Blog Archives - 1 Timothy 2:4

Honest Abe on Who will be in Heaven

5/16/2015

“It must be everybody or nobody.” –Abraham Lincoln, when questioned who would ultimately be in Heaven.

Taken from The Tentmaker Web Page

What God Thinks of You, the Believer

5/16/2015

Do you wonder what God says about you? When you "slip-up" and sin do you think that God is suddenly disappointed with you? If God is surrounded by angelic hosts what do they talk about concerning the Body of Christ which is made up of us?

My dad recently asked our congregation, if God was to write your biography what would it say? I admit that I was stopped cold in thought. My mind instantly began wandering to my life, at least what I could remember, and how short I am of God's glory. How could God write anything good about me? I sat quietly not wanting to give the wrong answer! When my dad gave the answer, certainly to a trick question, it seemed so obvious that I felt pretty dumb! Of course I should have known the answer, but there was doubt. Why?

I believe that most faithful bible readers do the scriptures a great disservice. One, they do not divide rightly and try to take everything for our age which is utterly confusing. Secondly, how often do we read and not let the word soak us to the core of our being. In other words, do we really believe what we are reading is true to us so that it becomes part of our life? A simple question like what God would write for my biography should be easily answered since I have read particular passages which speak to this very question weekly!

Matthew 5:44 says to "...Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you...". How do I bless those who curse me? Do I give them things? Do I invite them to church or pay for their gas? The word "bless" occurs frequently in the scriptures; how do we know what it is to "bless" someone?

Paul, in Romans 12, echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. Romans 12:14 states that we should bless those who persecute us. Paul even gets a little more detailed and said to bless them and not to curse them. Further on in verse 20 Paul says to feed your hungry enemies and give them something to drink when they are thirsty. He said that in doing so your enemies will feel shamed. Are we to understand feeding hungry people as giving them a blessing?

When a visitor attends church, or when a special speakers comes we often say it was such a blessing to hear or see them. Of course I agree, it is a blessing. But, is this the idea of what a blessing is in relation to scripture? We certainly feel blessed! The great hymn sings along to "count your many blessings see what God has done". Maybe. I believe we need to simplify how God has blessed us because I feel that our thoughts of blessings has run wild!

Amateur Warning: I am not a Greek theologian and use what many refer to as primitive and outdated resources when seeking out the meaning of a Greek word, so bear with me!

The word "bless" or its variations of "blessed" and "blessing" come from the Greek word eulogeō which is made up of two Greek words meaning "speak" and "good or well". Strong's Concordance says the word eulogeo means to speak well of. Eulogeo is where our English word eulogy comes from. What is a eulogy? A eulogy is where someone speaks well of another, often used at funerals or memorial services. Have you ever heard someone curse the deceased?

1 Corinthians 4:12 says that we bless when reviled by others or when people abuse us we wish them well. Really Paul? Are you telling me that when someone drops a bunch of obscenities towards me I am suppose to wish them well? Yes! While we were enemies of God, Christ died for us!

The passage I referred to earlier which I read weekly, or close to it, is from Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians 1:3 NRSV
(3) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,"

Lets focus on the second time "blessed" occurs in Ephesians 1:3. God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. What does this mean? In light of what the Greek idea of blessed is, I believe that God is (right now) speaking well of us! God speaks well of me! God speaks well of me through Christ as I am in Christ. Come on you say, do you really believe that when you sin God does not get disappointed? That is exactly what I believe. I believe the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ did just what God said it did, canceled all of my sin, in God's eyes. God sees me in His Son, perfect. Now that is amazing because I am far from perfect!

We have a great example of this very fact in Job. The adversary walks the earth seeking to catch humans in wrong doing so he can point fingers and show God how foul God's creation really is. God purposefully plays right into the adversary's game and speaks well of Job. We know Job was not perfect, but God talked about him that way! God said "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil." Blameless and upright!

Psalm 82 tells of the council of God which come before Him. Job 38 says all of the angelic host of heaven shouted for joy over God's creation. 1 Peter 3:22 states the Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Father with angels, authorities, and powers that are made subject to Him. There are heavenly hosts, probably millions of them, at least, and God speaks well of you to them.

What then is the answer to the question of God writing your biography? I believe my biography would mirror that of my Lord Jesus Christ. Does that sound insane? Out of line? Heresy? It probably does to most of Christianity but it is exactly what I believe. Read Ephesians 2:6, where are you in God's sight? Yes, God speaks well of you.

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