Roots by the River

  The following is a ministry letter written by my wife Bessie in 1974: The way up is down. The way down is up. Contradiction, paradox, or simple truth? In Luke 14, at the conclusion of a parable about taking the place of honor, Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus came to the same conclusion in Luke 18 after telling the story of two men who prayed in the temple, “I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” In the second parable, the first man thanked God that he was not an extortioner, unjust, or an adulterer, that he tithed, and that he fasted twice a week. Jesus did not say that it was not true! What was wrong? He also thanked God that “he was not like other men, or even like this tax collector.” He exalted himself. The other man was bad, and he admitted it. Jesus did not

  “But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel” (Colossians 1:22-23). Wonderful phrases these: holy in His sight; without blemish; free from accusation. This is in contrast to the phrases in the preceding sentence: alienated from God; enemies in your minds; evil behavior. This is what reconciliation means. It changes our relationship with God. The change is not minimal like from strangers to friends, but is overwhelming, i.e., “alienated from God” to “holy in His sight”; similarly, from “enemies in your minds” to “without blemish” and from “evil behavior” to “free from accusation.” Let us praise Him for His grace. This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com

 

  “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will” (2 Cor. 8:1–5). We do not usually think of severe trials and overflowing joy going together. Nor do expect extreme poverty to well up in rich generosity. Another unusual image here is Paul’s description of how the Macedonians “ urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” This is refreshing to read after getting so many letters “urgently pleading with us” to give. In this passage, Paul teaches the Corinthians the impo

  God’s kind of righteousness has a positive effect on society. “You are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13), and “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Righteousness is not to be ineffective. Salt that does not have the characteristics of salt is good for nothing. Light that is hidden is not light. Men do not praise God for bad deeds in the lives of Christians. There are two events in biblical history which take this truth to two opposite extremes. One is the destruction of Sodom, and the other is the minor defeat of Israel at Ai. The stories are found in Genesis 18-19 and Joshua 6-7. God had promised the safety of a very wicked city if ten righteous people were found in it. In the other case, God allowed the defeat of a righteous nation by a wicked city because there was one unrighteous man in the camp. Thirty-six other men were killed because of this man’s unrighteousness. I think that these are not opposite principles, but only opposite effects of the same principle

  In the many years I have been in the ministry, I have seen a series of different ideas sweep across the church. Some of them I participated in, and some of them I only observed. Each time this has happened, it sounded as if this particular teaching was the final answer. Here are a few of them: the indigenous church, small group Bible studies, one on one discipleship, city-wide crusades, the gifts of the Spirit, the local church, shepherds, discipleship; with bigger buildings and bigger congregations. I have strong opinions on most of these, but that is not the issue. The issue is that most of these have been means, and they have been treated as ends. In Colossians l:13-22, Paul speaks of the work of Christ in redemption and creation, “that in everything he might be preeminent.” Rather than focusing on having the perfect church, methods, gifts, or eschatology, we should seek our preeminent Lord. “Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength, seek h

One way to keep from being attacked would be to keep no company with the wicked. But 1 Corinthians 5:10 tells us that “then must ye needs go out of the world.” Jesus prayed to the Father, “not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). It is His will that we be exposed to attack but not defeated. Our divinely ordered armor provides effective security. Lt. General William K. Harrison, Jr., in a message given in Yokosuka, Japan, drew attention to Romans 13:12–14, which says, “Let us put on the armour of light,” and, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” This indicates, General Harrison said, that in putting on the armor of Ephesians 6 we are putting on Jesus Christ. He is the truth (John 14:6). He is our righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30). He is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He is the gospel (Mark 1:1). He is our salvation (Exod. 15:2), and

 

  Our intelligence of Satan permits us to set up defenses. Ephesians 6:10–17 describes this defense, with the reasons for each part of our “armor.” Before we put on the armor we must be strong in the Lord’s strength and power (v. 10). Verses 11–13 put the emphasis upon the whole of the armor, and 14–18 speak of the separate parts of the armor and their uses. Our combatants are not flesh and blood but “principalities,” “powers,” “rulers of the darkness of this world,” “spiritual wickedness in high places” (v. 12), and they are masterminded by the devil himself (v. 11). Like any wise general, Satan will not attack a strong point if weak points are available for a breakthrough. He is a good strategist. We need not fear his strength so much as his “wiles” (v. 11). The Scripture tells us twice to put on the whole armor of God so there will be no weak points. A wall around a city may be strictly defensive, but armor by definition is not. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary says of armor: “t

The art of entrenchment . . . shall serve the defender not to defend himself more securely behind a rampart, but to attack the enemy more successfully. —Carl von Clausewitz, Principles of War Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. —The Apostle Paul, Ephesians 6:10–12 Security may be divided into three parts: 1) intelligence of the enemy, 2) continual protection against the enemy, and 3) a final stand against the enemy. Before we can be secure from attacks by an enemy, we must know there is an enemy. The nation that has no enemy is very secure. The nation that has an enemy but does not think so is very insecure. That nation could be surprised, completely unprotected. In