Matthew 6:33 (Heaven and Righteousness First)

Matthew 6:33

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

This world is full of problems, and no one knows them more than Jesus of Nazareth (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus created the world and all the people in it (John 1:2-3). He loves His creation and has made a way for people to not perish in their problems (1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Peter 3:9). Out of His love, Jesus gathered together crowds (plural) so He could tell them His good news. In Jesus' sermon on the mount He teaches this good news, and how it relates to people's problems in Matthew chapter 6 from verses 27-33:

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

With these words, Jesus lays out God's solution to worries and problems: Everyone needs to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness above all things (Matthew 6:33).

All of creation's problems can be solved through God's
perfect solution and lead to wonderful success, but this
must be understood in light of Jesus' good news and
His purpose for giving it (John 3:16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

How does someone seek God's kingdom and His righteousness? God's kingdom is not in the world, for Jesus says we are to ask God the Father to let His "kingdom come...on earth as it is in heaven," (Matthew 6:9-11). Someone who seeks God's kingdom looks for His dwelling place, which is heaven (Psalm 115:3). God will one day bring heaven down to the rest of the world (Revelation 21:2-3), but before that day comes, everyone needs to seek God's righteousness. They can start by running away from their unrighteousness, their sins. Jesus' word for turning away from sin is to "repent" and He says those who repent must "believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15). If someone believes the good news of Jesus Christ (which is the gospel) they have "become children of God...born of God," (John 1:12-13). This means they have been "born again" and Jesus says, "no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again," (John 3:3). So, someone sees the kingdom of God by being born again, and someone is born again by seeking God's righteousness.

Seeing heaven and repenting from sin are connected, and someone who chases after both will be able to not worry about anything in this world. If you don't believe it, let's look at a few examples, and see how a born again believer can respond to this world's problems:

• Financial problems: Someone who seeks heaven knows they belong to the God whose "carts overflow with abundance," (Psalm 65:11) and that they can ask for His wealth anytime (Matthew 7:7-11). Their understanding of God's righteousness shows them everything they have was given by God (James 1:17), and that it is sinful to hoard worldly possessions (Luke 12:16-21, 1 Timothy 6:10). If they trust this, they will pay their taxes (Matthew 22:19-21), give charitably (Matthew 6:4) and believe that their greatest treasures are kept in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).
• Health problems: Someone who seeks heaven knows that any sickness in the world is ultimately temporary (Revelation 21:4) and God is able to heal any disease (Matthew 4:23). Their understanding of God's righteousness shows them it is God who makes people well or unwell (Exodus 4:11), and He does this for His glory (John 9:1-3). If they trust this, they will believe that their health is something God has chosen to give them to bless His name (Job 1:21).
• Occupational problems: Someone who seeks heaven will know that their worldly work and everything they gained through it will be left behind (Ecclesiastes 2:17-18, 1 Timothy 6:7). Their understanding of God's righteousness shows them they need to serve those in charge with the same love they have for God (Ephesians 6:5). If they trust this, they will work "with all their heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since they know that they will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." (Colossians 3:23-24).
• Technological problems: Someone who seeks heaven will see that when their computer crashes it's just the world saying it is "subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it," (Romans 8:20). Their understanding of God's righteousness shows them they should be content in their life, knowing God will give them strength to do so (Philippians 4:12-13). If they trust this, they will see "the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever," (1 John 2:17).

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name
- Matt Redman

After looking at these human problems in light of Jesus' solution, it is clear that human problems are no problem at all. Jesus desires that everyone "have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10), and they can do this by seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness.

This good news Jesus offers should affect every aspect of a believer's life. Unfortunately, many believers do not talk about this good news outside of someone's ability to get a "free pass to heaven." In many churches people are offered a chance to see heaven and repent from their sins through the form of the "sinner's prayer." The "sinner's prayer" typically contains phrases such as "Jesus, I accept that I am a sinner," "I believe Your good news for my life," and "I want You to come into my 'heart.'" A church can have someone lead people in this prayer or they can write it down somewhere for people to recite it on their own. After someone in charge finishes leading people in this prayer, they might say, "If you just prayed that simple prayer, I believe you've been born again." In contrast to this, the Bible is clear that it is not any prayer or string of words that allows someone to be born again, but it is one's belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The Scripture does not tell us that Jesus Christ came to the nation of Israel and said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, now who would like to ask Me into their hearts? I see that hand.” That is not what it says. He said, “Repent and believe the gospel”!

- Paul Washer

Many preachers use the "sinner's prayer" as a way to help people deal with their sin problem, but they do not teach that this prayer can help them with any other problem. Someone cannot look at a flat tire and fix it by saying, "Mechanic, I accept that my car is in need of repair. I believe that there is a manual I can read on how to get the spare tire out of my trunk. I accept that spare tire into my 'heart' right now." Saying this does very little. On the other hand, seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness helps someone know that their car getting a flat is a part of God's plan for them (Psalm 139:16), and they can have peace in this situation knowing "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose," (Romans 8:28). Jesus' gospel can solve people's "sin" problem as well as their other problems. The "sinner's prayer" cannot do this. This is one reason why churches should not offer the "sinner's prayer"; at best it only helps people with their sin problem, at worst it does absolutely nothing.

God's Church should listen to preaches who keep from
"quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those
who listen," and who do their best to present themselves "to
God as one approved, a worker who does not need to
be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth,"
(2 Timothy 2:14-15).

Jesus says the children of God are to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well," (Matthew 6:33). This is the problem solving solution that everyone should be told (even those who are born again). The world does not need life advice or a "sinner's prayer." The world needs God's love and the gospel. This is why the apostle Paul commands all churches to "preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction," (2 Timothy 4:2). God's Word, the gospel, is useful for all people at all times in all walks of life. When believers trust this, they will urgently follow Jesus' words to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation," (Mark 16:15). The gospel is the only thing that saves people from all their problems. It is the solution!

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Grace to You: The Single Minded Christian
• Matt Redman: Blessed  Be Your Name
• Paul Washer: The Modern Church

What is the Gospel?

"Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it," (Mark 8:35). These are Jesus' words to anyone who wants to follow Him. If anyone wants to call themselves a Christian (literally meaning a lowly imitator of Jesus Christ), then they must be willing to lose their life for the gospel (Matthew 16:24). In order for someone to save their soul, a treasure greater than even the whole world (Mark 8:36), they must give their life for God and the gospel.

Anyone who wants to live a soul keeping life for the gospel will need to know what God's Word says. While it is true that a lot of the Bible can be difficult to understand, Christians are expected to study it and learn from it (2 Timothy 2:15). The apostle Peter once wrote that Paul's letters (Romans, Ephesians, Philipians, etc.) were written "with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction," (2 Peter 3:15-16). Yes, the Bible can be hard to understand, but to distort God's Word (to terribly misunderstand it, or to willfully twist it to one's own desires) will bring destruction. There's no exception to this. Jesus says, "If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels," (Mark 8:38). Anyone who disregards God's Word will be disregarded by Him. If you want to save your soul, you need to know what the Bible says about the gospel.

The Word of God gives a clear answer to what the gospel is, however the world has its own thoughts on the matter. The world speaks in such a confusing way (Genesis 11:7), and can twist God's words into their own thoughts. The world then presents their confusing distortion of God's Word as if it were truly what God says (Jeremiah 14:14). The world's thoughts are lower than God's thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). The world's gospels are no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6-7). Because of this, it is necessary to address and dismantle some of the world's lies before the truth can take its rightful place (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The gospel is NOT just another piece of Christianity:

• Many people think the gospel makes up one piece of a Christian's life, but it's only one piece like all others. If that were the case, then Christians would not have to be too concerned with the gospel, as long as they understood other key teachings in God's Word. 
• Directly contrasting this mindset, the apostle Paul wrote, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed," (Romans 1:16-17). From these words it is clear that the gospel is "the" power of God (not just "a" power or one aspect of God's power) and that it is only through the gospel that God's saving righteousness is revealed. Since only the righteous can live a Christian life (Habakkuk 2:4) and have God's power towards them (Ephesians 1:19), then everyone who wants to follow God and share in His power must keep the gospel of first importance.
• The gospel is the single most crucial aspect of Christianity. Its significance far outweighs that of any other part of a Christian's life.

The gospel is NOT a lifestyle:

• There are Christians who believe the gospel is a way of life. Some have read that God sent His apostles to "heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons," (Matthew 10:7-8) and then believed that doing all of this is the gospel. If that were the case, then someone could save their soul by how they live their life.
• This is contradicted by Paul's words to Timothy, when he wrote, "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers," (1 Timothy 4:16). Paul does not mean that Timothy can be saved by listening to his own life. It is only "the living God, who is the Savior of all people," (1 Timothy 4:10) and apart from God no one's life has any worth (John 15:5). Therefore, it is the doctrines Timothy is teaching that will save both himself and his hearers. It is from the teachings in God's Word that someone can hear what can save their soul (1 Timothy 4:13).
• The gospel is something Christians teach and believe, and it is not something Christians do. While God's followers are called to live a certain way (James 2:14-16), a Christian's life has no power to save them or others.

The gospel is NOT a waste of time:

• Plenty of people think there are better things to do than teach the gospel. Some assert that God wants us "to loose the chains of injustice," by sharing food and providing the poor with shelter, (Isaiah 58: 6-7) and then claim that these things are more useful than the gospel. If that were the case, then there would be no earthly reward in the gospel.
• Opposing this belief, Jesus says, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life," (Mark 10:29-30). Those who live for the gospel will face persecutions, but they will also be given a hundred times more than anything they could have gained by not preaching the gospel (rewards not only in heaven but also on earth). This is why Paul preached the gospel all the time, even when he was in chains. When Agrippa, a Roman statesman, heard one of Paul's preachings, Agrippa said, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" (Acts 26:28). Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” (Acts 26:29).
• Everyone, whether they know it or not, is longing for all of God's followers to be saved (Romans 8:22). So, it is good to speed up this waiting (2 Peter 3:12) through the preaching of the gospel that people may believe and become another one of God's followers (John 1:12).

The gospel is NOT separate from God:

• A few Christians claim the gospel does not have to be directly linked to God. They suggest that the goodness of the gospel can be shared without having to mention God or His words. If that were the case, then the gospel could be received outside of Christ and the Bible.
• In combating this view, Paul calls himself "a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God," (Romans 1:1). Paul states his calling is not just to be a servant for any gospel but "the gospel of God". The Bible and its author are inextricably connected (Hebrews 6:17). It is impossible to preach the gospel without God (Philippians 4:13). To do so would be the same as binding an oath with God based on what comes from Him but not based on God Himself (Matthew 23:19-20). Jesus says, "anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it," (Matthew 23:22). 
• If someone is going to share the gospel that comes from heaven, then they must equally offer the God who provides the gospel. Someone who neglects God also neglects what can truly save souls.

The gospel is NOT true for you but not for me:

• Some Christians hear the gospel and claim it is not something all people have to believe. They think that the gospel offers something good for them personally, but it's not necessary for everyone to accept it. If that were the case, then the gospel would either contain something everyone already has within them or something anyone can find elsewhere.
• Standing before these claims are Jesus' words, "I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved" (John 10:9). There are those who try to save themselves by not going through the gospel, but Jesus says, "anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber," (John 10:1). Thieves and robbers will not save their souls (1 Corinthians 6:10). No one who rejects God and His Word will be able to escape destruction (Matthew 7:26-27).
• The gospel is for everyone always (Luke 2:10). Only those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ will save their souls.

What is the gospel?

Paul answers this question in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 from verses 1 to 11:

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

If you want to save your soul you must believe the gospel: That Christ died for everyone's sins (Matthew 26:26-28) and He rose to life again; not metaphorically but in the physical flesh (John 20:26-29). If you want to believe the truth that is not in vain, then you must put your trust in what the Bible says (Proverbs 3:5-6). If you want to live for the gospel, you must preach it of first importance in accordance with God's calling to all who follow Him (1 Corinthians 9:16-18). If you want to receive rewards on earth and in heaven, then you must always be prepared to share the gospel with others so that they too may believe it and save their soul (1 Peter 3:15). If you want to live for God, then you cannot wait any longer to begin sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15).

Do you want to be a true Christian? You must know, believe and share the gospel.

Source

• The Bible (New International Version)

Special Thanks to

• American Gospel: Christ Crucified
• Biblegateway
• Desiring God
• Got Questions
• Justin Peters Ministries
• Ligonier Ministries
• The MacArthur Study Bible
• Newsboys
• WWUTT
• Wretched

1 John 4:1 (Test What is from God)

1 John 4:1

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

These days it seems Christians cannot agree on anything. Professing believers disagree with each other a lot. A few examples include this, that and this. All of this apparent "in fighting" has caused some people to think, "Why do we even have to disagree?" Some Christians have taken the stance that being critical of anything or anyone faith-based is unnecessary or even useless. Is this a mindset all believers should adopt? Should believers be critical of other Christians?

To be critical of someone can seem rather unloving, and believers are to imitate the one who is love, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Jesus taught that His followers should not be critical of others, unless they let their same critical standard be applied to themselves (Matthew 7:1). This does not mean believers should never be critical. In fact Jesus was critical of the religious leaders who denounced Him and His followers. He says to them, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to," (Matthew 23:13). In this way Jesus was verbally critical of those who did not believe in Him, but His harsh critique cannot be considered unloving. It is certain Jesus loved the whole world (John 3:16), so it is possible that being critical of even professing believers can be something loving.

Shane Idelman, founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian
Fellowship, suggests people who are critical cannot also be Godly.
In Psalms, though, where it is written, "Will You not revive
us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6),
it is also written, "Search me, God, and know my heart,
test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there
is any offensive way in me," (Psalm 139:23-24).

The apostle John wrote to the Church, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world," (1 John 4:1). John is not writing about believing the spirits of demons or angels, but the spirits in people. In other words he is saying believers should be willing to be critical and test a person's heart. Any heart that loves God "acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh," but every heart "that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God," (1 John 4:2-3). The Greek word for "acknowledge" in this text is ὁμολογέω (homologeó). It is most often translated to "confess," such as when John writes, "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins," (1 John 1:9). So, the test John writes believers should use to determine if someone or something is from God and should be believed is to see if its heart confesses Jesus Christ. That does not mean it simply gives "lip service" to Jesus by just saying His name. A heart from God daily and passionately confesses Jesus' name in the same way believers confess their sins.

The reason believers should "test the spirits" is to see if someone or something claiming to be from God will fail the "test." When something fails to pass a test, it has fallen short of its mark. The phrase "to fall short of the mark" in the Bible is often translated as one common word, sin.

The mark people fall short of when they sin is God's
perfection, for it is written, "all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23).

If someone claims to be from God and is not, they're not just making a simple mistake. They're sinning. The same goes for when someone says something is from God, when it truly is not. God punishes sin, even when it is done by the most apparently holy of people. When the high priest Aaron's sons offered "unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to His command," God was more than critical of their sin (Leviticus 10:1). He struck them dead, even though they were both anointed priests (Leviticus 10:2). Later on in history, the apostle Peter, with God's authority and power, struck down two professing believers who lied about whether what they did was truly from God (Acts 5:1-11). Now, God does not always strike people dead for sin, but the reality is everyone will one day die and then be judged by God (Hebrews 9:27). Anyone who fails God's test will be sent to hell (Revelation 21:8). Because believers love the world like Jesus does and do not want anyone to perish in hell (2 Peter 3:9), Christ's followers must be diligent to test themselves and others.

God's people are not to share in any sin. It is written, "Bad company corrupts good character," (1 Corinthians 15:33) and "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them," (Ephesians 5:11). These deeds of darkness do not happen only outside of the church, but also inside of it. The apostle paul warns all believers that "some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons," (1 Timothy 4:1). The apostle Peter further writes, "there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves," (2 Peter 2:1). The people who say they are from God but are not will bring destruction on themselves. We, as believers, should make sure their destruction doesn't take any of our brothers and sisters in Christ with them (Matthew 24:24). This is why believers should "save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh," (Jude 1:23).

Most people naturally do not like rejecting others, but
Scripture says that when it comes to people who are unloving,
treacherous, or even appear Godly but do not acknowledge
Christ, believers are to "have nothing to do
with such people," (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

God's children need to keep from believing false spirits, by being devoutly critical of others. This, though, does not mean they should not go around trying to "pick fights." Jesus says whoever lives to fight with others will ultimately die that way (Matthew 26:52). Instead of fighting people, believers test and critique teachings. The apostle Paul writes, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms," (Ephesians 6:12). A believer does not oppose someone in charge, as much as they oppose what someone in charge is doing. A brother in Christ battles with the teachings of demons, but not necessarily demons themselves (Jude 1:9-10). Furthermore, the Scriptures teach believers should "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ," (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word for demolish in this text is καθαιρέω (kathaireó). It also appears in Mary's song when she sings, "[God] has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble," (Luke 1:52). In the same way God takes down prideful kings and rulers, His followers are to destroy foolish ideas and wicked creations. 

I'm the destroyer! Destroyer!

I will not be your slave

It's over, it's over!

I will not walk away

This is no time for the faint at heart

It's time for war, war!

I'm the destroyer

- Skillet

To be a critical person who destroys false teachings does not seem like something loving. Believers, though, must remember, "People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart," (1 Samuel 16:7). For someone to be a believer after God's own heart, they have to judge righteously (John 7:24), and be willing to renounce sin. Don't believe me? Then test my heart, and see if the teachings here are from God.

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Strong's Greek: Confess
• Wwutt: Miss the Mark
• Strong's Greek: Sin
• Open Bible Info: Avoid Evil
• Strong's Greek: Take Down
• Skillet: Destroyer

Why Can't I Sense God?

When God created humans, He gave them senses to interpret and interact with His creation. Humans can hear, see, taste, touch and smell. It is written, "Ears that hear and eyes that see—the Lord has made them both," (Proverbs 20:12). So, if God fashioned ears to hear and eyes to see (Psalm 94:9), as well as hands to touch and noses to smell, then why has God chosen to remain invisible (Exodus 33:20)? Why is it that believers cannot experience God with human senses?

It is remarkably true that God did at one point come to earth as a human like us, someone who could be seen, heard, touched and (definitely in the days before in-door showers) smelled. God's coming in the flesh was part of His plan from the start of the world. The apostle John wrote, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life," (1 John 1:1). So God, as Jesus Christ, came to earth, for Jesus is "the image of the invisible God," (Colossians 1:15). While He was on earth humans could see, touch and hear God. Now, however, Jesus has gone from the earth. It is for the good of believers that Jesus left (John 16:7), but that leaves believers in a world where they cannot tangibly feel God.

Believers can read God's Word in the Bible, and God's Word did take
on flesh as Jesus Christ (John 1:1), but the Bible itself is not God.

Some people think that God's choice to no longer be physically on earth is bad. Some people want a god they can experience with their senses. They want to see God's presence, hear Him audibly speak, cling to His body, and go where He physically manifests. The Bible teaches such people may be in danger of committing the sin of sensuality. Though it is often associated with sexual practices, sensuality simply refers to pursuing the gratification or indulgence of the senses. Jude wrote to the Church that ungodly people engage in sensuality, which is an immoral act committed by those who deny Christ (Jude 1:4). Paul also wrote that sensuality is exhibited by those who "are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts," (Ephesians 4:18). He further writes of these people that "they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed," (Ephesians 4:19). Someone who craves experiences of the senses is in danger of living an impure life. They are led by their greed for one indulgence after another.

Christ's followers need to keep from seeking ungodly sights
(Matthew 18:9), knowing "the world and its desires
pass away, but whoever does the will of
God lives forever," (1 John 2:17).

The opposite of a sensuous person is someone who has a spirit of contentment. When someone is content, they do not yearn for anything they do not have. This includes not wanting the things people experience with their senses. It is written, "Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it," (1 Timothy 6:6-7). Humans come into the world with nothing to hold, taste and hear of it. Likewise, humans leave the world without their body (Ecclesiastes 12:7), and it is through the body that humans sense things. So, being content to not have a sensual experience is a way to honor God. Someone who is content shows they trust God and believe Him when He says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5). The prophet Habakkuk wrote this about being content in chapter 3 from verses 17 to 19:

Though the fig tree does not bud

    and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

    and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

    and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

    He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

    He enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk said he would be content knowing God is his savior, even when he has no figs to eat, no fresh food to smell and no cattle to hear mooing in his barns. We, as believers, must be content with the Lord in the same way. Those who do this will have peace in all circumstances thanks to the strength God gives (Philippians 4:11-13).

Believers partake in communion, but the bread and the drink
are not God on earth, but symbols of Jesus' broken body
and His shed blood (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Even so, knowing believers must not have sensuality and be content, it can still be hard to understand why God chooses to be invisible, intangible and inaudible. These questions with which believers struggle today are the same ones that were on the mind of those to whom the book of Hebrews was written. They wondered why a believer in Christ had to abandon so many things from Judaism. Those who believe in Christ no longer have a priest they can see (Hebrews 4:14), a prophet with whom they can speak (Hebrews 3:5-6), a burning sacrifice which they can smell and taste (Hebrews 7:27) or a God who they can hear (Hebrews 1:1-2). They must have wondered what makes faith in Christ so much better than other religions, if there is nothing sensual about it. And we, even as believers, also ask, "What is the point of serving a God you can't sense?". The author of Hebrews writes it is better to come to a God you cannot sense, than to come to a God that you can. On writing about coming to a God experienced by the senses, the author of Hebrews writes the following in chapter 12 from verses 18 to 21:

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

If you could experience God with your senses,
He would terrify you, as He did the Hebrews.

So the Jewish people in the times of the Old Testament experienced a God they could sense. They were in the presence of a God they could touch, and He was as burning fire. They heard God, and begged Him to stop. The prophets could see God, and they trembled with fear at His sight. To sense God is an unbearable burden. Those who want a god they can sense forget the overwhelming and destructive power this God has over all creation. Believers should not want to go back to a god like this; not when they have the God who lets them experience something better. About this God, the invisible Father and the Son who are in heaven, the author of Hebrews writes the following in chapter 12 from verses 22 to 24:

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Those who believe in Christ take part in a beautiful kingdom. They encounter a crowd of joyful angels, but they cannot hear their assembly. The members of the Church know their names are kept in heaven, yet they cannot see where they are written. Believers have a God who makes them perfect, though they cannot feel His sanctification working in them. The followers of Christ are in an unbreakable relationship with Jesus, and they do not need to speak with Him in person. Those who hope in the Lord have been given a sacrifice for righteousness better than Abel's faith (Hebrews 11:4), even if they cannot smell this spilled blood. What God has in store for believers is not a sensual religion. It is a heavenly inheritance that He has prepared for His children since before they were created (Romans 8:29-30).

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your
hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated
at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things
above, not on earthly things," (Colossians 3:1-2).

God is invisible and His tangible presence is not on earth, but this does not mean He is distant. The Lord says, "call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me,” (Psalm 50:15). God is never far away from His people, for "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there," (Psalm 139:8). Those who seek the Lord will find Him (Jeremiah 33:3). God will not hide from His children or refuse to call out to them (John 10:14-16). If someone desires good things from God, then they should ask for them (James 1:17), but no one should ask for what they will waste on earthly pleasures (James 4:2-3). The God of heaven is a good and gracious God, and He shows His glory to all the earth every day (Romans 1:20). He does this without a sound, a scent, a sight or a sense.

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Open Bible Info: The Five Senses
• Knowing Jesus: God is Invisible
• Open Bible Info: Sensuality
• Merriam-Webster: Sensuality
• John Piper: Deceived by Sensuality

Romans 12:18 (Live at Peace)

 

Romans 12:18

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Christians are to be known by their love (John 13:35). As their name implies, they are to be followers of Christ, and He is the best example of love. It is written, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters," (1 John 3:16). So Christians should not simply "love with words or speech but with actions and in truth," (1 John 3:18). Paul writes that a Christian can know the truth, by letting God renew their mind so they can "test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will," (Romans 12:2). After a Christian's mind has been transformed by the love of Christ, they will know that one way to show God's love is to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).

In Paul's letter to the Romans, the phrase "live at peace" was all one word. To "live at peace" in Greek is the word εἰρηνεύω (eiréneuó), which is a verb form of the word for "peace," which is εἰρήνη (eiréné). In Greek "peace" refers to having no hostility. It makes sense then, why Paul wrote "live at peace with everyone," after he wrote, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil," (Romans 12:17). Removing hostility by not seeking revenge is loving, however Christians are called to "go the extra mile," (Matthew 5:41). They are to show even more love by being careful to do what is right in other people's eyes (Romans 12:17), which means trying to follow other people's rules and customs. So in this world of unbelievers we live as though we are from a foreign country (1 Peter 2:11), but we respect this world's laws and social-graces. Christians should "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us," (1 Peter 2:12).

Living at peace with everyone does not mean Christians
should do everything the world does, because Christians
are to set their minds on "things above, not
on earthly things," (Colossians 3:2).

These days many unbelievers and a decent amount of believers would say the best way to live at peace with everyone is to let people be themselves; to "let you do you." Christians, who have their minds set on God's will, should disagree. Paul wrote a letter to a group of believers, and in it he said "never tire of doing what is good," and then he said doing good includes taking "special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer," (2 thessalonians 3:13-15). So Paul says Christians should not be hostile, and Christians should help disobedient believers become ashamed of their actions. That might not seem loving to a world that craves affirmation for bad behavior, but Jesus, Himself, is not even willing to let people just "do their thing." He says, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent," (Revelation 3:19).

Why should believers let themselves be thought of as "judgmental" when they correct and rebuke others? It is because it is loving. Paul showed this love, when he wrote a letter to the church in Corinth with strict words and harsh rebuke. In this letter Paul wrote that the believers in Corinth were deceived (1 Corinthians 3:18), puffed up (1 Corinthians 4:6) and behaving worse than the pagans (1 Corinthians 5:1). None of this, as well as much more of what Paul wrote, is generally thought of as being loving. What Paul wrote, though, was not his own opinions, but the Lord's commands (1 Corinthians 14:37). When Paul wrote his next letter to the church in Corinth, he knew his previous letter might have grieved those who read it. To explain himself, Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 from verses 2 to 4:

For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

It's hard for Christians to imagine writing something
to other believers that would purposefully cause them grief,
and yet Paul says that when the circumstances call for it,
this is the most loving thing to do.

Paul's rebuke to the church in Corinth was written out of deep love, and this is the kind of sincere love all Christians must imitate(Romans 12:9-10). Christians who live at peace with everyone must also love with the truth of Christ.

When we love, we earn the right to speak the truth

When we speak truth, we show the world we truly love

I'm not pointin' my finger, I'm holding out my hand

I lay it all on the line now to see God save my friend

Let my life and my words be the proof

I'm gonna love you with the truth

- Casting Crowns

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Strong's Greek: Living at Peace
• Open Bible Info: Truth in Love
• Casting Crowns: Love You with the Truth