Graceful People
How many graceful people do you know? How many people who know you know at least one graceful person?
Most often when the word is used it describes the physical movements of a person. That is an applicable use. However, there is another use. It can describe a person full of grace; a lifestyle typified by grace.
When grace is uses descriptively of God it means His unmerited favor. It is rather uncommon today to see one person show favor toward another. This is especially true when the recipient obviously doesn’t deserve it. When did you last see a graceful act in traffic, in a crowed market place, in a TV sitcom, or within the family?
We seem trapped in the tyranny of the contemporary. The mood of the moment is often “me first.” Common courtesy is uncommon.
People look for a way to be recognized, known. Some do it with a distinctive hairstyle, some by clothes that call attention to themselves, many strive to over achieve, while others develop a mannerism that is offbeat. There is a positive and pleasant way to be seen as special. It is by developing graceful characteristics. That really makes a person standout. The competition is limited.
It begins by resolving not to respond in kind, but rather by being kind. “A soft answer turns away wrath” is an axiom written on a small piece of paper by my Mom and kept in my wallet for years. Such speech is a graceful thing to do.
Graceful acts include affirming others, giving preference to others, manifesting manners, being courteous, and simply helping others without being asked. Don’t forget the “magic words” taught to several generations by Captain Kangaroo: “Please and thank you.”
Persons who are full of grace act gracefully. In the heat of competition, amid conflict, in extenuating circumstances keep that personality trait in mind and respond gracefully. Make sure that those who come in contact with you will encounter at least one graceful person.
Good Works And Rewards
Ephesians 2: 8,9 “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
These verses make it obvious salvation can’t be earned by good works. Any religious system that suggests salvation can be earned, merited, or deserved by any human effort is a bogus religion. No sacrament, ritual, or self-sacrificing good work can garner forgiveness of sin. None!
Revelation 20:11 makes it clear that at the Great White Throne Judgment it will be the very works people have depended upon, rather than the work of Christ, to save them that will condemn them. It is the work of Christ only not our good works that saves.
God’s unmerited favor, grace, is given the moment a person responds submissively to the Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrificial work on the cross is “the good work” enabling the forgiveness of sin. Faith is the human response to that good work that results in salvation.
The verse following Ephesians 2: 8, 9 needs to be understood in light of that. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).
If salvation is depicted as a tree good works are the fruit not the root of the tree. This is in keeping with the model Christ revealed in John 15:5,8: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing … By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
Even the fruit of the tree is noted: “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, meekness, and self-control” (Galatians 5: 22, 23).
Our earthly purpose for being saved is to perform good works. God has work to be done on earth and for that reason He leaves us here after we are saved.
Those who experience the forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ, salvation, become His creative product. We are His “workmanship.” This translated the Greek word “poiema.” This word is the equivalent of the English word poem. It denotes that which is made, His workmanship. As a poem comes from the mind of the poet so we are the product of the creative mind of God. To quote an old axiom: “God don’t make no junk.” You are special.
In Christ we are created to perform good works. We are not made, that is saved, by good works we do but by the good work Christ did on the cross. As a result of gratitude for Christ’s good work on our behalf we are to serve Him. It is a natural.
We do not work to be saved but because we have been saved. It is the natural product of love and gratitude. We should “walk in them.” The expression “walk” as used in Scripture is often a summary expression meaning “lifestyle.” Serving our Lord should be our lifestyle.
Good works are non-meritorious, yet they are so important God provides them for us to do. We are His handiwork, that which He made. We are “created in Christ Jesus for good works.” That is our purpose for being. Failure to do that for which we are created results in frustration, futility, and anxiety. Serving Him consequence in a sense of fulfillment, peace, and joy.
Good works are non-meritorious, yet God rewards them. We should live “with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord…” (Ephesians 6: 8,9).
It is at the Judgment Seat of Christ (II Cor. 5:10) believers must appear and have their works examined and rewards given (I Cor. 3: 10 – 4:5).
Our temporal understanding of rewards does not give us a very good basis for understanding eternal rewards. Suffice it to say there will be (1) degrees of rewards in heaven, (2) they will be given appropriately by the Lord, (3) we can trust Him for what they will be, and (4) there will no jealousy among those receiving them. They are garnered for Christ’s glory. Therefore we should work for and aspire to the greatest possible rewards in order to please and honor Him.
It should be noted that in referring to rewards the Scripture often calls them “great” rewards. (Matthew 5:12; Luke 6: 35 & 23:41; II John 8 calls them “full.”
Our curiosity as to the nature of our rewards and how many “points” we have to have to get a certain one should pale in comparison to our reason for desiring them —- to glorify Christ.
The goal to which Jesus directs us is not self-aggrandizement, but self-forgetful service in God’s kingdom, which is ours, not by merit, but by the grace of God.
The ultimate reward should be realized to be “the free gift of God (which) is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Even then God has delightful surprises in store for His children. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9).
Gay Priest: What The Bible Teaches On The Subject
Homosexuality is a hot button topic. It isn’t PC to say anything critical related to it.
With a religious denomination recently appointing a homosexual priest as Bishop persons are asking what does the Bible teach on this subject. A different newspaper in the area recently ran parallel columns by two priests stating contrary views on the subject.
One priest defended the ordination by saying the sin of Sodom and Gomorra was not homosexuality but inhospitality. For those not familiar with the story Lot, who lived in Sodom, was visited by two angels in human male form (Genesis 19). The men of Sodom demanded that Lot bring the men out to them. Why?
The same thing can be said using different expressions to communicate it. Various translations of the Hebrew text interpret it using different words to express the same thing: “that we may be intimate with them,” “rape them,” “abuse them,” “know them carnally,” “have intercourse with them.”
Other Bible passages related to the same incident give further insight. The Book of Jude refers to the men of Sodom and Gomorra as “having given themselves over to sexual immorality, and gone after strange flesh” (Jude 7).
What happened in the two cities was disciplined by God “…turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorra into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly” (II Peter 2:6).
Neither of these passages sounds like they are related to inhospitality, but rather immorality.
That period had a different code of law. It was for that period not this and for those people not people today. Some persons say there are people today who want to return to that form of civil law. I’m not one. Theirs was for that era not ours. Their law stated, “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13).
For today that is a pendulum swing too far in one direction. However, our nation seems to be poised to let the swing be too far in the opposite direction. Though the civil law response to the act has changed the moral law abides. Jude referred to it as “sexual immorality” and Peter as “ungodly.”
I have friends who are homosexual who contribute vitally to the community and live discretely without flaunting their sexuality. They accept me and I them. We know we differ greatly in our opinions but we also know we have to live together accepting of each other while espousing diverse moral standards.
Foot Washing
JOHN 13: 1 – 17
Why not engage in foot-washing?
It was the custom in the time of Christ for a host to have a servant who would wash the feet of all guests. Before going to a special event persons would bathe. Street sanitation in that period wasn’t what it is today. Persons also wore sandals. In walking to a destination, person’s feet would become dirty. Upon arrival, the servant would wash their feet.
That is the reason for the expression in John 13:10, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet…”
Christ made two connected statements:
“What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this?” (John 13:7).
They knew very clearly He was washing their feet so that obviously wasn’t His reference.
“Do you know what I have don to you?” (John 13:12).
Of course they knew He had washed their feet. There was no question about what He had done physically. Therefore, that wasn’t the reference of the question.
Then Christ commented: “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15).
If he had wanted them to simply wash the feet of others He would have said, “Do what I have done.” By saying, “do as I have done” He was appealing for a show of humility.
His actions in washing feet were not to get us to go through such a ritual, but to be humble and show humility.
In summary of the moment Christ said, “A new commandment I give you…” (John 13:34). There was nothing new about foot-washing. Humility among this rank-seeking cadre as among many Christians today is indeed new.
Augustine said, “Should I be asked what is the firs thing in Christianity, I would say the first, second, and third thing in Christianity is humility. That is where our Christ started in the upper room trying to summarize His teachings to the disciples in the hours preceding His executive. This is the message He communicates to us today.”
Fear Of Death
Are scared to death of death? Philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, “Since men could not do away with death, they decided not to think about it.” The fact is we do think about it.
It is said to be one of the three most thought about subjects in America and one of the least talked about. Fear of death has been classified as one of the basic fears.
An ancient inquiry echoes through the ages: “If a man die shall he live again? As certainly as that “if” means “when,” the “shall” means “he will.”
It being inevitable our attitude related to it needs to be proper. The resurrection of Christ put it in perspective. The day He arose from the dead He turned a death dirge into a day of delight, and transformed a funeral into a festival.
For His follower death is the end —-the front end of glory.
Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described five basic stages through which one goes if confronted with advance knowledge of his or her approaching certain death. These stages are: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
If the meaning of death can be understood the fact can be better accepted. There are only three reasons a Christian dies.
One is the person has finished his or her earthly mission and God allows him or her to come home and get the awaiting reward. A full life cannot be determined by chronology, but by character.
A second reason is martyrdom that advances the cause of Christ.
The third reason is that the Christian has sinned the “sin unto death.” This is not a specific sin but anyone that so impairs the persons witness their death bring more glory to Christ than their continuing to live in a state of rebellion.
In either of the first two there is dignity and honor. A person faced with either of them as well as a family whose loved one has so died can avoid denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, and depression. Thus, death is more acceptable.
A lovely young woman who had just been informed of her impending death spoke cheerfully, “I have lived all my life preparing for this, therefore, I am ready to go home.” She did so in a few weeks rejoicing.
The apostle Paul wrote what is translated, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Were an American teenager translating that Greek text it would read, “The moment you die you are eyeball to eyeball with God.”
The glory that awaits cannot be comprehended. A hint of the superiority of that home would be as though all the fetus in all the wombs of all the women of the world could communicate. At the birth of one of them named Sam, others yet unborn could be heard to say —- “Poor ole Sam passed on.”
The imperative is that a person live prepared for the inevitable. Prepare a will, arrange your finances, be certain of relations with others, and above all be absolutely positive you have established the right relationship with Christ as Savior.
If you haven’t do so at once. There are only two answers to the question of “What will you do with Christ?” They are “yes” or “no.” Some want to say “later.” Because of the “X” factor, death, a “later” is a “no.” Settle it now.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which the Father has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9).