He Promised ALL Things

In 2 Pet 1:3, the apostle Peter spoke of the divine power of God having given us ALL things that pertain to life and godliness. The apostle Paul echoed a similar message in his writing to the Romans in chapter 8 verse 32. He said that if God did not spare his own Son but gave him up to die for us, that he will also through his son give us ALL things. Little wonder Paul himself proclaimed that he could do ALL things through Christ who strengthens him when he wrote to the Philippians.

The keyword throughout these statements is ALL. Not some, not many, not few but ALL things are promised. That is a precious promise of a never-failing God. One who would rather see the earth come to an end to avoid the unfulfillment of his word; and yes, he is that serious. He is the one that is reliable, capable and specialises in the impossible.

Despite ALL these promises, it can sometimes become difficult to appropriate the blessings to ourselves.  And that happens mostly because we do not possess the prerequisite for receiving the promise – faith.

One element within these promises that is important to note is that all these promises are to be experienced through the knowledge of the word of God. Because faith comes through the knowledge of God. When we build our faith to the point of taking God by his words even when our present physical experiences or circumstances do not align with the word of God, then we start our journey towards receiving the blessings that come with the promises.

The fact that God makes his promises with a very strong and certain language without mincing words or trying to give caveats is really interesting. When he says he has given us everything we need for life and godliness, do we believe it when our situations are not aligning or when we are not seeing physical evidence to support that assertion? What about when he talks about giving us everything? Does he really mean it? What does everything or ALL things really mean? What does it include? Is it just eternal life? What about material things?

You see, we can discuss all the what abouts or what-ifs. It won’t change the fact that those certain statements of promises were made. To experience them, we need to reflect on our lives and our ways to make sure that we are in tune with God, to ensure that we are obedient to his words and that we are seeking him with all our hearts. Because whoever seeks God with all their hearts will find him. Instead of asking the what abouts or what-ifs, we should be looking inward and surrendering ourselves to him, to allow him to use us, to allow him to direct and guide us through his words. When we do this, we will be well on our way to enjoying the blessings of the promises.

A Form of Godliness that Denies its Power (2)

Knowing the subtlety in the denial of the power of godliness is important. As we saw earlier, this matter concerns even the most devout and pious people. It can be difficult to spot the denial of the power of godliness. It can also be difficult to spot the form of godliness that denies its power. And the utmost care must be taken to ensure one is safe from this. The last piece looked at selective obedience of God’s word. Now we may ask, how else can one deny the power of godliness?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. – 2 Tim 3:1-5

It can be seen from the apostle Paul’s letter that when we become:

• lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God,
• Proud
• Abusive
• Unloving
• Without self-control
• Fearful
• Rash

It means that there is a form of godliness that celebrates these attributes and that form of Godliness denies its power. It can also be deduced that the form of godliness that denies its power is one which does not rely on the power of God to overcome sin but revels in sinful behaviour with very good excuses to that effect. This is seen in justification of certain behaviours or accommodating certain behaviours that are contrary to the scriptures. When excuses are made for bad behaviour, then opportunities are given for such behaviours to multiply.

It can also be seen in apathy or ‘standing on the fence’. When one fails to call out sin as the bible says we should do, then we are giving room for such sins to grow. It may be more common today than we may realise. Everyday around us, there the world is either celebrating or encouraging certain behaviours that are contrary to the scriptures, and a form of godliness that upholds its power requires that we rebuke such behaviours and not support them. And the rebuke it must be said need to be done in love. Loving the sinner but rebuking the sin.

Denying the power in the form of godliness we profess can be so subtle that it becomes very difficult to spot. Hence, it is our place to pray lest we find ourselves living in such conditions. May God grant us the grace to embrace a form of godliness that upholds and celebrates power through Christ. Amen.

A Form of Godliness that Denies its Power (1)

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. – 2 Tim 3:1-5

 

Godliness has power. But some are in denial of its power. Being in denial of the power of godliness is an indicator of the form of godliness in question. There are different forms of godliness surely and we can broadly see two from what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy – (1) a form of godliness that recognizes its power and (2) a form of godliness that denies its power.

The denial of the power of godliness is linked to the last days and certainly, some character traits of people who do so are listed in the apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy. As easy as it sounds to sometimes think that we are not doing so, that people who deny the existence of God or perhaps serial sinners are the culprits; everyone in some form may be a culprit. So, could I be denying the power of godliness in certain areas of my life? Perhaps, to be able to answer that question sufficiently it is better to understand what godliness is and how powerful it is or can be.

Godliness refers to the quality of being devoutly religious; that is, piety. Put in another word, we can say it means conforming to the laws and wishes of God; or being devout.

So then, piety is essentially the conformance to the laws and wishes of God; it is dedication or devotion to God. It is obedience to God. But it seems quite ludicrous to think that one could ever go wrong with devotion to God. Yet the apostle Paul referred to a category of people of the last days who will do all of these but will go ahead and deny the power that comes from godliness. Because devotion and conformance to the will of God presuppose the fear of God and the fear of God is said to be the beginning of wisdom. Then there seems to be a conundrum here.

This concept seems more like someone having a smartphone and using it for calls and texts but denying that it can ever be used to do any other thing. It means, that one can use the smartphone well and achieve some functions but yet does not believe or perhaps vehemently denies its ability to do something else like browse the internet, take photographs and record videos.

In like manner, a form of godliness that denies its power does not necessarily deny that Jesus is the risen saviour who died as a sacrificial lamb for the redemption of the world. There is that believe, there is also a sense of dedication to God, in obedience to his commands, there is piety and strong devotion to God.

So then, how can we deny the power of godliness if we do all these? Well, one way of denying the power of godliness is in a lack of trust in God to do ALL he says he will do. Selective obedience and believe you could say. It can be seen in the ‘obedience of convenience’. Have I believed God and tried to obey him when it is convenient for me to do so? Certainly, I have found myself in that position sometimes. I have however found that obedience in those moments manifests the power of God.

Also, there are times when we fail to obey or believe God because it is not convenient, it does not look good and is not a position anyone wishes to stay in.

Usually, believing or obeying at such moments is difficult. Well, it is, sometimes it seems impossible. We may lose something if we do, or perhaps it may cost our lives if we obey.

The problem here is that it is like saying that the God who promised to be with you in trouble and to rescue you has not got enough power to do so. Or perhaps because you erred, you then use that to assume that God may not be happy with you (even when you have asked him to forgive) and will allow you to fail. Have you found yourself in that position before? I must confess, I have, so do many people I believe; but it is not a place anyone wants to be in because it all boils down to the thought that God has not forgiven and perhaps even more so, the thought that God forgives but the consequences remains to be faced. Yes, God does chasten his beloved to correct them, though they may suffer for a little while, he restores them (1 Pet 5:10). If we realise that God is always looking out for us even if we err and then return to him, he forgives and heals, restores, rejuvenates, rebuilds and makes whole again (Acts 3:19-21, James 5:15, Gal 6:1, 1 Pet 5:10). In fact, he is like a GPS that recalculates the best possible route every time we miss the wrong turn.

Now, that sounds like the power that comes from a form of godliness that is in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

 

How else do we deny the power of godliness, the next post will look at other ways.

The Bridge of Uncertainty

Your Future is save in God’s Hands – (2)

Between the promise of God and the fulfillment or manifestation of the promise lies a gap I like to call the “bridge of uncertainty” that ultimately leads to certainty. I call it the bridge of uncertainty for a number of reasons. One, it is during the waiting period on this bridge that life can throw a number of things on the individual that makes it seem that the promises of God will never manifest. A second reason is that from the physical signs, one cannot determine the outcome – more like the dry bones in the book of Ezekiel, can they live again? From physically examining them, they cannot. Hence the reason why I call this period a “bridge of uncertainty”. But the interesting fact is that this bridge leads unto certainty. How ironic! The three Hebrew men, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego did not know if God was going to deliver them from the fire on that particular day, they were ready to die nevertheless. They said they were not going to bow to a foreign God because the one true God which they served was able to deliver them, EVEN IF HE DID NOT DELIVER THEM, they still will not bow. We know the promises God has made, and sometimes we are faced with situations that requires us to believe in those promises despite the prevailing situation. So it is important that we believe despite the current situation because the current situation is not a good predictor of future outcomes. Consider Joseph going from slavery in Potiphar’s house to prison in Egypt. Am sure that was uncertain enough for him, it certainly could have given cause to doubt his dream at that point and may be he did, we are not told. But the important thing is that he still held on to his integrity and the dream came to manifestation. How about John the Baptist in the period of affliction? He had to send his disciples to ask Jesus if he was truly the messiah.

So, all sorts of doubts and fears can emanate on the “bridge of uncertainty”. And so, how then can anyone live through such a period and conquer in the end? Here are a few things that can help:

1. Knowledge and faith.

Consider this passage again:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Pet 1:3

Knowledge and faith comes through hearing the word of God. All things that pertain unto life and godliness are given unto us through the knowledge of God. Without the knowledge of God, we cannot be godly and obtain all things that pertain to life. And faith also comes through the knowledge of God. That’s the reason Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the Word of God. So, your faith is proportional to your knowledge of God’s word. Now, if we know what God has done for other people, if we read what was written in the past which was meant for our learning (Rom 15:4), then we can be certain to understand how God handles his business. We can come to a full knowledge of his will. The scripture reveals the perfect will of God. It is the perfect law of God. It is profitable for doctrine, for correction and able to furnish us with all that is needed for godly living.

How does this knowledge help? It gives us certainty during uncertain times, when the current prevailing situation is saying otherwise, when our health seems to be failing, when our finances are not what they should be, when we have no job, when we have no one to turn to. When the difficulties of live assail. Then the word breathes peace into our lives. It breathes hope also. So, when you find yourself on the bridge of uncertainty, study and meditate on the word of God even more.

Through this knowledge, grace and peace is multiplied. 

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. – 2 Pet 1:2

The peace of God that surpasses all human understanding will flood through one’s live because of the knowledge of God. Peace is multiplied, it is not just added and this gives a calming influence. It calms and settles anyone during affliction and helps to keep the focus on the promise.

2. Endurance and Patience

Another important trait or virtue that is needed in the valley of affliction is endurance. Endurance and patience is so important that Paul in writing to the Romans said:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  – Rom 5:3

Suffering indeed produces perseverance which produces character and hope. All these traits are essential in the time of affliction. The apostle Paul said it all. And if we suffer, it should not be as a result of wrong doing but let it be for the cause of Christ, then can we truly glory in such suffering. Nevertheless, if one has found oneself in affliction as a result of wrong doing, confession and repentance is necessary and the grace of God will be multiplied. So, there is no need to feel sad, but to glory. David realized it was good that he was afflicted so that he will learn obedience.

3. Believe in God’s promises and He will show up eventually

There is a word that God has spoken concerning everything or every situation in life. The scriptures may have been written over two thousand years ago, but it is relevant for all ages. It was relevant in those early days, it is relevant today and it will be relevant tomorrow. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is unchangeable and is not slack concerning his promises. So, in the “bridge of uncertainty”, search the scriptures, and find relevant scriptures and meditate on it daily. Hang onto those promises. Abraham believed God, hung onto his promise of a son and heir for over 25 years and God did show up. He went through a bridge of uncertainty as well but his believe and trust on the promises of God was unshaken and today, he is the father of faith and a friend of God. The three Hebrew men believed and recited the promise of God, they could not burn in the furnace. Joshua and Caleb believed and they entered the promised land.

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isa 40:31

The Second Dimension of Grace

The first dimension of grace as seen in Tit 2:12 is giving. Grace is manifested in giving and the gift is salvation and this is all-sufficient.

The second dimension of grace is that it teaches us to say No to ungodliness. Paul said:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. –  Titus 2:11-12

To teach is to impart knowledge or instruct someone as to how to do something. It is a transfer of knowledge. And for knowledge to be transferred, such knowledge must have been acquired and this means that a teacher is someone who either has some knowledge or information or knows how to get such information in order to transfer it to the student. And teaching usually is associated with living people. So, a dead being cannot teach, although it can be used as an object of a lesson. Just as a parent and/or an adult will have to teach a toddler how to do stuff, so we are made to understand that the grace of God teaches us. Now, the art of teaching is gradual and hence different levels of teaching is required. The reason being that the capacity to receive information or learn determines the level of information being taught at any point in time. It is the reason that school systems are made up of different levels and usually the levels are determined by age. Age is a major indicator of a person’s ability to receive information although not the only indicator. The reception here presupposes the ability to comprehend such information and be able to logically analyse it. The capacity to receive gradually expands as children grow into adults.

So, the grace of God is seen as a teacher, who imparts on to those who had received him. But why does grace have to teach his recipients? Well, it is usual for manufacturers to produce manuals that outline conditions of use and how best to make use of their appliances. In like manner, the recipients of salvation are to be taught how best to use that gift. And hence the need for teaching. And what it teaches the recipients – Christians – is to live differently; to say NO to ungodliness and worldly passions. It teaches the need for self-control and techniques of living a life of self-control in the present age. But well, why is it important to live a life of self-control in this present age? The reason is because this present age is the age where self-love is in vogue. And that is why Paul warned:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.                –  2 Tim 3:1-7

Grace provides the teachings needed to live above these and hence the provision of the most important literature of all ages – the bible. The bible contains the word of God and it is the manual for daily Christian living. It answers the simplest and even the most difficult questions in life. Grace has taught us in the bible the very origin of human existence. Grace teaches the reason for human existence, it teaches us the meaning and purpose of life. Grace teaches what is to come. It has made it clear how to overcome different challenges in life, how to do business, how to raise a family, how to live with a spouse, how to live with neighbours. In fact, one of the most profound lessons it teaches is to consider others before ourselves; to love our enemies and pray for them. It teaches how to deal with difficult situations, all of these are to equip the Christian. So, the question is, has grace finished with you yet? Have you allowed it to complete its work in you? Remember, grace changes and transforms us to the image of God. It teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.