The Law Of Christ

At Open Arms Community Church we’ve been doing a series called “Growing Closer To God” and this weekend we covered the topic of how community grows us closer to God.

In this discussion we crossed paths with a scripture that leapt out at me, Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Interestingly, in the scripture the new testament, specifically the books of Romans and Galatians, address the fact that we are no longer under the law, that we are now free from having live up to a law we could never keep in full, and we are free from the consequence of breaking the law.

In all the discussion, Paul makes a statement in Romans 3 that even though we are free from the law, we do not nullify the law. Rather we uphold it. Is this a contradiction? Not at all! Paul is referring to something deeper, something more profound.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. '38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. ' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22) Jesus simplified all the commands of the old covenant into two simple commands, which he later simplified into one command, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15). He also stated to “Remain in my love” and in another place “This is my command: love each other.” (John 15)

I realize that many people out there are trying to find deeper revelation and understanding about God, his will for their life, and secrets to the abundant life Jesus promised, but God spoke through Paul in 1Corinthians 13, “1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

God tells us that what really matters is one simple word, LOVE! This is the “law of Christ” that Paul was writing about in Galatians 6:2. James refers to this as the “royal law” (James 2).

What does this look like?

First we know that we operate under grace, not law. So, skip the idea that it’s a list of do’s and don’ts. It’s not a list of rules written on paper. It’s something written on your heart (Hebrews 8:10). It’s not something that is followed out of religious duty.

By Jesus’ statement that the greatest command is to “love” God and other people we understand several things.

1) Everything we do for God and others is motivated by Love, not religious duty/law.
2) Everything we’re involved in with God and others is to be done out of the context of relationship, not religious duty/law.
3) Everything we do for God and others is because we want to, not have to.
4) Living a life of love is the fulfillment of all God wants and desires for us and the entire universe.

The law of Christ is Love!

How important is it? Well, Paul made it clear in 1Corinthians 13 that without love everything else is in vain! The Holy Spirit spoke through John, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.” And again, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” (1John 3)

So, we can see that this “law of Christ” is of huge importance to our eternity. Our living a life of love is proof of our new birth in Christ, proof that we are really God’s Child. Our living a life of love is proof that we’ve passed from death to life! This makes love huge!

So, back to the question… What does it look like. The simple answer is look at the example of Jesus. That’s what love looks like. It’s not always convenient, comfortable, painless, and happy. True love costs and is inconvenient and is even painful at times.

For those that like lists or descriptives to help them better understand what this love is that we’re called to live out, here you go… (1Corinthians 13:4-8 Amplified) 4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

Every time I read this list it challenges me. Every time I read this list I feel like getting militant and making it my code. In part that’s okay, taking it seriously, but love is something that comes from the heart, not a list.

Some people seem to think this love is simply saying, “I love you”, but Jesus teaches us different.

We are meant to live out of our heart/spirit. The fruit of the spirit is love, etc.

This list gives us an understanding of the person and character of love (Jesus), but is exemplified by the very life lived and laid down by love in the flesh (Jesus).

We are meant to follow this example, walk in the way of love, live a life of love, and let love be our guide.

It’s one simple question… Is my motivation, my attitude, my thoughts, or what I’m about to say or do, love?

Anything less is not Christian.

Love Of The Truth

At Open Arms Community Church we’ve been going through a series called “Growing Closer To God”. Last weekend we discussed the topic of how studying God’s Word (the Bible) grows us closer to God.

We saw many warnings in the scripture about deceiving spirits at work in our world and deceptive teachings that will come. We also saw the antidote for the rampant deception in our world, a love of/for the truth.

When we use that phrase “love of/for the truth” we are to understand first that this has always been God’s expectation, that what we do in pursuing Him and obeying Him would be motivated by a loving relationship not religious duty. That’s the first and greatest command, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength”.

We are also to understand that true love compels us to pursue. If we really “love” then we feel compelled. Whether you say, “I love my wife” or “I love ice cream”. Either way you feel compelled by that affection/affinity to pursue them.

You have to wonder what many Christians have in this Christian Faith, relationship or religion, because so many seem so unmotivated in pursuing God (reading His Word, obeying His Word, spending time with Him in prayer, and spending time with fellow saints).

So many seem to “Believe” in God/Jesus and do the obligatory “church attendance” (sometimes), but seem to resent the imposition that Jesus and His commands make on their lifestyle. They seem to have thought that following Jesus would simply be adding a little bit of religious duty to their pre-existing lifestyle, but Jesus tells us He came to give a whole new way of life (not just a few religious habits), so we should understand that there will not just be a few changes to our way of life, but a completely different way of life.

In following Jesus we may stay at the same place of work, but we may not. We may stay in the same geography, but we may not. God has a way of taking those who follow Him and changing their life drastically.

Why do some seem to have these powerful life changing experiences for life long and others not? Why do some seem so easily moved off coarse, but others are more stable and stay on track? The answer is simpler than we think.

In 2Thessalonians 2:1-10 we find God warning us that as the clock of earths existence winds down there will be an increase of deception. Spirits and spiritual teachers will come try to teach things that sound, feel, smell, and seem good, right, and true, but in fact are wrong, dangerous, and destructive.

God tells us in these verses that the people being deceived and ruined by the deception will go from bad to worse simply because of one thing… they did not love the truth. As we reject or just take lightly the truth, the easier we swallow satan’s lies and the harder it can be come to swallow God’s word.

That is the second thing we need to learn from this phrase “love of/for the truth”.

Jesus tells us His “word is truth”, that His word is “flawless and eternal”, and that those who “hear it and do what it says” are blessed, but those who “hear it and do not do what it says” fall under a lack of blessing, a curse, even destruction”. (Matthew 7)

The availability of God’s Word, especially to us in America and those with regular internet access, makes this truth all the more convicting and us all the more accountable/responsible to God for how seriously and diligently we pursue God and His truth.

God is at work in our world. He is moving and doing awesome things, but so is the devil, and unfortunately to many Christians are buying satan’s lies and living a less than Christian life; A life of which I do not know for sure the final outcome.


So, what do we do?

First, 2Timothy 2:15 tells us to “do your best to show yourself approved” or “diligently study to show yourself approved” by God in “rightly handling the word of truth”. Do we “rightly handle” the word? Not only are we to handle it “rightly” by understanding it accurately, but we’re also to handle it “rightly” by actually handling it, using it, not letting it sit on our shelf or the back of our toilet collecting dust.

Second, as we feed on this Word of Truth we will fulfill God’s command to “grow in the grace and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.” 2Peter 3:18

Thirdly, we must understand that there will be things in the Bible we don’t understand at first, but the more we read it and the more we live it, the more we will understand, but even after decades of following Jesus and studying the word of God, there is much we still don’t fully understand, so what do we do.

Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us the knowledge that is hidden belongs to God (that is His business), but the knowledge that is revealed (understood by men) is given to us so that we may do what it says, in other words OBEY IT.

If we do these things we will be blessed and are true disciples/followers of Jesus. If we do not do these things we are easy prey for satan and his minions, we are going to experience less than God’s best in life, and we may not be authentic disciples/followers of Jesus (we may fall into the category of simply believing in God, but still on our way to hell with satan who also believes in God. James 2).

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/967870/love_of_the_truth.html?cat=34

God Finding You In The Moment

Not long ago I wrote about finding God in the moment, becoming aware of His activity in our daily lives and work in cooperation with Him.

In a series we’re doing at Open Arms Community Church called “Growing Closer To God” we’ve been discussing different factors involved in us really going deeper with God and growing up into the greater things God has for us.

We just covered the topic of “Serving/Giving” and in particular “Sacrificial Serving/Giving”, and it caused me to question… What about God finding us in the moment?

I wonder… with all the busyness, agendas, plans, hustle, and chaos in our lives are we available to God?

In any given moment can God interrupt us and use us or just share with us?

So often we’re concerned about finding God in the moment, but the real question is can God find us in the moment?

The greatest obstacle in experiencing God and God’s best in my life is not the Devil, it’s not someone else, it’s not work; it is me (self). I’m the one who busies myself. I’m the one who takes on all the extra stuff. I’m the one who sets the agenda. I’m the one who chooses what to do or not do. I’m the one who decides what I will pursue and chase after.

All to often we’re concerned about whether God will show up and move, but what we really need to be concerned about is whether we’re available to God.

It’s not an easy focus to keep. With all the cares of this life (the pursuit of pleasure, the deceitfulness of wealth, etc; Matthew 13), chaos, distractions, and so on it’s easy to become disoriented and out of touch with God.

There are simple disciplines and attitudes that help us “stay available” to God. Daily Prayer, daily Bible reading, and the constant asking of the question, “God what do you want to do here (in me and through me)?”.

When it comes to the topic of Serving/Giving we’ve got to be in touch with God so as not to miss those opportunities God gives us to shine the light of His love and truth.

When it come to giving/serving “sacrificially” we really have to be in touch with God so as not to give in to selfishness, fear/doubt, or worldly wisdom and resist God and what He wants to do in and through us. Only by the presence and power of God do we have a chance of overcoming the Old Self and the Ways of This World.

One more thing… Should God find us in the moment, what would He find us doing? Are we about the Fathers business or other business? Are we living in such a way that would please and honor Him, or the opposite? Would we be in a position to be used of the Lord?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/949683/god_finding_you_in_the_moment.html

Submission, the secret to success

Everybody wants success! Success in their relationships (with God, spouse, parents, siblings, children), success in society and the workplace, and so on.

Everybody wants love, peace, joy, and so on.

What if it wasn't as hard as we think to find ALL of this?

To read more click the link below:

Submission, the secret to success

Religion or Relationship?

Roughly 98% of the people in the world believe in God. While most people believe in God many struggle with the question: Which religion is right? The answer is none of them. In order to accurately understand this statement we must define religion.

Religion is simply manmade rules, standards, traditions, and rituals.

What bearing do any of these have on our relationship with God (Yes, Relationship)?

No matter what “religion” you subscribe to they all have a few common beliefs. God is real, he created the universe and everything in it, there is a right and wrong, and there are blessings and curses to be experienced, and there is an eternity in the balance for each person.

While some religions have described God as being somewhat disconnected from humanity and it’s plight, Jesus taught a very different view.

Jesus taught that God cares for people and that He created people for a purpose, that purpose was not servitude out of religious duty, it was not to make church goers, it was not to make slaves, it was to make children. Jesus taught that God made people to be his children, His objects of deep love and affection, and that He (God) desires a relationship with His creation.

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment of all was to “love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (Mark 12:30 NIV). The point of this is two fold… 1) Love is the issue! We’re to have a loving relationship with God and this relationship isn’t just a religious hobby, it’s our life. We live for it with our entire being. 2) This relationship is then the motivating factor in all our life decisions. This gives us guidance in how to live.

Like any relationship, because we love and care about the person and what they think it alters our behavior and way of life so we can live in harmony with them and experience the relationship at it’s best. This is how it works with God.

Does this mean all religion is bad? Not at all!

It is written, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27 NIV)

So, religion, as previously defined, that encourages addressing causes of social justice and personal purity/morality is seen as good and acceptable. Religion then is nothing more than a tool to help people in their relationship with God and their pursuit of being the person God made them to be.

So, which religion is “right”? The answer is none of them. If you follow the teachings of Jesus He taught relationship with God through His (Jesus’) sacrificial work and this relationships was the motivating factor for spirituality and morality. Everything else is just tools.

What do you do with tools? Use them when they work. Put them in the box when they don’t. If they’re broke throw them away. Common sense!

Religion isn't especially bad or wrong or right, it's just a tool. Devotion to religion isn't bad, or wrong, or right it just can't supercede or take the place of your relationship/commitment to God.

When Religion helps you live out the truths of God's word, grow in your relationship with God, and become the person God made you to be then use it, but when it becomes God in your life, or becomes dead lifeless rituals, or becomes as authoritative as the Bible in your life then it's time to reevaluate and perhaps move on to a different tool.

The Test

2Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?

I read these words and they make me very uncomfortable.

Depending on the translation you read some have the words “examine yourself” first in the sentence while others have the words “test yourselves”, either way it’s unnerving.

Let’s break this statement down before getting to the meat.

To examine something is to make through inspection, leave no rock unturned. It’s a serious and focused look, not some casual glance.

A test is a tool to answer the question: do I know or can I perform enough to qualify. Am I really the real deal? Am I really a 10th grader, am I really a Green Beret, am I really a mechanic, am I really a follower of Christ/Child of God? Tests answer these questions and more.

We’re called to thoroughly inspect/examine our lives and to test ourselves to answer a very important question… am I in the faith.

Of coarse for some, they’ve never put Jesus in charge of their life and don’t claim to follow Him, so the answer is easy and obvious, but this scripture wasn’t written to non-Christians. It was written to followers of Jesus. This is important!

The fact we, as Christians, are told to test and examine ourselves to make sure we’re in the faith points toward a reality stated at the end of the verse… we can fail the test. It points to the reality that no matter how sincere and perfect we started out we can get off track/stray and end up outside of the faith.

Proof: Look at the story Jesus told to illustrate how the condition of people’s hearts determines their overall response to the truth of God’s word and it’s affect in their lives.

Luke 8:11-15 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

This same story is found in Matthew 13:1-23 and Mark 4:14-20. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with all three versions of the story, because there is some details that each brings out that are worth noting.

According to this story Jesus teaches that not everyone will turn to good/ accept the word of God in their life. In fact, Jesus tells us about 25% of the people we share with will not accept it. (Hard soil along the path)

Well, 75% isn’t bad. Right? Wrong. Another 25% (Stony ground) will hear it and accept it but their commitment is shallow and because of their “what’s in it for me” attitude when hard times come because they follow Jesus they will abandon ship.

So, 50% of the people we share with, in the end, will not live for Jesus.

Well, that still leaves us 50% to respond to the truth, experience the life of God, and go to heaven! Right? Wrong.

Another 25% (Thorny ground) will believe and follow until something better comes along. They don’t cease to believe, but they don’t make following Jesus the number one priority in their life. They will focus most of their time, energy, thought, and effort toward the accumulation of things and experiencing a variety of pleasures that this life has to offer. While they believe in Jesus, it is these things that are priority to them and these things that they live for.

So, 75% of the people will be of no value to God in the advancement of His Kingdom here on earth. 50% in the big picture will not believe and live for God and another 25% believe (and may go to heaven), but produce no good fruit.

The final 25% (Good Soil) is the only soil that will actually have long-term deep commitment and will produce large quantities of fruit, thus personally experiencing the life of God and being of value to God in the advancement of His Kingdom here on earth.

Even in this final 25% there is variance from one person to the next on just how productive they will be.

I had some questions based on 3 scriptures to test themselves and examine their life with. They were: 1) Do I seek God first above all other things? 2) Do I Know God’s word, do I believe God’s Word, and do I do God’s Word? 3) Am I becoming more and more like Jesus in thought, word, and deed?

But, I want to provide another tool to test us and evaluate our lives with… this story from Jesus. WHAT SOIL ARE YOU?


It seems like it would be an easy question, but take the time to study the attributes, qualities, and characteristics of each soil, their experiences, their responses, their results.

I’ve done this study and am going to post it in the document section of this website.

I encourage you to take the time to figure out where your heart/life is in relation to following Jesus faithfully and experiencing the life He’s planned for you.

It’s important that the test isn’t made up by the ideas or opinions of some guy. Let God’s word be the source and standard of our test.

Take the test! Be honest. How are you doing? Are you all you thought and said?

You are not taking the test so you can be condemned, but so you can have an accurate diagnosis on how healthy your relationship with Jesus is, an evaluation on how well you are running your race!

The whole point of this evaluation/test is to find the areas of weakness and make improvements! Not see how bad we are and quit.

We want to know where we’re missing it and how, so we can correct the issues and really experience the life God promises us in Jesus and be all he made us to be.

God is gracious, merciful, compassionate, slow to anger, rich in love, forgiving, patient and He is on your side. He wants you to win! He’s cheering you on and believes you can do it, you have what it takes, just don’t loose sight of the fact we are all human and have weaknesses and tendencies to stray, so we’ll need to make corrections regularly.

Just hanging

It’s odd that Jesus just hung out.

We know he grew up learning the trade of Carpentry, yet we never once see him working on anything except one thing… what he said to be the most important thing… relationships.

Jesus said the most important thing in life… the Greatest Commandment… is to love God and love people. Life is all about loving relationships. This is our purpose, the reason for our existence.

As American Christians we seem to loose sight of this truth and buy in to the lie that life is all about consuming.

We get caught up in the rat race of trying to live beyond our means (keeping up with the latest and greatest) and working to pay for all the stuff we couldn’t afford and didn’t really need.

We live to work instead of working to live. We live to eat instead of eating to live. The list goes on and on, except in one area, Relationships.

We put little time into them. We put little energy into them. We act destructively (selfishly) within them. We view them from a very shallow and narrow perspective. If they don’t go just the way we want them we abandon them. And we wonder why we feel so empty, unhappy, and like life is meaningless.

Jesus said life is all about relationships… first our relationship with God… second our relationships with other people.

So, when is the last time you hung out with God? Just sat and talked, ate, sang, watched a show?

When is the last time you hung out with the people God brought into your life? Just sit around talking, playing a game, watching a show, singing, praying, eating… you know… having fun.

Yes, I said the “F” word. Fun! To some Christians this is as bad as the “F***” word.

The Bible says “GOD HAS GIVEN US ALL THINGS FOR OUR ENJOYMENT”. Notice the last word… enjoyment.

Too many of us are stressed out miserable people. We have no joy or pleasure in life. We take no time to enjoy life. We don’t share life with others. We need picnics, movie night, card games, etc.

I want to encourage you to lighten up. I’m not encouraging laziness. Don’t shirk your responsibilities to WATCH AND PRAY or to PREACH THE GOOD NEWS or to be the spouse or parent or employee that God has called us to be, but do take time to relax, reflect, hang out and have fun, enjoy life! Enjoy your family, friends, food, possessions… every aspect of life. Face it with a smile. Look for the good in life, because there is where you’ll find God, because as Jesus said, “ONLY GOD IS GOOD.”