The time-tested articles of religion have taught us that we are “very far gone from original righteousness.” The presence of original sin and its pervasiveness to all of humanity is one of the easiest Christian doctrines to prove. Unfortunately, the full redeeming and restorative work of God the Father through Christ Jesus and made effective by the Holy Spirit is not as well known. The following questions and answers are presented as an attempt to highlight the hope for the human condition through the gospel, particularly as it is understood in the Wesleyan tradition. What Makes Wesleyan Theology Unique? Wesleyan theology is different from some other theological systems in that it places a strong emphasis on the optimism of grace. While holding to an orthodox understanding of inherited depravity, Wesleyanism sees prevenient grace as God’s enablement for a sinner to respond to claims of the gospel and repent. The response to grace leads to more grace including conversion through the blood of Christ and sanctifying grace that transforms us into His image. (See Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:5; Titus 2:11; II Corinthians 3:16-18.) What Is the Difference in Initial Sanctification and Entire Sanctification? When a sinner is converted he is initially sanctified–set apart, made holy by God. As a child of God he begins to take on the character of his spiritual Father. As a believer continues in a life of discipleship, Christ makes His claim as Lord to the rightful center of the inner self. By default this center of the human heart is controlled by self-interest and this needs to be addressed for Christ to have His way with a believer. The grace of God has the ability to transform and entirely sanctify the control center of every believer by the work of the Holy Spirit. In entire sanctification not just the acts of sin are addressed but the nature or disposition to sin is addressed. (See I Corinthians 6:11; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 16:24; Isaiah 53:6; I Thessalonians 5:23.) What Is Actually Cleansed in Entire Sanctification? In the cleansing of entire sanctification that of which we were deprived through inherited depravity, namely a God-centered, others-oriented love and affection is made possible through heart cleansing. The purifying of our hearts that from birth have turned inward are cleansed from self-obsession and self-destruction. We now have the freedom to fully surrender to God and not to live in self-tyranny. (See II Corinthians 5:14-15; Acts 15:9.) Doesn’t Regeneration Take Care of Everything? A fully God-transformed life is possible as we are conformed to His will. Although God is fully capable of the complete transformation of a believer at the point of regeneration, scripture and human experience presents a pattern of His deeper work continuing in more than one deliberate moments of faith. There are examples of various ones in the Bible who were in a saving relationship with Christ but the need for a deeper cleansing remained. At times the disciples and Christians in Corinth and Philippi were in need of cleansing from an unChristlike self-interest. (See Romans 12:1-2; I Corinthians 3:1-3; II Corinthians 7:1; Matthew 18:1; Philippians 1:15.) How Can I Be Entirely Sanctified? Entire sanctification is available to all who are born of God and are willing to walk in the light in fellowship with God. As we fully cooperate with the Holy Spirit and welcome the loving, searching eyes of God upon us, we are eventually confronted with areas of need or hunger deep within. We may also come to see the possibilities and promises in Scripture not yet a reality in us. As we bring all of our needs and longings to God, He is able to complete what is lacking in us and to fill us with His Spirit and the very agape love of God. In prayer we accept God’s will for our cleansing, present our all as a living sacrifice. We entrust ourselves completely to God fearing not His control and asking to be filled with His love. Thankfully we find that He is pleased to give the very thing that is in keeping with His will for our lives–the greater fullness of His holy love through the unhindered presence of the Holy Spirit! (See I John 1:7; Psalm 139:23-24; Romans 12:1-2; Luke 11:13.) Can I Know I Am Entirely Sanctified? There are particular indicators a believer can look for when seeking assurance of the blessing and work of entire sanctification. Just as justification brings us to peace with God so entire sanctification brings us the peace of God. The believer is not only delivered from a hostile relationship with God, but there is also an inner harmony with the Spirit of God. Unbroken and unobstructed fellowship with God is the common reality of an entirely sanctified heart. Additionally, an entirely sanctified believer possesses a compelling love for God and others. Love becomes the chief motivation of life and service to God and others. Holy love conquers self-centeredness and allows us to shine in the image of Christ as true sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven. (See Romans 5:1; See I Thessalonians 5:23; II Corinthians 5:14-15.)
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What’s Wrong with Us?
Exploring the Nature of Inherited Depravity It doesn’t take long to recognize that there is something terribly wrong with humanity. Each day on large and small scales the brokenness of humanity is on display. While there are many noteworthy and honorable things to observe about the human family, we cannot deny the heartbreaking damage we have done to ourselves and each other throughout history. Since our problems transcend cultural, educational, and economic boundaries, we must conclude that there is a universal problem. Even a young temper-tantrum-throwing child points to the reality that a person doesn’t need to be taught to be selfish or despise authority--we come by these things naturally. But how? The Bible provides the most accurate and meaningful explanation for humanity’s existence, brokenness, and hope for redemption. The Creation account in Genesis 1 and 2 tell the story of our beginning. We were created by God and made in His image and God didn’t make a mistake. By the end of His work in creating the world He said it was good and only after humanity was created in the form of Adam and Eve did He say it was “very” good. Dr. William Ury reminds us that unholiness is not essential to humanity. It has been added. In other words, we weren’t born flawed or broken as we see so evidenced now. So, what happened? Something clearly happened when Adam and Eve sinned. Sadly, not only were Adam and Eve immediately damaged by their sin, but the repercussions of their sin also went on to touch their children including us. The Bible doesn’t hide our damaged nature. It points the finger of blame back to Adam in particular. Note some of the passages:
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. Ezekiel 18:20 (ESV) It’s hard to imagine the guilt of Adam’s sin falling on anyone but himself in light of this verse. However, there is clearly something that has touched all of humanity because of Adam’s sin. Here’s where we find the term “inherited depravity” to be most helpful. All members of Adam’s race inherit something, (many things to be sure) but something bad. We are “deprived” of something. We are missing what Adam and Eve originally had before they sinned, namely an untarnished nature and ability to fellowship with God without hindrance. We have inherited an inner corruption that works its way out in the form of attitudes and actions that are sinful. We know what is wrong with us, but, thankfully, we can know what God has done to make things right! Romans 5 also teaches us that Christ, the Second Adam, came to thoroughly deal with the problem: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Romans 5:18 (KJV) This verse speaks of a free gift through Christ which counters the condemnation received from the first Adam. Later in the passage we are told that gift is referred to as grace, a grace that is greater than sin. Some of our Calvinistic friends will teach “total depravity” that apart from one’s election to salvation and effectual calling will leave us totally unable to respond to the grace of God. While we agree that every part of us has been damaged by the corruption passed on through inherited depravity, we also believe that God’s grace is available to all. God gives us grace and through any number of prevenient measures He is speaking, calling, warning and wooing souls to Himself. Our response to any overture by God is possible because of His grace. When we recognize that something is wrong with us, that’s an indication that grace is at work! Only when we see our utter poverty and personal guilt before God can we be in position to receive the free gift of God’s justifying work through forgiveness in Christ. This also sets us on the path to know the fuller measure of God’s grace that makes us holy and deals with the corruption within. Through Christ, sin and nature need not have the last word in our story! Bibliography Calvin, John. The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Kindle edition. Kinlaw, Dennis. Let’s Start with Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Wesley, John. The Sermons of John Wesley – Sermon 44 “Original Sin” http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872- edition/sermon-44-original-sin/ Wiley, H. Orton. Christian Theology – Chapter 19 “Original Sin or Inherited Depravity.” http://wesley.nnu.edu/other-theologians/henry-orton-wiley/h-orton-wiley- christian-theology-chapter-19/ Sharing in the (Social) Nature of God
When God told us that humanity was created in His image (Genesis 1:27) there was more packed in that statement than one could have imagined, especially if all you had to go on was the Genesis record. Although the image of God includes such things as exercising dominion and possessing a moral nature, the social/relational nature of God is one of the richest realities of God to consider. There are hints of the Trinity and the social nature of God in what we are told about creation such as Genesis 1:26 where God says let us make man in our image, it’s not until the coming of Christ that we get a clearer picture of the social construct of the Godhead. A stunning display of diversity and unity in the Trinity is captured in John 14:16-17 where Jesus says, And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. The inner activity of the Godhead is intensely social. Three persons are interacting in beautiful harmony. Notice the mutual respect and cooperation at work here. Three distinct persons are responding to each other in love. Dr. William Ury lecturing on the image of God in anthropology says humanity was made for mutual respect and mutual honor. He further states that personhood primarily involves three things: to give, to receive, and to share. Since human personhood is a reflection of divine personhood the nature of God not only provides a basis of understanding ourselves but also points to God’s vision for what we were made to be. Looking back at what Jesus said in John 14 we see the love within the Trinity spilling over and pointing outward to others. What a relief to know that the nature of God is not an inward-focused, self obsession but a self-giving, others-oriented love. All that God does He does in love. Thankfully, that love has made it all the way to us. As bearers of the image of God we were made for community. We were not made to live as an island to ourselves seeking our own interests and taking advantage of others as our needs and wants demand. We were made to live in the kind of love experienced in the life of the Trinity. As countless lives have proven, living for ourselves is a dead-end road. The real joy of living is found in living like the Trinity as we give ourselves in love to others. To love and be loved is the heart of humanity and it is the heart of God. As fallen creatures whom God through Christ longs to restore we are called to more than life in community, we are called to the community of the New Covenant where redeemed lives are transformed by God’s Spirit to experience life with Him and His people. This life should also spill over to include others beyond the community of believers. The purposes of God include our deepest restoration in His image so that in holy love we give, receive, and share with others in a kind of community the world longs for but about which it knows so little. In the eternal purposes of God, those in the New Covenant are being shaped for an even greater community in the life to come. Even now God is drawing, redeeming and sanctifying us for His future purposes. In ages to come the children of God will be fully restored in the image of the Father and experience the fullness of joy in His presence and with His saints. In the meantime, we cooperate with the grace God has given us to belong and become everything God has purposed, both now and for eternity. Bibliography Kinlaw, Dennis. Let’s Start with Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Oden, Thomas. Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology. San Francisco: Harper, 2009. Pope, William Burt. A Compendium of Christian Theology, Kindle Edition. Sri, Edward P. Five Key Features of the Theology of the Body, www.catholiceducation.org Ury, William. Anthropology Lecture Notes Avoiding reactionism is always important and never more so than in matters of theology. In the early 20th century with deep concerns about theological liberalism and cultural modernism a move to promote and protect the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith was launched. One might say that fundamentalism was itself a reactionary move. Larry Pettegrew writing on the history of fundamentalism defines historic fundamentalism as “The religious movement within American Protestantism that stresses the literal exposition of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible and the militant exposure of any deviance therefrom.”[1] One of the fundamental doctrines in question was the inerrancy of Scripture. A militant spirit prevailed among many fundamentalists to the point that a host of practicing theologians began to distance themselves from the spirit and hardline positions of fundamentalists. Considering the influences of theological liberalism, cultural modernism, and a reactionary distancing from fundamentalists, it is not surprising that the doctrine of inerrancy began to fall on hard times. Many in the Christian community including those in the Wesleyan tradition avoided the label and positions of fundamentalism. With one hundred or so years having passed since the birth of fundamentalism and the reactions to it, the consequences of a weakened position on the inerrancy of Scripture have begun to show, particularly among Wesleyans. Should the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture be the sole property of fundamentalism? Can a high view of Scripture also be held by those who do not hold to all the historic positions of fundamentalism? Even more specifically, is the inerrancy of Scripture a Calvinistic distinctive and not compatible with Wesleyanism? Trouble always seems to follow when our presuppositions get in the way. The first loyalty of a Wesleyan theologian or any other theologian is to let God be God and let His Word speak. The Scriptures have not been silent in the internal witness of their accuracy and inspiration. The classic text on the inspiration of Scripture gives us sure footing on this matter: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (II Timothy 3:16.) Our embrace of the inspiration of Scripture will naturally bring us into fellowship with some in the Christian community while distancing us from others. With whom we stand in this doctrine is not nearly as important as that we stand for the inerrancy of Scripture. Inspiration & Inerrancy Defined Let us be clear on what we mean by inerrancy. Dr. Mark Bird provides a helpful definition of the inspiration of Scripture when he says, “Using the Bible writers' personalities, vocabularies, backgrounds, education, etc., God superintended their writings to enable them to write down exactly the words that He wanted to be in the Bible.”[2] In arguing for the plenary inspiration of Scripture, Charles Hodge reminds us that “Plenary is opposed to partial. The Church doctrine denies that inspiration is confined to parts of the Bible; and affirms that it applies to all the books of the sacred canon. It denies that the sacred writers were merely partially inspired; it asserts that they were fully inspired as to all that they teach, whether of doctrine or fact. They were infallible only as teachers, and when acting as the spokesmen of God.”[3] Dr. William Ury in his classroom lectures emphasized the totality of inspiration saying, “Inspiration pervades all Scripture and is for every people, every person, at all times—not just the parts of Scripture I like or the sections that are the nicest in my generation, but all Scripture is inspired by God.”[4] One must wonder how an orthodox Calvinist theologian like Hodge who lived and died well before the rise of the modern fundamentalist movement would be viewed by a Wesleyan who is uncommitted to the inerrancy of Scripture. Or how such a theologian might explain the presence of several Wesleyan theologians who helped shape The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy to succinctly state, “Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching.” A strong view on the inerrancy of Scripture does not leave you in bad company nor does it require you to check your mind at the door. Admittedly, it may require some work to resolve apparent conflicts in Scripture, but to acquiesce to a low view of Scripture has devastating consequences. Warnings The consequences of a lack of confidence in Scripture are real. Quoting Wilbur Dayton in his aforementioned paper on inerrancy, Dr. Bird quotes a strong warning from Dayton: Doubt or denial of inerrancy is historically accompanied by doubt or denial of other basic doctrines, widespread unbelief, a sick church, and vigorous and triumphant anti-Christian movements until recent times such doubt had little standing in the church. One wonders if the compromise on the Bible is not the wedge that opened the door for the massive unbelief that is sweeping over so much of the church today.[5] At stake in this inerrancy debate according to Vic Reasoner is the issue of Biblical authority. ”The ultimate issue for evangelical Wesleyans is not inerrancy. It is authority. Authority is the logical conclusion of divine inspiration.”[6] This is not just a fundamentalist issue; the authority of Scripture has implications for every soul! When the authority of Scripture is not firmly settled it seems inevitable that a neo-orthodoxy view of Scripture will emerge. In this view the Scriptures are not viewed as the Word of God, but rather they contain an inspired witness. The Bible can only become the Word of God if and when God chooses to use it to reveal himself. Propositional truth is dismissed in favor of an existential element which becomes very subjective and relative. One does not have to look far in the American church to see a lack of authority and an abundance of subjectivity in relationship to truth. This reality is only multiplied in the culture at large. To be sure, how Scripture works in our lives truly matters but Scripture must always have the final say, not our experiences. As Thomas Oden says, “Scripture and tradition are received, understood, and validated through personal experiences, but not arbitrated or censored by it. Rather, Scripture and tradition amid the living, worshiping community are the means by which and context in which one’s personal experiences are evaluated.”[7] Conclusion Inerrancy is not an issue confined to a particular theological camp such as Calvinists, nor is it to be held only by fiery fundamentalists. Inerrancy is the reasonable understanding of a Bible-believing Christian who takes God at His Word and believes the perfect character of God is reflected in His work of recording even the very words of Scripture. Is Inerrancy for Fundamentalists Only? Outline
2. Is the Doctrine of Inerrancy Reasonable? Is it reasonable to expect or believe that God has superintended the transmission of His Word through human agency without error? 3. Is the Doctrine of Inerrancy Traceable in Church History? Why have some embraced as others rejected inerrancy? 4. What Are the Consequences of Accepting or Rejecting Inerrancy? What has inerrancy safeguarded when embraced, what has it threatened when rejected? [1] Pettegrew, L. (2020, April 18). A Brief History of Fundamentalism. Shepherds Theological Seminary. https://shepherds.edu/a-brief-history-of-fundamentalism/ [2] Bird, Mark. “Inerrancy: Inspiration and the Test of Truth.” WTS Paper, March, 2015. http://www.wesleyantheology.com/inerrancy-and-wts.html [3] Hodge, Charles. 1997. Systematic Theology. Vol. 1. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. [4] Dr. William Ury, Ury Systematics 1 (6, 2) Inspiration, Inerrancy, YouTube [5] Bird, Mark. “Inerrancy: Inspiration and the Test of Truth.” WTS Paper, March, 2015. http://www.wesleyantheology.com/inerrancy-and-wts.html [6] Vic Reasoner, The Importance of Inerrancy (Evansville: Fundamental Wesleyan Publishers, 2013), p.55. [7] Thomas C. Oden, Classic Christianity (New York: HarperCollins, 1992,) p.180. In the minds of some, discussing theology should be reserved for the classroom. Mistakenly, some think that theology has little to no relationship to everyday living. Having a proper understanding of God and the things of God and knowing how they relate to life is extremely important. This paper is an effort to explore how theology, particularly Wesleyan theology, informs a theologian in establishing theologically sound beliefs and practices using what is known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
Church history has shown John Wesley to be a practical theologian. According to Allan Coppedge, “Wesley’s concern that God’s truth actually be applied in everyday life led to his writing theology differently than classic systematic models. More like the writings of the early church, his pattern was developed in documents designed to meet the needs of the life of the church.” Wesley not only left a treasure trove of writings for the generations to come, he also provided a pattern to be used by others to do theological studies as they look for practical answers to questions relating to knowing and pleasing God. One of the helpful things about Wesley’s way of doing theology was it was not unnecessarily complicated and it was always practical. By contrast, the Avery Dulles theological method had numerous layers which included “the testimony of ancient Christian tradition, the prayer and worship of the Church, the opinions of other theologians, the sense of the faithful and the evidence of history, experience, or reason.” Wesley’s theology was based on scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. Similar to Wesley’s method was Sung Wook Chung’s six step theological method which included: 1.) Identify relevant texts; 2.) Exegesis: Grammatical/historical/cultural interpretation; 3.) Biblical-theological study; 4.) Integration of historical theology; 5.) Formulation of the doctrine; and 6.) Application of the doctrine to life, ministry and apologetics.” Wesley’s theology was based on scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. Scripture John Wesley was a man of one Book (and many books.) In the preface to the book Sermons on Several Occasions Wesley says, I want to know one thing, the way to heaven—how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way: for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! Let me be homo unius libri. Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone: only God is here. In his presence I open, I read his Book; for this end, to find the way to heaven. Wesley lived and breathed the scriptures until God’s thoughts became part of his thinking. He saw the Scriptures as his master and he saw them as the final authority for all religious matters. Similarly, those who would be true to the Wesleyan way of doing theology must see the authority and priority of Scripture. Furthermore, Scripture supersedes the other remaining factors in the quadrilateral in weight and importance. After Scripture, the Wesleyan theologian considers additional factors when a particular concern is not made clear or addressed in detail within the pages of God’s Word. Reason As creatures made in the image of God, man has the capacity to reason. Reason is not checked at the door when we live for God. Coppedge says it like this, “Since reason comes from God himself, Wesley felt that all true religion will be reasonable in essence.” Wesley went so far as to say that all irrational religion is false religion. A Wesleyan theologian understands that not every doctrine is explicit in Scripture. Some reasoning is involved in working through the various implications of God’s revelation. A good example of this is the doctrine of the Trinity. This blessed doctrine has been developed by organizing various portions of Scripture to bring us to a reasonable conclusion. A faithful theologian in the Wesleyan tradition can never elevate reason above Scripture. When we have reached the limits of human reasoning our faith continues to hold to the God Whose thoughts are higher than our thoughts and Whose ways are higher than our ways. Tradition The third part of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral is tradition. The tradition to which Wesley referred was so much more than church customs; it was the weightier matters of interpretation and application of Scripture and the formulation of doctrine. Like Wesley, a responsible theologian understands that tradition is not to be taken lightly. For a modern theologian to ignore how twenty centuries of Christians have understood and applied the Scriptures would be extremely arrogant. Although not rising to the same level as Scripture, the wise counsel of those who have lived before us can be a safeguard to our faulty thinking and limited perspective. “Wesley was willing to consult the great expositors of the church to assist him in his own interpretations of Scripture, it is clear he was not willing for them to become final authority in theological matters.” Experience Since God’s Word is to be put into practice in everyday life, it is important to consider experience in our development of sound theology. While keeping the authority of Scripture as our priority and using reason and tradition as guideposts, we would also do well to honestly assess the fruit or effects of our theology. Does it work? A Wesleyan theologian should be able to not only articulate a reasoned Scriptural basis for a doctrine, but should also be able to demonstrate the desirable outcome of such a belief system. If the Wesleyan theologian will, like Wesley, be a practical theologian, experience cannot be ignored. In proving all things and holding fast to what is good we will show ourselves to be faithful servants of Christ. Outline for Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral Subject: Practical Christian Living Introduction: Every genuine child of God will want to please his/her Heavenly Father. But just like most children we have known, we have questions. What is right or wrong? Why do some Christians believe and practice some things while other Christians do not? The process of taking what the Bible teaches about knowing and pleasing God and then organizing it into practical ways to live is a form of theology. John Wesley did this in four basic ways. His system has become known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. The four components of that system were: Scripture, Reason, Tradition and Experience. This is a very helpful tool for finding a way to live a well-balanced Christian life. We could break it into four questions for just about any matter regarding our faith from what to do about issues of human life to something as specific as whether or not a Christian should consume alcohol. Question 1: (Scripture) What does God say about it? Are there specific Scriptures that deal explicitly with this topic? Question 2: (Reason) What are some reasonable conclusions from Scripture? Even if the Bible is not explicit on the matter, are there reasonable implications to be drawn from Scripture? Question 3: (Tradition) What has the church historically taught about this matter? Is there widespread agreement on this subject among God’s people? Question 4: (Experience) What have been the fruits of this teaching or practice? Does this help or hinder in loving God and loving others? Conclusion: Beliefs have consequences. What we believe and practice (our theology) really does matter. Sound doctrine based on good theology paves the way for meaningful and practical Christian living. From Cowardice to Confidence
This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Acts 2:23-24 If life were a compilation of random snapshots placed side by side, our lives wouldn’t always make sense without some knowledge of the backstory. Consider the Apostle Peter. If you took a snapshot of him the dark night he denied Christ and placed it beside a snapshot of him boldly preaching Christ on the Day of Pentecost roughly fifty days later, some explanation would be needed. What changed in Peter? The answer: Peter became thoroughly convinced of the resurrection of Jesus. This conviction gave birth to a new confidence which enabled him to boldly proclaim Christ. Authors, Gary Habermas and Michael Licona in their book, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (p.57) said “The disciples were so strengthened by seeing the risen Jesus that they preached without a thought for their earthly fate because they knew immortality awaited them.” In a world of skeptics, the story of Peter’s transformation continues to serve a strong evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. If anyone knew Jesus died, Peter did. If anyone knew the tomb was empty, Peter did – he visited it Easter Sunday morning. If anyone knew Jesus was alive – Peter did. This knowledge coupled with the filling of the Holy Spirit made all the difference in Peter’s life and future ministry. If you find yourself overcome by fear and regrets from past failures, Peter would understand. If you long to stand for Christ in the midst of opposition, Peter’s story offers hope. It’s well worth you time to revisit the Gospel accounts. Read of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Look closely at the post-resurrection appearances of Christ. Review the snapshots of the transformed disciples in the book of Acts. Above all, ask the Christ who met Peter to meet you. Transformation awaits as you see and know the living Lord! From Enemy to Friend “They only heard the account: The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” Galatians 1:23 What would it take to turn an enemy into a friend? More than a friend, what would it take to make an enemy a devoted follower of Christ? Well, if you are a high-ranking Pharisee like Saul (later Paul) it would take a lot to turn you from a Christian-persecuting, Christ-denying religious zealot into a Gospel-preaching church planter. What would bring this same man to one day die for this Christ? Although there were credible eyewitness accounts to the resurrection of Jesus, Paul remained skeptical, even hostile to this new religious sect called Christianity. Others heard and believed but not him. The one thing that did convince Paul of the truth of the resurrection of Jesus was an authentic encounter he had with the living Christ on the road to Damascus. That encounter not only convinced him of the error of his ways, it also transformed him into was is likely the most effective Christian witness in history. Paul would spend the remainder of his life spreading the Good News of Christ and willingly facing persecution himself for what he knew to be true – Jesus Christ is indeed risen from the dead! Paul would later claim that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important proof of the viability of the Christian faith. Like Paul, in more recent times a journalist and former atheist, Lee Strobel, testifies, “I became a Christian because the evidence was so compelling that Jesus is the one-and-only Son of God who proved his divinity by rising from the dead.” The truth claims of the resurrection of Jesus Christ are compelling as evidenced by those who have seen and believed and been transformed by that knowledge. It’s likely all of us know someone who is hostile to Christ and his church. We long for the conversion and transformation of all who pose as enemies of Christ. Thankfully, we have hope for their salvation because of the resurrection. The facts are on our side as we witness. It may be that God will use the genuine pursuit of truth to gradually soften and awaken a heart or he may choose to reveal himself more personally and dramatically as he did to Paul. Even now, story after story of the resurrected Jesus appearing to individuals in their dreams are being told by many, especially Muslims who live in a country closed to Christian witnessing. The risen Lord is still calling and revealing himself to seekers and enemies as well. Let us pray and be ready to share the Good News of Christ. There is hope for all in him! From Skeptic to Servant Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. I Corinthians 15:7 It’s been said that you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. Some of us know the greatest pain we have experienced in our life has come from our own family. At times, our harshest critics are our own flesh and blood. Jesus dealt with unsupportive family members as well. His half-brother, James, was known to be skeptical of Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God. Apparently, none of the profound teachings or miracles of Jesus could move James into the believer’s camp. You can imagine how painful this must have been for Jesus and how useful James was to the Enemy (Satan) and the enemies of God. Something changed in the heart and mind of James that convinced him that Jesus was the Christ. And just like God loves to do, he turned the tables and the useful skeptic Satan had in James became a powerful witness for Christ. Lee Strobel, in his book The Case for Christ, (p.248) records the early historian, Josephus, verifying that James, the brother of Jesus, who was a leader in the Jerusalem church, was stoned to death because of his belief in his brother. It was a visit from the resurrected Jesus that changed James from a skeptic to a servant of Christ. We have reason to believe that every lingering doubt that James had about Jesus was obliterated when he personally witnessed the risen Christ. Just like Paul and Peter, James was so thoroughly convinced of the divinity and victory of Christ over death that he willingly faced his own death rather than denying his Lord. Familiarity can rob us of the wonder of great truths. James’ familiarity with Jesus may have been a cause for his original skepticism and unbelief. If your zeal for Christ and eagerness to witness for him has been hindered by the familiarity of the Gospel, it may be helpful to look again at the greatest miracle in Christianity – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After 2,000 years of scrutiny, case for the resurrection of Jesus has only been strengthened. Some of the brightest minds have examined the evidence and only grown in their conviction that God raised Jesus from the dead on the first Easter. What a blessing confident and courageous servants of Christ are and have been to the world. The world waits for another living witness to the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. BIBLIOGRAPHY Habermas, Gary and Michael Licona. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004 McDowell, Josh, and Don Stewart. Reasons Skeptics Should Consider Christianity, San Bernardino, 1981 Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998 Strobel, Lee. The Case for Miracles, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018 Wright, N.T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003 |
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