplished by God. Even our access to this knowledge is God’s doing, having spoken through the apostles and prophets. Yet, while salvation is entirely God’s work, it is also not out of our reach, for both faith and obedience are well within our ability.
Now when some folks read Romans 10:9-10, they understand Paul to say that in order to be saved, we only need to believe (have faith) in Jesus and be willing to confess that He is Lord.
The problem with that view is that it does not consider the rest of the chapter or other scriptures that speak to the same subject.
It is certainly true that both faith in Jesus and confession of that faith moves us toward salvation. And it is easy to understand why both are necessary. Since Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God died for our sins, he must now be the object of our faith. Only he can save us. When we confess our faith, it exposes both the fact that we do believe and what it is that we believe. It is a pledge of allegiance to Jesus. But it is also true that neither faith nor confession are once for all. They define what life in Christ is all about.
At the same time, faith and confession are not by themselves, all that the scriptures call for.
We began with the question: what does it mean to “Call on the Name of the Lord?” How is that phrase used in the New Testament? And how did the apostle Paul understand it as it pertained to his own salvation?
After Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, he spent 3 days in prayer. At the end of that time, God sent Ananias to Saul, saying: Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.’ (Acts 22:16)
The apostle Paul no doubt had this in mind when he wrote Romans 10:11-13, in which he also quoted from Isaiah 28:16 and Joel 2:32, writing:
“For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Isaiah was talking about Jesus when he said that those who believe in Him will not be put to shame. And Jesus is ‘the lord’ – upon whose name we are to call, as the prophet Joel had promised (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:36-38). Calling upon his name includes believing in Jesus, confessing our faith in him and being immersed in his name or by his authority. This is done to receive forgiveness of our sins.
Ananias explained to Paul, that it was in baptism that he called upon the name of the Lord so that his sins were taken away. And having identified Jesus as the Lord mentioned in Joel’s prophecy, Peter commanded his hearers on the day of Pentecost to be repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. It follows then that no person has actually ‘called upon the name of the Lord’ without being baptized into the Lord.
The amazing thing about what Isaiah said, was that the salvation that God was going to offer included “whoever believes in Him”. Paul explained that God meant this literally and it included Jews and non-Jews alike.
Returning for a moment to Deuteronomy 30:11-14, let’s consider them once again in their context. Moses predicted that Israel would abandon God, be scattered among the nations and that God would then restore them to the land of promise (Dt. 30:1-5). He pointed out that God was not at fault. He had made his will abundantly clear in the law and required no more than they could actually do.
Therefore Moses wrote: “For this commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.”
God has always required men and women to be obedient, and to do so as an expression of their faith. This principle has been in place from the beginning of time and has applied to every covenant that God has made with Mankind. Obedience is not an optional extra.
Jesus appointed Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles to bring about ‘the obedience of faith’ (Rom 1:15). And the apostle Paul states that “the obedience of faith” has been made available to the Gentiles through his preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom 16:26). These two statements serve to bookend Paul’s epistle to the Romans. So when we find Paul in Romans 10 stressing our need to hear the word of God and to obey, this is what we would expect. Belief alone has never been enough.
We do need to believe that the gospel message is truth. Central to the gospel is that Jesus is the Son of God in the flesh, who has died for the sins of the world and has come back to life. We must then act upon our faith by repenting of sin and confessing that Jesus is Lord. And because Jesus truly is Lord, we must be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins as he himself commanded (Mt 28:18-20) Taken together, these individual responses constitute our obedience to the gospel message. By doing all of these, we submit to the will of God.
We must not only submit to God’s will in order to be saved, but must continue to submit, to remain saved. Obedient submission is one way in which we express our faith in Jesus and continue to confess his Lordship.
This raises the question…have you obeyed the message, the gospel? Perhaps you believe that Jesus is the Son of God but have not yet fully submitted to the will of God by repenting and being baptized into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection? This is not a small thing – it is the difference between life and death.
The real value of hearing the gospel message is so that you may obey it and be saved. Call upon the name of the Lord today and choose life!
In 2 Timothy, chapter 2, Paul used three illustrations or life examples that his audience would understand, one after another, to make his point: the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. Paul loved to use real life examples so that his audience could relate to his message. I want to focus on the athlete.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24–25, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 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.”
Back in Paul’s day, the Isthmian games were held every second year. They took place on the seacoast, about nine miles away from the city of Corinth. The competitors would spend all year training hard and dieting for these games. In this sporting event, only one person would win the prize… a wreath, believed to have been made of pine leaves and a branch, which was placed on the winner’s head. It was all about honour to these people back then. The one with the wreath was the winner and got all the honour and glory.
The winner would be lifted up on peoples’ shoulders so that everyone could see him. He would tower above everyone. People would shout praises to him and applaud, throwing flowers all over him. His family would be honoured by his victory as well and he would ride out in a chariot. His name would appear in poems and songs. And as Paul pointed out in verse 25, this wreath and this honour didn’t last. It was short lived because in two years time, someone else would get the crown, the wreath, and the honour. The former winner would be forgotten.
A Christian has something more worthwhile. It is a crown that will last forever. This crown comes with great glory and honour for those who will have remained faithful to the Lord until the end.
We are told in Hebrews 2:11-12,“Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, ‘I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation, I will sing your praises.’”
Here again is the concept of honour and glory and perhaps Jesus was also using an illustration. He made us holy when we obeyed the gospel. We were added to God’s family when we were washed by His blood and made holy. And it is God’s family that shares in the honour of the one who won the victory and finished the race…which is Jesus. We have won the victory as well by overcoming the world. We did that when we obeyed the gospel and as we continue to do so.
However, we still need to finish the race that we started when we obeyed the gospel. Finishing the race to receive the prize is not just about eternal life but also living with God in His presence. This is why we obeyed the gospel, so that we can look forward to that day upon which we have set our hope. But we have to finish the race to get there.
There is also another important point in this lesson, which is – that anyone who competes in a race must do so according to the rules. Second Timothy 2:5 says,“Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.”
We need to always be reading our Bibles, studying it to find out what pleases our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our standard for living. It teaches us how to stay on course and finish the race. The New Testament is filled with the teachings of Christ, the rules of the race.
In Galatians 5:1-12 (read), Paul talked about those who had come among Gentile Christians to convince them that they had to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses to be saved. These trouble makers, obviously Jews, were trying to steer their Christian brothers off their course. They cut in front of them to convince them that obedience to the gospel, was not enough.
Paul responded in verse 11 that if salvation could be attained by observing the Law of Moses, then he would say so. But as it was, these same false brethren were persecuting Paul. He himself was a Jew, yet he knew that this alone did not save him. He was saved by faith in Jesus and obedience to His Lord’s will. He was no longer under the Law of Moses which by itself was never able to save anyone. Paul had already talked about this kind of obedient faith in chapter 3. It is by obedient faith that we came to obey the gospel and it is by obedient faith that we run this race, our Christian journey.
During our race, we need to be a voice of encouragement to one another. We need to help each other to stay on the course and not stray from it. This means tough love sometimes. We need to be concerned for each other’s souls. We have to take an attitude where we want to see every person make it to the finish line. And the best part about this race we are running: every person who crosses the finish line is a winner.
I would like to point out what is believed to be Paul’s final words to Timothy and is the last letter or book he wrote.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 says,“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
In verse 7, Paul said “I have fought the good fight.” He fought hard against sin and evil. He fought hard to remain a Christian. He fought hard against false teachers by using God’s word to refute them. Paul then went on to say, “I have finished the race.” Paul used this kind of imagery and language to make his point.
Finally, Paul said, “I have kept the faith.” He was faithful to Jesus and didn’t give up. He could have easily given in to all the pressure from those who opposed him but he didn’t. He could have followed the in-crowd and become very popular. He could have allowed himself to become a great speaker, idolized by many, but he didn’t do any of those things.
He allowed himself to be despised, stoned, whipped, insulted, and so much more because he wanted to please God rather than men. Paul had no desire to win a man-made crown. He had a crown of righteousness waiting for him. Paul’s crown was not to be a symbol of his own righteousness, nor was it to be an award that he had merited, or had earned.
Those who have longed for the appearing of Christ, who have obeyed the gospel, who have kept the faith, also have a crown waiting for them, laid up in heaven. We have the promise of being with Jesus one day, reunited with our Creator, and nothing is more glorious than that.
We know why we entered this race and what the prize is for finishing. We need to realize that we are running that race right now; it is our life ‘in Christ’ which began when we obeyed the gospel.
Let’s encourage one another – careful not discourage. Let us use the word of God to teach, correct and train us for righteousness as Paul puts it in 2 Timothy 3:16. Let us stay the course and stay on course. And may we continue to live by faith in the gospel that we obeyed, in obedience to the Lord whom we profess, holding fast to His teachings preserved in the word.
Tough times are upon us all and the things happening in the world threaten to distract and discourage. But let us not lose sight of the finish line. May we all work together to finish the race and keep the faith as we try to serve God rather than men!
Winnipeg MB
In order to trust in God, we have to realize that it can’t be just spoken words. Saying that you trust in God and really doing it is two different things! In order to understand what trust looks like, let’s consider some examples of people who truly trusted in God.
Noah – Genesis 6 & 7.
In chapter 6, we have the account of the flood. (Read verses 5 – 8). The Lord was about to bring a huge flood and destroy everything upon the earth yet one man out of the entire population at that time found favor in the eyes of the Lord, and that man was Noah! Why? What was so special about Noah? (Verse 9).
Noah walked with God! And if Noah walked with God, then that must mean that Noah trusted God! We can see proof of Noah’s trust. The Lord gave instructions to Noah on how to build an ark in preparation of the great flood He was about to bring on the earth. What did Noah do? (vs 22). Noah didn’t just obey God, he completely trusted in God. He didn’t question anything; he just did it!
After that, God commanded Noah to load into the ark many different animals both male and female and then his family also. What did Noah do? (Gen 7:5) Again, Noah did as God commanded and he trusted in God and in everything that God had told him. He trusted that this ark that God had told him to build would save his life.
Imagine what it must have been like to see Noah building the ark. Think of how many people who must have been watching. They most likely laughed at him, telling him how crazy he was, yet he continued. He didn’t have a complete understanding of everything that was about to happen. In the face of ridicule and mockery he didn’t stop building that ark and he did everything that God told him to because he trusted Him.
And what did trust in God do for him? (Read verses 21 to 23). Noah trusted in God and lived, he and all his family who were with him, eight people in all. He lived because he trusted in the Lord! He didn’t just say he trusted God; his actions said that he did! Let’s look at another man who trusted God.
David – 1st Samuel 17
David was the youngest of eight brothers and was chosen by God to be king. We can read about David in 1 Samuel, chapters 15 and 16. However, we will look at chapter 17 where we read about David’s battle with Goliath.
Goliath was no ordinary man. (Read verse 4). At nine feet tall… he was a big man! Verse 5 tells us that his armor alone weighed about 125 pounds. Imagine having to carry that much weight on your body and how quickly you would be exhausted. Goliath was so big and scary that Saul and the Israelites were terrified. They were trembling in absolute fear when he faced them at the Valley of Elah.
Their fear was apparent – in verse 11. They were afraid just to hear his voice! (Read verses 22 to 24). So, you can see that even though there were many Israelites, they were too frightened of Goliath to face him. All except David, that is. David had both seen and heard Goliath, yet he wasn’t afraid. (Read verse 32).
David was eager to take on the challenge that no one else wanted. David didn’t run away from this threat like the Israelites. (Read verses 45 to 47). He had confidence and trust in God and wasn’t scared of anything, even though many doubted that he could win. Verse 33 indicates that king Saul didn’t believe that David had a chance. He was just a boy, a shepherd who watched over his father’s sheep, and Goliath was a warrior. Yet, David trusted God completely to guide him to victory!
And like Noah, what did trust in God do for David? (Verses 50 – 51). A mere boy was able to defeat that giant warrior with just a sling and a stone!
The Philistines ran away in terror. Why? Because they trusted in a man named Goliath who had died before their very eyes at the hands of David who trusted in God Almighty! David was rewarded with a great victory, against a powerful foe, because of his trust!
Daniel – Daniel 6.
In chapter 6, we read about Daniel and how he was a very respected and trustworthy man! He was such a good man that King Darius, who was ruling at this time, had made Daniel an administrator, which was a very high-ranking position. The King had even intended to put Daniel in charge over his whole kingdom! (Verses 3 and 4). In fact, Daniel was such a good man that these other administrators and satraps, who were jealous of his high standing with the King, wanted to find some dirt on him so to speak but couldn’t because there wasn’t any! They just couldn’t find anything bad to say about Daniel! So, what did these men do? They tried to find a way to trap him! (Verses 5 – 9).
The administrators and satraps knew that Daniel was faithful to God. They knew that he would not stop praying to God even though this new decree had been passed and was written into law. Daniel did exactly what they thought and were hoping he would do! (Vs. 10). The only thing left for these men to do was to tell the King, which, of course, is exactly what happened in the next few verses. (11 – 13).
We find the King’s reaction in verse 14. When the King understood the trap that was set for Daniel, he tried everything to help him because he was very fond of him, but was bound by the law! Daniel would have to be thrown into the lion’s den for breaking the king’s decree. If that weren’t enough, verse 15 says that these same deceitful men approached the King and reminded him that he had put this law in writing. (Vs. 16-17).
The King didn’t want to do what he had to do but he had been deceived. These evil men, who were jealous of Daniel, convinced the king to make a new law not realizing that the purpose of that law was to get rid of Daniel. Nevertheless, the King knew that Daniel was a good man. He cared deeply for him. (Vs. 18).
The King was greatly overwhelmed with guilt and was distressed with the whole situation. He was afraid for Daniel’s life. (Vs. 19 -20). The King was desperate to know if Daniel was still alive! What did Daniel’s trust in God do for him? (Vs. 21-23). Daniel was perfectly safe though sealed in a cave with ferocious lions. There was no way out and nowhere to hide! But he trusted God to save him, and God did! If anyone ever suggested that the lions must have been tame and gentle, we find that that was not so when we read on. When those who had deceived the king were thrown to the lions along with their families, they were attacked immediately. Their bones were crushed almost before their bodies hit the floor of the cave! They didn’t even have a chance to put their feet on the ground, yet Daniel was in the cave overnight! He had lots of time to spend with them. Imagine sitting in the dark with no light and knowing ferocious and hungry lions were walking around. They could have even passed right in front of him. And God didn’t just close the mouths of the lions so that they wouldn’t eat Daniel; he kept them from harming him as well! Because of Daniel’s faith and his trust in God, he was unharmed… not even a scratch!
The Lord our God whom we serve and worship looked after these men of God in their time of need because they trusted and believed that He was able to help them. We need to believe and trust in God as well. Peter said that God knows how to rescue godly men (and women, of course) from all kinds of trials (2 Peter 2:9).
We might not be called upon to build an ark or to fight a 9-foot giant, and we definitely won’t be thrown to the lions, but we all run into situations in life where we need to just trust in God. And by that, I mean – really trust Him to help us in our times of need.
Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart (wholeheartedly believe and trust Him) and lean not on your own understanding.” We sometimes think we have to take care of things all on our own, as if it all depends on us. We sometimes do not factor God at all in our thinking and decisions but we are told not to lean on our own understanding. Verse 6 continues to say, “in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight”. God can help us with anything we face but we need to really trust Him. We need to believe He can do something and patiently wait for it. (Read Ephesians 3:20 – 21).
God’s help is something we can always count on. As Christians, we are to believe that God can help us! We need to trust Him; not just say that we do, but to actually do it. Let your actions say that you trust God!
Shawn Leblanc
Portage Avenue church of Christ, Winnipeg, MB
What divine purpose did the resurrection of Jesus serve? What does the resurrection mean for the human race? How important is it that we understand Christ’s resurrection?
In order to understand better, we need to get some context and understand what led to Christ dying on the cross and rising again to life.
We understand from the Book of Genesis, that God created the world and everything in it in six days and then rested on the seventh day. On the sixth day He created Adam and Eve. Adam walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden. The state of man and his relationship with God was very good in the beginning. Adam knew that God had created him and he did everything that God commanded. Because of Adam’s obedient faith, he was able to enjoy being in the very presence of God.
In Genesis 3 we read about sin entering into the world and the fall of man. (See Genesis 2:15 to 17 then 3:1 to 6).
What exactly is sin? It is disobedience to God. It is a failure to live up to His righteous standards. As the creator of the universe God has the right to set a standard by which His creation will live. He has a right to make the rules.
A once perfect and wonderful relationship with God changed, because Adam and Eve had disobeyed the Lord and eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil after being forbidden to do so. And because of that, God could no longer allow them to be in His presence. So they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. And sin, having entered the world, passed from generation to generation until it filled it up. People learned to be selfish and forget about God. People learned to sin.
Things got so bad that the Lord was sad and regretted that He had even made mankind. So He decided to destroy the world with a flood, and also to rescue 8 people with whom to start over. This of course is the story of Noah and the great Flood (Read Genesis 6 and 7).
But the world after the flood continued to pull away from God and even stopped seeking the Lord. Before God made the world, he had already decided to set a day when He would judge the world in regards to sin. But He was not willing to let us all die in our sins and abandon us. He loved His creation too much, so, He put a plan in place to save those who would come to Him.
Sin was not a problem that man himself could change. No amount of good deeds could undo the bad ones. Nor could they ascend to the level of holiness needed to stand in the presence of God. We can’t make ourselves right with God. Sin has placed a permanent blemish upon us, a stain that could not be removed by ourselves alone. (Read Romans 3:21 to 26)
Only the sacrifice of Christ is able to make us holy. Only Jesus was entirely righteous and also God. His sacrifice was part of God’s divine plan for bringing Man into His presence once again. It was a demonstration of the power and love of God.We are undeserving of God’s love because of our sin, yet He still gives us a chance to be with Him. Jesus died for the sins of the world to provide us with an opportunity to be reunited with our Maker.
Knowing then why Jesus had to die, why was it also important for Jesus to be resurrected?
To begin with, the resurrection shows us that Jesus is God the Son. (Read John 10:17 – 18).
Only the man who was also God has the power o lay down His life and then take it back up again (John 10:17-18)
Paul later explains in Colossians 2:9,“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”
And regarding his full identity, we read: “regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus was God in the flesh. He is God the Son! (Romans 1:3-4)
So the resurrection serves as God’s stamp of approval upon all that Jesus ever said about his divine nature.
The resurrection is miraculous evidence that Jesus triumphed over sin. (Read Heb. 9:26b-28). God accepted his sacrifice for sin and made him alive forever more.
The resurrection of Christ was needed to defeat the work of Satan. (Read Hebrews 2:14 and 15).
The resurrection of Jesus reminds us that we do not need to fear death. (Read Hebrews 2:14-15). When we were baptized into Jesus, our souls were joined to him on the resurrection side of life. And having been united with our resurrected Lord, He promises to raise us also from the dead.
The resurrection tells us that Jesus spoke the truth about everything he said in His word. The fact that what He said came true, in declaring that He would die and be raised on the third day (Matt. 16:21; Matt. 17:9, 22-23; Matt. 20:18-19; Matt. 26:32), means everything else He said in His word is also true. We can take Him at His word! How could someone prove himself more? By stating that he was going to come back from the dead and then actually doing it.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…” If the resurrection happened “according to the Scriptures” then this should give us confidence that God’s word is true.
If there was no resurrection, then there would be no church. The church is the body of believers in Christ, believing not only in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as the foundation of Christianity but also that He was and is the Son of God and the head of the church. (Read Colossians 1:15 to 23).
If Jesus was not resurrected then our worship would also be in vain. If there was no resurrection, then not only is our faith useless and are we still in our sins, but we will not receive eternal life with God. Our lives would be emptied of their meaning and subject to the wrath of God in eternal punishment.
But instead, the resurrection means that we will be raised from the dead as well. We will appear in the presence of God and empowered to enjoy that privilege forever. But this is true if and only if we have obeyed the gospel and stayed faithful until death. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:12 to 23, 35 to 57).
In this way, we understand the importance of the resurrection and what it means for us every day. And we are especially reminded of this every Lord’s Day when we share that meal of remembrance, the Lord’s Supper.
Let us always remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and how he is risen from the grave to bestow it’s benefits upon those who believe. We do not need to fear death for our Lord has promised us a place in heaven with our Creator!
Winnipeg MB
As Christians, we have faith that Jesus is the Son of God. We also believe that Jesus is our Lord and God, just as Thomas confessed in John 20:28. Some religious groups, today, reject the concept that Jesus is deity. They understand the term, ‘Son of God’, to mean simply that He is a son of God and that we in the same way are all sons and daughters of God. Furthermore, they say that Jesus had His beginning when He was born. Those who hold to this view appeal to the Biblical account of the birth of Christ as scriptural proof. However, they fail to accept what the rest of God’s word has to say about Jesus. If they did, they would understand that Jesus is deity, and that He is the Son of God! In order to understand it all better, let’s word it differently: Jesus is God the Son!
Some of the reasons that people reject the deity of Jesus are indicated by the questions which they ask: like ‘How can Jesus be human and be God (deity) at the same time?’ or ‘Why would God come to earth and allow Himself to become human?’
While affirming the deity of Jesus, the scriptures also explain some of God’s motives for the incarnation. Consider the following Scriptures.
This brings us back to the questions with which we began and the objections which they imply
Matthew 1:18-23 explains that Jesus is God the Son in the flesh and He came to earth to save His people from their sins. He did so by being a perfect sacrifice for us. The fact that He came to earth implies He is deity because He came from somewhere else, somewhere that is not earth. The apostle Paul makes this clear in Phil 2:5-11
Conclusion: Jesus is the Son of God! He is the I Am (John 8:58)! He was not of this world (John 8:21-23) but came to put on flesh, allowing Himself to be born as a human so that He could die to atone for our sins as a physical sacrifice. He died for our sins and rose from the grave, promising that those who belong to Him will one day be resurrected and transformed to prepare for life eternal in heaven. (John 14:1-4)!
See also 1 John 5:11-13.
Winnipeg, MB
Paul left Titus in Crete to straighten out what was left unfinished (1:5). Interestingly, Cretan Jews were present on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11). It is likely these Cretan Jews, having obeyed the gospel and become Christians, brought the gospel back to Crete.
Titus was to appoint elders in every town, according to certain qualifications (1:5–9). These men were to be holy blameless men who people could easily recognize as desiring to please the Lord and do what is right in all situations. Titus was also to deal with many who were teaching falsely and influencing others to the point of ruining whole households and this for the sake of dishonest gain (1:10–16). The kind of people Titus had to deal with were referred to as rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers (1:10); liars, evil brutes (or beasts), lazy gluttons (1:12). He was to rebuke them sharply (1:13). He was also to correct and teach.
In chapter two we see the things Titus was to teach people and how they were to live their lives in ways that glorify God. Though the instructions which Paul commanded Titus to teach were intended to straighten out the Christians on Crete, these instructions apply to us today as well!
In verse one, Paul told Titus to “teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” The word ‘sound’ here means “whole or healthy.” Strong’s Greek Dictionary says, “Figuratively to be uncorrupt; true in doctrine.” This was in contrast to those Jews who were teaching what was false. Chapter one tells us that these Jews were caught up with Jewish myths and influenced by people who reject the truth. We are to be true in doctrine. We are to teach right doctrine, healthy doctrine and stand on it. We are to teach what God says, not what man says.
In verse two, we read instructions for the older men. Other translations say “aged men.” The aged men were to be temperate. Some Bible versions might have the word “sober” or “sober-minded” instead of temperate. It means being sensible, able to think clearly, to have sober judgment, being clear minded.
Titus was to teach the aged men to be worthy of respect. How does one earn respect among Christians? How do we learn to be worthy of respect? We learn to be worthy of respect by how we live our lives, being godly and being a great example to others. The aged men were also to be self-controlled and spiritually healthy in all aspects of their lives, sound in faith, in love and in endurance or perseverance.
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live” (2:3). Some translations say “aged women.” They were to be reverent in the way they live. The Contemporary English Version says, “Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should.” They were to live their lives in such a way that it showed they had love and reverence for the Lord. Every Christian should live this way. People should see our good behaviour and be left with the impression that we love the Lord. We are to be reverent in the way we live. The fact that Titus was to teach this to the aged women implies that many of them were not doing this. How were they behaving? The fact that Paul commanded Titus to teach them, “not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good,”is a pretty good indication! They were slandering others.
These women were not to be addicted to much wine. Other translations say “enslaved.” These women were addicted or enslaved to drinking. It had to stop. The text then says, “…but to teach what is good.” It is very hard to teach someone else what is good if you are setting bad examples. These women needed to be better examples.
In verses four and five, Paul pointed out that if the older or aged women could make the proper changes, they could then in turn train the younger women. How can the older women train the younger women to love their husbands and their children? By living the Christian life so that the younger women could see what it looked like, to train by setting a good example! In an indirect way, Paul was telling Titus to command the older women to love their husbands the way that they ought to because the younger women were obviously learning some bad things from them.
Older women were also to train the younger women as it says in verse five “To be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” Instead of being busy-bodies out in the market place they should be busy at home. They needed to show godly submission to their husband and so honour God and His Word.
Verse six begins with “similarly” or “likewise.” Titus was to encourage or urge the young men to be self-controlled. Some translations say, “…urge the young men to be sensible.” It wasn’t just the older men and older women who needed to be self-controlled.
In verses seven and eight, Titus was not just to preach sermons but also to live them. He was to practice what he preached setting a good example of godly behaviour. We all need to set good examples as Christians, otherwise how can we teach others and grow as God’s people? Titus was to set such an example so that, as it says at the end of verse 8, “they have nothing bad to say about us.” Paul was including himself here because his reputation was on the line too. He was, after all, the one who vouched for Titus and sent him there to Crete to do this important work.
In verses nine and ten, Paul taught about the master/slave relationship. Slavery is not legal today in North America but I believe that these two verses give us principles concerning employer/employee relationships. Slaves worked hard for their masters so that they could receive the necessities of life such as food, shelter, etc. In the same way, many of us work for our employer so that we may receive our wages to pay for the necessities of life. We are to try to please our boss and not talk back to them. We are not to steal from them either but rather try to show them that we can be fully trusted. This way we can gain their trust and respect and possibly open a door to share the gospel. We are to set a good example in the work place.
In verses eleven to fourteen, Paul highlighted what God did for us to make us holy in His sight. God has shown us grace, which is love and mercy that we did not deserve or merit. Because God loved us in this way, we are to say “no” to ungodliness contrary to how God wants us to live our lives. We are also to say “no” to worldly passions. God doesn’t want us to chase after the things that the rest of the world does. We are to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age while we wait for Jesus to return. Paul was not just saying that to Titus and the Cretans. What he said is for all Christians of all times.
Chapter two finishes with Paul saying in verse fifteen, “These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”
The book of Titus teaches us how we should live in this world while we wait for the coming of our Lord. Let’s be productive people and set good examples for others that we may be more effective and convincing when we are trying to bring the lost to Christ. Most importantly, let’s remember Christ who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good!
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Colossians 4:2–6
In his letter to the church in Colossae, the apostle Paul issued a series of commands to that church. In chapter three, he addressed wives, husbands, children, fathers and slaves before turning attention to masters, in chapter four. These two chapters were all about holy living and Christian conduct.
Notice the kind of language that he used:
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (3:2)”; “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature… (3:5)”; “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with… (3:12).”
Those of us who call ourselves Christians need to realize that God holds us to a higher standard. Christians ought to look different. We need to conduct ourselves well, while we wait for our Lord’s return.
The church at Colossae had its share of problems, but no more than any other first century congregation. They needed to live holier lives; they needed to live a life worthy of their calling. This message was emphasized over and over again throughout the epistles of Paul:
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1),
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10),
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).
Peter also taught the same thing:
“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16).
The Apostles understood what it meant to be ‘called’. They understood how blessed they were to be the people of God; to be the forgiven people of God. Now they were trying to help all Christians understand this. This is very clear from the language Paul used throughout the letter to the church in Colossae.
When we come to Col 4:2-6, Paul gives further instructions. He started out in verse two by saying, “Devote yourselves to prayer.” Other translations say, “Continue steadfastly in prayer.” Prayer should be a very big part of a Christian’s life. It is not something we should neglect to do. It is communication with the Creator. It is sharing our cares and concerns with our Heavenly Father.
Remember this: prayer was designed for us, not for God. God does not need our prayers. Prayer is designed to help us realize how much we need God and depend on Him. God knows what we need before we ask Him. Before we put our thoughts into words, God knows what we will say. But more importantly, he knows what we really need. God is only a prayer away and He wants to help!
Every time we pray, whether we realize it or not, we are declaring the existence of God and our dependence upon Him. Prayer is by its very nature an act of faith. The difference between prayer and wishful thinking is faith in God and the conviction that he wants to help!
So, Paul told these Christians to devote themselves to prayer. He understood how important prayer was to the Christian life. He added to that, “…being watchful and thankful.” Some translations say, “…be alert and be thankful.”
We need to be careful to have the right frame of mind when we pray, thankful and alert to this very important duty. Which raises the question; are we grateful people? Do we understand the blessing and the privilege that God has given us by not only allowing us to come to Him in prayer but urging us to do so?
Paul asked the Colossians to pray for him (vs 3-4) because prayer makes things happen. Christian prayer calls on the power of the one who created us. Paul understood this and that is why he asked the Christians at Colossae to pray for his work. This great apostle had preached fearlessly in the face of violence and disbelief while God had worked wonders through his hands. Yet he asked for for prayers or ‘ordinary’ Christians that he might preach clearly and effectively. He knew that God is the one who grants success and that God would hear their prayers on his behalf.
Are we thinking of others and praying for them? Or do our prayers rarely extend beyond our own little world? Do we want God to ‘get onside’ with our desires, or do we pray for power to do his will?
In verses five and six, Paul turned attention to non-believers. He instructed the church to be wise when dealing with them and especially when preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their good behaviour would give credence to a message urging repentance and obedience to God. And one of the first things that people observe about us is what we say.
Here is what he said in verse six,
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
I wonder if perhaps the Apostle Paul had once said something to a non-believer and ruined an opportunity to preach the gospel. Had he learned from his own experience or that of others? Either way, he asked the Colossians to pray for him that he might proclaim the mystery of Christ clearly. This ought to be our prayer as well
As Christians we always need to conduct ourselves wisely, especially around non-believers. We need to speak to them gracefully so that they might see Christ in us and be attracted to the truth. We need to make the most of every opportunity that God gives us because we might only have that one time to plant a seed and leave the right last impression.
Summing up, the apostle Paul instructed Christians to:
*Devote yourselves to prayer or continue steadfastly in prayer. Do not neglect to talk to your Heavenly Father and pray to Him often. There is power in prayer!
*Be watchful or alert in prayer and be thankful. Do we truly understand the blessing and privilege of prayer? Are we thankful for this way of communication to the Creator?
*Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders. You may only get that one time to make a good first impression or better yet, win them to Christ.
*Let your conversation or speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt. CEV “Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.”
Colossians 4:2-6 gives proper weight to the importance of Christian conduct. It may help or hinder the further advance of the Gospel, upon which the souls of men and women depend. As scripture, Paul’s instructions set a permanent standard for Christian living. It is really up to us then to heed what is written; to share the mystery of Christ with those who are lost and to pray for those spreading the gospel. May Christ live in us, shaping our conduct and leading others to Him.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
