P4 God's Plan For Christian Sanctification And Its Main Truths

Introduction:

In our last post here Growing Christian Resources: P3 God’s Plan Before The Christian Life’s Beginning For Sanctification, I spent time reminding us of how the Christian life begins in regeneration, faith, and repentance. By noting that beginning, we observed how from that beginning God bestows the graces of justification, adoption, and union with Jesus Christ. All of these beginning graces set me firmly in my positional and relational standing before God. 

    The beginning graces just described are like a brand-new automobile purchased out of a showroom. The driver has the keys, a full tank of gas, and get this - everything is paid for by the manufacturer! What’s next? The driver needs to drive the car – that’s sanctification! The life of the car began when it was assembled at the plant and set apart in the showroom for the driver, but now that car was not built to be a showpiece. Instead, the car is meant to drive, travel, and do everyday chores. 

    In that last post I briefly touched upon how God had already planned sanctification to be part of the lives of His people whom He chose in Christ from1 Peter 1:1-2. What I want us to do in this post is to get the bigger picture of what Christian sanctification is all about. 

    I had offered the following definition of sanctification in the last post: 

"sanctification speaks of the Christian life lived from its beginnings in regeneration until the believer’s homegoing at death or the rapture of the church."

    The Apostle Peter lays out for us in the first chapter of his first letter an overview of the Biblical doctrine of sanctification from its origins in the mind of God in eternity through the Christian life following saving faith into eternity. 

    One more thing before we move forward: why does sanctification matter? Note what God says in His Word. Jesus prayed for future generations of sanctified believers in John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” 1 Peter 1:15 “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3a “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”  Even the Apostle Peter closes out his second letter with this command in 2 Peter 3:18 “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 

    Francis Schaeffer’s book, “True Spirituality”, gives this helpful insight for why we need to better grasp Christian sanctification: 

"The important thing after being born spiritually is to live. There is a new birth, and then there is the Christian life to be lived. This is the area of sanctification from the time of the new birth, through this present life until Jesus comes or until we die.” 

    Below is an outline of the main contours of Christian sanctification that I intend to cover in the next few posts. 

1. Positional sanctification. 1 Peter 1:1-4

2. Progressive sanctification. 1 Peter 1:5-7, 9-12, 1:14-2:3

3. Perfect sanctification. 1 Peter 1:8,13

More next time.....

Post #49 The Doctrine of God - The Persons of the Trinity in the General Epistles (James, 1 & 2 Peter)

Introduction:

    In our last post we explored how we see the Trinity in the letter to the Hebrews. When it comes to our New Testaments, there are noted four main divisions. 

1. The Gospels

2. Acts

3. The Epistles or letters

4. The Book of Revelation or Apocalypse.

    When we look at that third designation, "epistles", we subdivide it further:

A. Paul's letters (Romans - Philemon)

B. General Epistles (Hebrews - Jude)

    In more ancient listings of the New Testament literature, Hebrews was classified as a Pauline letter. The majority of the early church identified Hebrews as authored by Paul (although it was not a complete consensus). In more recent church history, Hebrews was classed among the general epistles. This latter classification is called "general" or sometimes "catholic epistles" ("Catholic" isn't referencing the Roman Catholic church, but instead is from the Greek word "katholikos", meaning "general"). Such a designation is due to the letters written to a more generalized collection of churches or on more generalized topics (hence the name "General Epistles"). 

    In any case, we will take time in this post to explore the books of James to 2 Peter to see what they have to teach about the Godhead and the Persons of the Trinity. In the next post we will continue our exploration of the Trinity in the general epistles of John (1,2,3 John) and the Epistle of Jude.

1. The Book of James overtly mentions the Father and the Son

    We notice right away the two foundations of the doctrine of the Trinity in James' letter. First, the Oneness of God in being (James 2:19,23; 4:4,7,8), and secondly the distinction of Persons within the Godhead or Divine essence (The Father, James 1:17-18; 3:9 and the person of the Son 1:1;4:10; 5:4,7,8,9,15). 

    Why do I say mention is made of the Son? Although the term "Son" is not overtly expressed, it nevertheless is a pattern in the New Testament to find the Son mentioned with the Divine title "LORD" (Hebrew "Yahweh", Greek "Kurios") or ascribed the offices and functions of God (Judge, compare Matthew 25 and 28:18, with the other titles distinguishing the Divine Person from God the Father). Wherever the Father is mentioned by the title "God", it is not too far to find the Person of the Son mentioned directly or indirectly by a Divine title to distinguish the two Persons. 

    James 1:1 distinguishes the Father and the Son in this manner: "a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ". James is the earliest of the New Testament letters (and arguably the first New Testament book written, with Matthew, Galatians, and the Thessalonian letters written a few years thereafter in the late 40's to early 50's A.D.). 

    The early church distinguished the Father with the title "God" and Jesus with the title "LORD" (see 1 Corinthians 8:6, for example), with a second pattern of expressing the Son as having the same nature as the Father when a more forceful argument was made to prove the deity of the Son, hence being called "God" (as in John 1:1 "the Word was God"; John 1:18, "the only Begotten God"). 

2. The Epistles of 1 & 2 Peter further reveal the Persons of the Godhead 

    When we consider 1 & 2 Peter, we are dealing with letters written twenty-five years after James. If we take a date of 45-50 A.D. for James, it is reasonable to assign a date for Peter's letters no later than 70 A.D. and no earlier than 60 A.D. Most scholars date 1 Peter to 63-64 A.D. As for 2 Peter, though some question its authorship due to literary differences between 1 & 2 Peter, if we understand that 1 Peter was dictated by Peter to an amanuensis named Silvanus (an "amanuensis" is an ancient term for a recording secretary, describing Silvanus' role, see 1 Peter 5:12), with 2 Peter written directly by Peter himself, such arguments denying Petrine authorship can be ignored. We can date 2 Peter to 64-66 A.D. 

    As for how we see the Trinity in 1 Peter, we see mention made of all three Persons in 1 Peter 1:2 

"According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."

    As all three Persons of the Godhead operate inseparably in the activity of sustaining Christian salvation, the doctrine of appropriations stipulates that each Person is assigned a particular role. The Father planned salvation. The Son purchased it by His blood as the incarnate Son of God. The Holy Spirit applies salvation by His setting apart, internalized call to whichever sinner He is dealing, with subsequent faith and repentance issuing forth from the sinner to newfound faith in Jesus Christ.

    1 Peter is rich in its treatment of the Trinity. We find in 1 Peter 1:5 that the Father is credited with preserving the Christian's faith as He or she perseveres in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-8). The Holy Spirit (designated "the Spirit of Christ") works through the prophetic Scriptures to reveal and bring salvation to the human soul (1 Peter 1:9-12). 

    Peter's Trinitarian emphasis moves on into the remainder of 1 Peter 1. The Father (1:13-17), the Son (1:18-21), and Holy Spirit (1:22-25) are featured again in his ongoing exposition of Biblical salvation. Peter then expounds further on the Father's involvement in subsequent chapters of 1 Peter (2:1-4, 9-10, 15; 3:12; 4:17-19; 5:6-11). Also too, He mentions the Son in those same chapters (2:4-8, 21-25; 3:18-22; 4:1-2,11; 5:4,14). We then see mention made of the Holy Spirit's work in the raising of Christ from the dead (1 Peter 3:18). Overwhelmingly the Trinity is the centerpiece of Peter's arguments in 1 Peter.

    As for 2 Peter, 2 Peter 1:1-4 features all three Persons of the Trinity (The Father and Son, 1:1-2; indirect mention of the Holy Spirit in 1:3-4). The Divine revelation by God of Himself is presented by Peter along Trinitarian lines in 2 Peter 1:16-21. It is then in 2 Peter 3:2 we see affirmation of the deity of the Son. 2 Peter 3:9 asserts the work of the Father, with 2 Peter 3:10 pointing us to the Son. 

    It is interesting how the term "Day of the Lord" in 2 Peter 3:10, no doubt pointing to the second coming of Jesus (compare Matthew 24:15-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2), has a parallel term "Day of God", gesturing towards the Person of the Father. This dual mentioning of the Father and the Son is Peter's way of reinforcing the New Testament's teaching of the distinction yet equality of the Father and the Son in the Godhead. Further analysis of the remainder of the New Testament confirms this point. 

    For instance, the Apostle John in Revelation 16:14 is the only other Biblical author to feature this particular title "Day of God". In the context of Revelation 16:14, we find the Son returning in the future to fight and defeat the confederations of Anti-Christ and the nations at the battle of Armageddon. Luke tells us that the Son will return when "He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26). The union of Divine nature and glory between the Father and the Son serves to cement the reality of the doctrine of the Trinity (One God, revealed in distinct Persons).   

Closing thoughts:

    Today we explored how we see the doctrine of the Trinity discussed in James and in Peter two epistles. In our next post, we will continue our exploration by noting how we see the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in 1,2,3 John and Jude. 

What Did Jesus Do Between His Death And Resurrection? A Holy Saturday Meditation

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

Introduction:

I was asked a rather interesting question the other day regarding what Jesus did between the time He died until He raised from the dead. This post aims to answer this question. The question concerning what Jesus did between His crucifixion and resurrection is relevant to "Holy Saturday", since Christ's alleged proclamation of victory over the powers of Hell and His presentation of His once and for all sacrifice for sin took place in that short interval between His death and resurrection.

The significance of the Saturday the falls between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday"

As aforementioned, today is the Saturday that lies between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday". This day, simply called "Holy Saturday", considers what all was potentially taking place during the interment of Jesus' body in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. In the book "Preaching through the Christian Year", an ancient practice of the early church is recounted: 

"In the ancient church, the tradition of the Easter Vigil played an important role. Catechumens (young converts to the Christian faith), after remaining awake and watchful throughout Saturday night, were baptized early on Easter morning and then joined the Christian community in Holy communion." 1 

I'm sure some readers for instance can recall "Easter Sunrise Services" and other Christian traditions that urge the church to recall her central identity in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. 

Over 2,000 years ago, Christ's physical body laid at "rest" in the tomb whilst He, in His immaterial soul, presented His accomplishment to the Father and proclaimed victory. The Apostle's Creed, an ancient confession of faith still recited by Christians the world-over, includes this phrase: 

"He was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell, on the third day He raised from the dead." 

Christians historically have emphasized this major theme of "rest" for Holy Saturday. Such rest, both spiritually and otherwise, could only be achieved as a result of Christ finished work on the cross and what was (then) His pending resurrection. The work Jesus did inbetween death and resurrection cemented together the victory of the cross and what would be His victory over death. It honestly comforts me to think of how helpless the powers of darkness were in preventing Christ from these decisive action. 

Robert Webber in his book: Ancient Future Time", comments on Holy Saturday in regards to the theme of "rest":

"Saturday is a day of rest and preparation for the great service of resurrection. It is a day to keep silence, to fast, to pray, to identify with Jesus in the tomb, and to prepare for the great resurrection feast."2

So with the twin themes of "rest" and "victory", Holy Saturday gets the Christian ready for the glory of the resurrection that is central to Easter Sunday. What follows from hereon is an attempt to draw together the New Testament testimony of what Jesus did.

Stitching together the New Testament passages that reference Christ's proclamation of victory between that first Good Friday and Easter Sunday

The four Gospels detail the events of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.  The remainder of the New Testament (Acts, 21 Epistles and Revelation) unfold the meaning what He achieved.  The Apostle Peter in his first epistle aims to show how we as Christians ought to stand firm in God's grace (1 Peter 5:12). Peter's letter ties in our ability to stand in such grace to what Jesus Christ accomplished.  1 Peter 3:18-20 will act as our telescope to view the New Testament passages that reference the events of "Holy Saturday. To do this, we will consider the following two main thoughts about Christ's accomplished work:

A. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation.  1 Peter 3:18

B. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory.  1 Peter 3:19-20

A. Purpose of Christ’s Victorious Work – Reconciliation 3:18 

i. What did He do? He died 

He died for sins.  As Dr. Danny Akin of South Western Baptist Theological Seminary once noted: "He lived the life I couldn't live and He died the death I should have died."

ii. Whom did He die for? The unjust 

Romans 5:6-8 states - "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

Jesus' death on behalf of sinners accomplished two necessary effects required for reconciliation with God. The first necessary effect was expiation or the removal of the cause of God's wrath upon us - our sin (Romans 5:10). The second effect had to do with propitiation - that is to say, the satisfaction of God's wrath (1 John 2:2). Below in the next thought (point "iii"), we see why expiation (taking away of sin) and propitiation (satisfying wrath) are necessary for reconciliation.

iii. Why did he die? To bring us to God (reconciliation) 

Dr. Michael Horton notes: 

"The result of God's wrath being satisfied is reconciliation. Just as we are first of all passive subjects of God's wrath when God propitiates, we are passive subjects of God's reconciliation at the cross.  We do not reconcile ourselves to God; God reconciles Himself to us and us to Him."3

iv. How did He do it? Death and resurrection

Christ's death, burial and resurrection are at the heart of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The New Testament mostly focuses upon Christ's death and resurrection.  However, what went on during the three days He was buried is not explained in near as much detail as the two book-ends of the Gospel: namely Christ's death and resurrection.  

Death and Resurrection serve to explain how Christ accomplished what he accomplished. What He did in His burial (down below) reveals some of the behind (and under) the scenes work He did in insuring our ability to walk as believers in His Victorious work. 

B. Proclamation of Christ’s Victorious Work – Victory 3:19-20 

i. What did He do between His death &    resurrection? Proclaimed victory 3:19 

John MacArthur has perhaps explained this text better than just about everyone I've read or heard: 

"He was announcing, proclaiming (and) heralding a triumph. About what? It must be pretty obvious, about His triumph over sin, about His triumph over death, about His triumph over hell, about His triumph over demons, about His triumph over Satan." 4

ii. To whom did He proclaim His victory? The  demons reserved for judgment. 3:19-20 

If we were to attempt to offer a faint outline of what Jesus did between His death and resurrection, we could maybe understand why He went to proclaim His victory to the demonic realm.  Much activity was done by Christ in this short-span of time. 

First He went immediately into the presence of His Father by way of the Holy Spirit in his human spirit to present His once and for all sacrifice (Hebrew 9:15). 

Next, He went down into those regions of hell where some of the demons (especially those who rebelled in Noah's day) are being reserved for judgment. 

Thirdly, Christ would had released the Old Testament saints from the righteous realm of the dead (i.e. paradise) to lead the captives out to where they could come with Him to where the saints go in this age (Ephesians 4:8-11). Some have connected this particular event to when the saints came out of their tombs in Matthew 27:52-53.

Fourthly, Christ's proclamation of victory insures that hell will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18) as well as fulfilling the fact of His triumph over the demonic realm (Colossians 2:14-15). 

Fifthly, Christ's resurrection from the dead meant He had completed His mission of proclamation and thus He arose as a victorious King, subduing all cosmic powers under Himself (Acts 2:24; 1 Peter 3:22).

iii. Why did he proclaim His victory? To  guarantee Christian victory 3:19-20 

He did this to pave the way for what would be His ascension into Heaven 40 days after His resurrection from the dead (Ephesians 4:7-10). 

iv. What was His victory over? Sin (1 Pet 3:18), hell 1 Pet 3:19-20; Col 2:11-12) grave (3:18,21b)

Revelation 1:4-5 states - "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood".

Closing thoughts

As we draw this post to a close, let's remember our two main thoughts for today's post:

1. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation. 1 Peter 3:18

2. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory. 1 Peter 3:19-20

What Jesus accomplished was proclaimed by Him both in heaven and to the defeated demonic realm. Such activities provided grounds for which future generations of Christian could stand who by grace through faith trusted in Jesus. The cross of Friday and the work of Saturday pointed to what would be the great victory of that early Sunday Morning: He has risen! As Christians, we rest in these works of Jesus.

Endnotes:

1. Fred B. Craddock; John H. Hayes; Carl R. Holladay and Gene M. Tucker. Preaching Through the Christian Year - Part A. Trinity Press International. Harrisburg, PA. 1992. Page 227

2. Robert Webber. Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through The Christian Year." Baker Books. 2004.

2. Michael Horton. The Christian Faith - A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan. 2011. Page 500

3. http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/60-37/the-triumph-of-christs-suffering-part-2

Marks Of A Great, Godly Church - 1 Peter 5:1-14

1 Peter 5:12-14  "Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ."

Introduction: Meet A Great Godly Church

The Apostle Peter wrote two epistles that are placed near the end of the collection of 27 books we call the New Testament. Peter's purpose in writing his short letter was to exhort his readers to "stand firm in the grace of God" (see 1 Peter 5:12). In the final chapter of his letter, we find the blueprints for a great, godly church. In today's post I want to briefly look at what it takes to be a great, godly church. What follows is not exhaustive, but instead summarizes the overall message we find in 1 Peter 5:1-14. What traits or qualities distinguish such a church? 

1. Devoted Pastors.  1 Peter 5:1-4

1 Peter 5:1-2 states - "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness." 

A church that is favored by God will be a church that loves to feed on the word of God.  Peter's commands to pastors is to "shepherd" or "feed the flock" the word of God. This is apropos for Peter, since Jesus, in John 21, had re-commissioned Peter to "feed His sheep" some thirty years prior to Peter's composition of 1 Peter.  Shepherding a church and leadership go hand-in-hand. Such pastors will exercise leadership in four ways:

a. Lead by God's will. 1 Peter 5:1-2a. 

b. Lead with God's passion. 1 Peter 5:2b

c. Lead with God's integrity. 1 Peter 5:3

d. Lead for God's approval. 1 Peter 5:4

As noted already, these words from Peter's pen echo what he heard from Jesus' lips some 30 years prior as recorded in John 21:16 "He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”  

Paul too gives similar instruction to the Ephesian elders to feed the flock as devoted pastors in Acts 20:28.  Why? Devoted pastoral ministry is included in God's design for the church to sanctify the church by the Word (John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26); encourage the church (Hebrews 4:12); enlighten the church by Spirit-empowered preaching and teaching (1 Corinthians 2:10-13) and mature the flock as the Spirit sees fit (Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 2:1-2). No man can do any of these things apart from the Holy Spirit's empowerment and the call of God.

Christians who regularly feed on the Word of God will grow in maturity - knowing good from evil.  God's hand of grace will be on a church that feeds from the scriptures preached and taught by God-called men. But notice a second trait of a church that is a great and godly church...

2. Dependence upon God. 1 Peter 5:5-10

Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:5-7 "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 

Next to love, humility is the number one trait that demonstrates Christ-likeness (see Philippians 2:1-5).  In the realm of our attitudes and actions, humility is the most royal of virtues as it serves others. Passages such as Philippians 2:1-5 urge us to have this same mindset as was found in Christ Jesus - humility. When I yield myself over to another for the sake of relationship - I am demonstrating the communicable attribute of humility that is germane to God's own nature. A church body that serves others and has within it service to one another is a church that will abound in God's supernatural grace and power. 

To summarize Peter's point on the necessity of dependence on God, we can note the following:

a. Waiting on God. 1 Peter 5:5-6

b. Trusting God. 1 Peter 5:7-8; Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 6:34

c. Persevering in God. 1 Peter 5:9-10; Jude 1:3; James 1:3-4.

So a church that is a great and Godly church will have devoted pastors and dependence upon Him. But notice thirdly...

3. Determination to Follow the Lord.  1 Peter 5:9-14

1 Peter 5:9-10 states - "But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 

In 1 Peter 5:9 the NASB renders the opening phrase as "stand firm in your faith". Though the pronoun "your" could very well be implied in the passage, other English translations handle this passage better in bringing out the emphasis of "The Faith". This reference to faith has to do with the objective Christian faith, the "capital 'F'" faith within which my "small 'f'" personal faith in Christ resides. The HCSB renders this passage as: "Resist him and be firm in the faith...", with the KJV and NKJV following suit.  

The emphasis on "The Faith" reminds us of Jude 1:3 "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints."  

The Christian's personal faith rests in the gifting of faith granted by God in His grace and persists. To summarize Peter's point here, we can note three realizations to keep in mind when exercising determination to follow God as a great, Godly church...

a. Realize, you're not alone. 1 Peter 5:9

b. Realize, you've got a Heavenly home. 1 Peter 5:10-11

c. Realize, you have His favor (i.e. grace) 1 Peter 5:12-14

Closing thoughts:

This brings us to the close of Peter's letter and the chief point for which he wrote it. The whole theme of Peter's first epistle is that of "standing firm in the grace of God." Certainly in the final few verses of Peter's letter we see God's grace weave its way throughout the verses. As Peter closes out this epistle, he urges the churches to which he writes to be great, Godly churches in the following ways...

1. Have devoted pastors. 1 Peter 5:1-4

2. Depend upon God. 1 Peter 5:5-10

3. Determine to follow the Lord. 1 Peter 5:11-14

Living A Life That Counts - 1 Peter 4:1-19

1 Peter 4:1-2 "Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."

Introduction:

Meaning, value and purpose are among the great methods for demonstrating God's existence. If God does not exist, then discussion about life's ultimate purpose is pointless. On naturalism, all that exists is this physical space-time universe and all of its physical contents. Naturalism espouses that all things were brought about by natural causes. Consequently, on naturalism, the universe is either eternal or was brought into being by self-creating quantum fluctuations. One of the ways to evaluate a worldview is to see if the world around us is what we would expect if such a position were true.  If naturalism is true, then meaning, value and purpose are illusory. 

Yet, we find again and again the desire for a life that counts as ingrained deep inside all of us. Atheism asserts the meaningless of life while urging its devotees to embrace, in the words of 20th century thinker Bertand Russell, "unyielding despair". Russell's own atheism was inconsistent, since he himself got involved in social causes. If there is no meaning and purpose in life, why fight for injustice? So then, naturalism, atheism and any worldview based upon it are disproven. There is a real purpose to life. Living a life that counts is a worthwhile pursuit. The question is: where then do we look to live such a life?

Today’s main point 

Whenever you and I aim to find life’s purpose – the search can only end at one place: the feet of Jesus. The Christian-life counts for eternity by noting the purposes for living it as spelled out in 1 Peter 4.

1. The purpose to fight sin. 1 Peter 4:1-7

Sin means to fall-short, to transgress the law of God. Sin acts like rot in a piece of fruit - it eats away the goodness of the thing. Prior to conversion, the only thing the sinner wants to do is justify sinful thinking, actions and human autonomy against God. After conversion, the principle of the new nature in Jesus Christ begins to take over (see Romans 6:4-14; 2 Peter 1:3-4). Indwelling sin remains, and must be fought (Romans 7; 1 Peter 2:11). Peter's text in 1 Peter 4:1-6 can be outlined in the following way in describing the purpose to fight sin.

a. Fight sin on the inside (the flesh). 

The flesh represents that internal tendency to sin. 1 Peter 4:1-2. “cease” = “restrain oneself”. Rom 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

b. Fight sin on the outside (the world). 1 Peter 4:3-6 

The world is anything to do with the external network dedicated to temptation to sin. The Apostle John notes in 1 John 2:16-17 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 

c. Fight Satan (our enemy). 1 Peter 5:8-9

The World is Satan's turf and the flesh is his target. Ephesians 6:11-18 urges the believer to put on the full armor of God so as to withstand the wiles of the evil one and his parasite kingdom. So living a life that counts first entails the fight against sin. 

2. The purpose to pray. 1 Peter 4:7

But now we consider the chief purpose of life and salvation: to know God. Knowing God orbits around the life of prayer. Passages such as Philippians 4:6-7 urge us exercise prayer in everything. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.” We know that in prayer, my mind and my innermost being (i.e - my spirit) are the two contact points in prayer. Proverbs 20:27 “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the innermost parts of his being.” 

Prayer is the jumper cable I connect from my spirit to my seat of judgment, the mind. In prayer, we are inviting the indwelling Holy Spirit in our human spirit to illuminate our thinking (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-13). The 16th century Protestant Reformer Martin Luther once noted: 

“The first stone in prayer is that of confidence. Whoever pray must do so while believing God.” 

3. The purpose to express His love. 1 Peter 4:8-11

Truly without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and relationship with Jesus Christ, God's love cannot flow un-constricted. Living a life that counts (i.e the Christian life) involves the purposes of fighting sin and prayer. Now we consider the third main purpose: expressing God's love.  The purpose of the Christian life is to make the sinner into a saint (see 1 Corinthians 1; 1 Peter 2:7-12). The title "saint" refers to one that is set apart from God at salvation to progressively grow in their sanctification. The goal of being a saint of God is to have an uninterrupted walk with God. 

Whenever Christians drift off into directions opposite of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are living outside of their redeemed purpose (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-4). God ever beckons the believer to live as His vessel by which He can express His love. Such love is brought to the Christian by the Holy Spirit, Who is portrayed by Jesus as a fountain of living water (see John 7:37-39). In thinking on this important purpose of God's love, the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 - 

"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing."

Every believer in Jesus Christ is a dry river-bed apart from Him. To summarize the Apostle Paul, one could have eloquence (rhetoric); prophesy (mystics) and be a martyr. Yet, without (God’s love), a person is a clashing gong, nothing, profitless. We’re dry river-beds without God's great love flowing through us. The Apostle John writes in 1 John 4:16 "We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." 

4. The purpose of godliness. 1 Peter 4:12-19

As we close out today's post on living a life that counts, we note once more the purposes we have considered. There is the purpose to fight sin. There is the purpose of prayer. We then considered the purpose of expressing God's love. The final purpose that enables us to see a life worth living is that of godliness. 
1 Timothy 4:8  "for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." Godliness is a pattern of life that aims to be like Jesus in thought, word or deed. (see 1 Peter 2:21-25). 

Godliness is the goal of the Christian life and explains why Christians often have to undergo hardship (1 Tim 4:12-19; 6:12). Remarkably, Peter's final section of 1 Peter 4:12-19 traces out a pattern that resembles the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

a. Jesus in His temptation. 1 Peter 4:12-13; Hebrews 4:15

b. Jesus in His earthly ministry. 1 Peter 4:14-16; Acts 10:44-48 

c. Jesus to the cross. 1 Peter 4:17-19; Hebrews 12:3

One friend of mine recently told me that we ought to be Jesus with skin on to a watching world. Truly that is a memorable way of keeping in mind the godly life. Living a life that counts entails then these four purposes: fight sin; prayer; express His love and godliness. 

Heeding The Call To Christian Humility - 1 Peter 3:1-21

1 Peter 3:10 "To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing."

Introduction:

Whenever one talks about "God's calling", reference is made to the urgency He places upon our hearts to follow His leading. Salvation is the most important calling, issued forth to sinners (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-21; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 3:1). The Christian life following from salvation is a call to walk in a manner worthy of such a calling (see Ephesians 4:1). The calling of God to Christian living is a calling to bear forth spiritual virtues - i.e. "the fruit of the Spirit" (see Galatians 5:22; 2 Peter 1:3-11). One such virtue that brings the believer closest to the character and Person of Christ is that of humility. In today's post we want to explore Peter's exposition on the call to humility in 1 Peter 3:1-21. 

Distinguishing Between Obedience And Humility

Whenever we think about the words "obedience" and "humility", what comes to mind? Obedience is associated with "duty", "allegiance" or "doing what has to be done". Obedience carries with it the sense of moral obligation. Hence, it is every person's moral obligation to heed the Gospel. Whenever one responds in saving faith, they are taking upon themselves a response to the urgency of their souls: believe, repent and be saved from the wrath to come (see Romans 5:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10). 

Oftentimes in the Christian life, obedience is that initial step in exercising one's faith in God. In obedience, I know what I "have-to-do". Duty ties my faith to the commands of scripture. 1 John 5:3 states - "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." Therefore we could say that obedience deals in the realm of "have-to's".

Humility differs in kind from obedience. Unlike its cousin obedience, humility emphasizes voluntary action on the part of the one exercising humility. Humility is where I go from "having-to" to "wanting-to". In as much as Jesus did indeed obey the Father in coming to earth as God-incarnate (see Hebrews 10:1-5), His mission was not based only on obedience. The Savior of men did what He did willingly. Jesus acted out of desire - not bare obligation. Humility is where I yield to another out of voluntary desire. 

The truly humble child of God has crossed the threshold of obedience. They recognize God's commanding authority in their life. Humility is desiring to carry out in relationship and submission to others what one has learnt in obedience. Only when one obeys God can they then act in humility.

The Call To Humility In 1 Peter 3

We find Peter continuing on his exhortations to humility in 1 Peter 3:1 that he first wrote about in 1 Peter 2:13-20. The call to humility is urged in the following realms of human experience:

a. Citizenship.      1 Peter 2:13-17
b. Employment.    1 Peter 2:18-20
c. Marriage.          1 Peter 3:1-7
d. Church-life.      1 Peter 3:8-12
e. Suffering.        1 Peter 3:13-18

These areas of humility give a clear picture of what Christ-like humility ought to be. For the Christian in the culture, humility entails remaining faithful to God regardless of the character of governing authorities (see Romans 13). Slave/master relationships correspond to employer/employees arrangements today. How a Christian humbly conducts themselves can speak volumes in a workplace (see Ephesians 6:5-9). 

Church-life that is characterized with mutual humility among the membership testifies to a watching world the mindset of Christ (see Philippians 2:1-5). 

Then we find humility weighing quite heavily in how one faces suffering and its ultimate expression - martyrdom (see 2 Timothy 4:6-8). 

So what about humility within the marriage relationship? Particularly, what does Peter mean (note underlined word) when he states in 1 Peter 3:5-7 "For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. 7 You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered."

In what sense is Peter referring to the wife being "weaker"? The form of the underlying Greek noun that translates "weaker" is a comparative term. The only other time this particular form of the noun occurs is in 1 Corinthians 12:22. In that text, the Apostle Paul describes the spiritual gifts operating in Christ's church as parts of a physical body. He describes how parts of the body that are not as physically strong retaining their importance from how they are supported by others. If one reads carefully the context of 1 Corinthians 12, physically weaker parts of the body do not imply diminished importance. Although a person's eye is physically weaker than one's arm, yet, if the eye is damaged - the averse affects are worse than injury done to an arm. 

The sentiments expressed by Paul can aid us in understanding Peter's words. Although most husbands are physically stronger than their wives, as commentator Robert Leighton notes: the choice of term used here by the apostle is intentional to remind the husband that he too is weak. There is nothing at all to glean here about the wife being morally, spiritually or intellectually inferior to the husband. If for anything, wives often excel their husbands in moral, spiritual and intellectual areas. Any Christian husband worth his salt ought to recognize that his life is greatly improved because of his wife. Her humility or submission is voluntary. If both spouses are Christian people, both are on equal par with respect to being fellow heirs of life.  

Christian marriage ultimately pictures what we find to be the case between Christ and the church (see Ephesians 5:22-33). Although the church is to humble herself under the Lord Jesus Christ, yet, Christ has in His incarnation chosen to present unto Himself a chosen group of people that have equal access to all the blessings of God as "joint-heirs" in Christ (see Romans 8:17). Christian Husbands and wives too, though different, are of equal value in God's sight morally and spiritually.

The call to humility takes all of these various areas of life and places them between the bookends of 1 Peter 2:21-25 and 1 Peter 3:18-21 (the texts that feature Christ, His character and His work). Christ is the beginning and end of humility (see Philippians 2:5-11). 

Heeding the call to humility takes my "have-to's" and turns them into "want-to's"

Peter reinforces his exhortation on humility with 1 Peter 3:8-17. Peter's quotation of Psalm 34 in 1 Peter 3:10-12 gives us a source for better applying this section on the call to humility. Psalm 34 is all about the blessings that come with humbling oneself under God's guidance and wisdom. Psalm 34:8 in particular speaks of how "blessed is the one that takes refuge in Him". When my "have-to's" have been transformed into the "want-to's" of humility, I will "taste and see that the Lord is good" (see Psalm 34:8). The humble-minded believer finds courage to yield to God in the face of opposition once they have "set Christ apart in their hearts, ready to give an answer" (1 Peter 3:15). 

Closing thoughts

As we go down the homestretch of 1 Peter 3, we arrive at 1 Peter 3:18-21. Without a doubt the statements made about Christ are both rich and challenging to interpret. One detail worth mentioning centers on God working in the life of Noah. Noah is featured as a man that humbled himself under God's mighty hand whilst the Spirit of Christ worked through his pleadings to his generation to believe, repent and be saved from pending wrath. The take-away here is that the humility that is most effective is that of Christ's humility working through a heart that has humbled itself to Him. Noah did that - and we ought to as well. 

Heeding The Call To Follow The Lord - A Meditation Upon 1 Peter 2:21-25

1 Peter 2:21 "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls."

Introduction:

Whenever a person senses the calling of God upon their life - things are never the same ever again. Whenever God's calling (in salvation or area of service) comes, urgency ties together the circumstances, people and one's own interior state of heart. Whenever God places His Divine urgency upon your life to act - we call such an urgency: “God’s calling”. 

Such a description befits the description of Christian salvation and the life that follows from it. The call to  the Christian life includes activities and attitudes that cannot be done apart from Jesus Christ. In this post, we will consider how trusting God and entrusting oneself to Him are central to heeding the call to follow Him. 

Called to follow Jesus. 1 Peter 2:21-25

Peter's first epistle has incredible theological statements about Jesus Christ sprinkled throughout its contents (see 1 Peter 1:18; 2:21-25; 3:18-21; 4:1 and 5:4). We read in 1 Peter 2:21 of how the Christian life is a calling to follow in the steps of Jesus. I'm certain Peter never forgot the first time Jesus came to Him and commanded: "follow me" (see Matthew 4:19; John 1:41-43). 1 Peter 2:21-25 summarizes how Jesus provided an example of following the will of the Father by both trusting and entrusting Himself to His authority. As we observe Jesus' willingness to follow, we in turn can see the need to follow Him.

a. Trusting God begins the journey of heeding the call to follow. 1 Peter 2:21

When we begin to follow God, we begin by trust. One of the simplest definitions of faith is that of trust. The 11th century theologian Anselm of Canterbury describes the Christian-life as being about - "faith seeking understanding". Whenever a person trusts God - they do so without possessing a comprehensive understanding of where they're heading or the consequences. Much like the little child in the backseat on a trip, we travel through this life. The Gospel calls sinners to looking to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (see John 17:3). 1 John 2:5-6 reminds us: "but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked."

b. Entrusting one's soul to God represents continuation of heeding the call to follow. 1 Peter 2:22-25

We read in 1 Peter 2:22-24 "who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." Whenever we heed the call to follow the Lord in the Christian life, we must not only take that first step of trust - but also continue to "entrust" our lives to Him. The Greek verb translated "entrust" is the same word used elsewhere in the New Testament that speaks of something being "handed over" to the care of others (see 1 Corinthians 11:23; 15:1-3). Jesus literally "handed-over" the reins of his life to the Father. This daily, moment-by-moment resolve involves deciding between "trusting God" versus "trusting oneself". Jesus alone did this perfectly. 

Each time we exercise trust in God, we are building a track record of "entrusting God". The idea of "entrusting one's soul" is equivalent to the idea of "faithfulness". Much like the odometer in a car that measures how many miles the car has been driven, "faithfulness" or "entrusting" describes how long and often one has said "I trust God" rather than "I trust myself more than God".  

Peter closes this section by noting in 1 Peter 2:25 "For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." This describes what ought to be the current state of the Christian. We are ever turning, looking and giving our attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. Such thoughts reminds us of Psalm 23 or Psalm 121, which both describe the believer as a sheep looking to the Great Shepherd of their souls. Would we heed the call the follow Jesus by trusting and entrusting our souls to Him. 

Looking At A Christianity That Is Built To Last - 1 Peter 2:1-20

1 Peter 2:1-4 "Therefore, ridding yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn infants long for the unadulterated spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is kind, 4 to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and precious in the sight of God."

Introduction:

My dad was a carpenter by trade. Whenever he built anything, it was built to last. His skills as a carpenter came in handy when he began working for a large brick and stone company. They were building a series of buildings that required bricks cut to fit into large circular windows. The particular brick cutters that worked for the company left the job. My dad stepped up to help out and ended up being the new brick cutter. One day our family took a ride to view one of the finished buildings. I was amazed by the perfect circular windows and passage ways that were made by my father. He told me he would sometimes take broken bricks and cut them to be included in those beautiful structures. To this day, years later, those buildings are testimonies of his handiwork. They were built to last. 

In today’s post we are exploring the Christian’s spiritual identity as part of a spiritual temple built upon Jesus Christ – the Precious Cornerstone. Jesus is building a spiritual temple, composed of every believer that is a living stone. By centering upon Jesus Christ, you will discover how the Christian life is “built to last”. 

The Apostle Peter was called by Jesus to follow him. Originally named "Simon", Jesus would change his name to "Petros" - meaning "rock". There is no doubt in my mind that Peter identifies himself as included in the words of exhortation he has written by his secretary or amanuensis - Silvanus (see 1 Peter 5:12). The theme of this first letter or epistle is "stand firm in the grace of God" (see 1 Peter 5:12). Therefore, we want to know what it looks like as Christians stand firm as a spiritual temple, built upon the Chief Cornerstone - Jesus Christ - as He builds them to endure for His sake. Let's consider the foundation, walls and curb appeal of the project Jesus has undertaken.

1. Foundation: The New Birth. 1 Peter 2:1-3

The last post we did in 1 Peter dealt particular with God's divinely given second chance - i.e the new birth (http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2018/01/god-given-second-chance-1-peter-11-25.html ). We learnt in that post:

a. the new birth done by God

b. brought about by Spirit, word, faith 

c. this new birth results in a life that can live for God. 

Without the word of God, no heavenly fire of salvation can be kindled in the human soul (see Jeremiah 23:29). Without the air of the Person of the Spirit, no flame of spiritual life can come forth in the heart (see John 3:8). Without the fuel of faith, the word of God and the Holy Spirit will not burn as an enduring flame in the human spirit touched by grace (see Hebrews 4:2). 

Peter's reflections on the new birth as the foundation for a faith that is "built to last" continues onward into this second chapter. In 1 Peter 2:1-3 we find a conditional statement, beginning at verse 3: "if you have tasted that the Lord is kind" (Lexham English Bible). 

The way we know we have not only tasted of saving grace, but consumed such, is by how we regard His word and obedience.  The foundation of the New birth is a firm foundation because of the fact it is brought about by the Spirit and the Word. Getting into one’s Bible and it into you is not optional when it comes to cultivating God’s presence, withstanding ongoing doubts, fighting sin and growing in faith. 

As Peter points out in these first few verses of 1 Peter 2, craving God's word is likened unto an infant that craves milk. If one finds their newborn child not wanting to eat, there is cause for concern. A baby that has no interest in eating is not well. Many would regard such a state of affairs as unnatural to what it means to be an infant - namely the capacity to eat, eat and eat! A born-again child of God cannot expect to grow nor expect to enjoy the awareness of one's assurance in salvation apart from regular intake of God's Word. Thus, to understand how the Christian life is "built-to-last", we must first consider the foundation of the new birth with respect to the Word of God. 

2. The Walls: Shaped by Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5-8

A sound structure must have a good foundation. With the foundation of the new birth in place - we next consider the walls of the project Christ is doing in the building of His people. The apostle Peter expounds further on this score by citing key Old Testament texts that highlight Jesus as our precious cornerstone. The following headings convey Peter's central message in 1 Peter 2:5-8.

a. Delight in Jesus strengthens you. 

Peter's first quotation of Isaiah 28:16 in 1 Peter 2:6 hearkens back to a time in Israel's history wherein she had lost all hope. The Lord's word to the people in eighth century b.c. Jerusalem was to not to abandon their hope in Him. All is not lost! Sadly, the Southern Kingdom of Judah would over the remainder of her history follow in the train of her Northern Kingdom counterpart – resulting in the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem beginning in 605 b.c. Peter’s word to his readers and to us is to not lose hope – but to look to that Precious Cornerstone – the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second Old Testament quotation is that of Psalm 118:22 in 1 Peter 2:7. Whenever one studies the context of Psalm 118, the author of that psalm is praising Yahweh for delivering him from certain trouble. The Psalm is filled with hope and renewed faith in the face of adversity. We know from the background of Peter’s audience in the first century that they were facing increasing difficulties. (see for instance 1 Peter 1:6-7; 3:13; 4:12) 

By recalling Psalm 118, Peter could show how the same God that answered cries of distress in the Psalmist’s time could do the same for the readers of his first epistle. Thus Peter is reinforcing his overall message to look to Christ as that Precious Cornerstone. Not only is Jesus the believer’s source of hope, He is also precious. 

b. Doubting Jesus will hurt you. 

The third quotation by Peter deals with the negative consequences of rejecting Jesus as the Precious cornerstone. 

Sadly, the Southern Kingdom of Judah would over the remainder of her history follow in the train of her Northern Kingdom counterpart – resulting in the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem beginning in 605 b.c. Peter’s word to his readers and to us is to not lose hope – but to look to that Precious Cornerstone – the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter's quotation from Isaiah 8 in 1 Peter 2:8 carries the message that God always has a faithful remnant in every age.  The sense on gathers from Isaiah 8 is that the inhabitants of the Jerusalem were seeing their fellow Jews to the North given in and give up to the threats and pressures of opposing forces. Despite deserving the consequences themselves, God still held out His message of hope and salvation to them. So we see then that the strength of God's building project of salvation lasts due to the Lord Jesus Christ. What then makes the Christian's life appealing to a watching world?

3. Curb Appeal: Changed Lives. 1 Peter 2:9-20

Whenever we study any of the New Testament epistles, we find the authors dealing with Christian identity or "gospel indicatives" and commands to carry forth that identity or "gospel imperatives". Gospel indicatives are so named because they explain "who I am and whose I am" or my status as an adopted child of God. Gospel imperatives are so designated due to the expectations and commands urged upon the believer to live their lives in light of their newly-given identity in Christ. The Apostle Peter gives forth the following "gospel indicatives" and "gospel imperatives" to raise the bar for attracting a watching world to the Christian faith.

a. Gospel Indicatives: Christians are a holy priest hood.  2:9-10. 

b. Gospel Imperatives: Christians are to function as a holy priesthood 

i. Abstain from worldly lusts 2:11 

ii. Guard (Integrity) 2:12 

iii. Submit to authorities (unless violating Christian convictions) 2:13 & Acts 5:29 

iv. Live (freely for God) 2:16 

v. Exercise (godliness in your relationships) 2:17 

vi. Persevere to the end 2:18-20

These six sets of imperatives or commands contribute to the overall "curb-appeal" of the Christian life. Just as the owner of a home clips their hedges, mows the lawn and applies paint to increase the visual appearance or "curb appeal" of their home to others, the Christian's claims about the reality of Jesus Christ find validity insofar as they take to heart their identity in Jesus. James 1:26-27 reminds us: 

"If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

Closing thoughts:

The sort of Christianity that the world is in need of is the type that manifests the working of Christ by the way the "living stones" of His spiritual temple live their lives. This is the sort of project Jesus is making - one that is "built-to-last".