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- Thread starter RiverOL
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I take it that the god exist. I rebel.
Surrendering to goodness
John 15
"If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit ..." (v.5)
Although, as we have seen, goodness is a fruit that is difficult to define, we come close to seeing its meaning when we think of it in terms of essential goodness -- goodness in the inner parts. It is not something that is imposed but something that is exposed; it moves, not from without to within but from within to without. It is not self-achieved. Supernatural goodness is pure goodness -- a goodness which unconsciously proclaims itself. Christians in whom goodness is growing will not "use" others as many use their friends -- they will love them for themselves alone. They will not mentally fit people into their scheme -- for they have no schemes.
I think it would be true to say that goodness is there to some degree in all Christians who are in daily touch with the Lord and are growing in Him -- but in those who have known what it is to die to self, it is there in overflowing measure. They exude goodness. John Wallace, a Scotsman and the principal of the college where I received my training for the ministry, used to say: "Goodness, the fruit of the Spirit, is more 'felt' than 'telt'. It is not so much actions as attitudes, not so much talking as walking."I believe myself that God never gets closer to a sinner -- or, for that matter, an unsurrendered Christian -- than when He calls to that person through the life of someone in whom the fruit of goodness is ripe. So in yearning for this fruit of the Spirit, remember, it comes not by straining to be good but by surrendering to goodness.
John 15
"If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit ..." (v.5)
Although, as we have seen, goodness is a fruit that is difficult to define, we come close to seeing its meaning when we think of it in terms of essential goodness -- goodness in the inner parts. It is not something that is imposed but something that is exposed; it moves, not from without to within but from within to without. It is not self-achieved. Supernatural goodness is pure goodness -- a goodness which unconsciously proclaims itself. Christians in whom goodness is growing will not "use" others as many use their friends -- they will love them for themselves alone. They will not mentally fit people into their scheme -- for they have no schemes.
I think it would be true to say that goodness is there to some degree in all Christians who are in daily touch with the Lord and are growing in Him -- but in those who have known what it is to die to self, it is there in overflowing measure. They exude goodness. John Wallace, a Scotsman and the principal of the college where I received my training for the ministry, used to say: "Goodness, the fruit of the Spirit, is more 'felt' than 'telt'. It is not so much actions as attitudes, not so much talking as walking."I believe myself that God never gets closer to a sinner -- or, for that matter, an unsurrendered Christian -- than when He calls to that person through the life of someone in whom the fruit of goodness is ripe. So in yearning for this fruit of the Spirit, remember, it comes not by straining to be good but by surrendering to goodness.
The ultimate test of character
Psalms 51
"Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ..." (v.6)
We examine now the seventh fruit of the Spirit -- faithfulness or fidelity. Faithfulness (Greek: pistis) is the quality of reliability or trust-worthiness which makes a person someone on whom we can utterly rely and whose word we can utterly accept.
It has been said that the ultimate test of a person's character is: Are there any circumstances in which that person will lie? If so, then that person's character is blemished. I know a Christian worker who puts in hours of service and who would work his fingers to the bone for anyone in need but, sadly, he cannot always speak the truth. That basic falsity cancels out much of the value of his accomplishments.
In a Third World country, where the leaders of churches are obliged to declare their property on their tax returns, one church owned a valuable gold cross. So that they would not have to pay so much tax, they decided to devalue the cross on their tax return and place its value at only a fraction of its real worth. One day the cross was stolen and cut up into small pieces. When the pieces were eventually recovered by the police, the church leaders went to court to prove they belonged to them. The judge called for a valuation of the gold and when told it was of very high value, he judged that the cross did not belong to the church as the stolen cross was of much higher value than the one listed on the church's tax return. So the gold was confiscated by the police. Those church leaders lost not only a cross -- they lost their character.
Psalms 51
"Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ..." (v.6)
We examine now the seventh fruit of the Spirit -- faithfulness or fidelity. Faithfulness (Greek: pistis) is the quality of reliability or trust-worthiness which makes a person someone on whom we can utterly rely and whose word we can utterly accept.
It has been said that the ultimate test of a person's character is: Are there any circumstances in which that person will lie? If so, then that person's character is blemished. I know a Christian worker who puts in hours of service and who would work his fingers to the bone for anyone in need but, sadly, he cannot always speak the truth. That basic falsity cancels out much of the value of his accomplishments.
In a Third World country, where the leaders of churches are obliged to declare their property on their tax returns, one church owned a valuable gold cross. So that they would not have to pay so much tax, they decided to devalue the cross on their tax return and place its value at only a fraction of its real worth. One day the cross was stolen and cut up into small pieces. When the pieces were eventually recovered by the police, the church leaders went to court to prove they belonged to them. The judge called for a valuation of the gold and when told it was of very high value, he judged that the cross did not belong to the church as the stolen cross was of much higher value than the one listed on the church's tax return. So the gold was confiscated by the police. Those church leaders lost not only a cross -- they lost their character.
God loves the sinner, even the abysmally ignorant village atheist who never ceases to badmouth his Creator.
God loves the sinner, even the abysmally ignorant village atheist who never ceases to badmouth his Creator.
God loves slavery, confirmed by fraido!!!!
Riches with a capital "R"
Luke 16
"... if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" (v.11)
We must not think that because faithfulness is listed among the last three qualities on Paul's list, it is of lesser importance. So important is it that Jesus says in our passage today: "He who is faithful with a trifle is also faithful with a large trust, and he who is dishonest with a trifle is also dishonest with a large trust" (v.10, Moffatt).
I have often said to myself: there is a young man with a great future in the things of God. Yet time and again, I have seen them fail in their fidelity to small obligations, and I have then said to myself: unless there are great changes, that person will end up like the children of Israel in the wilderness -- going around in circles. Look again at what Jesus said, this time in the Moffatt translation: "If you are not faithful with dishonest mammon, how can you ever be trusted with true Riches?" Here the basic principles are laid down. If you are not faithful in the trifling, you will not be faithful in the tremendous. If you are not faithful with the material (mammon), how can you expect to be entrusted with the spiritual -- Otrue RichesO?Notice how Moffatt spells the word "riches" with a capital "R." Why is this? Because spiritual richness is a richness that is so rich you just have to spell it with a capital "R." But Jesus says one more thing: "If you are not faithful with what belongs to another, how can you ever be given what is your own?" Those who are not faithful with other people's possessions finish up with nothing of their own.
Luke 16
"... if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" (v.11)
We must not think that because faithfulness is listed among the last three qualities on Paul's list, it is of lesser importance. So important is it that Jesus says in our passage today: "He who is faithful with a trifle is also faithful with a large trust, and he who is dishonest with a trifle is also dishonest with a large trust" (v.10, Moffatt).
I have often said to myself: there is a young man with a great future in the things of God. Yet time and again, I have seen them fail in their fidelity to small obligations, and I have then said to myself: unless there are great changes, that person will end up like the children of Israel in the wilderness -- going around in circles. Look again at what Jesus said, this time in the Moffatt translation: "If you are not faithful with dishonest mammon, how can you ever be trusted with true Riches?" Here the basic principles are laid down. If you are not faithful in the trifling, you will not be faithful in the tremendous. If you are not faithful with the material (mammon), how can you expect to be entrusted with the spiritual -- Otrue RichesO?Notice how Moffatt spells the word "riches" with a capital "R." Why is this? Because spiritual richness is a richness that is so rich you just have to spell it with a capital "R." But Jesus says one more thing: "If you are not faithful with what belongs to another, how can you ever be given what is your own?" Those who are not faithful with other people's possessions finish up with nothing of their own.
Lies have short legs"
Luke 12
"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." (v.2)
Both the universe and ourselves are made for truth and honesty, and both the universe and ourselves are alien to untruth and dishonesty.
The universe is made for the same thing as we are -- namely righteousness. Not only the face of the Lord, but the face of the universe is set against those who live below its standards.
I know that this may sound somewhat hollow in an age which appears to thrive on dishonesty and corruption, but I stand by it nevertheless. The universe is not built for the success of dishonesty and corruption. A lie breaks itself upon the moral universe, perhaps not today, not tomorrow -- but certainly at some point in the future. The Tamils of South India have a saying:
"The life of the cleverest lie is only eight days." The Germans have a saying: "Lies have short legs." During the Second World War, they adapted that saying to, "Lies have one leg." That was because Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister, had one short leg. A passionate antagonist of Communism is reported to have said: "In our fight against Communism we are handicapped by our decency and honesty." Since when was honesty and decency a handicap? It is indecency and dishonesty that are handicaps; they bring us into bondage -- inwardly and outwardly. Governments, organizations and institutions which practice dishonesty will be broken from within. History has proved that. The Roman Empire collapsed, not from without but from within -- broken upon the rock of its own corruption. Believe me, no one gets away with anything in a moral universe. No one.
Luke 12
"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." (v.2)
Both the universe and ourselves are made for truth and honesty, and both the universe and ourselves are alien to untruth and dishonesty.
The universe is made for the same thing as we are -- namely righteousness. Not only the face of the Lord, but the face of the universe is set against those who live below its standards.
I know that this may sound somewhat hollow in an age which appears to thrive on dishonesty and corruption, but I stand by it nevertheless. The universe is not built for the success of dishonesty and corruption. A lie breaks itself upon the moral universe, perhaps not today, not tomorrow -- but certainly at some point in the future. The Tamils of South India have a saying:
"The life of the cleverest lie is only eight days." The Germans have a saying: "Lies have short legs." During the Second World War, they adapted that saying to, "Lies have one leg." That was because Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister, had one short leg. A passionate antagonist of Communism is reported to have said: "In our fight against Communism we are handicapped by our decency and honesty." Since when was honesty and decency a handicap? It is indecency and dishonesty that are handicaps; they bring us into bondage -- inwardly and outwardly. Governments, organizations and institutions which practice dishonesty will be broken from within. History has proved that. The Roman Empire collapsed, not from without but from within -- broken upon the rock of its own corruption. Believe me, no one gets away with anything in a moral universe. No one.
The illusion of knowledge is just what abysmally ignorant village atheist has!
That's why he is always enemy to the truth of God's Word.
Doomed to drudgery
Acts 5
"... 'How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?' ..." (v.9)
The seventh fruit of the Spirit -- faithfulness -- is often sadly lacking in God's children. There are professing Christians who seem to think that things like tax evasion or making telephone calls from their office without permission are issues that have no direct bearing on their Christian life.
A minister watched a woman make a long-distance call from an airport pay-phone. Afterwards she told him: "I made a person-to-person call to myself at home and of course was told I was not there. This let my family know that I had arrived safely and there was no need to pay for the call, as I didn't get through to myself." She thought she was clever but she was just a clever fool, for calling herself up in this way just started a series of calls to herself on the inside of herself -- calls that would lead to even more serious moral violations. She sold herself -- cheap.
In Madras in India they tell the story of a farmer who, when selling milk to his customers, had to drive his cow and its calf from door to door. Why did he have to trudge in the hot sun day after day? There was a simple reason -- he could not be trusted. The housewives knew that he would water down the milk and so they made him milk the cow in front of their eyes. His dishonesty doomed him to drudgery. Dishonesty always does this. It may not bring drudgery on the outside but it most certainly brings drudgery on the inside. The worst thing about dishonesty is to be the person who is dishonest.
Acts 5
"... 'How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?' ..." (v.9)
The seventh fruit of the Spirit -- faithfulness -- is often sadly lacking in God's children. There are professing Christians who seem to think that things like tax evasion or making telephone calls from their office without permission are issues that have no direct bearing on their Christian life.
A minister watched a woman make a long-distance call from an airport pay-phone. Afterwards she told him: "I made a person-to-person call to myself at home and of course was told I was not there. This let my family know that I had arrived safely and there was no need to pay for the call, as I didn't get through to myself." She thought she was clever but she was just a clever fool, for calling herself up in this way just started a series of calls to herself on the inside of herself -- calls that would lead to even more serious moral violations. She sold herself -- cheap.
In Madras in India they tell the story of a farmer who, when selling milk to his customers, had to drive his cow and its calf from door to door. Why did he have to trudge in the hot sun day after day? There was a simple reason -- he could not be trusted. The housewives knew that he would water down the milk and so they made him milk the cow in front of their eyes. His dishonesty doomed him to drudgery. Dishonesty always does this. It may not bring drudgery on the outside but it most certainly brings drudgery on the inside. The worst thing about dishonesty is to be the person who is dishonest.
The illusion of knowledge is just what abysmally ignorant village atheist has!
That's why he is always enemy to the truth of God's Word.
The outdated book is the word of ancient israelites. Period.
Outdated? Guess who said this?
"For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountain of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries."
Start googling now!
The cement of society
Matthew 5:13-20
"You are the salt of the earth ..." (v.13)
One thing is becoming crystal clear as we continue meditating on faithfulness and fidelity -- nobody gets away with anything in a moral universe if that "anything" is dishonest and untrue. The whole history of humanity is a commentary on this. Remember the first lie uttered by Satan -- "You shall not surely die"? He keeps on repeating that well-worn but discredited lie to every member of Adam's race. Something dies in us the moment we are dishonest -- not the least, our self-respect. Death eats away at our hearts the moment dishonesty is let in. We are not so much punished for sin as by sin. I came across a statement in a book in which the writer said: "There are two major principles for getting and keeping political power: (1) let nothing, least of all truth and honor, interfere with success; (2) be honest and trustworthy in the little things, but boldly dishonest in the large ones." What would be the result of someone getting political power by following those two principles? I will tell you. Like blind Samson, they would pull down the pillars of society around their heads and the heads of others also.
It is the ten righteous men who spare the Sodoms of this world. Fidelity is the cement that holds society together; take it away and it destroys itself. I may be stretching imagination too far by saying this, but in my opinion the Christian presence, especially as it represents fidelity, holds the world on its course. Civilization would have disintegrated long ago were it not for the moral and Christian character that flows out of the Church into the world.
Matthew 5:13-20
"You are the salt of the earth ..." (v.13)
One thing is becoming crystal clear as we continue meditating on faithfulness and fidelity -- nobody gets away with anything in a moral universe if that "anything" is dishonest and untrue. The whole history of humanity is a commentary on this. Remember the first lie uttered by Satan -- "You shall not surely die"? He keeps on repeating that well-worn but discredited lie to every member of Adam's race. Something dies in us the moment we are dishonest -- not the least, our self-respect. Death eats away at our hearts the moment dishonesty is let in. We are not so much punished for sin as by sin. I came across a statement in a book in which the writer said: "There are two major principles for getting and keeping political power: (1) let nothing, least of all truth and honor, interfere with success; (2) be honest and trustworthy in the little things, but boldly dishonest in the large ones." What would be the result of someone getting political power by following those two principles? I will tell you. Like blind Samson, they would pull down the pillars of society around their heads and the heads of others also.
It is the ten righteous men who spare the Sodoms of this world. Fidelity is the cement that holds society together; take it away and it destroys itself. I may be stretching imagination too far by saying this, but in my opinion the Christian presence, especially as it represents fidelity, holds the world on its course. Civilization would have disintegrated long ago were it not for the moral and Christian character that flows out of the Church into the world.
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