Perhaps no recent statement has better captured so glaringly the bent of our culture than Pat Robertson’s advice to a man whose wife has Alzheimer’s: “he should divorce her and start all over again.” This counsel has generated great outrage and much scrutiny to be sure. But it’s that same cruel sentiment of self-centeredness that underlies most of the decisions we make and attitudes we take in this culture as a whole and in our everyday lives as individuals. All Robertson has done is to reveal just how much we’ve bought into the spirit of the age without realizing it. If you stand in the rain long enough, you’ll get soaked. And what’s worse, not only have we bought into the self-centered spirit of the age, even if we’re appalled by Robertson’s statement as we should be, it’s our captivity to that spirit that robs us of real joy when we’re going through a tragic time in our lives.

It was a man seeing another woman because his wife has Alzheimer’s that prompted the question Robertson was answering. Such self-centeredness is not unusual when dealing with an ailing or dying spouse. In twenty years of pastoral ministry, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and there’s a lot of ugly in these kinds of circumstances. This man has abandoned his wife through adultery and Robertson has advised him to abandon her through divorce. But I’ve seen others abandon their spouses by sticking them in nursing homes and forgetting about them, by ignoring them in their greatest moments of need, by getting on with their lives and leaving the care of their life-partners to others, by refusing to spend time with them or visit them if they have to be in a health-care facility of some kind, by expressing anger and frustration at them for things beyond their control, by not seeking to understand what’s going on with their ailing loved ones or how to deal with it in a caring way, and so much more.

I had a woman tell me some time back she couldn’t give her husband his much needed medication during the night because she needed her sleep. How much sleep does a new mother get? A man told me he didn’t want his wife coming home from the hospital for some recuperation before an upcoming surgery because he didn’t want to have to physically help her out of bed two or three times a day. Inability is one thing but unwillingness is something else. And these sentiments are not that uncommon; that’s the cultural air we breathe.

We’re told in the Scriptures that “in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves” (2 Tim. 3:1-2). When a Christian minister tells a man to forsake his vows before God and abandon his wife in her greatest hour of need, we do indeed live in perilous times; we do indeed love ourselves more than God and others. And that is exactly the wrong way to find peace and joy: to focus on self and abandon God and others.

Such focus is the complete opposite of the gospel. Robertson said this man’s wife with Alzheimer’s was dead to him. The gospel tells us that God loved us when we were unlovable. He demonstrated His great love for us by dying for us while we were dead to Him (Rom. 5:8). And marriage is a picture of the gospel and Christ’s love for His bride, the church; He will never leave us or forsake us. To forsake your spouse is to deny the very thing marriage is to display: God’s unfailing love for His people. It is to deny the reality of God Himself.

Think about this: what puts God’s character and power on display more: abandoning one’s wife because he’s not happy (for obviously God wants us to be happy); or giving all you have to care for your wife because she can’t care for herself? But here’s an equally significant question: from where does real joy come? Doesn’t it come from glorifying God; from putting His character on display and finding your satisfaction in Him? Jesus is the true water that satisfies (Jn. 4:10); the true bread that alleviates your hunger (Jn. 6:51); and the true treasure in the field (Matt. 13:44). In Him is pleasure forever (Ps. 16:11).

Does joy come in chasing personal pleasures at the expense of others? Is there ultimate peace in that? Does one lay up treasure in heaven by chasing after a new woman because he’s tired of the old one? Ponder carefully these words: “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward” (Heb. 11:24-26). That’s how you find joy when your spouse is dying: you trust the promises and God and live them out; you know and believe that chasing personal pleasure at the expense of God and others brings only a momentary happiness; you know and believe that even suffering under the providential care of Christ is better than the temporary pleasure of sin; and you keep your eyes on the reward which is Christ Himself and life (joy) in Him long after your momentary suffering is over.

Our culture has sold us a lie. Is it really all about me? Isn’t this self-focus rooted in evolutionary thought; in survival of the fittest (me)? Isn’t abandoning your spouse with Alzheimer’s because, as Robertson says, “she’s gone” the same logic as the promoters of abortion use? They argue an unborn, and depending upon whose making the argument, even a live-born baby isn’t able to operate at the same mental level as you or me and is therefore not a fully-functioning person and is therefore able to be discarded without any moral consequences. If inconvenient babies can be aborted, why can’t inconvenient spouses be abandoned? Such is the lie Satan is selling in clever disguise in the thousand ways we are selfish every day. God says the way to find joy is to do nothing “through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, consider others better than yourself. Look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:3-5).

My wife told me the other day if I was stricken by something catastrophic that she would not abandon me. If she had to help me out of bed she would do her best. She said we might hit the floor together but she would be there for me. I would do the same for her. Not caring for her would never enter my mind. None of us want to have to go through these things, but if my wife and I have to for one reason or another, and we end up hitting the floor together, what a day of joy that will be – because we’ll be living out the gospel – together.

The church is not immune to movements, trends, programs, and people latching on to the latest study that’s supposed to transform our lives. Each of these movements or trends is supposed to be that thing we’ve been missing; that thing that will take us over the top spiritually speaking. We could talk about the prayer of Jabez; the latest Christian recovery program; the contemporary music trend; or trends related to drama, power point, conversational preaching, contemplative prayer, men getting wild at heart, confessing our sins in front of God and everybody, accountability partners; and on and on.

Beyond that, there are countless thousands caught up in the health and wealth gospel movement. Others are leaving traditional churches in droves and most are chasing one trend or another. Those who call themselves revolutionaries are revolutionizing church but many don’t seem to know what the revolution is really about, what it should look like, or what really needs revolutionizing. Like so many voters in the 2008 Presidential election, they just know that something needs to change.

Why? That’s the real question; why are so many leaving churches and chasing so many trends? While there are some who know what they are doing and why, the vast majority of individuals do not. The problem lies in the fact that most are not experiencing the real Christ or what we might call real or biblical Christianity. People get caught up in going to church and doing what we do at church. Some are content with simply going to church all the days of their lives. Others wake up and realize that Christianity must be more than what they are experiencing. They don’t know what the real thing is, what it feels or looks like, or what they ought to do; they just know something is not right. Of course, the point is that what people are missing is not found in trends like the prayer of Jabez, contemporary worship, (or even traditional worship), pietism, or getting wild at heart (we’re already wild at heart and need to be tamed by grace).

There is no doubt that some of the things we do in a lot of churches militate against authentic Christianity. But the problem is not in the outward forms per se; the problem is not in being traditional vs. being contemporary or meeting in a medieval, flying buttressed sanctuary vs. a metal building or coffee shop. The problem lies elsewhere. To borrow from Pogo, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” We’re the problem.

Now, while it can be true on many levels that we are the problem, the fact is that too many have taken a religious placebo rather than the real thing. That’s what I mean when I say we’re the problem. If all you have is a placebo, you can engage in every kind of religious activity under the sun or participate in any religious movement you like but you will never find what you’re looking for. The other side of that coin is that if you are walking with Christ, while you may lament certain things in the church that hinder genuine, biblical fellowship and mission, you are spiritually content. By that I don’t mean that you’re satisfied with your present level of sanctification. But I do mean that you don’t feel the need to look for or buy into the latest trend because you are indeed satisfied with Christ. People who are satisfied with Christ don’t have to have traditional worship nor do they have to have contemporary worship. They don’t have to be liturgists or revolutionaries; they just strive to walk in the Spirit regardless of their circumstances.

Things like sound doctrine, biblical fellowship, and active prayer, are critical to one’s spiritual growth and well-being. But don’t mistake the outward form for the real thing. Don’t mistake how this church does this or that for what’s real. Don’t mistake religion for Christ. Religion is the placebo. For a church, doing the right things the right way is important. But I’m talking about individuals who are chasing the latest trend for spiritual satisfaction. They’re actually chasing the wind. Spiritual satisfaction is found in Christ, not in religious activity. If you love God, seek to replace your sinful habit patterns with godly habit patterns, pray, exalt God in your heart and life, seek His will, do your job, live for His glory, are concerned with His kingdom, care about others and serve them, these things are enough. This is biblical Christianity, not some experience or feeling you seek (Jas. 1:27).

We don’t need a revolution of what we experience in a religious sense. We need a revolution of thinking and that is a simple matter. Paul put it this way: “. . . present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom.12:1-2).

If “American Idol” or the latest reality show proves anything it’s that people like to get caught up in things with other people. There is no shortage of news junkies, political movements, rock and roll groupies, or “save the whale” supporters. And it’s more than the viewing – it’s the incessant talk about whatever it is we’re wrapped up in; if my favorite football team is doing well, I can’t help but talk about it. Most of us are groupies of some sort whether we admit it or not. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – it could be – but not necessarily.

Of course the easiest way to make sure we’re not too wrapped up in something is to examine whether or not it has mastered us. Is it something we merely enjoy or does our immersion go deeper? Is it something we feel we can’t live without? Is it something we rearrange our schedules to participate in? Do we get upset if we miss the latest episode, game, or debate? If it’s more than something we merely enjoy, chances are we’ve fallen into practical idolatry. In one sense, idolatry is something we’re willing to sin to obtain. And yes, being angered by an unexpected circumstance that prevents us from seeing the grand finale of our favorite event is sinning to get what we want, or at least sinning because we don’t have what we want. These are heart issues.

But the question is why we get caught up in these things. The truth is that we are created to be part of something bigger than ourselves. There are all kinds of things that will fill that need or desire more or less. And yet there is one thing that’s bigger than ourselves that we can, should, and even must get caught up in if we are to find the true fulfillment and satisfaction we’re longing for and be pleasing to the Lord at the same time: Him and His Kingdom. It is the Kingdom of God that provides for us the greatest and only truly significant movement of which we could ever be a part. It is God’s kingdom that is inexorably advancing in this world; it is God’s kingdom that the gates of Hell cannot keep from encroaching into its territory and ultimately destroying; it is God’s kingdom that is unshakable and eternal; it is God’s kingdom that gives life real meaning.

Daniel offers a powerful statement concerning the coming of Christ into the world five-hundred years in his future (two-thousand years in our past) and the establishment of this kingdom. He declares, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” How can we as Christians not get caught up in such a kingdom? How could we ever consider American politics, as important as it is, of any real significance and satisfaction compared to laboring in this kingdom (perhaps in the political arena with a God-agenda as opposed to a mere party-agenda)? Talk about being part of something big and having something to talk about!

Remember, speaking about the age in which we now live, the Bible says this: “God has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made (the Old Covenant with its physical realities including the earthly kingdom of Israel), that the things which cannot be shaken (the New Covenant with its spiritual realities including the spiritual Kingdom of God) may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom (now) which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:26-28). That’s a big movement; let’s get caught up in that.

Musicians often know what the problem is, but they really don’t know the solution. When the Beatles sang, “Help, I need somebody, help, not just anybody,” no words could have been more true. Of course, they weren’t talking about the Lord Jesus as the “not just anybody” who could help, though He is the only one who can.

“Help me if you can, I’m feeling down” expresses a regular longing in our hearts. We have so many unwanted feelings, emotions, and desires. But, we can overcome them by knowing Christ. In Him, we have everything we need to handle what life throws at us and to be godly (2 Pet. 1:3).

Think further though. I frequently get questions like this:

Okay, I believe what you say about having everything we need for life and godliness and I know the Lord, but I’ve been struggling with (porn/ anger/ depression/ drugs) since I was twelve years old. I fight the feelings and do well for a while, but always fall, and then feel terrible. I see change in many other areas of my life, except in this area. I just don’t seem to be able to get victory. I know it’s wrong, I’ve confessed over and over again, I pray, and I want to change, but it seems hopeless. What should I start doing today to see God’s power make a change in me? I’m not even sure I know what God’s power means. Help!

Part of the answer to that question is in a person and not a method. We’re trained to look at methods and steps to solving problems when God’s solution is not like that at all. His solution is Himself. We know Him and as we keep our focus on Him, He changes us over time.

A person who truly knows God will increasingly love the things God loves and hate the things God hates. Do you truly hate anger or do you hate it at some level but derive satisfaction in it at another level? Do you justify it in the moment? You have to hate it. Do you hate porn or do you hate that you are drawn to it? Those are two different things. You might hate that you are drawn to porn because you know it’s wrong but you don’t hate porn if you’re constantly drawn to it. You love it. If you want to overcome porn, you can’t primarily focus on the fact that it’s wrong. You have to know God better. You have to develop your relationship with God. The more you know Him and love Him, the more you’ll hate porn itself.

So, there’s a sense in which there’s a method; you have to change your focus. That’s why Paul constantly tells us to renew our minds: it’s a matter of thinking about God and thinking like God. If you don’t think like God, you can do some things here and there but you don’t have a real heart to forsake what’s wrong and do what’s right. Your thinking has to change and only God can cause that. But He changes our thinking as we focus on Him!

Because God has saved us by His glory and virtue (character and strength), His divine power is at work in us. Peter further says that God has given us promises. As we reflect on those promises, we become more like God. He puts it this way:

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Pet. 1:3-4).

Let’s break that down by going from the last phrase to the first. The world has been corrupted by (Adam’s) sin and has a corrupting influence on those who don’t know God. In their sinful state, people lust after the things of the world, (porn for example), and are further corrupted (Rom. 1:18f). We who know God, says Peter, have escaped that corruption. We’re not condemned and become more like Christ over time.

How do we become more like Christ? Peter says we become partakers of the divine nature. That doesn’t mean we become God. It means that God lives in us and changes us. The word “partakers” has to do with fellowship. We fellowship with God and He imparts more of His character to us. We become more godly, not merely in our actions, but in terms of who we are. He causes us to increasingly love what He loves and hate what He hates.

How can we foster this fellowship? Peter says we do so by the exceedingly great and precious promises He’s given us. We have to know and embrace them. God’s promises refer in one sense to His Word on the whole. It’s about His promises to save us, make us more like Christ, and bring us to glory. Those promises are exceedingly great because of what they relate to: life and godliness. They’re precious for the same reason.

Now, we believe God’s promise that Christ is more satisfying than anger for example. We focus on God by focusing on that promise and in so doing, we become partakers of the divine nature; we get His power to change working in us.

How do you overcome unwanted feelings, emotions, and desires? Fellowship with God by focusing on His promises. He’ll change you by giving you more love for Him and what He loves and more hate for those things He hates. When you hate feelings or actions that are sinful, you’ll overcome them. You’ll get real help when you’re feeling down.

Wouldn’t it be great to have the ability to overcome everything life throws at us; things like depression, anxiety, anger, lust, or discontentment? What if we had the capacity to deal with unwanted emotions and feelings; or the ability to handle circumstances that catch us off guard or even blow us away? After all, our culture tells us we can’t control our emotions; they’re simply part of who we are. And things like depression, alcoholism, eating disorders, attention deficit disorder, sexual addiction, etc., are just that, diseases or disorders that can’t be cured. I’d love to be able to conquer things that plague me, wouldn’t you?

I had a man who was committing adultery tell me he knew it was wrong but something inside of him wouldn’t let him stop. Maybe you’ve felt that way toward something else like food, television, or shopping. John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono were emotionally hurt when the U.S. Government tried to deport them for their political leanings. John was so angry he went to a party and spent the night with another woman. Yoko said she didn’t like it, but she knew he was upset and understood his actions. I’m sure she wishes things weren’t that way though. It would have been nice if he could have overcome his anger. Perhaps that’s why she ultimately separated from him for a while; deep down she wished that we could be delivered from such cruel impulses.

Human beings have needs don’t they? Our culture tells us that men need respect and women need to feel loved. Men need physical interaction and women need emotional connection. A need is natural and must be met says our world. If our needs aren’t met, we’re not to blame for seeking to get them fulfilled, even if in the wrong way or place. That’s who we are the experts tell us; and that’s how we feel when we listen to them. Yet, we’d all like to be delivered from those things we know are not right or good for us wouldn’t we?

Let me give you some good news; some hope. Actually we can prevail over those things. We’re not victims who have no control over our impulses, desires, feelings, or emotions. We’re not helpless. We’re not the product of an evolutionary process whereby we’re hard-wired to be depressed, addicted, or unable to function in society. We don’t have to be driven by animal passions or defeated by something inside us that won’t let us stop destructive behavior. We aren’t bound by a personality type or circumstances of any kind. If your “Type A” persona gets you in trouble or is giving you heart disease, you can change; you can rise above. The Bible says that peace can be multiplied in our lives: we can overcome because Christ’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3). What an amazing thing to contemplate!

Yes, we’re born in sin and are enslaved to sinful desires, feelings, attitudes, emotions, and personalities. But, Christ has set us free from all that. Think about it; in Christ, we have the very power of God working in us.

Peter says two important things from the start. First, it’s God’s power that’s given us everything we need for life. Whatever curve balls life throws at us, we have everything – yes everything we need. We can deal with it, not in our own strength, but by God’s power. We can be at peace despite cancer, financial ruin, or whatever tragedy comes our way. 

Second, it’s God’s power that gives us everything we need for godliness. What does God say about adultery, lust, anger, or discontentment? These things are sinful. What does He say about depression, improper eating habits, or addictions of any kind whether alcohol, sex, or shopping? Those things are also sinful; we’re not to be brought under their power (1 Cor. 6:12). But the good news is that we have God’s power to defeat their power. We don’t have to wallow in sin. We can overcome unbiblical thoughts, attitudes, desires, feelings, emotions, personalities, behaviors, or activities. We have everything we need to be godly.

Now, only in Christ do we have this power. Peter says we have all we need for life and all we need for godliness “through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” We have to know God to have His power. And, we can only know Him if He has called us Peter says. He’s talking about God working His grace and saving power in the heart of an individual. God is the one who effectually calls us out of enslavement to sin, Satan, and death into a saving relationship with Him. His call is no mere invitation that can be ignored. He calls us through His glory and virtue. God’s glory refers to the sum total or reality of who He is. His virtue refers to His righteous character and almighty strength. It is the sinless, righteous, true and living God who calls us by making us alive in Him and emancipating us from Satan’s control. He gives us the ability to see our need of Him and the desire to go to Him for life and forgiveness.

There is nothing inside us that can keep us from being at peace. There is nothing inside us that can keep us from doing what we know is right. There is no so-called need that can drive us to selfish, hurtful acts. We’re tempted in those areas but we have all we need to triumph over those temptations. Wouldn’t it be great to have the ability to overcome everything life throws at us? It would be – and we do.

Peace in this world is illusive. How many American presidents have tried to bring peace to the Middle East only to fail? How many wars have been fought to end all wars? “The Doors” famous song “Peace Frog” is about a lack of peace. Even during times of relative peace, there are always personal circumstances that bring an end to our peace. Here’s the real question in light of all that, can we truly have peace of mind no matter what? It seems impossible.

Yet, we can have peace to cover any thing we face. How do we get it? Well, we can’t get it on our own; we can’t earn it, work for it, or discover it. We don’t even deserve it. In fact, true peace flows from grace; it flows from knowing God. You can’t know God unless He reveals Himself to you. But, if He does, you get a growing grace and peace in your life. So, how does that work?

We have grace to know God and that grace works powerfully in us to increase our knowledge of Him. We know more about Him and we know Him better personally as we’re sanctified by the Spirit. We know better how to live as living is about reflecting God’s character. If I know now that something is sin that heretofore I did not know was sin, I can deal with that sin in my heart and put it off in my life. I have the grace of understanding that a particular issue is sin and I have the grace of being able now to put it to death. I’m reflecting God’s character because I know Him and He’s working in me.

We can also get grace in time of need. Remember when one of the Columbine shooters asked Cassie Bernall if she believed in God? She was staring down the barrel of a shotgun and said, “Yes.” She was immediately killed with a bullet to the head for that answer. Some wonder if they would be able to take a similar stand for Christ. You may feel you couldn’t. That’s because you don’t have grace for something like that right now. But, if you’re called upon to take that stand, God will give you the grace you need to glorify Him. God gave the Israelites enough manna for one day at a time. He gives us enough grace for today. We’ll get more tomorrow.

Now, when we grow in grace, we also grow in peace. That’s why Peter says, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Pet. 1:2). He’s praying that grace and peace not only increase but multiply! Grace and peace can multiply exponentially in your life. Again, the more grace you get, the more peace you get.

Wouldn’t it be great to have peace for every circumstance of life? We need peace when the winds of adversity blow. What kind of peace? We need peace in our hearts: peace of mind. There’s a peace that keeps us from worry and fear no matter what’s going on. There’s a peace that keeps our hearts calm when we should be agitated or angry from a human perspective. There’s a peace that gives us the confidence we need to carry forward no matter what’s happening. We need that peace and can get more of it just like we can get more grace. We can go to Jesus, our faithful high priest, for grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). That help leads to peace.

How does grace and peace get multiplied to us? Again, Peter says it’s multiplied “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” We know God. He’s revealed Himself to us in Jesus our Lord. Because we know Him, we can have a multiplying grace and peace. The practical upshot of that reality is the more we get to know God, the more grace and peace we’ll have in our hearts.

We know God better as we commune with Him and experience His grace and peace. Read and meditate upon His Word, not as an academic exercise, but as the means of hearing His voice. Turn it over in your mind and apply it to the attitudes and thoughts you have as well as to the actions you take. Commune with God through worship. The higher or more exalting thoughts of God you have the more you know Him for who He truly is. Biblical fellowship with the people of God around the things of God is also a means to know God better. As we talk about Him, His mighty works, His work in our lives, and so much more, we grow in our relationship with Him. Of course, prayer undergirds our intimacy with and desire to know God better. Prayer shouldn’t be viewed as merely asking God for things we want. Prayer is a means of communing with God all day long. Talk to Him about everything. The more He’s on your mind, the closer you’ll be to Him. And, the closer you are to God, the more practical grace you’ll experience and the more peace you’ll have; you’ll be at peace because you’ll experience God more. He’s always with you. Yes, the “Peace Frog” is an illusion; but the “God of Peace” is not.

There’s a phrase that conjures up a life that’s care-free, at peace, and enjoyable. Sometimes people say they’re “just livin’ the life.” The idea is that I’m just living this unbelievably sought-after life. Of course, that’s a fantasy for the most part, unless you understand what life is really about.

What is the meaning of life? It’s surely not summed up in the pursuit of things or survival of the fittest, nor is it summed up in being religious or spiritual. The goal of life is not merely going to Heaven when you die. Life is about knowing God, being like God, and having meaning and purpose in God; His purpose becomes your purpose.

Think about even this simple greeting from Peter: “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:1). Peter knew that life is more than what we do or what happens here. He also knew that life is not something you discover or gain as a reward for being religious or doing good things. Life is something you obtain because God gives it to you. That’s why he says we have obtained faith – it’s a gift given to us. We have obtained it, says Peter, “by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” It wasn’t our righteousness but Christ’s; we obtained it, not because of something in us or something we did, but because of something in Christ and something He did.

There is no small debate concerning the meaning of righteousness. But even a cursory walk through the Bible gives us the notions of justice, goodness, moral perfection, holiness, etc. It’s the opposite of what we are as human beings apart from God. The righteousness of Christ refers to who He is in His infinite perfections, how He lived in His sinless, earthly existence, and what He did in His perfect work on the cross. His cross-work (dying in the place of guilty sinners so they wouldn’t die) is what brings righteousness (right standing) before God to those who trust in Christ and His righteousness.

Now, it’s the righteousness, or perfect justice, goodness, moral character, and holiness of Christ that has obtained salvation for us. It’s Christ who is “our God and Savior;” He is the true and living God, King over all, Lord of our hearts, and the one who has saved us from the wrath to come. It’s God’s righteousness in Christ that has delivered us from death.

Life is more than deliverance from death as well. It’s knowing God who Himself is life. That’s why Peter gladly said he was “a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ.” God had called him powerfully unto Himself and into His service. As a bondservant he was held captive by God’s grace and as an apostle he was sent by Christ to serve others in His name.

What does that have to do with us? Peter wrote his second letter “to those who have obtained like precious faith with us.” The faith that his recipients had is the same faith you have because it’s the same faith Peter had. We have obtained “like . . . faith” with him (and the other apostles). It’s faith in Christ for salvation from sin, Satan, and death (God’s wrath) that we have if we know Him.

That “like . . . faith” we have with Peter is also precious. Why is faith precious? It’s precious because you can’t obtain it on your own; you can’t work for it, earn it, or discover it. You don’t even deserve it. It’s precious because it’s valuable unto life and it’s relatively rare as few obtain it. More than that, it’s costly; in fact, it’s infinitely costly. It cost God the death of His perfect Son. Saving faith is precious because it came “by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Now, we too are held captive by grace and sent by God.

So, think big picture. Your God-given-by-the-righteousness-of-Christ-apostle-like-precious-faith avails for you, clothes you, and compels you to be confident in every endeavor for the promotion of God and His ways in your world. It’s your purpose; your reason to be. So, the next time someone asks you how you’re doing, you can truly say, “Just livin’ the life!”

Wirtten by

Dr. Paul dean

The Barna Group’s report on American’s 2011 New Year’s Resolutions is out. The summary of their research is revealing: “Individualism Shines Through . . .” Not surprisingly, of those who made resolutions, the top two categories had to do with issues related to weight/health and debt/finances.

From the article:

While people concentrate on themselves when making priorities for the New Year, it is telling that so few Americans say they want to improve relationships with others. There were virtually no mentions of volunteering or serving others; only a handful of comments about marriage or parenting; almost no responses focusing on being a better friend; and only a small fraction of people mentioned improving their connection with God.

Needless to say, Americans are increasingly self-focused. Apparently, relationships, service, marriage, parenting, and improving one’s relationship with God are relatively unimportant.

Think carefully here; in a nation that many call Christian, it’s certain that a Christian worldview is virtually non-existent. Whether the research respondents are Christian or not, and no doubt many are, when personal improvement and career goals come in ahead of developing one’s relationship with God, another worldview is dominant. It begs the question, for all the churches we have, all the resources we offer, all the Christian organizations we join, and all the political activism in which we engage, what are we missing? There’s a disconnect somewhere. While God is in control of the results of Christian witness, when the church has little, and indeed decreasing, influence in a culture, something must be wrong with our message, method, or both.

I don’t have all the answers. But, it seems to me a few questions are in order. Does our version of the gospel line up with the New Testament’s version, or have we changed it in some way? Does our method of promoting the ways of God in the culture mirror the method of the New Testament church or have we altered something significant in our attempt to contextualize? Does the typical church in America and the things it does resemble the typical church in the New Testament or have we somehow clouded the role and function of the church? Does our attempt to attract others look like that which drew people to the early church or is our appeal more culturally influenced? Does the use of our time and resources imitate the priorities of the first-century church or have we subtly sought to Christianize America’s use of time and resources? Are our lifestyles and values reflective of the New Testament churches or the society in which we’re immersed? Does our love of one another shine through as did the early disciples’ or are we pretty much individualists like our fellow Americans?

These questions are not meant as criticism but are offered for analysis. I have some soul-searching to do. Maybe we as the church do as well. At the very least, such research is a call to the church to recognize the work ahead of us. But, before we do the work, let us aanswer the questions that our work might be effective. Americans, Christian or not, have their priorities reversed. God has to be at the top of our list of things to work on this year; if He’s not all the other issues just don’t matter. And, if He is, all the other issues will be taken care of. At least, that’s what Jesus said (Matt. 6:33).

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

Have you noticed how the world treats the issue of forgiveness? On television for example, it’s almost a virtue to withhold forgiveness particularly if the offense is especially hurtful. The idea is that we somehow participate in the offense if we forgive it; or that forgiveness for certain acts is unforgivable in itself.

Of course, there are those who withhold forgiveness because they feel it’s their right to do so. “Do you expect me to forgive you” is an oft repeated line. No one questions the right of the offended party to deny the request. In fact, people knowingly nod their heads in approval and focus on what the offender deserves.

And yes, we Christians know that the offender does not deserve forgiveness: ever. We also know there are consequences for sin. Yet, what sets us apart from the world is the obligation and compulsion to forgive. We forgive others because God’s forgiven us. That’s what it means to be a Christian. We’ve been forgiven, not because we deserve it, but because God is gracious. And, because God has changed us, we can’t help but forgive others.

It’s not a virtue to withhold forgiveness any more than it’s a virtue to sin against God or hurt someone. When we forgive, we don’t participate in the commission of the offense. We do bear it though. Just as the one seeking forgiveness bears the burden of guilt, we bear the burden of not allowing our being hurt to come between us and the offending party. In granting forgiveness, we don’t let people off the hook nor do we wipe away any consequences that might be in effect. In fact, we acknowledge that there is an offense simply by saying the offending party needs forgiveness. We acknowledge it and bear it at the same time.

Now, we can’t actually grant forgiveness if someone has not sought it (though we are required to rid our hearts of ill feelings and be willing to forgive). When we do grant forgiveness, in addition to not letting the offense come between us, we’re saying we won’t gossip about it, we won’t hold a grudge, and we won’t bring it up in the future. That’s the way God treats us.

Neither do we have the right to withhold forgiveness. It’s not up to us. Nor can we let our feelings rule. We may feel so hurt that forgiveness is impossible for us. But we go to God; we get His help; we do what He tells us we must do. And, in so doing, not only do we put His character on display, but we actually feel better; we get the joy of being where God wants us to be.

We also set ourselves apart from the world, not in a prideful way, but in a way that says to the world that we do hurt each other. All of us do that. But, relationships can be restored by the power of God. That’s what God’s done for us; He’s reconciled believers to Himself and given them peace with Him and others. That reconciliation can only truly be had in Christ. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).

Do you want to promote God’s ways in the world? Then put His power on display; be quick to forgive others. That’s a real virtue. And yes, God does expect His people to forgive.

Written by

Dr. Paul Dean

A 2008 story was posted by an ABC news affiliate out of Birmingham, AL entitled “Increasing Self-Esteem, Decreasing Violence.”

From the story: More people have been killed this year than at the same time last year. And for community leaders, the numbers are alarming. According to FBI (web) crime reports, more than 50 percent of the homicide victims and perpetrators are black. And many are not even out of high school. A group called Cover to Cover believes the answer lies in self-esteem. So, they are reaching out to four Birmingham neighborhoods where violence often occurs. A team of adults did a few simple deeds by giving haircuts to boys and makeovers to girls while repeating three simple words. “We love you,” said George W. Stewart, coordinator of Cover to Cover. The event called I am your brothers- sisters keeper, touched nearly 100 kids and teenagers ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old.
“They care and they want to give us a chance,” said Shelby Wilson, an eighth grader. Wilson got the chance to be pampered and respected for a day.

 Is the reason we have violence really due to a lack of self-esteem? Is the answer giving kids haircuts? It all seems so simple. But, our problem is much deeper than that of course. Our problem is in our nature: we are sinful to the point of violence when we are focused on self. Focusing on self is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Such a dynamic will only serve to increase violence.

 The message of self-esteem militates against a true knowledge of one’s self before God and therefore militates against salvation and sanctification. The self-esteem movement can be described in no less terms than idolatrous as one worships self instead of God who alone is worthy of worship and deadly as one fails to see his enmity against God when he sees himself as good.

 Moreover, the self-esteem movement is truly an attack on the gospel of Christ. Jeremy Lelek, President of the Association of Biblical Counselors, noted that some Christians try to mitigate the message of self-esteem to a certain degree but in so doing still distort the gospel message. “Christian’s have attempted to squelch the humanistic bent of this worldview by saying such things as, ‘Since God died for you, you are special,’ but in so doing they remove the glory of redemption from God’s merciful and graceful character and place it upon the significance of the one receiving such mercy and grace (i.e., self). Therefore, ‘Jesus died for me because I’m special’ usurps the gospel message of ‘Jesus died for me, the undeserving, because he is an infinitely merciful and amazing God.’ The former diminishes a person’s sense of desperation for their greatest need, God’s grace, while the latter recognizes this desperation, and therefore fosters a deeper sense of gratitude for God’s incomprehensible goodness.”

 The reality is that all are dead in sin, haters of God, and deserving of His eternal judgment. We have committed spiritual adultery. The wonder of the gospel is that despite our sinful disposition and actions, God has set His love upon the spiritually adulterous, drawn us with chords of love, and made us His bride in Christ. That is a message that will fill one’s heart with wonder and love for a merciful God, not self. It is a message that gives hope and meaning and indeed fulfillment in life.

 What is the cause of violence? The Scripture asks the same question and gives the answer: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war (Jas. 4:1-2).” Violence flows from self focus. The only solution to violence in our culture and indeed the violence in all of our hearts is to have hearts that are subdued by grace to love God and our neighbors as we already love ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39).