The Shield of Faith

[T]ake up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. - Ephesians 6:16

God uses our everyday objects to teach us about unseen things.

Paul, imprisoned for his faith,¹ saw soldiers quite often. He advised Christians that they, too, have armour for their spiritual battle. We use our faith like a soldier uses his shield.

This scripture tells us two things:

1) The evil one uses "flaming arrows"; his weaponry pierces and burns - a past or present regret, a perceived fault or character flaw, rejection, isolation, gossip.

2) The burn can be extinguished by faith - faith that Jesus is not just the savior but my savior, faith that all my guilt and flaws as real as they may be or have been are covered by his sacrifice, faith that since he did this when I was his enemy how can he do less now that I am his friend.

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." - Romans 5:10

-fritz

^{1 - Ephesians 6:19}

Mercy and Truth Meet in Christ

"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. - Psalm 85:10

"Truth" and "Righteousness" don't naturally lead to "Mercy" and "Peace".

Truth is that every one of us have done selfish and ungodly deeds. Righteousness demands wrongs to be made right, and we don't have the wherewithal to comply.

We can not bring back the dead, can't restored ruined reputations, can't unhurt or put back what we have wasted.

But Christ, Jesus, can and he has. In Christ righteousness and peace "kiss" and make up. He has paid for our sin, he can heal the hurt, take the wrong and make it work to every one's good.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ - Romans 5:1

- fritz

Why believe in Adam and Eve

"For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" - Psalm 11:2-3

The accuracy of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is important in ways not immediately apparent.

Many churches, especially main line denominations, allow "scholars" to teach the Old Testament, especially Genesis through Deuteronomy, are a compilation of oral tradition and that the Biblical accounts of creation, the flood, and other recorded events are actually embellishments of some kernel of truth - not factual.

What difference could that belief make? A lot!

If the biblical account(s) of creation was (were) embellishments to and from a non-scientific world view then there is no foundation to understand the need for Christ's death on the cross. If there was no real first man, Adam, and first woman, Eve, then Paul is wrong when he writes in the Bible that Christ's death counteracts the sin which came into the world through the first man, Adam¹. Only crazy people kill themselves for love when there is no actual need.

If Genesis through Deuteronomy are actually a combination of various oral traditions sewn together by an unknown person then when Jesus told his followers, "Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother" ² he was either wrong or, for some reason, deceptive. Neither view forms a foundation of faith. If he was not trustworthy then, how can he be trustworthy now?

Sometimes the best way to bring down a building is not to attack the building but to destroy its foundation.

- fritz


^{1 - Romans 5
2 - Mark 7:10}

Now that we are friends

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." - Romans 5:10

When God was our enemy he loved us so much he gave Jesus to die for our sins and make us his own.

Now that he is our friend, how can we think he would reject us for our shortcomings and failures?!

It is time for those who have covenanted¹ with Christ, to stop looking at difficulties as God's anger and start seeing them as God's allowed opportunities to grow up and experience his life in real circumstances.

Seizing this one fact changes us, seasons us, and makes us more like the people we always wanted to be but had no ability to become.

Ever see a child after conquering a major (to them) problem? That's how children become mature adults! Us too.

- fritz

^{1 - "Think Covenant" blog post on August 15, 2010}

The "Much More" of "Life"

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Romans 5:10

God wants to do "much more" than just take us from being enemies to being forgiven. If being "saved" was just about forgiveness this verse would not make sense.

"Salvation" is not something we save up for and wait for like social security, it is a daily experience of the risen¹ Jesus; living in the his kingdom now and forever. King David put it this way,

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." - Psalm 68:19

- fritz

^{1 - See "Resurrection of the Body" (July 6,2010)}

Not an insurance policy

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." - Romans 5:1-2 (KJV)

The Gospel is not a life insurance policy and Jesus is not the insurance agent we call only to renew or check our coverage.

Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins not so we can get heaven but to remove the barrier (our sins) between us and God so we can live, work, and walk with Him now and forever; heaven is the by-product

This has always been God's desire.

[Adam and Eve] heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: ... And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? - Genesis 3:8a, 9 (KJV)

Walking with God in the garden each day was a common occurrence, unfortunately interrupted by sin.

God's desire never changed.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? - Mica 6:8 (KJV)

Jesus' parting promise to his disciples was NOT heaven, but living with God; the place may change but the company doesn't!

"If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (Jesus - John 14:23 KJV)

Question: How would my living be different if my goal was to live, work, and walk with God now and forever?

Escapism in the Bible.

Christians are accused of using the gospel as a form of "Escapism".

There is "escapism" in the Bible but not the kind usually thought; not escape from problems, difficulties, or struggles - we embrace these.¹

God offers escape from the "corruption" it says is in the world through lust; the same term is used elsewhere as "wear and tear" of use.^{2, 3}

[God] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. - 2^nd Peter 1:4 (NIV)

There is a "wear and tear" of just living in this world - sweet children become fodder for COPS, 40 year marriages break apart, once vibrant strong believers loose their first love of Christ.⁴ It doesn't have to be this way, God offers escape by using his promises that, when embraced, change our hearts, douses the fires, and lifts the burdens.

- fritz

¹ Romans 5:3
² Colossians 2:22
³ Patrikin Blog: Christian Roses
⁴ Revelation 2:4