Category Archives: Gospel

Face it: By nature, we’re all “those carnal Christians.”

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

It is so easy to read this verse and think about all of “those people” who don’t understand the things of God, or rather who call our own doctrinal beliefs, personal convictions, and religious practices silly or flat out wrong. But I believe the Holy Spirit today is redirecting us from “those people” to “us people.”

We each have a body. We live in sinful, broken, corrupt flesh, in an equally sinful, broken, corrupt culture. By default, all of us reason according to those forces. If we don’t train ourselves to do otherwise, we will even read the bible through the distorting lens of our cultural and personal experiences.

Yes, us people have a “natural person.” We do also have a “spiritual person,” but we’re better acquainted with the easier-to-see natural person. That is, after all, who we are according to our upbringings at the hands of broken people, damage from our fallen environment, and our DNA, which often contains coding errors. Our spirit’s condition was so bad, we all require a spirit transplant from Jesus, and have already received it if we are of his body.

Brothers and Sisters and fellow transplant recipients, humility compels us to realize we all still live in “natural person” bodies on this earth.  Don’t shove him in a closet and pretend he’s not there. If not watched carefully, he influences how “us spiritual persons” understand spiritual things. He leads us to reject spiritual callings as being ungodly folly in our understanding. At the same time, he leads us to flip ungodly ways into holy ways and causes us to misidentify worldly wisdom as spiritual wisdom. Let us have true spiritual discernment today and seek true wisdom from God, with hearts open to receive from him.

Lord, we confess the weakness of our flesh. We have at times confused natural wisdom for spiritual wisdom and let how we are broken define us. Show us, Lord, in the spirit, who we really are in you. Strengthen us in the here and now to be more like the person your eternal eyes already see as we spiritually gestate and await our births into eternity. Open our eyes to the truth of who you made us to be. Please vanquish any corrupt desire that is preventing us from receiving true spiritual wisdom from you. We trust in you. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Gospel, Grace, Prayer and Devotions, Sin and Holiness

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A loving God and a fool’s hellish choice

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17)

The most famous passage in the bible, John 3:15-18,  tells us Christ was lifted up on the cross so all who believe in him would have eternal life, that God loved us so much, he gave us his only son so that no one who believes in Christ should perish. Today’s verse asserts at this point that God’s goal was not to condemn everyone else, but to save the world.  Verse eighteen adds sadly, however, that those who freely choose not to believe in Christ, to not accept the offer of salvation he extends to everyone, is condemned already and choosing to remain condemned rather than accept an offer of pardon.

What would we say of a governor who offered a pardon to a prisoner with no expectation of reform? Would we call an earthly king loving for releasing into his kingdom a person who had make it clear such had no intentions of being a productive, law-abiding citizen? Mind, God’s done all the work for us even.

So, on the judgment day, those “sent” to hell are going where they chose to go. They have condemned themselves and why?  Because they loved their sin more than they desired a pain-free, joyful eternity in the presence of God, who forbid them from taking their pet into his kingdom.

Tell me,  what kind of offenders facing a death sentence are offered a pardon, but say no, they like their old life of crime too much to receive a pardon and live? A stiff-necked fool.

Let us not be so foolish, we who trust and believe in him.

We thank you, Lord, that you came not to condemn, but to save. Search our hearts, be there any wicked way in us? If we have pet sins in our lives we need to surrender and leave behind, show us. Strengthen us to love you more. Open our eyes to the truth and set us free from the chains that bind us. Season our tongues, Lord, so we might also be of a mind to seek not to condemn those who already are, but to gently show them the way to salvation. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in God's love, Gospel, Idols, Prayer and Devotions, Sin and Holiness

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Can you be a Christian and deny the resurrection?

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

In context, Paul is responding to a heresy going around in his day, which is still plaguing some corners of the world today, that there is no resurrection from the dead. He first expresses amazement that anyone in the church would say this, pointing out our entire faith hangs upon Christ’s resurrection and the promise of eternal life, asserting that if Christ remains in the grave, then we have believed in him for nothing and preached a false message that misrepresents God. In fact, unless it is a copy editing error in the ESV or the original manuscripts, Paul feels so strongly about these points, he says them twice.

He also points out the obvious: without the resurrection, we have no hope of seeing our lost loved ones again and all of the martyrs who have given their lives rather than deny Christ are the most pitiful people to have ever lived.

So now he asserts our great hope is true: because Christ rose again, so shall we one fine morning shake off the slumber of death. He then asserts the logic of the atonement: One man sinned, one man paid the penalty for sin. Because of one man’s sin, all humanity dies.  But all who are in one man, Christ, shall be made alive. The final fulfillment stands before us, but we have his spirit with us today, with his life in us as a down payment, or engagement ring if you prefer. Let us embrace in our lives today though we suffer the penalty for one man’s wrong, we also are having new life breathed into us through another man’s sacrifice on our behalf, our God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Gospel, Prayer and Devotions

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Holding fast to good news

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“ Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4)

As Palm Sunday and Easter grow ever nearer, our study points us more and more to the good news we have long taken for granted. Yet it is the truth that Christ died for us by which we stand strong against the attacks of the evil one. The left out verse two reminds us the good news we have received and stand in by faith is what saves us, if we hold fast to it and cling to it. Let us not be so careless that we stray from grace and render our past belief in vain.

In disputations, let us keep first things first. The critical articles of faith are Christ’s atonement on the cross, that he himself was buried in his tomb, and that he actually rose bodily from dead back to life again on the third day. We must let no one steal these truths from us, or remove the reason he came and died by the denial of the reality of sin and death as the curse and penalty of it. Let us stand firm and be alert to all crafty attempts by the evil one to undermine the foundations of our faith and salvation, including those presented to us as “science,”  recognizing them for the godless myths they are.

Let us keep in mind the testimony of the apostles and all the great crowd of witnesses who have seen the risen lord with their own eyes. Our faith is not based on myths and the ideas of men, but historical eye witness testimony, and our own faith encounters with the risen Lord, the Holy Spirit present with us in our hearts and working in our lives today. We know whom we have believed and see his grace at work in us, remaking us into new creatures. By Grace, we are no longer what we were, though we have not yet obtained all that we will be in him, we have received the down payment.

Lord, we thank you for the testimony of the apostles and for those who first preached the word to us. We thank you for grace and the continual instruction of your holy spirit at work in our hearts today. We present ourselves to you, our souls and bodies, as living sacrifices, and pray we would be fully submitted to you and to your will today. Turn our hearts from evil and empower us by grace to walk in your spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Gospel, Grace, Prayer and Devotions

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Easter Basics: Facing the Cross of Christ.

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

In context, if I understand correctly, Peter tells us in verses 13-25:

  • Obey the local, state, and federal government, and the leadership of any other institution you may belong to, attend, work for, or serve under.
  • This is God’s will because it silences the historical objection to Christians’ assertion that Jesus is Lord. Based on the the Emperor of Rome’s assertion that he is Lord, non-Christians of the day felt to be a Christian was to be a treasonous lawbreaker. Obeying the secular law silences that argument and any similar modern criticisms. (Interestingly, the apostles  did defy any civil regulation deliberately designed to hinder their god-given call to spread of the gospel.)
  • Obey God as Lord also. We are free in Christ, but must not use our freedom from sin to sin.
  • Respect everyone, believer or not, and love all Christians.
  • Employees, respect and obey your employers even if your employers treat you unfairly.
  • Do this because you only spiritually benefit and please God if you are punished unfairly or otherwise suffer unjustly.
  • We are called to suffer for Christ because he suffered for us; i.e. being his disciple requires we take up the cross and follow him.
  • Seek to follow also his example of not sinning or deceiving others, not returning verbal abuse with verbal abuse or threatening others, but trusting God to judge justly.
  • It is possible for us to die to sin like this and become righteous because he bore our sins on the cross and suffered the penalty in his own body. By his wounds, we have been cured of our straying and have been returned to proper relationship with God, like sheep with our shepherd.

Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you for freeing us from the bondage of sin and death and the lies of the evil one. Strengthen us in our resolve not to sin against you, give us quiet, gentle spirits that respect all people and honor civil authorities, our employers, etc. even when the unbelievers are not treating us fairly in return.  Grant us also the strength and wisdom to resist the temptation to enable sinful, unjust behavior  in Christian leaders, but hold them to account for blaspheming you by their actions. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in abuse, Bible and Theology, Gospel, Prayer and Devotions, Sin and Holiness, Suffering

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Pray for Authorities, God’s people, and the Lost

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

The context of this verse says, if I understand Paul’s complex sentence structures correctly is:

  • Pray for all people, including all government and authority figures
  • Pray that those in authority would allow God’s people to live peaceful, dignified lives (i.e. free of persecution)
  • It is also good to pray for those who don’t know Christ that they might be saved because God desires all know Him and the Truth
  • It is also good to pray this because the Lord is the only God and Jesus Christ gave himself to ransom all humanity and is the only mediator able to reconcile God to man (I.E. able to restore us to Paradise)
  • But actually give this testimony only at the proper time.

Paul doesn’t actually tell us out right when exactly the proper time is, at least in this chapter as far as I can tell. Reason would suggest the proper time is when our prayers have softened their hearts’s soil enough to receive the seed of faith we plant. Another scripture, “have an answer ready for the hope that is within you” suggests we’ll know for sure their hearts are ready when they ask us. Short of that, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, we pray for our governing authorities today and for all persons in positions to discriminate against Christians and make it difficult for us, in our nations as well as in lands where our brothers and sisters are dying rather than deny you. Change their hearts, oh Lord, so we might live in peace with the same dignity that they profess they want to ensure everyone enjoys.  Soften their hearts and the hearts of all those who do not know you, that they might be convicted of the truth, and ready to hear and receive our continued testimony that Christ died for all and only he can save us from our sin and make us pure enough to return to the Paradise we long for, which is found in your kingdom. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Gospel, Post-Modernism, Prayer and Devotions

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Full Armor of God Commentary #1,0627,003

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Andrea Graham| Comments Off

“ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)

I was really reluctant to write a devotional based on today’s verse of the day. Tons of commentaries have been done on this passage, and entire books written on the armor of God.

We can apply the same lens we’ve held up before to the scripture: what God commands us to do, he will empower us to do. View this as a blessing and a promise and allow the verse to strengthen you rather than beat you up for feeling weak. And lets strip out the lovely metaphors that have been dissected at length elsewhere.  For protection and strength to stand against the enemy:

  • Know the truth and be truthful
  • Be righteous (i.e stop sinning and walk in the spirit, not the flesh)
  • Know the gospel so you’ll be prepared to act when God calls on you.
  • Have Faith
  • Pray and Study the Bible

The list is a bit simpler and straightforward than we thought, isn’t it?

Lord, we thank you for your truth, we thank you for your righteousness, we thank you for grace and forgiveness, and the finished work of the cross. Increase our faith, increase our knowledge of the truth. Grant us the will and the hunger today to study your word. Show us how we can carve more time out of our busy schedules for the spiritual preparation we need to stand against that onslaught of the evil one. Increase our dedication and discipline. If there is any pet sin in our lives opening us up for attack, reveal it to us, take away the desire for it, and enable us, by your grace, to be so repulsed by it, we will lean on your grace to cleanse us of this evil and turn away from it. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Posted in Bible and Theology, Faith, Gospel, Prayer and Devotions, Sin and Holiness

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