Seemly So

Just over a year ago I shifted to a new English Bible version. For the most part I like the English Standard Version (ESV) though occasionally it uses odd words or translates something from the Greek in a way I wouldn't have expected when compared to some other popular versions.  One of the most surprising ones that hit me recently is a verse from Paul's letter to the Philippians that precedes an awesome and very well known passage about not being anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6-7). So here it is, verse 5, from the ESV translation:

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; (ESV)

Reasonableness? Huh, I don't remember that from other versions.  In most other English translations they use the word "gentleness" or "gentle spirit" and not "reasonableness." Interesting.

Rediscovering Jesus

At the same time this verse has been on my mind, as a church we've been re-reading the Gospels to rediscover how Jesus conducted Himself on Earth, particularly in the context of the disruption to our normal rhythms of life due to the current coronavirus pandemic. Somehow, despite all the activity and apparent busyness of His ministry on Earth, Jesus always had time for individuals and made time to be alone with God the Father.  As I'm reading through the Gospels, one of the characteristics that always hits me about Jesus is His gentleness, particularly for anyone hurting or in need of healing. Matthew's Gospel (quoting Isaiah) says of Jesus:

"a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
and in his name the Gentiles will hope."

There we have it: the gentleness of Jesus, lifting up those who are broken and rekindling the flame of those near to burning out. Gentle restoration.

It's all Greek to me

So, back to my curiosity on the ESV translation of this word "reasonableness" that is often translated "gentleness."  To be fair, in the footnotes to the ESV translation it also says "or gentleness" meaning it could be translated with either word. But what is this Greek word? OK, I'm no Bible scholar and I don't read Greek so I'm relying here on some online study tools. The word in the original Greek is "epieikes."  Looking at a couple of definitions for this word it means "appropriate, i.e. (by implication) mild:—gentle, moderation, patient."  Huh, that's cool. In another it's defined as "what is reasonable; (1) seemly, suitable, (2) equitable, fair, mild, gentle."

Let's be reasonable

Reasonableness. Seemly.  I love these old words. More than that, I love the meaning and the weight behind them.  We live in the social media age where there are a whole bunch of people yelling out their opinions, whilst castigating the words of others and misrepresenting them in the worst ways possible.  The media spin born out of the age of 24 hour news has gone into overdrive in the internet age. There seems to be no civility, no common ground, no reasonableness.  It's all very unseemly indeed.

So, my call to anyone reading this, and the challenge to myself too, is that we get back to the wisdom of the Bible. If you are a follower of Christ, do as He did and follow the guidance laid out for us by the writers of the New Testament instructing us to be gentle, reasonable, seemly.  If you're not a follower of Christ, I strongly recommend you check out what He said and did in the Gospels. And I think the advice from Paul is good for everyone - "Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand."

Two questions

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Rev 20:11-15

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Last month the pastor at my church presented a series of lessons encouraging us to "Be the Church." It was a very good series and it challenged me a lot.

One sermon was focused on the reality of eternity and in it he mentioned that when we die, we're all going to have to answer God these two questions, and in this order:

1. What did you do with my Son?
2. What did you do with what I gave you?

The main purpose of this blog site from the start has been to help people to "Get off the fence" and thinking about the day you'll have to face God at the end of your life is for sure a motivator to think about these things. So let's start unpacking these two fundamental questions and think about how you will answer them on the day.

Question Number 1: What did you do with my Son?

"...it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." Hebrews 9:27

Foundational to the Christian faith is our belief that Jesus is the Son of God, that He came to the Earth, taking on human form, living and then dying for our sins, and was then resurrected from the dead.  Our hope is, knowing that Jesus was raised from the dead, we that believe in Him will also be raised up one day to a new life with Him.

But in order to experience this hope, we have to put our faith, our trust, in Jesus and what He did. There's a choice that has to be made. You need to trust Him and what He did, or you don't.

And so, the day you die, God will ask you, "What did you do with my Son?"
And what will be your reply?

Question Number 2: What did you do with what I gave you?

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:27

The important point that our pastor made on question 2, is that it is a second question. You have to answer number 1 first. If you accept what Jesus did for you and put your trust in Him, then He asks you to use your time and talents to honor Him. It's easy to get this wrong in a couple of ways:

1. We might think that we have to earn our way to heaven somehow. This is a mistake that can be made by not answering question number 1. It doesn't matter what we do if we ignore what Jesus did. All the best intentions and good deeds are wasted if you don't respond to Him.
2. If you have answered question 1, and have put your trust in Jesus, you might think that's the end of the matter and you can go merrily on your way with the rest of your life on this planet doing whatever you want.  But if you do that you're missing out. You'll miss out on the blessings God can give you in this life, and - maybe shocking, but certainly Biblical - you'll receive less of a reward in the next life. 

And so, the day you die, having answered question 1, God will then ask you, "What did you do with what I gave you?"
And what will be your reply to that one?

An Abundant Life

Wow, here we are in a New Year and new decade. Happy 2020 everyone!

At the end of last year (last decade in fact!) I wrapped up a series of blogs looking at the Christian faith with a summary blog entitled "Bringing it all together." I enjoyed writing the series and, even more, I enjoyed some of the comments I got back, particularly those challenging my views with thoughtful responses. Those responses got me thinking that I needed to add a bit of a post script to the series to clarify my thinking on what it means to live a good life.

Firstly, I know many, many, good people that live upright and moral lives.  I don't think everyone is as fortunate as me in this, but most of the people I've known over my 49 years on this Earth have been decent and caring people. They recognize right from wrong. They want what is good for themselves and for humanity in general. They are abhorred when they see obvious evil. They uphold the virtues of loving families and friendships. Some of these people have been Christians; many have not. So it's plain to me that you can live a "good life" and be a good and decent person in general and not be a Christian. My arguments for choosing to follow Christ are definitely not that you need to be a Christian in order to be "good." (In fact any Christian who knows the basics of their faith would tell you that they are not good at all, but maybe that's a topic for a different blog!)

Secondly, there are many people who live lives that are pretty full. They have the love of their life, or big families they love, or a hobby they enjoy, or work that gives a sense of accomplishment. I would guess there are many more that do not have what they consider to be full and meaningful lives, but for sure there are people who would consider themselves to have lived, or be living, a full and busy life, thank you very much.

So, what's the big deal with this Jesus guy, and why do people choose to follow Him? I can't answer for everyone, but for me personally it's not the good life, or even a full life that drew me to Christ and keeps me there. It's His offer of an abundant life.

"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly," Jesus

What do I mean by abundant life? From my own experience it boils down to three main things which I'll summarize in the sections below.

A Code to Live By

I've read through the Bible a few times over the years and the more I dig into it, the more I'm blown away by it's uniqueness and potency.  Of all the guidebooks and ways of living out your life, I would say that living by the instruction given in the Bible - Old Testament and New - will give you an abundant and satisfying life:  not an easy life, mind you, but a life of purpose and meaning that is truly a code to live by. For anyone interested, I commend to you The Bible Project as a great place to start to dig into the riches of the Bible for yourself.

A Companion to Guide You

But, the Christian life is not just about living out what's written in the Bible the best you can on your own. Jesus said "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." This Helper is the Holy Spirit.  When you put your trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you, and works with you as a companion to guide you. I'm not the best at listening to Him all the time, but when I do, I see things shifting in the right direction. Never alone,  I feel a peace, comfort and joy that's beyond words.

A Compelling Endgame

Finally, and I think I've touched on this in previous posts, the ultimate reason for following Jesus is not this life, but the next one. However good or bad this life turns out to be, however full or empty my experience seems on this Earth, they are nothing in comparison to what lies in store for those who trust in Him for the next life.  The Bible says it this way:

What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.

 That's an abundant life.

Bringing it all together

Having started this blog on February 22, 2018 with the intent of encouraging people to "get off the fence" and put their trust in Jesus, in March 2018 I started then a series of 10 blogs on "Reasons to Not Believe" in which I presented 10 arguments or excuses for not believing and I attempted to give reasonable responses to each, with the hope of maybe nudging someone off their fence. Then roughly a year later I did a second series of 10 reasons, but this time focusing on the positives of the Christian message of reasons to believe. Maybe this helped to pull someone off a fence instead of pushing? I don't know.

At the bottom of this blog are the 20 reasons listed out with hyperlinks for handy access. I'd be interested to know which ones resonated most and which really didn't click for you.  Faith is a personal thing and the ways and means by which God draws people to Himself are varied. I'd love to hear your faith story if you're willing to share it either publicly in a comment, or privately directly to me.

If you want a full life, and not be comfortably numb; if you can overcome cultural constraints and worries about missing out on what this world may offer; if you apply your mind to intellectual objections or plain ignorance; if you take the initiative and don't wait until later, overcoming peer pressure or misconceptions about Christians; if you seek the unique path God has for you and realize no-one is ever too far gone for Him to reach you... then you can leave the fence and enter into love, joy, peace, hope, restored relationships, community, logic, eternal life and a reward as a new creation in Christ Jesus.

If you're still on the fence but want to respond, check out this website from Billy Graham Ministries or drop me a note. I'd love to help you in your faith journey: https://peacewithgod.net/

10 Reasons to Not Believe

1. Comfortably Numb
2. Cultural Constraints
3. Missing Out
4. Intellectual Objections
5. Plain Ignorance
6. Maybe Later
   
7. Peer Pressure
   
8. Christians
9. All Paths Lead to God
   
10. Too Far Gone

10 Reasons to Believe

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Hope
5. Relationships Restored
6. Community
   
7. Logic
8. Eternal life
9. Reward
10. A New Creation

A New Creation

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Well done to those that have hung in there to the end!  We're now at my final one of 10 Reason to Believe, which is you will become a new creation. Of all the reasons, this is probably the toughest for me to write, not because it isn't important or very compelling, but because I became a Christian quite a long time ago and so it's tough to remember a time when I wasn't "a new creation."

The promise of the Bible and the experience of thousands and millions of people across the ages is that trusting in Jesus does make you a new creation.  It does not make you perfect overnight (I can attest to that) and it does not guarantee an easy ride in life (I can also attest to that!), but the moment you surrender to Christ something changes in you, immediately and palpably, something changes.

I wrote about my decision to become a Christian in a blog many moons ago. You can read about it here in my faith story. That was the time when everything changed for me and I did become a new creation.

If you're looking for a new start; if you want hope, faith and love; if you long to be a new creation, set free to be what God intended throughout all of the highs and lows of life, I highly recommend turning to Jesus to become a new creation. Do it!

Check out my "Engineer's Gospel" for more info on how to do it.

Treasures in Heaven

Hang on in there, I'm up to number 9 in my "10 Reasons to Believe." Only one more to go after this!

What do you treasure? 

I'm a bit of a geek, and so the things that grab my attention and captivate me tend to be new technologies, new software and new ways of applying technology.  I'm generally not impressed by expensive things or shiny things. I honestly cannot tell the difference between Gaultier and Target's own brands, Rolex and Timex, or even diamonds and cubic zirconia.  Well, maybe I can see the difference side by side, but if you presented me with one or the other (with the label removed) and asked me what it was, I'd be clueless. I for sure don't appreciate paying a whole lot more for one versus the other. I guess I don't see the value...?  BUT, paying $3000 for a MacBook Pro versus $300 for an Acer Chromebook, hmmm, yeah, I lose all common sense.

So in applying to our modern times what Jesus said on the sermon on the mount: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth..." for me that's tech stuff.  Then he continues "...where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal." That still applies to our clothes, cars, and latest gadgets.  In our modern western world we have way more things than the folks did in the 1st Century AD. Still today they wear out, burn out or become obsolete in the blink of an eye.  And for sure, the thieves have way more stuff to steal these days than back then.  Perhaps they give us pleasure or comfort for a little while, but it doesn't last.

A Better Treasure

Jesus says there's a better treasure; a treasure in heaven, that's not affected by moths, rust, or thieves with sticky fingers. If you set your heart on that treasure you'll have something that satisfies for the long term, not just in your existence here on Earth, but beyond and to eternity.

So what is this treasure that He speaks of? He's a little vague in the sermon and I guess you could take it to mean the treasure of eternal life, or the rewards God will give someone for being faithful in using what He gives us as recounted in the parable of the talents. For sure these are some of the long-lasting treasures.

But, I think the ultimate treasure we get by believing in Jesus and trusting in Him, is God Himself, and we get this treasure in 2 installments. Firstly, when you put your trust in Jesus, He gives you the gift of the Holy Spirit to be with you and help you through this life. He comforts, guides, and empowers you as you walk with Jesus in this life. Secondly, in eternity we get to be with God in person.  That will be the ultimate gift; the ultimate treasure.

So what's your treasure?

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount)

Eternal Life

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

The scriptures of the New Testament are full of references to eternal life.  The promise of eternal life after death is a central message of the Christian faith and is certainly a very good reason to believe in Jesus.

God is holy and we are not. In our basic nature we kick against God, rebelling against Him, and trying to do life our own way. Even though He created all life including us, we ignore Him, pay Him basic lip-service, or flat out turn away from Him to do our own thing. This sets us against God. This makes us His enemy. As Jesus said in the scripture above, the wrath of God remains on us.  At the end of our lives we'll face God and His wrath. That's a very scary thought.  That's bad news.

But the same scripture also has some very good news. If you believe in the Son - if you believe in Jesus and what He did through His willing death and resurrection to pay the price for our rebellion - then you have eternal life. Instead of facing God's wrath you have his favor, through His Son.  If you turn to Jesus and say that He is your Lord, then He grants you everlasting life.  That's the simple and yet profound truth of the Christian message. It's not through your own efforts, religious rituals, or good works; it's simply acknowledging your need to be rescued from God's wrath and then trusting Jesus for the rest.  Sometimes I find it hard to understand why everyone doesn't just turn to Jesus, but I guess I did post a bunch of blogs on the topic of not believing!

So, what will eternal life be like for those that trust in Jesus? I'm not a big fan of those who claim to have had out of body experiences, or have visited heaven when they nearly died. Perhaps some are genuine but perhaps some are not.  I'm not sure what the next life will be like, but I do know I want to face it with Jesus, the one who I think is worth trusting, and who said the following:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."