planted foot beliefs

THE BIBLE: Foundation the Christian faith

Everything I know about faith and the theology I trust is founded on Scripture. The Holy Bible highlights God’s desire to be in a relationship with humankind and his plan to make it happen. It is his inspired word, without error in so far as it has been correctly interpreted. As such, it is the infallible, and authoritative guide to faith and rule of conduct—the primary means by which we learn about God and discover the standard by which we will all be measured. For me, the best version of the Bible is the one I will regularly read and meditate over. (Matthew 4:4, James 1:22, Hebrews 4:12, and  2 Timothy 3:16-17)

THE GODHEAD: It begins and ends with God 

According to Millard J. Erickson in Christian Theology, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), “the Christian faith is unique in making the claim that God is one and yet there are three who are God,” (p. 347) Since it isn’t explained in the Bible and, in fact, the word isn’t even in the Bible, I am not sure I  completely understand what people mean when they use the word Trinity. But I believe there is only one God. That, in itself doesn’t count for much, even the demons believe that and it scares the dickens out of them. (James 2:19) God is holy, eternal, all powerful and all knowing. His perfect knowledge extends to all things and times, past, present and future. He knows what we will do before we do it. Yet, he has given us free will to make our own decisions and fall on our face if we want to. Our only reason for being here is to love, revere, obey and enjoy him forever. Jesus said God is a spirit (John 4:24) and a spirit does not have flesh and bones, a body. (Luke 24:39) He reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with unique personal attributes, yet without division of nature, essence, or being. While not exact, here is how I best wrap my mind around the concept some call the Trinity. I think of the essence of God as water. Water can be steam, ice or cool refreshing water. Its appearance and use may change, but the essence, H₂O, remains. (2 Corinthians 13:14) 

Jesus is the essential revelation of God. (John 14:9) He is God’s eternal, only begotten son who was with God from the beginning. (John 1:1 and 3:16) He is the Creator. (Colossians 1:16) In his incarnation, human birth, (John 1:14) he was like us in every respect except he did not sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21 and Hebrews 4:15) He is the mediator between us and God. (1Timothy 2:5, and Hebrews 9:15)  When we get to heaven the only “person” we will see is Jesus. God’s glory will fill the space, but Jesus will be on the throne. (Colossians 1:15 and 2:9) Jesus died a shameful death as an itinerant preacher, who on one occasion admitted he didn’t even have a place to spend the night. (Matthew 8:20) But, he will return to earth as a mighty warrior to take his place as ruler of God’s earthly kingdom. (Matthew 24:44, Acts 1:10-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, and Hebrews 9:28)

The only body the Holy Spirit has is in that of the believer. The Holy Spirit was sent to empower and lead us into all truth. (John 16:13) He convicts us of our sin and guides us along the right paths. (Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18, 25) Finally, he equips us to obey Jesus’s commands, (John 14:16-21, 26, 16:7-8, 13-14) comforts us with the knowledge Christ lives in us, helps us pray (Romans 8:26-27) and provides spiritual gifts to the church. (1 Corinthians 12) He frees us from the Law and gives us liberty, but not license, to live any old way we like. (2 Corinthians 3:17)

SIN: Why faith matters

Sin is any evil action or motive that is in opposition to God. Simply put, it is any attempt to take God’s rightful place in our lives. In an interesting paradox, the more we know about and hate sin the more we long for God’s presence. Sin is an inner force that controls our thoughts and behavior. It affects our relationship with God, other people and even nature itself. Humankind was made by God in his likeness. (Genesis 1:27, and 9:6)  In the beginning humans were without sin. But God gave them freedom of choice or free will. When faced with the lies of Satan they yielded to temptation.  (Genesis 3) It was their desire to be like God that produced the first sin of disobedience. Sin has been passed down to each succeeding generation. We are born sinful. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself this question, “Who taught me to lie?” “Who taught my child to steal?” 

The Old Testament uses six different nouns and three verbs to describe sin. There are 33 words for sin in the New Testament. Two of the most common Hebrew words best encapsulate the concept. They  are chata’ ah, which means missing the mark. It is a term one might apply to a marksman’s shot. The other is pesha, which is a willful transgression to spite God. While there may be an obvious difference in severity. Sin is sin. There are no “little” sins and God hates sin. In Old Testament times, an animal without defect was sacrificed to atone, or pay, the price for sin. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22 | NIV). We still sin today because we are sinners. (Romans 3:10-12, 23 and 1 John 1:8) But we normally don’t kill an animal to make up for our failures or transgressions. Yet, in the eyes of God, the penalty for sin is still death. It is a spiritual death, separation from God in “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Someone must pay the price for sin. A sinful person cannot be in the presence of a holy God. Sin separates us from him. (Romans 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 3:5-6, 8-9 and James 4:17)

SALVATION: What It’s Really All About

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10 | NIV). Christ’s death “ was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people” (Hebrews 10:14 | MSG). As that perfect sacrifice, Jesus, was qualified to pay the price for the sin of humankind by his death on the cross. He was raised to eternal life by his father three days later. His resurrection achieved complete victory over sin and death. Faith, alone, justifies us in God’s sight. It is faith in who Jesus is, what he did, what he is doing and what he will do that saves us from sin’s penalty. He is God. And as God, he does not want anyone to die for their sin. He has already paid the price for them. The first step of discipleship is Justification, another word for salvation—having our eternal destiny changed from death to life. That process was outlined by the apostle Peter in the first gospel sermon preached by a Christ-follower. You can read the whole story in Acts 2, but here is a brief synopsis. 

Just before returning to heaven, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the father to send the promised Holy Spirit. On Pentecost they were all together in a room praying when they heard what sounded like a strong wind. Then they saw what was described as “tongues of fire” resting on everyone. Finally, the truly miraculous happened. They all began speaking with other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. They spoke in languages of people from throughout the known world as they made their way out into the street. People from everywhere heard them speaking in their native language and praising God. Those witnesses were intrigued because most of the people doing the speaking were uneducated, ordinary folks. Some of them were even fishermen from the boondocks of Galilee.

Because of their behavior, likely the result of pure, unrestrained joy, a few people accused them of being drunk. Peter stood up to defend them. He said they were not drunk and reminded them it was only nine o’clock in the morning, much too early for even fishermen to be drinking. But he didn’t stop there. He went on to preach the gospel. He told them Jesus was the long-awaited, promised Messiah and had proven that to be true by the things he said and did. Then he proclaimed God had resurrected Jesus from the grave. And now, the man they had murdered was sitting on the right-hand of God’s power. Many of the people listening to his sermon had played a role in the execution. At the very least they were in the crowd shouting “Crucify him!”

At Peter’s words, they were overwhelmed with guilt and remorse. We pick up the sermon with this. “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day” (Acts 2:36-41 | NIV). There are four key words in Peter’s response: repent, baptized, Holy Spirit and save. Before continuing, we should know what it is, exactly, that we are being saved from.

Many people who profess belief in “a god” believe that he is good and, because they are good, he will reward them with heaven when they die. But, from a Christian perspective, such theology is fatally flawed. It certainly seems logical that a loving God would not destroy a good person or at least a person who is better than the man or woman next door. Such thinking results from a spiritual blindness. “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 | NIV). No one is good enough to make it to heaven on his or her own. 

In his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul asserted “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . “ (Romans 3:23 | NIV) Three chapters later he says “ the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36 | NIV). When the Bible speaks of the death of those who die separated from God, some believe their souls will be thrown into a “lake of fire” and be destroyed, while the righteous live for eternity. I read the Bible differently. And it makes me believe eternal suffering in the fire of hell awaits those who reject the gospel. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8 | NIV). Regardless of whether or not they are consigned to eternal suffering or destroyed, they will miss out on what God wants for them. He wants “all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 | NIV). God has offered us a way out. Jesus, said he came to call “sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32 | NIV). In his sermon to the Greeks in Athens, Paul echoed that theme of repentance. “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Turning to Jesus begins with repentance.

Repentance. In the New Testament, the word “repent” is derived from the Greek, “metanoia.” It is a compound word involving time and change, resulting in a word that means: ’to think differently after’ or to “perceive afterwards.” In repenting, a person literally changes direction. He or she turns around and adopts a new worldview. Here is a simple way of understanding it that I adapted from the metanoia.org website. Imagine you are standing in a group of people in a dark room, facing away from the center. There is a light source in the middle of the circle. You cannot see anyone else, but everyone but you is facing the light. All you can see is your shadow on the wall. But, if you turn around you see the light and the faces of the others. They become your primary focal points. In terms of Christian faith, Jesus is the light. We can only see clearly by turning away from the darkness and toward him. The Holy Spirit offers us that opportunity. Repentance is simply turning from the world’s darkness and toward the light of Jesus. It means thinking differently about everything. We become more observant and acutely aware of what we say, feel and do, especially as it relates to other people. True Jesus-followers stop measuring themselves against others and compare their behavior against his words and actions.

Jesus described true repentance with these words. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 | NIV). The first beatitude is foundational to coming to God through Jesus. Jesus is concerned with the spiritual condition of those who follow him; specifically that they recognize they are spiritually poor. We must be poor in spirit before we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. And the infilling of the Holy Spirit must be preceded by an awareness we are separated from God and overwhelmed by a conviction that something within us must change. That conviction produces a godly sorrow. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 | NIV).

Repentance is not feeling bad or guilty because you got caught doing something that God does not like. It is a recognition that you are eternally separated from God and knowing that you cannot fix it yourself. The heart of the gospel is you do not have to fix it yourself. Jesus already did. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 | NIV). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9) | NIV). 

The second beatitude describes the proper response and reward for genuine repentance. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 | NIV). In his book Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones viewed Christ’s reference to mourning from an individual, sinner’s perspective. “Those who are going to be converted and wish to be truly happy and blessed are those who first of all mourn. Conviction is an essential preliminary to true conversion.” He further asserted that the Christian mourns for his or her sins and the sins of others, along with the damage sin brought into the world.  True repentance carries with it godly sorrow and the manifestation of that sorrow is the mourning for which Jesus promises comfort.

Baptism. Virtually every Christian denomination, fellowship or church practices some form of baptism because that is what Jesus told us to do in The Great Commission. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20 | NIV). The primary meaning of the word translated as “baptism” is “to dip or plunge under water” (Erikson, p1113) Baptism of believers demonstrates repentance and entrance into a covenantal relationship with Jesus based on the believer’s faith. Baptism of infants is based on vicarious faith, the parents’ faith. Nowhere in the Bible do we read that infants were baptized. 

Unlike repentance and sanctification, baptism is not indispensable to salvation but whenever possible should be viewed as a part of the process of becoming a disciple. Jesus himself was baptized to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). But, baptism conveys no direct spiritual benefit beyond making us a part of a community of believers.  Otherwise, it would be a “work” and dilute God’s grace.  (Ephesians 2:8-9) 

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16 | NIV). Baptism is a symbol that tells the world you have chosen to follow Jesus. It unites the believer in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Once a person has placed faith in the finished work of Jesus, sanctification, the core of discipleship begins. Sanctification is becoming like Jesus in the way we live and the way we think under the leading of his Holy Spirit. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) plus Hebrews 2:11 and 12:14, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, James 1:22, 2:18 and Ephesians 2:10.

The Bible teaches we should be baptized in the name of Jesus. Baptizing in the name of Jesus is consistent with the practices of the apostles and the 1st century Church. (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48 and 19:5). Baptizing in the “name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” is like ending a prayer by saying “We ask these things in the name. Amen.” Jesus said, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:4 | NIV)  Jesus expects us to use his name, not his eternal relationship, son.  The angel told Joseph, “you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). (Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the LORD, YHWH or Jehovah, saves.) Finally, John 14:26, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Holy Spirit. According to Erickson, “The Holy Spirit is the point at which the Trinity becomes personal to the believer.” (P.862) He is considered the third person of the godhead. But that does not mean he is less important than God, the Father, or God, the Son. He is equally God. He is God living inside the believer. The last instruction Jesus gave his disciples was, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5 | NIV). When that happened, everyone that received him spoke in other tongues.

God’s Spirit lives inside the true believer. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 | RSV) He marks us as genuine Christ-followers. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit . . .” (Ephesians 1:13 | ESV). We don’t need a list of rules. He guides us into all truth. “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John16:13 | NIV). He teaches and reminds us what it looks like to glorify God by the way we live. (John 14:26) He opens our eyes to Scripture and facilitates our understanding of what God reveals to us about himself. “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11 | NIV). Finally, the Holy Spirit even prays for us when we are at a loss for words. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27 | ESV).

Some Christ-followers speak in other tongues. There is no Scripture that asserts being filled with the Holy Spirit requires the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues, but that seems to have been the pattern in the 1st century Church. Practically every time we read where people received the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues. (Acts 2:4, 10:46, and 19:6) One can’t help but wonder, if it is available and, if the apostle Paul considered it important, “ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18) why wouldn’t we want it, along with the other spiritual gifts? “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts . . .” (1 Corinthians 14:1 | ESV).

There is a lot of disagreement over spiritual gifts, including healing. That likely results from lack of experience, rather than solid exegesis. There is no biblical evidence that any spiritual gifts  have ceased. In fact, evidence from around the globe indicates they are all still available for those who ask. The apostle Paul took great pains to explain the importance of spiritual gifts, including tongues in 1 Corinthians 12. In an age when people are too proud to walk to an altar to repent, it is no wonder we do not hear very much about speaking in tongues because it requires complete surrender to God—an abandonment of self-will and self-control. It is a supernatural experience that has no natural equivalent.