Month: July 2011

Glorious Food

 Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:8

In the analogy of the “True Vine” (John 15:1-8) we are given the purpose in the above verse. It is that the Father may be glorified in fruit bearing. We are told that the vine represents Jesus, we are represented by the branches and that the Father is represented as the vinedresser; the One for whom the fruit is borne. It is not borne for the benefit of the branches.

The purpose of the vine is to bear fruit for the benefit of the vinedresser. The purpose of the Church, of which Christ is the head, is to bear fruit for the benefit and use of the Father.

The connection between the branches and the vine is called “abiding” and for the branch that means absolute dependence on the vine. In similar way we are totally dependent upon Jesus Christ for life and fruit bearing. He said, “for without Me you can do nothing” (v 5) Quite clearly we cannot be independent of Jesus Christ and bear fruit for the glory and benefit of the Father. We can only bear “fruit” through abiding in Christ. Abiding in Christ means drawing life nourishment from Him continually.

It is the will of the Father and of Jesus that the branches bear much fruit (vv 5, 8) so it is important for us to reflect on just what this fruit is. Keeping the purpose of the analogy is important to a correct outcome in our considerations; it is that the Father will be glorified – the glory of His Person revealed in the world.

All plants bear much more fruit, of which the seed is part, than is required for reproduction. The extra fruit and seed are for the benefit of others, not the plant itself. The vinedresser is the one who determines where and to whom the fruit is to be distributed, not the vine.

Keep in mind that it is the whole vine, not just the branches, which produce the fruit. A branch not drawing nourishment from the vine cannot produce any fruit and neither can a Christian not drawing nourishment from Jesus Christ. Some of the seed, which is at least part of the fruit, is used to reproduce but the much greater part is used to nourish others at the will of the owner. The Father is glorified when we produce fruit for the nourishment of others and reproduce Christ in them.

Out of Character?

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

It isn’t uncommon to hear someone defend another person’s actions with the comment that they “acted out of character,” meaning that it really wasn’t them who did it but maybe some external force. Is that possible? The Christianised version of this is “the devil made me do it.” Can a person act in a way contrary to their nature? Can the devil make us do something we do not want to do or that is not part of our nature to do?

The short answer to both is, “No!” It is an axiomatic principle in the creation that all living animals and plants act according to their nature. The same is true of mankind and of God Himself. God always acts in accordance with His Divine Nature and He has created mankind in His likeness.

When someone claims that another has acted out of character what they mean is that it isn’t the usual behavioural expression of that person.

We may teach a parrot to say words but it is still a parrot. Parrots, along with some other creatures, are imitators by nature but they cannot change their nature. A parrot cannot acquire language even though it may say words.

Children are excellent imitators but in the process of learning to say words they develop language which is part of their nature and is developed through practice.

Actions and words reveal what we are and that is the meaning of these words of Jesus. If you want to know what is really in your heart, listen to the words that come out especially when you are under stress; scrutinise what you do when under stress. This will reveal your heart to you.

It is possible to counterfeit the spiritual life publicly but the stresses of life are sent by God to reveal to ourselves what we really are. He does not do this to put us down or condemn us but that we might agree with Him concerning our sinfulness and let Him change us from within.

The Divine Nature was miraculously created in us at the new birth but it needs development. The Bible is our informant so we can know what emanates from the sinful nature and what emanates from the new creation. The former is to be put to death and the latter developed.

Sell all … Follow Me

“Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Luke 18:22).

The rich young ruler in this passage came to Jesus with a genuine question on how he might receive eternal life but his problem starts from his question, “What must I do?” He had a wrong mind set and this would be his undoing.

It would appear that he was either a Pharisee or at least following their teaching. Jesus asked if he had kept the commandments relating to human relationships and the ruler claimed that he had always kept them. Was that presumptuous? Maybe, but Jesus then gave him a command that did not fit within his framework of reference, his spiritual laws.

He had kept the letter of the moral law. He had kept the ceremonial law but what Jesus asks is that he observe the first two commandments by doing something that didn’t fit within his framework.

  • You shall have no other gods before Me
  • You shall not make yourself a carved image …

It didn’t make sense to give everything away. His wealth was the evidence of his goodness and God’s blessing. His own law had overshadowed Jesus’ commandment. The fact is that this young ruler had made a god of the law.

Was he not a spiritual man? He obeyed the commandments and fulfilled all the rituals. To any observer he was a righteous man, but not to Jesus.

We are at risk of doing the same. The apostles Paul and John both warn against such people. They create a god out of moral law (but only to a level they can attain) and ritualistic practice to observe and believe that they are spiritual if they can maintain these. They also impose these on others as a measure of spirituality (legalism). The form has become their god.

Jesus’ direct command to the ruler fell on unhearing ears. What Jesus commanded did not make sense to one who bases their spirituality on outward observance and material blessing. He could justify that to other men but he could not justify giving all his wealth away. That looked foolish.

A few verses (9-14) earlier Luke has recorded a parable that Jesus spoke of a Pharisee who loved to pray in public. Is prayer wrong? No, of course not but this man’s idea of prayer is wrong. He wanted public prayer so that he could show others how spiritual he was. He was proud of his (supposed) greater spirituality than the tax collector.

Jesus says it was the tax collector who was righteous not the Pharisee.

Oswald Chambers makes the valid point that it is what a man does in the private place with God that matters not what he does in the public arena before men. One wants to be seen of God and the other wants to be seen of men. The latter can always justify himself before men the former only seeks to be justified before God.

Second-hand Christianity

“Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’” Exodus 20:19

In recent times I have met a person who brought to mind a term that I had not thought of or used for many years – a Second-hand Christian.

The song “Second-hand Rose” had some application to me as I received many hand-me-downs from my older brother. Both he and my younger sister always seemed to get new clothes but rarely me. One never seemed to really own that which was second-hand.

Israel was quite happy to receive the message second-hand through Moses. If God spoke directly to them there would be no question of authenticity and they would be held fully to account. By getting the message second-hand they could always question Moses’ ability to accurately communicate the message, his integrity or blame him if things went wrong.

There are multitudes in all religions that are quite happy to hear from a man what he perceives as truth but not hear directly from God Himself. The sad thing is that many Christians do exactly the same. They may attend church and listen to a preacher; they may listen to recorded sermons and even read Christian books but they will not hear from God directly for fear they will be held accountable to the truth.

The second-hand Christian of my recent acquaintance says he hasn’t time to read the Bible and pray daily but can listen to recorded sermons at times.  It would seem necessary to doubt that he really is a Christian.

A second-hand Christian is like a second-hand spouse. That is, a man does not live with his wife and neither does he communicate directly with her. All communication is through a third party. Would that be an intimate marital relationship? Of course not and neither is second-hand Christianity.

Is your Christianity first-hand or second-hand? Do you listen to, and speak with our Lord, through reading the Bible and prayer or is it built on gleaning information heard second-hand? The second-hand Christian I speak of is in error in many areas of doctrine and his behaviour reveals that he has little idea of true Christian living. He has made himself dependent upon another fallen human being when he could be dependent on Jesus Christ and His Word.

The Israelites thought that if they heard God directly they would die. The exact opposite would have been the case. If they both heard and received the Word of God they would know life.

Life is found only in being a first-hand Christian.

Where Are You?

“Oh, that My people would listen to Me” Psalm 81:13

When Adam and Eve had disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they did not want to hear Him. As they tried to hide He pursued them calling “Where are you?” This is what people have continued to do and God has continued to do ever since. It is like the game of hide-and-seek but it is no game, it has temporal and eternal consequences.

Adam and Eve initially refused to accept responsibility and blamed someone else. Nothing has changed. That is still the first inclination of people when sin is revealed.

The remedy for Adam and Eve’s predicament could only come from God. They were helpless to reverse the effects of their action or remove the consequences. It was necessary that they listen to God if they were to be saved.

As any parent knows, to listen means to conform or obey. When a child does not conform or obey we would probably call out with some measure of exasperation, “Didn’t you hear me?” Quite often the child may not have realised that he/she had not obeyed. He/she just didn’t process the information, misunderstood it or was distracted by something of more interest. The same is true in our relationship with God.

In Psalm 81:13 we see the same love and desire of God toward His people as He had toward Adam and Eve which is His desire that they listen to and heed Him. The problem was not that God has not spoken, He has. His people refused to heed His voice (v 11).

If we really are “His people” we will want to listen to and heed God. This means that we will read, study and meditate on His Word, pray for correct understanding and application, conform to the way He describes and obey His commandments. If we do not want to do these we must question whether we are “His people” or not.

The psalmist asks God’s people to reflect on the kindness and grace that God showed them when they were in rebellion and on the great strength by which He delivered them from their hiding place.

For those of us who trusted Jesus Christ later in life a few minutes reflecting on what we were before Christ became our life and on where we might have been had He not intervened might help our spiritual ears and lift our hearts with praise, worship and thankfulness.

Surely when we see the tender but powerful love God has for us we will respond by lovingly listening to Him to the point of obedience.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).