Acts 16 paints several pictures of bold belief that can serve as patterns for those committed to living a Gospel-centered life. After all, that’s one of the things the Gospel does in us and for us – it encourages us to believe God boldly.
Kep in mind that bold belief stands in contrast to two extremes: relunctant faith (which is rooted in fear and control) and presumptuous faith (which is rooted in foolishness anmd carelessness). Bold faith, however, is the biblical balance that the Gospel encourages us towards.
(vs. 1-5) We must have faith in/believe God boldly when it comes to people. Paul selected Timothy, an unlikely candidate for a church planting journey. Easily intimidated, probably a little sickly, and no doubt young, Timothy may not have been the first choice of those with only physical eyes. But he was God's man for that time, and Paul exercised the faith to believe God boldly about this young man's potential!
How would this have looked if they were reluctant? Like they were superior. They would have appeared like Pharisees. How would this have looked if they were presumptuous? Like they were being trivial; like it really wasn't that important or valuable. The right response to people? Let your bold faith look for people who are empowered/anointed.
(6-15) We must have faith in/believe God boldly when it comes to opportunities. God was moving the crew northwest, and to do so he had to open -- and close -- some doors. Believing God boldly about both was essential to correctly concluding how God was working and leading.
How would this have looked if they were reluctant? Like they were image-based. Like they were concerned about appearances at all costs. How would this have looked if they were presumptuous? Like they were results-based. Like they were concerned with outcomes at all costs. The right response to opportunities? Let your bold faith keep you Spirit-led, then effort-centered.
(16-40) We must have faith in/believe God boldly when it comes to trials. A severe beating followed by imprisonment is not an ideal ending to a days work. Yet, Paul and his companion, in that exact position, were singing and praying at midnight. What a perspective and testimony! In the end, their trial and testimony was something God used to bring the jailer and his family to saving faith.
How would this have looked if they were reluctant? Like they were victims. They would have simply won the sympathy vote. How would this have looked if they were presumptuous? Like they were idealists. They would have been seen to be giddy about and ignorant of the human reality of suffering. The right response to trials? Let your bold faith help you see you are victorious. As Paul said, "We are more than conquerors" (Rom. 8).
Showing posts with label belief. Show all posts
Showing posts with label belief. Show all posts
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Unbelief and Idolatry
All unbelief is idolatry. Frankly, when we refuse to believe God, we are saying we believe/have faith in something other than God. Indeed, that is idolatry! In no uncertain terms we are replacing him with our own functional savior, someone or something we think can "take care of us", "handle things" better than Jesus, or "meet our needs."
This is why Paul says in Romans, "Whatever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). In this verse, faith doesn’t refer to our body of beliefs, but rather to our bold belief. It is referencing our actions and what makes them glorifying to God. In the words of the ESV Bible commentary on this very verse, "anything believers do apart from faith is sin, for faith glorifies God by trusting him and lack of faith dishonors him." And why is that? Because we reveal we don’t trust him or worship him after all as the only God. And what is that? Essentially, idolatry.
Earlier in Romans, specifically 11:36-12:1, Paul painted a similar picture by highlighting three words and linking them together: Glory (11:36), sacrifice (12:1), and worship (12:1). While no doubt a host of sermons can be preached from these verses, at least one message rings out clearly: What we sacrifice for is what we worship. And what we worship is what gets glory from our life. If that isn't God, it's an idol; and that, plain and simple, is idolatry.
Unfortunately, the glory that results from idolatrous actions doesn't ultimately become an attraction to God or a reflection of God, which is really what God desires from our life (Matthew 5:16; 1 Cor. 10:31). It is, instead, a distraction from God. Indeed, that's what idols do -- distract attention from God. So I hesitate calling this type of attention from idolatry glory, simply because it is anything but glorious. It is actually gross, a glaring type of self-centeredness that replaces the Creator with created things, including us at times (Rom. 1).
So who do you ultimately trust to meet your needs? Handle your problems? Answer your questions? As you answer those kinds of diagnostic questions, a word of warning: Whenever we push God off the throne and repeatedly trust other things, we become idloaters. At that point we aren't living a lifestyle of bold belief in the only true God, but one of fleshly unbelief in our own version of another god, and its nothing short of practical atheism.
This is why Paul says in Romans, "Whatever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). In this verse, faith doesn’t refer to our body of beliefs, but rather to our bold belief. It is referencing our actions and what makes them glorifying to God. In the words of the ESV Bible commentary on this very verse, "anything believers do apart from faith is sin, for faith glorifies God by trusting him and lack of faith dishonors him." And why is that? Because we reveal we don’t trust him or worship him after all as the only God. And what is that? Essentially, idolatry.
Earlier in Romans, specifically 11:36-12:1, Paul painted a similar picture by highlighting three words and linking them together: Glory (11:36), sacrifice (12:1), and worship (12:1). While no doubt a host of sermons can be preached from these verses, at least one message rings out clearly: What we sacrifice for is what we worship. And what we worship is what gets glory from our life. If that isn't God, it's an idol; and that, plain and simple, is idolatry.
Unfortunately, the glory that results from idolatrous actions doesn't ultimately become an attraction to God or a reflection of God, which is really what God desires from our life (Matthew 5:16; 1 Cor. 10:31). It is, instead, a distraction from God. Indeed, that's what idols do -- distract attention from God. So I hesitate calling this type of attention from idolatry glory, simply because it is anything but glorious. It is actually gross, a glaring type of self-centeredness that replaces the Creator with created things, including us at times (Rom. 1).
So who do you ultimately trust to meet your needs? Handle your problems? Answer your questions? As you answer those kinds of diagnostic questions, a word of warning: Whenever we push God off the throne and repeatedly trust other things, we become idloaters. At that point we aren't living a lifestyle of bold belief in the only true God, but one of fleshly unbelief in our own version of another god, and its nothing short of practical atheism.
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