In this article, I will be discussing the Biblical benefits of gratitude. This study will be taken from the book, "Militant Thankfulness: An Essential Practice to Experiencing a Full Spiritual Life."
Throughout this series, I will be presenting the immense blessings and benefits of thankfulness as presented by Scripture. And, by the end of this series, you and I will be able to identify some profound benefits of gratitude, as well as come to the conclusion that the intentional and ongoing practice of thanksgiving is an essential spiritual disciple for the Christian life. We will be starting with Ephesians 5:3-4 for an inspired look at the first benefit to the practice of thankfulness; we will discover that thankfulness is diametrically opposed to the flesh. Let's take a look… Ephesians 5:3-4 says, "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead…" This little verse is fascinating! I would have thought that this verse would conclude by listing the antithetical behaviors to the sinful ones listed. In other words (rather than sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking), I would have imagined that this would give the opposite behaviors of abstinence, purity, contentment, spiritual cleanliness, and wholesome speech. Or at least something along those lines… some behaviors that would directly combat the sinful, flesh-driven ones. But I would have been wrong! Take a look at this Passage with me, again. "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving!" Whoah! What a cool little verse. This is saying that "thanksgiving" directly combats the inherent, sinful tug of the flesh. This means that our fallen nature, our inherent depravity, the human condition that regularly attempts to draw us away from God is thwarted by the practice of gratitude. It should become obvious from this Passage that the practice of thankfulness is a spiritual discipline. It is a means of grace by which we can partner with the Holy Spirit in placing our flesh in submission to the Lordship of Christ. Wow... What a concept! How incredible to know that something as simple as the regular and intentional practice of gratitude will help the Believer combat the tug of the flesh and traverse the heights of the spiritual life. Being diligent to practice a fiercely active thankfulness is one of the ways by which we can begin to live a full spiritual life. A Militant thankfulness is diametrically opposed to the flesh. It is a means by which we can begin to experience the full joys of the Christian life. For more on this topic, I recommend reading my other articles in this Militant Thankfulness series. Also, I would encourage you to consider buying Dusty's Book, "Militant Thankfulness: An Essential Practice to Experiencing a Full Spiritual Life."
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This has been a fun, frustrating, exhilarating, and exhausting study. The struggle of this study has been trying to mine the depths of an endless excavation site. To present a study on one’s identity as a worshiper, it requires studying worship. To study worship, it demands a look into the nature, aseity, and character of God. This, as you can imagine, leads one to look into the concept of mankind being created in the image of God. After the anthropological study is complete, one may then proceed to dive into the cultural and historical practices of worship by the Jews. It is only appropriate, after that, to look into the New Testament Scriptures on worship. Identifying the New Testament Scriptures of worship will demand that you compile a list of ways that worship (under the New Covenant) has changed, shifted, or been divinely redirected. This list will force you back to the Old Testament where you will get distracted with all the shadows and types of worship that were prophetically intended to lead us to the New Testament where we see the fullness of worship being satisfied by the work of Jesus. And then, if you give a mouse a cookie, you will eventually end up with a study on worship and our identity as worshipers.
But in all seriousness, this has been a challenging study because our Inspired Text proves worship to be no simple, unimportant, or insignificant thing. Worship is deep. Worship is profound. Worship is inextricably tied to the very fabric of our humanness. Our Identity as worshipers is equally deep.
So before we jump into this teaching on our new identity, let me briefly offer some Biblical examples of worship in an attempt to define worship. In both the Old and New Testaments worship has been conveyed as the heartfelt expressions of song, praise, thanksgiving, and musical accompaniment. In both halves of the Bible, Scripture clearly presents worship as being sincere expressions (and inspired outbursts) of praise. From the Psalmists to the Apostles, worship is something that is corporately and individually expressed in song. In Psalm 66:4 it says, “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.’ Selah.” Also, Psalm 96:1-4 declares,
“Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day today. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.”
Worship is also conveyed as being the reading of the Word (Deut. 31:11-13; Joshua 8:33-35; Neh. 8:1-8; etc.)
Worship is described as being silent before the Lord (Deut. 27:9-10; Hab. 2:20; Psalm 62:1-2, 5-7) Worship includes prayer (Acts 16:25; Psalm 51:1-17; Luke 2:37; 2 Sam. 7:18; Isaiah 56:7; etc.) Worship is described as expressed through bowing and prostration (Exodus 34:8; 2 Chron. 20:18; Gen. 17:3; Mar. 3:11; etc.) Worship is communicated as being devotion (often even to false gods) (Deut. 8:19; 1 Chron. 29:2-4; Exodus 22:20; Matt. 6:24; etc) Worship is seen a heartfelt response to the Presence of God (Psalm 22:23; Psalm 102:15-16; Hosea 3:5; etc)
So many inspired descriptions of worship lead us to question why we would limit our understanding of worship to only being the song and music. And furthermore, it causes us to ask the question of how does one define worship? What is it?! Perhaps the best definition of worship I have heard is this: “Worship is an outward expression of an inward reality" (unknown). In other words, worship is any (and all) outward expressions that demonstrate the object of your affection. What does this mean? This means prayer is an act of worship. Fasting is an act of worship. Singing praises. Serving the Lord at church. Restraining from profanity. Mopping the floors. Raising your kids. Driving your car. Acts of obedience (large or small). Reading Scripture. “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord...” This is worship. It is expressing our affections for the Lord in everything we do! In both the scholastic theological and spiritual formation realms, worship is understood as being intended to encompass the entire scope of Christian living. Everything!
Charles Spurgeon says, “All places are places of worship to a Christian.” There is not a place we can go where we cannot, nor should not, serve the Lord. He is the object of our affections. He is the One we esteem the most. We are to practice, regularly, expressing our gratitude and our adoration and our appreciation for our Savior. This is something we can do anywhere. On a very practical level, we can start by practicing a militant thankfulness. 1 Thess. 5:16-19 tells us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.”
Now that we have briefly covered what worship is, let us look at who is identified as a “worshiper” in the Bible. This might surprise you! From the front of the Book to the end of the Book, the Bible clearly describes humankind as worshipers. Man and woman. Jew and gentile. Slave and free. Christian and non-christian. From Cain to the Philistines. From the pagans to the Jews. From the Canaanites to the Babylonians. From the worship of God to the worship of idols. Mankind has been inherently created to worship! It is obvious that within the intricacies of our DNA we are worshipers. There will always be some object upon which mankind places their affections. We serve and devote our time and our money to the things we value most. If you turn to social media, you will see the worship of philosophies and ideologies. You will see the veneration of political agendas. You will see people expressing the affections of their hearts for something. From worshiping and serving their sexual appetites to expressing their love and devotion to the object of addiction. God crafted this in us that we might be drawn to worship Him. The problem was the fall. In the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve introduced sin and death into the world, the world was launched into a tailspin. The Bible states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Our identity as worshipers was corrupted by sin, and now we worship things that do not deserve our affections. In our fallenness, we worship our careers, our wives, our theological frameworks, our preferences, our sport, our ideas of marriage, our code of ethics, our cars, our homes, our scientific presuppositions, etc. We are worshipers, and we will worship something. The difference between our worship and the worship of the world is that we worship something eternal – Someone that is worthy. The Object of our worship is the invisible, personal, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, immutable God. We express our affections for a God that would give Himself for His people. We serve and obey a God that created the heavens and the earth. The God Who created an escape plan from a temporary world that is scheduled to go up in flame like a match-stick. We serve Jesus Christ. He alone can save us. He alone can help us. He alone can heal us. He alone can deliver us. He alone can comfort. He alone can bring fulfillment and lasting satisfaction. He alone can work the impossible! This is the difference between our worship and the worship of the world.
Now staying true to our goal for this series, before I attempt to answer the question of “what does this say about God and what does this say about us?"
What does this Say about God?
Rev. 5:9-14, “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation...’ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.” There is only one God – one thing – that was able to accomplish the impossible work of salvation. And there is only one God who can perfectly accomplish the ultimate and final movement of redemption on earth. This reveals a God who is of insurmountable worth. He is the Object to be obtained at any cost. He is the most valuable and treasured Possession to be had. He is greater than any amount of silver or gold. God is precious and to be treasured above all else. Psalm 36:7, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” 1 Peter 1:18-19, “knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
Lastly, being designated a worshiper of Yahweh also reveals something of relationship. There are a vast number of passages that connect a personal relationship with God to the worship of God. Look at the contrast here in Deut. 4: 28-29. It says, “And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Compared to the worship of inanimate objects, God makes himself available. He is a personal God. He is living and active. He is able to respond to the cries and prayers of His people.
Also, it shows a relational partnership. We get to work with God in this world to accomplish His will. Our worship includes serving God. This reveals a God who is personally involved in the lives of his people and the world. This emphasizes a relationship and partnership with God in administering His love, grace, and mercy to others. We do not just sing songs of worship to our God; we serve God and serve with God in accomplishing his plans.
1 Peter 2:9,
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Col. 3: 15-17, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
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Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” John 8:31, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.’” |
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This reveals God as Rabbi – a teacher of people. When we bring the historical and cultural understanding of a disciple into view, this highlights a God that is personally involved in the holistic development of His people! This reveals relationship – a Rabbi with His talmidim relationship. Of our God, it illustrates His commitment to train, equip, help, instruct, and walk with His disciples...
It reveals a God who is present and personal! This is much deeper than a relationship between a teacher and his pupil. This is a relationship where our Holy Instructor lives every moment of the day with us!
A disciple would almost never be separated from his Rabbi. In fact, it may even be said that a Rabbi was the ever-present help to the disciple. The Rabbi would live with their disciples. He would do life with his disciples. He would dine with, walk with, talk with, and exist with His disciples. Jesus modeled this with His talmidim. For about 3 years, Jesus rarely separated Himself from His disciples...
And this is how it is even today. John 16:7 states, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.”
John 14: 25-26, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Behind every Disciple of Christ, there is a gracious and merciful Teacher that is ever-present!
Practical Expectations
The second thing we should discuss is what are the practical expectations for a disciple of Christ. The first highlight of this particular designation is that of need. It should become apparent that being a disciple demonstrates the need for development. This identity statement is a revelation of the Believer’s very real and insurmountable need for instruction, coaching, counsel, and learning. Being a disciple is being wholly dependent upon our Heavenly Rabbi.
Unlike popular belief in the Western World, we are not self-sufficient. We are not independent. We are not Islands to ourselves! Just because we live in an age of information - where we have access to libraries of good theology, incredible Pastors and Bible Teachers, a plethora of wonderful role models, and heads full of information – we are still disciples. We are still to consider ourselves in desperately reliant upon God. We are to position ourselves, regularly, before God so that we may hear and obey His Instruction.
Unlike popular belief in the Western World, we are not self-sufficient. We are not independent. We are not Islands to ourselves! Just because we live in an age of information - where we have access to libraries of good theology, incredible Pastors and Bible Teachers, a plethora of wonderful role models, and heads full of information – we are still disciples. We are still to consider ourselves in desperately reliant upon God. We are to position ourselves, regularly, before God so that we may hear and obey His Instruction.
Matt. 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
John 14:25-26, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
I stated above that being a disciple reveals an Ever-present Teacher. It also means we need to make every effort to be present for our Counselor. We are living life in the presence of our Rabbi. Are we aware of it? Do we regularly stop and reflect upon the Word of God? Do we pray answer-conscience prayers? Have we trained ourselves to attentively listen and expect help from our God?
(Reference the Spiritual Disciplines...)
Finally, this identity statement requires us to “follow in the dust” of our Rabbi. Historically, being a talmidim requires much more than just knowledge. It demands the disciple to follow and imitate our Rabbi – Jesus. We are to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. We are to emulate the life, actions, and mission of Messiah! We are to eat the way He ate. We are to walk the way He walked. We are love to the way he Loved.
Eph. 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus, here, is saying that if a disciple is known for imitating the life of his Rabbi, then we will be known as Christ’s disciples by emulating the radicle love of our Teacher. Jesus’ life and mission is radically characterized by love. We CANNOT claim to be His disciples if we do not follow His example.
“And looking intently at the council, Paul said, ‘Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day'”
(Acts 23:1)
(Acts 23:1)
This article will dissect three words from Acts 23:1 in an attempt to answer the question of “what does it mean to have a ‘good conscience’ before God?” This is an incredibly important topic that carries profound benefits for the Believer. My prayer for you is that you find freedom from guilt and shame, peace of mind, and greater joys in your relationship with God.
This article will dissect three words from Acts 23:1 in an attempt to answer the question of “what does it mean to have a ‘good conscience’ before God?” This is an incredibly important topic that carries profound benefits for the Believer. My prayer for you is that you find freedom from guilt and shame, peace of mind, and greater joys in your relationship with God.
Heart! (“... Brothers...” {Ἀδελφός})
This is an interesting way to begin! Why “brothers”? What was the reason for addressing these men of prestige, position, and power as brothers? We know that the historic, culturally acceptable way to address this class of people is with a “title of honor.” Just like we would say “Mr. President” (in respect to the position), or “your honor” to a judge (also out of respect for the position), it has been said that these men would have been addressed as “Elders (or fathers) of Israel” or “Rulers of the people” (David Guzik/ Bob Davis). But Paul did not. Why?! Paul chose to use an affectionate designation for his fellow Jews.
First thought on this is that Paul was “setting himself on an equal footing with the council” (William Barclay). This, of course, was not for the purpose of insulting this elite group of people. Rather, Paul still had an incredibly deep connection to his heritage. Paul was still a Jew. The affections of His heart still cried out for his people...
First thought on this is that Paul was “setting himself on an equal footing with the council” (William Barclay). This, of course, was not for the purpose of insulting this elite group of people. Rather, Paul still had an incredibly deep connection to his heritage. Paul was still a Jew. The affections of His heart still cried out for his people...
- Romans 9:1-3 gives us a glimpse into Paul’s heart (and into the Heart of God). Scripture says, “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Despite the seriousness and formality of His hearing, Paul addresses them lovingly.
Wrongly accused... falsely imprisoned... horribly mistreated... physically beaten without cause... Paul could have addressed them according to his feelings or according to the seriousness of the situation. Instead, Paul chose to follow the example of Jesus by demonstrating his love for them. Yet again, we get an inspired glimpse into the heart of God. It seems that the affections of Paul’s heart were so strongly for his people that even here he would try (for the second time) to reach them with the good news of Jesus Christ.
- Eph. 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”
- Paul was literally loving his enemies. Luke 7:27-29, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.”
Lastly to the point of the word “brothers,” I cannot help but think that part of Paul being inspired to address the Sanhedrin in this way had to do with his understanding of his own identity. Perhaps this response came from an appropriate understanding of his new identity in Messiah. It could be that “placing himself on equal footing with the council” was due having placed himself under Christ...
Here is what I see. it seems to me that Paul could not have viewed everyone as being equal until he placed himself under Jesus. Prior to Jesus, Paul placed himself above others. He was a Jew of Jews, a “talmudim” of Gamaliel, blameless according to the Law, righteous by Levitical standards... He stood, superior to others, in regard to his doctrinal and cultural heritage and prestige. It was not until he submitted to Christ that he was able to see himself, and others for who they were – in need of saving. Only after yielding himself to the love and authority of Christ, he was able to view others appropriately. It wasn’t that there was God, Jews, then everyone else. It is only Jesus (God) and those created in His image! It seems that seeing Jesus for who He is, and subjecting oneself to His rule and reign, we can view others from a place of true equality. No one needs the love, grace, and mercy of God more or less than anyone else. Paul seemed to get this.
This is a perfect transition into our second point... Paul’s understanding of His identity in Christ leads us to the first part of our answer to “how does one have a good conscience before God?”
Mind (“... good conscience...” {συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ})
Another question comes to mind when reading verse one, what does it mean to have a “good conscience before God”? This, I think, is a very important question. Having prayed through this question and sought God’s word for the answer, I have personally found the answer’s simplicity refreshing. My prayer for you is that the Scriptural answer to having a clear conscience before God will bless you and grant you freedom of mind and spirit.
First, it should be obvious at this point, a good conscience before God starts with our justification. “He didn’t mean that he was sinlessly perfect and that his conscience had never told him he was wrong” (Guzik). F. F. Bruce states, “Paul might well appeal to the testimony of conscience as he stood before the supreme court of Israel; it was on no righteousness of his own, however, that he relied for justification in the heavenly court. The purest conscience was an insecure basis of confidence under the scrutiny of God.” In other words, Paul would never have considered a clear conscience a way to be justified before God. It was, rather, he had a clear conscience before God because he stood Justified by faith in Messiah.
- Hebrews 9:11-14, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
A good conscience starts with the work of Christ to justify. It is centered, first and foremost, in cherishing your new identity and right-standing before God. When the believer (like Paul) can leap at the joys of guiltlessness – having been absolved of guilt and shame – the mind and soul are freed to serve God from a place of gratitude and celebration. You, oh Brother; you, oh Sister, are completely new in Christ. You are now justified and righteous. You are stain-free in the Presence of the Almighty. We may know without question that any whispers of condemnation come not from God, but they arrive to our ears from the lying lips of deception.
- 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
- Rom. 8:1-2, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”
- Gal. 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
- Rom. 3:22-25, “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.”
May the gleaming reality of our new identity in Christ draw our minds to the glories of God’s grace. Insofar as we believe in Jesus Christ, we can be assured of our righteous position before God and enjoy a clear conscience. We can know that neither our past nor our sins condemn us.
Body! (“... lived my life...” {πολιτεύομαι})
While a clear conscience starts with understanding the work and mercy of God for us, the Bible demonstrates another aspect to having a clear conscience. Obedience! Scripture shows us that the expected response to the work of Christ is obedience (John 14:15). Keeping in mind all that Christ has done to save us, our hearts should draw us to a sincere desire to obey our Savior. This is portrayed to us through the life of Paul. While he was by no means perfect, he desired obedience to Jesus and worked as best an earnest and sincere soul could to bring glory to God. Paul could confidently declare that “I have lived my life before God in all good conscience” because he made every intentional effort to subject himself to the obedience of Jesus.
This concept calls to mind Ephesians 2. Eph. 2:8-10 states this, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Scripture is clear. God grants us the grace of salvation through faith. It is only after being saved by believing in Jesus, we are re-created “in Christ Jesus for good works.” It is part of our identity. We are called to higher glories and greater purposes. When we make the intentional efforts toward obedience and good works, our minds can know we are doing that for which God created us. This is truly the other aspect to having a clear conscience. If we can say that we are gladly and earnestly trying to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling,” we can say like Paul that we have lived our lives before God in all good conscience. (Reference Hebrews 13:18).
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The exhortation to walk in a “manner worthy of God” is founded upon the fact of a deserving God. He deserves all glory and honor and praise. He alone is worthy to be glorified! This is what we were created for; we were created to serve Him and bring God glory. When we fall short of bringing Him the glory He is due, we rob ourselves of our divinely crafted purpose, and we rob God of the glory of which He is worthy. When we can, like our Brother Paul, say that we are trying our best to be obedient, we can rest in the refreshing streams of a good conscience before God. …
If we could ask Jesus what our obedience should look like, he would likely respond with “service and sacrifice.” 1) love-based service – serving God, the Body of Christ, and the dying world with the life-giving love of Jesus. 2) love-based sacrifice – sacrificially giving ourselves for the benefit of others.
- Matt. 22: 37-39, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Gal. 5:14, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
- James 2:8, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.”
- Luke 6:27-29, “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.” (love cannot be separated from sacrifice).
- Rom. 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship [service].”
- 2 Cor. 5:17-21, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Lastly, let us look specifically at the Greek word for “lived my life.” This word caught me off-guard. I expected to see the normal, regularly used word for lived (ζάω - zaō; or κατοικέω - katoikeō). But it is not. Instead it is a word that is only found twice in the Bible. God inspired Paul to use the word πολιτεύομαι (politeuomai). This word is only used here and in Phil. 1:27 (“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ... with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel”). This word is a reference to a “citizen” and it comes from the root word for “city” (πόλις - polis). (Selah...) This is what Blue Letter Bible says of this word: it means “to be a citizen; to administer civil affairs, manage the state; to make or create a citizen; to be a citizen; to behave as a citizen.”
I have to imagine that one of the reasons Paul was able to declare his conscience clear is because he has lived as a citizen of Zion. Paul lived daily knowing where his true home was. He conducted himself as a citizen of heaven, obedient to the call God had placed on him.
- Phil. 3:20-21, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
May we, like Paul, keep in mind that this is not our home. May we not fall prey to that trap of thinking this is home. “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling” (2 Cor. 5:1-2).
{Bonus quote} “Now, no man, I think, ever prayed God to grant him partial obedience. Did he ever pray, dare he ever pray, ‘O Lord, help me to overcome some of my sins, but not all. [sic] This day preserve me from some temptations, but allow me to indulge some of my propensities’? Did you ever pray, ‘O Lord, keep me, I pray You, from great and open sins, but permit me, in Your infinite mercy, to enjoy certain private sins that I am exceedingly fond of’? Such a prayer is worthier of a worshipper of the devil than of a worshipper of God. No, our heart renewed by grace craves to be perfectly set free from sin” (Spurgeon).
If the same power that rose Jesus from the dead lives in me, how do I live according to that power?!
"the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus[d] from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Rom. 8:11).
Today, I will be discussing what it means to live according to the resurrection power of God. I am going to attempt to provide 3 very practical answers to this question from Colossians 3:1-4.
There are many important theological precepts tied to Jesus’ resurrection. For example, Roman 1: 3-4 states, “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (ESV). This is hugely important. This demonstrates the all-surpassing necessity of the Messiah’s resurrection. First, this shows us that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection. Up to this point in history, there had been a number of people who claimed to be the Messiah (Josephus). But the claims of these false-christs were silenced by their death. There was only one man who claimed to be Messiah, who actually fulfilled all the prophecies and rose from the dead. Only One. Just Jesus. The Resurrection declared God’s approval of Jesus’s identity, His atoning work and sacrifice, and the undying love of God for man!
The resurrection not only declared/communicated God’s approval of Jesus, it was necessary for the perfect fulfillment of Scripture. In the ESV, this is the only time this Greek word (ὁρίζω - horizō) is translated “declared.” All other times, it is used of something (or someone) being appointed or determined:
The resurrection was an essential appointment in Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus was appointed, before the foundation of the earth was laid, to die a substitutionary death and rise from the dead. God’s plan for salvation was to present humankind a Savior who was both their perfect Atoning Sacrifice and their Immortal King! A Lamb and a Lion. God and man. A servant and a King. A prophet and a priest. Humble and Exalted. Jesus was appointed to both suffer death and defeat it! God promised to cure the sickness of sin through the suffering and death of Messiah (Isaiah 53), and God promised an immortal King through the lineage of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13). One who would rule and reign over God’s people forever. The resurrection was so imperative because it proved Jesus’ immortality and His Divinity. It proved the Kingdom of God had been established, and it was He who sat on the throne.
It is theologically significant in many other ways, also. Today, however, I really want to discuss the practical implications of the Resurrection of Jesus. Specifically, I want to attempt to answer the question, “how do I live my life in accordance with the resurrection power, of the Holy Spirit, within me?!” My goal, this Easter, is to move the information about the power of Christ’s resurrection from the head to the heart.
Relationship (Col. 3:1, “...seek...”)
The short list is this: 1 Peter 1:3, Phil. 3:10, Rom. 6:5, 1 Cor. 15:19-20, Col. 2:12, Col. 3:1-4, 2 Cor. 4:10-11, etc. I encourage you to look them up on your own. What the Bible instructs us through these Passages is that we are to identify with the Power of Christ’s resurrection. And not simply identify, we are to live according to what we have been given – the same life-giving power that rose Jesus from the dead. Entire Passages. Entire songs. Entire sermons. Entire devotionals. Entire blog-posts have dedicated to this precious reality.
From the symbolism of water baptism, which connects the soul to the life-giving work of Jesus. Baptism is a visual sermon about the power of Christ to raise those who were spiritually dead. “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). It is the very image of our Savior’s death and resurrection, as well as a pictorial reminder of the power of God to save and to raise.
From the symbolism of water baptism, which connects the soul to the life-giving work of Jesus. Baptism is a visual sermon about the power of Christ to raise those who were spiritually dead. “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). It is the very image of our Savior’s death and resurrection, as well as a pictorial reminder of the power of God to save and to raise.
To the experiential Covenant relationship of Yahweh with His people. Paul states we are to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10). It is supposed to go beyond simply watching YouTube videos, to actually interacting with the Person, the ministry, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). We are not only to understand that the fullness of God dwells within us by the Person of the Holy Spirit, but we are to actively SEEK Him and we are to earnestly SERVE Him. Col. 1:9-10 declares, “... we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We have entered a highly experiential relationship with God. And it is defined and characterized by the Power of Christ’s resurrection, which was exerted over us and given to us.
It is clear. The Bible did not misrepresent the Heart of God. But the question still remains, “How do I live the raised life? How do I walk according to the resurrection power of God?” The answer is going to surprise you. You can find the answer in Colossians 3:1-4. It begins with Savior Seeking. I mean... How can one know what it means to live the raised life – living by the resurrection power of the Spirit – without looking to the One who raises the Dead?!
On this topic, Colossians 3 opens with the answer of seeking (ζητεῖτε) and setting (φρονεῖτε). “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (1-4). It begins with setting your mind on the things of God and continuously, regularly, undyingly, zealously, seeking the Lord and His help. The way these words are constructed in the Greek intensify this instruction. Both set and seek are parsed as Present Imperative Active verbs. This means “Continually, habitually follow this command! The Present Imperative is often a call to a long-term commitment and calls for the attitude or action to be one's continual way of life (lifestyle)” (Precept Austin). The first directive to living the raised life, is to set the motivations of your mind and heart on regularly, actively, daily seeking the risen King. This Passage offers step one of living according to the same power that rose Jesus from the dead. It is to set your mind on seeking our Lord.
So what does this mean? Simply and practically, it means creating time for the Lord every day. It is so imperative to develop habits of grace. It is setting aside time for prayer, fasting, worship/service, meditation, reading the Bible, and practicing thankfulness. Making the intentional and conscious efforts to regularly seek the Lord will be the very efforts by which the soul will soar to the heights of relationship with God and experience the resurrection power of Christ. This is so important. This how one can begin to position themselves to live the raised life!
“I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than this, the measure of the intensity of your prayer” (Spurgeon).
"I am a spiritual being... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ" (Max Lucado).
"Yours will be the wings of an eagle's flight, the soaring of a lark, sunward, heavenward, Godward! But you must take time to be holy - in meditation, in prayer, and especially in the use of the Bible" (F.B. Meyer).
There is, however, another answer to the question of “how do I walk according to the same power that rose Jesus from the dead?”
Rising Above! (Vs. 3, “… you died… hidden…”)
Our Passage brings us to another point. A surprising point! A VERY surprising point!!!
As a good American, I have always been compelled to interpret the answer of living the raised live – living in accordance with the resurrection power within us, by the Holy Spirit – through the Lens of postmodernity. I have ALWAYS thought that living the raised life means rising above discomfort. Rising above dysfunction. Rising above sorrow. I thought it meant to rise up and out of pain. I thought the raised life meant learning to arise and escape suffering. I assumed, because I am a good western-minded American, it meant rising above tribulation and affliction to the zenith of soaring to the heights of comfort.
As a good American, I have always been compelled to interpret the answer of living the raised live – living in accordance with the resurrection power within us, by the Holy Spirit – through the Lens of postmodernity. I have ALWAYS thought that living the raised life means rising above discomfort. Rising above dysfunction. Rising above sorrow. I thought it meant to rise up and out of pain. I thought the raised life meant learning to arise and escape suffering. I assumed, because I am a good western-minded American, it meant rising above tribulation and affliction to the zenith of soaring to the heights of comfort.
I was wrong. Did you see it in the Text?! Look at what it says in verse three. It says to live the raised life, you need to live a lowered life. “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (3). Whoah! It brings death into scope. It brings the sacrifice of Christ’s death into the equation. This is reminding us, using the symbolism of baptism, to follow the example of Jesus. In the same way Jesus died to Himself. In the same way Jesus lived a life of self-sacrifice and giving. In the same way Jesus gave everything for His heavenly purpose. In the same way Jesus could not resurrect without first dying. Living the raised life, by the power of the Holy Spirit, means following the example of Jesus. It means dying to self. Living the raised life means living a life of self-giving. It means dying to self. Living a raised life means lowering yourself into the shadow of Jesus’ cross. Hiding yourself in the exultation of Christ’s resurrection.
This is not the only Scripture that offers dying to self as the main principle behind living under the resurrection power of our Lord. There are SO many.
- Phil. 3:10, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
- Rom. 6:1-5, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
- Eph. 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
“I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him” (Spurgeon).
Living the Raised life means living the lowered life. It means dying to yourself, and sacrificing for the sake of others. This is where the resurrection life of Christ can really be seen through us. Sacrificially loving your wife. Dying to yourself means setting aside time for seeking our risen Lord. Joyfully giving of your tithes and offerings for the sake of those who labor over you, and for the advancing of the Kingdom. Spending less time on Instagram, and more time serving the body of Christ. Feeding the homeless. Going out of the way to build a relationship with your neighbors. Inviting a co-worker over for dinner. Secretly going over to your stressed-out pastor’s house to selflessly help his little family with yard-work while he is out of town. Secretly… Without promise or hope of recognition… Secretly leaving gifts for the underprivileged children next door. Digging wells in Africa. Sharing your faith with your aunt. Striving for excellence in your day job, while your boss is NOT looking. Telling your co-worker about the hope you have in Jesus. Inviting a friend to church. Going back to church yourself. Replacing your habit of complaint with a lifestyle of thankfulness.
A Rising Hope! (vs. 4, “… When Christ Appears…”)
Living the raised life also means lifting the goblet of expectation to be filled with waters of hope. While it is truly a joyous and treasured reality to experience the newness of spiritual life, now, we can cling to the sure hope of our Savior’s return. When Christ comes for His church, he will come with even greater blessing and promise. There will be resurrection. There will be no more sorrow. There will be no more suffering. There will be no more death. We earn. Our hearts long. Our minds anticipate. Our bodies rejoice. We can allow the sure promise of the blessed hope of Christ to heal, purify, and motivate us. While living the raised life means lowering our earthly-selves into Christ’s tomb, it means raising our hope to the heights of anticipation.
Col. 3:4, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” My favorite part of this Scripture is not the promise of the “appearing.” It is not even necessarily the watching the sky roll up like a scroll. While all of these things tantalize the heart and intoxicate the soul. My favorite part of this promise is the “with Him.” We can look to an eternity in perfection and glory WITH JESUS. The patient barer of our iniquities. The image and depiction of a loving God. The proof of relentless Mercy. The Stamp of unending grace. The Giver of life. The Hope of resurrection. The Sustainer of undeserving souls. Our Savior.
- 1 Cor. 15: 51-55, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’"
- 1 Thess. 4:14-18, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
There is only one hope. It is that the work of Christ was confirmed by His own resurrection. He rose from the grave. The resurrection was heaven’s declaration of victory. With His resurrection, He celebrated the reward of a valiant conqueror. There is only one hope. It is the joy of experiencing newness of life. It is the hope and promise of experiencing the full glory of perfection at the Christ’s return. It is a hope your heart can be refreshed by. It is an expectation your mind can ceaselessly meditate upon. It is a hope you can have NOW. It is yours if you are to place your faith in Jesus. By the power of the Spirit who rose Messiah from the dead, you can be lifted out of the mire to walk beside Jesus – like Jesus. Both now and at the consummation of all things.
“Our sorrows are all, like ourselves, mortal. There are no immortal sorrows for immortal souls. They come, but blessed be God, they also go. Like birds of the air, they fly over our heads. But they cannot make their abode in our souls. We suffer today, but we shall rejoice tomorrow” (Spurgeon).
The answer: living the raised life, by the power of Christ’s resurrection, is to desperately seek God every day, die to yourself for the benefit of others, and allow the Hope of Christ’s return and our further bodily resurrection tantalize our expectations.
Dusty Dahlin
Married with two boys, Dusty is dedicated to his family, the Church were he pastors, and the life-long pursuit of knowing God more fully. There is nothing Dusty loves more than serving God by helping others understand the treasures of Scripture.
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