Be Provoked

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” ESV 1 Corinthians 1:18

You don’t have to read far into Paul’s letters to realize that he was no stranger to persecution. It is easy for us to imagine that Paul’s preaching and teaching was accepted as truth in every town in which he visited, but that is simply not the way it was. Paul endured all kinds of persecution in the form of mocking, ridicule and physical harm because of his message.

Take Paul’s time in Athens for instance. Acts 17 let’s us know that Paul’s spirit was provoked in Athens because everywhere he looked, he saw idols. Yet when Paul began to preach the truth, he was labeled a “babbler” by the philosophers in town. Undeterred, Paul put himself in position to preach one of the best sermons, at least in my estimation, in all the New Testament at a place in Athens called the Areopagus.

But Paul’s sermon was met with ridicule. The text does tell us that at least some people believed Paul’s message. Others heard Paul’s sermon and considered the content thought provoking and worthy of further consideration; yet they left unconvinced of its validity and power. Others were more vocal in their doubting. The text tells us that they sneered publicly at Paul’s message. Yes, the Apostle Paul was sneered at in Athens.

Was Paul deterred by the unbelief that he met in Athens? Nope. Paul left Athens for Corinth, Ephesus, and many other destinations. Did Paul change his message after the sneering experience? Nope. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians indicates that his message never changed and that he knew in advance that some would sneer at his message. Paul also knew that the message of the cross was the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16)

I mentioned last week that some folks in our community have become somewhat infatuated with an atheistic website. I find that infatuation sad and, like Paul, I find my spirit being provoked to proclaim truth and encourage believers to stand firm in their faith. Like Paul, we should never be surprised when an unbeliever ridicules our faith. God’s word tells us it will happen. Our text today is very clear. The truth will appear foolish to unbelievers yet will be all powerful (the very words of God) to those who have believed in faith.

Speaking of the difference between God-fearing religious groups and atheists, Herman Bavinck (1854-1921), a Dutch theologian, says this of atheistic groups: “They never arise spontaneously but owe their existence to criticism of the religious views of others.” How true. And unlike Christian martyrs, you don’t read a lot about atheist martyrs do you? The reason you don’t is because atheism is less a personal conviction, and more a criticism of someone else’s convictions.

Let the unbelief of doubters provoke your spirit to stand for truth. Let their unbelief provoke your spirit to diligently study God’s word and proclaim its truths. Let their unbelief provoke your spirit to be bold in your faith. Be provoked.

God Has Landed

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
ESV Romans 1:18-20

Willful ignorance never ceases to amaze me. This past weekend, a friend brought a website to my attention that proposes that God is only a figment of our imagination. The same website calls Jesus a jerk and ridicules prayer in ways that I could not have envisioned. In all, over 50 reasons are given as supporting evidences of their atheistic position. From a Biblical perspective all of their reasons are laughable, but this is hardly a laughing matter. Alarmingly, it seems we have a self centered generation feeding on this type of rubbish; many of whom have not been exposed to the truths of Scripture.

How is it that we fall victim to false doctrines? At the end of the day, I think the core issue is that of authority. Is final authority in all matters vested in me or does final authority rest with God? If final authority rests within me, then I am a god unto myself and subject to no one. Under this delusion, I could live my life with the attitude of “if it feels good, do it” without remorse. But if God is real, then He must be the final authority and it would no doubt be in my best interest to submit to His authority. But submission to authority is not something that seems to come natural in our society. We are encouraged at every turn put our personal interests ahead of others.

Denial of higher authority is not new to our era. Here in Romans, Paul abruptly reminds us that we need only look at creation to recognize that a higher authority exists and that God is real. Think about it for a moment. Who can look at a newborn and not be fascinated and awestruck at life itself? Who can look at creation all around and not be stunned by its beauty and intricate detail? Could it be more obvious that neither the newborn nor inanimate creation is or can be the work of man? The answer of course is that you must suppress the obvious evidences that abound all around in order to accept the viewpoint of the atheist and deny the existence of God.

C.S. Lewis once wrote: “God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form.” Of course, he was speaking of Jesus; Immanuel; God with us. And God will land on this enemy-occupied world again one day. At that time, He will hold each of us accountable for every idle word. The folks that sponsor the atheistic views mentioned above will not be excluded. Neither will those who are swayed by their false doctrine. As surely as day follows night, judgment is coming for those who suppress the truth.

Be bold. Stand for truth.

Press On

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
ESV Philippians 3:12

If anyone in the early church had reason to boast about his education or pedigree, it was most certainly the Apostle Paul. Scripture tells us that he was of true Jewish lineage, a member of the elite (some say aristocratic) tribe of Benjamin; a regular Hebrew of Hebrews. Paul was also well educated in Jewish law; so skilled and zealous in the law that nobody could bring a charge against him in regards to it. Paul was equally zealous in his faith and a persecutor of all who crossed it; especially the early Christian church.

But Paul underwent a radical change. Paul had a personal experience with Jesus Christ, and his life was never the same again. Paul’s change was so dramatic that he renounced his pedigree, education, social standing. He went so far as to call all of his past accomplishments “rubbish” and “loss for the sake of Christ.” Paul exemplified what many Christians today call genuine conversion. After Paul placed his faith in Jesus, he was genuinely a new creation; a new man.

Paul’s experiences, education, and calling after his conversion would give a lesser man plenty to boast about as well. His conversion experience was dramatic to say the least. I mean, how many times have you heard testimony of someone being knocked from their horse by a blinding light? Paul’s own testimony in 1 Corinthians was that Christ appeared to him “as to one untimely born.” And as an early foreign missionary, his work is unequaled.

Yet for all his accomplishments, both prior and after his conversion, Paul maintained a humble attitude as an Apostle and as a Christian. He contended that he was the least among the Apostles. More importantly, Paul’s humble attitude was a positive witness to the power of Christ in conversion. After Paul’s Damascus road encounter with Christ, he continually strove to live in a Christ-like manner. In respect to Christian living, he “pressed on,” towards that day when Christ will come again.

Why? What makes a man like Paul overflow with humility? What makes a man like Paul “press on” in righteous living, striving each day to be more Christ-like? What makes a man like Paul abandon his vocation, discard his education and give his life supporting the church that he once persecuted?

There’s only one explanation and it has already been mentioned; a personal experience with Jesus. It’s that experience that allows a person to see that God is holy and he or she is not. Paul recognized his sinful condition and that Jesus had redeemed him from certain condemnation from God. In our verse, he says that “Christ Jesus made me his own.” So, knowing that his eternal salvation had been purchased by the sacrifice of Christ, Paul continually “pressed on,” looking forward to the day when Christ would return for His people.

Christ will return one day for His people; His church. Is your faith well founded? Is your faith in personal accomplishments and your ancestry or is your faith in Christ? Faith in Christ is faith that is well founded. Make sure that your faith is well founded and “press on” towards that day when Christ will come for you.