Teleios

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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Why do I feel guilty?

Welcome again to my blog. I am grateful you have taken the time to visit.

These last few weeks we have discussed our secure position before God as believers in Jesus Christ. These are powerful promises! Please review them if you have not read those blogs.

Scientific research has shown that Christians generally have better wellbeing and less depression than non-Christians.¹ Why then are Christians known for feeling guilty? This week let us discuss the problem and next week the solutions.

Teleios conducted 2 surveys: one at a major secular college campus and another in a well instructed evangelical church. Approximately 70% of participants in both surveys felt guilty! Fortunately, the level of guilt was mild.

All the causes of this affliction are not known. Indeed, in the church based survey of adults the overwhelming reason for guilt was due to a believer thinking their current sin(s) had somehow separated them from God and hurt their relationship with Christ; they felt badly about it! In my experience, it is very common for almost every person I teach to have felt some level of guilt.

Why is this the case? Well we do not know all the causes but below are some potentials:

We inflict it on our selves

We induce it in each other

Some churches induce it through legalistic regulations. Indeed, one pastor once sheepishly told me it can be good for motivating people!

Why do Christians feel guilty? Our sins are forgiven! Can you name a verse in the Bible that says we should feel guilty? I certainly cannot.

An example I often tell my students is that I have studied Greek, the original language of the Bible, for 25 years. Until recently I did not even know the Greek word for ‘guilt’ despite all my studies! The Bible does just not discuss it!

Of course, because I told the story several times I learned it destroying my example. However, my wife kindly pointed out that the few times it's used in the New Testament it is not related to believers’ guilt. She made a good point. We are not to feel guilty!

The problem of guilt can be a big one because it:

Teaches a lie about God

Robs us of our joy of salvation

Captures our emotions in incorrect thinking and takes us away from positive role of the Christian life

Minimizes the actions of the church

So, what is the cure? Let's discuss this next week. Thank you for joining me as always.

WC Stewart

1. Stewart WC, Reynolds KE, Jones LJ, Stewart JA, Nelson LA. The source and impact of specific parameters that enhance well-being in daily life. J Rel Health 2016;55:1326-1335.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

God’s own possession, what a marvelous promise

Welcome again to my blog. I am grateful you have taken the time to visit.

Six weeks ago, we began a discussion regarding the results of personal salvation in Christ and why it might be associated with enhanced wellbeing as found through Teleios research.^1,2 The blogs are describing what happens at the time of salvation, as taught in the Bible, resulting in a steadfast new and wonderful position of a believer.

This week let us discuss the great promise of our eternal possession by God.

The wonderful story of our being the possession of God starts in Exodus 19:5-6 when God told the Israelites that He intended them to be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation and His peculiar possession. They failed in their commitment to God and sinned against Him. Therefore, they did not become a kingdom of priests or a holy nation. However, God will keep His promise to Israel that the nation would be His eternal possession (Psalm 89, and 132:11-17, Romans 11:26-29).

As we know, the sin of Israel under the law was to show us our need for Christ (Galatians 3:24). He has come and died for our sins, that through Him, those who believe on his death on the cross by faith will have eternal life. As believers, God has enabled us to become a kingdom of priests, a holy nation and His peculiar possession (I Peter 2:9).

How can Christians do this when the Israelis could not? It is because we have the Holy Spirit given to us as a seal to our redemption and to mark us as His eternal possession (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Christ noted that as His chosen, we are in His hands and cannot be removed. We are also in God’s hands and cannot be removed (John10:28-30). Several other Scriptures also note that we are God’s possession (I Thessalonians5:9, II Thessalonians 2:14 and Hebrews 10:39 [word ‘possession’ in Greek])

We have in general, God’s promise that He will secure us in His power unto salvation (II Timothy 1:12, Philippians 1:6, I Thessalonians 5:23).

Over the past six weeks we have covered marvelous promises of our position as a believer that cannot be overturned, either because of legal, morphological reasons or through the direct power of God. These promises include: spiritual baptism, membership in the universal church, sealing by the Holy Spirit, adoption, justification, and now being made God's possession.

Thank you for joining me this week and please come again next week as we continue to discuss the amazing power of God's word in our lives.

WC Stewart

1. MacIlvaine WR, Nelson LA, Stewart JA, Stewart WC. Association of strength of community service to personal wellbeing. Community Ment Health J 2014;50:577-82.

2. MacIlvaine WR, Nelson LA, Stewart JA, Stewart WC. Association of strength of religious adherence to quality of life measures. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2013;19:251-5.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Justification…wow, we are legally without sin!

Welcome again to my blog. I am grateful you have taken the time to visit.

Five weeks ago, we began a discussion regarding the results of personal salvation in Christ and why it might be associated with enhanced wellbeing as found through Teleios’ research.^1,2 The current blogs are describing what happens at the time of salvation, as taught in the Bible, which results in a new and wonderful position for a believer.

This week let us discuss justification. There is no other more important result of Christ’s work on the cross than our justification by faith. Let's examine in some detail the meaning of this great promise.

Meaning of the New Testament word - This word is vital because the complete meaning in Greek of the word, “justification” (δικαιος, dikaios) is not fully conveyed by the English. As you know, Greek is the original language of the New Testament. The word dikaios carried a legal meaning that still exists today in modern Greek. The word reflected then someone who was found innocent in a court of law of all charges against them. Just like now, in ancient times in the Greek and Roman world there was no double jeopardy.³ This important legal concept means once you have been found innocent you cannot be charged again for the same crime.

Christ’s work in justification - The Bible indicates that each of us has sinned and “fallen short” of what God requires of us (Romans 3:23). Because God is just, He demands punishment for our misdeeds. However, because He is loving, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment in our place (Romans 3:24-26).

It's as though Christ acted as a courtroom judge and found us guilty of our sins and gave us the death sentence but afterwards, stood up, removed His judicial robe, came around in front of the judge’s bench and took the punishment for us. This satisfied God's demand for righteousness but also showed His great and gracious love for us.

Importantly, Christ is a sufficient sacrifice for our sins as He is perfect, holy and without sin (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 7:26, IICorinthians 5:21). Therefore, Christ was a sufficient sacrifice to satisfy God's judgment. Accordingly, He died once for all sin, for all time, and He does not need to do this again as did the Old Testament priests (Hebrews 6:1-14; 10:10-18).

Our legal position before God was pronounced “innocent” when we trusted Christ for forgiveness of our sins. We do this only once and our sins are forgiven for all time. Since Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient for all our sins for all time, nobody can charge us again. There is no double jeopardy!

WOW! We are secure in our position before God. We can come to him boldly because there are no limits on our access after we believe and become a Christian (Hebrews 10:20-23). What a great promise we have in our justification!

Indeed, God has given us, as Christian believers, a marvelous salvation and a wonderful secure eternity with Him (Romans 10:9-10; I Peter 1:4-5). Come back again next week and we'll complete this exciting overview of the results of our salvation.

WC Stewart

1. MacIlvaine WR, Nelson LA, Stewart JA, Stewart WC. Association of strength of community service to personal wellbeing. Community Ment Health J 2014;50:577-82.

2. MacIlvaine WR, Nelson LA, Stewart JA, Stewart WC. Association of strength of religious adherence to quality of life measures. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2013;19:251-5.

3. http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1209&context=wmborj

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Adopted Children

Welcome again to my blog. Thank you for visiting.

Several weeks ago we began a discussion about the results of personal salvation in Christ and why it might be associated with enhanced wellbeing as found through Teleios’ research.¹ The current blog series is describing what happens, as taught in the Bible, at the time of salvation results in wonderful changes for a believer.

We have discussed already several fantastic promises associated with salvation. This week let us consider adoption, another marvelous biblical promise.

Adoption is important in our society because when a family legally adopts a child the new family member gains all the rights and privileges of a natural child. In other words, their new status in the family is permanent and cannot be overturned. What a great promise of security to the child!

Likewise, in the ancient Greek and Roman world, as in our own society (with some differences), adoption provided permanent legal status for a child that could not be overturned (ISBE). The Apostle Paul states our status as adopted children into God’s family in four separate places in his epistles, indicating the importance of our new position as a believer following accepting Christ as Savior through faith (Romans 8:15 and 23, Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5). Consequently, we are children of God, adopted into His family with legal protection and a permanent status. What a great promise!

How interesting that Paul describes adoption as one of our positions before God as New Testament Christians. It was not an image used of Old Testament believers. Adoption apparently was not common in the Hebrew world and is noted only in the Old Testament three times, all occurring outside of Israel. God appeared to handle the issue of orphaned children in Israel by the use of a kinsman redeemer as provided in the Hebrew law.

Israel also is not noted to be adopted until Paul mentions it retroactively to the mixed audience of Greeks and the Jews in Rome (the Jews were probably Hellenized and so would relate to the image) to explain God's relationship to Israel in the Old Testament (Romans 9:4).

Adoption is the fourth of the great promises of our position as a believer because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, resulting in either legal or morphological irreversible changes. These changes indicate our eternal security including: spiritual baptism, membership in the universal church, sealing by the Spirit and now adoption as children of God.

Indeed, God has given us a marvelous salvation and the promise of a wonderful secure eternity with Him (Romans 10:9-10). Come back again next week and we'll talk about justification, a supposition from Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. As always, thank you for visiting.

WC Stewart

1. MacIlvaine, W.R., Nelson, L.A., Stewart, J.A., Stewart, W.C. (2013). Association of strength of religious adherence to quality of life measures. Complement Ther Clin Pract, 19:251-255.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Sealed by the Holy Spirit

Welcome again to my blog. Thank you for visiting.

We have discussed already the past two weeks several wonderful promises accompanying salvation. This week let us overview the Spirit sealing, another fantastic biblical promise!

The Holy Spirit is often misunderstood, but He is a key component in our salvation, resulting position before God and subsequent Christian walk.

At Salvation the Holy Spirit is given to us. This is a great promise and is a part of the results of our belief to salvation by faith alone in Christ’s substitutionary work on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). These are the main points to review about the Spirit at salvation. Read and enjoy!

Spiritual baptism - We discussed this great promise two weeks ago; that the Holy Spirit regenerates us to a new life in Christ, identifying us with His death and resurrection upon the cross. We are a new creature in Christ (Romans 6:2-9, Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10).

Entry into the church - The Spirit places us in the church universal through which serve Christ.

The Spirit sealing - This week we learn that the Holy Spirit at Salvation is given to us as a seal unto the day of our redemption, the second coming of Christ, when we will live with him eternally (Ephesians 1:13-14, II Corinthians 1:22, 5:5).

Fortunately, this seal is not talking about a cute aquatic mammal, but it is speaking of a secure seal to bind us to Christ. Seals were used in the ancient world as a legal means to close a document ISBE. If a king had created a new law or order, molten wax might be poured on the document to seal it and the king's signet ring pressed into the wax. The king’s symbol in the wax would tell the carrier or the recipient that the contents of the document were the king’s will and breaking the seal inappropriately or ignoring the order was done at a person's own peril.

We are sealed by our King and it reflects the same legal and unbreakable character as ancient law. Further, the Spirit seals us throughout our whole life on earth until we go home to heaven. Importantly, all those who believed by grace in Christ's forgiveness on the cross are Christians and have the Spirit and the seal (Ephesians 2:8:9).

What great promises we possess as believers in Christ with a position so eternally secure with a great hope for the future and a steadfast anchor our souls while we are on Earth (Hebrews 6:19; I Peter1:4-5).

Thank you for joining me on this fascinating Journey of who we are as a Christian before God. Please join us again next week to learn more.

WC Stewart

1. MacIlvaine, W.R., Nelson, L.A., Stewart, J.A., Stewart, W.C. (2013). Association of strength of religious adherence to quality of life measures. Complement Ther Clin Pract, 19:251-255.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

All praise for Christ’s church

Welcome again to my blog. Thank you for visiting.

Two weeks ago we began a discussion regarding the results of personal salvation in Christ and why it might be associated with enhanced wellbeing as found through Teleios research.¹ Our current blog series is describing what happens, as taught in the Bible, to individuals at the time of their salvation. We started last week with the fantastic promise of spiritual baptism, resulting in a steadfast new and wonderful position of a believer. This week let us overview our membership in Christ’s church.

At salvation the Holy Spirit places each of us into the church of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13). This is a great promise and is a part of the results of our belief in salvation by faith alone in Christ.

The form of the church into which we are placed by the Spirit can be called, in theological terms, the church universal. This form of the church roughly can be described as the following:

It is the union of all believers worldwide who form the complete body of Christ.

Its head is Christ who sits at the right hand of God the Father and currently leads His church (Colossians 1:17-18, Hebrews 8:1, Ephesians 1:20-23).

Scripture does not indicate that our membership can be revoked from the church universal.

Although we are each instructed to be holy as God is Holy (I Peter 1:16), we each have different functions within the church (I Corinthians 12:13-27; Romans 12:4-5).

The practical outworking of the church universal is multiple organized bodies of believers often called the local church, but in our current age might be virtual (online) as well. Para-church organizations (e.g. independent missions or college ministries) function within the church universal but similarly to the local church. This is a topic for a future blog. Scripture gives broad definition to how churches are organized which allows great flexibility to serve Christ in various times and cultures.

These concepts of the church I've tried to base on Scripture without cultural overlays of expectations and definitions. Regardless, the concept of the universal church is controversial. For example, the some Baptist churches may not accept the concept of a ‘universal church’.² However, as the Apostle Paul states, we do what we do in faith using what we need to serve God, filtered by prayer and God's word (I Timothy 4:4-5, Romans 14:23).

Our reviews so far we've covered…that at our salvation through faith in Christ’s death on the cross; we have a spiritual baptism that identifies us as resurrected to a new life and places by the Spirit in Christ’s Church.

Praise be to God for such wonderful promises and positions resulting from such a great salvation. Stay tuned next week as we continue our discussion of the results of salvation. Thank you for joining me today.