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How did the world we live in come to be? We live in a world where many suggest it was merely a cosmic accident. The right chemicals mingled at the right time and the end result was the planet earth with its myriad of life. On the other hand, the Book of John clearly articulates that all things were created through Jesus Christ. What does the Bible mean when it speaks of creation? The word the HCSB translates as “create” is the Greek “ginomai” (ghin’-om-ahee). Strong’s Greek Dictionary defines ginomai as “to cause to be.” Thayer’s Dictionary adds that it is akin to a man who “come(s) upon the stage” and appears in public with the intention of performing. Unlike an actor, however, Thayer’s continues on to say that there is an element of “ginomai” that is miraculous.

When John writes that all things were created through Him (Christ), he is asserting that there was a point in time when God appeared on the stage of history and miraculously caused everything, as we know it, to come into existence. When we consider the word “ginomai” on this level, we begin to understand how Christ fit into Creation. Colossians 1:15 teaches that Christ is the image of the invisible God. In the context of our study it becomes evident that it was Christ, the image of the invisible God, who appeared on the stage of creation. God the Father was the director and Christ Himself was the actor providing His personal touches to the performance. And what a performance it was! Paul writes in the first chapter of Romans, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made …” (Romans 1:20 NASB). Christ’s performance was one that has provided witness to God’s existence since the beginning of time.

There is an artistry and beauty in creation. So much so that every time we act, write, or perform we are merely imitating that First Great Performance!

We may quibble over the means of Creation, but there should be no debate over the identity of that First Great Performer. Looking at the word “ginomai” at greater depth helps to clarify this important Biblical assertion.

How does Christ help you in this moment?

I suppose this is the million dollar question. I’ve been asked before how Christ applies to our lives in a cold and hopeless world. Pastors talk a great deal about how we should live our lives yet rarely give us practical information to use when our world shatters. I’ve discovered in my own life that Christ isn’t a magic pill. Becoming a Christian didn’t end all the pain and sorrow I witness in the world nor even end it in my own life.

You won’t hear many Christians say that.

We talk a lot about how Christ has made our life better. We talk about the joy and peace that we experience after our conversions. All of that is true, yet, there is another reality. I witness Christians everyday whose lives are in a shambles. I’ve seen fellow brothers and sisters everyday who are barely holding on by a thread. If honest, I’ve been in the same situation.

This world can be a terrible place at times. As Christians we must understand this basic fact of life and meet people in the midst of their sorrow and their pain. The Bible teaches that ever since man’s fall in the Garden of Eden we have been caught adrift in an ever-spiraling tsunami of sin. We shouldn’t be surprised by pain and suffering; rather, we should expect it. Paul wrote that the ruler of this age is none other than Satan himself (2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan is the author of our pain. When we’re on the brink of disaster it is because he has tricked us into seeing the world through his eyes.

Christ offers a new reality.

Christians are aliens to this world (1 Peter 2:11). Our true nature is in Christ who promises a coming Kingdom where we will be delivered from the mess we find ourselves in. The fleeting moments of peace and joy that we find in this fallen world foreshadows His coming Kingdom where Satan will be bound and we will no longer be deceived into seeing things his way (Revelations 20:1-10).

Because we are citizens of Christ’s coming Kingdom we can find refuge and strength in the Lord (Psalm 46:1). We can take comfort in Christ’s coming Kingdom.

Consider Christ’s words …

So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy. In that day you will not ask Me anything. (John 16:22-23)

At the heart of Christianity is Christ’s promise that someday we will suffer no longer. We will live in the shadow of His perfect rule. It’s that promise that we must hold on to when times are rough. It’s that promise that we must deliver to those in need of hearing it.

The promise is everything.

It is that promise that we must meditate on every day of our lives. we must tattoo it on our heart so we can draw on it in times of need. We serve a Lord who restores us into right relationship with God and then promises a coming Kingdom that is perfect!

It is then that we will suffer no more. Satan will be bound. And Christ shall permeate our thoughts, souls, and bodies just as it was meant to be before the fall.

Amen.

¹¹ Do not despise the LORD’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe His discipline;
¹² for the LORD disciplines the one He loves,
just as a father, the son he delights in (Proverbs 3:11-12).

It seems the Lord, and the father that imitates Him, only disciplines His children because He loves them. When a father becomes apathetic and no longer interested in his children there is no need for discipline. It is only when the parent still has hopes for his child’s future that he continues to discipline and correct.

God’s intentions are often misconstrued. People wonder how a loving God could discipline the people He created. I submit that only a loving God would discipline His children. If God didn’t have the time to correct and guide us, it would be evidence that He no longer cared about us.

I know what it means to be disciplined by God. I’ve had my spirit and conscious pricked by the Holy Spirit. I’ve faced trials, testing, and seasons of heartache because I had strayed from my Lord’s will. I’ve even found myself complaining at times over my predicaments … wondering out loud why my Lord had left me to suffer.

As I mature; however, I realize that these seasons of discipline have always been the direct result of my choice to stray from God’s will and Word. I’m humbled that the same God who created the universe loves me enough to lead me back onto the correct path. I’m grateful that He hasn’t given up on me.

As I mature, I hope to follow the example of James when dealing with the Lord’s discipline:

² Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).

Give thanks to the Lord today for His discipline. Also, if you’re blessed enough to have an earthly father that loved you enough to discipline you and are able to do so, tell him thanks.

Clark

During a recent prayer I was led to make a list of all the things I have replaced God with throughout my life and was stunned to find the list was so exhaustive. The further I reach back into my past, the longer the list becomes; girls, alcohol, possessions, knowledge, exercise, relationships, food … it’s quite a list, isn’t it?

What’s so surprising about my list is that it is comprised of things that are basically good. Take exercise for example; the Bible teaches us that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and it is logical to conclude that one should take care of it – but not when you are doing it out of vanity and at the expense of time that should be spent with your family. When working out becomes an exercise in vanity it is no longer healthy. When that exercise replaces God as the most important thing in your life – it has become your god.

The same can be said about food. God has created a world full of wonderful delicacies and the family meal can be a blessed time to share an opportunity to praise Him; but when you eat so much you become overweight and unhealthy you have allowed your blessings to become an idol.

As we study my list we discover a basic truth about the enemy. Satan takes what was intended to be a blessing and uses it against us. In our fallen state we don’t always recognize the fine line that shouldn’t be crossed. The closer we are with God the more apparent that line becomes.

At forty years old I have grown tired of the idols in my life. The older I get and the more I study Scripture the more I realize that the Holy Trinity is the only God that satisfies my soul. A line from one of my favorite song goes like this, “To my audience of one, You are Father and You are Son. As Your Spirit flows free, let it find within me, a heart that beats to praise You” (Big Daddy Weave). The false idols I have served in my life only serve to interfere with the relationship I desire to have with my God.

There comes a time in the life of a Christian that all false idols must be cast aside. Let nothing impede God’s grasp on our hearts.

What’s your false idol? Is there anything in your life that receives worship in the place of God? Don’t easily dismiss the question. The idol in your life may take the appearance of something that is basically good. It may be hard to detect, but it is an idol nonetheless.

Let our hearts beat to praise the One True Living God!

A friend recently sent me a link to an article written by pagan author Patti Wiggington titled, Do Pagans Believe in Sin? I offered my friend an unsolicited rebuttal and thought I would share an edited version with my readers.

First, let me say that Wiggington is a wonderful writer. She clearly and articulately states what it is she and other pagans believe. I appreciate that because it makes it much easier to digest and rebut.

Having read the article, I found that Wiggington was suggesting that sin is “relative” – as such, she argues that sin is subjective. Here’s a quote that illuminates her argument, “Ultimately, what matters most is that you find a way to remain true to your own values and ethics.”

Christianity argues that sin is objective. It doesn’t matter what I think is a sin. If I think murder is okay, God still says it is wrong. If I think being a drug addict is okay, God still says it is wrong. Here’s where it gets tough … If I think lust is okay, God still says it is wrong. God says hate is akin to murder, it doesn’t matter what I think. To me, this seems far more realistic and practical than the argument that it is our own values and ethics that are important. Why? Basically, people are susceptible to stupidity. If you think about, responsible fathers treat their children the same way. We don’t leave our naive children to live life on their own as they see fit – we instruct them on the best way to live and the best choices to make. God treats us in the same manner.

Christ teaches that sin is objective, acknowledges that none of us meet a holy standard, and gives us a plan to deal with it and strive to be better. Again, this is exactly how a responsible parent handles their own children. You give them rules and guidelines to live by. When they mess up … you forgive them and love them anyway … just like God the Father does for us through Jesus Christ.

As such, I argue that Christianity is far more responsible than the pagan view and closely resembles an actual parent/child relationship.

In our lives, hind-site is twenty-twenty, right? In her article, Wiggington argues that multiple sex partners are okay as long as everything is consensual. Let’s put this concept to the test. Let’s say a married couple decides the wife should have a fling … everything is consensual, everyone’s adults, and what matters most is that everyone remains true to their own values and ethics. So the wife goes ahead and does it two or three times (now keep in mind that this whole time the Christian God is screaming that it’s wrong and begging her to stop). Somewhere along the way, the husband regrets his decision and finds that it is painful to know his wife has been intimate with another man. He asks her to stop and she does even though she was enjoying herself. Do you think the husband will ever get the image of his wife cheating out of his mind?   

This is a case of a human being’s values and ethics changing. We do it all the time. This is why as we grow older we often regret the choices we made in the past. Meanwhile, the one true God has never changed His opinion on sin. Adultery was wrong before the wife did it and it is still wrong now. But even after such a mistake, Christ wants to draw us near, help fix it, and restore our relationship with God the Father.

Wow … God loves us just like we love our own children.