God huddles with us, overshadowing us!

“‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him

 Immanuel’ – which means, ‘God with us.’” – Matt 2:23 

Imagine the amazing anticipation, the eager excitement, the innocent inquiries…heaven is poised gaping down on earth.  The fullness of time had come.  The moment for which eternity waited was here.  The promise of the ages—the Eternal One—is about to break into time.  Heaven quivered. The heavenly hosts stood amazed.  Such an act of humility had never been seen before - such stooping, such abasement, such abnegation. The King would become a peasant.  The Absolute Ruler would become a servant.  The Righteous Judge would become a subject.  Holiness would dwell in the middle of the profane.  Love would be present at the heart of a hateful world.  Omnipotence would be found completely dependent.  Omniscience would learn to walk.  Omnipresence would somehow exist in 2 cells.  Love – it must be love – which had prompted such a decision.  Desire for restoration of relationship, to allow all people a way to come freely to Him, devoid of the sin that would disbar them from His presence, this is what drove Him to do it.  Imagine all of Heaven holding its breath in the sheer wonder of it all.  Remember Heaven knows the Ultimate Holiness of God that would be present in the muck and mire of a sinful world.  Heaven knows the Majesty and Splendor of His presence.  It marvels at the idea all that could even fit into a human body.  But Heaven also knows of His great love and compassion—His desire to relate to His people.  Earth, however, well, only one person on earth may have known when that incredible moment occurred when Heaven came to earth, when the power of the Most High overshadowed a young teenager in Nazareth. 

That was the moment “God, without ceasing to be God, was made a man.”¹  God chose to reveal Himself not as a cold, hard ethical standard, not as a set of rules to be followed, or even a story to be recited.¹  God chose to reveal Himself as a person with whom you should have a relationship.  Why did God choose to reveal Himself in this way?  Because He desires relationship with us.  Because He loves us.  He would go out of His way, did go out of His way, to show us just how closely He desires to be with us. 

Here is one of the central points of the incarnation of Christ.  God came to earth and died for our sins so that God could be with us, so that He could be in us, so that He could live in us. 

Most people think of the incarnation in terms of what Jesus did to forgive our sin, but it's so much more than that.  I believe the Father's love drove Him to send the Son, fully understanding and knowing the cost, but willing to pay that price, because He wanted to bring us back into unbroken relationship with Himself.  Think of it, He purposely created man with free will and the capacity for relationship.  Why would He have done that unless He wanted us to relate to Him?  Sin is tragic, but it is the effect of sin – separation from God – that is the real catastrophe.  Is it possible that one of the ways He made us in His image is with this capacity for relationship? 

God foretold of His appearing as a man over 700 years in advance speaking through the prophet Isaiah, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” 

The Hebrew for Immanuel literally means “With us (is) God.”  “I am” is with us.  The Hebrew is from two words “’im” and “’el.”  ‘Im is an adverb or preposition meaning “with (that is, in conjunction with)…  specifically equally with.”²  The root of this word is “‘amam” which is defined as “A primitive root; to associate; by implication to overshadow (by huddling together)”²  The other Hebrew word comprising Immanuel is “‘el” which means “strength; as adjective mighty; especially the Almighty”²  So Immanuel to the Hebrew mind may have intimated the idea of God huddling together with us, overshadowing us with the strength of His Almighty Presence. 

Immanuel: With us is God—huddling together with us, overshadowing us with the strength of His Almighty Presence! 

Previous to that incredible moment when God stepped down into time, Mary had asked how this could be since she was a virgin.  Notice how Gabriel, the messenger angel, answers her.  “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Lk 1:35  

Isn’t that interesting, God tells us Immanuel is coming.  Immanuel, God huddling together with us, overshadowing us with His Almighty Presence, and when Mary asks how this will be she is told the Holy Spirit (God’s presence) will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her.  Immanuel will happen to Mary just as His name reminds us.  Immanuel: With us is God—Huddling together with us, overshadowing us with the strength of His Almighty Presence!  But the promise was not just for Mary, it is for all those who believe in God.  This is our God, the One who promises to be with us, who huddles together with us, overshadowing us with the strength of His Almighty Presence! 

Life was not meant to be lived outside of the awareness of His Presence.  His strength becomes our strength when we live in His Presence.  Pastor Bauman once said, only Christianity elevates joy and love as normative.  It’s about relationship.  Joy in loving Him and each other.  Loving the joy He is to each of us.  He has given everything for you.  He has done everything to make Himself available to you.  What are you doing with Him? 

He is closer to us than we are to ourselves.  He waits for us to commune with Him, to acknowledge Him there huddled together with us overshadowing us with the power of His presence.   

“You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].” Psa 27:8) AMP

Don’t struggle, just snuggle.  He’s waiting for you…right there where you are. 

Footnotes

¹ Lucado, Max. God Came Near: Chronicles of the Christ. [Portland, Ore.]: Multnomah, 1987. Print.

² Strong’s and Thayer’s definitions from: Meyers, Rick. Vers. 9.0.3. Franklin, TN, 2010. Computer software.  http://www.e-sword.net/. 

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

All Scriptures marked AMP are quoted from "The Amplified Bible." BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. Web. 16 Dec. 2011. <http://www.biblegateway.com/>.

Discipleship Roadmap

“..until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and

become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Eph 4:13

Life is like a journey and we are all on it.  Our journey as Christians has a destination, heaven.  However, this journey is unlike other journeys because we don’t prepare to go on the journey.  We prepare while we are on the journey for the journey’s end.  So how do we prepare?  We become disciples.  Why do we need discipleship?  It’s what creates solid Christians.  It’s not enough to be called a disciple.  We need to be a disciple.  Disciples are constantly growing into the likeness of the master.  Jesus taught and showed His disciples how to live.  I believe the church should do the same.  We should encourage each other to follow the great commandment and the great commission. 

Great Commandment

Mark 12:30–31  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these

Great Commission

Matthew 28:18–20  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

How does the Church help with these?  I’m glad you asked.  That’s been the focus of leadership discussions for months now.  How do we create a Roadmap for Discipleship?  Do you ever wonder how to get “plugged in” at church?  Do you want to help but you’re not sure how to go about it?  Ever think about what it would take to disciple a new believer?  What is the proper output of the church?  These are just a few of the questions the leadership at church are asking themselves in an effort to better understand what a Roadmap for Discipleship should look like for our church. 

Why do we need a Roadmap?  A Roadmap charts possible courses to destination.  It shows certain legs of the journey, stops along the way, and things to avoid. A Roadmap assists you on your way to a destination.  Is it the only way to the destination?  No.  But it’s usually a tried way and it’s a common way for people to rally around.  It gets people headed in the same direction.  And direction is important because it determines outcome.

Here’s the Roadmap:  CONNECT, GROW, SERVE.  Seems simple, certainly memorable, but does it really map out Discipleship?  We think it does.  Here’s how we’re looking at it.

 First is “Connect” (Matt 7:7, Heb 10:24-25). We want to be connecting people with who we are and what we believe.  This could look like attending Sunday worship services, a home group, Next Generation Ministries, or new believers classes.  We want to get people connected with with the Lord,  each other and with the church.  We want new guests to create a connection with long time church attenders.  We want to create a connection like family, where you belong, are loved, and have a place where you fit in.

Second is “Grow” (2 Pet 3:18, Eph 4:15).  We want to help people grow up in maturity as a Christian, in short, to become Christ-like.  This could also be where we help people discover God-given spiritual gifts, talents, and skills.  Help them take inventory of life needs and develop a personal growth plan.   This plan vary from person to person including such items as attending classes on Water Baptism, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Development of Spiritual Gifts, Addiction breaking, Marriage, Parenting, Theology, Bible Study, etc.  The goal is to help them mature in the areas where they feel like they could use help.

Last is “Serve” (1 Pet 4:10, Gal 5:13).  We want to help people understand that mature Christians have an output to their faith.  Christianity is not meant to be an input only proposition.  Serve is where could help people learn about servant-leadership by sharing expectations, values, and characteristics of servant-leaders.  We would teach them to lead by use of spiritual gifts, talents, and skills and to lead by lifestyle of commitment to live like Christ.  We would try to help them find a place to connect and grow in a place of service whether in the church or out in the community as “salt and light.”

We are excited about the Roadmap because it gives us a common vision to rally around.  Something to say when people ask, “So what is your church like?”  You might say, “Well, at our church we  Connect, Grow, and Serve. 

We Connect with each other as the Family of God.  We get Connected with the programs and ministries of the church. We seek to Connect in unity with the other evangelical churches in the area as well.

We Grow in relationship with each other, God and our beliefs.  We Grow in our Christ-likeness. 

And we Serve.  We Serve each other, the community, and the world though the gifts, talents, and strengths God has given us.”

The Roadmap lets us know what we are about and where we are going as a body.  It helps us understand what we are striving for.  It gives us a collective identity in the growing process.  Sometimes maturity can seem elusive.  Kind of like trying to quickly become more patient...but having a Roadmap, a methodology, a pattern to follow helps take some of the elusiveness out of it.  More like spending considerable time praying to be more patient, where you are learning to do it by actually doing it.  The Roadmap gives us some practical steps to follow to become more Christ-like.

We all find ourselves at different levels of Connecting, Growing, and Serving.  In one sense we move from Connect to Grow to Serve, but in another we are always Connnecting, Growing, and Serving. 

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

God wants us to be Sanctified

“until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and

become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Eph 4:13

Sanctification has multiple meanings.  “Sanctification means to make holy, to consecrate, to separate from the world, and to be set apart from sin so that we may have intimate fellowship with God and serve him gladly.”¹  In the OT, sanctification is pictured primarily in two ways—ceremonial rituals that picture holiness and obedience to the moral law of God.  In the NT, it is simply becoming Christ-like, a progression toward the goal of becoming like God and Christ.²  Where justification is a once for all action; sanctification has three states.  First, initial sanctification (or positional sanctification), which is similar to justification, is done once at salvation and complete for the believer (1 Cor 6:11, 2 Th 2:13).  Second, practical sanctification is the continuous process throughout the Christian’s entire lifetime where they choose to become like Christ.³  “A man is not considered holy because of the things he does not do.  Virtue cannot be judged by the vices from which a person abstains.  There must be a positive conformation to the Image of Christ.”⁴ (2 Th 2:13, 1 Th 5:23)  Third and last, there is final sanctification.  “Sinless perfection and being wholly sanctified await the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.”⁵  

We are focusing here on practical sanctification.  “In both the NIV and NASB, ‘sanctify’ and ‘sanctification’ are translations of the same Greek words—hagiazo (‘to make holy’ or ‘to sanctify’)...Thus, the concepts of sanctification and holiness are related (sometimes identical)…”⁶  The OT focuses on sanctification as a setting aside of things as holy to the Lord, and the NT focuses on the believer setting aside himself as holy to the Lord.  When things were set aside for the Lord, two things happened.  First, these items were not to be used for ordinary purposes any more.  Second, they were to be used in the manner prescribed for holy duties.  In other words, their useful function changed from one thing to another.  The same happens for us as Christians our lives and bodies are set aside now as holy and used for different purposes as described by the Lord.  Here are some examples:

“Sanctification is here a matter of casting off evil practices (Rom 13:12), shunning immorality (1 Cor 6:18), putting off the old nature (Eph 4:22), putting away immoral conduct (Eph 4:25; Jas 1:21).  Laying aside every weight of sin (Heb 12:1)…In more intense imagery this becomes a putting to death of sin (Rom 8:13, Col 3:12, 14) or crucifying of it (Gal 5:24)….Also present is the imagery of not being conformed to a sinful lifestyle (Rom 12:1; 1 Pet 1:14).  

“The positive counterpart to putting off evil is putting on the good (Rom 13:12, 14; Eph 4:24; Col 3:12, 14).  The sanctified life is something one builds on the foundation provided by Christ (1 Cor 3:10-15).   Again, sanctification involves supplementing faith with virtue (2 Pet 1:5).  Sanctification involves producing something that was not present before—a concept implicit in pictures of sanctified conduct as fruit that is produced by a renewed nature (Gal 5:22-23; Phil 1:11)…Sanctification thus becomes a matter of maturing into adulthood and being no longer a child (Eph 4:13-14), of growing up (Eph 4:15), of growing in grace (2 Pet 3:18)…Because sanctification is contrary to the fallen state into which people are born and become acclimated, and because it is a process, the imagery of being transformed and renewed is used (Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23).  If we ask what such a transformed life actually looks like, we can do no better than to look at the passages know as paraenesis (exhortation)—commands in the form of lists of virtues to practice and vices to avoid (Rom 12:9-12; Eph 4:25-32; Phil 4:4-9; Col 3:12-17; 1 Thes 5:12-20; Heb 13:1-5).”⁷

Simply put, God wants us to be just like Jesus to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13), “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:22-24), and to “Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love” (Eph 5:1-2).

Father, help us, as you helped Jesus, to do only what we see you doing.  Help us to quit using our lives and bodies for sin and to use them instead for holiness.  Help us to imitate you and to become mature in character so that we might have intimate fellowship with you and a servant’s heart which is overjoyed to serve at your beckoning.  To You be the glory!  Amen!

Footnote

¹ Stampss, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. "Sanctificaiton." Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 1988-1989. Print.

² Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. "Sanctification." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. 758-759. Print.

³ Duffield, Guy P., and N. M. Van Cleave. Foundations of Pentecostal Theology. Los Angeles: L.I.F.E. Bible College, 1983. 238-39. Print.

⁴ Duffield, 239.

⁵ Duffield, 242.

⁶ Richards, Larry. "Sanctify/Sanctification." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1985. 542. Print.

⁷ Ryken,759.

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Justification is by Faith

“but now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” Rom 3:21, 23-24

God the Father sits in His courtroom behind the bench.  The bench is so elevated you cannot even see Him.  His credentials hang on the bench in front of you.  Nervously you begin reading: Perfect in Holiness (Lev 11:44; Ps 145:17; Mt 5:48; Rev 4:8, 15:4; 1 Pet 1:15-16; Isa 6:3), Righteous Judge (2 Tim 4:8; Ps 11:7, Jn 17:25, Isa 45:21; Jer 23:6), Just Judge (Ge 18:25; Isa 30:8; Job 34:12; Ps 103:6; 146:7), the Truth (Ex 34:6; Nu 23:19,\; Rev 16:7), Omniscient (Ps 147:5, 139:1-4; Heb 4:13, 11:36; 1 Jn 3:20), Omnipotent (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Lk 1:37; Jer 32:17), Omnipresent (Ps 139:7-8; Heb 13:5; Mt 28:20; Deut 31:6), Good (1 Chr 16:34; Nah 1:7; Ps 25:7, 34:8, 100:5, 145:9), Impartial ( 2 Chr 19:7; Dt 10:17; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 2:6, 2:11)  and on and on it goes.  Your eyes begin to blur and you cannot even begin to take it all in.

It slowly begins to dawn on you that you are seated in the presence of ABOSOLUTE PERFECTION.  There is a distinct sinking feeling from deep inside you.  Your own soul which seemed almost white to you before now is fading to a deep gray and then to utter blackness as you realize the incredible holiness in front of you.  Suddenly you remember your utter wretchedness; the deeds of your childhood come flooding in on you and then your adult life as well—and these were deeds for which you “knew better.”  The certainty of your sentence begins to weigh on you.  There is no way—no hope—that you could even begin to compare to His holiness.  You are, without-a-doubt, a law-breaker.  And you are very aware that it is His law you have broken. 

The Attorney’s door opens and in walks Jesus, alone (Rom 8:33-34; Isa 50:8-9).  Wait a minute, this cannot be right…isn’t Satan supposed to be the prosecutor?  Jesus walks over to your table and sits with you.  You rise to your feet as the bailiff announces the case, your case, he utters your name and then chimes in, a little too happy for your liking, “ vs. the Law of Almighty God.  Most Highly Exalted Father God, Creator of all that is, Sovereign Ruler over all, Omnipotent Potentate¸ and Righteous Judge presiding.” As Father God enters, your heart sinks as does your posture, in fact, you feel very week in the knees.  As you collapse into your seat and the trial starts, Jesus looks at you with a smile and then approaches the bench.  “Father this one is written in the book of life for this one has believed in me.” (Ex 32:32; Dt 29:20, Da 12:1; Mal 3:16; Lk 10:20: Rev 3:5, 20:12, 15)  The book is opened and your name is found.  You’ll never forget the Father’s next words as He makes pronouncement on the case—you have been justified by belief in Jesus Christ who has given you His own righteousness…You have been pronounced Righteous.  Praise the Lord!

In order to understand justification, we must first understand what is meant by the word “righteousness.”  “The NT [New Testament] uses righteousness in the sense of conformity to the demands and obligations of the will of God, the so-called ‘righteousness of the law.’”¹  “Righteousness is conceived as judged by the standard of God’s holy law, which is derived from His holy character…”²  So righteousness is the absolute conformity to God’s law and character (His holiness); it is to be faultless or guiltless.³

Interestingly, the Greek root word “dik” conveys “the essential idea of righteousness, or rightness.”⁴  Several Greek words use this same root. The Greek word for “righteousness” is “dikaiosyne” which means “the quality of rightness or justice”⁵  The Greek verb “dikaioo” means “to justify.”⁶  The Greek noun “dikaiosis” means “the act of making right, or justification.”⁷ So we seek the ideas of justification and righteousness are tied closely together.  The verb “dikaioo” is commonly used when speaking of justifying and it means “to acquit,” “to vindicate” or “to pronounce righteous.”⁸  In Romans, Paul evokes a scene from a courtroom in which God sits as judge on the judgment seat of God and makes the case for justification by faith. 

21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.  – Rom 3:21-26

The tenants of the case are as follows: (Please look up these Scriptures.)

1. God is just.  (He always does what is right.)  – Rom 3:26
2. The law makes us conscious of our sin.  – Rom 3:20
3. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (no one conforms absolutely to God’s law and character—no one is faultless or guiltless).  – Rom 3:23
4. No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law.  – Rom 3:20
5. God is righteous.  – Rom 3:21
6. Man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.  – Rom 3:28
7. God is the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.  – Rom 3:26
8. God gives His righteousness to those who through faith in Jesus Christ trust in His atoning sacrifice as payment for their sins.  – Rom 3:22; 4:5; Phil 3:9

So justification is the process by which—through God’s redemption, freely by His grace—righteousness is imputed (or credited) to those who believe in Jesus Christ as a sacrifice of atonement for their sins.  – Rom 3:22,24-25; 4:21-25; 2 Cor 5:21

“Justification is the judicial aspect of the conversion experience in which the believer is viewed from God’s perspective.  God the Father, because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, imputes, or credits the righteousness of Christ to the believer. Paul says this “credited righteousness” is not really our own, but is Christ’s (Php 3:9).  God the Father sees believers wrapped in the perfect righteousness of Christ.  This is what allows God to accept mortals in his heaven—since no one can ever be good enough to merit heaven.  The term justification is best understood in the analogy of a courtroom.  Jesus Christ is our advocate, or attorney, who is able to present us before the Father as being credited with his righteousness.”⁹

Footnotes

¹ Milne, B. A. "Rigtheousness." The New Bible Dictionary. Second ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1962. 1031. Print.

² Buswell, JR., James Oliver. "Rigtheousness." The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1967. 723. Print.

³ Leitch, A. H. "Righteousness." The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library, 1976. 104. Print.

⁴ Buswell, 723.

⁵ Buswell, 723.

⁶ Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. "Romans, Letter to the." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. 735. Print.

⁷ Buswell, 723.

⁸ Richards, Larry. "Justify/Justification." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1985. 373. Print.

⁹ Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. "Biblical Words for Salvation." Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 1733. Print.

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Grace Is ...

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions,

and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” Titus 2:11-12

I used to think that Grace and Mercy were opposites.  Mercy is being spared what we deserve.  Grace is being given what we don’t deserve.  However, it is mercy (being spared what we deserve) and justice (getting what we deserve) which are opposite¹  Grace is over and above both justice and mercy—being given what we could never merit, the very things we have by our sin disqualified ourselves from ever deserving. 

In Greek history prior to the New Testament, grace originally meant to be “charmed or delighted.”² It referred to “that property in a thing which causes it to give joy to the hearers or beholders of it”³  “The word then took on a subjective sense with the thought of ‘kindly,’ or ‘courteous,’ i.e. ‘a generous disposition.’  It is a virtual equivalent for the idea of the willing of good to someone. From this there developed the concrete connotation suggesting a ‘favor’ or ‘boon.’  A favor is the expression of good will.  As exhibiting an attitude of the will and the feelings it is to be taken as a token of kindness.  As grace implies not only a giver but also a receiver so it came to denote the gratitude felt by the recipient for the favor bestowed and the thanks by which the gratitude is expressed.”⁴

Apostle Paul championed the word grace to help give it the definition of God offering us a gift which should elicit joy, help us understand the great kindness of God, see His unmerited favor toward us, and receive with humble gratitude the indescribable gift of salvation, righteousness, and the forgiveness of sin which we do not deserve and could never merit. This gift is “given out of the bounty and free heartedness of the giver” to those who are His bitter enemies—deserving of His wrath—offered freely without any expectation of return.⁵   

In Ephesians 2:8-9, we see this gift of God, called grace, which saves us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”  We see saving grace again in Romans 5:21, “so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Also in Ephesians 1:7-8, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” and 2:4-5, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

“So in Jesus, God acted to reveal a righteousness that has no relationship to the law.”  This “righteousness that comes from God and through faith in Jesus is given to all who believe.”⁶ God’s righteousness is His perfect gift to us in desperate need of right standing before God.  The law shows us the standard of God’s holiness and the requirement for salvation.  Since we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, we need a righteousness we could never earn through the law.  This is where grace comes in.  God steps in as our hero to save the day.  He offers this gift with a joy in His heart out of a love so deep—a gift we could never deserve, at a price we could never pay—so that we might know His awesome goodness, kindness, and benevolence toward us who deserve His wrath.  He has called us into His family (1 John 3:1), invited us to participate in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4), given us His great and precious promises, given us His holy power for living—the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Grace (Heb 10:29), and given us spiritual gifts to encourage the body of Christ.  “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”  1 Peter 4:10

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16

“Paul is very careful to make plain that good works naturally issue from and are required by grace.”⁷   Grace leads us to live holy lives before the Lord.  Even though we are not under the law to attain our righteousness, we endeavor to keep the law out of gratitude and thankfulness for the great gift of righteousness God has given and favored us with when we believed in Him for our salvation.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”   Titus 2:11-14

“For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”  Jude 1:4

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”  Hebrews 12:15

So Paul encourages us to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  2 Timothy 2:1

“The Biblical concept of grace is much greater than is suggested in the common definition of ‘unmerited favor.’  ‘Grace’ is a word that expresses a radical view of life and of relationship with God. 

“Grace teaches that God’s attitude toward us is one of acceptance and love; knowing God’s heart, we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Heb 4:16) with every sin and need. 

“Grace is a dramatic statement about the human condition.  Each person is helpless, trapped in sin and incapable of pleasing God or winning his favor.

“Grace is a proclamation.  It is the triumphant announcement that God in Christ has acted and has come to the aid of all who will trust in him for their eternal salvation.

“Grace is a way of life.  Relying totally on Jesus to work within us, we experience God’s own up unlimited power, vitalizing us and enabling us to live truly good lives.”⁸

“God’s grace is multiplied to believers by the Holy Spirit, imparting forgiveness, acceptance and power to do God’s will.”⁹

Oh Benevolent Father, bestower of love, righteousness, mercy, and grace, grant us reliance upon You and strengthening in You by Your incredible grace.  Help us to attain to all the measure of the fullness of Christ and walk in your grace, in thoughts, in character, in actions, and in relationship with You and one another that we might know the joy of Your salvation, see the wonder of Your great gift to us, and live holy lives in gratitude for all You have done and are doing in our lives through Your grace. Amen!

Footnotes

¹ Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. "Faith and Grace." Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 1744. Print.

² McDonald, H. D. "Grace." The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library, 1976. 799. Print.
³ Wuest, Kenneth Samuel. "Ephesians and Colossians In the Greek New Testament." Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English Reader. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1973. 21. Print.
⁴ McDonald, 799.
⁵ Wuest, 23.
⁶ Richards, Larry. "Grace." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1985. 318. Print.
⁷ Wuest, 23.
⁸ Richards, 320.
⁹ Stamps, 1744.

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

The Purpose of the Law

“So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” – Gal 3:24

“‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;

I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.’” – Mat 5:17

Ever wonder about the law?  What is the purpose of the law?  Is the believer supposed to still obey the moral commands of the law?  What is the relationship of the New Covenant to the law?  What are we to do with the law? Let’s look at the law and its purpose and relationship to today’s believer in Christ. 

Paul shows us the purpose of the law this way,

“Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law.” Rom 7:7

“… through the law we become conscious of sin.” Rom 3:20

So the purpose of the law was not to make a way for us to attain salvation from God by our works, but to show us how sinful we really are—just how woefully short of God’s sinless perfection we come—and the huge need we have for Jesus’ sacrifice to make us holy and righteous.  The law is to show us God’s holiness and a standard for living.  “…the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good”  (Rom 7:12). “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ…” Gal 3:24.  We cannot earn salvation through following the law.

Is the believer supposed to still obey the moral commands of the law?  Paul asks a similar question in Romans 3:31, “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith [faith in Christ]?  Not at all Rather, we uphold the law.”  Let’s look at the relationship of the New Covenant to the law.

Consider the story of the Greatest Commandment. 

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Mt 22:34-40

Jesus is showing us we must still fulfill the law, but we do it out of love for Him, not out of a compulsion to earn salvation.  Paul confirms this in the letter to the Galatians:

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Gal 5:13-14

Consider the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:17-20,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.  Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus goes on to raise the standard even higher.  He says not only should we not commit murder, but it is wrong to hate another.  And not only can we not commit adultery, but it is wrong to look lustfully on another.  He has raised the bar from the realm of our actions to the realm of our thoughts and motives.  In this way the New Covenant is more stringent than the law.  So the New Covenant embraces, fulfills, and surpasses the law.  It does not abolish it.  God is after our hearts, not just our actions. 

Finally let’s look at the law and its relationship to today’s believer in Christ. 

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.  What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?  By no means! ... You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.  Rom 6:14-15, 18

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, Titus 2:11-12

And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit…Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.  For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  Rom 8:3-4, 12-14

So the New Covenant gives us what we could never earn through the law—the righteousness of God.  However, it also gives us a higher standard than the law to live out.  Jesus is asking us to fulfill the law out of a love relationship with Him and through the Holy Spirit He has given us.  We are to be under Christ’s Law (1 Cor 9:21) and fulfill the Law of Christ (Gal 6:2).  “If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth…” (Jn 15:14-17).  The New Covenant is a better covenant because it gives us a greater power to conquer sin and a better motive to carry out acts of righteousness (law).  It gives us the Holy Spirit as a source of power to overcome sin, and it gives us love as a motive to help us obey the law and the prophets. 

O Gracious Father, thank you for setting us free from our sin in Christ’s sacrifice.  And thank you for sending your Holy Spirit that we might have power over sin and power to become Christ-like in actions, thoughts, and character—to love and fulfill the law. Help us to follow you with hearts of love.   Amen!

References

All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.

Peace in the Midst of Trouble



“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

“You will have trouble…” Jesus promises us.  It’s not one of those promises we jump up and claim and hold dear to our hearts but there it is.  You will have trouble.  Not you might or you may sometime or it could possibly happen but definitely, at some point, you will have trouble.  Maybe you have fallen out of sorts with a loved one and are hurt beyond what you thought you could bear.  Maybe the pressure at work is overwhelming and you find yourself dreading Sunday because it’s the last day before Monday.  Maybe you have no work and don’t know how things are going to work out.  Maybe the bills are bigger than the paycheck, the hunger more than the food, the need greater than the supply.  Maybe you just feel empty inside, just going through the motions.  You are so busy but nothing seems to get done.  Maybe you live day to day but nothing really seems to change and you feel unfulfilled.   You find yourself wishing for some significance in life and asking “is this really it…really…I mean this is what life is about?”  The bad news: I don’t have the answer to your problem.  The good news: I know what you need in the middle of your problem—God’s peace!

Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble.  The Greek here portrays “a situation so difficult that it causes on to feel stressed, squeezed, pressured or crushed.” ¹  Maybe you find yourself there right now—crushed, stressed and pressured.  There’s still hope, in the same verse, Jesus tells us that in Him we may have peace.  He actually tells us “In this world you will go through some distressing times, but take heart and be courageous.”²  Jesus goes on to tell us He has, is, and always will overcome the world.  He has provided “a continuous and abiding victory.”³ 

He tells us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn 14:27).  He gives us His peace and commands us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid.  His peace and fear cannot dwell in the same heart.  You have one or you have the other.  The verse just before this ties in an interesting connection.  The Father will send the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and remind us of everything Jesus has said to us.  Notice the connection between the Holy Spirit and the peace mentioned in the preceding verse.

Romans 14:17 informs us the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  The Kingdom of God is tied to peace in the Holy Spirit.  God actually desires to grow His peace in us.  Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit.  If you crucify your sinful nature with its passions and desires, then the Holy Spirit will grow His peace in your heart (Gal 5:22-25).  One of the ways to know His Kingdom is alive in you is to monitor your heart’s reaction to trouble in your life.  Do you have peace or pestilence, plague, and pandemic?  Are you worried and fearful or does the peace of God reign in you?  Are you anxious or restful?

So how do we gain God’s peace in the middle of our circumstances? Philippians 4:4-9 helps us out here. 

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

This passage of Scripture tells us to rejoice always—not for our circumstances but in our circumstances.  It gives us seven ways to overcome our anxiety, fear and worry.

1. Remember the Lord is near (v5).  In our troubles we should remember God promises to be with us (Heb 13:5) and when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).

2. Prayer and petition to request what you need from God (v6).  God delights in answering the legitimate needs of His children (Mt 7:7-11).  The Greek here illustrates a “close, up-front, intimate contact…a passionate, earnest, heartfelt sincere prayer…adamant in requesting and demanding assistance to meet tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and so forth…a full expectation to receive what was firmly requested.”⁴

3. Thanksgiving  (v6) – think of who He is and what He’s done in the world and in your life to this point and thank Him for it.  The Greek here pictures “an outpouring of grace and of wonderful feelings that freely flow from the heart in response to someone or something…an earnest outpouring of thanks.”⁵

4. Think about the right things (v8).  Make a conscious effort not to focus on your worry, fears, and anxiety.   Focus your thoughts on the noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy things all around you.  Choose not to be the negative naysayer, persistent pessimist, continual complainer, or wearying worrywart.  Be the buoyant benefactor, overjoyed optimist, eternal encourager, or truthful trustee.

5. Focus on things above (v8).  The injunction to “think on such things” leads us to consider God who is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy.  Mull over your pretentiousness and forgetfulness that God is in control and He is good.  Set your mind on Him (Col 3:2-3).

6. Quote Scripture (v8-9).  When we need something to fill up our thoughts and have difficulty pondering on God, Scripture we have memorized can be a great comfort to us.  Psalm 23 assures us that even though we are not good followers all the time, God is the Good Shepherd and He will care for our needs—rest, sustenance, restoration of the soul, comfort, strength in Him, His presence always with us, His guidance, peace in the presence of enemies, goodness, love and mercy.  Endeavor to memorize some of the Scriptures on peace in this article.  Let Psalm 85:8 jog your memory, “I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people” 

7. Get an eternal perspective (v9).  Remember God is with you and He is so much bigger than your current disconcerting circumstance.  Remember this won’t last forever.  Determine to run the race with perseverance and diligence and trust in His abundant goodness (1 Cor 9:24-27, Heb 12:1-3,  Phil 3:12-14).  Isaiah 26:3 reminds us, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

In the midst of your trouble, control your thoughts and “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col 3:15).  The Greek here gives us the portrait of the peace of God being our umpire or referee over our emotions.  When worry, fear, and anxiety threaten our thoughts, “we can stop it from happening by making the choice to let God’s peace rise up from deep inside like an umpire or referee to moderate our emotions.  As we do, we will be kept under the control of that divine peace as it rules in our hearts.”⁶  Philippians 4:7 gives us the same portrayal in the Greek, “And the peace of God—a peace so wonderful that it cannot be compared to any other type of peace; a peace that stands in a category by itself and rises far above and goes beyond anything the human mind could ever think, reason, imagine, or produce by itself—will stand at the entrance of your heart and mind, working like a guard to control, monitor and screen everything that tries to access your mind, heart and emotions.”⁷

2 Thess 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

O Lord of Peace, come to us now and fill us with the peace that passes understanding in the midst of our circumstances.  Help us to seek you with all our hearts, at all times, especially in times of trouble.  Help us to trust in Your goodness, kindness, and love for us.  Fill us with Yourself!  Amen!

Footnotes

¹ Renner, Rick. "Jesus Has Overcome Everything" Sparkling Gems from the Greek: 365 Greek Word Studies for Every Day of the Year to Sharpen Your Understanding of God's Word. Tulsa, OK: Teach All Nations, 2003. 792. Print.

² Renner 792.

³ Renner 792.

⁴ Renner, "Five Important Steps To Move From Fear to Faith, From Turmoil to Peace, And From Defeat to Victory" 709-711.

⁵ Renner 710-711.

⁶ Renner, "Let God’s Peace serve as an Umpire for Your Mind and Emotions!" 2.

⁷ Renner, "Peace That Passes Understanding" 322.

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.



God Wants Us to Repent

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” Rev 3:19

Here is a little discussed secret of Christianity – what to do when you sin.  When you sin, the best thing you can do is admit your failure to God (He already knows about it) and turn away from your sin.  This is what it means to repent.  This is a principle tenet of staying close to God and remaining on His road for our lives. 

The two Greek words in the New Testament translated “repent” are metanoeō and metamellomai.  Together they create a great picture of what it means to repent.  Metanoeō means “to think differently or afterwards, reconsider.”¹  Metamellomai means “to care afterwards, regret,² feel remorse.³”  Metanoeō “connotes a change of mind” while metamellomai “connotes a change of soul.”⁴  So we have in repentance a change of mind and a change of heart and emotion about our sin.  The basic idea is to turn about⁵, that is, to turn away from your sin and set a new direction.  So repentance involves our agreeing with God about our sin and turning away from our sin with a change of heart and mind.  The picture is one of abandonment, a leaving behind, setting a new course and moving away from the old thoughts and emotions that lead us to sin in the first place.

One of the best times to make a good decision is right after you have made a bad one—  after you sin.  Unfortunately, this is often a time when we are tempted to turn farther away from God, after all He is perfect and holy and we have just failed to keep His standard.  So what’s the answer?  It’s simple, but it’s not natural—turn to Him and repent.  Start following Him again.  The fastest way to get back on the right road with God after we sin, after we have failed Him, is to go to Him, agree with Him about your sin being wrong, confess it to Him, and ask Him for strength to start down the right road with Him again. 

Often when we fail, we want to somehow make ourselves better before we go back to God and ask Him for forgiveness.  This is equivalent to attempting to get more lost so we can get found.  When we get lost our goal is not to get more lost—it is to get found.  Our goal is to get back on the right road, not keep travelling further on the wrong road hoping it will turn into the right one.  There is only one road to our destination.  If we get off on a side road, we must turn around and go back to the right road.  But let’s be honest don’t we try, sometimes, to clean ourselves up before we return to God?  We try to be good in our own power for a while thinking this will make it “OK” for us to bring our failure, our sin, before Him.  This is our pride.  This is our sinful nature.  This is travelling further down the wrong road.  Listen, nothing will make it “OK” for you to bring your sin before God except the sacrifice He made for you on the cross.  He has already made provision for you to come to Him with your sin and confess it to Him.  He already knows about your sin.  You cannot hide anything from Him. 

So, if He already knows about your sin, and has already made provision for your sin to be forgiven, what should stop you from rushing to Him and getting forgiven right away?  Nothing should.  Not your bad feelings about what you have done.  Not your uncleanliness because you have sinned.  Nothing should keep you from Him when you sin.  The best thing you can do is go to Him, confess your sin, ask for His forgiveness and strength to move on. 

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”  Romans 2:4 

Don’t spend hours, days, weeks, or even months travelling on the wrong road trying to get to the right one.  Turn around.  Repent.  Remember God’s kindness and patience. Humble yourself before God and He will exalt you.  When we repent, turn away from, our sin He forgives us and gives us His strength to start again. 

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Ps 32:5

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”  Prov 28:13

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Ps 103:2-5

“…‘they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’” Jer 31:34

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”  1 John 1:8-10

Oh Good and Patient God, help us in our times of failure to turn and run to you and not away from you.  Help us to go immediately to You our only real source of help.  Help us to change our minds and our hearts.  Help us get turned around and traveling on the right road again.  Help us to stay close to You.  Help us to repent.  Amen!

Footnotes

¹ Strong’s and Thayer’s definitions from: Meyers, Rick. Vers. 9.0.3. Franklin, TN, 2010. Computer software.  <http://www.e-sword.net/>.

² Meyers.

³ Douglas, J. D., ed. "Repentance." The New Bible Dictionary. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1962. 1017-018. Print.

⁴ Tenney, Merrill C. "Repentance." The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1967. 711-12. Print.

⁵Tenney, Merrill C., ed. "Repentance." The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library, 1976. 62-64. Print.

References

All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.