by Barry Newton

I suspect at one time or another we have all been tempted to think: "they do not deserve my time," "she does not deserve my forgiveness," "he does not deserve the effort," or "they do not deserve another chance." Perhaps some people are undeserving, if we judge their worthiness based upon how they treat us. If how we act toward others is determined by how we judge their worthiness, it can be hard to forgive or to love.

Such an approach to life contributes to a recipe for disaster, since a variety of studies reveal people tend to view themselves in a more positive light than others see them./1 What might we expect from this? It suggests that not only will people see themselves as performing more good than others will give them credit for doing, but there may be a tendency for people to view themselves as giving more toward a relationship or a group than what they understand they are receiving.

For someone to measure out how much forgiveness or love will be expressed toward others, based upon what that individual perceives himself or herself to be receiving, it can easily lead to an "it's-all-about-me" approach of living, which tends to focus upon a circle of activities and friends that can often grow smaller. After all, from this perspective why do it if it is not paying off? Accordingly, one possible result can be a fundamental dissatisfaction and resentment with others, which can contribute toward one's own bitterness and either an ever narrowing of service or an abandonment of the relationship.

When Jesus said, "even the pagans greet those who greet them," he acknowledged just how common it is for people to gauge their response upon their perceptions of how others are treating them. Are we not extremely fortunate that God has not treated us in this way? While we were still reeking from the stench of truly being undeserving, God loved us by sending His Son to endure the nails pushing through his flesh, and to be lifted up on the cross in humiliation, and under a curse to become our guilt offering. As sinners, we did not deserve this much love ... we did not deserve any of God's love, but He loved us anyway.

To those who desire to follow Jesus, the Lord in essence taught, I want you to do something greater toward others than the common "if you will contribute your 50% (or 100%) toward this relationship, I'll give my 50% (or 100%)." God calls His people to love others, not based upon how others treat them, but based upon His model of loving the undeserving. For those who become His, God forges a new identity and purpose which is to be shaped by this type of love./2 God's people are not to limit their acts of loving service to those who deserve it.

Praise God that He responded to our needs based upon His love and mercy and not upon whether we deserved it! May we continue to learn to give, to sacrifice our time and resources, to forgive and to show love to others in the same manner as how He first loved us.

1\ "The Enchanted Glass," Scientific American May 2004

2\ Matthew 5:43-48; 1 John 3:16; 4:8-12; Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:8

by Barry Newton

I have heard about a tribe of Indians in the Amazon whose language only contains numbers for counting up to 15. Anything beyond 15 is simply "many". Of course this is not particularly helpful in a number of scenarios. "How many warriors did you say were attacking?" "Many." "How many children have gone down to the river?" "Many." Ouch!

Language is a powerful tool. We use the symbols of language to build our ideas, organize our thoughts and infuse precision into our communication. In fact, whereas societies create words to express ideas, those very words in turn shape the possibilities for how a society can think about ideas. The positive and negative connotations associated with words can become powerful bricks building a society's perspective about life. Accordingly, connotations might either contribute toward a biblical understanding of our world or they might be an attempt to deconstruct a godly worldview in order to support a humanistic view of life. Consider the following example.

There are many phobias (fears) such as claustrophobia (fear of confining spaces) or arachnid phobia (fear of spiders) Most people readily acknowledge that it is desirable to live free of phobias. Phobias carry a negative connotation.

When the homosexual community invented the word homophobia, they demonstrated they understood the power of language to shape a society. After all, who wants to suffer from a phobia? Accordingly, when they slap the label homophobic upon someone, immediately this implicitly involves the subtle claim that their "gay" viewpoint is superior and more healthy. Given time, that word if uncontested could contribute toward shaping a society's perception of morality.

Since I believe that our ways of thinking should mirror the way God wants us to think about life, I am proposing that the English language needs a new word: homoveritasphobia. This word simply means, fear of the truth about homosexual behavior.

Despite the convoluted and sophisticated attempts of the homosexual community to scrub out of the Scriptures any condemnation of homosexual activity, it remains plain for all to see. Equally clear, is that this or any other sinful lifestyle can be forgiven when people respond appropriately to Jesus.

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, ... nor homosexuals, neither thieves ... shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NASB).

With my proposed word, the playing field has been tipped back in favor of God's perspective. Either a person is homophobic or homoveritasphobic. I'm proud not to be homoveritasphobic. Which would you rather be: afraid of the truth about homosexuality or just afraid of supporting homosexual activity?

Barry Newton

In the 8th century B.C. a prophetic message rang out filled with hope about the future coming of God's Servant./1 Centuries later, Matthew's pen pointed out how Jesus had fulfilled this prophecy of Isaiah 42:1-4./2 However, one aspect of that prophecy continues to be fulfilled today, namely, "in his name the nations will put their hope."/3 What is it about Jesus that continues to cause people from diverse cultures to place their hope in him?

People from every point on the globe persist in fulfilling this prophecy uttered in the 8th century B.C. because they have found in Jesus a clear and future hope. As we look at Scripture, the center of their hope was announced by angels before his birth and became a reality with his death and resurrection.

To Joseph, the heavenly messenger had informed him that his wife to be, Mary, would have a son and he was to be called Jesus, which means Savior, because He would save His people from their sins./4 To Mary, an angel had announced that God would give her Son the throne of His father David. Furthermore, not only would He reign, but His kingdom would never end./5

While on earth, Jesus acknowledged and taught about His destiny, which had been foretold through the prophets/6 and heralded by angels. On the one hand, Jesus announced that He had come to free people of their guilt through being lifted up to die for them./7 On the other, He acknowledged that He was the King of the Jews./8

Although Jesus had taught about who he was and why he had come, with his death and resurrection this good news became a reality which has been offered to the world. Jesus' dying cry from the cross, "It is finished", epitomizes his obtainment of the reason why he was born. With his death, genuine freedom from guilt became a real possibility for our lives.

Regarding Christ's enthronement over an everlasting kingdom, Peter told those on the day of Pentecost that Christ's resurrection from the dead fulfilled God's announcement to king David that one of his descendants would be placed upon his throne./9 God has made Jesus both Lord and Messiah. Not only with his resurrection did Jesus begin to reign, and he must reign until the end, his resurrection also guarantees that those who belong to him will be raised to life to receive an eternal inheritance./10

Jesus' death and resurrection are the center of a clear and future hope. Because of what his death and resurrection mean for our lives the nations continue to put their hope in him.

1/ Isaiah 42:1-4 2/ Matthew 12:18-21 3/ Matthew 12:21 4/ Matthew 1:20-21 5/ Luke 1:32-33 6/ Isaiah 9:1-7; 52:14-53:12; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:7 7/ Mark 10:45; John 8:23-24 8/ John 18:36-37 9/ Acts 2:30-36 10/ 1 Corinthians 15:20-25

by Barry Newton

Although each Sunday Christians gather in worship to remember Jesus' death, it is at this time of the year that Jesus was actually nailed to a cross and raised up to die. As Paul wrote his letters to real congregations facing common problems, repeatedly his apostolic pastoral guidance rallied Christians to shape their lives by the way of the cross.

The way of the cross should be the molding force in a Christian husband's life. Although many ideas and models compete in the modern marketplace for how a husband might treat his wife, the model of Christ's selfless love for the sake of the church should be the driving force behind a disciple's behavior toward his wife (Ephesians 5:25,28,29). The way of the cross should determine how a Christian husband treats his wife.

Just as Jesus taught that being a disciple was contingent upon picking up one's own cross and following him (Luke 9:23;14:27), this message is also echoed through Paul's words: "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). When someone responds to Jesus crucified in order that he or she might belong to Him, the way of the cross is supposed to transform that person's life. Accordingly, the mindset of those in Christ should be the same as Paul's: "may I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14).

The message of the cross also addresses the fundamental issue behind the societal symptomatic problem of demanding my freedom and rights. Whereas the knowledge of my liberty might cause me to become puffed up in protecting what I deserve or what I understand that I should be able to do, the message of Christ crucified is intended to reverse such self-centered motivation. The way of the cross calls the Christian to be driven by the imitation of Christ's love for us whereby he served our genuine needs instead of insisting on His rights. Love makes sacrifices for the sake of building others up. In order to seek the well-being of others for whom Christ died, personal rights and privileges can be gladly given up (1 Corinthians 8-9).

The message of the cross provided the appropriate corrective to the divisive, sectarian spirit at Corinth. Whereas the Corinthian Christians had become enamored by human wisdom and eloquence which drove them to elevate and rally around certain personalities, Paul replaced these false values by placing God's wisdom center stage. Where is God's wisdom displayed? It is found in the proclamation of a hill overshadowed by the uplifted form of the Savior exposed on the stark exposed beams of a cross, dying for humanity. The way of the cross points down the path of what matters. Accordingly, Paul had spent his time among the Corinthians resolved to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).

This list is not exhaustive. Let's learn the lessons of the way of the cross and allow it to shape our lives as we pick up our crosses to follow our Master and Savior.

by Barry Newton

If you listen to enough people I will suggest that you will stumble upon both a human answer to this question as well as one from Scripture. While both appear to offer comfort, one answer is misleading and involves playing word games to cover over its inconsistencies. The other deals with Scripture responsibly. Let's survey the landscape of this question.

Can a Christian live with the deep and abiding peace of mind which comes from the assurance of knowing he or she is saved? Or are people doomed to a life of uncertainty mingled with worry and fear?

The first half of the biblical answer requires understanding the basis by which God offers salvation to us. We can grasp just how secure our salvation is by asking the question, "is there any doubt that Jesus will be saved?" Of course not! The absolute beauty of what God has done through Jesus is, those who rely upon the death, burial and resurrection of Christ are incorporated into the body of Christ and are saved on the basis of Jesus, not upon who they have been!/1 The gift of grace involves receiving what you do not deserve! Those in Christ can live with the assurance that if Christ has been raised from the dead to be with the Father, then they will also be raised to life with him./2

The second half of the biblical answer regarding the security of salvation a Christian has before God encounters competition from what appears to be a comforting, albeit human doctrine. Some have claimed that once a person is saved it is impossible for that individual to become lost. On the surface, this would seem to offer continued security to the disciple. But does it? Not really.

In my experience in talking with those who hold to this view, in order to reconcile their doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy with the fact that some have quit following Jesus, they typically resort to claiming that those who end up denying Christ were never really saved. What sort of assurance is this? From that perspective, how can a person really know whether his faith is genuine or not, since from a human perspective this will only become known based upon his final state?

The biblical answer provides certainty throughout life. While Scripture reveals it is possible to fall away from grace by failing to endure or by distorting the message,/3 if someone has responded to the gospel and continues to walk in the light, he can know that he is saved because of what Jesus accomplished through his death!/4

Since this has been a quick survey, perhaps some lingering questions remain. Possibly these can be addressed under two questions. First, if it is true that salvation is based upon being in Christ, then does not this eliminate the necessity of obedience? Second, what happens if I may catch myself sinning? Do I waffle between being saved and being lost?

To this last question, there is a difference between those living under the condemnation of sin and who have been enslaved to sin regardless of whatever good they might also do and those, on the other hand, who have been set free from sin and its consequences in order to serve God, but who might still catch themselves in a sin. While Romans 6:11-23 emphasizes the necessity of casting off sin because at conversion our master was changed, 1 John 1:7 and 2:1 underscore the fact that although those who walk in the light should not sin, if they do sin, Jesus' blood covers it. Salvation and grace are found in Jesus Christ! As Romans 8:1 says, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is equivalent to saying, in Jesus our sins have been forgiven.

To the former question regarding the need for obedience, God has given his people a purpose which ranges from worshiping to doing good./5 Those ungrateful servants who refuse to obediently serve can be cast out./6 Thus, although we can not earn our salvation, it is also true that lazy and worthless servants can be rejected; Christ can cut off those who fail to obey. It would be a grave misunderstanding of grace to think, now that I will receive the salvation I do not deserve, obedience has become irrelevant./7

Can you know if you are saved? Yes! You can live with peaceful assurance if you have obeyed the gospel and have not fallen away from obediently following Christ.

1\ Colossians 1:22,23; Ephesians 2:4-9,13; Titus 3:4-7

2\ 1 Corinthians 15:20-23; 1 Peter 1:3,4

3\ 1 Timothy 5:15; Galatians 1:6; 5:4; Revelation 2:4,5; 3:1-3,15,16; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:22-29,39; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Corinthians 15:2

4\ 1 Corinthians 15:2; Colossians 1:22,23; 2 Timothy 2:11,12; 1 John 1:7

5\ 1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:12,13; Titus 2:14

6\ Matthew 25:1-46; Revelation 2:4,5; 3:1-3,15,16

7\ Titus 2:11-14