Month: September 2021

Stand With Christ, No Matter the Cost

by JacobChristian Living

We must stand with Christ, no matter how difficult and costly it may be to do so. Here’s how we stand when persecution arrives.

I am not here to sound the alarm of doom. I am no prophet of despair.

But I am a concerned follower of Jesus, and one who wants His church to faithfully and joyfully reflect the purpose we’ve been handed by our Savior.

What I’m about to write will sound alarmist. It will sound as though I’m directly contradicting what I wrote in the first sentence of this post. But please bear me out. Please read all the way to the end.

Here’s my message to you today: there is a time approaching – and approaching quickly – when our Christian faith will be tested as it never has been before. There is a time coming when we will need to choose between following our Savior and having a comfortable life. It is coming much faster than you or I probably realize.

I’m speaking to YOU, America. If you’re a follower of Christ Jesus living in the United States (or anywhere else in the Western world), you should listen to me.

Our Problem

Droves of men and women are leaving the church every year. Old church members are dying, and young ones are not falling in line to replace them.

Don’t believe me? The numbers don’t lie.

Our society has become critically infected by toxic individualism, where each person seeks to create his or her own bubble world. This is resulting in widespread dysfunction across all spheres of life, from economics to government to education to religion to family.

Social institutions are crumbling at their foundations. Confusion is reigning supreme. Political instability and moral arguments are threatening to rip this country apart at its seams.

And what is the Church doing?

Christians in today’s America are largely (though not exclusively) falling into one of two camps:

  1. They’re changing their beliefs, practices, and narratives to fit the “emerging culture”; or,
  2. They’re cowering behind oaken doors and debating carpet colors while their church hemorrhages attendees at the rate of dozens or even hundreds per year.

On one side of the fault line, we’ve got churches that are literally shape-shifting with every gust of wind in the storm. On the other side, there are those who are so set in their ways that they would rather die than change.

Both churches will fail.

One will fail due to its lack of conviction, and the other will fail because it simply dies out.

Neither is healthy. Neither will be effective.

This is our problem and our coming crisis: that Christianity is losing its influence. It is losing its ground. There is no way around it. You cannot “dress up” the data and say that there is no problem. To do so is to stick your head in the sand.

If you’re a Christian, you must admit that your faith is losing its prominence in America and in much of the rest of the Western world.

What will result from this?

Lots of things.

For one, we are likely to see the introduction of something hitherto not seen in the United States: official, legal persecution of Christian faith. We’re also likely to see an increasingly hostile public attitude towards the faith, where people regard Christianity as (at best) an outdated relic of another time, or (at worst) a dangerous and hate-filled set of beliefs that must be stamped out at any cost.

We will see a world where true Christians become increasingly isolated and ostracized from the mainstream of society. Those “Christians” who do manage to stay within society’s good graces will have adopted a set of beliefs and practices so different from that of Biblical Christianity that it will be debatable as to whether or not they’re truly Christian.

Are you concerned yet? You should be.

The Coming Era

Here’s the rub: there’s no hard, fast solution. There is no magic pill or silver bullet.

Societal forces are at play here that dwarf the capacity for any one person (or even any one group of people) to deal with. We’re witnessing the result of decades of social decay and dysfunction. We’re seeing a living example of ,”…Sin when it is fully grown brings forth death (James 1:15).”

Society will continue to grow more and more hostile to God. Open criticism of Christianity will become more and more commonplace. Christian beliefs will be more and more disdained by the mainstream culture. Churches will continue to lose influence, and many buildings will continue to shutter their doors and never re-open.

This is the world we live in. This is our new normal.

Are we living in the last days? Many think so. There are many Christ followers (particularly older ones from more traditional backgrounds) who herald the “imminent return of Jesus.” That may certainly be the case, though it’s also possible that this is just another chapter in God’s perfect plan for the world.

Regardless of whether the Rapture comes next year or next millennium, our responsibility will remain the same. Our solution remains the same. Here it is:

We are to keep on being the Church.

That doesn’t mean we’re to keep being Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Catholics, Reformed, Non-Denominational Christians, Presbyterians, or Lutherans.

Increasingly so, denomination will not matter.

What I’m saying is this: we’re to keep on being what Jesus Christ calls us to be. Gone will be the days of “safe” Christianity, where one attends church on Sundays, Bible study on Wednesdays, and posts inspirational Christian quotes on Facebook.

Gone will be the days of Christian billboards and Christian ideals being promoted in public. Christian books will gradually disappear from bookstores, and Christian radio stations will fall silent one by one.

The metaphorical landscape will become increasingly dry and bleak. If you’re expecting things to get easier, you are mistaken.

Taking the place of encouragement will be persecution. You will suffer for your faith. You will suffer the derision and exclusion of your co-workers, your friends, and perhaps even your family.

Many Believers in the United States have already experienced this.

You will suffer in the workplace, as unbelieving or even anti-Christian managers refuse to award promotions to you. There may even come a time when you are asked to renounce your faith or leave.

Furthermore, there is every chance that the government will enact laws that are unabashedly anti-Christian. Some laws in various cities and states have already trekked dangerously close to this. Laws may be passed which outlaw certain doctrines or curtail religious assembly.

Depending on the fervor of the anti-Christian sentiment being reflected in lawmaking, it’s possible that some Christian groups may be legally banned outright.

If you don’t think this can happen, you’d do well to examine the histories of nations such as Russia, China, Mexico, Germany, and Cuba. All of these nations went through (or continue to go through) eras during which their governments effectively criminalized Christianity.

Many of these nations were also “Christian nations” which had held their collective faith for centuries.

It happened there; therefore, it can happen here. And I will be the first to admit that the direction the United States is taking does not bode well.

There is writing on the wall, but whether this translates into merely increased hostility towards God’s people or an outright, full-blown persecution of them remains to be seen.

But I digress. There is a new era coming. Can you feel the winds of change? Can you feel the shift in the direction and the strength of that wind? Isn’t it apparent to you?

Therefore, We Must Stand

The early Church had to endure all manner of persecution. It endured persecution at the hands of the Jews and the Romans. Christians were ostracized, beaten, jailed, and killed.

Throughout much of Church history, various people at various times have suffered intensely for the Gospel. There are countries even today where merely proclaiming faith in Jesus can be a death sentence.

The American church has yet to experience such intense resistance.

In the United States, we have it in mind that “persecution” means being called names or being attacked on social media by an angry atheist. It can include that. But it is also so, so much more.

And regardless of how much persecution we have to endure, the call of Christ to His Church is the same: stand firm, follow Me, and show love.

That is our calling in a new era of persecution and hostility. We are called to hold firm to what we believe. We are called to stand in the power of our Savior, showing love and compassion to all people… even those who persecute us.

We are called to be salt and light, to spread the Gospel of hope, repentance, and love. We’re called to stand for Christ, even if it costs us our lives.

As a Church – as followers of Jesus – we must be prepared to deal with persecution when it comes. We must be prepared for the cost of losing friends, losing jobs, losing influence, losing money, and even losing our freedoms. We must be prepared to give our lives to Christ as a living sacrifice… where we may literally be called to die for Him.

That is our call. That is our duty. Following Christ demands our full obedience, even if that obedience means giving up everything we have.

In a way, the coming time of persecution presents an incredible opportunity for God’s people. Historically, the Church has always thrived under persecution. Historically, great and mighty things have happened when the crackdowns were at their most intense. Historically, Christ has always won.

And He isn’t about to start losing now.

As we submit fully to Him in a new era of hostility, we will bear an incredible witness to those around us. There will be something truly different about us. Others will notice. Our different way of life will truly be different, as our lifestyle is thrown into sharp relief with the lifestyle of the world.

Persecution is coming, but although this presents a challenging and difficult new life, it is not the end of the Lord’s work in America. Far from it.

God bless.

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What is Biblical Manhood?

by JacobChristian Living

Biblical manhood is sorely lacking in our world today, but what does it mean to be a man of God? We’ll examine the basics in this introduction.

Please note: this article only covers the basics. There will be more articles posted to this site soon that deal with different topics related to being a Biblical man. It's a wide-reaching topic with many different avenues to explore!

As a young man myself, Biblical manhood is a topic that sits near and dear to my heart.

What does it mean to be a Christian man? What is Biblical manhood?

Let us cut right to the point: being a man of God is about putting Christ first in everything you do. That may sound like a ‘well… duh!’ statement, but hear me out.

There are two super-broad callings that God assigns to human beings in adulthood. If you’re female, you’re called to be a woman of God. If you’re male, you’re called to be a man of God.

These two callings have a great deal of overlap. Both men and women are called to submit fully to Jesus. Both are called to love sacrificially. Both are called to respect and honor other people. Both are created with equal worth before God, and both are equally vital in this life.

Without Biblical womanhood, things go wrong. Without Biblical manhood, things go wrong.

Now, while both of these roles are very similar in some ways, they’re also very different in others. Here are a few examples:

  1. Men (as husbands) are called to be the “head” of their households. Women (as wives) are called to submit to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:23-24).
  2. Men are called to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. Women are called to respect their husbands. (Ephesians 5:25-32).
  3. Men are called to provide and protect their families (1 Timothy 5:8).

Obviously, these are not exhaustive. There are many further distinctions made between men and women in Scripture. Suffice it to say that (a) the callings of Biblical womanhood and manhood are equally important and are alike in many ways, and (b) these two callings are also different and distinct in many ways.

The Distinct Calling of Biblical Manhood

Many in today’s culture will take issue with the idea that the callings of men and women are separate. However, you cannot get away from this idea in Scripture. If we’re being true to everything the Bible says, we must admit that Biblical manhood and Biblical womanhood are distinct callings of equal importance and equal worth.

Anyone who teaches that there is no distinction between manhood and womanhood is teaching incorrectly. On the other hand, anyone who teaches that manhood is superior to womanhood (or vice-versa) is also teaching incorrectly.

They’re separate, vital, and equal. Both are absolutely essential. Both are necessary. Both have many things in common.

But they’re distinct.

For men, the calling of Biblical manhood is inherently leadership-oriented. We are called to submit fully to Jesus in all that we do, and out of this submission, we are called to lead sacrificially.

If you’re an adult male who believes upon Jesus Christ, congrats: you’re a leader. You may or may not know it yet, but that is what you’re called to be. You may not feel ready for it yet, but that’s what you’re called to be.

Now, don’t get me wrong – biblical womanhood also involves leadership. But it’s generally exercised in a different way.

When I say “leadership,” I mean that men are called to get out in front and plow the proverbial snow off the roads so that others can walk behind them. Biblical manhood is about bearing burdens so that others don’t have to.

The Nature of Biblical Manhood

A man of God is called to lead. But before we can talk about leadership, we have to talk about the essence – or the nature – of genuine Biblical manhood.

To do this, let’s first look at what it is not.

One of the world’s most common misconceptions of manhood is that it is all about rugged individualism, self-reliance, muscle, and testosterone.

Take the American “ideal” of a man: he is tall, muscular, drinks beer, plays/watches sports, dominates at the office, takes home a big paycheck, has a trophy wife (or girlfriend), drives a sleek and sporty car, and puts his own sensual pleasures above all other things.

He needs no one, and – perhaps by association – no one truly needs him. He’s a free agent who can do his own thing on his own time.

How do I know this? I’ve watched a lot of TV, seen a lot of movies, and met a lot of people. If you’ve been immersed in American culture for any significant length of time, you will have to nod your head in agreement with what I’ve just written.

Our culture subliminally tells men that there is something wrong with them if they’re not muscular, sexually promiscuous, fun-loving, and money-oriented. According to the popular culture, a man ought to be someone who can get whatever he wants whenever he wants.

And that has been our ideal – more or less – since the 1950s. But here’s the problem: it’s wrong.

The American ideal of a man is something birthed out of consumerism. If you read back through the description written above, you will find that you can distill it down to one base essence: a man is defined by what he consumes.

This is why you can watch NFL games on TV and every commercial is about beer, cars, and medicines designed to increase a man’s sexual performance. The message is this: your manhood is defined by what you consume.

Want to be more manly? Drink this beer.

What to be more manly? Buy this car.

Want to be more manly? Take this medicine and have your share of fun.

Pop culture manhood is about consumption. But Biblical manhood stands in sharp relief to this.

Biblical manhood is about what you PRODUCE.

This is where the rubber meets the road. Men of God are supposed to be givers, not takers. They’re producers, not consumers. A man of God should not ask himself, “What can I get out of this?”

Rather, he should ask himself, “What can I give?”

Biblical manhood is about what you produce; it’s about adding value to others’ lives. Therefore, a Biblical man is first and foremost a servant. Nowhere was this more perfectly modeled than in the life of Jesus Christ, who is our ideal for what true manhood looks like.

Jesus, though He was unlimited in power and incomprehensible in intellect, humbled Himself to the point of dying on the cross for us. He endured not only physical pain, but spiritual anguish and the mockery of the world.

In fact, if you could go back in time to the day Jesus was crucified, you would find that virtually nobody considered Him a “success.” Instead, they would say He died for nothing. They would label Him at the very most a dangerous heretic, and at the very least a blundering fool whose life was marked by delusion.

How could someone with such power – after all, He claimed to be God – meet such a shameful death? Even in the days of ancient Rome, the popular culture’s ideal of masculinity was corrupt.

Jesus did not die a wealthy man. He did not die a powerful man, except in the eyes of those few who truly followed Him. He did not die a glorious death. His end was met on a cross, at the hands of executioners. The Roman ideal for death would have been one of heroic sacrifice in battle, where one laid down his life for the good of his fellow soldiers.

To the eyes of the world, Christ did not die an honorable or glorious death.

He died in shame, in dishonor, and – though He claimed to be God and claimed to bring a new kingdom to the world – was instead arrested, beaten, and killed. To all who watched, it seemed that this man had a mission… and failed in the most miserable and lowly ways possible.

But you and I know the truth.

Did Jesus really fail in His mission? Of course not! His life was not marked by delusion, weakness, and failure (as the pop culture of His day thought), but rather consistent humility, servanthood, and sacrifice. That is our template for manhood.

Truly, we have some big shoes to fill.

What does the life of Jesus Christ teach us about what it looks like to be a man? It teaches us that we do not define success in terms of dollars signs, possessions, or sexual partners. We do not define success in terms of power or position. We don’t even get to define success by what others think of us.

We define our success as Biblical men by one standard only: are we living for Christ, and in doing so, are we laying our lives down for the good of others?

That is the benchmark by which we measure Biblical manhood.

Biblical Manhood is About Leading Well

Leadership – particularly the leadership that should be embodied by men of God – deserves a long article in its own right. I fully plan on writing one soon. But as we near the end of this post, I’d like to simply touch briefly on the necessity of leadership.

Biblical men are leaders. But this leadership is not about “getting your way.”

Because our culture’s ideal of masculinity is corrupted, our culture’s ideal of leadership is also corrupted. Many people believe that leaders are those who always come first, who get the biggest portions, and who receive the most favorable treatment. They believe that leaders are those who, either by seniority or competence, deserve and receive the “best.”

But nothing could be further from the truth.

That is what our culture says leadership is, but it’s not true leadership. The culture’s view of leadership is one where the leader is being served, whereas Biblical leadership is all about serving others.

Jesus is our foremost example in this area. Just as He perfectly modeled Biblical manhood, He also perfectly modeled the Biblical standard of leadership.

As was shown earlier, Christ’s life was a constant example of sacrifice and servanthood. He was the leader of all leaders, the most perfect leader the world has ever seen.

And what did it get Him?

Well, it got Him crucified. Christ’s leadership was a constant laying down of His own interests for others. Christ did nothing from selfish ambition and nothing for the sake of gaining fame or fortune. He did everything out of sincere love and deep sacrifice.

This is our example.

Christ exemplified Biblical manhood, and – in doing so – Biblical leadership. As a man of God, your call is to die to yourself and use your strength to stand up for others. It’s a call to seek the welfare of your family, your friends, and your neighbors before yourself.

It is a call to imitate Jesus, and while we will never perfectly do this, it is up to us to submit to Him as best we can, trusting Him to empower us to live a life of service and worship.

As a last resource, please feel free to check out Paul Washer’s teachings on Biblical manhood. You can find them on YouTube and on other online sites. Here’s a shorter video that serves well as an introduction:

God bless.

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The Lordship of Jesus

by JacobChristian Living

Jesus is Lord. What does this phrase mean? In this article, we’re taking a look at the lordship of Jesus Christ, and what it means for our lives.

Jesus is Lord.

We hear that phrase often; it’s painted on roadway signs and plastered on church marquees all over the nation.

But what does it really mean?

Philippians 2:9-11 tells us,

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:9-11, ESV]

Not only is Jesus Lord, Scripture tells us that there will come a day when every person will assent to His lordship.

Clearly, the lordship of Jesus is important. It’s fundamental to who He is, and how He relates to us as human beings.

Here are three aspects of Christ’s lordship over our lives.

1. Jesus is Sovereign

Jesus Christ is God. He is a member of the Trinity, which consists of three separate persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Each is separate, yet also God. They are different, yet the same. The Trinity is a mystery which has been pondered by theologians and scholars of the most brilliant sort for thousands of years. I would venture to say that no human being has ever had a perfectly correct understanding of the Trinity.

The best we can do is approximate.

We can know that there is a Trinity, yet still be unable to fully grasp the nature of the Trinity. It is a mystery that will remain partially hidden to us until we go to be with the Lord.

But I digress. Jesus is God, which means that He is sovereign.

What does “sovereign” mean? From Merriam-Webster, the term ‘sovereign’ is defined as follows:

  1. Possessed of supreme power
  2. Unlimited in extent; ABSOLUTE
  3. Enjoying autonomy; INDEPENDENT

In other words, sovereignty goes beyond merely being “powerful.” A person is sovereign if he or she possesses absolute, unequivocal, unchallenged authority and independence.

Throughout much of the Middle Ages and into the Enlightenment, kings and queens in Europe were often referred to as “sovereigns.” Today, independent countries are referred to as “sovereign nations.” This means they have unchallenged and absolute authority to govern the lands within their borders.

Sovereignty is exclusive. It’s pre-eminent. It’s paramount. If someone or something is sovereign, it possesses the highest possible level of authority.

Jesus, therefore, possesses the “highest possible authority.” Let’s ponder that statement for just a moment.

Today, we have sovereign nations. The United States is a sovereign nation. No other nation – not Mexico, nor Canada, nor Russia, nor India, nor any other country – has the right to govern territory within the American border.

That right is exclusively reserved for the government of the United States.

The government has charge over the land; therefore, it is the highest authority in the land. But does the government of the U.S. truly own the land? Furthermore, does the government own the people?

No.

Can the government compel anyone to do anything it wants? No.

Even if the U.S. were a totalitarian dictatorship, like North Korea or the now-defunct Soviet Union, it would still be imperfect in its wielding of power.

Why do totalitarian states set up prison camps?

Because people tend to disobey. Even the most powerful and far-reaching governments the world has ever created cannot enforce perfect obedience on their people.

Thus, the “sovereignty” of any person or any government will be imperfect. It won’t be truly absolute. A king may declare himself sovereign, but he can be disobeyed. He can be attacked by other kings. His authority does not extend perfectly to the furthest reaches of the earth.

But Jesus’ authority IS absolute.

Jesus, being God, is the Creator of all things. Nothing exists that was not created through Him (John 1:3). Therefore, Jesus’ sovereignty is true sovereignty. It’s absolute.

Try as you might, you cannot escape His might.

You can float out into international waters and be free of national government. You can build a rocket, fly to Mars, and declare yourself free from all authority in the world. Odds are, the world will not be able to seriously challenge you from your new perch.

But try as you might, you can never escape God’s grasp. Go to the depths of the ocean, and you’ll find Him. Fly to Mars, and you’ll find Him. Launch yourself to another solar system at the speed of light, and once you arrive, you will be no further from the grasp of God than when you started.

Jesus is sovereign. His authority is absolute. It is based on His ownership of all things.

Nothing – yes, NOTHING – exists apart from His direct creation. Every star you can see, every planet you can visit, every mountain peak and every valley and every prairie you can walk through – all was made by His hand.

He owns all things, including you. You can’t escape Him. You cannot challenge Him. His authority is supreme, never-ending, and all-encompassing.

Jesus is sovereign. This is the basis of His lordship. As the late S.M. Lockridge so eloquently put it, “His lordship is based on His ownership.”

S.M. Lockridge on the lordship of Jesus Christ

2. Jesus is Just

We have established that Jesus, being God, is all-powerful. Nothing exists apart from Him, and nothing is outside the scope of His rule and reign. This is Jesus’ sovereignty.

But what about the character of Jesus Christ? Throughout history, we have seen examples of sovereign rulers and sovereign nations that have abused humanity to extents hardly imaginable.

We have examples of genocide, of mass murder, of exploitation, and of horrendous injustice. The character of a sovereign person or government is crucial. Is Jesus a “just king” or an “unjust king?”

The answer: He is just. In fact, there is no authority more just than His authority.

Jesus is fair. He is just. He is righteous, correct, and perfect. He is infallible. He is the cornerstone upon which all notion of equity exists.

True justice does not exist apart from Christ.

What do I mean by this?

I mean that Jesus sets the rules, and He enforces the rules as they ought to be enforced. It’s as simple as that.

Christ is just. He invented justice.

Any concept that we have of justice is just a reflection – and an imperfect one at that – of the true standard set down by our Lord.

At the end of time, all men and women who have ever lived on the earth will be called forth to give an account of their lives. Hebrews 9:27 and Romans 14:12 guarantee this. It’s also talked about in 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 20:12.

Everyone – male and female, Jew and Gentile, believer and unbeliever – will stand before God and be judged. And this justice will be perfect. There will be no attorney, no jury, and no painstaking gathering of evidence. All the evidence will be held in God’s hands, because God sees and knows everything perfectly. All thoughts and all actions will be laid bare.

And His sentencing will be perfectly just.

There will be no abuse of power. There will be no corruption. The judge, the lawyer, the plaintiff, and the criminal of this life will stand before Christ as equals. Christ is the perfect judge, the “Judge of judges” if you will, and His sentencing is perfectly correct.

Some people will be sent to eternal damnation (Revelation 20:11-15), and others will be sent to eternal life (Matthew 25:46).

What determines one’s fate? It is not his or her actions in this life. Rather, it’s this: did that person repent of his sins and believe upon Jesus?

Herein lies the most wonderful aspect of Jesus’ justice: He freely gives pardon. We are all guilty apart from Him, but if we turn to Him and believe in Him – trusting Him for forgiveness – then we receive forgiveness. We are declared ‘innocent.’

There are men in this world that have done despicable things which no human court could ever forgive. There are men who have murdered, abused, and slaughtered. Many of these men have been sentenced to life in prison or even death.

But let’s just say that the worst of the worst – a killer, a rapist, an abuser – leads a life of crime and is then sentenced to death for his atrocities. Yet right before his execution, he repents of his sins and believes upon Jesus.

That man is going to Heaven.

There are also men who have done great deeds, who have given to the poor and made the service of humanity the entire thrust of their lives, who will be judged and found guilty by God. Why? Because they never repented and believed upon Jesus. 

This is the most perfect aspect of the justice of Jesus. It doesn’t work like our justice. We judge based upon deeds – and we should, because society would fall apart if we didn’t – but God ultimately judges based upon one thing: have we given our trust to Him?

Apart from Christ, we stand condemned. With Him, we stand absolved.

This brings us to the third aspect of Jesus’ lordship:

3. Jesus is Good and Merciful

We need not fear, because Jesus is merciful. And He is good.

Ponder this for a second: the Creator of the universe, the ultimate and supreme authority, is a good authority. He’s the best possible authority. We could not have asked for a better God and a better Savior.

Up to this point, we have shown that Jesus is sovereign and that Jesus is just. But Jesus is also merciful, and He is full of love.

This great power – a sovereign king, a just king, far above our ability to comprehend – freely offered His life for our salvation.

Allow me to be blunt, and to ask a question: who in your life would you die for?

If you’re like most people, you might say that you’d die for your kids. You might say you’d die for your spouse, your siblings, or your best friends. Perhaps there is nobody in this world that you would die for.

My point is this: people don’t die for those they care nothing about. Speaking as a typical human, I would not be inclined to die for a random stranger. I would not be inclined to die even for an acquaintance.

But what about an enemy? What about someone diametrically opposed to me? Would I die for such a person?

If someone were to come to you, spit on you, and tell you how worthless you were, would you turn around and sacrifice yourself for that person?

My guess is no. We would have a tough enough time not fighting back. We would have a tough enough time simply holding our tongue and being civil in return. I doubt we’d be filled with such genuine affection for that person that we would freely offer to die for them.

Where am I going with this? Well, Jesus showed His ultimate mercy for us in that He died for us. But Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6-8).

In other words, He died for His enemies. Those who are without God are against God, and those who sin are sinning against Him. When Christ came to the world, He was hated and spit upon and driven out of cities. He was ultimately captured, beaten, mocked, and murdered.

Yet what did He say during his crucifixion? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

That’s right; He was showing sacrificial love to the very men who drove nails into His flesh.

Few of us could imagine even coming close to such a display of sacrificial love and mercy. And we’re humans. We’re flawed. We’re imperfect, and we have all done things that are deserving of punishment.

But as for Jesus? He was the only person who ever lived a perfect life. And He was also the only person who ever offered His life in genuine love for those who hated Him. He deserved that the world would die for Him, but He flipped the narrative and died for the world.

This is mercy. This is love. This is the most tangible, visible, marquee-flashing-on-the-side-of-the-road sign of Christ’s mercy and grace.

He is good. He is merciful. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly just, and impartially merciful. He is entirely good and complete in love.

This is our Savior and our Lord.

How We Respond

The very nature of Jesus’ lordship demands that we respond. We cannot simply file this away in the back of our minds. We cannot pass ‘go’ and collect 200 dollars.

Jesus is worthy of our time. He is worthy of our respect.

And He is Lord.

Therefore, we must submit to Him as Lord of our lives. We must not only acknowledge His lordship in thought, but we must actively submit to Him in deed. Scripture says, 

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. [1 John 5:1-3, ESV]

From this, it is clear that we are called to obey God’s commandments. Our first and foremost response to the lordship of Jesus ought to be love, and love for God is keeping His commandments.

There is a lie creeping into the culture – and even into the Church – that we do not have to submit to Jesus. This lie is very widespread. And it is damaging. It is damaging to the faith, to the Church, and to those who believe it.

To put it bluntly, we must submit to Jesus. It is absolutely necessary and absolutely imperative.

We are to come to Christ on His terms, not our own. We are to come to Him with a listening ear, a willing spirit, and a humble heart. We are to come to Him reverently, for He is worthy of all our respect and all our worship and all our honor.

The idea that one can simply believe in Jesus for “life insurance” so that they don’t go to Hell when they die is horribly incorrect. That’s not Christianity; it’s a product of the Western consumer mentality.

Remember: Jesus is all-powerful. He is all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-loving. And that same Christ died for you. That same Jesus Christ died for your personal sin.

What must we do in response? Treat Him as holy. Honor Him as set apart and in a tier all His own. We must submit to Him and take His yoke upon us. Scripture assures us that His yoke is easy, and that His commands are not burdensome.

Not only has our Savior been incomprehensibly merciful towards us, He continues to be so in that He is not burdensome. His yoke is easy! His commands are not unreasonable! He is deserving of all our obedience, and it is not unreasonable and impossible to obey Him.

Today, dear Believer, I encourage you to submit your life ever the more fully to Jesus. We all have areas in which we are not fully surrendered to the Lord. We all have areas which we want to wall off from Christ and declare, “Mine!”

But only trust Him; submit fully to Him. Surrender yourself more and more fully to Christ. He is worthy of it. Christ loves you more than you could ever know, and He desires that you would simply lay down your ambitions, your strivings, your desires, and your fears to embrace Him.

Run to Jesus, who is our Lord and our Savior.

God bless.

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Christians and Homosexuality

by JacobChristian Living

Is homosexuality a sin? Today, there is a controversial relationship between Christians and homosexuality. How should we view it, and what should we do?

Homosexuality is one of the most hot-button issues in the Church today.

Some Christians believe that homosexuality is an acceptable – and even holy – practice. Others are split on the issue. And still others are vehemently against homosexuality, placing it on a level that is above and beyond other sins.

We have groups who claim to be Christian – such as Westboro Baptist Church – that routinely use hateful language to describe homosexuals. The conduct of these groups is nothing less than despicable and vile.

Truly, the debate over homosexuality rages. Entire denominations are threatening to split apart over the issue. It is a big deal, and we as followers of Jesus need to know where we stand.

Is Homosexuality a Sin?

This is the root issue that must be resolved. As Christians, we are against sin. Therefore, anything that is sin – be it hatred, murder, racism, adultery, lying, stealing, etc. – must be opposed.

We cannot expect to embrace sin and do mighty works for the Lord.

So, is homosexuality a sin?

Yes.

As a follower of Christ and a reader of the Bible, it is my firm belief that homosexuality – and, more specifically, the practice of homosexuality – is a sin. God does not condone or tolerate it. In 1 Corinthians 6, we read the following:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. [1 Corinthians 6:9-11, ESV]

In this verse, we have what amounts to a laundry list of sins that will keep someone out of the Kingdom of God. Among these is the practice of homosexuality.

If we are to take the Bible at its word, then we must conclude that the practice of homosexuality is sinful.

Now, there are many theologians – and many very bright individuals – who would argue with me on this point. Their claim may be that the original Greek doesn’t translate into homosexuality as we understand it today. They may also claim that this was written to a certain people in a certain place and time (as was all of the Bible), and therefore it has no bearing on our lives today.

But here’s my problem with that: if we can claim that this section of Scripture is a mistranslation, then what prevents other passages from being mistranslated? How can we know that any of the Bible is translated correctly?

The same holds true for those who argue that this was written only to certain people in a certain context. If context truly is everything, then couldn’t we simply claim that the entire Bible was written in a cultural context that no longer exists?

If we go down either of these rabbit trails, we can invalidate everything the Bible says. We can reduce it to little more than a “wisdom book” which represents nothing more than one of mankind’s most impactful works of literature.

There is a huge problem with that: the Bible is the inspired, infallible word of God. It is directly breathed by God Himself (1 Timothy 3:16-17), and holds true across all cultural contexts and all times. It is an absolute authority, not merely a guidebook or a fancy piece of literature.

We either accept all of it, or we accept none of it. It is either God’s Word or it isn’t. No in-between.

Now, does this mean that all of the Bible should be interpreted literally, word for word? I don’t think so. There is plenty of imagery and poetry in Scripture, some of which is almost certainly metaphorical. But all Scripture is breathed out by God, and every word of it is true.

Even those passages which are “metaphorical” are expressing a rock-solid truth that should be taken at face value.

Having said all of this, it is clear that the practice of homosexuality is a sin. It is wrong in the sight of God, just like idolatry, adultery, stealing, drunkenness, and so forth (re-read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

How Should We Handle Homosexuality?

This is the second most important issue that must be resolved. Since homosexual behavior is a sin, what should we as Christians do about it?

First off, let’s look at what not to do.

Many of our more “progressive” brothers and sisters in Christ take a very open (and outright celebratory) stance towards homosexuality. Progressive Christians typically respond to homosexuality in the following ways:

  • Welcoming practicing homosexuality with open arms
  • Affirming practicing homosexuality’s stance as “good” in the eyes of God
  • Allowing practicing homosexuals to serve in leadership, including as pastors
  • Ordaining homosexual weddings

Throughout all of this, one thing is incredibly clear: progressive Christians have gotten very good at being open-minded and hospitable. These are admirable, and they’re things that we are called to as followers of Christ. We are called to welcome and love others.

However, homosexuality is a sin. Therefore, we must not make a practice of accepting it as a “good thing.” It is not a good thing, and it will lead to separation from God. We are called to love those who practice homosexuality, but love is not synonymous with affirmation.

If anything, we are being unloving if we affirm homosexual behavior, since the loving thing to do is to point out and correct sins in the lives of others. The Gospel is about transformation, not stagnation. It’s about growing away from sin, not remaining in sin.

The “progressive” treatment of homosexuality is correct in that it shows hospitality, but incorrect in that it does not preach a message of repentance and turning from sin.

On the other side of the proverbial aisle, we have highly reactionary brothers and sisters who often treat homosexuality as follows:

  • Actively using strong (or even hateful) language towards homosexuals
  • Condemning homosexuals without showing love
  • Shutting out, ostracizing, or even bullying homosexuals
  • Refusing to reach out to or minister to homosexuals

In a sense, reactionary Christians often run into the opposite problem as their highly progressive brethren. Progressive Christianity shows love without disapproval; reactionary Christianity shows disapproval without love.

I do not mean to paint a generalization here, but this is how the trends usually lie. And both approaches – while common in Christendom today – are flawed.

Here’s what we truly need to be doing: we need to combine genuine love with strong disapproval.

You see, it is a great lie of today’s society that love equals affirmation. It doesn’t. In fact, affirmation is not always loving.

I’ll use an illustration.

Let’s say that my friend is drunk, and he wants to drive home. He asks me for the keys to the car. I give him the keys and affirm his choice to drive, even though he is in no condition to drive.

He drives out onto the road, gets in a head-on accident, and dies. As the person who affirmed and enabled him, I bear some of the responsibility of his death.

The enabling of sin is the same thing.

When we are unwilling to take a firm stance against sinful behavior – such as homosexual practices – we are essentially “giving the keys” to our perishing neighbors and friends. You see, sin has eternal consequences. You don’t just “get away with” sin.

Unless you turn from your sins and turn to Jesus, you will perish.

This is the message we must preach: we love the world (just as Jesus did, per John 3:16), and because we love the world, we are calling others to forsake their sins and turn to Christ. We do not use hateful language, we do not bully, we do not ostracize, and we do not grow bitter.

But we also do not affirm others’ behavior and tell them that they do not need to change.

If a practicing homosexual comes into a church, there are two ways to not love him: we can curse him and throw him out, or we can affirm him and tell him that he does not need to change.

Neither are correct. Neither are loving.

When it comes to our practicing homosexual friends, neighbors, relatives, and so forth, we must be willing to show compassion, kindness, and love. We must also be willing to let them know that their behavior is sinful, and that it is something that must be repented of.

This is how we are to love not only homosexuals, but all sinners – and everyone is a sinner. In a very real sense, we cannot distinguish between “homosexuals” and “other sinners.”

All sin is sin. All sinners are sinners.

And all sinners ought to be treated the same way: with kindness and generosity, yet with a clear and firm call to change and become followers of Jesus.

Moving Forward

It is my hope that all those reading this would gain something from it. It is my hope that this writing would engage and enable us as believers to move in love and in kindness, showing generosity and sacrifice without compromising the truth of the Gospel.

Today’s world is growing increasingly hostile towards Christians. The culture is buying into the lie that “love equals affirmation.” But it doesn’t.

As a result, many are pushing hard against this trend and reacting with a message of exclusivity and coldness. There seem to be very few who toe the line and show both kindness and condemnation.

There must be more of us. Today’s world demands it. And in the showdown arena of the homosexuality debate, this is especially important.

Our call is to sacrifice for others, to love others, and to present others with the clear and honest truth of the Gospel: that there is healing, there is restoration, and there is salvation. But one cannot remain in his sins; he must change and turn to Jesus.

This is how we should respond to all sinners, including those who practice homosexuality. They’re dead in their sins, but can be made alive in Christ.

God bless.

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The Godly Will Experience Persecution

by JacobChristian Living

The Bible tells us that all those who desire to live a godly life will experience persecution. Here’s a look at how we should handle persecution as followers of Christ.

I went on a mission trip when I was a sophomore in college. While on the trip, our team took an evening to watch a movie called The Insanity of God.

I don’t remember a whole lot of the film, but I do remember the story of a man named Dmitri.

Dmitri’s Story: a Life of Persecution

Dmitri was a Russian pastor who served the Lord during the days of the Soviet Union’s harsh crackdown on religion. He was arrested one evening when Communist officials broke into his house during a religious service.

The Soviet government had him transported to a state prison 600 miles away. The prison was filled with 1,500 hardened criminals.

The next 17 years would be the toughest years of his life.

During that time, he was relentlessly beaten and tortured by prison guards for his faith. He was also mocked and hated by the other inmates, who were convinced that Dmitri’s continued worship of Jesus was nothing more than a make-believe fantasy.

But Dmitri persisted.

One day, the guards discovered a piece of paper in Dmitri’s cell. On the paper, he had written down every Bible verse and promise of God that he could remember. The guards were irate. They started to drag Dmitri from his cell, fully intending to kill him.

But suddenly, all 1,500 prison inmates came to the front of their cells and raised their hands in worship, singing the same song that Dmitri had sung every morning during his 17 years at the prison.

Shocked, the guards froze in their tracks. They stared at Dmitri and said, “Who are you?”

Dmitri looked them directly in the eye and replied that he was a child of the living God.

Shortly after this incident, he was released.

All Who Desire to Live a Godly Life Will Experience Persecution

Dmitri was, quite simply, a man who desired to live a Godly life. His focus was not on the world.

His focus was on God.

The apostle Paul found himself in the same boat. A fiery evangelist during the time of Rome’s fiercest persecution of Christians, Paul was often arrested, beaten, tortured, and ostracized for his faith.

In 2 Timothy 3, he wrote these words:

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. [2 Timothy 3:12-13, ESV]

If anyone was familiar with persecution, it was Paul. In fact, the letter of 2 Timothy was written during a period of imprisonment for Paul, likely from a prison cell. Paul spoke often about his experience with persecution and his time spent “in chains.”

But why, really, was Paul persecuted so intensely?

It’s for the same reason that many of Christ’s followers have been persecuted throughout history: because the world hates them. The world is at enmity with God.

Jesus Himself tells us that the world hated Him first. Therefore, it will hate His followers as well. 

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. [John 15:18-19, ESV]

This is the fundamental reason behind persecution: the world hates God. If we love God and keep to Him, the world will hate us by association.

That is a fact.

When Paul was writing the letter of 2 Timothy, he did not say, “Those who desire to live a godly life might be persecuted.” Instead, he asserted it as an inarguable truth.

All those who desire to live a godly life WILL be persecuted.

God and the world do not see eye to eye. Therefore, there will always be deep conflict between them.

What Does Persecution Look Like?

If you’re a Christian in the United States or much of the rest of the Western world, you are probably unfamiliar with the level of persecution that Paul and Dmitri endured.

You’ve probably never been arrested, beaten, or imprisoned for your faith.

You’ve probably never gone to sleep with the nagging worry that your door would be kicked down in the middle of the night by the secret police.

But even for those of us who live in nations that prize freedom of worship, persecution is still to be expected. It simply changes forms.

Persecution might look like others disliking you for your faith. If you put Jesus first, then you’re likely to become an outcast among many groups in society. You may have others who ridicule you or make fun of you for your devotion to Christ.

People may bash you for your unwillingness to participate in the same activities they do.

Persecution might also look like being discriminated against in the workplace. It is becoming increasingly common for employers and managers to see devoted Christians as “Jesus freaks,” who will try to force their religion on others at every opportunity.

As a result, practicing Christians are often passed over for promotions. Some may even be fired for things related to their beliefs.

In recent times, a worrying trend in the United States (and much of Europe) has been a trend towards restricting religious liberty in the field of business. There are many laws being passed that outlaw “discrimination” against people of un-Biblical sexual lifestyles.

Although these laws may be well-meaning, they have the effect of forcing Christian business owners to cater to lifestyles that they do not support.

If the Christian sticks to his beliefs, he may face severe financial penalties or even lose his business.

Indeed, persecution of Christians in many Western nations is on the rise. Whereas Judeo-Christian morality used to be the expected norm in the West, this morality is fast becoming hated and even persecuted. Our nations are becoming increasingly hostile to Christians because they are becoming more and more worldly.

Simply remember what Jesus said: the world hated Him first, and it will hate us too.

Persecution, in some form or another, is unavoidable.

Standing During Persecution

Thankfully, the Scripture gives us encouragement when it comes to persecution. And our God, being a good Father, does not leave us out to dry.

Perhaps the greatest piece of encouragement comes at the end of John 16.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. [John 16:33, ESV]

From this, we can glean a sort of recipe on how to stand during persecution. Here’s point number one:

1: Be anchored in the Word of God.

If you really want to be able to stand against the insults, hatred, and persecution of the world, you will need to be saturated with the Word of God. Notice how Jesus says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.”

If we desire strength to stand, we need to first look at the sayings of Jesus. And where do we find that? In the Bible!

The more we devote ourselves to reading God’s word and knowing Him, the more sturdy and anchored we will be in Him. Scripture tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

To stand during the trials of this life, we first must be rooted in the Word. We must know our God, having gained faith by hearing His Word.

2: Know that persecution is coming.

It is one thing to ride a bike when the training wheels are on. It’s quite another to ride a bike without the training wheels.

Oftentimes, we receive the Word gladly and we share it with others. We love the sweet fellowship. We love to talk about Christ with those who are our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

We need this fellowship – it is vital for our walk in Christ.

How disappointing is it, then, when we try to talk about Christ with someone at work or in public and they call us a religious freak? How much does that let the air out of our proverbial tires?

It’s easy to become discouraged when we expect the Christian life to be a cake walk. Aside from knowing our God, the second thing we have to do is this: we need to expect trials and persecution.

Life as a follower of Christ is not easy. It requires great sacrifice and endurance. Those who tell you that your life will magically get easier once you devote yourself to God are not telling you the whole truth.

Does our life get easier? In many ways, yes. We have the joy of fellowship with our Creator and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But we also experience persecution. We will draw the hatred of those who don’t know God.

In many ways, life will get harder… significantly harder.

Will this be uncomfortable? Yes. Will it ever get easy? No. But we need to expect it. We need to know that it’s coming – for all of us. For every Christian, there will be experiences of persecution and difficulty. We should get ourselves used to this and acquainted with this fact.

We will have troubles. But…

3: Take Heart in Jesus

We can read the Word, engage in fellowship, and get acquainted with the fact that persecution will happen. But none of those things will do us much good if we aren’t constantly looking to Christ.

Jesus’ call at the end of John 16 is a call to assurance. It’s a call to rest. We don’t endure persecution on our own.

When you’re called names for your faith, you aren’t standing alone. When you’re excluded from groups or shut out of promotions, you’re not standing alone. You are not an island.

Jesus is always there.

But we have to look to Him.

When things get tough, we must look to Him. We must behold Him, keeping Him always in our sight. We must remind ourselves that He’s there to bear our burdens with us.

And, ultimately, He has overcome the world.

You see, it is easy to let the world get the best of us. Think back to Dmitri. Wouldn’t it have been so tempting for him to renounce his faith? Wouldn’t it have been tempting for him to look at the might of the prison, the guards, and the anti-Christian Soviet government, and simply lay down in defeat?

I don’t know about you, but I would have been tempted. And I’m sure he was as well.

Where is my God? He must have asked. Why have I been in prison for 17 years, away from my family for 17 years, unable to preach and unable to witness?

It is so easy to lose heart during persecution. It is so easy to behold the might of whatever is persecuting you – the government, your business, your friends, your family – and to be deeply discouraged.

But no matter how big the mountain may seem, Jesus has overcome it. He overcame everything when He died and rose again. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, killed, and then resurrected, He defeated the powers of darkness.

Does darkness still have a hold on our world? Yes. But it’s a temporary hold. It’s a slipping hold. Satan is losing. It may look like he’s winning; it may appear that Satan is busy making 1st downs while Christians are being sacked.

But Satan is losing.

And in the end, he will be exposed for what he is. His works will be destroyed and his power will be broken. All the persecution you endure will be compensated for and then some.

If you’re experiencing persecution, dear Believer, please know this: it is not for nothing. It serves a purpose. God has a reason and a plan. God will be with you.

He does not forsake you.

This life is temporary; it’s nothing more than a vapor… and then it is gone.

Your 60, 70, 80, or 100 years of struggle here are nothing compared to the glory that is to come.

So stand strong, Believer, and let us take up our cross after our Lord. Let us “strive on to finish the work that we are in.”

God bless you.

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