Defined By Faith

The Old Covenant is more than a codified list of commands. It is more than a list of “dos and don’ts.” What it comes down to, in the midst of those detailed commands and expectations, is a system of faith and a covenant of relying on God more than others or self. It is predicated entirely upon faith, and – though our covenant, its terms, and its sacrifice are different – our relationship with God is no different today. Our lives in God are predicated entirely on our faith. On that faith rests the foundation of our spiritual lives.

II Corinthians 5:7 tells us we walk by faith rather than sight, similar to Hebrews 11:1, defining faith as the evidence of things we cannot see. Romans 3:28 then simply states we are saved by faith, and our salvation in faith is no different than the children of Israel’s justification through faith. For our faith then informs our conduct and our personal surrender to God’s will, truly understanding it by putting that faith into practice.

Faith Beyond Rationale

Faith is not always purely logical. Remember Abraham. In Genesis 12, God tells Abraham (then Abram) to leave his life behind him to inhabit a land he had never seen. Hebrews 11:8 tells us that Abraham obeys by faith, not knowing where he was going. Later, Abraham is asked to offer up Isaac, his only son, and Paul makes reference to this event in Romans 4:1-3, citing Abraham’s great faith. The Hebrew writer speaks of Abraham’s faith in the resurrection of his son.

Think of crossing the Red Sea. Think of the bronze serpent. Think of Joshua and Caleb encouraging the people to take the Promised Land. Consider Job, in Job 31, expressing his lack of understanding; then, in 40:3, after God provides an answer to Job, he relents and lays his fate in God’s hands. Even going as far as I Corinthians 1, Paul describes the gospel itself as something that goes against our reason and wisdom, yet it is God’s power to save.

We can read through Hebrews 11 and see person after person who do seemingly impossible things, who face insurmountable odds, who accomplish great deeds, because of their faith. Does this look like a faith that is inactive? In James 2:17-26, we see that faith without action is empty and lifeless. It is more than an acknowledgement of God. It is living for and by God.

Faith in Action

Again, look to Abraham in Genesis 22. It is in verse 12 that the angel proclaims, “for now I know that you fear God.” Did Abraham not already have a faithful heart? We know he did, but there is a difference between thought and action. Feelings are not actions. We can know about God intellectually; we can feel a relationship with God; we can understand God’s word. Without putting that knowledge and those feelings into action, though, our faith is empty. This may involve some significant sacrifices in our lives, but none of those can match what Abraham was willing to sacrifice in faith.

This is not, however, salvation dependent upon our own abilities or our checklist. Trusting in God and obediently yielding to Him in all things will abase self rather than elevate self. Our hope, trust, and confidence is placed entirely in what God has done and will do for us – no more and no less. We cannot lessen our faith by falling into inactivity, nor can we constrain it by relying on traditions and rituals, placing confidence in the flesh.

Faith – a complete, living faith – does require action. It requires obedience. It compels us to change our lives, but it is not a reliance on self. In Galatians 2:20-21, Paul plainly states that his faith drives self out of the equation of his life, living by and relying completely upon the teachings and promises of Christ, not nullifying God’s grace but by putting faith in that grace into action. Just as God wanted the children of Israel to wholly rely on Him in all things, He wants the same commitment from us today. We must crucify self, let Christ live in us, and take up a life defined by our faith.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Esau's Spiritual Struggles

In Jeremiah 49:8, Jehovah promises to bring the “calamity of Esau” upon Edom, and, a couple weeks ago, we looked at that calamity in Genesis 25 and the implication in Esau’s rejection of his birthright. In Genesis 25:23, the Lord calls these two children separate nations who would strive with each other, and we see that bear out in the lives of the peoples descended from these two. Likewise, in I Corinthians 3:1, Paul categorizes people as either spiritually minded or carnally minded; again, two opposites destined to strive with each other in eternal conflict, and the case can be made that Esau – and the nation that descends from him – typifies worldly thinking in his life.

The Legacy of Esau

First, we return to Genesis 25:29-34 where Esau forsakes his heritage, his inheritance, and his responsibilities as the firstborn for the sake of a meal. He is said to despise that birthright, with all of the rights, responsibilities, and promises attendant to that heritage. He knew the importance of this birthright, but he treats it as worthless because it could not satiate an immediate physical hunger.

Genesis 26:34 reveals this same Esau then marries into a Hittite family when choosing a wife. These were an idolatrous people who did not honor God, and verse 36 says this family makes life bitter for Isaac and Rebekeh. In chapter 28:8, when Esau sees his wife does not please his family, he seeks to rectify things by taking more wives – not because he was concerned for his spiritual health but because he hoped to please his parents.

II Chronicles 25:14-16 then records a king of Judah bowing down before the idols of Edom, those descendants of Esau. The precedent Esau had set down during his life set up a nation that did not know God, did not honor God, and bowed down before idols that were unable to deliver them. These same descendants, generations before in Numbers 20:14-21, despite Moses’ appeal to ancient family ties, refused passage to the children of Israel over the King’s Highway during their pilgrimage to Canaan. They set themselves against their brothers.

Edom’s Fate and Ours

Terrible judgment is proclaimed against Edom in Isaiah 34:6-7, from the greatest to the least, for their mistreatment of God’s people. They were founded in spiritual emptiness, and they persecuted those who sought to live in the spirituality of God. As their father was uninterested in God’s promises, so are his descendants invested too heavily in this world. From birthright to marriage, Esau invested in this world, and he set up a heritage without foundation in God’s promises.

Likewise, we can be spiritually dead. We can marry ourselves to the things of this world. We can reject our Father’s heritage for the temporary blessings here. It doesn't have to be this way, though. We can accept our birthright; we can become heirs of Abraham as in Galatians 3:27-29. We can choose to be spiritually minded. We can invest in things above. We can choose redemption and walk the King’s Highway and create spiritual heritage that we can pass on to our children and grandchildren, passing on a spiritual birthright of our own.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father! The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

- Romans 8:12-17

lesson by Tim Smelser

A Spiritual Mind

In Philippians, Paul addresses the Christian mindset. Like the Beatitudes of Christ’s sermon on the mount, these words focus on who we should be inside, and these internal attitudes should then affect everything we say, think, and do. Philippians 1:21 initially proclaims that to live is Christ, and Paul feels torn between his desire to join Christ in Heaven and his need to continue helping Christ’s cause in this life. All Paul does is focused on living Christ and drawing closer to a home with Him, and he encourages his fellow Christians to have that same focus. Like him, our single-minded focus must be Heaven and the expectation of our salvation.

In chapter 2, Paul turns his thoughts to having the same mind as Christ. In verses 2-3, he calls on us to have one love and one mind in humility. He calls on us to have a humble and submissive mind. Paul goes on to emphasize that this was the mind Christ had in this life, humbling Himself, obedient even unto death. This Jesus, equal to Father and Spirit in the Trinity and instrument of Creation, submitted Himself to become a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He had a right to resist, to refuse, but He did so willingly. He did so sacrificially. He put on submission and humility, and we should be likewise willing to submit and abase ourselves despite the rights we think we have.

Chapter 3 touches on having a spirit-centered mind. For several verses, Paul lists his own qualities that could allow him to boast among his peers – a Pharisee, a zealot, a Jew’s Jew one might say. He had power, admiration, and respect in his previous life. By verse 8, however, Paul claims to see these physical accomplishments as nothing compared to his relationship with Jesus Christ. The accolades and praises of man mean nothing compared to spiritual victory in Christ.

Finally, in Philippians 4, Paul calls on Christians to have a contented mind. Verse 7 describes a peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace that comes from a life of prayer and rejoicing in God. Verse 11 encourages contentment, and verse 13 reminds us that our strength comes from Christ. How do we accomplish this? Verses 8-9 tells us to meditate on the true, the honorable, the pure, and the lovely.

Our minds define who we are. As followers of Christ, we should be content, spiritually-minded, and Christ-centered in our hearts and minds. If we can have these qualities in place, then we can have peace and contentment in Christ incomparable to any other peace we can have here in this world, and we can then share that peace with others, continually helping the cause of Christ in this life.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Can Freedom Be a Bad Thing?

In Galatians 5, we find what many regard as the key of the whole book. He says, in verse 1, that Christ set us free for the sake of freedom, and we, therefore, should not entangle ourselves again into the chains of this world. This concept of freedom in Christ is something Paul has been building up to throughout the first few chapters of this book, returning time and again to freeing ourselves from the enslavement of the things of this world so we might have liberty in Christ. Prior to Christ, God’s people we under a schoolmaster in the old law, and, in chapter 4, Paul writes that we are redeemed out of that old law into adoption by God. We are no longer slaves; we are sons and daughters of God.

Verse 13, however, reminds us not to abuse or misuse our freedom. In our culture, we value the freedoms provided us by our government, but can freedom be a bad thing? Can we be irresponsible with those freedoms given us? To illustrate, compare how you might have driven with your learner’s permit versus when you got your license. Remember the first time you had time alone in your house without a chaperone of any kind. Can these freedoms be misused? Likewise, we no longer have the crushing mandates of the Levitical covenant, but we must not abuse the freedom we have in Christ.

Abusing Our Freedom

From Galatians 5:13 through 6:10, Paul talks about the proper use of spiritual liberty in Christ. He begins, in verses 13-15, by admonishing us to not have selfish motivations that lead us to biting at and devouring each other. We may think we’re “calling it like it is,” but what we’re really doing is destroying one another with words where we should be loving and serving each other. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus says loving God and loving our fellow man making up the foundation of God’s law. James calls loving one another a royal law in James 2:8. In our Christian liberty, we should be loving one another and serving one another.

Beginning in Galatians 5:16, Paul warns against engaging in sinful behaviors that nullify our freedom in Christ. We cannot think sin stops affecting us once we put Christ on in baptism, nor can we believe our fleshly behaviors are mutually exclusive from our spiritual health. In verse 21, Paul says that those who participate in sinful living will not inherit God’s kingdom. Therefore, we cannot abuse and throw away the freedom we have with these things.

Using Freedom for Good

Then, in Galatians 5:22-24, Paul explains how we properly use our freedom in Christ:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we concentrate on these things, if we practice these qualities daily, we will be in no violation of God’s law or man’s. With these, we can know we are in a right relationship with God. Then, chapter 5:25-6:10 lays out some practical ways we put these qualities into practice – restoration, forgiveness, bearing burdens, humility, good works toward all.

Conclusion

As Galatians 6 warns, we should not think so highly of ourselves that we become selfish or boastful regarding our freedom in Christ. Instead, we should be looking for ways to lighten each other’s loads, ways to bear each other’s trials and sorrows, and ways to work good toward everyone we meet. Though we are free to call our God, “Father,” though we are free from the chains of sin, we should use our liberty wisely, understanding the responsibilities that come with this freedom. Our liberty should push us toward gentleness, love, joy, patience, and peace. This is how we ensure we use our freedom properly – we walk by, live by, and produce by the Spirit. We crucify slavery to self to allow Christ to reign in our lives.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Esau's Calamity

In Jeremiah 41, we are in the middle of God affirming His sovereignty over all nations, and He is proclaiming judgment upon various Gentile nations. During the prophecy against Edom, God, in verse 8, speaks of the “calamity of Esau.” It is from Esau that the nation of Edom descended, and it is a calamity like his own that befalls the nation. What is this calamity of Esau?

In Genesis 25:23, the Lord tells Rebecca that she had two nations struggling within her, and that the older would serve the younger. This prophecy begins to gain form in verses 27-34 when Esau sells his birthright to Jacob in exchange for physical sustenance. In this, verse 27 says Esau despised his birthright.

Rejecting His Birthright

God sees this event as a calamity in Esau’s life.

• Esau despised his birthright. Not only was Esau rejecting all of the material blessings of the birthright, but he was also rejecting God’s promises to Abraham and Isaac.
• Esau had the wrong priorities. Jacob and Esau were old enough to understand what the promises of that birthright meant. He was old enough to understand the import of those words, but he saw those as doing him no good in the face of immediate hunger.
• Esau repented too late. Hebrews 12:15-17 speaks to this, that Esau could never recapture what he had lost, having recognized the significance too late.

Avoiding Our Own Calamity

There are lessons for us in the life of Esau. We cannot be guilty of the same errors made by this man. Esau had, through his birthright, a spiritual heritage, and we also have a great spiritual heritage in Jesus Christ. We are part of a spiritual family that goes all the way back to the cross and God’s plan for our salvation. In Hebrews 11:39-40, as the author wraps up example after example of great faith, we are told that what we have in Christ completes their heritage.

III John 4 records John calling those with whom he has shared the gospel as spiritual children. They are our spiritual forefathers, and we fulfill those promises in which they had faith. When we reject that heritage, we affect not only ourselves but those who will come after us, those who will not know of God’s promises because we rejected them. We cannot and must not view God’s birthright as common or disposable.

We must also avoid Esau’s priorities. Colossians 3:1-2 and Matthew 6:19 call on us to set our minds on the things above because the things of this life do not last. How long did Esau’s bowl of stew last him? How long was it until he was hungry again? I Peter 1:5-9 calls us to work on our spiritual growth and to avoid being nearsighted, forgetting what is truly important. So much in this life can crowd out our spiritual heritage, but how much of it will benefit us eternally as God’s gifts will?

Finally, we cannot wait too long to accept God’s gifts. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus speaks of a rich man who waited too long until nothing more could be done for him. Felix, in Acts 24:25, wanted to wait until a more convenient time, and King Agrippa, a couple of chapters later, says he was “almost” persuaded to respond to the message of Christ. Matthew 25:41, after a parable of unprepared wedding guests, warns of the consequences of waiting until it is too late. We have a strong tendency to put things off, but we cannot procrastinate accepting our spiritual heritage.

Conclusion

In contrast to all of this, Luke 17 tells a parable of another child who wastes his birthright. In contrast to Esau, this prodigal son came to recognize the worth of what he had lost. He realigned his priorities, and he returned to his father for forgiveness and restoration. Who will we be more like? Will we fall into the calamity of Esau, or will we avert disaster by humbly coming to God and accepting the heritage and birthright offered by His grace?

lesson by Tim Smelser