Tag: faith

How Can I Be Sure I’m Going to Heaven?

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for LifeLeave a comment

It’s hard to trust every promise you hear these days. Most of us have had the experience of someone breaking a promise they made to us. 

I remember a time early in our marriage when Whitney was away at a women’s Bible study one night, and a man selling vacuum cleaners came to our house. I told him right away at the door that I’m not interested. He said, “Oh, I’m not really needing to sell you anything. All I have to do is get enough demonstrations done, and then I get paid for that.” 

“Really?” I said. “You mean you get paid just for coming into my house, vacuuming my carpet, and then leaving without me spending a dime?” “That’s right,” he said. So, I reluctantly agreed, but I made him promise that he wouldn’t try to sell me anything. 

As it turns out, his demonstration included telling me about every part of the vacuum cleaner. I listened respectfully as he explained the marvels of every brush, wand, and hose. He finally got to the point where he demonstrated the vacuum cleaner’s power, but not before dumping some dirt on our carpet. No, he didn’t ask first. Just dumped some dirt and said, “Watch this.” Apparently, he only planned to clean up the mess he himself was going to make.  

After about 15 minutes into this demonstration, he said, “You know, you seem like a nice guy. I want to tell you about an exclusive sale we’re only allowed to give to a few.” Oh boy, here it comes.  

No, I didn’t buy the vacuum cleaner. And no, I wasn’t impressed with the fact that he broke his promise and tried to sell me something. 

We all know what it’s like when someone breaks his or her promise. It’s irritating in cases like my encounter with the vacuum salesman, but in other cases, it can be devastating. We hear politicians make promises they can’t keep. We hear bosses make promises and then forget to keep them. Husbands and wives make vows and then break them. And so, because there’s a sour taste in our mouth from all the broken promises, sometimes it’s hard for us to believe God when He gives us a promise. 

But not all promises are meant to be broken. Some are so unbreakable that they are rooted in eternity. God is a good Father, and a good Father never wants His children to doubt His love for them. He wants them to know they are His–not just for today, but forever. 

Something every Christian wants is assurance of eternal life, but we will never have it until we learn to look away from ourselves to Jesus Christ as the Author of our salvation from beginning to end.  

The Apostle Paul delivered this promise in Romans 8:

“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30, ESV) 

The phrase “those whom” occurs four times in these verses. The reason for that is to emphasize he is describing the same group throughout this whole section. Also, note that God is the main Actor here. God is the One who works all things together for good (v. 28). God foreknows, predestines, calls, justifies, and glorifies.  

Those Whom He Predestined, Called, Justified, and Glorified

Predestination means “determine before” or “mark out for a destination.” In other words, God marked out this group ahead of time. Calling means God supernaturally called you to Himself through the preaching of the gospel. Third, justification means God declares you to be right with Him. That happens at faith (Romans 5:1). The moment we trust in Jesus as our Savior, God wipes out our record of sin. Essentially, God takes your record of sin and puts it through a cosmic paper shredder. And then He burns that. There is no longer any legal record of your sin debt in God’s courtroom. But on top of that, God credits us with the perfect life of Christ. That’s what it means to be justified. To be glorified means to be made glorious, brought into the glorious presence of God. It is to be brought home to glory in Heaven to be with your Creator for all eternity.

It’s essential to understand that God can legally and righteously do all this because of the cross. It’s like this. We were on death row, ready to face execution as a penalty for our sins. We broke God’s Law, and we offended His holiness. But then—glorious good news!—Jesus came and took our place on death row and endured the penalty for our sins. He stepped in and the hammer of judgment fell on Him, not us. So when we put our faith in Christ’s sacrifice, God can legally declare us just, holy, and righteous, because Jesus willingly exchanged our record for His. He got our sin; we get His righteousness.  

Please notice from all this that our legal status as being right with God had nothing to do with how good we were. We all like to say to ourselves, “You know, I’m not perfect, but at least I’m doing better than that guy.”  We love to compare ourselves to others. 

Surveys show that nearly every American thinks that he or she is morally better than average. But, if you do the math, you can’t have 98% of people doing better than average. It just doesn’t work.  

My Only Boast: The Cross

The more you understand the gospel, the more you see that our confidence before God can’t come from looking at ourselves. Our confidence has everything to do with the fact that our sins could only be paid for one way. There was only one way we could escape judgment—not by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus could expunge our record of sins. Only Jesus could rescue us. Our confidence is in Him. 

Paul said, “The only thing I have to boast about is the Cross. That’s it! Otherwise, I’ve got nothing!” 

So often Christians struggle with assurance, because they look first at their own life. They think, I haven’t lived the life God wants me to. I haven’t lived up to all the things that the Bible calls me to be. My life doesn’t always perfectly show the fruit of the Spirit. So am I really saved?  

There is a place for considering your own life. The Bible does say to examine your life and consider whether you are loving Jesus and seeking to honor Him as Lord of your life (2 Cor. 13:5). Because if you have no signs of repentance, that’s a serious concern. James says, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

But the problem is that your works were never meant to be the basis of your assurance. If they were, you would never be confident of salvation. You would always see there was work to be done and changes that needed to happen. Because we aren’t perfect. No, the ground of assurance is not in looking to yourself but looking outside yourself to Christ on the cross and then the empty tomb and then seeing Him right now at the right hand of the Father interceding for you. It’s about letting the truth of the gospel wash over you again and again. 

Those with true, saving faith don’t become bored with the gospel. If you’re bored with the gospel, then the fullness of the gospel hasn’t sunk in. Because the glory of God’s grace, the beauty of Christ’s personal love for you, and the joy of forgiveness are never boring. 

Take this promise of Jesus to heart.  

“Those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40, NLT, emphasis added) 

Let me encourage you to come back to this promise over and over and plead with the Holy Spirit to drill these truths into your heart until you can say, “Yes! That’s true of me! I have come to Jesus in repentant faith, so God has promised eternal life to me.” 

This same security is found here in Romans 8:

"And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.”  (Romans 8:30, ESV) 

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Why Does Jesus Call Us “Sheep”?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life1 Comment 
“The sheep follow the shepherd, for they know his voice.” (John 10:4)

One of my spiritual mentors who has discipled me while I was still in seminary is my good buddy, Matt MacCollin. He and I went through a book together called A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller. One of the things that stands out from that little book is a danger unique to sheep called being “cast” or “cast down.” He described it this way: 

“….even the largest, fattest, strongest and sometimes healthiest sheep can become ‘cast’ and be a casualty. The way it happens is this. A heavy, fat, or long-fleeced sheep will lie down comfortably in some little hollow or depression in the ground. It may roll on its side slightly to stretch out or relax. Suddenly the center of gravity in the body shifts so that it turns on its back far enough that the feet no longer touch the ground. It may feel a sense of panic and start to paw frantically. Frequently this only makes things worse. It rolls over even further. Now it is quite impossible for it to regain its feet.” 

As you read the book, you get the sense that sheep are pretty pathetic creatures! Without a shepherd, they really are helpless. Particularly when you think of flocks of sheep in the first century context.  

Shepherds spent all their lives with their sheep. In many ways, it was a lonely existence—just you and these wooly creatures 24/7.  

Today, shepherds generally agree that sheep are both stubborn and jumpy. They can be frightened by the smallest thing. And yet, they also can be stubbornly resistant about moving when they need to. 

God as Shepherd

In John 10, Jesus identifies Himself as the “Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep.” That’s a powerful image. 

God knows that we need pictures in our mind. God is invisible. And sometimes when we just rattle off God’s attributes, like “God is all-powerful,” “God is holy,” “God is love,” we can struggle to fit it all together. So God gave us pictures or illustrations of what He is like. 

One of the most pervasive themes in Scripture is this concept of God as Shepherd.

Jacob, whose name was later changed to “Israel,” was a shepherd. And he was the first to call God his “shepherd.”  

Probably the most famous psalm, Psalm 23, begins: 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3, ESV) 

My dad encouraged me to memorize this psalm when I was still a little guy. I can remember reciting it over and over. And for that reason, this psalm has probably spoken to me more than any of the others. I can still remember a time when I was off at camp and feeling homesick, and I just started quoting Psalm 23 over and over. And it gave me peace. The image of the Lord as our Shepherd is powerful. 

Sheep Know Their Shepherd’s Voice

There are many other times we see this same image of God as our Shepherd: 

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
    and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11, ESV) 

In Ezekiel 34, when God uses this image of a shepherd as an indictment. He says that He made the kings of Israel to be like shepherds over His people. But instead of being faithful shepherds who cared for the ill or hungry sheep, they instead fed themselves and ignored the sheep entrusted to their care. 

So how does God respond?  

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.” (Ezekiel 34:11-12, ESV) 

Think about how this image of a shepherd seeking out his sheep captures the heart of Jesus for lost sinners.

And of course, if God is our Shepherd, then we are His sheep. That might not be the most flattering image for us. If you’ve been around sheep for any length of time, you’re not really struck by how intelligent these creatures are. Nevertheless, it seems to be one of God’s favorite descriptions for us.

Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3, ESV) 

We have to ask ourselves not only Why is the Lord compared to a Shepherd? But also Why are we compared to sheep? In John 10, Jesus explains how vulnerable sheep are and how they need protection. 

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:1-2, ESV) 

In ancient times, a sheepfold was basically an area enclosed by a rock wall. Because the gate to the sheepfold was usually guarded, the thief would have to sneak in over the wall to snag a sheep. So the thief had to be sneaky under the cover of darkness, but Jesus makes it clear that a shepherd is known by his sheep. 

To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (John 10:3-4, ESV) 

In ancient times, a shepherd spent so much individual time with each of his sheep that he really did name every one of them. There was this intimate bond between them. 

An outsider coming up on his flock might think that they all look and act the same. It just looks like a bunch of random sheep. But the shepherd knew his sheep. He could tell you each of their names. If one was falling behind or had wandered off, the shepherd knew which one was missing. He knew the traits and temperament of each one.

Sheep Are Dependent on the Shepherd

Keeping in mind that Jesus is really talking about Himself here, this image helps us understand the heart Jesus has for us individually. To Jesus, you’re not just one more face in a crowd. Jesus knows everything about you. He knows what causes you fear. He knows every hair on your head. Our Savior is our Shepherd. 

Jesus says, “The sheep follow the shepherd, for they know His voice.” 

And sheep really are dependent on their shepherds. Especially back then, there was the constant danger of predators rushing in and dragging off one of your sheep. A shepherd had to be vigilant. I remember one professor saying that sheep are irrefutable proof that Darwinian evolution isn’t true, because they never could have survived on their own. In any case, the fact that sheep are so helpless without their shepherd teaches something about us. 

The image of sheep pictures how dependent we are on the Lord who knows each of us intimately. 

And as we hear Christ’s voice in Scripture, we know it’s His. We can follow Him, because we recognize His voice. How are you doing at listening to the Shepherd’s voice? 

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Why Are Matthew’s and Luke’s Genealogies So Different?

On By Jason SmithIn Why I Believe1 Comment

Modern Americans aren’t as fascinated with genealogies as ancient Jewish people. It’s true that many have done ancestry research. My Grammy Smith did some pretty extensive research into our family’s ancestry, and I learned some cool things about my ancestors from her. But the majority of Americans can’t even name all of their great-grandparents.

Ancient Jewish people, by contrast, kept meticulous records of ancestry. Part of this has to do with the laws regarding tribal distinctions and inheritance (Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7).

Many Christians are tempted to skip right past the genealogies when they come to them in their Bible reading. After all, we figure, what could all these hard to pronounce names have to do with me? That’s a fair question. However, every word of Scripture is God-breathed and recorded for a purpose (2 Timothy 3:16-17). So, even if there is no apparent reason for a particular passage in Scripture, it’s good for Christians to assume that there is a less obvious reason for it that might require some investigation. 

For one thing, Jesus’ genealogies demonstrate He was a real man in history and that His contemporaries could even trace His lineage back thousands of years. Just imagine if you could trace back your ancestry that far. Suddenly, those unknown names might carry more significance for you!

Careful readers of the Bible have noted discrepancies between Matthew’s genealogy for Jesus and Luke’s. Some have wondered, Why do they seem to contradict each other? Did one of them make a mistake?

Matthew was a former tax collector who was accustomed to keeping careful records of names and dates. We shouldn’t assume he blundered in his genealogical research. And Luke was a medical doctor and careful historian. When put to the test, even skeptics have been brought to faith through their historical inquiries of Luke.

The one-time skeptic, Sir William Ramsay, a highly decorated historian in his own right, was originally skeptical of Luke. He thought the miracles recorded in Luke’s Gospel ruled it out from being true history. But then he investigated all the people, places, and events in Luke and Acts (the two books penned by Luke). It slowly dawned on Ramsay that Luke was no amateur historian.  

On every point, Ramsay found Luke to be completely accurate. Even in the areas where he initially doubted Luke’s accuracy, he later found that it was him not Luke who was mistaken. Ramsay eventually concluded: “Luke’s history is unsurpassed in regard to its trustworthiness.” This led Ramsay to give his life to Jesus. 

But is it possible Luke fouled up Jesus’ genealogy? For many reasons, the answer must be no. First of all, the discrepancies between Matthew and Luke primarily come between David and Joseph. The differences are too vast to attribute to a scribal error or minor mistake. For example, they even list a different father for Joseph, something that would have been very easy to track down (Matthew 1:16; Luke 3:23). In his genealogy, Luke works backwards, beginning with Jesus (a practice common with ancient Greeks like Luke). Matthew, a Jew chronicles his genealogy beginning with Abraham, the first Jew, and ends with Jesus (the common practice for Jewish people).

Luke makes it clear that he was aware of previous records of the life of Jesus, and he’s likely including the Gospels of Matthew and Mark in that reference (Luke 1:1-4). So, let’s give Luke the benefit of the doubt that he wasn’t a complete buffoon who couldn’t spot the differences between his genealogy and Matthew’s that modern day reader spot right away.

Furthermore, Luke had his own reasons for creating a more expanded genealogy, not just a facsimile of Matthew’s genealogy. He wanted to trace Jesus’ genealogy not just back through David and Abraham, like Matthew did, but all the way back to the very beginning. To Adam. And that’s Luke reminding us that Jesus came for the whole human race, not just descendants of Abraham. Jesus came for you! 

The genealogies especially diverge between David and Joseph. Biblical scholars have come up with all kinds of possible reasons for the differences.

Some have argued that Matthew gives the physical descent for Joseph and Luke gives the royal descent for Joseph. On this view, the discrepancies are due to the fact that Joseph was a legal descendant of Heli, but a physical descendant of Jacob. This view invokes the law of Levirate marriage, that allows for a deceased man’s brother to father children for him through his brother’s widow (Deut. 25:5-10).

While possible, it should be noted that Levirate marriages were somewhat uncommon based on historical records, and it would seem odd for this to be the explanation for so many generations, and for these to all happen between David and Joseph.

I think a better explanation is found in the more traditional understanding that Matthew provides Jesus’ royal ancestry through Joseph, and Luke provides Jesus’ physical ancestry through Mary. By adoption, a more common method of becoming someone’s father, Joseph became the legal father of Jesus. Thus, the royal line was continued through Jesus, the firstborn of Mary, his wife. This fits with Matthew’s emphasis on Joseph in his birth narrative. 

On this view, Luke, who has been focusing on Mary, is giving us Mary’s ancestry through her father, Heli. Luke can call Joseph “the son of Heli,” because if a father had no sons of his own, he would often adopt his son-in-law as his own son. Alternatively, Luke could be just calling Joseph the “son-in-law” of Heli, because genealogies typically focused on the males only (Matthew’s genealogy is an exception for including several names of women). This makes sense, too, because there was no Koine Greek term for “son-in-law,” so this would have been the best way for Luke to record Mary’s ancestry while only including male names. 

Interestingly, this conclusion fits with other historical records, as even the Talmud mentions that Mary’s father was Heli. So Matthew traces Joseph’s royal ancestry, and Luke traces Mary’s royal ancestry. Either way, Jesus is the Son of David, both biologically and by royal adoption. 

Jesus was the head of a new humanity, redeemed by God, set free from the curse pronounced on Adam, the former head of the human race.In this way, Jesus fulfilled every promise of a coming Messiah.  Jesus came as the descendant of David who will sit on his throne, the Ruler promised to Judah, the Seed of blessing promised to Abraham, and the Snake-crusher promised to Adam (2 Samuel 7: 12-13; Genesis 49:10; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 3:15). 

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Why Your Words Carry So Much Weight for Your Spouse

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life3 Comments

In our busy, technology-saturated, and fast-paced 21st century world, we need clarity on what to prioritize in life. Sometimes, we have to say “No” to good things that are simply not the best things for the moment. When we let God set our priorities, we see from Scripture that God expects us to prioritize our family relationships, and if you are married, the marriage relationship must rank first.

A great place to glean wisdom on family systems and relationships is the timeless book of Proverbs. In Proverbs 31, we learn about the quintessential hard-working woman and how her kids call her blessed and her husband praises her.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:28-29, NIV)

How are you doing at praising your spouse? Words have power. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” says Proverbs 18:21. And in chapter 31, the author, King Lemuel (Proverbs 31:1), discusses not only how amazing this particular woman is (possibly his wife), but also that her husband praises her. The husband does not take his wife for granted. He recognizes all that she is and all she’s done, and he’s saying to his wife, “You know, you really are an amazing woman.” 

Author Gary Chapman calls this “words of affirmation.” It is something that can easily slip off the radar for a married couple, but it’s essential for a thriving relationship. Both men and women need to hear words of affirmation from others, but when you’re married, your spouse’s words carry the most weight. Because the couple lives together and they see one another’s flaws unlike anyone else, a spouse’s heartfelt praise carries tremendous power. 

A wife needs to hear how much her husband adores her.  A husband needs to know that his wife values and respects him. And if you want to strengthen your marriage, there’s no better place to start than building one another up with words. A wife needs to hear her husband say things like, “Sure, there are many amazing women out there, but you stand out above the rest. I only have eyes for you!”

Some men respond, “I don’t know how to praise my wife… I’m not a words guy.” That is something we call a lame excuse. If you don’t know how to do something, you’re not off the hook. Put in a little effort. Watch your wife’s favorite movies with her, and you’ll figure out what she likes to hear. Or better yet, just be more observant of her and simply express some appreciation. But don’t make excuses for not building up your wife with words.

I once heard a husband refer to his wife as “the old ball and chain.” I’m guessing that their intimacy level is not red hot.

In the same way, wives, your words have tremendous power to build up and encourage your husband. Your words will either build him up in the best possible way or they will tear him down in the worst way. Your husband needs to hear words of affirmation and affection from you, too. He needs to know you respect and value his leadership in the marriage.

But since husbands are called to be leaders, you husbands should be leading the way in this practice. Speak life into her when she wakes up. At night, let her know what she means to you. Praise her at the dinner table in front of kids or grandkids. Leave a love note on the bathroom mirror. Make a point of telling her just how grateful you are.

Your words have tremendous power to either build up or tear down your spouse.

So many marriages would be improved if husbands and wives committed to letting one another know just how much they appreciate each other for all they do. This is important.

All married people recognize they are married to an imperfect person. And that’s exactly why you need to bring Jesus into every aspect of your marriage. Because if you have two imperfect people committing to do life together for the rest of their days, you should expect the need for a lot of grace and a lot of forgiveness going both ways.

But when you bring Jesus into your marriage, you have two imperfect people and one perfect God. And He can redeem your marriage. He can change the way your marriage looks. He can make it into a living display of His covenant love for us. That’s a supernatural thing. And God can do it when you commit your marriage to Him.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Am I Good Enough?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life1 Comment

This is the question lurking just below the surface in every human heart. Have I done enough? Do people accept me for who I am? Am I good enough?

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the most stunning message in history. It’s the message that God saves us by sheer grace, but it starts by telling us what we don’t want to hear. It tells us that we have come up short. That we came into this world needy, desperate, and hopelessly lost in sin. That we are by nature in rebellion against the God who made us. I know that sounds harsh. It flies in the face of our culture’s messaging and much of what we were told since we were little.

We’re told “You are enough,” “You have what it takes,” and “You’ve got this.” Apparently, we are mind-blowingly awesome in every single way just the way we are. Sound familiar? It’s interesting how often we have to tell ourselves (or be told) we are awesome. 

According to Christianity, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and we need to know how  valuable we are as God’s image bearers. But the Bible never encourages us to look within for a boost of confidence or tell ourselves, “I don’t need outside help.”

I recently saw a school sign that read, “It’s easy to forget, so here’s a little reminder: You’re Awesome!”

Isn’t it a little strange that we are so incredibly awesome, and yet we have to be told that repeatedly? (I also find it a bit ironic that when someone actually seems to believe this and starts boasting about how awesome they are, we call that person a narcissist). 

Brené Brown tells us, “We live in a culture of scarcity, of never enough. There is only one way out of scarcity – and that is enoughness. At some point we need to say: I am enough.” We look at that quote and think, Yes, I am enough. But somehow we struggle to believe it. If I really am good enough, smart enough, and have enough “enoughness”… why do I need to keep hearing this from people like Brené Brown?

The truth is that Brown’s counsel only leads to greater self-obsession, which is ultimately exhausting and joy-sapping. Self-validation is a weighty burden the human soul was never meant to carry.

I have a theory. I think the reason we crave words of approval is that deep down, we know the truth: Something is deeply wrong inside. I’m not everything I should be.

The Bible basically says, “Yes, there really is something wrong with you. Only…it’s worse than you think. But the good news is that if you can believe the hard truth about how bad you really are, you are finally ready to hear the good news of grace.”

The Bible tells us that hard truth we so desperately need to hear. Now, I’ll warn you, it can sting a bit to hear this for the first time. Just remember what Jesus said: “The truth will set you free.” You’ll be ready to receive the cure, only if you’re willing to hear the diagnosis.

On your own and apart from Jesus Christ:

  • You’re not righteous or good. (Romans 3:10)
  • You’re dead in your sins. (Ephesians 2:1)
  • You’re selfish by nature. (Romans 2:13)
  • You’re caught in a web of self-deception. (Romans 3:13)
  • You’re prone to bitterness, anger, and hatred. (Romans 3:14-17)
  • You don’t fear or revere the God who gave you life. (Romans 3:18)
  • You suppress the truth about God, because you don’t want to be accountable. (Romans 1:18)
  • And because of all this, you deserve the just and holy wrath of God. (Romans 1:18; Ephesians 2:3; John 3:36)

Ouch! But as much as that might hurt to hear, remember the Bible doesn’t create sin in our hearts; it simply shows us what’s already there. We will never look for the remedy until we understand we have a spiritual disease called sin, and this disease will kill us unless something drastically changes.

Very often, people new to Christianity and the church will hear this much and tell themselves, “Okay, if that’s true, I better change my act.” This is our default setting. We tell ourselves that if we have gone astray, then we must simply get back on the right path. If we have become morally filthy, then we must clean ourselves up.

The problem is that we are trying to atone for our own sins, and that will never work. What we need is the atonement of Jesus Christ. And until we know what Jesus went through for us, we will never understand how deeply God loves us. Without the cross, God’s love will always seem like a shallow idea rather than a soul-transforming reality.

The gospel explains that we could never be good enough, but Jesus was good enough for us. As the Son of God, Jesus lived the perfectly righteous life we should have lived. And He died the death we deserved in our place as our Substitute. 

The culture is constantly trying to build up my self-confidence, but confidence in myself is not the answer. My confidence is this: At the Cross, Jesus bore all my sins and fully paid for them. He endured the punishment that was coming to me. He paid the debt that I owed because of my sins. My confidence is His blood and righteousness.

Or, as Paul put it:

“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[b] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)

On our own, we could never be good enough. Only Jesus is good enough. And through faith in His righteous life and substitutionary death, we are forgiven of all our sin and reconciled to a holy God. God declares us to be as righteous as Jesus. This is the doctrine of justification. Faith unites us to Christ, and then His righteousness is imputed to us. Once we are in Christ, God the Father sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ. 

I am not enough. Jesus is enough.

To be justified by faith in Christ means you are no longer looking to your own moral performance for your standing with God. You can be honest about your personal shortcomings and sins, because you stand righteous (or infinitely good enough) in Jesus Christ. Your confidence isn’t in your awesomeness; it’s in the awesome love of God.

But here’s the radical truth: God loved you and me when we were everything on the list above. You and I were once as lost as can be, and yet God loved us even at our lowest. Knowing this love personally will give you all the confidence you need to face life’s various challenges. God is now for you. Who can be against you? (Romans 8:31)

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Rearranging Deck Chairs or Being Salt and Light?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

Many Christians are disheartened when they look around at how our American culture has become more secular and, in many ways, anti-Christian in everything from its views on sexuality to public policy. In this cultural moment, it’s easy for Christians to not only feel like outsiders, but victims. 

I find it interesting, however, that Scripture never encourages us to play the victim card. Instead, we are called to see ourselves “overcomers,” who are always victorious in Christ (see Romans 8:37).

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:7, ESV)

Some renowned Christian preachers from the past have said things like, “Trying to make a difference in the culture is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” While we are called citizens of Heaven, we are still citizens of our nation. One truth does not cancel out the other.

Thank God that people like William Wilberforce, the Christian abolitionist who was instrumental in ending the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, didn’t take such a view. He believed that the God of Heaven had called him to take a stand for truth, justice, goodness, and beauty in the culture he inhabited. Wilberforce urged his fellow Christians to not shrink into the shadowy margins of society with a private faith, but to boldly and publicly profess their faith in Jesus along with all the implications that come with that.

Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth and commanded, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

In his great book, Real Christianity, Wilberforce writes:

“What a difference it would be if our system of morality were based on the Bible instead of the standards devised by cultural Christians.”

Wilberforce was confronting those who want to claim the name of Christ, but deny that Christ’s Lordship has the power to transform both individuals and whole societies. He wondered why so many professing Christians seemed embarrassed by the Name of Jesus and would only be caught uttering His Name in the safety of a house of worship.

As I read Wilberforce, I feel like he’s talking to Christians today–like he’s talking to me! The same struggles with fear and shame that he addressed so boldly are found among churches today. Brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Consider how Jesus called us to take our personal faith in Him public:

“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” (Matthew 10:27, ESV)

Knowing we would be tempted to keep our faith private, Jesus said:

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33, ESV)

Jesus was speaking to His twelve Apostles, but notice how Jesus uses words like “everyone” and “whoever” to make the point. In other words, speaking about Jesus publicly is not something reserved for trained evangelists or those gifted in evangelism. Jesus is saying that our willingness to speak His Name in public is an accurate gauge of our relationship to Him. I don’t know about you, but I want Jesus to acknowledge me before the Father. These words should motivate us to boldly take the next step of faith in our relationship with Jesus. When we do speak openly of Jesus, the response will always be mixed. Sometimes, we may feel like we did a poor job of representing our Lord or didn’t say everything we could have, but again, speaking of Jesus is something to which “everyone” is called. And we can depend on the Holy Spirit to give us the words we need (Luke 12:11-12).

Unless people hear the message of Jesus, their hearts won’t be regenerated. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17, NIV). If we care about cultural renewal, we need to first care about renewal of hearts.

Christians should not intentionally be antagonistic toward others. We should use wisdom and seek to listen well before we speak. At the same time, we should be known for both what we believe and Whom we believe in. Both visibly and audibly, it should be plain to others that we belong to Jesus.

Jesus told Paul, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent. For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10, BSB). He told the other Apostles, “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life” (Acts 5:20, BSB).

Jesus called us to be salt and light in a culture shrouded in spiritual darkness and decay. We are called to take our faith public, and above all, to live with hope. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to live with hope in dark days. Help me be the light you call me to be by the power of the Holy Spirit. On my own, I know I have very little to contribute, but with Your enabling power, I can reach others and make an impact in my generation. May this generation experience a reawakening to Your power, wisdom, and love. I ask this in the mighty Name of Jesus.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Failure Is Never Final

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional3 Comments

Before Jonas Salk discovered the vaccine for polio, he had to fail 200 times. When he was asked how he felt about those 200 failures, Salk said, “I never failed two hundred times in my life. I was taught not to use the word ‘failure.’ I just discovered two hundred ways how not to vaccinate for polio.”

Just think about that for a minute. 200 times. What if he had given up after that 200th attempt? Or even the 20th attempt? Polio was a deadly disease that afflicted thousands prior to the discovery of the vaccine. The disease claimed the life of 3,000 people in 1952 alone. Thank God, Salk didn’t quit early. Today, polio is almost completely eradicated across the world. Salk had to think of his failures in a way most people don’t in order to move forward to success.

In the Gospel of John, we read about another man with a series of failures. Peter grievously sinned by denying he even knew Jesus three times. But the truly amazing thing is how Jesus responded to Peter’s failures. Jesus didn’t abandon Peter or discard him as no longer useful to him. In fact, He gave Peter a position of extraordinary prominence in His newly launched church. 

This is an important reminder. When you have a God of infinite grace, failure can become a steppingstone to true success. It’s an opportunity for growth, if you’re willing to receive God’s grace. Every time you honestly confess your sin to God, think of it as taking one more step toward becoming the person He wants you to be.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)

Most Christians will readily agree that confession leads to forgiveness, but do we really believe that Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness? 

There is tremendous freedom in bringing our failures into the light of God’s presence. He is a God who graciously forgives, but like a good father, He calls us to confess where we’ve gone wrong.

If I snap at my wife Whitney in the morning and then later that evening come home and say, “Hey, honey, what’s for dinner?” There’s still going to be a rift between us. Before our relationship can be restored to what it should be, I have to go through the painful experience of saying, “I was wrong for how I snapped at you earlier. Will you forgive me?” That’s how it always goes with relationships. 

We might assume Peter’s leadership career was over after that failure in the temple courts, but Jesus fully restored Peter. Think about that. It’s hard to imagine something more grievous than denying his Lord three times, but Jesus restored Peter and chose him to be the guy to first proclaim the gospel of grace in Jerusalem.

The same kind of thing could be said of Paul. He had a record of persecuting Christians and blaspheming Jesus, yet God used him to first take the gospel to the Gentile world. Paul even says that God chose people like him because they would showcase His grace and the fact that His cross and resurrection set us free from our past and restore us to our true calling (see 1 Timothy 1:16).

This is what makes Christianity so amazing! Because of the gospel, past failure doesn’t disqualify us from the calling God has on our lives.

While it’s important to confess sin to the Lord, it’s equally important to see that the Lord can grow you through your failures. Never give in to the lie that God is done using you because of something in your past. Maybe you’re holding onto something you need to surrender to Him.

So many Christians feel defeated by past failures and feel they can never move on and move forward in their walk with the Lord. If that’s you, please know that is not a word from God. That’s not Jesus telling you you’re disqualified. That’s the devil.

Revelation 12:10 calls the devil “the Accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accused them day and night before God.” This is one of Satan’s tactics. He will urge us to quit when we’ve blown it. Or tell us we’ve tried God’s patience too many times. Watch out for the critics you face in life. The more you say “Yes” to God’s calling on your life, the more critics will attack you.

But every time you stumble and fall, don’t let Satan sideline you.  By God’s grace, see it as another opportunity to rise again in the power of the Lord and get back in the fight.

Theodore Roosevelt said:

“It’s not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena… who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of great achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. So that his place will never be with those cold timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”

If you feel like you’ve failed Jesus too many times, see John 21:15-19 as an invitation to sit down by the fire with Jesus. Hear Him asking you, “Do you love Me?” 

And if the answer is “Yes,” then there’s always hope. And that love can drive you to keep following after Him.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

It Will Cost You Everything

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life1 Comment 
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be My disciples. (Luke 14:33, ESV)

In the 2001 animated film Shrek, we meet Lord Farquaad, the pompous, proud, and vertically challenged villain. In one of the best lines from the movie, Farquaad sends out his knights on a high-risk mission to rescue a princess from a dragon.

With great feeling, he tells them, “Some of you may die. But that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”

The life Jesus Christ calls us to is radically different. Instead of expecting some kind of faux sacrifice akin to Lord Farquaad, Jesus demands a sacrifice that is personal and total. We’re called to surrender ourselves to Him and give our full allegiance to Him as the King who conquered death.

Jesus Himself came to slay the dragon and purchase His bride (the church) with His own blood. Almost every fairytale is just a dim reflection of the greatest story ever told.

Knowing Jesus made that ultimate sacrifice puts His demand on your life in perspective. In a world where you are encouraged to put yourself first, follow your heart, and live your truth, Jesus demands you deny yourself and follow Him. In fact, Jesus even said, “Unless you give up everything you have, you cannot be My disciple.” 

Notice that Jesus doesn’t tolerate the easy-believism so prevalent today that thinks of Jesus as a ticket to Heaven, but not as the Lord of our lives. Jesus asked that searching question, “Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, yet don’t do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). As the risen Lord, Jesus calls us to give up everything for Him, to lay it all down at His feet and say, “Okay, Lord. It’s all yours.” 

This means that we choose to find our identity in Christ, first and foremost. How you understand your identity is so important, because if you know who you are (or better yet, know whose you are), you can know what you should do. To give up everything for Jesus means that every aspect of your day should fit your identity in Christ. How you view your relationships, your career, your church, your money, and where you turn for rest, should all be shaped by Jesus.

If you’ve never thought of your relationship to Jesus as something that requires sacrifice, that should raise a red flag. Jesus emphasized repeatedly that there is a cost to following Him. Yes, there are rich rewards, both in this life and the next, and we certainly don’t want to minimize that. But if you’ve never felt like you had to give something up for Jesus, then you’ve missed something essential.

When Jesus called four fishermen to follow Him, we’re told that “they left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11, ESV). While Jesus won’t necessarily call you to leave your career, He does call you to surrender it over to Him. In the same way, Jesus called Levi (also known as Matthew the tax collector) to follow Him as a disciple. This meant leaving behind his tax booth, which represented his livelihood and opulent lifestyle. But Luke tells us: “And leaving everything, he rose and followed him” (v. 28). 

To reiterate the cost of following Him, Jesus gives two examples: a building project and a battlefield.

He says to the crowds:

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:28-33, ESV)

How foolish, Jesus says, to start constructing something you aren’t committed to finish. And who would engage in a war without considering what it will take to win?

Have you counted the cost? Are you willing to put everything on the line for Jesus–even your own life?

It’s important to ask yourself some honest, gut-level questions: 

Is there anything I’m not willing to give up for Jesus? 

Is there anything in my life that I’m prizing more than Jesus? 

Is there a sin I’m unwilling to repent of?

Am I giving Jesus time for communion with Him?

To live as His follower is to enter into His joy. Following Him will cost you everything, but the reward for following Jesus is beyond compare.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, following You is the greatest joy of my life. It’s an adventure of faith, and it’s exciting to see all the ways You are at work in my life and the lives of those around me. If there is anything in my life standing in the way of deeper intimacy with You or faithfulness to You, please reveal that to me by Your Holy Spirit. In Your Glorious Name. Amen.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

What Did Jesus Look Like?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life3 Comments
Image by Perezrps

Recently, I was reading a Bible storybook to my 5-year-old son, Ryan, that was filled with realistic pictures of Jesus in various scenes from the Gospels. Jesus was portrayed talking to the crowds, holding a child in His arms, and walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

“Is that what Jesus looks like?” Ryan asked.

“Well, He probably looked something like that,” I replied. “But we don’t really know what He looked like.”

Several years ago, I remember talking with a lady at my church who told me she had a portrait of Jesus on her wall that she loved dearly and brought her closer to Him. I wasn’t sure how to respond to her at the time, but it did get me thinking. Why doesn’t the Bible give us a clear description of Jesus’ appearance? 

Naturally, many of us have wondered what Jesus really looked like while on earth. I’ve noticed that artists throughout the last 2,000 years have tended to portray Jesus looking, well, a lot like themselves.

Medieval Europeans depicted a very European-looking Jesus. Indians painted Jesus looking very Indian. Interestingly, the most robust description of Jesus’ appearance is found in Revelation 1 and is filled with apocalyptic imagery. For example, John describes Jesus with a two-edge sword coming out of His mouth (Revelation 1:16). 

In Isaiah’s prophecy, we learn that Jesus had a beard the soldiers tried to pull out and that He didn’t look particularly attractive or majestic while on earth (Isaiah 50:6; 53:2). But that’s about it.

Interestingly, Scripture acknowledges that we don’t know what He looks like and that’s okay.

Peter writes, 

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9, ESV)

When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, they needed Judas to help them pick Him out with a kiss of betrayal (Matthew 26:48-49). We can conclude from all this that during His days on earth, Jesus looked pretty much like any other first century Jewish man. There was nothing especially appealing about Him. It’s not as though He hovered six inches above the ground everywhere He went. If you were to glance at Jesus, you wouldn’t suspect there was anything special about Him.

After the risen Jesus appeared to Thomas, the previously skeptical disciple cried out, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus not only receives Thomas’s worship, but He pronounces a blessing on those of us who believe in Him without seeing Him.

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” (John 20:29, NLT)

If, like me, you have been tempted to think it’s unfair that you aren’t able to see Jesus in the flesh like His first disciples did, you should consider Jesus’ words. There is a unique blessing on us who believe and love Jesus while not seeing Him yet. One day, we will see Jesus face-to-face. And believe me, I look forward to that day! But until then, we can trust that God knew what He was doing in not telling us what Jesus looks like.

At one point in the Gospels, Jesus asked His own disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” There were lots of opinions going around. Just like today. But then Simon Peter stepped up and said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-17, NIV)

Notice what Jesus says here. Peter was right about Jesus. He is the Son of the living God. He is totally unique and unlike anyone else who has ever walked the planet. But God the Father had to reveal this to Peter. It wasn’t obvious just by looking at Him. 

And that’s good news for us. We might think we are at a huge disadvantage here in the 21st century. We don’t get to see the physical Jesus walking around like those first disciples. But think about it. If God had to supernaturally reveal Jesus’ identity to Peter even when Jesus was standing right next to him, then that means He can do that for us, too. But why did the Father need to reveal this to Peter? Because it’s always a spiritual encounter when you come to know who Jesus is.

Let this truth be emblazoned across your heart: Only God can reveal to us that Jesus truly is the eternal Son of God. 

“All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27, BSB)

No wonder there are more opinions on who Jesus was than anyone else in history. Because until the Father shows you His glory, He’ll just be another guy.

When I talk to others about Jesus, very often they are skeptical to believe He really is divine. And I know that I can’t convince anyone that Jesus truly is God. But as they read His Word, the Holy Spirit can open their eyes, and the Father will reveal Jesus to them. That’s what I pray for, because it’s a supernatural revelation. So, right now, if you believe that Jesus really is the eternal Son of God, you can thank God for opening your eyes.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Charlie Kirk, Evil, and the Hope of Jesus Christ

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life, Why I Believe3 Comments
Photo courtesy of First Freedoms Foundation

One of the most common objections to Christianity I hear is the problem of evil. How could a good God allow so much evil in His world? I think it’s good to think through this question as believers. It will inevitably come up as you interact with others about spiritual things and seek opportunities to tell others about the hope of Jesus Christ.

Let me first say that there is something very right about that question. It assumes evil is real. That may not sound too profound, but it’s the common ground we all have to deal with. Some things are truly evil. It’s not just that I don’t like certain things or that I get disgusted by certain things. There are some things in this world that are objectively and unambiguously evil, and we all know this, even if our worldview doesn’t have a basis for saying it.

This last week, the world witnessed true evil. Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old Christ-follower and popular conservative with a massive social media following, was murdered with a single bullet. The event shocked the world. In fact, I’ve talked with many people who have said they were shocked, but not surprised. 

I think what people mean is they are morally shocked by the act of cold-blooded murder, but intellectually, they know evil is sadly abundant in the world, so they aren’t all that surprised. I want to affirm the rightness of being morally shocked by the evil of murder. It is sadly the case that we are so inundated with news about murder, war, gang violence, and school shootings, that it would be easy for us to become calloused and forget how heinous each act of murder and violence truly is. 

Charlie Kirk was an outspoken Christian. He was very vocal in his views, so his name and his online presence were well-known. Many people sharply disagreed with Charlie’s views, and he was constantly on the receiving end of mockery, insults, outright hatred, and death threats for him and his family. And he was shot in broad daylight while debating college students in his trademark fashion that made him so popular among conservatives. All of this helps us understand how shocking his murder was. 

But I hope that we can see what is often lost in the noise: every murder is a violation of the sixth commandment. Murder is unequivocally evil, because every human life bears the image of God and has inestimable worth in God’s eyes. The Bible doesn’t offer a pat answer to the problem of evil or give us a clean explanation for the origin of evil. The fall in Genesis 3 explains the origin of human evil and the brokenness of the world, but the absolute origin of evil (Why did Satan rebel?) is not provided. This is likely because evil is ultimately irrational and incomprehensible. 

We aren’t called to fixate on evil, but to think about things that are lovely, pure, true, and beautiful (Philippians 4:8). We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God who so lovingly and graciously gave up His life to rescue a world ensnared in the darkness of our own making. 

So, while the Bible doesn’t offer a thorough explanation of evil, it does give us the resources for calling something evil and then finding hope in a purely good God.

We know evil is evil because of its contrast with a perfectly good God. God alone is the standard of absolute goodness, and it’s only by looking to Him as our fixed reference point for all reality that we can see what evil, by contrast, looks like. Those who say evil makes no sense if God is real need to consider how calling something “evil” could make sense if there is no God. Every time you call something like murder evil, you are assuming a standard of goodness. You are saying, “This (murder) is wrong, because it does not conform to that which is good, true, and beautiful (protecting and honoring each human life as sacred).”

If your worldview has no room for God, then on what basis are you calling something “evil”? If we are just the product of a natural, blind, irrational process with no divine Mind behind it, we can talk about survival of the fittest, but not the arrival of moral absolutes. It is only because there is a transcendent Authority on good and evil that we can step back and call something unquestionably “evil.” But the Christian hope gives us more than a basis to call evil what it is; it offers us Jesus Christ as the redemptive hope for a lost world.

In one talk he gave in 2023, Charlie said, “Here is the gospel in four words: Jesus took my place.” Charlie recognized that he was a sinner in need of a Savior, and that Jesus and His sacrifice are the only hope for forgiveness and eternal life.

Jesus, too, was outspoken in His views on God, morality, and truth, and Jesus, too, was murdered graphically and publicly. 

What made Jesus unique, however, is that because He is the sinless Son of God, His death had the power to ransom evil people from their self-destruction and deliver them to the Kingdom of God.

Jesus said, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:18-19, ESV)

Jesus took our place. He laid down His life to suffer the consequences of the evil you and I have done, but because He is Lord, He took it up again and rose to life. Jesus called people to repent and believe this good news. Outside of Jesus, we each have to deal with the judgment our sins deserve, and it’s only in Jesus that love will overcome hate. 

May the death of Charlie Kirk spark a revival in our nation, with countless turning to Christ in faith. What man intends for evil, God intends for good (Genesis 50:20).

Jesus alone is the only hope for a lost and dying world, and because He is King, a glorious day is coming when all will be set right.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!