Tag Archives: discipleship

Being the Salt and Light: A Call to Righteousness

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot of men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Matthew 5:13-15

These words were spoken by the Lord as He began His Sermon on the Mount. They follow the beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11), and as part of the sermon describe for us a life of discipleship. This particular sermon is aimed at sincere believers who are striving to live lives of righteousness.

In these three verses, Jesus uses two powerful images to relate to the crowd gathered around Him: salt and light. First, He says to His disciples that they are the salt of the earth. In our modern world, we probably don’t think of salt in one of the major ways it was used in Jesus’ lifetime. There was no refrigeration, so salt was used as a preservative against spoilage. The illustration is clear, is it not? Those who are followers of Jesus Christ are to be busy about the business of protecting against spoilage. How exactly is this to be done?

First, it is done within the church. Believers are to make sure that their local fellowships to which they belong remain faithful and true to the teachings of the Bible. For those who are wise observers of what is going on in many mainline denominations, it is obvious that we are not doing a very good job of preservation. Local fellowships of believers are giving themselves over to accommodation and assimilation rather than preservation. Many are accommodating the tides of cultural change and assimilating into a spirit of worldliness rather than standing against the tide by faithfully adhering to the Word of God. I am reminded of the words found in Revelation 3:20, where Jesus is standing on the outside, knocking, seeking entrance into the Laodicean church that had shut Him out. It seems that many today are doing exactly that – pushing the Lord out for the sake of accommodating cultural erosion.

Second, it is to be done as Christians living righteous lives make an impact on the world. We all have a circle of influence into which we can introduce Biblical truth into the midst of worldly error. On our jobs, in our classrooms, in our neighborhoods, in our own families, we are called to be on mission for the Lord. By doing this we are striving to preserve our loved ones, friends, and acquaintances against the onslaught of a sin-laden world. There is an awful stench of wanton worldliness that is spreading corruption throughout the world, and sadly, within the church. We are to be as salt, striving to stave off the putrefaction that is running rampant.

The other illustration Jesus gives is that of light. He says that we are the light of the world. And He makes it clear that the light of our lives is to be seen, not hidden away. Light exposes what is hidden by the darkness. In the spiritual sense, it simply means that our lives are to be sources of exposure to those who are living recklessly, risking their eternal destination for the sake of enjoying the sinful enticements of a sinful society. And please know – there is pleasure to be had and enjoyed by giving in to the alluring power of sin. But the Bible makes it clear that sin ultimately leads to destruction.

Charles Spurgeon, in his commentaries on the book of Psalms, talks about the problem of having so many practical atheists in the church. He then explains the term to mean those who profess to be Christian, who attend church services regularly, perhaps even holding offices in their local fellowship, looking like a true, sincere believer on Sunday. But if you see them on a weekday, using the profane language of the world, involving themselves in the sinful behaviors of worldliness, showing no sign and bearing no fruit of a true relationship with God, you would never guess that they had ever darkened the door of any church fellowship.

If they are the salt, then is has lost its savor; and if they are light, then it is kept well-hidden, out of sight, doing no good for anyone. Is this type of professing Christian genuinely saved? I am not their judge. However, Jesus did say that we could identify true believers by the fruit they bear. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives example after example of what genuine Christianity looks like. In short, it is a life of righteousness.

Do sincere, genuine believers commit sin? Of course we do. But the difference is that genuine believers immediately experience the convicting power and presence of the Holy Spirit, exposing our sin and calling us to repentance. We then confess, repent, and our fellowship with God is restored, and our light continues to shine, and we continue to be a source of preservation against putrefaction.

But those who are not convicted by the Holy Spirit when they are not only committing occasional acts of sin, but actually living lives of sin – well, maybe Spurgeon was onto something. Maybe, just maybe, their behavior undermines their testimony.

What’s the bottom line? Make sure that you know that you know that you living a life of light and preservation in a world of darkness and spoilage. That is what we are called to be and do.

Blessings!

The Serious Call to Discipleship

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What does your life look like? Loaded question, I know. But, one that I would like us to think about seriously. When you evaluate – seriously evaluate – your life, every aspect of your life, what do you see? Does your life look like a person you try to imitate and emulate? Have you become so enamored with someone that you actually try to pattern your life according to what you see in them? Or, let’s think of it in larger terms. Perhaps your life looks like the culture around you. Perhaps you have chosen a lifestyle that is prominent in your cultural setting.

We are all disciples of someone or something. Oftentimes, probably more often than not, the term is used in reference to followers of Jesus Christ. But in reality, we become a disciple of whomever or whatever we follow, striving to be just like them or it. So, back to the first sentence in this blog: What does your life look like?

We make choices every day that answer this question. It can be something as simple as the choice of clothing we will wear, the places we will go, the people with whom we will spend time, the investment of our time, the investment of our resources, etc. Those are decisions we will make each day, and which will in large part define who we are, and yes, what we look like.

Now, think specifically about you. Take some time to look seriously at your life right now. Based on what you see, would you say that you are a serious-minded person in your resolve to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, or does your life bear more resemblance to the culture in which you live? Don’t pass over this question flippantly. Take enough time to give serious thought to your answer. Allow me to suggest a few things to consider which might be of assistance in your self-evaluation. For those of us who identify ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ, let’s simply ask ourselves a few very specific questions.

First, does my life look more like a disciple of Christ or of culture in the area of my personal beliefs? Disciples of Jesus Christ should follow His teachings which are found in the Bible. Jesus took a hardline stand against sin. He took it so seriously that He gave radical instructions on how to deal with it. He said, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Matthew 5:30) Those are serious and sobering words. It is difficult to explain away what Jesus taught about what we should believe about sin.

Second, does my life look more like a disciple of Christ or of culture in the area of my personal behavior? Behavior, for the most part, is determined by your personal beliefs. The things we do are driven by what we believe about those things. Of course, it is possible to behave in a manner that is opposite of what we believe. A person can believe that adultery is wrong and still decide to engage in an adulterous relationship; or believe that dishonesty is wrong and yet decide to tell a lie because they feel that telling the truth would be harmful in some way. However, I do believe that our behavior is determined in large degree by what we believe. If the Bible teaches that a certain behavior is wrong, then believe it, and behave according to it.

Third, does my life look more like a disciple of Christ or of culture in the area of what I can and can’t condone? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to condone means to regard or treat (something bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless. This has so many different nuances that we must be careful as to how we understand it. First of all, sin is forgivable. No matter what sin(s) a person has committed, God offers forgiveness. However, God does not condone sin. He never regards something bad or blameworthy as acceptable. If we are going to be sincere disciples of Jesus Christ then we must follow His lead. We are never to condone sin.

And yet, it seems that the acceptance of sinful behaviors and lifestyles has become the norm of our day, even within the confines of professing believers. To accept sinful behaviors and lifestyles is to live in disobedience to the clear teachings of Scripture. Thus, if we, as professing believers, condone and even approve of such behavior, then we are committing sin ourselves. We are living in disobedience to the teachings of our Lord.

I guess we could boil it all down to one simple question. I say it is simple, but it can become rather complex and profound when we begin to dissect the far-reaching ramifications of our answer. Will I be a true follower of Jesus Christ, or will I pick and choose what I want to believe and what I would rather discard? One of my professors at Criswell College in Dallas, TX, had a favorite saying that he used quite often in speaking of how one reads and studies the Bible. He said that far too many operated on the principle of the “Burger King hermeneutic. They want to have it their way.” Those who embrace this type of Bible interpretation pick and choose. They accept the parts of the Bible that are acceptable to them and reject those they dislike.

If we are to be sincere in our application of Bible truth, then we have no room for having it our way. We must have it God’s way. And when God’s Word says that something is sin, then it is sin, period. There is no room for debate or discussion. So, start naming those behaviors that are now completely acceptable in our culture, and then turn to Scripture to find out what God says about them. If our personal beliefs are contrary to God’s Word, then the only right thing for us to do is to change our minds to agree with God’s Word. Abortion, human sexuality, marriage, adultery, pre-marital sex, living together outside of the Biblical model of marriage, human biological design of male/female (and no others), all men are created equal and bear the image of God, therefore, every life matters, racism (there is only one race – the human race – and many ethnicities), the sanctity of life inside and outside the womb, the reality of heaven and hell, and the list goes on and on.

A sincere follower of Jesus Christ will not be persuaded by the pull of culture to compromise the clear teachings of Scripture with the whims, the ebb and flow, of culture. Rather, we will be counter-cultural. We will be change agents in a world that desperately needs the light of God’s revealed will through the pages of His inspired Word to once again be heralded from every person who claims to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

So, what does your life look like right now? If it looks more like the culture around you than the Word of God within you, then repentance, a turning back to the clear teachings of Scripture, would be the only correct response. Are you willing to follow Him? Then do it – today!

From Spectator to Participant: A Call to Action

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There was an elderly man who lived in a valley surrounded by towering mountain peaks. One peak in particular attracted the attention of avid, serious-minded mountain climbers because of its sheer, treacherous rock cliffs, and the challenge of attempting to climb such a daunting and dangerous mountain. There were many who would climb some of the other cliffs surrounding this valley, but only the very best – those who were experts at mountain climbing – and the very bravest – those with the courage to risk all the dangers of such a climb – would ever consider such an arduous, dangerous, climb.

One morning, as the old gentleman took his Bible, his cup of coffee, and his morning newspaper out onto the large, wrap-around porch of his mountain home, his attention came to focus on a convoy of five large SUV’s making their way into the valley bottom. He knew from past experiences that this is where those preparing to make a climb would usually park their vehicles. As they found a clearing large enough for them to begin unloading their climbing gear, he knew that he would not be able to see clearly enough without assistance, so he quickly made his way back into the house to get his binoculars and, if the need arose for something more powerful, his telescope. He didn’t want to miss even a moment of the action.

He had never seen so much climbing gear being taken out of those vehicles! It took a couple of hours just to unload. Then, the tedious task of preparing everything for their climb began. Ropes, hooks, rappelling gear, sleeping bags, food, water, first aid supplies, tents were carefully inspected and then placed into their backpacks. As the morning ended and the afternoon hours began it became obvious that this would be the most dangerous climb ever. It took them the entire day to just get ready for the climb. He realized that he would need plenty of rest to keep up, so as soon as darkness covered the valley he went to bed for a good night’s rest. He wanted to be refreshed for the activities of tomorrow.

With coffee and Bible, binoculars and telescope in hand, he made his way to the porch to watch today’s movements. The climbing group was already moving toward the base of the cliff – the most dangerous of all! He had never seen anyone make this climb successfully. It caused him to be even more intent to watch every move.

And he watched. And watched. And watched. Five straight days of watching. It was such an arduous, dangerous climb that they were taking every precaution. Two of the five days it seemed they were making almost no progress at all due to the extreme caution they had to take in the placing of their rappelling hooks. And each evening they had to find a ledge wide enough to safely set up their single-person tents.

But finally, about mid-afternoon on the fifth day, they made it to the top. It had been a most dangerous climb, but they were now of the very few who could share they had made it.

The old gentleman was so excited! He quickly made his way into the house, grabbed his truck keys, and took off toward town. He was going to tell everyone the news! He went straight to the old general store where he and his friends would meet almost every day for a coke and conversation. He had not even made it to the table where his colleagues had gathered before he began shouting, “We made it, we made it. All the way to the top, we made it!”

They sat there incredulous – wondering what in the world their old friend was talking about. When they finally got him to settle down, catch his breath, and gather his thoughts, they asked, “Made what, exactly?” He then began to recount the activities of the past few days: how they had painstakingly made their way, day after day, until they reached the top.

He finally finished telling his tale. When he stopped talking long enough for one of his friends to speak, the friend asked a simple, one word question: “We?” Then all of the old gentlemen there on that day began to chuckle, then their chuckles turned to laughter, and their laughter finally evolved into loud, boisterous guffawing, with two of them almost going into convulsions. When they were able to quit laughing, catch their breath, and speak, one asked again, “We? What did you do? You sat on your porch, in your nice, comfortable reading chair, watching. You did nothing! You really don’t qualify to use the word “we”, do you?

The old gentleman hung his head. His excitement quickly abated, and he was left in a state of embarrassment. They were right – he had done nothing – but watch. Watch while others did all the work; while others climbed the cliff; while others took all the dangers in hand; while others put themselves in grave danger just to be there; while others did everything, and he did – well, nothing, he did nothing.

Could we make a personal, spiritual application of this story? Perhaps you have heard someone in a church family, while talking about things going on in the church use the inclusive “We” in the description. “We did this” and “we did that”, when in reality they did nothing. They sat while others did everything.

I hope that this does not describe anyone who might read this story, but if it does, and you are the person, then why not make a change. Get involved. Be a part. Use your talents and your spiritual gifts by being a part of what God is doing. Don’t sit by as a spectator, but be a participant in the action.

The local church is like a football game; twenty-two people on the field, badly in need of rest, and forty thousand in the stands, badly in need of exercise.

Someone once described the local church as a football game; twenty-two people on the field, badly in need of rest, and forty thousand in the stands, badly in need of exercise. Where are you? And what do you need to do about it?

The Church’s Disappearing Vocabulary – Part Four

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The local church is like a football game; twenty-two people on the field, badly in need of rest, and forty thousand in the stands, badly in need of exercise.

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