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Category: Devotion

  • How the Bible equips and changes us

    How the Bible equips and changes us

    But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

    One of my favourite places is a fully stocked kitchen—pantry, cupboards, drawers, fridges, and freezers filled with fresh ingredients, utensils, gadgets, recipes, and specialised pots and pans. A well-equipped kitchen makes you look like a pro, even if you’re not a master chef! With the right tools at hand, you won’t be scrambling for ingredients or struggling with a rusty cheese grater when dinner guests arrive.

    Scripture is like that kitchen, designed to lead us to salvation and equip us for every good work God calls us to. If we truly want to take on God’s character and live for His glory, we need look no further than the Bible. Scripture is unique in its ability to equip us because it is God’s Word.

    Jay Adams, a renowned biblical counsellor, once wrote…

    “Our problem is not that we do not have what we need in the Bible, but that we do not have enough of the Bible in us, which we need!”

    Not enough of the Bible in us.

    I have often thought of the truth of that statement. Our issue is not that the Bible lacks what we need, but that we haven’t let enough of the Bible truly fill us. If we use the kitchen analogy again, the problem with modern Christianity is that in our effort to make the Bible more accessible, we sometimes fail to open the cupboards and learn how to properly use the tools that help us grow godly and mature in our faith.

    Paul tells us that the Bible is profitable for a life of godliness. When used properly, it is a powerful, practical, and transformative book.

    So, do we truly know our way around the entire Bible, or do we simply stick to the familiar, comforting passages that encourage us for the moment? Are we teaching young Christians to discover for themselves what the Bible says, what it means, and how they can live it out? This is just as crucial to a godly life as mastering knife skills is to a cook.

    God-breathed.

    In his letter to the young pastor Timothy, Paul made powerful statements about the sacred Scriptures, which at that time only included the 39 books of the Old Testament. Paul emphasised that these Scriptures were nothing less than the inspired word of God, His special revelation, given to equip Timothy to challenge false teachers and be an effective minister of the Word at the local church in Ephesus. The sixty-six books of the Bible in the Canon today, translated into our own languages, are far more comprehensive than what Timothy had.

    Just like Timothy, we are surrounded by false teachers who have strayed from the truth and are leading others astray (2 Tim 2:18). These imposters are deceiving others while being deceived themselves (2 Tim 3:13). In today’s world, the internet, bookstores, and Christian broadcasting networks are flooded with false teaching, but God has given us the Bible as the ultimate standard to test everything else against.

    Continue in what you have learned…

    “Don’t chase after the next shiny new thing, Timothy!” Paul urged the young man to remain steadfast in what he had already learned.

    The Scriptures had been carefully taught to Timothy from childhood by his mother Lois, his grandmother Eunice, and Paul himself. These were reliable teachers, as their lives reflected the truth they shared. Timothy didn’t need the latest ministry trend or a self-help book to equip him for his calling. Above all, he needed to know, understand, apply, and teach Scripture more deeply.

    In all the pages of Scripture, Timothy would find everything he needed for the work God had called him to as a young minister.

    This got me thinking about the crucial role that God has given parents and grandparents in teaching Scripture to their children. In my service as a teen leader, it was easy to recognise the kids who have been well-taught at home. After spending a week with my own adult children at varsity, I am encouraged by the deep store of Scripture they have hidden in their hearts and minds, built through years of reading and teaching them the Bible as children. They now have a hunger to know Christ more through Bible study. But when we sat at the end of their beds reading the Bible to them as kids, we wondered if any of it was sinking in! There are tremendous blessings in being a second or third-generation Christian, as Timothy was.

    Paul’s simple command to Timothy, “Continue in what you have learned and become convinced of,” reflects the timeless truth in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

    Bring them up…

    I often hear parents lamenting their children’s disrespect or rebellion, but I wish more parents would take their own role seriously:
    “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Eph 6:4)

    In many Christian homes, intentional Bible teaching and training are neglected or pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. Too often, parents have bought into the dangerous lie that teaching the Bible to their children will push them away or make them rebellious, so they delegate this essential task to Sunday school teachers or youth leaders, who see them for less than an hour each week. Instead of bringing children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, there is a dumbing down of children.

    If Scripture enables the man (or woman) of God to be complete, to grow, and to be fully equipped for every good work, shouldn’t Bible teaching be the priority in every Christian home?

    The Bible is able.

    Paul tells Timothy that the Bible is able to make us wise unto salvation.

    It’s not a trivial book meant for our entertainment or intellectual curiosity. It’s not simply a collection of feel-good quotes to boost our emotions like a quick refuel for a car that will run out of petrol the next day. No, the Bible is far more potent and effective than that. The Scriptures are able to give us the wisdom that leads to salvation and then draw us nearer to Christ’s likeness. Paul warned Timothy that his ministry would only remain effective and relevant if he held fast to the Scriptures.

    On its own, the Bible is just paper and ink. But in the power of the Holy Spirit, Scripture provides us with the wisdom needed to understand the gospel and be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. This is an extraordinary claim to make about the Old Testament, but as Jesus explained to His disciples on the road to Emmaus, the entire Old Testament points to His death and resurrection: “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27)

    I have known several people who were converted simply by reading the raw text of the Bible for themselves, without any human interpretation. The gospel is clearly laid out in the pages of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.

    In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul reminds us that unregenerate people must first hear the gospel, believe, and be saved before they can grow and be transformed into Christ’s likeness. Without God’s special revelation, we cannot believe the gospel. Without the Bible, we cannot grow in godliness. Without Scripture, we cannot lead anyone to Christ or disciple them effectively. From beginning to end, the Bible tells us about:

    • God’s holiness and our sin,
    • Our separation from God,
    • God’s plan to reconcile us to Himself,
    • How to respond to Christ in repentance and faith,
    • How to grow in holiness.

    The Bible is living and active, quick to discern the thoughts and motives of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). It is nourishing and leads us to fear and please the Lord (Ps 19:7-11). If we neglect the Bible in our evangelism and discipleship, it’s like trying to cook a meal in the bathroom.

    The Bible transforms.

    The Bible is given to transform our lives and relationships. In verse 16, Paul outlines a four-step process by which the Word transforms us into Christ’s likeness:

    1. Teaches – We are changed as God’s standards are taught to us.
    2. Convicts – Our conscience is awakened as God’s Word reproves us.
    3. Corrects – Scripture corrects our thoughts and actions.
    4. Trains – When properly handled, Scripture trains us to live in a way that pleases God, shaping us into His character.

    The power for godly living comes from Christ, but as we behold His glory in Scripture, we are progressively transformed into His image. This is how Jerry Bridges explains the transformative power of the Bible:

    “Beholding the Lord’s glory in His Word isn’t just seeing His humanity in the Gospels; it’s seeing His character, attributes, and will throughout all Scripture. As we maintain this relationship with Him, we are transformed by the Holy Spirit and empowered to display godly character. The Christian isn’t like an automobile with an internal power source, but like an electric motor needing an outside current. Our power comes from the risen Christ, and we stay connected to Him through His Word and prayer.” (Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness)

    What about us?

    If the Bible is God-breathed and accomplishes its purposes, our response should be awe, respect, and a commitment to knowing and applying its truth. As we read the Bible, we must be teachable, prayerful, and responsive. Christian books, music, sermons, and groups are helpful, but their true value is measured by how faithfully they align with Scripture. There’s no other resource or system that can truly transform hearts towards godliness.

    Reading through Paul’s second letter to Timothy, I realised the church’s struggles then aren’t so different from ours now. Many speak with the right Christian clichés, seem doctrinally sound, but they deny the power of Scripture. They entertain their listeners with anecdotes, but rarely dig deep into the Bible or unleash it to change lives. Refusing to submit to Scripture, they are always learning but never able to settle on the truth (2 Tim 3:4-9).

    In contrast, Paul urged Timothy to find wisdom, power, and transformation in God’s Word, not in smooth talk or persuasion. Let’s take up the sharp, two-edged sword of Scripture and allow it to penetrate our thinking and way of life—every corner of that kitchen—let’s get chopping, let’s get cooking!

     

     

  • Flourish

    Flourish

    There is a direct correlation between our engagement with the Bible and whether we flourish as Christians. Psalm 1 teaches that a flourishing Christian life is rooted in God’s Word. Delighting in and meditating on Scripture is essential to spiritual health. Like a tree planted by streams of water, we must draw from the nourishing source of Scripture to remain fruitful and rooted in Christ. Neglecting God’s Word, on the other hand, leads to spiritual dryness and emptiness. God’s Word is not a luxury!

    Blessed is the man
        who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
    nor stands in the way of sinners,
        nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
    2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
        and on his law he meditates day and night.

    3 He is like a tree
        planted by streams of water
    that yields its fruit in its season,
        and its leaf does not wither.
    In all that he does, he prospers.

    4 The wicked are not so,
        but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

    5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
        nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
    6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
        but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1)

    The source.

    At the end of last year, my parents moved after almost forty years in the same home. In an attempt to keep alive some memories of their breath-taking garden, I cut many slips and planted them in my own garden. My favourites were unusual orange Cannas and purple Irises, which originally grew on a farm called “Grace” where I spent my childhood.

    When I left to go on holiday in December, Joburg was experiencing a heat wave, with water restrictions and no sign of rain, so I worried that all the fragile little plants would die before they had a chance to get established in my own garden. To my delight,  when I returned home from the holidays, I found that almost all the slips I’d planted in December had taken root and were flourishing. Some of the new saplings are even flowering now for the first time. Pure drenching rains achieved this miracle of life. Of course, only God is responsible for the rainfall. Did you know that God designed rainwater to contain nitrates, the most bio-available form of nitrogen? Nitrogen is one of the three key macro-nutrients that plants need to thrive and develop lush foliage. Because of nourishing rain, our gardens flourish.

    Just as rain sustains a garden, the Bible is the source of a flourishing Christian life. It is God’s Word that nourishes, cleanses, and sanctifies us, ensuring we remain fruitful and vibrant in our faith. What a gift to have God’s Word as our infallible authority and source of truth! It will keep us fruitful and evergreen.

    Rooted in God’s Word

    Just as a tree draws nutrients from water, we must absorb Scripture continuously to grow spiritually. We must have God’s Word in our hearts, not just our minds. The Bible is God’s gift to us, a source of wisdom and life (Psalm 19:7-8), and it was the weapon Jesus used against temptation (Matt 4:4). The Bible is God’s stream to sanctify us in the truth and set us apart as His own (John 17:17). Without it, we are like chaff—fragile, aimless, and withered.

    Jesus emphasised this in John 15:7: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” We often miss the second part of Christ’s condition: His words must abide in us if we are to bear fruit. A lack of engagement with Scripture makes this impossible.

    Unless Scripture is central to our day-to-day life, we cannot hope to live Christ-centred, God-glorifying, fruitful lives.

    Meditating and Delighting in Scripture

    Psalm 1 speaks of the blessed man’s delight in God’s law, as he meditates on it day and night.

    Meditating on the Bible entails focussed thought and engagement—not just a quick scan of a verse or devotional, which often invites distraction rather than meditation. When we engage with Scripture thoughtfully, we encounter God Himself. It’s like drenching rain.

    Meditation is the quiet classroom where the Holy Spirit counsels and convicts our hearts, leading to transformation. It’s the time of solitude where the distractions, worries and hurry of life fade, rooting us in God’s love. The more we delight in God’s Word, as opposed to seeing it as mere study or preparation for the next Bible study we plan to teach, the more we grow in knowledge and love for Him. Meditation is not merely a chore; it’s joyful engagement with the truth that changes our hearts.

    A Slippery Slope

    Psalm 1 presents two paths: the way of the righteous, who flourish, and the way of the wicked, who wither. If we neglect God’s Word, we gradually move away from the stream of life, allowing ourselves to be influenced by ungodly counsel. This process starts subtly, with walking in the counsel of the wicked, then standing in the way of sinners, and eventually sitting with scoffers. Without God’s Word, we become rootless, like chaff, tossed by every wind of opinion and feeling.

    There are many sources of counsel out there—friends and family; the internet and social media; psychologists, therapists and podcasts; movies, TV and books. How many of us would say that our smartphone or Netflix subscription has made us a better, happier, more contented, wiser and healthier person? Whether we realise it or not, we are being profoundly shaped by our current information intake.

    A Christian who neglects Bible reading will, over time, be led astray by distractions, sinful desires, and deceptive ideas. It’s not an overnight transformation but a gradual drift. Daily Scripture reading is a safeguard against this slippery slope.

    The Power of four.

    This was brought home to me by an intriguing study I read recently by Arnold Cole and Pamela Caudill Ovwigho, who questioned 8665 self-identified  Christians in America. The document “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4” highlights the profound impact of regular Bible engagement on moral behaviour. The researchers found that those who read or listen to the Bible at least four times a week (the “power of four”) showed significantly lower levels of sinful behaviours like gambling, pornography, and extramarital sex. These individuals also reported less destructive thoughts, such as anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. Furthermore, they were 228% more likely to share their faith and disciple others, and 407% more likely to memorise Scripture.

    The research also found that Scripture engagement is a more reliable predictor of moral behaviour than other measures of spirituality, such as church attendance and prayer. How often one reads and listens to the Bible seemed a particularly strong protective factor for teens.

    The research also revealed a stark difference between those who read Scripture at least four times a week and those who engage with the Bible less frequently. Three times a week or less is not enough to make a difference. While many Christians own several Bibles, they often neglect them, citing busyness as the reason. But the evidence is clear: regular Bible engagement leads to tangible changes in behaviour and spiritual health.

    As a counsellor, I’ve observed this “power of four” in counselling practice. The more diligently a client takes on board the weekly Bible homework I assign to them, the more positive their progress in overcoming struggles which have brought them to seek help. It’s amazing to watch someone who has been floundering begin to flourish, because the Bible offers wisdom, hope and healing in ways no human counsel can replicate.

    Water is not a luxury.

    For Christians, engaging in Scripture is not a luxury but a necessity. Just as we need water to survive, we need God’s Word to grow spiritually. If we want to live fruitful lives and honour God, we must prioritise Scripture. The new year is an ideal time to establish consistent Bible-reading habits. If you haven’t already, set aside time each day for God’s Word. Create daily habits and rhythms to make Scripture central to your everyday life. Whether through a Bible reading plan, commentary, or devotional, make sure you’re engaging deeply with Scripture. Set specific goals, such as memorising a verse each week, and allow Scripture to shape you, rather than trying to shape Scripture to meet your immediate needs.

    Join us on “The God Walk” as we explore Scripture together in 2025. Subscribe if you haven’t already done so, so that the devotional blog appears in your inbox.

    There are numerous resources available to help you dive deeper into Scripture. Here are some to consider:

    • For the Love of God by D.A. Carson (Volumes 1 and 2, Robert Murray M’Cheyne reading plan)
    • Strength for Today and Drawing Near by John MacArthur
    • Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
    • Daily Readings from All Four Gospels by J.C. Ryle
    • Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Psalms by John Calvin
    • Remade: Embracing Your Complete Identity in Christ by Paul Tautges

    Whether in written or audio form, the Bible is a powerful tool. Let’s open it, value it, prioritize it, and allow it to transform us. As Job said, “I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12).

    Prayer

    Lord, thank you for drenching rain and pure streams of water that you provide to nourish the earth and make creation lush and fruitful. Make us conscious of our daily need for your Word to nourish our souls and grow us into fruitful Christians. By your Spirit, help us to be committed to a consistent Bible reading plan, and to meditate and delight in Scripture, so that we live out our faith and flourish this year. May we experience your grace which trains us in all the layers of real life, as we engage with Scripture in the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Amen.

    Further useful resources:

    Daily Program on Truth for Life app. (Alistair Begg)

    Explore the Bible App. Published by The Good Book Company.

    365 Days with Spurgeon. Volume 1.

    George Whitfield – Daily Readings.

    Come to the Waters. Daily Bible Devotions for Spiritual Refreshment. James Montgomery Boice.

     

     

     

  • The Rich Young Ruler

    The Rich Young Ruler

    Series: Matthew and Money (Part 3)

    Life tends to be easier for the wealthy. Education, travel, healthcare, and leisure are often accessible to those with means, while the poor face significant challenges. Money serves as a passport to safety, security, power, and pleasure. Yet, the encounter between Jesus and the rich young man reveals how easily money can become a burden. It can even become a barrier to life’s most crucial pursuit—eternal life.

    Choosing fortune over faith.

    The rich young ruler approached the right person in his quest for eternal life—Jesus, the Son of God. He asked a crucial question about eternal life, revealing his sincere interest in God. However, he ultimately turned his back on Jesus and went away sad, unwilling to surrender his wealth to follow Christ. In his dilemma, the man chose fortune over faith, short term rewards over lasting riches. Jesus discerned the man’s heart and saw that money was his god.

    From Jesus’s broader ministry, we understand that access God’s eternal kingdom is granted to those who repent and believe in Christ (Matt 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47). For this man, true repentance meant letting go of his false god, but he couldn’t. Wealth had a firm grip on him.

    This is Matthew’s account:

    Matthew 19:16-30

    16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
    17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
    18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
    Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
    20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
    21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
    22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
    23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
    25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
    26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
    27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
    28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

    The Gateway to Eternal Life

    Eternal life is mentioned in the man’s original question (Matt 19:16) and then repeated four times by Jesus (Matthew 19:17, 23, 24, 29). Jesus affirmed the importance of the man’s question, which begs another question: What is eternal life, and why should we even desire it?

    Solomon wrote, “Eternity is set in the hearts of men” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Humans have an innate awareness or longing for something that endures beyond physical life. Even atheists grasp for life after death when their lives are threatened. There is a divine imprint on the human heart, because we were created for an eternal relationship with God.

    Eternal life is more than a continuous stretch of years beyond the grave. It is a life filled with joy, peace, and fulfilment in God’s presence. It entails both salvation now and a future hope of being with God in the new heavens and new earth. The New Testament speaks of a future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) where believers are transformed and given glorified bodies that are free from sin and death. This is the treasure of eternal life that the rich man earnestly desired. He was asking a good question, but Jesus’ response was hard.

     Hard Sayings

    “There is only One who is good…If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matt 19:17, 21).

    You may be thinking, “Couldn’t Jesus have been less offensive and more affirming to the sincere young man? Wasn’t the man at least trying to obey God’s laws? Why’s Jesus such a perfectionist?” However, Jesus knew the man’s heart and loved him enough to tell him the truth. He wanted the rich man to understand that eternal life is not a human achievement.

    No one can gain eternal life by being sincere about Jesus, by going to church, or being a pillar of the community. Jesus pointed out that even this respectable man, an ‘ideal candidate’, failed hopelessly in loving the Lord with all his heart, soul and mind (Deut 6:5). By worshipping the god of money, he broke at least the first three commandments, as well as the tenth commandment–Do not covet (Ex 20:3, 17, Matt 22:34-40).

    Jesus uncovered the man’s idolatrous heart (Matt 19:21-22).  It was not enough for the rich man to assent to Jesus intellectually and then keep all his baggage. He could not love God if he was a lover of money. The man didn’t go away defiant, but sad, burdened by his possessions. He remained unchanged and turned his back on eternal life.

    In Luke’s parallel account, it is noted that Jesus regarded the young man “with love.” Christ felt deep sorrow as he watched the man walk away despondent, having placed his trust in wealth and thereby forfeiting the only true and everlasting treasure.

    A Camel And A Needle

    The imagery of a camel squeezing through the eye of a needle is absurdly comical. It’s like a ten ton truck with an abnormal load trying to drive down a narrow alleyway. It highlights the impossibility of a wealthy individual approaching God with empty hands, seeking His mercy with childlike faith and humility. Doesn’t wealth often lure us into a sense of security, pride and self reliance? It is the very opposite of the dependant faith we need to enter God’s kingdom. Wealth tends to blind us to the fact that we are not masters of our fate and captains of our souls.

    This must have shocked Jesus’s audience, who viewed wealth as a sign of God’s favour. No wonder the disciples were shocked and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Matt 19:25). Jesus led them straight to this hopeless cul de sac.

    “Who Then Can Be Saved?”

    The disciples’ rhetorical question strikes at the heart of the gospel. Can a leopard change its spots? Can a self-serving person  become a Christian by our own efforts? Is salvation ever a human achievement? The answer is clearly no.

    By nature, we are hostile toward God; we do not seek or submit to Him, nor can we do so without divine intervention. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom 1:10-12). It’s impossible to be perfect or clean up our act, because we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Without God’s intervening grace, no one has a hope of eternal life. Eternal life cannot be earned by adding virtue. It is a gift from God, who makes believers alive and leads them into eternal life.

    Jesus didn’t come to earth to make us feel good about ourselves. He came to transform our hearts and save us from the death that we deserve. Eternal life begins the moment we place our faith in Him. In John 3:16 and 36, Jesus claimed to be the gateway to eternal life, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent”(John 17:3). Ultimately, eternal life is knowing God through Jesus Christ.

    Jesus describes his eternal kingdom as a man finding a “hidden treasure,” a “pearl of great price”. Its value far exceeds any short-term cost of discipleship (Matt 13:51-52). Christ himself is the priceless treasure.

    “With God, All Things Are Possible”

    “With God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26).

    Jesus’s words are reassuring for those who know that our hearts are idol factories, deceitful and desperately sick. (Jer 17:9) By sheer grace, our God performs extraordinary acts of redemption that we cannot even fathom. Ezekiel reminds us of God’s Old Testament promise to cleanse His people of their sins and idols, to give them new hearts, and to write His law on their hearts. Their stony hearts will be replaced with hearts of flesh.

    Ezekiel 36:25-26 gives us hope that with God, all things are indeed possible: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

    Ezekiel’s prophecy beautifully captures God’s promise of renewal and transformation for His people. Only God can grant us repentant hearts that willingly abandon everything for Christ and worship Him with devotion. With such transformation, we are able to cast aside our idols and respond to Jesus’s daily call to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.

    These words of Jesus should inspire hope in every parent of a prodigal son or daughter, in every believer who prays relentlessly for their loved ones to turn to Christ and live. God rescues even the most unlikely individuals—rich and poor alike. Even Levi, the rich young man who recounted this story, left earthly treasures behind to gain the true treasure of Christ. With God, all things are possible!

    “We’ve Left Everything to Follow You!”

    Peter exclaims, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Like us, Peter wants reassurance that it’s been worth the sacrifice.

    Jesus offers both encouragement and a warning: those who leave their earthly ties for His sake will receive abundantly and inherit eternal life. Yet, He also cautions, “But many who are first will be last.” This serves as a warning against complacency for every Christian. While the disciples had left everything to follow Jesus, leaving all does not guarantee faithfulness. Judas faltered, while Saul the persecutor became a devoted follower of Christ.

    When Jesus challenges us to let go of our baggage, are we ready to follow His call?

    Money is deceptive, as it promises a lot and takes up much of our time and energy. Accumulating possessions can weigh us down in our journey with Christ, and wealth turns many away from the narrow road to eternal life.  Jesus knows our covetous hearts and loves us as much as he loved the rich man. He knows how money can easily become a burden and a barrier.

    If we are clinging to surrogate gods, our testimony will mirror the sad young man who walked away from Jesus. There is no deeper cause for regret than pursuing worldly gains at the expense of our souls. As Jesus said, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matt 16:26).

    Prayer

    Heavenly Father, shine your lamp on the hidden areas in our lives and help us to use our wealth to love you and others. Expose the barriers that obstruct us in following you with devoted hearts. Show us the priceless value of your eternal kingdom so we are willing to surrender lesser things. Thank you for emptying yourself of your glory and paying the ultimate price for our redemption. Guard our hearts against envy, greed and covetousness, so we are free to throw off every weight that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. In Jesus Name, Amen.

     

  • Hope For the Financially Stressed

    Hope For the Financially Stressed

    Series: Money from Matthew’s gospel (part 2). By Rosie Moore.

    As a counsellor, I’ve come to realize that money troubles can be profoundly serious, painful, and stressful. There are many reasons why we can feel overwhelmed by financial worries—such as job loss, unexpected expenses, poor decisions, crippling debt, theft, or the illness or death of a primary earner. Even natural disasters, like the recent Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, can devastate a lifetime of hard work in a single day.

    Those who find themselves trapped in a financial pit often feel anger, discouragement, fear, panic, intense helplessness, and eventually hopelessness.  In such a state of relentless stress, it is easy to be consumed by worries and fears. Paralysing fear prevents us from taking the necessary steps to address our real financial issues.

    Jesus understands this struggle and does not discount our concerns about money. Instead, he reminds us not to focus our hearts on material worries, such as what we will eat or drink, but instead to seek his kingdom first. Before we dismiss Christ’s words in the sermon on the Mount as out-of-touch platitudes, let’s take a moment to revisit Matthew 6:5-34 and ask God what He wants to teach us through our financial struggles:

    5 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

    34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:5-34)

    Jesus gives us three truths to anchor our anxious hearts.

    1. God knows my needs.

    Like most people, I have to regularly navigate financial stress. I’m not immune to worry, but I’ve found that hope for the financially stressed lies in this simple but profound truth:

    Our heavenly Father knows all our needs and is faithful to care for His children.

    Because I’m prone to forget, I keep a vase of flowers in my house and a bird feeder outside my window as visual reminders of God’s faithful care. Apart from restoring our minds and bodies, God teaches us many truths about Himself through the natural world.

    When I lie awake with racing thoughts–from the university fees due this month, to unknown expenses in the future, to market forces beyond our control, to the latest disease afflicting our crocodile farm, I have to remind myself that God is sovereign, wise and good. Nothing falls outside the ambit of his loving care. He is my provider, He knows what I need and how to supply it. With each new day, I can ask and trust my Father to give me my daily bread.

    As Jesus pointed out, our God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers who do not work or have any need to be anxious, because God is faithful to them. And then Jesus notes that God’s children are worth far more than birds and flowers. Likewise, we have no need to be anxious about our lives, but need to trust our present and our future to God’s sovereign goodness.

    This isn’t just a comforting platitude; it’s a true perspective rooted in God’s sovereignty and providence over our lives. “God knows all my needs” is a sermon we need to preach to ourselves daily. Moreover, He has proved how much He cares by sending His own Son to die for us (Romans 8:32).

    If we put our trust in God, then we’ll enter into a place of rest and peace, knowing that our caring Father, (not money) is ultimately looking after us. From this place of childlike dependence, we can pray and work out an intelligent plan for our finances, following principles from God’s Word and putting His priorities first.

    1. Seek first His kingdom.

    Take heart! Rather than letting our fears take over, Jesus urges His followers to anchor their thoughts on the most valuable thing in the world—knowing God and being part of His kingdom (Matt 6:33). In Christ alone we find true life, peace and joy. Money is a mirage of these things.

    When we re-focus on God’s kingdom, we see that financial struggles are no different from other trials. Trials are not just random events in a believer’s life; they are opportunities to grow and become more Christlike in our attitudes and actions. Like all painful trials, financial afflictions are God’s pruning shears to enable us to bear more fruit for Christ (John 15:1-3).

    For example, money troubles provide an opportunity to appreciate our amazing wealth in the Father of Jesus Christ, our refuge, treasure, true inheritance and portion forever. Money pressures humble us to pray and trust God like a child. They give our Father an opportunity to sustain us with His love and daily manna. They train us to think wisely through practical matters such as: budgeting, giving, lending and borrowing, use of credit, saving and investment, insurance, inheritance, and responsibilities towards children and extended family. A financial crisis can be a catalyst to develop a biblical theology of money.

    As we re-orientate our hearts toward God’s righteousness and kingdom in the thick of our financial stress, we may notice the meaning and value we’ve attached to money:

    Perhaps we’ve been relying on money as our source of safety and security. Maybe money provides validation. Or gives us power to control people and circumstances. Or we’ve forgotten that we own nothing apart from what God has given to us. We may be using money as a tool to impress or be accepted in a particular group.

    Perhaps we have a problem with overspending or excessive debt that God wants us to deal with. Or maybe we are jealous when others are prospering and we aren’t. What room is there for jealousy when the King distributes all things according to His perfect knowledge and will?

    It takes discipline to spend within the boundaries that God has provided and take responsibility for our personal finances. It’s hard to downsize expectations and spending. It’s hard to be content when the money runs out. But every financial crisis is an opportunity to grow in sanctification.

    If we’re relying on money to provide us with security, power, identity, comfort, control or purpose, we are using money to find life apart from the Lord. There’s nothing like a financial crisis to expose this idol!

    In seeking Christ’s kingdom and righteousness first, we begin to see financial troubles as part of the larger story of our sovereign God’s plan to redeem us in and through our unique trials. All the money in the world cannot buy this training and transformation!

    1. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

    Matthew 6:34 is comforting, since Jesus acknowledged that each day has enough trouble of its own. Christ doesn’t minimize our daily struggles in earning a living and managing money in a fallen world. Planning for tomorrow is time well spent, but worrying is time wasted. Jesus notes that anxiety paralyses us from doing what God holds us responsible to do today. The emphasis is on today.

    Each day’s trouble is enough to handle. As followers of Christ, we need to plan ahead and work to provide the necessities of life—food, shelter and clothing (1 Tim 6:6-10). It should be our “ambition” to lead a quiet life, to pursue our calling and work hard, so we may win the respect of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone else (1 Thess 4:11-12). But work is cursed with thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:17-19). Jesus acknowledges these everyday troubles of eating bread by the sweat of our faces.

    At the same time, Christ wants us to be led by God’s greater goals for our money: loving our neighbour as ourself, giving generously, being found faithful with our possessions. After all, is this not the only fitting response to the foundational truth that God is the One who has given us everything we earn and own?

    In 1 Corinthians 4:2, Paul writes,

    “Moreover, it is required of stewards to be found faithful”.

    Here are six practical principles to help us be faithful financial stewards of what God has entrusted to us:

    1. Work smart. If you don’t have enough, you either need to earn more or spend less.
    2. Spend smart. Live within your means and buy only what you can afford. Don’t go into debt for luxuries or liabilities. If you can’t pay cash, don’t buy it. Only borrow for assets like a house or a business. If you’re already in debt, develop a plan to pay it off as soon as possible.
    3. Invest smart. Put your money into assets rather than liabilities.
    4. Develop multiple income streams, so if one dries up you have others.
    5. Build up your passive income, so your money is making money for you.
    6. Give smart. Generous giving is part of being a Christian. You can never outgive God.

    There is hope for the financially stressed! If our goals are to glorify God; to love Him more; and to be found faithful with our possessions, then financial stress is fertile soil for growth. Thinking about money biblically will develop in us contentment and joy as we find true life in Christ, who is life indeed. As James Petty writes,

    “When our treasure is in our relationship with Christ, then we can be freed from seeking life in the things that we possess, and freed to actually live in the fallen world and remain in the Living Branch that bears fruit for eternity (John 15:5).

    Prayer

    Heavenly Father, you promise that you are “able to make all grace abound to [us], so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, [we] may abound in every good work” (2 Cor 9:8). You are our faithful Shepherd, and we have everything we need (Ps 23:1-2). Still our fears with a deep trust in your provision and care. Enable us to be faithful in very little so that we will also be faithful in much. We acknowledge that all we have earned comes from you, and all we own belongs to you. Please forgive us for the sinful ways we’ve viewed money and used it as a surrogate god. Forgive us for worrying instead of trusting you with the details of our lives. Grant us your grace to be wise and faithful stewards of your money. Amen.

  • God or Money?

    God or Money?

    Series: Matthew and Money.

    “If I had more money, I’d be happy…I’d give more…I’d have time and energy to serve in my church.”

    “When I earn enough I’ll become a faithful giver.”

    “I worry all the time about my finances.”

    Do any of these sentiments resonate with you?

    Our attitude towards money and possessions often reveals who is king of our heart. Matthew understood this well. Also known as Levi, Matthew was a tax collector by profession before becoming one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. Tax collectors were seen as collaborators with the Roman authorities and were often associated with greed and corruption. The Jews treated them with disdain. But Matthew’s encounter with Jesus transformed his life forever. He left his lucrative position to follow Christ as King (Matt 9:9-13). Nothing compares to being part of Christ’s kingdom (Matt 13:44-46).

    The god of materialism.

    In the coming weeks, we’ll explore texts from Matthew’s gospel concerning money, often referred to as “mammon”. Mammon embodies materialism. We may not consider ourselves materialistic, but our fixation on things we own or want may tell a different story. We don’t have to be rich to serve mammon. Both the rich and the poor struggle with greed and covetousness, because the god of materialism beckons us all to worship at its altar.

    Jesus warns us that we can’t serve two masters; we must choose whom we will love. I heard a principle long ago which I have never forgotten: We will only sacrifice for our God. If we are willing to sacrifice for the sake of money rather than Christ, we are fooling ourselves–money has become our god.

    Two investments.

    In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is addressing believers. He contrasts two investments, two masters and two visions:

    “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

    22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

    24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:19-24.)

    A Harvard study spanning from 1938 to 1992 asked participants how much money they needed to be happy. Regardless of income, almost every participant claimed they needed double what they earned. No one was content with their current financial status. As Christians, we should pay attention to studies like this, as we too are prone to discontent, greed and idolatry. We are materialists at heart, wired to pursue what is bigger, newer, better than what we have, but this leads us into a trap (1 Tim 6:6-9; James 5:1-3).

    Jesus reminds us that a fruitful Christian life does not stem from having more earthly wealth, but from contentment with what we have and an eagerness to use our resources right now for eternal good, since God’s Kingdom is infinitely more valuable than any earthly treasure. The true King and His Kingdom priorities deserve our full attention and loyalty (Matt 6:25).

    What are our earthly “treasures”? Our treasures are all the gifts and resources that God has given us to use for His glory. They consist of time, talents, energy, creativity, and material wealth and possessions.

    In the equivalent passage in Luke, Jesus warns us to watch out and be on our guard against all kinds of greed, because life does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15).

    This warning is particularly apt for us, as humanity has created a world filled with excess and indulgence. Coupled with our covetous hearts, it’s easy for our desire for consumption to become the all-encompassing motive and drive of our lives. The only way out is contentment (Phil 4:11-13).

    For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

    To understand Jesus’s teaching on money, we need to see it in the context of the whole sermon on the Mount. Jesus has been speaking to his disciples about what it means to lead a righteous life on earth. The Lord looks not only at our outward acts, but also at the motives of our hearts. As an example, Jesus contrasts the right kind of giving and the wrong kind of giving (Matt 6:2-4). What we do and why we do it are both important (Matt 6:1-2; 5-6; 16-17).

    The person who gives for the applause of others has received their reward in full. There will be no reward in heaven. But if a person gives for the love of God, his/her reward will last into eternity.

    Matthew 6:19-24 addresses the temptation of a covetous heart. The world encourages us to look around; to compare ourselves with those who have more than us; to flaunt our stuff and stockpile wealth. But Jesus warns that a focus on earthly treasures diverts our devotion away from God. Nothing has the capacity to choke our spiritual fruitfulness like the deceitfulness of wealth, or the anxiety that accompanies materialism (Matthew 13:22).

    Importantly, money isn’t inherently evil. It’s neutral and can be used for good (1 Tim 4:4). It’s not that believers must give away everything we own, close our bank accounts and neglect our families (1 Tim 5:8). Other Scriptures speak to the wisdom of hard work and planning ahead (Prov 6:6-8), as well as the blessing of inheritance for children’s children (Prov 13:22). The issue lies in the love of money, which leads to selfish pursuits and idolatry rather than being a blessing to others.

    Two Masters, Two Visions.

    Jesus states, “No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money.” A Master demands full attention, setting priorities for us. He requires devotion and faithful service. If Jesus is our Master, then we are stewards of everything He entrusts to us, including our wealth and possessions. The Lord does not tolerate moonlighting—the act of working an extra job for another boss. A desire for riches can quickly become more important that our walk with God.

    Jesus later uses the metaphor of vision to illustrate our focus: our eyes must be directed toward heavenly things to be filled with light. We cannot have squint eyes that dart in different directions (Matt 6:22-23). Being fixated on material things casts a shadow over everything we think or do. It darkens and dims our spiritual sight. We soon become foolish.

    In Luke 12, Jesus gives an example of the rich fool who tore down his old barns and built new ones to store his abundance of grain. After selfishly stockpiling wealth with no regard for God, the man died, leaving it all behind. Jesus says, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21). His attitude to money was greedy, grasping and godless. Ultimately, the rich man was a fool as he had no eternal view.

    The Eternal View.

    Reflecting on the Sermon on the Mount encourages me to evaluate my life through an eternal lens. What captivates my heart? Am I double-minded? Do I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, strength…and money? Do I seek security in Christ or in money?

    In a consumer-driven world which trains us to serve mammon instead of God, you and I must guard against a covetous heart. Maintaining an eternal perspective helps us resist the love of money.

    Our material possessions won’t last beyond this life, but the good we do for God’s kingdom endures forever. Loving God and our neighbour with all the gifts and resources that God has given us is what it means to be rich toward God.

    Two Banks, Two treasures.

    Jesus reminds us that investing in an earthly bank ultimately yields frustration and emptiness. Material possessions are unreliable; they can be lost and eroded. Thieves identify the wealthy and steal their possessions. Cars rust and property markets crash. The world’s bank will ultimately fail (Matt 6:19), because material possessions do not ultimately provide security (1 Tim 6:17). Like the ancient Pharaohs who rotted alongside their elaborate treasures, we will die and leave it all behind. As the writer of Proverbs noted, “In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle” (Prov 23:4-5).

    In contrast, heavenly treasures are secure and eternal. All our acts of obedience and giving are treasures laid up in heaven. Investing in God’s kingdom offers contentment and the joy of being a cheerful giver in the here and now, but the ultimate dividends will be paid in eternity. We cannot begin to imagine the rewards God has in store for us. Investing in heaven’s bank is the best investment choice we will ever make.

    This passage challenges us to examine whether we serve money, or allow our money to serve the Lord. Are we using our resources for God’s kingdom and glory? Are we investing in precious souls that will last for eternity?

    Jesus demonstrated the right attitude toward wealth: “Though he was rich, he became poor, so that you through his poverty, might become rich.” (2 Cor 8:9) God has secured His children’s eternal wealth on the cross.

    Money is a mirror.

    Ultimately, our relationship with money mirrors our relationship with God. Levon Helm expresses the heart cry of materialism, “Feelin’ good, feelin’ good, all the money in the world spent on feelin’ good.” In contrast, those who love the Lord cry for heaven. We are called to prioritise eternal investments over temporary treasures and pleasures. Being rich towards God means that our hearts are aligned with His Kingdom and His values. By focusing on what truly matters, we can resist the lure of materialism and live a life that treasures Christ above all else.

  • How many mothers-in-law does it take to change a light bulb?

    How many mothers-in-law does it take to change a light bulb?

    “How many mothers-in-law does it take to change a light bulb? One. She just holds it up there and waits for the world to revolve around her.

    None. They prefer to criticize your lighting choices instead!”

    “What’s the difference between a mother-in-law and a vice? The vice eventually loosens its grip!”

    Ouch! I’m not sure whether mothers-in-law have earned their bad reputation, but there’s no end to scathing mother-in-law jokes! As a mother-in-law twice over and a counsellor, I know that a critical and controlling spirit is a lethal combination which can wreck family relationships. In-law problems are common in every culture and often arise around such issues as control, interference, selfishness, and the clash of values and traditions.

    But in-law problems run much deeper than the mother-in-law caricature. Some of us find it hard to leave our old families and to cleave to our spouse in a brand new family unit. Most of us find it hard to let go of bad patterns and sins from our families of origin, which we bring into our new family unit. We are all resistant to change.

    Common complaints.

    Here are some common complaints I hear in the counselling room:

    “My husband’s mother keeps telling me how to feed her son and grandchildren as if I’m a lazy, incompetent cook. She’s mastered the art of the disapproving look.”

    “My wife’s parents and aunts keep demanding huge sums of money to maintain a lifestyle we can’t afford. That’s on top of the Lobola we’re still paying off. Black tax is crippling us as a family.”

    “My mother-in-law won’t help with our small kids or do anything that ‘inconveniences’ her. When we visit, she won’t put away her precious ornaments as she says the kids must learn to respect her home. The children are scared of her. Doesn’t she want a relationship with her grandchildren?”

    “Our in-laws insist that we attend African traditional rituals like Ukubuyisa (the ritual reincorporation of the living-dead), Imbeleko (ritual inclusion of our babies into the clan) and Hlabisa (slaughtering after the birth of a child), even though they know that we are Christ followers. We are torn between wanting to please Christ and family approval.”

    “My wife won’t allow us to make a single decision without first consulting with her parents. She phones them every day and shares intimate details of our lives with them. I feel resentful that our privacy has been invaded.”

    A new allegiance.

    No Christian couple will build a marriage which pleases the Lord unless we make a clean break from our family of origin and form a new allegiance with our spouse. Each couple needs to make its own decisions and develop its own traditions and values, evaluating everything in the light of Scripture.

    So how do we handle in-law problems after we’re married? A starting point is to hold in tension two God-given principles: The first is to separate from parents (leave and cleave) and the second is to honour our parents. It’s not a question of either… or, but both… and.

    Separation and Honour.

    1. The separation principle is laid out in Genesis 2:24.
    “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

    2. The honour principle is laid out in Ephesians 6:2-3 and Exodus 20:12: “Honour your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

    Thus, God expects adult children to honour their parents, but not to remain under their control as they are a separate family unit. To honour means to respect, to set a price on, esteem, value, revere. It means to treat our parents and in-laws with kindness and dignity, but it does not mean giving in to all their demands.

    Not all parents live honourable lives, but honouring them honours the Lord. This is because of the special God-given role they’ve played in our lives. Our duty to honour them is not because our parents and the parents of our spouse deserve it, but because we choose to honour the Lord.

    Blessings attached to honour.

    Although New Testament believers don’t have a promised land given to us, there is still a reward for children who follow this command to honour our parents. When we choose to honour our parents and in-laws, two blessings occur:

    1. Life goes well.
    2. Life is longer.

    Obeying God’s command to honour our parents leads to general well-being, harmony and fruitfulness in our lives. We have the blessing of a clear conscience and are spared from the consequences of unbridled sin and bitterness against our parents. Our new family is blessed by older people who usually have a lot of love and experience to share. Jesus affirmed both the honour and separation principle in the gospels.

     

    Christ affirmed the honour principle.

    In Matthew 15 and Mark 7, Jesus affirmed the honour principle when he criticised the hypocritical pharisees for using the Corban vow to dedicate money to God’s temple that otherwise would have gone to support needy parents. Corban had become a religiously acceptable excuse to neglect parents and disregard God’s command to honour and care for the elderly.

    Jesus said, “Honour your parents. “Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honour his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.”
    Matthew 15:1-6 , Mark 7:9-13.

    In these passages, Jesus contrasts honouring parents with despising, neglecting, and abandoning them. Jesus’ words are convicting. Are we providing reasonable financial support to our parents and in-laws if they are in need? Are we doing our best to ensure that they are included in our lives, not isolated and lonely?

    While this does not mean caving to their every demand or crippling our own household budget, it is dishonouring to leave needy parents to fend for themselves financially or emotionally. Paul affirms this in his letter to Timothy:

    “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
    1 Timothy 5:8 ESV

    The honour principle means that when we disagree with our parents/in-laws, we do so with humble, gentle and considerate hearts, instead of insisting on our own way (Philippians 2:4, Matthew 5:23-24). We are quick to overlook small offenses (Proverbs 19:11). Honouring our parents and in-laws also means expressing appreciation for their help and wisdom, instead of being too proud to accept advice (Proverbs 11:14; 19:20).  The Pause acronym is a good tool to help us honour our parents and in-laws, especially when we clash with them:

    P= Prepare our words and don’t react impulsively.
    A= Affirm positive relationships.
    U= Understand their feelings, fears and longings.
    S=Search for creative solutions and fair compromises.
    E= Evaluate options reasonably, not emotionally.

    Christ affirmed the separation principle.

    In Matthew 19, Jesus also affirmed the separation principle of marriage established in Genesis 2:24. When asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause, Jesus focussed on God’s original intention for marriage—to create a separate and inseparable one-flesh union. Christ’s words are echoed by the solemn words of the traditional marriage ceremony.

    “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:3-6).

    In Matthew 19, our Lord reminds us that instead of bickering, running to our parents, or choosing to live separate lives, Christian couples should be fighting for one-flesh intimacy. Holding hands, being courteous, simply saying “please”, “thank you”, and “I love you” help forge a lifelong bond of closeness and intimacy. Each day is a fresh opportunity to cherish one another. These little gestures of love protect a couple from drifting apart.

    And so, honouring our parents is always bounded by God’s other command for complete commitment and unwavering commitment to our spouse. Our first priority is to take care of our spouse, to protect this union and the new family unit that arises from it (Matthew 19:5-6).

    In the light of these Biblical principles of honour and separation, here are some practical tips:

    For married couples:

    1. Leave behind financial, spiritual and emotional dependence on your parents as soon as possible.

    2. Do not rely on your parents’ approval or advice. Be more concerned with fulfilling your spouse’s desires than your parents’. 1 Corinthians 7:33.

    3. Create a sense of your family’s identity by adopting new traditions and habits that will serve you well as a Christian family. Examples include family story time, dinnertime rituals, family worship, purposeful celebrations, family meetings to resolve tensions.

    4. Believe the best, knowing that in-laws often unintentionally put pressure on their married children. Be charitable and gracious to them.

    5. When faced with an in-law problem, discuss it gently and openly as a couple, presenting a unified response. Agree on a plan to avoid unwanted interference in the future.

    6. Keep the communication lines open by visiting, phoning and sending emails to parents. Failure to communicate says in effect, “I don’t care.” Show your in-laws the same care that you show to your parents.

    7. Look for ways to build up your husband or wife in front of your parents. Never speak badly of them. Never allow your parents to disparage your husband or wife.

    8. Don’t blame your in-laws for your marriage problems! Your marriage is your responsibility, not theirs.

    For parents and in-laws.

    1. Your primary relationship is with the Lord and your spouse, not with your children, especially your adult married children. Do not become so emotionally needy that your children feel guilty if they don’t give you what you think you need. Resist the urge to cling, criticise or control.

     

    1. Consciously prepare yourself for the time when your children will leave home, and for the change in your relationship with them when they marry. Celebrate and encourage their independence as they grow older. Entrust them to the Lord.

     

    1. Prepare your children to move out from under the umbrella of your direct authority and influence. As they become teenagers, give your children permission to respectfully disagree with you without taking offense. This prepares you for an adult relationship with your children and the person they choose to marry.

     

    1. Warmly embrace your child’s marriage partner as an equal to your own child. Never favour your son/daughter or drive a wedge between your child and their spouse.

     

    1. Actively nurture a supportive relationship with your adult child and his/her spouse. A humble parent in-law asks questions and loves dialogue, putting energy and effort into listening. Initiate video calls and phone them regularly. Your married children will love the emotional warmth that comes from caring relationships with both sets of parents. Life is too short to be uninvolved.

     

    1. Avoid criticising, nagging, interfering, or anything else that would weaken your child’s marriage relationship. Instead, give the couple freedom to make their own decisions and encourage them with words of affirmation.

     

    1. Don’t do things merely for the good of your married child (gifts, trips, holidays, private phone calls etc). Do things for the good of your child’s marriage. First ask if they want your help or advice. Do not use money to influence a married child. Give freely, without expecting anything in return.

     

    1. Focus on being loving, supportive, affectionate, respectful, fun, gracious and generous in serving your children and their families. Be a beautiful light bulb that brightens up their world, a living example of what you want to see in your children and grandchildren.

     

    Prayer

    Lord, we know that children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. (Psalm 127:3-5). We know that  grandchildren are the crown of the aged, the glory of children is their fathers, the beauty that you’ve designed in relationships (Prov 17:6). Father, thank you for inter-generational blessing and the contributions of grandparents to the life of our families. We pray that married couples would cherish one another and honour their parents and in-laws. May your blessing fall on our families as we seek to relate to one another in the way you have ordained. Amen.    

  • The Only Foundation for Human Identity and Worth

    The Only Foundation for Human Identity and Worth

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    Article published on The Gospel Coalition Africa, July 29, 2024. By Rosie Moore.

    King David’s worldview expressed in Psalm 139, that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” is the only true foundation for human identity and worth. It is also the bedrock for fundamental human rights and liberties. David knew that the Creator who fashioned his innermost being in the womb would continue to care for him throughout his life. When this truth is discarded, Satan gets a foothold, and promotes the dehumanising, degrading worldview that we see shaping thoughts on the body and biology today.

    Counterfeit Ideas

    When we reject God’s beliefs about human identity and worth, we adopt counterfeit ideas about ourselves and the world we live in. Nihilism, associated with the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, is the belief that there is no meaning in anything that exists.

    When nihilism creeps into a person’s worldview, depression, self-loathing, self-hatred, self-mutilation, crime, drug addiction and suicide are typical results. There is no sense that life is precious, purposeful, and worthwhile. Nihilism is a profoundly hopeless worldview with a heavy influence in our world.

    David knew that we have inherent value, without needing to create an identity.

     

    Another counterfeit idea is existentialism, the belief that you are worth nothing until you make something of yourself through your own actions. Your story is yours to create, and you are free to create any meaning you choose. Your significance is entirely up to you. You can be whatever you want to be. If you believe you are beautiful, you will be beautiful! Jean-Paul Sartre’s godless philosophy has influenced the thought patterns of atheists and Christians alike.

    Both nihilism and existentialism are deceptive atheistic philosophies that oppose God as Creator, nullifying human identity and worth. In contrast, David praised the Lord for creating his body “fearfully and wonderfully” (Psalm 139:14a). He knew that he had inherent value without needing to change or create an identity of his own. He knew that human life did not just evolve from impersonal forces but was meticulously crafted by a loving Creator.

    Intrinsic Human Identity and Worth

    A Biblical worldview places an intrinsic and equal value on each human life from the time of conception, as we are created in God’s image and known by God. This means that there are no redundant people, and no one’s worth exceeds another’s. Personhood begins when all twenty-three pairs of chromosomes are present.

    Many argue that a woman has a right to terminate the life of her unborn child when motherhood is a burden or a shame to her. Other women are pressured to have an abortion because the father does not want to accept the responsibility of a baby born outside of marriage. Still others claim that the foetus is not a person, though it is biologically a human being.

    The ideology of abortion threatens intrinsic human identity and worth.

     

    Abortion is not an issue of family planning or women’s reproductive healthcare; it is the murder of a human life, made in God’s image. The ideology of abortion threatens the intrinsic human identity and worth of all people. God stands against the taking of the life of children in the womb and after birth, and he also calls on his church to support and love pregnant women, because both have intrinsic value.

    The Hallmark of a Christ Follower

    Satan has always targeted children, the weak and vulnerable.

     

    Secular culture ties human value to productivity and performance, and dehumanises those who lack certain cognitive abilities. Psalm 139, on the other hand, is a cry of justice for the abused and voiceless, the old and needy, the disabled and despondent. Many people have been led to believe that they are a burden to society and that their lives are worthless. But Satan has always targeted children, the weak and vulnerable. He has always promoted infanticide, child slavery and child sacrifice. One of the hallmarks of a Christ follower is that we speak and act for the powerless and the voiceless (Proverbs 31:8-9; Psalm 146:7; 82:3-4).

    Our Bodies Have Dignity

    David is remembered as a great king and shepherd, but I doubt any of us would regard him as a man of science. Yet, three thousand years ago, inspired by the Holy Spirit, David wrote truths about human development which have been confirmed by the study of embryology and DNA in recent decades. David described his body as a ‘frame intricately woven in the depths of the earth’ (Psalm 139:15), like a tapestry with meticulous hand stitching.

    The process of three-dimensional DNA helixes, winding and unwinding to make proteins for human growth, looks a lot like knitting or weaving. And now we know, without a doubt, that an unborn child is a living, distinct, whole human being from the time of conception. Our DNA is unique and unchangeable; each of us is a walking miracle of irreducible complexity from the time of conception.

    We cannot unhitch our physical lives from our spiritual lives.

     

    Because God has created our inmost being, we cannot unhitch our physical lives from our spiritual lives. While there is a danger of obsessing about our bodies, there’s also a danger in de-valuing them or separating what we do with our bodies from our worship. The Christian worldview upholds the dignity of the body and biology, in stark contrast to the world’s pervasive hostility towards human identity and worth.

    Although our bodies are ageing and decaying day-by-day, we are not less than the bodies that God has given us. We are embodied souls. Jesus had a physical body like ours, when “the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14). He gave his body to redeem us and to raise our bodies on the last day; our bodies are part of God’s redemption story. As Christians, we must reject every attempt of the enemy to subvert God’s order for human beings.

    The Body Is a Gift From God

    And so, regardless of our body’s weaknesses and imperfections, David reminds us that the body is a gift from God. We should be in awe of its incredible design and functionality. It is sinful to reject, despise, harm or wish for a different body than that which God has given us to steward.

    The body is a gift from God.

     

    The Bible equips us to live in our bodies as sexual beings. We should not look to the world for wisdom on these matters. Our bodies have been created through Christ and for Christ, to do the things that God has made them to do (Colossians 1:16-17). God has called us to sexual purity, as well as sexual enjoyment within marriage between a man and a woman (Proverbs 5:15-16; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5).

    David and the Apostle Paul were in perfect agreement: “The body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body” (1 Corinthians 6:13). Therefore, “glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Our bodies are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” who dwells in us (1 Corinthians 6:19), and since our bodies belong to God, it matters what we do with them (1 Corinthians 6:13-20).

    Glorifying God in Our Bodies

    In light of our human identity and worth, glorifying God in our bodies is not just about what we avoid, but also about what we do positively—how we work, eat and exercise, what we do to help others, how we nourish our minds, how we listen to others and control our passions, and what we say with our mouths.

    The Bible gives us practical wisdom on how to live well in our bodies.

     

    The Bible gives us practical wisdom on how to live well in our bodies. Issues like sleep, sex, laziness, hard work, indulgence, gluttony, anxiety, and self-control are not trivial to God (Psalm 127:2; Proverbs 9-11; Ecclesiastes 5:12, Song of Solomon 2:3-6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; Romans 13:13; Proverbs 23:2-3, 21; Hebrews 12:16-17; Philippians 4:6-8; Matthew 5:30; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Proverbs 5).

    As Christians who seek to glorify God in our bodies, we need to counter the dehumanising worldview of secular culture by seeing our bodies as God sees them–worthy and valuable. After all, one day God will raise our weak and broken bodies in glory, strength and power (1 Cor 15:35-58). The resurrection of believers will be just like that of Christ–real, physical and recognisable. God will give each of us a transformed body that retains our own unique identity, but is immortal and incorruptible (1 Cor 6:14; 15:37,38,42). Jesus says that the righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of our Father (Matt 13:43).

    This promise of a future resurrection reminds us that our bodies are not going to be thrown away, but renewed and revitalised. Just as God made us– body and soul, He will redeem us– body and soul. All that God made is good, and He will redeem what He has made (Rom 8:22-24).

    Our belief in the dignity of the body and biology should frame the way we see substance abuse; sexual immorality; mental illness, self-harm and suicide; transgenderism and marriage; the clothes we wear and the selfies we post; female circumcision; and pornography; eugenics and gene therapies; euthanasia, abortion and sex-trafficking. These are not just social or cultural issues. They are matters of the human body with deep spiritual roots, in which Satan has profoundly vested interests.

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  • Does my life have real meaning and purpose?

    Does my life have real meaning and purpose?

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    This article was published on The Gospel Coalition Africa, July 2, 2024.  By Rosie Moore.

    Am I a mistake? Is my life futile? Or are all my days ordained and sustained for me? From time to time, I wrestle with a sense of futility, prompting me to wonder, “Does my life have any real meaning and purpose, or is it just one random day after another?” Those who don’t believe in God imagine that we are just the result of time and chance, no more valuable than plants and animals. People who are disabled, old or unborn are considered disposable and less valuable than others. But the Bible tells us that each human life is precious in God’s eyes.

    All My Days Are Ordained by God

    Psalm 139:13-16 shares how all my days are ordained or planned out by God. That even before we were born, God saw the inner parts of our body and recorded the days of our lives. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14). I often revisit Psalm 139 to remind me of the wonderful reality that I cannot escape the Lord’s watchful eye. God knows, God sees, God cares. 

    There is nowhere I can hide from God’s loving presence or escape from his sovereign purpose.

     

    Nothing can touch me apart from his loving permission. There is nowhere I can hide from his loving presence or escape from his sovereign purpose (Psalm 139:5-7,16). Before I was even born, God knew and loved me (Ps 139:15). I am not a mistake, as each moment of my life was ordained by him before a single day passed (Psalm 139:16). God is here, with me (Ps 139:1-3). He is familiar with all my ways (Psalm 139:3). God has ordained my days and I am known by him; this is surely part of the answer to the question of whether my life has any real meaning or purpose.

    God’s Presence Brought Me Back

    There was a time when I was a university student, doing my best to run away from the Lord. But as I paddled in a canoe in the middle of the Zambezi River, surrounded by beautiful and terrifying evidences of his presence in creation, I began to recall the words of Psalm 139 which I’d memorised many years earlier. As I prayed the psalm out loud, it dawned on me how foolish and arrogant I was to imagine that I could run from God’s presence and escape his watchful eye. I began to feel deep sorrow at my futile attempts to live life on my own terms, as if God did not know, or see, or care. It was this knowledge of God’s watchful eye that led me to repentance.

    When we come to Christ in faith, we become the place where God dwells.

     

    As God is omnipresent, in a general sense no one can escape him. “The presence of God’s glory is in heaven, the presence of his power on earth, the presence of his justice in hell, and the presence of his grace is with his people” (John Mason). But the Lord’s presence finds its fullest expression in Emmanuel, God with us. 

    When the Lord Jesus came to earth, he took on the name Emmanuel, or “God with us.” When we come to Christ in faith and repentance, we become the place where God dwells. Our powerful brother, Saviour and friend stands with us and lives within us. The cross powerfully demonstrates that Christ is here with us. We are sustained by God.

    We Are Precious to God

    As a mother, I have often used the word “precious” as a term of endearment. The dictionary defines “precious” as “of great value, not to be wasted or treated carelessly.” Psalm 139 gives us solid proof of how much God values each person made in his image. Each life is wonderfully complex and unique, made with tender forethought and care in the dark seclusion of a mother’s womb. God’s workmanship is truly extraordinary, and our lives are precious to Him. We are precious to Him; our lives indeed have real meaning and purpose.

    How God Sees Me Gives My Life Meaning

    That is why God’s thoughts were precious to David. He hungered to know God and His ways: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain…how precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way” (Psalm 139:6; 17).

    Believers should welcome the searchlight of the Holy Spirit to expose the motives of our hearts.

     

    Even if we do not rightly understand everything about ourselves and the world, we serve a God who does. Even when we are blinded and deceived by our own sin and foolishness, God knows us better than we know ourselves (Psalm 139:3-4). He searches our hearts and points out our sin so that we can live a fruitful life of abundance, in relationship with God and others (Psalm 139:23-24). As believers, we should welcome the searchlight of the Holy Spirit to expose the motives and desires of our hearts, because God’s thoughts are precious to us.

    God Doesn’t Abandon Us

    Who among us hasn’t grappled with feelings that perhaps God has deserted us? Perhaps you’ve been mistreated and wonder if anyone knows or cares about your situation. Perhaps you’re struggling with grief, fear, or loneliness. But feelings lie to us about who God is and who we are. What matters is not how we feel, but what God says is true. 

    We too can rest secure in our Creator’s hands: “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me” (Psalm 139:5). God’s hand of blessing and guidance is upon us, not the hand of oppression (Psalm 139:5b;10). Even amid troubles, we can be confident of the Lord’s good intentions towards us. “Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:10). God is constantly for us. All my days sustained by God.

    What matters is not how we feel, but what God says is true.

    Because God has ordained our days, we need never fear that death will take us unexpectedly. Despite wars, criminality, sickness, uncertainties, and the murderous schemes of man, we will not live one day too many nor one day too few. God gives meaning to each new day and he chose us to glorify him forever. We glorify God by loving him and by obeying his commands to love others.

    Steward the Life God Gives You

    If our lives have been redeemed by Christ, God has ordained us to live more like Jesus every day. He uses all circumstances, even painful ones, to achieve this end (James 1:2-4; Romans 8:28-29; 1 Peter 4:1). Because God has ordained our days, we are stewards of whatever life God has entrusted to us (Matthew 25:14-30). God doesn’t make mistakes. Each day is irreplaceable and significant, preparing us for “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Because all our days are ordained by God, our lives have real meaning.

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  • Captured by philosophy

    Captured by philosophy

    Series: Colossians (Part 4)

    “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col 2:8).

    According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, philosophy is “the study of basic ideas and knowledge, truth, right and wrong, and the nature and meaning of life.” Yet, philosophy is never neutral. Whether we know it or not, we all have a philosophy of life. It’s our mindset or worldview that informs how we understand ourselves, our problems and solutions. Our philosophy answers big questions like:

    Does God exist? How did everything begin? What’s wrong with the world? What’s the solution? Who am I? Why am I here? Am I living a good life? What happens when I die?

    Paul is not condemning philosophy. He himself was a gifted philosopher. But we must learn the difference between wise and worldly philosophy, between truth and clever deception.

    In Colossians 2, Paul warns the Colossians to watch out for the web of human ideas and experiences, crediting humanity, not God, with the answers to life’s questions and struggles. A worldly philosophy is built on a pagan worldview, rather than on a sound theology of life, anchored in Scripture and centred on Christ and the gospel.

    Wise philosophy is built on a God-centred worldview that understands life within the context of the Bible’s larger storyline: God’s creation, our fall into sin, His redemptive plan, and the ultimate consummation of all things. A Biblical, Christ-centred philosophy is the only antidote to plausible lies which threaten to deceive us.

    Rooted.

    When Jesus calls each of us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him as Lord, doesn’t it all seem so simple? “Just keep going, keep growing by knowing Jesus. Keep following his leadership and living for Him. Remain rooted and built up in Him.” We nod our heads at Paul’s instruction in Colossians 2:6-7:

    “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

    But somewhere on the Christian journey we find ourselves tempted to believe those who falsely claim to have life’s answers, whose self-made solutions are not connected with Christ, the head of the Church (Col 2:19).

    Captivated.

    If we are not walking in Christ, we are easily captivated by empty ideas, following the crowd instead of following Christ; building on traditional values instead of the real Jesus; listening to those who re-interpret the Bible to suit their preferences. We may be impressed by what Paul describes as “unspiritual minds puffed up with idle notions”, rather than trusting God’s Word to guide us in all matters (Col 2:18).

    Hollow philosophies depend either on past ideas on which a culture is based (“human tradition”), or on current ideas presented as self- evident truths which cannot be challenged (“elementary principles of this world”). These man-made theories disregard God and His Word. In the mid 20th century, the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer described a “world coming of age”– a new European civilisation that was learning to manage life without reference to God. We are living in that world.

    Consider the impact of atheism and Darwin’s theory of evolution on the minds of people in the West and some sectors of South Africa today. For many decades, only one worldview—a secular evolutionary worldview— has been taught in schools as if it were established fact proven by science. Evolution assumes that human life is a product of chance over millennia and has no inherent value or purpose. Moreover, social media and screens are accelerating ideas, beliefs and practices that are out of step with what God has revealed in the Bible. According to Barna Group research, 10% of Boomers have a Biblical worldview, as opposed to 7% of Gen X, 6% of Millenials; and only 4% of Gen Z.

    In 2019, a shocking survey revealed that 89% of 16-29 year olds in Britain believe that their lives are meaningless and without purpose. The statistics of hopelessness are similar in nearly all European countries. However, this should not come as a big surprise, because ideas have consequences. The web of an atheistic worldview leads to captivity, despair and death.

    Man-centred philosophy.

    Paul describes the mindset of false philosophers who were influencing the first century church. Noting these six red flags will equip us to recognise deceptive philosophers and their methods today:

    1. Their minds are fleshly and unspiritual, set on earthly things. They have no interest in eternal priorities (Col 2:18).
    2. They present a face of false ‘humility’. In their obsession with rules and regulations, they seek attention for themselves, not  God, proving their love of the world (Col 2:18, 23). They also compel and judge others for not following their rules (Col 2:16).
    3. They invent a self-made religion (Col 2:22-23). By adding extras to the gospel, they live in the shadows instead of the glorious reality of knowing Jesus Christ. Self-made religion always has the “appearance of wisdom”, but is “destined to perish”, since it depends on human taboos, not on Christ’s grace or the Spirit’s power to restrain evil in the human heart.
    4. They value amazing experiences, special visions and angelic beings more than the Word of God (Col 2:18). They base their faith on personal stories, rather than on knowing Christ through His Word, by His Spirit.
    5. They sound as if they know Christ very well, but in reality they have lost connection with “the Head” (Col 2:19).
    6. They live by do’s and don’ts, denying true Spirit-empowered transformation of the whole person (Col 2:22-23). They lure people into the captivity of rules and regulations.

    Dead to the world.

    Instead of living as people whom Christ has set free, Christians in Colossae were tempted to obey the world’s way of thinking and give in to the opinions of false teachers. They were being entangled by a web of deceit, instead of being transformed by renewing their minds in the gospel and Scripture. But Paul asks them a rhetorical question which we should ask ourselves regularly:

    “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?” (Col 2:20).

    Alive with Christ.

    Today we face a similar web of empty philosophies which undermine our identity, freedom and fullness in Christ. We need to remember that since we are now alive with Christ, we are both free to enjoy all that is good, as well as freed from having to run after anything that is not. Lest we forget, we are no longer bound to the world, as we no longer belong to the world. God has given us fullness in Christ (Col 2:13; 9). This is in stark contrast to the world’s empty deception.

    When systems of thought and practice claim to prescribe a cure for the human condition, they compete with Christ (Col 2:1-15), but God’s Word teaches a way of looking at life by which we can think biblically and evaluate information and actions correctly (Col 2:2-10; 2 Tim 3:16-17). If we sit under the Bible, we are able to think with discernment and clarity.

    Cultural traditions and current ideas are often presented as self-evident truths to help us build a better life, but in reality many are what Paul calls “fine sounding arguments” (Col 2:4), rooted in the “basic principles of this world” (Col 2:20), not in Christ. Spiritual wisdom comes from trusting in the fullness of Christ and living to please Him in everything.

    Christ-centred philosophy.

    As the antidote to man-centred philosophy, Paul gives Christians six solid truths to build a Christ-centred philosophy of life:

    1. In Christ, we know God intimately and have fellowship with Him. (Col 2:9-10)
    2. In Christ, we are truly alive, forgiven and fully accepted by God. There is nothing more to add and no more work to do (Col 2:13-14). We can simply rest in the gracious provision that already belongs to us.
    3. In Christ, we have everything we need for salvation and a godly life (Col 2:10).
    4. In Christ, sin no longer has mastery over us (Col 2:11). Our sinful way of life is dead and buried, while our new self has been raised with Christ through faith. Baptism is an outward picture of this internal reality, “Not a circumcision done by human hands, but circumcision done by Christ” (Col 2:11-12).
    5. In Christ, we have freedom from sin’s penalty, since He willingly bore our guilt and the punishment imposed by God’s law. The devil cannot accuse us again. The demands of the “written code” (God’s law) have been fully met by the only One who could meet its standard (Col 2:12-14).
    6. In Christ, all powers and authorities have been defeated (Col 2:15). The power of demons, human philosophies, evil forces and world systems have already been stripped away.

    See how Paul lays out these six truths which point to the fullness we have in Christ:

    For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Col 2:9-15).

    Fullness in Christ.

    To counter empty philosophies, we need to embrace our complete identity in Christ (Col 2:9-15). Simply believe that we are new creatures and live the new life that Christ gave us when we died and rose with Him! Our life is not about do’s and don’ts, but about living in a way that fits who we are now—dead to the basic principles of this world and alive to Christ.

    The NIV says that we have “fullness in Christ” (Col 2:10). Do we fully grasp this fullness? Fullness means that we do not need to borrow from the world’s bankrupt philosophies or chase after worldly principles. These are empty buckets and vanishing vapour. Rather, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another…” (Col 3:16).

    As we grow in the Christian faith, let us become more and more confident that, armed with Christ and His living Word, we have everything we need to know and please God in our lives. Instead of turning to a new program, policy, podcast, or personal experience, let us turn to a person– Jesus our Redeemer– who changes people’s hearts from the inside out. Let us pursue the wisdom, hope and assurance available in His perfect Word. A Christ-centred philosophy will fortify us against “fine sounding arguments” and plausible lies that ultimately steal, kill and destroy.

    Prayer

    Father, thank you that in Christ we have died to the elementary principles of the world and are truly alive and free to serve you. Thank you for making us complete in your beloved Son. Keep our minds fixed on the fullness of Jesus and help us to take every thought captive to obey Him. Help us to embrace our full identity in Christ every day of our lives—as saints in good standing with you; as sinners fighting our sinful desires and resting in your provision; and as sufferers who face hardships and trials with Christ. Give us your discernment and wisdom, so that we will not be deceived by lies nor taken captive by hollow philosophy, but will see truth and error clearly.

    In Jesus’ name, Amen.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Why our view of Christ matters.

    Why our view of Christ matters.

    Series: Colossians (part 3)

    John MacArthur writes, “The Church today desperately needs to embrace the message [of the sufficiency of Christ]. Christians today are consumed with the trials and troubles of life. They are caught up with difficulties and sorrows and anguish. And they are desperately looking for some great new secret, some higher spiritual level, some more effective relief than they think they have in Christ…There is no need for that. His grace is sufficient. Christianity is an all-sufficient relationship with an all-sufficient Christ”(Our Sufficiency in Christ, 263, 19).

    One of the main themes of Paul’s letter to the Colossians is the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ:

    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:15-20)

    Ancient hymn, ancient heresy.

    In Colossians 1:15-20, Paul pens this ancient hymn as one of the strongest statements of who Jesus is. It asserts the deity and Lordship of Christ in response to heresies circulating in the first century Colossian Church. These ancient heresies still abound in subtle forms today, both outside and inside the church, especially in the age of false teachings coming through internet ministries. It suits Satan’s agenda to characterise Jesus as a mere man, one of many gods, or one of many intermediaries between man and God. Paul refutes these false views of Jesus in no uncertain terms.

    Let’s look at some of these ancient heresies and see how Paul keeps the focus on Christ’s supremacy throughout his letter:

    1. Heresy one: One must follow ceremonies, rituals, and restrictions to be saved or perfected.

    Paul’s answer: Salvation comes through a person, not a system. Christ is all you need to be saved and sustained through life. Christ is sufficient for salvation (Col 2:13,) as well as for daily living (Col 2:6, 10).

    Paul reasons, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?”

    1. Heresy two: One must venerate angels and spiritual beings.

    Paul’s answer: Christ alone is worthy of worship. Christ already has victory and authority over all earthly, spiritual, and demonic powers. He is the head over all rule and authority, including unseen forces of darkness (Col 2:10, 15).

    “Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

    1. Heresy three: Jesus could not be both human and divine at the same time.

    Paul’s answer: Christ is God in the flesh, the perfect God-man. He not only reflects God, but also reveals God to us. He is not merely a prophet, good teacher or miracle worker for us to imitate. He is fully God and fully man at the same time (Col 1:15,19).

    1. Heresy four: One must find ‘secret knowledge’ to live a successful Christian life. Only some have access to this special revelation.

    Paul’s answer: God’s secret is Christ, and He is an open secret! Christ has been revealed to everyone in the pages of Scripture. Paul warns the ordinary Christians in Colossae not to be deceived or deluded by those who claim ‘secret knowledge” or special powers from God. Instead, Paul offers Christians “full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments” (Col 2:2-4).

    1. Heresy five: One must combine human wisdom and philosophies with Christian doctrine.

    Paul’s answer: Christ is our sole source of wisdom and authority. Every word Christ speaks is fully truthful and reliable (Col 2:3, 8). Therefore, every word of worldly wisdom must be tested against the Bible and rejected if it does not line up. Christ’s Word is sufficient and authoritative for our lives and our local churches. If we build on anything other than Christ and His Word, we will be building on sinking sand.

    “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Col 2:8). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs…(Col 3:16).

    1. Heresy six: One should combine aspects of several religions and Christianity. After all, surely we can gain helpful insights from other religions?

    Paul’s answer: Only Christ deserves our worship. Christ is the sole source of wisdom and knowledge. He is not just one in a pantheon of gods. He is God Himself.

    1. Heresy seven: There are many intermediaries between God and people.

    Paul’s answer: Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man who accurately represents them both. He has reconciled us to God and other Christians through his work on the cross. Peace and reconciliation has been achieved by the blood of Christ (Col 1:20).

    Supremacy and syncretism.

    Like the Colossians, we too, live in a culture of syncretism, which is the mixing of incompatible religious ideas and philosophies. Like a Trojan horse, shallow, deceptive ideas have always wheedled their way into the church and practices of professing Christians. Paul is warning us of syncretism throughout the letter of Colossians.

    For example, I know professing Christians who are heavily influenced by New Age religion. They know that their lives are broken, but instead of trusting Christ in a fallen world, they run after mystical experiences and self-help to ease their suffering. They put more faith in modern psychology than in God and His Word.

    Some in the New Apostolic or Word-of-Faith movements are obsessed with supernatural power, “words of knowledge”, and dramatic manifestations of the Spirit. Others hold onto rituals and ceremonies, like lighting candles and mindlessly reciting prayers and incantations. Others try to twist God’s Word and smuggle unbiblical ideologies into the Church, undermining Christ’s authority over His body, of which He is the head.

    But Paul keeps the focus on Christ, the head of the body, the Church (Col 1:18). It is to Christ alone that we owe homage and obedience. Christ supplies all we need for salvation and sanctification. In Paul’s ancient hymn, the living Jesus is the Lord, who reflects and reveals God to us.

    Jesus is Lord.

    In his letters, Paul’s characteristic name for Jesus Christ is “Lord”, the Greek word used for YHWH, the covenant name of God in the Old Testament (Col 1:3, 10). The Lordship of Christ was the core belief of the earliest Christians. It was not a contentious title. The apostle John talks about Jesus as “God” at the start of his Gospel (John 1:18) and Thomas confesses Him as “my Lord and my God” at the end (John 20:28). Jesus himself affirmed his deity to Phillip, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

    Christ’s deity is the central foundation of Christianity. Jesus is not a mere man but Christ the Lord! Jesus, the incarnate Son, possesses the status of God and is also the express image of His being. As the “image of the invisible God”, Jesus reflects God, and reveals God to us. In using these words, Paul combines the Greek understanding of “image” with the Jewish understanding of YHWH.

    Jesus reflects and reveals God.

    Jewish people knew all about the invisible God, YHWH. They worshipped a God who was Lord of heaven and earth. The Gentiles, on the other hand, had images and statues of gods that they worshipped. But in Colossians 1:15-20, Paul declares that “Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God”.

    In other words, Jesus is the invisible God, who appeared in the world as a human being, dying a human death, rising from the grave, and ascending to heaven where He pleads for the salvation of those who have submitted to Him as Lord.

    Jesus Christ is equal to and identical with God the Father, performing works that only God can do. We were never supposed to do the miracles Jesus performed. He is fully God and fully man. He laid the foundations of the earth and continues to hold it together. Nothing can destroy our world apart from Christ’s own will.

    Unless the Lordship of Christ is our sincere confession, we cannot be a true Christian (1 Cor 12:3). Christ alone is worthy of our worship. He is Lord over every room of our house, every corner of our life, every thought, word and deed. He will not share the space with any other idea, power or person. He is either Lord of all, or not at all.

    Why our view of Christ matters.

    For Christians in Africa, our Christology (view of Christ) has many crucial implications. In African traditional religions, the ancestors protect mankind and carry our prayers to the Creator God. The spirits of the dead and ancestors are venerated, appeased and served as mediators. When we underplay Christ’s role in creation and redemption, Jesus becomes just one of many gods. When we fail to believe His power to fully protect believers from the influences of unseen powers of darkness, Jesus becomes just one of the ancestors and spirits to whom we must pay homage.

    This emasculated Jesus is part of creation, not Lord over it! He is not the Jesus of the Bible, who laid the foundation of the earth from the beginning and will roll it up like a garment (Heb 1:10-12). This weak Jesus is not the faithful protector of His people, the reconciler who brings peace and assures the ultimate overthrow of defeated powers of evil and darkness.

    Like the Colossians, we need to be reminded that God’s secret is Christ, who has been revealed to all (Col 1:15; 2:2, 18). It is not a system or religion. We need to see Jesus as the eternal Creator, Redeemer, Judge, and Lord of the cosmos, not just the saviour of one particular race or nation. He alone is supreme. There are no other intermediaries or go-betweens to connect us to God or each other. Like the Colossians, we need to reject all false and pathetic portrayals of Christ:

    For example, the casual hipster Jesus that Pastor Keven Zadai claims he saw playing the saxophone at the foot of his bed.

    Or the Jesus who emptied himself of his deity to show us how to be a modern miracle worker. Jesus didn’t do miracles because he was God, but to show us how to do them too, if we just believe we can. This is the Jesus invented by Bill Johnson of Bethel in “When heaven invades earth.” Or the new Age ‘spiritual’ Jesus, a mere man who attains spiritual enlightenment and God-consciousness. Or the Jesus that we sing about at church on Sunday, while we follow worldly philosophies the rest of the week.

    The Jesus of man’s invention is always a diminished Jesus. He is not the Christ of the Bible who saves and pardons us by His blood, the Lord of lords, before whom every knee will bow. He is not the risen King who disarmed and disgraced all authorities and powers, and is now “reconciling all things to himself, whether things on earth, or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Col 1:19-20, 2:15.)

    In keeping with the ancient hymn, let us revere Jesus as Lord. Let us lift our eyes to the ascended Christ and magnify Him for His uniqueness and supremacy as King of the cosmos, who is reconciling all things to Himself. Let us worship Him as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, who made the world and is directing it towards its intended goal. Let us view Him as He is: “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth, King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev 1:5). Our view of Christ matters.