God’s Call for Reason

OneThing [29Dec10]

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;” – Isaiah 1:18

     Isaiah opens his book with a cry against the offenses of Israel.  Though God had been gracious to them and raised them as His own child, they turned away from Him.  Stupidly, they ignored God and refused to answer His voice, but turned to idols instead.  Later, Isaiah lists some of the sins of Israel and says that God should not forgive them.

     Indeed, there is nothing in man that is deserving of forgiveness.  Nothing in him merits grace.  But God is abounding in loving kindness (hesed).  In this passage, God offers an opportunity to the Israelites for a reasoning.  Even though, He is not obligated in any way, the LORD chose to invite Israel to a conversation.  Even more than that, He promises that the result will be the forgiveness of their sins!

     This passage is a great example of the loving mercy of God.  He extended mercy to the rebellious Israelites.  In fact, today, the same invitation and promise is offered to all nations.  This great promise has been open for the Gentiles.  Praise God for His grace!

Act Like Men – Live in Love

OneThing [28Dec10]

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love” - 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

     At the end of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he gives them parting instructions.  In the midst of many specific instructions to the church, the reader finds this exhortation: “act like men.”  What does this mean?

     In the context of the paragraph, it means that men of the faith are vigilant for opposition and when attacked, they do not give up their ground because they are strong.  And they do all this in love.

     In the context of the whole book, men do not quarrel with one another.  They do not engage in sexual immorality.  They do not sue their fellow believers, but they give preference to others and take care to not injure another believer’s conscience.  They surrender their rights for the sake of the gospel and do everything to glorify God.  They are sensitive to the needs of others and work well with others.  They prioritize love above all.  They endeavor to benefit the whole body and to help church services operate smoothly.  They stake all their hope in the resurrection of Christ and long for their own resurrection.  They are sacrificial with their resources and honor more mature Christians.

     It should be noted that 16:13 uses the illustration of manhood similarly to 13:11 which says,

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”

This verse speaks of all earthly things passing away.  Only love will remain.  So it can be inferred that acting like a man means putting away the childish, earthly, things and  living for the things of eternity, namely, love.  Our speech, thought, and reasoning much be built of that which will endure.

     Acting like a man means many things.  Those listed above are merely the pebbles laying on the surface of a much deeper topic.

Live Rightly for the Gospel

OneThing [27Dec10]

“Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning.  For some have no knowledge of God.  I say this to your shame.” - 1 Corinthians 15:34

Here, in the middle of a passage about the resurrection, Paul urges the Corinthians to snap out of their continuing sin and live a pure life.  “Why?” they ask.  The reason presented here is the sake of the gospel.  The people were living drunken lives which indicate lives that are self-centered and out-of-control.  Such a lives are not ones a Christian should lead because they harm the image of the gospel.  Christ did not save us so that we may go back to sinning!  We are saved to new life and part of that new life is spreading the gospel to a dying and confused world.