Our Need for Atonement

What concept of sin, separation, and salvation do the patriarchs under the old covenant have? Psalm 32:1 begins with blessings for those whose sins are forgiven by God, and David acknowledges the sorrow associated with separation from God. Also, Psalm 38:1 opens with a plea for mercy from judgment, the consequences of the sins he confesses in verse 15. Psalm 51:1 begins again with a plea for mercy, asking the psalmists’ transgressions be blotted and cleansed. He asks for purification by God in verse 7. These psalms demonstrate an understanding of sin, separation, and forgiveness that we sometimes don’t attribute to those who lived under the Old Testament.

Today is the Day of Atonement on the Jewish calendar – Yom Kippur. In the Old Testament, the Day of Atonement is a monumental occasion, the day when the high priest enters the holiest place, when the scapegoat is released, a day of fasting. Would they forget what necessitated atonement? Do we likewise emphasize the death of Christ while forgetting what put Him on that cross?

If it is only the death of Christ on which we should focus, the New Testament writers might have demonstrated less reserve in describing that death. They are not concerned with portraying agony for agony’s sake. They do not concern themselves with theatrical or dramatic portrayals of the cross. The significance is not only in what happened but also why. The reason for Christ’s death is sin – yours and mine. How we view our sins affects how we view the cross just as those in the Old Testament had to appreciate their need for atonement to appreciate the meaning behind the Day of Atonement.

The Seriousness of Sin
We often define sin as, “missing the mark,” and that does not sound so severe. Missing a mark can be close, and we have little problem with being close. However, God sees sin as a condemnable act, and we should take it so seriously. Multiple times in Ezekiel 18, the prophet proclaims that the soul who sins stands condemned to death. Luke 13:1 accounts a discussions where the Pharisees are talking about the consequences of others’ sins, but Jesus rebukes them for not taking their own sins seriously. In John 8:24, Jesus warns that sin brings death without His intervention.

Sin is a terminal disease, but we have a tendency to trivialize it and tolerate it. We feel guilt, but we learn to shrug that guilt away. SIn corrupts character, creates barriers between men, causes crime and abuse. When we define sin as simply missing a mark, we miss a true appreciation of the seriousness of sin. It is rebellion against God, and, if we participate in it, Isaiah 59:1-2 warns it creates a separation between ourselves and our God.

The Greatness of Salvation
If we view sin as the serious offense it is, then we can truly appreciate the greatness of God’s salvation. Salvation is more than a good disposition or a general mindset. Romans 3:23 warns that all have sinned, and Peter writes that God wants all to repent from the sin that separates man. We have problems reconciling God’s love the idea of punishment, but in Matthew 25:30, in the context of a parable, Jesus speaks of an outer darkness. Verses 41 and 46 talk of eternal fire and punishment. Mark 9:43 records Jesus preaching of the desperate measures we should be willing to take in avoiding condemnation.

Salvation delivers us from terrible consequences, and it is not something to view casually. In Hebrews 5:9 calls Jesus high priest to all who obey Him. How then should we feel about our atonement? How should we feel about the cross?

• Romans 6:23 makes it clear that sin causes death, and our Savior died on that cross to pay that debt.
• II Peter 2:22 and II Corinthians 5:21 emphasize Jesus’ lack of sin. He died because of sin, but He did not die for His own.
• II Corinthians 5:21 makes it clear Jesus was made sin on our behalf.

In Isaiah 53, the prophet writes of how the suffering servant bears my sin, my sorrows, my transgressions, my iniquities. He takes on my punishment. His stripes heal me. The consequence of sin is death, but Jesus did not die for His own sins. Instead His sacrifice took my place.

Conclusion
Jesus’ death is more than an act of martyrdom. It is a sanctification that allows us to drive sin and its consequences from our lives. Romans 6:1-2 warns us against assuming God’s grace. Rather we should die to that sin for which Jesus died. Jesus took our grief and transgressions. In response, we must purge sin from our lives, looking at sin the way God does. We can remember our Lord, repent, and turn toward a Lord who has brought us a great salvation from the consequences of sin.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Necessary Changes

Psalm 51 occurs after David’s sin with Bathsheba becomes public knowledge. He prays to God to be purified in this Psalm. He calls to be cleaned whiter than snow. In verses 16-17, he expresses a broken heart and a humbled sacrifice in sacrifice to God. David recognizes the change he needs in his life, and David vows to help others turn to God as he himself has made necessary changes. We should all want to share God’s word with others, but David recognizes his need to change himself before attempting to influence others.

Points of Transformation
In Acts 3:19, in a sermon very similar to the one preached at Pentecost, Peter encourages his audience to repent and turn from their sins, being forgiven by the Lord. Romans 12:1-2 calls us living sacrifices, transformed from conformity to this world. Paul calls our minds renewed by God’s word. How do we make these necessary changes, renewing our minds, and transforming ourselves in God’s image?

• Reverence to Worship. Are we coming into God’s presence with reverence and awe? Mark 7 records Jesus chastising the Pharisees for lip-service in the context of their traditions. He says their hearts are far from Him in their worship, and Luke 18:9 begins a parable of a tax collector and Pharisee – the latter trusting self and lacking reverence for God and His mercy. We all need to set self aside so we may be filled with God.
• Attitude Toward Service. Do we consider service to others a burden? In Galatians 6:7 begins a passage that encourages to never grow weary in working good. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul calls us God’s workmanship, created for the purpose of doing good works. Our attitude toward helping others should be a source of joy, walking in the good works God has prepared for us.
• Ignorance to Knowledge. How comfortable am I studying with someone about spiritually difficult topics? In I Timothy 1:7, in the context of vain speaking, Paul speaks of those who wish to be teachers but have no understanding. Hebrews 5 begins by chastising the author’s audience who have not matured spiritually – due to a lack of study and knowledge. We should be striving daily to build our spiritual knowledge.
• Infancy to Adulthood. In the context of building our knowledge, Hebrews 5 also encourages us to spiritually mature. In Hebrews 6:1, the author calls on us to push on to full growth. This problem is present in I Corinthians 3, where Paul calls those Christians spiritually immature. We have to put our faith into practice so we may grow.
• Laziness to Zeal. Romans 13:11 calls on us to wake up in our spiritual work. I Corinthians 15:32 records Paul speaking to the futility of our spirituality if the resurrection is a lie, and, in verse 34, he again calls us to wake ourselves up. In Ephesians 5:14, after writing about our spiritual walk, Paul calls the sleepers to awaken. If we are asleep in our service to God, we need to wake up and get to work. We should be giving as much to God as we can.

Conclusion
We have to give God our most and our best. Back in Psalm 51, David recognizes how much change would have to happen in his life to draw closer to God. If we are to be in God’s presence, we have to change our minds, our attitudes, and our actions. In every aspect of our lives, we can transform ourselves to draw closer to God as He draws closer to us.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Facing the Challenge of the Christian Journey

There are lessons we can take from facing extreme challenges. We may enjoy backpacking, kayaking, skydiving, or we may just enjoy seeing others participate in these challenges on survival reality shows, but the most extreme challenge we can take is to walk the Christian life. We watch these television shows or read about others facing the challenges of nature, and we think, “I can do that.” Many of us think that, but few of us would ever try – only five percent of visitors to the Grand Canyon, for example, ever descend below the rim.. Like the tiny percentage of people who ever go below the rim of the Grand Canyon, very few who look into God’s word find the will power to actually implement it.

Pressing Toward Our Goal
In James 1:22, James calls on us to be active in God’s word, and he says we fool ourselves if we study that word without becoming involved. We cannot be sideline observers in our spirituality. James says we must be workers of God’s word to receive God’s blessing. Also, in Matthew 7:13, Jesus calls on us to enter into salvation through the narrow, difficult gate. He illustrates destruction as the easy path. Sadly, in verse 21, Jesus observes that not all who call upon God’s name will enter into His kingdom. Rather, it will be those who commit to His will. We have to meet the challenge of participation to be blessed in God’s eyes.

Once our Christian journey begins, we have to understand the journey may be longer than we anticipate. We may begin our walk with great enthusiasm and confidence, but time and trials can cause us to question our resolve. When we face a challenge, stopping and quitting is not an option. Once you’re at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, you have to continue the journey to get back out. Luke 14:28 records Jesus talking about crucifying self to follow Him, and He encourages His listeners and us to count the cost of a great endeavor. He advocated preparedness. In Luke 9:62, we see a few examples of individuals willing to sacrifice self to follow Jesus. We have to be willing to finish what we started, never giving up until we reach the goal.

During this difficult journey, great benefit can be found in rest and refreshment. In Acts 2, the early church comes together for the purpose of encouraging and restoring one another. Verse 46 records this occurring daily, assembling to worship and to build each other back up. In Acts 4:23-24, persecuted disciples come to fellow Christians for encouragement in fellowship and prayer. Do we value the times we come together? Our times of worship and fellowship are not burdensome. It is a time to benefit from being in the presence of our brethren and our Lord.

We come together because we will not complete this journey by ourselves. We need each other. When we are on a long journey, we often share resources and provisions. We help those with whom we were journeying. We help keep each other on the right path, preventing each other from trailing off. In Hebrews 12, the author writes about running our race of faith, pressing on to a goal, laying aside unnecessary burdens. In verse 12, he encourages us to lift one another up, living peaceably with each other, and watching over each other. We need each other, and we need to be willing to ask for help when we need it.

Rejoicing In Our Goal
Always, the completion of our efforts will bring great joy. Sometimes, we enter into a task, and we think we will never finish. When we finish though, when we reach our destination, we have an unparalleled sense of accomplishment. Writing form prison in Philippians 3:12, Paul writes about his efforts pressing on, working toward the goal before him while leaving behind those things that might hold him back. Paul is looking toward a great joy waiting for him. In I Peter 4:12, Peter speaks of fiery challenges we may face in our journey, that these trials help prove us, help shape us. Just as Christ suffered, we may suffer, but we are made better through endurance.

Will we have the same stamina and endurance demonstrated by Jesus and by Paul? Hebrews 2:2 calls Jesus the author of our faith. He has cut the path for us, but it is not always an easy one. It is a path for which we must be committed and prepared. We must rely on one another, and we have to stay focused on the joy promised at its end. Jesus finished His work. We can follow His lead, walk after His footsteps, and enter into the home He has prepared for us.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Elijah & Discouragement

It’s a common phrase: “I am just so discouraged.” None of us are strangers to discouragement in our lives. The problem is when that discouragement leads to despair and depressions, leading us into a cycle where we grow content in our malcontent. Elijah, in I Kings 19:1-19, experiences a despair with which we may be able to relate. These events come after Elijah’s triumph with God over the Baal priests upon Mt. Carmel, and he immediately finds himself running for his life. In the context of this great event, the king and queen of his land turn against him and seek to end his life.

Elijah has had enough. He calls for his own death, but an angel visits him, bidding him to eat. The angel strengthens him, and he travels to Mt. Horeb where he pleads his case to Jehovah God. He voices his despair, and God reveals Himself to His prophet in the quiet stillness of the mountain. This quiet God reassures Elijah that he is not alone. God is with Him and seven thousand remain unfaithful to Baal. From here, Elijah finds Elisha and returns to his work. When discouraged, we can look to this story. We can see how discouragement works its way into Elijah’s life, and take heart that we too can overcome despair.

Causes of Discouragement
Elijah feels the strain of trying to positively influence and ungodly nation. He feels the strain of being outnumbered by his opponent. He feels the stress of national leaders turned against him. He feels alone as we do at times. We grow distraught over the influence we think we don’t have. We feel the strain of those who we feel should be more faithful. We sometimes feel all have turned against us. Like Elijah, our emotional stress can pull us down.

Remember, in I Kings 18, Elijah is outrunning a murderous king in a chariot. He later runs from Jezebel and runs a day’s journey into the wilderness. He collapses when he can go no further. His physical exhaustion brings him to despair. We are always running. We are always wearing ourselves out. We over-commit and run ourselves into the ground, and we can no longer give our best to our families or our God. Even Jesus would take time from His ministry for meditation and reflection. He takes time to be still, to pray, and to focus on God.

Great success can also lead to great despair. Remember how Elijah overcomes the priests of Ball in I Kings 18, how the people shout praises to Jehovah after that triumph. He seems to feel a personal obligation to maintain that momentum, but, too often, when we reach a plateau, there is no direction left but down. We seek rewards, promotions, and recognition, but these same accolades can pull us down again once they are absent.

The Results of Discouragement
Because of his experiences, Elijah personally isolates himself, even leaving his personal servant behind. He was facing his discouragement alone. Too often, we do the same. We don’t want others to talk to us, encourage us, or try to help us. In Genesis 2:18, God states, “It is not good for man to be alone.” We are created as social creatures, and it does us no good to isolate ourselves when down.

In I Kings 19, Elijah loses perspective as a result of his depression. More than once, Elijah cries to God that he is the only one. Proverbs 23:7 claims that the thoughts of our hearts define us. Judas experiences a similar progression of despair after betraying Jesus, and, in Matthew 27:3, Judas repents of his betrayal. His story, though, ends in suicide. Judas is unable to overcome the distraught his actions bring about. We cannot allow such discouragement to so distort our perspective.

Discouragement can also lead us to focus solely on ourselves. Philippians 2 encourages us to liken our minds to Christ, who focused on others before self. Elijah centers his despair around himself. Much later, Jonah will demonstrate an unhealthy fixation

Cures for Discouragement
In I Kings 19:5, God tells Elijah to get up. He encourages Elijah and us to take positive action. A small move in the right direction can turn things around. Just taking that action can set us again on the right path. Get up, take a shower, have lunch with someone, go to a Bible study. The smallest nudge can help us regain momentum.

Additionally, God pushes Elijah to mature. God demonstrates to him that great things do not always come from cataclysmic events. God is not in the storm or in the earthquake here. God reminds Elijah where to focus and in whom his hope should be placed. In I Corinthians 3, Paul chides the congregation to whom the letter is addressed, for being spiritually immature. Hebrews 5 makes a similar statement, reminding us that there is a reasonable time in which we should be spiritually growing up. Spiritually maturity helps us overcome discouragement.

Finally, God tells Elijah to equip himself, to get to work. God gives Elijah those to help and those who would help Him. There are times when we need to change our minds. Romans 12 encourages us to transform ourselves, starting with our minds. We may need to admit we need help, and we may find encouragement in encouraging others. Elijah would mentor Elisha as we can help others draw closer to God. I Peter 1:13 tells us to prepare our minds for action, setting our minds on God’s grace.

Conclusion
Discouragement is a part of life. We will be disappointed. We will feel upset at times. This life cannot fulfill our every hope and need. People will let us down. Leaders will let us down. We will let ourselves down. We look to something better, though. God gives us reason to hope and trust in Him. Romans 8:31 reminds us that God can deliver us against any power of this world. Verse 35 asks who can separate us from God, and Paul concludes that nothing can come between us and the love of our Father. We may be faced with despair, but we have hope in Him who delivers us from this world.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Am I a Liar?

Calling someone a liar is an accusation with serious implications. It is not a charge we deal with casually. Whether a child or an adult, liar borders upon being a dirty word in our society. It is not a term to be thrown around casually or lightly because of the light cast upon the character of one accused of lying. To accuse one of lying is to accuse of being knowingly misleading, confusing, and deceptive.

The concept of lying is addressed in the New Testament roughly thirty-five times. Titus 1 and John 8 refer to God and Satan lying. Titus 1:1 begins Paul’s letter to Titus, and he speaks of the truth in God and the inability of God to lie. He calls lying something impossible to God, inconsistent with His character – an important fact if we are to trust and believe in God’s promises. In contrast, John 8:31 records Jesus speaking of the freedom found in God’s truth, and, beginning in verse 43, Jesus typifies Satan through lying, calling him the father of falsehood.

Darkness and Light
John uses the expression lie several times in his books, and there are no gray areas in the context in which John uses the term. In I John 1:5, John discusses the nature of God’s light, accusing us of being liars if we claim to follow him while remaining in darkness. Returning to John 8:12, Jesus refers to Himself as the light of the world, preventing us from walking in darkness. He will repeat this sentence when healing a blind man.

When we follow Jesus, we walk in the light of life. In I John 2:9, however, points out that hatred sets us in darkness, again making us liars if we claim to follow Christ. In verse 5, we are liars if we claim to know CHrist without heeding His commandments. Chapter 1:6, 2:4, 2:9, 2:22, 4:20 – these verses and more define us as liars when we contradict ourselves and deny Christ in our lives.

Are You a Liar?
Returning to our opening, the accusation of liar is a strong one, but John lays out a case that we do so when we claim to be a Christian while practicing sin; when we say we love Jesus but ignore His commandments; when we say we love God but harbor hatred in our lives. When we do these things, we live in darkness, and we lie to ourselves when we convince ourselves we walk in light.

In Colossians 3:19 speaks of the treatment of wives by husbands. Similar sentiments are expressed in Ephesians 5. Colossians 3:18 and Titus 2 discuss the attitude wives should have toward husbands. Colossians 3:20 and Ephesians 6:1 speak to the relationship between children and parents. Are we practicing these things, or are we guilty of being liars?

Consider Ephesians 4:25 that tells us to put away all falsehoods, speaking only truth, keeping anger from leading us into sin. He encourages us not to steal from each other in any way or allow bitterness or corruption come forth from us. Paul is focusing on the goodness we should be practicing if we are truthful in our walking as Christians. What do our actions proclaim in comparison to the words we say.

Practicing More Than Theory
Christianity is more than a set of noble ideals. It should be bringing drastic changes in our lives as Romans 12:1-2 calls on us to be transformed. Ephesians 4:17-24, predicating the qualities we just examined, calls on us to avoid darkening of understanding, callousing our consciences, avoiding greed – we do not learn these things in Christ. These are things we should put away worldliness to assume a mantle of godliness. This is why we need to be concerned with our own honest assessment of who we are.

Christianity should be aspiring us to greater goals than those of this world. In Colossians 3:1, Paul encourages us to seek those things above, setting our mind on those promises. We have died to this world, and, staring in verse 12, we see qualities we should emulate – love, kindness, forgiveness, mercy. Being a CHristian gives us a new set of goals and new things to work on in our lives.

Finally, in Revelation 21:7, John sees the holy city, a dwelling place where there is no more pain and no more crying. He hears God say that he who overcomes will inherit all these things, but that even liars will have no part in His peace. Our actions should be consistent with the One we claim to follow. Are we lying to one another? Do we think we can lie to God? Are we lying to ourselves? James 1:22 warns us against deceiving ourselves in our service to God. If we are honest with ourselves, we will continually work harder to set our eyes on the things above, allowing His word to change us in everything we say and do.

lesson by Tim Smelser