All of the Good Fruit, None of the Bad

6 July, 20245 July, 2024Marissa

I’m guessing you all know about the fruit of the spirit. You might have them memorized: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23, NET). You might even have done in-depth studies on them, such as spending a month writing scriptures about each trait with my free 30-day scripture writing plans.

There’s another list in Galatians, though. It comes right before the fruit of the spirit passage and details the works of the flesh. We’re meant to read both and notice a contrast between the two because Paul is making a point about how Christians live. When he says you’re “not under the law,” he doesn’t mean God gives you freedom to go out and live a hedonistic, sinful life. Quite the opposite, in fact. We’re given freedom so we can fully follow God from the heart, with all the fruit of the spirit in our lives and none of the works of the flesh.

The Works of the Flesh

There’s a lot going on in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. He wrote to correct errors in the Galatian believers’ theology. They were confused, even following what Paul described as other gospels. It seems their main issue involved a too-strict reliance on Old Covenant law and Jewish additions to the law. Paul reinforces the good news he originally preached to them: the Old Covenant ended with Jesus’s death and a New Covenant took its place. Jesus’s faithfulness is what brings us righteousness and justification, not our own efforts. That doesn’t mean we break God’s law (Christ does not encourage sin nor did He do away with God’s law [Matt. 5:17-20; Rom. 3:28-31]), but Jesus didn’t redeem us and give us the Spirit so that we could then try to save ourselves by our own efforts. He saved us, and we’re to reciprocate with faith that involves active, relational loyalty.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:13-18, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Lev. 19:18)

When we’re baptized into Jesus Christ, we symbolically die to our “old man” and we’re reborn as children of God (Paul covers this extensively in Romans). That transformation has (or should have) a profound effect on our lives. We’re to change, becoming less and less like fleshy, selfish humans and more and more like spirit beings in God’s family. That involves putting off things associated with fallen humanity living in a world influenced by Satan.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
Galatians 5:19-21, NET

This isn’t a complete list (Paul has similar ones in other letters, like 1 Cor 6:9-11; Eph. 5:1-6; Col. 3:1-10), but the message is clear. If we continue to do things that God defines as sinful or unrighteous we will not inherit as His children or be in His kingdom. That’s one of the reasons it’s still important for us to know about God’s law; His law defines sin and acts as a tutor or guardian pointing to Christ (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:24).

Image of green grapes overlaid with text from Gal. 5:22-23 version: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. " — Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Live In The Spirit

Cleaning things God hates out of our lives is an important part of our relationship with Him. It’s not the most important part, though. First, Jesus is the one who initially washes us clean; only believing in Him, repenting of our sins, and accepting His sacrifice can make us clean. Then, we’re called to participate in His ongoing work in us. We’re supposed to keep examining ourselves, putting away bad things, and putting in good things as we become more and more like Him. If we don’t take any action, then we’re like the person Jesus warned about in this analogy:

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order.Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
Matthew 12:43-45, NET

If you remove something evil from your life and don’t replace it with something good, then there’s a chance something worse is going to move in. It’s like if you give up eating candy so you can be healthier, but don’t add any good eating habits, then take up smoking on top of going back to eating tons of sugar. Except in this case, we’re taking out works of the flesh and we’re supposed to replace them with fruit of the spirit. If we try to take out something like “outbursts of anger” without putting in things like love, peace, and patience then the anger isn’t going to stay gone and might get worse.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25, NET

We need to have all of the fruit of the spirit AND none of the works of the flesh. It’ll be a life-long process, but that’s the goal. We can’t be content with getting rid of most of the works of the flesh or having just some of the fruit of the spirit. God’s people shouldn’t look at themselves, shrug their shoulders and think, “Eh, guess I’m good enough now” (Rom. 11:18-21; 1 Cor. 8:2; 10:12). We need to stay faithful, keep learning, humble ourselves and repent as needed, and ask God to guide our growth.

Helping Each Other

Image of good and bad apples on the ground overlaid with blog's title text and the words, "We can't be content with getting rid of most of the works of the flesh or having just some of the fruit of the spirit. We need all of the fruit of the spirit AND none of the works of the flesh." — Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay

If we just stopped at the end of chapter 5, we might think that removing the works of the flesh and putting on the fruit of the spirit is just an individual, private thing. In some ways it is: we’re each responsible for ourselves and we’re the ones who will answer to God for what we did with the gifts He gives us and the work He does in us. But at the same time, we’re also responsible for how we interact with other people. Christians are not called to isolated, individual walks. God calls us into a family, a collective body of believers who are meant to support each other.

Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else. For each one will carry his own load.
Galatians 6:1-5, NET

We’re supposed to help each other put away the works of the flesh and cultivate the fruit of the spirit. Notice that Paul doesn’t say “judge,” “condemn,” or even “correct.” He says to “restore” this person. The Greek word is katartizo, and it means to mend something that’s broken or “to strengthen, perfect, complete, make one what he ought to be” (Thayer’s Dictionary entry G2675). Sometimes, we’ll be the one in need of mending who needs help from other believers. Other times, we’ll be “carrying our own load” well enough that we can be the one who helps another.

Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it. Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.
Galatians 6:6-10, NET

The sowing and reaping analogy fits so well with calling godly characteristics “fruit of the spirit.” Right before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples that He chose them to bear fruit, that their fruitfulness honors the Father, and that it shows they are genuine followers of God (John 15:8, 16). Our connection with Jesus should be a fruitful one. If we invest or “sow” into the life of the spirit–our life following Jesus and becoming like Him and Our Father–then we’ll produce good fruit to replace the works of the flesh that He’s working with us to remove from our lives.

Featured image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay

Song Recommendation: “I Am New” by Jason Gray

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Reading Slowly Through 1 Corinthians 12: Contextualizing The Spiritual Gifts

8 July, 20237 July, 2023Marissa

I’m a pretty fast reader. For reference, Goodreads tells me I’ve read 47 books so far this year. This is great when I’m in school or if I want to hit reading goals for the year or I need to quickly gather information. But it’s not all that helpful in Bible study. When we’re pondering the Bible, it helps to slow down and read carefully. This is a book for close reading, not for skimming.

My women’s scripture writing group at church started the topic “Spiritual Gifts” for July. I don’t have that list posted (we take turns compiling scripture lists and that one isn’t mine), but you can click here to download similar lists. For “Spiritual Gifts,” the first 12 days of the month are verses from 1 Corinthians, most from chapter 12 and a few in 13 and 14. As I started writing them this week, it forced me to slow down and I noticed some things I hadn’t before. Today, I’d like to take a deep-reading stroll through this chapter together.

Background for Discussing Gifts

With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:1-3, NET

Why does Paul introduce the spiritual gifts section by talking about idols? It seems off topic, yet what he’s giving us is a way to tell if someone is “speaking by the spirit of God.” This is very relevant to discussing gifts fueled by God’s spirit. We’ll come back to this point in a moment, but Paul has some more groundwork to lay first.

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, NET

The Corinthian church had an issue with people breaking into factions (1 Cor. 1:10-13; 11:18), and Paul continues to address that here. He doesn’t want them to make the mistake of thinking that the different gifts and ministries provide a reason for dividing the church or devaluing certain people. Before informing them about spiritual gifts, he contextualizes it by sharing how to identify someone the holy spirit is working in (they acknowledge Jesus as Lord) and with a reminder that unity is important to God. The Lord works with different people differently, but that’s so they can all benefit the church body as a whole.

To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.
1 Corinthians 12:7, NET

Here’s the final piece of foundational information for discussing spiritual gifts. God gives these spiritual gifts to each individual for the benefit of all. Also, remember that this is the letter where Paul says twice that you (plural) are the temple (singular) of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20). He really wants to make sure his readers understand that God is building a unified church led by Jesus Christ (with many groups scattered around the world, all acknowledging Jesus as Head), not a bunch of little churches headed by Paul, or Apollos, or Peter, or any other human being.

Image of four women studying the Bible together overlaid with text from 1 Cor. 12:8-10, NET version: “To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.” — Image by Shaun Menary from Lightstock

Examining the Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 is one of a few different passages in the Bible that lists spiritual gifts. In Romans, Paul talks about the gifts of prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, contributing, leadership, and mercy (Rom. 12:6-8). In Ephesians, he focuses on roles God gave in the church and talks about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:7-13). Peter talks about love, hospitality, speaking, and service in relation to gifts (1 Pet. 4:8-11). Each list is a bit different. We’ll just focus on the one in 1 Corinthians today.

For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:8, NET

Let’s think back to the opening line about idols and understanding. Remember, Paul said, “I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” This is particularly important to keep in mind for the spiritual gifts that also have non-spiritual counterparts.

Wisdom (G4678, sophia, intelligence, skill, expert knowledge) and knowledge (G1108, gnosis, knowledge and general intelligence) aren’t words exclusively related to Christianity. People can seem wise or knowledgeable without really having the type of true, divine wisdom and knowledge that comes from God (as Paul has already addressed in 1 Cor. 1-2). Given how much emphasis Paul put on the difference between human and divine knowledge at the beginning of this letter, I think he wants to make sure we don’t mistake human intelligence for the spiritual gifts of wisdom and knowledge. No matter how smart something sounds, if it doesn’t line up with truth then it isn’t the message (G3056, logos, word, intelligent speech) of wisdom or knowledge.

to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:9-10, NET

Seeing “faith” on a list of spiritual gifts puzzles me, kind of like seeing “mercy” and “service” on lists in Romans and 1 Peter. Those are attributes that all Christians are supposed to have. It is impossible to please God without faith (Heb. 11:6), so it’s something every one of His followers needs and which we all can have. This makes me wonder if some of the spiritual gifts have “levels” of sorts. Maybe we all have faith but perhaps some have a gift of super-abundant faith. And perhaps many of us–or maybe even all of us–have the potential to prophecy or heal or discern spirits, but some have that talent as a gift and are more likely to do so regularly.

Paul even says that we can pursue specific gifts and advises that we ask God for prophecy, which in this case means speaking “to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation” (1 Cor 14:1-5). This seems to indicate that people can have multiple spiritual gifts and that we can ask God for more gifts, though of course we also need to accept that He’s the one who chooses which gift(s) will be best for each person.

Reiterating Unity

Image of four people walking into a church building with the blog's title text and the words "When we think of spiritual gifts, we often focus on figuring out which gift we have. As we do that, we need to also remember Paul’s points that contextualize our desire for and use of such gifts. — Image by Pearl from Lightstock

After listing some spiritual gifts, Paul returns to the topic of unity in the body. This point is integral for understanding how to use the gifts God has given us and how to perceive the gifts God gives other people.

It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things. For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. For in fact the body is not a single member, but many.
1 Corinthians 12:11-14, NET

Paul elaborates on this analogy by pointing out how silly it would be for one part of the human body to say it isn’t really part of the body, or for a part like an eye to tell another part, like a hand, that there’s no need for it (1 Cor. 12:15-26, NET). It’s the same level of ridiculousness if one person thinks, “Because I have this gift I understand more than everyone else so I’m leaving,” or if another were to say, “I don’t like people with this gift or role, so they shouldn’t be here in my church.”

Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it. And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, different kinds of tongues. Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? Not all have gifts of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they?But you should be eager for the greater gifts.

And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3, NET

We talked about this “way that is beyond comparison” a couple weeks ago in my post “The Necessity of Godly Conflict Resolution and Forgiveness.” Wanting spiritual gifts is good because when they’re used rightly, they benefit the entire church body. But unless love is guiding our actions, all the good things we do and all the gifts we might have are empty.

When we think of spiritual gifts, we often focus on figuring out which gift we have or how we can use our gifts. As we do that, though, we need to keep in mind the other points Paul makes to contextualize the right desire for such gifts. We need to remember that gifts are given to strengthen the whole body. They’re given to individuals so that we can contribute to God’s church. And the gifts aren’t the only important thing. They’re not even the most important. Love–which in today’s world is often seen as simple or weak and not nearly as important as something like knowledge or power–is actually the most important thing for followers of God to have inside them and display in their lives. Agape-love for God and others is the foundation for using God’s spiritual gifts properly “for the benefit of all.”

Featured image by Inbetween from Lightstock

https://youtu.be/0P4YdXz3LAI

Song Recommendation: “Come Alive (Dry Bones)” by Lauren Daigle

Still Struggling Even When Life Is Good? It’s Not Just You

7 July, 20217 July, 2021Marissa

Do you ever feel like everything’s going really, really well in all the parts of your life except inside your head? That’s where I’ve been at for a while now. I started grad school and that’s going really well. I’m teaching and tutoring a wide range of ages and subjects and that’s going really well. I have great relationships with my parents and siblings, I’m getting a new sister next year when my brother gets married, and I have a stable, supportive church family. It’s all fantastic. This is probably the best my life has ever been.

And yet, I keep finding myself sinking into depression and struggling with anxiety. What if all this goes away? Going to grad school was always my back-up plan and if that doesn’t work I don’t have anything in mind to fall back on. I look at what’s going on in the world today, and I don’t really have a lot of confidence that society’s going to remain stable. I tell myself that I’m okay with being 32 and single–that I’m not sure I even want a relationship at this point–but then I feel like I might be lying to myself. So I start worrying, and then I feel guilty for worrying, and then I worry about how my glumness is affecting the people around me. And when people who care about me notice there’s something wrong I struggle to tell them what’s wrong because there’s no good reason for all this worry.

This post isn’t just about me sharing my struggles, though. I’m going to be okay–I’m seeing a counselor again a couple times a month to help get myself back on track with my mental health. My reason for writing today is to get us thinking about how to work through the guilt, shame, and disconnected feeling that can go along with having mental health struggles when everything in life seems to be going well. I often hear people talk about how it’s normal to struggle with depression and anxiety when things in your life aren’t good, or recommendations to focus on the positive and get engaged with your life so those feelings will go away on their own. But what if things are already good, and you are engaged with all the positive things in your life, and you still struggle? That can be “normal” too. Not normal in the sense that it’s a good thing to stay there, but normal in the sense that there are lots of other people struggling with it as well.

Fighting the Battles in our Heads

Some time ago, I wrote a post called “Fighting Something You Can’t See.” I’ve been thinking about that idea recently, and I just went back and read what I wrote three years ago. Near the end of that post, I said, “It’s so hard for me to turn anxiety over to God. In a way, letting go of the thoughts demanding constant attention doesn’t seem safe. … [but] God doesn’t want us to cower in the face of attacks inside our minds. He wants to help us fight back. Casting our anxieties on God frees us to let Him help us fight the real battle behind all the other struggles we face.” Past-me had some wise advice, and I think I need to tell myself this once again.

This idea that God wants us to keep trusting Him during the tough times is also something I’ve been studying recently, sort of by accident. It came up when I was reading Peter’s letters as part of studying for the next post in my new series on the general epistles (you can read my post on James here). Peter spends a lot of time, especially in his first letter, reminding people that confronting trials is a normal part of being a Christian and that the source of those is the adversary, the devil who stalks about like a lion seeing to devour God’s people. Peter is also very clear that, with God’s help, we can resist this adversary.

And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering. And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-11, NET

May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
2 Peter 1:2-3, NET

God gives us tools for success. He does not promise we won’t face trials or that we will not need to fight battles. Rather, He says He’ll be with us through those things. James and Peter even agree that we can have joy during the challenges and trials we face. That joy comes from us having faith faith and hope that provide context for understanding what we’re going through (James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:3-9).

Practical Steps We Can Take

It’s all very well to talk about having faith, hope, and joy when we face trials and using the tools God gives us, but how does that work in real life? As I think most Christians who struggle with mental health issues can attest, it’s not like we haven’t tried praying about these things. We know we’re supposed to turn things over to God and stop worrying, but if you’re like me you’re not really sure how to do that.

I’m going to share a few tips now for practical steps that we can take. Some of these work for me already, while others are recommendations that others have shared and which I’m working on trying out. It’s not an exhaustive list, and since we’re all so different they won’t all work for everyone. I hope, though, that you’ll find something here that’s helpful for you or which sparks an idea of something that might help.

Practice mindfulness. My dad, sister, and counselor have all stressed this to me recently. It’s not a good idea to live in the fearful “what ifs” of the future. They might not happen at all, and we don’t really have control over them anyways. As Jesus says, “So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34, NET). Being mindful of the present is a conscious choice/effort. It’s part of taking “every thought captive to make it obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5, NET).
Keep the context in mind. When we’re struggling with something inside our minds, we need to remember that we’re not alone and that this is a very real fight. Paul counsels us to remember that “though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds,” including ones inside our own minds (2 Cor. 10:1-5, NET). When you feel like your mind’s under attack or like you’re fighting against something, you’re not going crazy. We are fighting in spiritual battles, and we are not doing it alone. Remind yourself of this, and go to God in prayer. Ask Him to keep His promise to fight alongside you.
Sing and praise. One way to counter the dark things inside our minds is to speak light out of our mouths. Did Paul and Silas sing in prison because they were so happy to be there, or because they knew that praise would connect them with God, who is the source of the strength and joy they’d need to get through this? (Acts 16:24-26). I’m not sure, but I’m starting to suspect that it’s not very helpful to try and muster up joy silently when we’re struggling. We need to speak/sing to God whether we feel like it or not, and then the joy may follow that. I know I tend to feel better when I sing and listen to Christian music, but I’ve gotten away from that recently. Today as I write this, I’m listening to a lot of Jean Watson and I find that music very uplifting. I also find Jason Gray’s “Sparrows” very fitting for how I feel right now.
Talk with someone. I know it’s tempting to keep everything to yourself and not let people know how much you’re struggling. But the people who love you would rather have you let them know what’s going on and how they can help and support you than to have you struggle on your own. And if you don’t have anyone you can talk with (or even if you do have someone but your struggles are still having a negative impact on your life), I highly encourage you to seek professional counseling. Click here to start searching for therapists in your area.

Those are the four things I’m using right now to try and work through the anxiety and depression that I’ve been dealing with recently. I’d love to hear from anyone else who wants to share their experiences in the comments or who has advice for others going through similar things. What tips do you have for maintaining a focus on God and holding on to joy during times of inner struggle?

Featured image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Learning From Others’ Spiritual Temperaments: Book Review of “Sacred Pathways” by Gary Thomas

4 August, 20203 August, 2020Marissa

A couple weeks ago, in an article titled “Psychology Isn’t Enough, but It Sure Helps: The Need for Personal, Spiritual Growth in Christianity” I talked about a book by Gary Thomas called Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path To God. I originally read it back in 2017 and I’d planned to write about it here on the blog but for some reason (which I don’t remember now) I never got around to it. So I reread it, and now I’d like to share some thoughts.

Book Overview

Thomas proposes nine “sacred pathways” — spiritual temperaments that describe how we’re most inclined to worship God. In the first chapter, he discusses that in the Christian churches we often expect everyone to worship God the same way. The example he uses is the “quiet time” that became a staple of church training and discipleship programs in the 1970s and ’80s. It involved spending 30 to 60 minutes each morning in prayer, personal worship, and Bible study, then having an accountability partner to check-in that you were keeping up with your routine. Prayer, worship, and study are all good things, but it’s not good if we reduce worship to “rote exercise” or assume everyone has to worship in the exact same way all the time (p. 14-15).

I’ve heard the idea that everyone else should worship “our way” voiced more or less directly by a variety of people in churches I’ve attended. Some think churches that don’t encourage dance are not worshiping Biblically; others worry about the people who aren’t committed enough to follow their example of reading the Bible through every year. I’ve voiced my own frustration with song services that have all the enthusiasm of a funeral dirge, saying we need more life in our worship to make it meaningful. Complaining about those who don’t worship the way we think they ought is a common thing. But perhaps it betrays a wrong attitude. Read more →

Am I Living A Flesh Life Or A Spirit Life?

22 June, 201919 June, 2019Marissa

Do you desire the same things God desires? That’s one of the questions asked in a new book I’m reading called What Does Your Soul Love? It’s written by Alan and Gem Fadling, and it’ll be available for purchase September 17th. I’m about halfway through right now and it’s given me quite a bit to think about. One thing I really like is the way they explain how our resistance to living a godly way of life is connected to Paul’s discussion of flesh versus spirit.

Our desires lie at the root of why we act the way we do. But even when we line-up the things we say we want with the things God wants, we might still find ourselves in the same position Paul was in his letter to Rome. He said he delights “in God’s law after the inward person,” but still finds “the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice” (Rom. 7:14-25). When we try to follow God, we encounter resistance from within ourselves as well as from without.

The resistance from outside is usually easier to identify and counter, at least to a certain extent. But what about the resistance inside? What can we do about that?

What Is “The Flesh”?

Just a couple weeks ago, I shared a 2-part post about Galatians. It’s on my mind again now since that letter seems particularly relevant to today’s discussion. If we’re going to talk about how our flesh resists living in the spirit, the last two chapters of Galatians are crucial. But first, let’s clear up a potential misunderstanding.

“The flesh here is not the physical body, but a way of life we’ve grown used to living in a world that does not recognize the reality of God and his kingdom. It is a dynamic within whereby we grab for what we need, not trusting (or knowing of) God’s generosity to provide. It is an ‘I can do it myself’ approach to living that presumes the absence of the loving God” — Alan and Gem Fadling

I’d also add that “flesh” includes an attitude of “I can decide right and wrong for myself” that presumes to know better than God or to think that He doesn’t really care. When we look at Paul’s description of the flesh, it includes following desires and taking actions that God has said are wrong. To keep doing those things when we should be walking in the spirit is to disregard our Creator and Savior’s wishes (Gal. 5:16-21). Read more →

Crash Course In Galatians (Part Two)

27 May, 201924 May, 2019Marissa

A couple days ago, I shared Part One of a two-part post about Paul’s epistle to the Galatians. In this letter, he combats a destructive heresy spread by Jewish legalists in the early church. If you haven’t read that post yet, you’ll want to start there before you continue reading.

I like writing these “Crash Course In …” posts because it’s so important to look at context when figuring out what passages of scripture really mean. With Galatians, it’s easy to misinterpret if you don’t look at the whole of Paul’s purpose for the argument he makes in this letter. It also helps to look at some of Paul’s other letters, like we did last week by comparing Romans to Galatians.

Truly Fulfilling The Law

Now that he’s laid the ground work for his argument, Paul starts to clarify what it means to walk by faith as people who are no longer under the law. It’s kind of a weird balance to wrap our minds around. Much of Galatians 5 parallels Romans 12-13 in showing how walking in the Spirit means we’re fulfilling the true meaning of the law. However, Paul also makes it quite clear that we should not seek “to be justified by the Law” (Gal. 5:1-6). To say that we could earn salvation by our own works introduces a harmful doctrine that spreads like leaven and corrupts the truth (5:7-12).

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” … But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. (Gal. 5:13-14, 16-17)

Being free from the law doesn’t mean we’re free to break it (i.e. does not grant us license to sin). Rather, we’re released from the curse of being under the law. Now the law is written inside our hearts. Being filled with God’s Spirit and transformed to be like Him will turn us into a person who naturally does the things we’re told to in God’s law. The law’s not our schoolmaster anymore, though. We’re taught directly by God through His spirit inside us. Read more →