Seeking the Life in Christ: March 2023

Friday, March 31, 2023

Live as Servants of God

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 31, 2023

Live as Servants of God

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.

1 Peter 2:11 (NRSV)

Read: 1 Peter 2:11-17

Today concludes my Lenten meditations. Beginning Monday, April 3, 2023, I will have meditations for Holy Week.

Remember, our life belongs to God, by creation and redemption, our life belongs to God. Peter is appealing to this truth by referring to the new community of believers as aliens and exiles. We are called to live in the world, but not be a part of the world, or as Peter wrote earlier, not let the world corrupt us.

These first Christian communities, when challenged about their ideas, pointed to their actions. They believed that their behavior said what they believed; it was an enactment of their Gospel message. A Bishop of the church said it this way:

“Beloved brethren…[we] are philosophers not in words, but in deeds;

we exhibit our wisdom not by our dress, but by truth;

we know virtues by their practice rather than through boasting of them;

we do not speak great things but we live them.”

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, A.D. 256

Later in this epistle, Peter will encourage the church to, “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15 NRSV) But the primary means of evangelism of the early church was through their lifestyle. Their love for one another, and their holding fast to their moral and ethical beliefs, over and against the world’s culture, was their boldest witness. In the Fifth Century, Saint Patrick would follow this same model when he returned to Ireland. His witness forever changed Ireland, England and much of Europe.

My Takeaway: More and more, I am seeing churches accommodate their beliefs to the world’s culture. And more and more, I am seeing churches embrace partisan politics. We must always remember, as aliens and exiles, our calling is to witness for God’s Kingdom.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life. The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

New Community

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 30, 2023

New Community

You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9

Read: 1 Peter 2:4-10

The first thing I noted in today’s reading is that we picked up right where we left off yesterday. In making his point that the believers in Jesus have become a new community, a holy nation, Peter uses six Old Testament citations in these seven verses. Yes, our faith rests securely on the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Our faith also rests on the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s plan for our redemption that is foretold throughout the Old Testament.

Peter has made it clear that our new life in Christ is a dynamic life. Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 5: 17, “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Peter has already identified several implications of this new life in Christ. Peter shows that God is forming the believers into a new community, or as he calls it, a holy nation or royal priesthood. Our transformation into the children of God, as Christ is formed in us, happens within this new community of believers.

My Takeaway: First, Jesus prayed in John 17 that the unity of the believers would be a witness to the world that Jesus is God’s Messiah. Peter is showing how Jesus’ prayer can become a reality within the new community. Secondly, we cannot over emphasize the importance of our local congregations to our spiritual formation and to our witness for Christ to the world. The covenant relationship between the individuals in a congregation is no less important than God’s New Covenant relationship with us.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Good News

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 29, 2023

Good News

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

1 Peter 1:23

Read: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

I love the way Peter ties our promised eternal life with the eternal word of God. Following verse 23, Peter quotes Isaiah 40:6-8, which ends, “The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” He then proclaimed, “And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.” Remember the Kerygma from March 27, 2023? That is the Good News Peter was preaching. My Takeaway Monday was, “During Lent, I am affirming that my faith and practice is consistent with the teachings of the Apostles.” I reaffirm this. Our eternal life is rooted in the eternal word of God, which Peter says is the Good News, the Kerygma. We need often to plumb our beliefs and insure they are staying moored to God’s eternal Good News.

Peter again affirms our need to examine our lives to ensure we are living in a manner consistent with the Good News we have received. He then urges us to go on to perfection: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” (2:2-3) Here Peter reminds me of the first three of Covey’s Seven Habits: be proactive, with the end in sight, and don’t let the urgent surpass the important. (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey)

My Takeaway: Peter encourages us to cry out for nourishment! Cheryl and I experienced this in the first months of the pandemic lockdown in 2020. The lack of pure spiritual milk – solid Biblical preaching and teaching as churches were closed, and especially the lack of the sacrament of Holy Communion was withering to our souls. Thank God, He heard our cry and led us to a church where we receive the sacrament, and the word of God with reverence and awe.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

A Call to Holy Living

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 28, 2023

A Call to Holy Living

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:15-16

Read: 1 Peter 1:10-21

Peter had in mind several passages in the Book of Leviticus in asserting “You must be holy because I am holy.” (v.16) Why should we reach for such a high calling? Peter tells us: “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you . . . And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” (v.18-19)

During this Season of Lent, the only motivation we need to seriously examine the way we are living is to reflect on the core value of the Christian faith: God ransomed our soul through the blood of Jesus!

In the first three verses of today’s reading, Peter is looking back to the Old Testament prophets, Isaiah and Zechariah, and their foretelling of God’s promised Messiah. Peter will elaborate on this in 2 Peter 3:8-9, “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

This passage reminds me of what I wrote on March 23, 2023: God is patient, is working inexorably across the centuries to accomplish his mission, and in the fullness of time has disclosed himself in Jesus Christ. Patience is hopeful: it entrusts the future confidently to God.

My Takeaway: Today is a good day to affirm Peter’s words in verse 21: Through Christ I have come to trust in God. And I have placed my faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, March 27, 2023

The Hope of Eternal Life

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 27, 2023

The Hope of Eternal Life

The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:9

Read: 1 Peter 1:1-9

The epistle First Peter was written by the Apostle Peter from Rome in 67 AD, to the churches scattered throughout Asia. Peter encouraged the people of God to stand firm in the faith, not because they will be punished if they don’t, but because of all that God has done for them, and will do for them when Christ returns. Our churches still need this encouragement today.

There are two characteristics to this letter that give insight to the work of the first church. First, there was a consistent theme and form to the preaching in the early church. Peter’s words here are very similar to the record we have of his preaching in the Book of Acts. This message was so consistent in the early church it was given the name Kerygma, a Greek word meaning “proclamation.” Essentially this form of preaching contained six points:

1- 1- The era of the New Covenant, foretold by the prophets, has dawned.

2- 2- This has taken place through the birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

3- 3- By virtue of his resurrection and ascension, Jesus has been exalted at the right hand of God as head of the church.

4- 4- The Holy Spirit is the sign of Christ's presence, and his power and glory, in the church.

5- 5- The era of the New Covenant will reach its fulfilment in the return of Christ in final victory.

6- 6- An appeal is made for repentance with the offer of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and salvation.

In addition to consistency of preaching, there was also consistency of teaching in the first church. As an example, in our reading today, there are striking similarities to the teaching of Paul in the book of Ephesians.

1 Peter 1:3 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,”

Ephesians 1:3 “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”

Peter is also consistent with James in noting how the trials and sufferings of life are used by God to refine and purify our faith. Paul also joined the chorus: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

My Takeaway: This consistency would become known as the first Apostolic Succession, as the early church sought to continue the work of the first apostles. (This succession refers to the message of the first apostles.) To facilitate this Apostolic Succession, scripture was canonized, and creeds developed in the second and third centuries of the church. During Lent, I am affirming that my faith and practice is consistent with the teachings of the Apostles.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Friday, March 24, 2023

The Power of Prayer

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 24, 2023

The Power of Prayer

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

James 5:13

Read: James 5:13-20

James closes his letter with a discussion of prayer that continues the theme he began in chapter one: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” For instance, James encourages the sick to go to the elders for anointing with oil and prayer. In that culture, the people believed there was a direct connection between sin and sickness. Doctors and medicine were not readily available, if at all. Today, when we are sick, our options include going to the pharmacy, calling our doctor, or going to a clinic or ER. The difference between our culture and first century Jerusalem reminds me of something Mother Teresa said, “You will never know Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.”

God has blessed us to live in an age where we have many healthcare options, and we should use these. However, we also need to remember that God is the author of our life, and it is good to go to God in prayer in all our circumstances. Anointing and praying for the sick is an expression of the truth that our lives belong to God. By creation and redemption our lives belong to God.

James is very consistent with Paul in affirming that our life in Christ will overflow with joy and singing and prayer. These three are like a doctor taking our blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. When these measurements are abnormal, we are sick. So also, when there is an absence of joy, singing and prayer in our lives, we are spiritually sick.

To see how singing, joy and praise were an integral part of the life in Christ in the first century look up: 1 Corinthians 14:15, 26; Romans 15:9; Ephesians 5:19; and Colossians 3:16.

The news media reports a steady flow of stories of war, inflation, crime, and discord. It is easy for the reality of the world today to drift into the consciousness of the Christian and the Christian Church. We want our churches to stand against the world culture, but we also want our churches to be a safe place for our spiritual wellbeing. Let me reach back to a portion of yesterday’s reading to close these meditations on the Book of James.

My Takeaway: “. . . as you wait for the Lord’s return.” In reading this, I am reminded of a portion of the Eucharist liturgy: “When we receive, by faith, the bread and cup, we experience anew the presence of the Lord Christ Jesus in our lives as we look forward to him coming again in Final Victory.” Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Patience and Endurance

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 23, 2023

Patience and Endurance

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return.

James 5:7a

Read: James 5: 7-12

Patience was centrally important to the early Christians. They talked about patience and wrote about it. Christian writers called patience the “highest virtue,” “the greatest of all virtues,” the virtue that was “peculiarly Christian.” They concluded that they, trusting in God, should be patient—not controlling events, not anxious or in a hurry, and never using force to achieve their ends.

Our Christian ancestors believed patience brought to Christians the life of the Beatitudes and the life of love that Paul celebrates in 1 Corinthians 13. How? Because patience is rooted in God’s character; God is patient, and is working inexorably across the centuries to accomplish his mission, and in the fullness of time He has disclosed himself in Jesus Christ.

The heart of patience is revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ; Jesus’s life and teaching demonstrate what patience means and beckon those who follow him to a patient lifestyle that participates in God’s mission. Patience is not in human control; people who live a patient lifestyle trust God and do not try to manipulate outcomes; they live incautiously, riskily. Patience is not in a hurry; patient Christians live at the pace given by God, accepting incompleteness and waiting.

My Takeaway: Patience is hopeful; it entrusts the future confidently to God.

(The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire, Alan Kreider, Baker Academic, March 29, 2016)

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Warning to the Rich

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 22, 2023

Warning to the Rich

For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

James 5:4

Read: James 5:1-6

Today’s passage affirms that the cries of the oppressed reach the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Have the cries of the oppressed in our own cities reached our ears? When was the last time we heard our religious leaders speak out against oppression and mistreatment of workers? When was the last time our religious leaders have spoken out against political leaders whose policies have contributed to the homelessness crisis across our country? When was the last time our religious leaders have spoken out against the political leaders whose policies have made it dangerous to walk in so many neighborhoods and to take public transportation in so many of our cities?

My Takeaway: I am responding to today’s passage by praying for God’s guidance for one thing I can do, or change what I am doing, or stop doing that will align me with the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and those who are being oppressed.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

If The Lord Wishes

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 21, 2023

If The Lord Wishes

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:15 (NRSV)

Read: James 4:11-17

On several occasions over the years, I have shared one of my favorite prayers, The Prayer of Adoration that includes the line, “I am not my own, I am Thine. By creation and redemption, I am Thine.” In today’s passage, James illustrates an application of this prayer.

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” (v.13-15)

This is much more than semantics. Verse 15 is an acknowledgement that our lives belong to God, and, thus, we seek God’s wisdom and leading in all that we do. Often, Cheryl and I simply pray, “Lord, order our steps.” The Apostle Paul also warned about the dangers of being corrupted by the world and in the importance of leaning into God’s will for us.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

My Takeaway: James continues to give us appropriate Lenten messages when he admonishes us, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” (v.17) I suspect our sins of omission may well exceed our sins of commission.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Divided Loyalty

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 20, 2023

Divided Loyalty

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

James 4:8

Read: James 4:1-10

Last Thursday, (March 16) reflecting on James’ discussion of the evil within our tongue, I noted James wanted the church to recognize the dichotomy that is the reality of our life. Today’s passage expounds on that dichotomy.

· The quarrels and fights among you come from the evil desires at war within you.

· You want what you don’t have.

· You are jealous of what others have.

· You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

· When you do ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

But James doesn’t leave us hanging, he reminds us our hope is in God’s faithfulness: “God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously.” (v.5-6) Because of God’s generous grace, we can humble ourselves before God, resist the devil, and he will flee from us. We can come close to God, and God will come close to us! (v.7-8)

Today’s passage ends with a truly Lenten theme: “Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.” (v.9)

My Takeaway: There is also a hopeful, Easter resurrection ending today: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (v.10) Yes, God gives grace generously!

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Friday, March 17, 2023

True Wisdom

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 17, 2023

True Wisdom

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

James 3:13

Read: James 3:13-18

They say great minds think alike. That was certainly true of Paul and James. I made a list of the attributes of Godly wisdom James identifies in verses 17-18. Then I compared it to Paul’s list of the attributes of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Because of this, I find it helpful to sometimes substitute the word love for wisdom. There are times when I am not sure how to respond to someone and I pray for wisdom. I believe knowing that God’s wisdom and love are interwoven helps me be more discerning of God’s leading.

As I read these verses, I remember hearing that when people are trained how to identify counterfeit currency, instead of learning about all the different ways the currency can be copied or altered, the student spends their time learning about the genuine currency. The student becomes so familiar with the genuine article they can easily identify a counterfeit.

Both Paul and James have identified things Christians are not supposed to do. But both Paul and James emphasize even more the characteristics of the life in Christ. Can it be that when we are completely immersed in Christ’ life we can easily identify the counterfeit life offered by the evil one?

My Takeaway: Counting calories is the best way to achieve an appropriate body weight. Just as we should have an awareness of what foods we are taking in, and their calories, it is also essential for us to be aware of the ways of the world (see v.15-16). How many calories of the world’s culture we are ingesting as compared to the Godly calories found in the means of grace? The Godly calories will lead us to be peacemakers who plant seeds of peace and who reap a harvest of righteousness. (v.18)

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Tongues of Fire

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 16, 2023

Tongues of Fire

Sometimes (our tongue) praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes (our tongue) curses those who have been made in the image of God.

James 3:9

Read: James 3:1-12

James makes the point that those who teach in the church are judged more strictly. (v.1) I think more people speaking in the church need to read this verse because we are held accountable for what we speak, and for what we write. I am very aware of this each time I sit down to write these daily meditations.

James presented what appears to be a hopeless condition. Our tongue is a flame of fire. “It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” (v.6) We need to be aware of this because our tongue reveals whether we are still corrupted by the world. I think James wanted the church to recognize the dichotomy that is the reality of our life.

We are the beloved children of God, and the spirit of Christ is within us. However, our mortal life, apart from God, is still alive and well within us. Therefore, Saint Paul called us to deny the ways of our old self and make the choice to live by trusting in the Son of God. (Galatians 2:20)

We also need to be aware of Saint Paul’s encouragement:

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25a)

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” (Romans 8: 1-2)

My Takeaway: We can make the choice to live our lives trusting in Jesus because he loved us and gave himself for us. (Galatians 2:20)

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Dead Faith

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 15, 2023

Dead Faith

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

James 2:18

Read: James 2:14-26

By faith, God creates His children anew: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17) The purpose of our new life in Christ is to prepare for the coming Kingdom of God. How? The Prophet Micah sums this up nicely: “. . . the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) Notice the imperatives: to do . . . to love . . . and to walk. . .

James made this same point by noting that if you have accepted what God is doing in Christ to give you new life, there will be evidence of your faith. Your faith does not earn your new life in Christ, but your good works are evidence that you do have faith in what God wants to do in you.

This church being mentored by James, when challenged about their ideas, pointed to their actions. They believed that their behavior said what they believed; it was an enactment of their Gospel message. A Bishop of the church said it this way:

“Beloved brethren…[we] are philosophers not in words, but in deeds;
we exhibit our wisdom not by our dress, but by truth;
we know virtues by their practice rather than through boasting of them;
we do not speak great things but we live them.”

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, A.D. 256

My Takeaway: Why does James make such a big deal out of this? Because “nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself.” (Ludwig Wittgenstein)

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

You Will Be Judged

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 14, 2023

You Will Be Judged

So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

James 2:12

Read: James 2:1-13

This passage is not often read in most mainline churches. There is just not much traction in today’s Christian culture for accountability. Sentimental notions that everyone is going to heaven when they die, or at least all the people we know, grips much of Christianity today. Last year, our Sunday School class spent three weeks discussing this phrase in the Nicene Creed: “And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead.” One of our takeaways was that the idea that God judges is not very popular these days. Even so, James is quite clear that God will judge our lives. Following verse 12, quoted above, James writes, “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” (v.13)

We saw yesterday that we are to not let the world corrupt us. James uses different illustrations to reveal how easy it is to be corrupted by the world’s culture. James affirms that “it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.” (v. 8, 9) James will mention adultery and murder in the following verses, but here he showed that something seemingly as innocuous as showing favoritism is evidence of corruption.

My Takeaway: “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.” (v. 12 NRSV) The Season of Lent is an opportunity for me to do a ‘gut-check’. Is how I am living my life aligned with the truth of Christ Jesus?

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, March 13, 2023

Pure Religion

Meditations in the Season of Lent

March 13, 2023

Pure Religion

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

James 1:27

Read: James 1:19-27

When I began with these Lenten meditations on the Book of James last Thursday, I noted James was concerned that the people in his church may be deceiving themselves that they were in a right relationship with God. James said their lifestyle did not differ substantially from the surrounding culture.

John Wesley struggled with this same issue. He saw people seemingly doing the right things: going to church; placing money in the offering plate; singing the hymns; etc. But, like James, he also saw that the way these people were living was not much different from the world around them. Wesley concluded these people were holding to a form of religion, but that their religion lacked the power to change lives. James’ conclusion was very similar.

We will see over the next two weeks that the Book of James is a lesson in practical Christianity and provides us an excellent opportunity to examine ourselves to see if we are seeking to have our lives changed through our faith in Jesus. James puts it this way:

“But don’t just listen to God’s word.

You must do what it says.

Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

(James 1:22)

My Takeaway: Several pundits have noted recently that the partisan divide that is so prevalent in today’s political culture is also becoming prevalent in many churches. James’ imperative is vitally important to the Christian communities today: refuse to let the world corrupt you. (v.27)

Amen!

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Friday, March 31, 2023

Live as Servants of God

Thursday, March 30, 2023

New Community

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Good News

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

A Call to Holy Living

Monday, March 27, 2023

The Hope of Eternal Life

Friday, March 24, 2023

The Power of Prayer

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Patience and Endurance

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Warning to the Rich

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

If The Lord Wishes

Monday, March 20, 2023

Divided Loyalty

Friday, March 17, 2023

True Wisdom

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Tongues of Fire

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Dead Faith

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

You Will Be Judged

Monday, March 13, 2023

Pure Religion

Seeking the Life in Christ

About Me

Blog Archive

Followers

First Think - Then Pray

Books I Am Reading

Recent Books I Have Enjoyed