by Barry Newton

Although many people might nod a glassy-eyed acknowledgment that we need to comply with Jesus’ teaching to lay up treasure in heaven as the self-vindicating rationalization of “yeah, I’m doing some of that” passes through their mind, Jesus’ subsequent teachings can startle lethargy like salt in an open wound. Sitting on a mountainside teaching the crowds, Jesus flayed open our inner workings in such a way which can sting because we know it rings true. Matthew 6:19-24

Since people treasure (love, serve and worship) whatever they believe takes care of them, some people serve the created order and accordingly seek to store up their treasure on earth. For others, their Master is God whom they love and serve. By correctly proclaiming that our heart will be found wherever we place our treasure, Jesus ripped off all of our self-deluding veneer thereby forcing us to confront our deepest motivation, namely, to honestly recognize who or what is our God/god.

But Jesus had not finished; his further analysis and conclusions applied a healing albeit stinging septic stick to an open wound. Although the terminology he used was slightly different, in essence Jesus taught that if someone has the proper focus in life (presumably because he knows where to lay up treasure) his whole life will be enveloped in what is good and valuable. Conversely, if someone’s focus in life is misplaced, his whole life will be off-track and worthless.

Talk about a blunt contrast! Jesus left us no room for taking solace in the misplaced rationalization that at least I’m laying up some treasure in heaven. According to Jesus, the focus is either good or it is bad. To listen to him there is no gray scale on this issue; one is either in light or in darkness.

This stark dichotomy was further solidified when Jesus taught that it is impossible to serve two masters. By denying the possibility to serve both a heavenly and an earthly master, Jesus denied that it is possible for us to hedge our bets by laying up treasure on both earth and in heaven. Either we live with the right focus or we do not. Either we love and serve God or we do not. It is not possible for our hearts to serve God and the created order. It is not possible to lay up treasure both here and in heaven.

The bottom line should be clear. Discipleship is not merely picking up salvation like someone might purchase an insurance policy and then continue to live with the same unhealthy lifestyle habits and misplaced priorities. Discipleship involves a transfer of allegiance, love, worship and treasuring to God and his kingdom. Accordingly, the heart and subsequently the behavior will be changed.

Since our life can not be sustained through this world alone but rather depends upon living by every word which proceeds forth from God, Jesus’ teachings should lead thoughtful individuals to lay up treasure in heaven.

by Barry Newton

Sitting around the ash heap in the wake of disaster and suffering, Job and his friends struggled with a fundamental question which has continued to plague humanity. The question seems inevitable whenever people suffer. “Why did this happen to me?”

Biblically, there are a number of reasons why some people have encountered adversity and even suffering. A few of these reasons include: Satan has used hardship as a tool for tempting people to curse God and sin.(1) Second, God disciplines those whom He loves for their well being.(2) Third, as a result of the rampant sin of the community or of other individuals, the innocent have been hurt.(3) So how is a person supposed to be able to figure out whether any particular hardship is a result of Satanic efforts to destroy faithfulness or whether God may be disciplining or perhaps this has happened because of some other reason?

It has often been pointed out that in the book of Job, Job and his friends, who are consumed by the “why,” are never given an answer even though the reader is provided the inside scoop! And it is here in God’s refusal to answer their burning question of “why,” the fact that there is an answer but it was not provided to them, and where God led Job that we are directed toward a real answer for encountering our adversity.

As much as we might want to know why, why is not where our focus should be. The truly important questions, which are often eclipsed during times of trial, are: “what is the godly response” and “how are we going to respond?”

Regarding the first question, the answer is the same regardless of why it happened! Whether adversity has come because the evil one has laid a snare for someone’s life, or godly love has been disciplining or perhaps someone was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, God’s person should always respond in the same manner - draw closer to God, walk in His ways and rely upon His strength! Although we may not know why something has happened to us, we do know what we should do. Accordingly, rather than waste our energy in being consumed by the often unending question of “why,” we ought to focus our attention and energies upon living as dedicated children of God in a hostile world.

Since the answer to “what should we do” is known, the only true question which remains is, “how will we respond?” In fact, does not the real question in the book of Job revolve around whether Job would remain faithful to God even in the face of adversity?(4) The question to be answered is not “why,” but rather what will you do?

1 Job 1:11-12; 2:4-5 2 Hebrews 12:5-11 3 Joshua 7:1-12 4 Job 1:8-12; 2:3-7

by Barry Newton

A Typical Pond

Ponds are interesting places. As a young boy growing up in New Jersey, sometimes I would wander down through our small orchard on hot muggy summer days to a wooded area with two small ponds. This was my private place for practicing skipping stones as well as enjoying the effects of a rock slamming down into water.

Undoubtedly you too have watched a perfectly glass smooth surface be destroyed by a single rock making its stupendous splash entry. Then the concentric ripples begin to expand until they strike the shore only to bounce back again. And if you launch a whole chorus of rocks out onto a pond, tranquility is shattered by visual chaos.

Your Life as Your Pond

The next time you are tempted to speak or act in a manner unbecoming of the calling we have received to serve God, remember what a rock does to a pond. Ungodly actions and words are very much like throwing rocks into the pond of your life. Whoever thinks that “this rock will not make any difference” is only foolishly deceiving himself. Although at first a person might not even perceive the consequences, they do follow. The more that a person succumbs to throwing rocks in his or her pond, the choppier, more chaotic and “complex” he will discover life to become.

“To Throw or Not To Throw” That is the Question

Since God is not mocked because a person really does reap what he sows and God’s word points us to the truly good life, why do we encounter such strong urges (temptations) to hurl rocks into our ponds? There are several reasons including the fact that the soul under assault will often focus on some immediate gratification instead of giving thought to the long term effects and how this will affect his service of discipleship.

It is easy to focus upon the promises of such pleasures as: reveling in the thought “they will know that I’m in the know” (gossip), savoring the idea of seeking revenge, saving our own skin by deliberating omitting some of the truth (lying), lustfully contemplating some immoral fantasy, or simply being driven by the promise of what “having more” will mean (greed). When the drive to satisfy such internal desires is strong, it is common for a person to feel “confused” as his or her craving wages war against the knowledge of what is right.(2)

Preserving & Restoring Your Pond

Through Christ, God has made it possible for our lives to be restored so that we can have peace with God and live with a pure conscience. Tranquility can be returned to our souls. There is real hope for lives trapped in the chaos of sin.

However, the cleansing blood of Christ does not erase all of the consequences of our behaviors. Reputations might still be destroyed. Not all human relationships may be restored. Physical ailments might continue to linger. Some of the effects of sin will continue to ricochet.

Although our guiding motivation should be wrapped up in lovingly serving God and not be merely shaped by what we consider to be pragmatic, nevertheless a heart caught in the struggle of temptation can find additional encouragement to pursue godliness by remembering the continuing power ungodly ripples have for disrupting life. Since desires are fueled by thoughts, pondering the future havoc a rock can wreck upon life can assist a contemplative person to remember that God’s ways truly are seeking our best interests while also quieting the evil impulse to throw more rocks in the pond of life.

The next time we are tempted to speak or act in a manner unbecoming of the calling we have received to serve God, remember what a rock does to a pond. Let’s remember the real consequences, both practical and spiritual. Let’s avoid the temporary illusion which fuels the desire and which comes from just focusing on how good we think we will feel.

(1) Galatians 6:7-8; Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (2) James 1:14

by Barry Newton

(Note: While Barry gets hooked up, here's a recent article of his I had up my sleeve. —Randal)

Long before Jesus hung on the cross, Job revealed through the assertion, "I know that my Redeemer lives," that he tenaciously clung to a personal hope for his future. Job 19:25 Unlike Job, whose confidence in God was based upon his expectation of what would transpire, our faith is based upon what God has already accomplished through Jesus.

Here is a sampling of some of the different types of reasons some have given for believing that the resurrection really happened. These are nuggets worth sharing in a postmodern world where lives have lost a single compelling focus to drift in a multitude of directions.

1. Women(!) found the tomb empty

At first glance the skeptic might query, "How can this be significant evidence for the resurrection unless you already believe the story is true?" But such a lighthearted dismissal is itself quickly spurned when the historical cultural facts are known.

In first century Jewish culture when the Gospels were written, women were not even considered credible witnesses in court. (Sorry about that, ladies.) If someone in that time and culture had wanted to fabricate the story of Jesus' resurrection, he would not have any motive for undermining this story by creating such embarrassing details as women finding the tomb empty, speaking with an angel and then conversing with Jesus. To have crafted a story where the primary witnesses were women would not have been persuasive to any skeptics in that day. Accordingly, because there was no motive for a writer to have written this unless this is what actually happened, the women's discovery of the empty tomb and their subsequent encounter with the risen Lord bears the stamp of historical authenticity, not legend.

There are also other "embarrassing" details which also reveal the historical genuineness of this story, such as some of disciples doubting that they were beholding the risen Lord. This evidence further separates the Gospels from fictitious propagandist legends.

2. Even if we were to retreat to the limited evidence that skeptics will accept, 1 Corinthians is too early for legendary material to have developed.

Even those who are antagonistic to accepting Scripture as God's message will admit that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. And what did Paul write? The apostle Paul wrote about eyewitnesses to the resurrection still being alive (as well as being an eyewitness himself) and practically invited his readers to go check it out! 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 What is significant about this is the date Paul wrote these things.

The general consensus based upon the evidence is that this letter was written between 55-57 A. D. In other words, this testimony concerning eyewitnesses to the resurrection was written down less than about 25 years following Jesus' death. Not only this, this letter stands as evidence of the message Paul had already been preaching for a number years. In other words, the letter of 1 Corinthians is historic evidence that the message that Jesus had risen from the grave was not fabricated decades after his death.* Is this significant?

Could not have Paul (or someone else) created this story at the time of his resurrection? How can proximity between the proclaiming of the message and the actual time of Jesus' death be significant? It is known from history that legends and grand embellishments develop around heroic figures only years after the eyewitnesses have died. Not only does the preaching of Jesus risen from the dead smash this characteristic of legendary development, the skeptic is invited to talk with the eyewitnesses!

3. Prior to Jesus birth, the resurrection of the Christ (Messiah) had been announced.

Drawing upon the words of David, Peter proclaimed to those standing before him that he had foretold of Christ's resurrection. Peter claimed that being a prophet, when David had prophesied that God would not allow His Holy One to see decay, he was not writing about himself but was pointing forward to the resurrection of Christ. Acts 2:22-36

The resurrection of Jesus was not an idea which Jesus' followers invented in order to cover over an embarrassing turn of events. Rather the news of this event had already been woven into the message of Scripture long before Jesus had even been born.

Conclusion

Can we seek the comfortable position of not offending anybody by claiming uncertainty? Paul does not permit us that luxury; he forces us to either accept the truthfulness of his message or denounce him a liar. 1 Corinthians 15:14-15

There is evidence embedded in history and Scripture which points in the same direction for those who are willing to take a hard, long look. Jesus is risen! We can know our Redeemer lives!

*Those of us who believe the Bible will point to Peter's sermon in Acts 2, which followed Jesus' resurrection by a mere 50 days, when for the first time Jesus was preached as being crucified and risen.

by Barry Newton

Regardless of economics, race or status, people value love and recognize that love will shape what is good and true. It should not be surprising to anybody that love permeates and lies at the heart of our Biblical message.

Since our English word love is used so broadly, it is helpful to distinguish between different types of love in order to gain a more precise understanding of the New Testament’s message. This can be easily accomplished because the New Testament was written in Greek and there are various Greek words for love.

Eros

Eros is probably what most people mean when they announce with a smile, “I’m in love.” This type of love covers everything from queasy stomachs and warm fuzzy feelings to strong sensual passion.

There are a couple of very interesting characteristics about eros. First, it is dependent upon the situation and circumstances. Second, it is also held captive to each person’s perception. For example, if someone perceives a particular quiet evening dinner with candles to be romantic, eros will thrive. However, passion becomes squashed for someone whenever he or she interprets the current situation to be undesirable. Although eros at times might make us feel like we are on cloud nine, because it is so fickle and dependent upon perception and circumstances, it is not a reliable basis for building a deep and meaningful relationship. Although eros is exhilarating, this is not the Biblical word used for love.

Philia

We recognize philia and its meaning from the name Philadelphia, that is, the city of brotherly love. This is the love of friendship, best friends, and being with those people you enjoy.

Although philia is wonderful, it too is unreliable since it is also held captive by the sifting sands of situation as well as by ours and other’s perceptions and expectations. Unfortunately, we probably all know of a friendship which waned or was severed because of time, distance, harsh words, how someone interpreted another’s actions, etc. When the New Testament commends love, philia is the not the word which is used.

The Beauty of Agape*

Unlike the previous two types of love, agape is not limited to being held hostage by its environment and someone’s perception. The reason why agape can soar above these is because it is based upon the commitment of a decision. It entails the decision to proactively seek someone’s wellbeing. Since it is not a knee jerk reaction or feeling to how I’ve been treated, agape is capable of acting in a hostile environment where there are no warm fuzzy feelings. For example, Jesus’ teaching that we should agape our enemies is intended to show the boundless nature of the Christian commitment toward seeking another’s wellbeing. Luke 6:35

The New Testament is full of examples and teachings illustrating the nature of agape as well as training the disciple’s heart to be shaped by agape. A few of these teachings which underline the active nature of agape include:

• Knowing that sinful man would kill His Son, but also knowing that without Jesus we were doomed, God loved (agape) us by sending his Son. John 3:16

• Those who love (agape) Jesus will do what Jesus taught. John 14:15,23

• If a person has material resources and the love (agape) of God within him, his heart will take care of his brother who is in need. 1 John 3:17

• Just as Christ through love (agape) acted on behalf of the church, so too the Christian husband is to be motivated by love (agape) to act on behalf of his wife. Ephesians 5:25-29

If it were not enough that the proactive nature of agape has the power to rise above its environment, it can also empower passion and friendship! For example, when a spouse chooses to speak and act toward the mate with agape, this creates the loving environment in which eros and philia can thrive! Although this spouse might even perceive the other spouse as being unkind or rude, additional problems can be prevented by responding out of agape while it works at nurturing the growth of the other forms of love!

If we announce to the world that we are concerned about accurately understanding biblical doctrine, it is not going to be impressed. What will cause them to take notice is if we demonstrate genuine agape. Jesus taught his disciples that the world would know they were his disciples if they would show agape toward one another. John 13:35

*For the sake of simplicity, both agape (noun) and agapeo (verb) are being referred to by agape.