oasisCHURCH

What Jesus Demands from the World

I got this new John Piper book in the mail yesterday and began reading it last night. So far it has grabbed me like no other Piper book since Desiring God (which I first read in 1996). The title of this one, What Jesus Demands from the World, is certainly provocative. Is it okay to say that Jesus makes demands of the whole world? Are his commands for all people everywhere? Yes. The premise is the fact that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus, therefore he DOES have the right to demand things of all people in the world. Yes, his commands are for everyone. In the introduction there is a section I really enjoyed, in which Piper blatantly describes how he has carefully looked at, yet still passed over all other quests to find the "historical Jesus". This means that he assumes that the four Gospels are true, unified, and sufficient for describing what Jesus aims to accomplish in the world. "It also assumes that Jesus not only does things for us but also makes demands of us. And it assumes that Jesus has authority over everyone in the entire world regardless of their religion, gender, race, income, sexuality, nationality, or culture." (Mark Driscoll)

Piper says in the introduction, p. 26: "There are no exceptions. Jesus is not a tribal diety. All authority in the universe is His, and all creation owes its allegiance to Him." Yes, He does have the right to make demands of His creation. And His commands are not just for His disciples, but for all creatures because "He does demand that all people everywhere to be His disciples. That is the point of His final command: 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you' (Matthew 28:19-20)."

With the season of Advent upon us, and the meaning behind this season--the coming of the KING--this looks to be a good holiday read and an opportunity to develop even greater appreciation and admiration for King Jesus.

Announcing the Oasis Christmas Party

This Wednesday and Sunday, be sure to pick up plenty of tickets to share. Pass them out to friends, co-workers, family members, neighbors, strangers... basically everyone you see! The annual Oasis Christmas party is one of my personal highlights of the year. It has become as much of a tradition to our family as anything else we do at Christmas. I can't wait! It's just 4 weeks away!

Do You Want To Get Well? (a teaching)

Yesterday I preached at the First Baptist Church in Athens for a friend of mine, Steve Burchett. Steve had been asking me if I could get over to his church sometime to preach, and this was a good fit, with Chad being scheduled to preach at Oasis.

Its always fun to go and preach someplace where you do not know any of the people who will be listening. Because of that, you become fully aware that you are completely reliant upon the Holy Spirit to give you the message for that place and those people. He is the Sovereign One. And He knows what they need to hear. The passage I was led to last week came from John 5. It is the story of the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda. I would like to share a little bit of it here.

First of all, the book of John was written by the disciple, John. It can be said that John was most likely one of Jesus’ closest friends during Jesus’ time on earth. Toward the end of his gospel John tells us his purpose for writing it, and why he had chosen some of the stories he included in his gospel. He said that it is in order that those who read his gospel might believe. It’s an evangelistic book at its core. In this gospel John gives testimony after testimony as to why Jesus came into this world, and he often does it by showing us a personal interaction between Jesus and an individual. Today, in the fifth chapter of John’s gospel, we will meet a pathetic man who is approached by Jesus with a life-changing question.

John 5:1-17

Welcome to Bethesda—“house of mercy”—a place where miracles happened. It’s a place where great numbers of disabled, crippled, diseased, blind, deaf, paralyzed people live and wait. What were they waiting for? A miracle. Upon occasion God would stir the waters and when that happened the first person to get into the water was healed.

In verse 5 John introduces us to a certain man. The fact is this guy is pathetic. Don’t feel too sorry for him because he’s an invalid who’s been crippled and sitting on a mat for 38 years. That’s exactly what he wanted. He wanted the people in his day to look upon him with pity and charity. Had you walked by the pool at Bethesda you would have seen the poor old guy sitting on the ground under one of the five shading colonnades trying to avoid the hot sun while whining and complaining about his condition. He would have been surrounded by a mob of people who were blind, paralyzed, and lame piled upon one another and clawing to get nearer to the pool. The stench of urine mixed with poor hygiene and humidity would have combined for the most unpleasant of aromas. And the noise would have been deafening as some begged passersby for food and money, while others cried out to God begging to be healed.

Jesus walked by and was informed about the man who had been crippled for 38 years, longer than many men even lived in that day. And Jesus did not speak to or heal anyone. But he did speak to this one guy, and asked him a question. Depending upon how you look at it, the question was either an insult, or a genius probe into the heart and the matter at hand.

“Do you want to get well?”

What an odd question to ask a crippled guy who seems to hang out at the pool day after day hoping to one day walk home under his own strength. But what an honest and forthright question it was. It is likely that not everyone sitting at the pool wanted to be healed. In some ways, Bethesda was like a church. It was a place where needy people would gather and wait for God to heal and deliver them from their struggles. But Bethesda, like a church, had a crowd that had gathered for multiple reasons. Some were likely there because they liked to whine and get attention. Some were likely there because they liked to hang out with people and catch up with their friends. And some were likely there because they genuinely wanted to be healed.

And Jesus wanted to know why this man was there. Jesus knew that simply because people whine and beg for God to change them in public does not mean that they actually want to change and live a new life. After all, if this man were healed he would have to get a job, pay his own bills, and get on with life minus all the whining. And, not everyone is all that excited for such a life change. The fact is, if you are sick, but you spend lots of time in a place where people get made well; and you’ve been in that place for a long time but you’re not getting well, the problem may not be the place. The problem may be you.

Rather than simply answering “yes” or “no”, the man responded by whining. He explained that he had no friends to throw him into the water when it was stirred, so he was never able to be healed. Could this be true? For 38 years no one ever helped this guy? Surely someone brought him food and water or he would not have lived that long. Or, maybe it IS true. Who enjoys hanging out for days on end with an old whiner with a lifetime of complaints?

What Jesus commands

I love what Jesus says next. He told him to get up, pick up his mat and walk away from his old life and walk into his new life. He pointed at the man’s greatest weakness; the one thing this man could not do was get up and walk. And Jesus cut right through to the heart of the matter and commands him to deal with his greatest weakness. And the man did as he was told, and he was cured. He alone received grace and healing for no reason that is made known to us. Jesus simply healed him and gave him a new life.

John then tells us that all of this happened on the Sabbath, which was supposed to be the day of rest. As you would expect, the Jews were upset with the man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. The Bible had never forbid the carrying of one’s mat on the Sabbath, but instead simply said that it was to be a day of worship and not work. But religious teachers in that day, like religious teachers in every day, had confused principle and method. Throughout Scripture God gives principles to govern the conduct of His people by telling them to do such things as love Him, tell the truth, and love their neighbor. But God frequently gives a great deal of liberty to His people in determining the methods they will use to obey His principles. But the religious leaders treated their methods as equal to God’s principles and one of their methods was to forbid the carrying of things like the mat that the healed man was carrying.

When they questioned the man about the carrying of his mat, he told the story and blamed “the man who said to me, pick up your mat and walk” for telling him to carry the mat. Upset, the religious teachers wanted to know who this man was that healed on the Sabbath (which they forbid in all but life and death situations) and also commanded this man to carry his mat. Surprisingly, the man could not tell them who had healed him because Jesus slipped away into the crowd after healing him without identifying Himself.

Later, Jesus found the man at the temple and told him to stop sinning. Jesus then sternly warned him that if he did not stop sinning then something worse would happen. And herein we discover the stunning depth of grace Jesus gave this man. While not everyone who is crippled suffers because of their sin, it is apparent that some people’s sin does bring them great physical suffering. And this man suffered because of his sin. And this man was loved and healed by Jesus though he did not seek it or ask for it, and did not deserve it. And while the man was likely most interested in being healed, Jesus was concerned about him leaving his life of sin.

And how did the man respond? We are not told that he thanked Jesus or repented of his sin. Instead, this whining, sinning, pathetic man walked on the legs that Jesus had healed to go and tell the religious teachers that it was Jesus who had healed him so they could track Him down, harass Him, and seek to make God Himself subject to their methods for implementing His principles.

Could there possibly be a sadder and more pathetic story about a crippled man who was healed by God’s grace? The moral of the story is simple. Jesus’ grace goes to those who didn’t ask for it, and often fail to even appreciate it for reasons that only Jesus knows. And, in varying degrees every child of God has carried on this man’s sad legacy.

Finally, here is the question for you: Do you want to get well?

If so, what do you think Jesus is pointing to in your life and commanding you to change?

Thankful for My Wife

I don't say it enough. That's why I really love this week. Each year it seems to remind me of so many things that I take for granted without saying "Thank you." And this morning I am just filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward the woman God so graciously gave to me over 13 years ago. April is the most unselfish, selfless woman I have ever met. She literally buys nothing for herself. Ever. It is a common cultural joke that a lot of guys make about their wives going shopping, spending money, etc. But mine is just the opposite. I have to practically make her purchase something for herself that is not a necessity. She has truly been my greatest human example of seeing Christ's nature: "considering others more significant than yourself," and "looking to not only your own interests, but to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4). That is a picture of my wife.

I'll use this week as an example. Last night after she made our dinner, took Kaylee to gymnastics, and put the kids to bed, she then went to the store and purchased bags and bags of food to cook. So, big deal, you may be thinking. It's Thanksgiving week, lots of wives are doing that. I know. And I am not trying to diminish others by complimenting my own. My point, however, is this. The bags of food she brought home last night were not for us. For the next three hours she cooked and prepared an entire meal for other families, one of which we will deliver this evening on our way to our Oasis house church party.

Two nights ago I walked into the kitchen after the kids had been put to bed, and I saw her at the table pouring over the Scriptures. I figured she was just getting a head start on her Sunday children's lesson, because she normally does her personal reading before she goes to sleep (like me). But she was not only reading, she was writing frantically as well. I kissed her and told her I would be upstairs doing some reading. About an hour later she came up and asked me to proofread a Christmas musical she had just written, some of which she is planning to teach to our kids at Oasis. Sometimes she gets these creative urges and just sits down and writes entire volumes of lessons or curricula. Amazing!

This is the woman God has given me. The Bible says that "a man who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord" (Proverbs 18:22). Well, God has certainly found favor with me and He has treated me as good as He could have possibly treated me by giving me April.

I love you, April. You are the most beautiful person in this world to me.

Library Sharing

Last Sunday morning I had an idea, and I was delighted to see that several people took me up on my offer. In the spirit of the first century Christians ...and all the believers were together and had everything in common... (Acts 2:44) I had this idea to share my library with my church family. I have many books that I have already read, and most of them just sit on my shelf. I do have several that I return to often for reference, but many of them I do not. So, in an effort to share what God has so graciously given me, I brought a bag full of books and sermons on CD for people to check out on a sharing basis.

There were still a few of the books and sermons left after last Sunday, so I thought I would post a couple of them here and tell you a little bit about them. From time to time I will add more books. I hope this is helpful to you. For anyone checking out my books and CDs I only ask that you respect others by not keeping them for an inordinate amount of time. One week should be plenty of time for a CD, and three weeks should be plenty for a book. Thank you! Enjoy my library!

Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll is a fun read that makes very good sense for any church who has a high regard for the Gospel and a desire to allow it's power to transform a culture rather than catchy "relevant" ideas.

Driscoll defines his book as "a radical call for Christians and Christian churches to recommit to living and speaking the gospel, and to doing so regardless of the pressures to compromise the truth of the gospel or to conceal its power within the safety of the church" (page 20).

Driscoll describes how three powerful forces: gospel, church and culture, form a triangular relationship. Reformission begins with a return to Jesus who saves us by His grace and sends us to be missionaries to our world. Jesus has called us to "(1) the gospel (loving our Lord), (2) the culture (loving our neighbor), and (3) the church (loving our brother)". He claims that one of the main causes of the failure to fulfill our mission has come by being faithful to only one or two of these aspects while neglecting the others.

Consequently, Driscoll provides three formulas to show what happens when one of these areas is neglected:

• Gospel + Culture - Church = Parachurch
• Culture + Church - Gospel = Liberalism
• Church + Gospel - Culture = Fundamentalism

Driscoll claims that Reformission gathers the best aspects of each of these types of Christianity: "living in the tension of being Christian and churches who are culturally liberal yet theologically conservative and who are driven by the gospel of grace to love their Lord, brothers, and neighbors. This book focuses on issues related to the scriptural content of the gospel and the cultural context of its ministry, and I write out of my sincere love as a pastor for Christians, churches, lost people, and culture" (page 22).

Chosen By God by R.C. Sproul is one of the most insightful and influential books I have read in recent days, and it is only 213 pages! Because of the widespread confusion, fear, and ignorance of the doctrines of grace and God's election, "many people have recognized Chosen By God as the main resource that profoundly shifted their attention to an understanding of the predestining grace of God. Sproul shows how election is entirely compatible with human freedom, dignity, and responsibilty. Chosen by God shows why all serious Christians cannot afford to ignore this important biblical doctrine, but instead should embrace God's initiative in Salvation." (www.monergism.com)

If you are still thinking through and giving some of your personal study time to understanding election and God's Sovereignty, then this book would provide you with some practical help. It is very easy to read, and I suspect would be a rather quick read for most people.

~~~~~~~~~~

I will stop for now with those two. Be sure to check out the "Chris' Library" table on Sunday.

A Re-Visit

I know it's been a few weeks since our in-depth study of God's election of those who will be saved by faith, but if you are still thinking through the questions of it (which I hope you continue to do for the rest of your life), then I thought this quote would provide a really concise and clear definition of unconditional election in one paragraph.

"If all of us are so depraved that we cannot come to God without being born again by the irresistible grace of God, then it is clear that the salvation of any of us is owing to God's election. Election refers to God's choosing whom to save. It is unconditional in that there is no condition man must meet before God chooses to save him. Man is dead in trespasses and sins. So there is no condition he can meet before God chooses to save him from his deadness. We are not saying that final salvation is unconditional. It is not. We must meet the condition of faith in Christ in order to inherit eternal life. But faith is not a condition for election. Just the reverse. Election is a condition for faith. It is because God chose us before the foundation of the world that he purchases our redemption at the cross and quickens us with irresistible grace and brings us to faith." - Dr. John Piper

OSU vs. Michigan

Mike Stewart is having a football party for all you Bucknuts who want to watch the game on a 51-inch widescreen, 5.1 surround sound HD-TV with friends rather than by yourself on a 20-inch TV with mono sound (that's me). I'll be showing up a little before 3:00pm on Saturday with my scarlet and gray on. Even if you are not an Ohio State or Michigan fan (or even a football fan altogether), but you enjoy hanging out with good friends, then come on over.

Bring a favorite appetizer and beverage to share!!!

Go Bucks!

James 1:19-27

1:19-21

“Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

 

The True Nature of Anger

Surely you’ve heard the old adage “patience is a virtue”. James continues to probe into the human condition with startling precision at the outset of verse 19. What he says in this verse is a paradox to what humans usually do. Rather than being quick to hear, many are quick to determine upon hearing only half of any given story. Rather than being slow and thoughtful in speech, many are impulsive without regard to reason. Rather than being slow to anger, many have a very low threshold of tolerance. Patience is really nothing more than a glorified term for self control. James is helping us understand our most fundamental deficiencies as humans. His solutions are simple. We might say that these solutions are simple in theory but more difficult in practice. I refuse to say that might be true and here’s the reason why: We say such things far too often and before we even attempt a practice we’ve already verbally defeated it. Why do we do this? The more of James I study the more I come to understand that people often cushion themselves with excuses to make it easier on their conscience when they fall short of a goal. It disturbs me to know that I’ve been doing this very thing throughout the entirety of my life. Why didn’t somebody ever smack me and shout, “WAKE UP”? James simply instructs us to put away filthiness and rampant wickedness to receive something else. That doesn’t sound hard. Can it be difficult at times? Yes…I would be an arrogant fool if I didn’t acknowledge that. However, I would also be an arrogant fool if I didn’t acknowledge that God is greater than all my inadequacies as well as all the difficulties presented by every day life. This calls back into focus a familiar question: Is God truly our focus and our joy?

 

So how do we do what James exhorts us to do in verse 19? The answer is staring at us in the text. Be quick to hear what someone has to say. After you have digested what they’ve said, perhaps asked a few questions for the sake of clarity, make a statement in response to what they’ve said but do so with wisdom. Don’t let anger conquer you. We have a standard of teaching to follow regarding anger. Anger produces in us vile things and causes us to act as we otherwise would not. How many times have you heard someone say, “I didn’t mean what I said…I was just upset and things came out that didn’t even make sense.” Not only have I heard this numerous times in my life but I’ve also said it. But what is the real consequence of this anger? James has the perfect answer to this question in verse 20, “…for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires.” The anger of humanity causes us to fail in our worship of God. Why? Simply put, anger often turns our minds inward to focus only on the things of self. This is not a righteous kind of behavior before God because in that moment we’re not worshipping God or devoting our lives to Him, we’re wasting time by throwing ourselves headlong into a self centered fit that encumbers our lives in the worst way. Anger is but one more example of how we fixate on self centered aspects of life rather than God centered perspectives life. When this animal of anger consumes us we become false to the truth that is God and His gloriousness. That is why James says what he says in verse 21, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” In essence James is saying die to the sin that is killing you and be raised in the new life of the Spirit. Throw off all your pride and come humbly submissive to receive the life of salvation that comes through the grace made possible by Jesus.

 

1:22-25

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

 

Be the Church

If someone hears a teaching that they agree with they will likely store its lesson in their hearts. But is that storage enough? James response is a resounding NO! James will really dig into this in 2:14 but he’s cracking the lid on this discourse now. When we hear a teaching that says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world,” chances are that we find ourselves affirming what that teaching says. But if we merely affirm what it says rather than doing what it says we deceive ourselves. What kind of sense does it make to tell someone to love their neighbor as themselves but then turn around and ignore your own neighbors every time they try to speak to you. By doing such things you become a living contradiction. We do not want to be guilty of being a double minded person who is unstable in all our ways.

 

Instead we should seek to be the kind of person who pursues the perfect law which is the law of liberty that we find in God through the grace of our precious savior Jesus Christ. But it is not enough merely to pursue this law. We must be steadfast in the ways of God. We must persevere and set our minds on being a doer who acts rather than a passive hearer who does nothing of God’s will. This is the very essence of what it means to be the church rather than just attend a gathering.

 

1:26-27

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this persons religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

 

Real Religion vs. False Religion

It’s easy to get very puffed up when we lose our humility. No matter how much knowledge and wisdom we attain in our lives we must always be on our guard against the temptations presented by intelligence and wisdom. If we ever think that we are so smart and so wise, to the point of arrogance, we will find ourselves in a vicious trap. That trap would be to begin defining our lives through the lens of self rather than the lens of God. There is a reason that James says things like, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” (3:13). In all that we do or show of our faith we must do it in the meekness of wisdom. So when we think we are very religious people, that is when we must be most careful because if we do not bridle our tongues we only deceive our hearts and our wonderful “religious” self is rendered worthless and empty of any meaning that reflects God’s glory.

 

Pure Religion

Hear the words of verse 27 again, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” The only thing I have to say here is a simple exhortation. In the spirit of being doers of the word we should absolutely make it an intentional point to “visit orphans and widows in their affliction”. Why? Because that is an example of religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father. This is an example of how we exemplify what the word says. You might find yourself thinking, “I don’t know many orphans and widows.” Perhaps the reason for that is because you may never have really looked. I live right across the street from a nursing home that is full of widows. I’m sitting here asking myself, “What’s stopping me from going over to that nursing home and visiting some widows in their affliction?” Why am I not doing something for them? I know plenty of kids who don’t really have parents. They’re not exactly orphans but their parents rarely see them or care to see them. What can I do for these kids? Why am I not thinking about doing the word more often? My prayer becomes, “God convict my heart for these people. You have made your word plain to me so don’t let me be false to the truth. Force me, if need be, into the arms of those who are made in the likeness of you. Give me a love and passion for them. Give me a heart of service for them. Help me to be one who perseveres as a doer who acts rather than a hearer who forgets.”

 

Unstained From The World

The last example that James provides for us regarding “pure” religion exhorts us to keep ourselves unstained from the world. Exactly how do we make that happen?

The Wong Way:
Disconnect yourself from culture entirely. Inundate yourself with Christian culture. Listen only to Christian music. Read only Christian literature. Surround yourself only with Christian people. Do not associate with sinners. Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t cuss. Don’t have sex. Don’t listen to or tell dirty jokes. Don’t drive too fast. Don’t cut your hair. Don’t wear shorts. Don’t eat food sacrificed to pagan Gods. Don’t use a red toothbrush (red is the Devils color). Don’t celebrate Halloween (this is SATANS HOLIDAY)!!!!

 

Okay so I got a little sarcastic at the end of that but I’m sure many of us would be able to relate to an association with completely ridiculous, non-God centered, theology. Let’s face facts; there is a mountain of theology out there that has nothing to do with what the Bible actually says. Such theology is usually built upon a shaky pillar of fear, deceit, and ignorance. By ignorance I simply mean an aloof unawareness of what the Bible teaches. This is a huge problem in the Christian world. I think this is one of the fundamental reasons that people struggle so much with keeping themselves “unstained from the world.”  They don’t have much in their minds that give them a reason to avoid sin. They can’t justify avoiding something or overcoming something with anything besides their best sense of moral reasoning. This may lead you to ask, “Well what about Christian leaders (priests, ministers, elders, etc.) who have gone to school, memorized many scriptures, and taught many lessons from the Bible to everyone from adult congregations to children’s classes. Why do these people so often fall into shameful acts of sin?” There could be a thousand reasons for this and they aren’t all just Bible related. But I also know that it is very easy to read the Bible, memorize it, and get absolutely nothing from it. I daresay that people do this all the time. We must saturate our hearts in a passion for God’s will to see his glory revealed. The Bible helps us to do this but only if we immerse ourselves in it in more than just an academic way. It has to be an organic part of us. We must love it for God’s glory. Does it mean we will suddenly attain perfection? No, but it does mean that we will have a better understanding of God’s nature, God’s desires, our faulty nature, and the proper aid to our belligerent condition. This helps us stand strong against the weighty tide that sin brings to bear against us. So what ist the proper way to “keep oneself unstained from the world”?

 

The Right Way
Love God and his gloriousness as he reveals it. Let it inspire worship and service in your hearts. Sink God’s word not only into your mind but the very pits of your existence. Drench yourself from head to toe in a love for the words that God put on the hearts of those who have come before us. Serve God. Acknowledge that God reigns and that his reign is absolute and without condition or flaw. Do these things and you will be on the right track of keeping that stain off your heart.

 

Conclusion of Chapter 1

James opening is a very powerful one and a very difficult one. It’s like this letter says, “Look at yourself in the mirror…what do you see?” This is a frightening question because the answer is often full of many things we’d rather not deal with. Yet James is going to continue to put the human condition on the operating table and we will feel his surgical cut in every thought. My exhortation to you is this: Don’t back down from this. The challenges that James sets at our feet should not demoralize us but they should break us down in the meekness of wisdom. The fact of the matter is that unless we throw off pride and our sense of self importance the words of James will never mean anything to us. Look at the empty areas in your life where God has become a secondary, and possibly nonexistent component. Don’t sit on your hands and sulk. Get up and do something about it. You don’t have to do it alone. Find someone you can have accountability with. Talk to someone you trust. Worship God. Pray daily to him but do it with meaning and not solely with ceremony. Seek your joy in him. Seek to see his glory. Seek to love his name and all that it entails. Walk forward with me as James continues to help us do those very things.        

What does Oasis believe about Baptism?

Many of us in southeastern Ohio have come from one Christian tradition or another, which means we have been taught something regarding baptism and its role in salvation. Baptism is a topic that raises many questions. Therefore it is important for us to take some time to answer those questions by looking at how God’s Word deals with the issue of baptism.

Before beginning a discussion on baptism we must recognize that there has been historically, and is today, a strong difference of viewpoint among evangelical Christians regarding this subject. The position advocated by Oasis is that baptism is not a doctrine that should be the basis of division among Christians, but it is nonetheless a matter of importance for ordinary church life, and it is appropriate that we give it full consideration.

The position I will speak from in this message is a position that I believe to be consistent with the whole of the teaching of Scripture—namely, that baptism is appropriately administered only to those who give a believable profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

The Mode and Meaning of Baptism

The practice of baptism in the New Testament was carried out in one way: the person being baptized was immersed or put completely under the water and then brought back up again. Baptism by immersion is therefore the “mode” of baptism or the way in which baptism was carried out in the New Testament. This is evident for the following reasons:

(1) The Greek word baptizo means “to plunge, dip, immerse” something in water. This is the commonly recognized and standard meaning of the term in ancient Greek literature both inside and outside of the Bible, and this is the word that is always used in the New Testament writings when discussing baptism.

(2) When you consider the meaning of “immerse” it is the most appropriate word for the context of how several New Testament narratives regarding baptism are worded. For instance, in Mark 1:5, people were baptized by John “in the river Jordan” (notice it uses the word “in” and not “beside” or “by” or “near” the river). Mark also tells us that when Jesus had been baptized “he came up out of the water” (Mark 1:10). The text specifies that he came “out of” the water. The fact that John and Jesus went into the river and came up out of it strongly suggests immersion, since sprinkling or pouring of water could much more readily have been done standing beside the river, particularly because multitudes of people were coming for baptism. John’s gospel tells us, further, that John the Baptist “was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there” (John 3:23). Again, it would not take “much water” to baptize people by sprinkling, but it would take much water to baptize by immersion.

Additionally, when Philip had shared the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:36 it says, “as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?’” Apparently neither of them thought that sprinkling or pouring a handful of water from the container of drinking water that would have been carried in the chariot was enough to constitute baptism. Rather, they waited until there was a body of water near the road. Then “he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:38–39). As in the case of Jesus, this baptism occurred when Philip and the eunuch went down into a body of water, and after the baptism they came up out of that body of water. Once again baptism by immersion is the only satisfactory explanation of this narrative.

(3) The symbolism of union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection seems to require baptism by immersion. Paul says,

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3–4)

Similarly, Paul tells the Colossians, “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Col. 2:12).

This truth is clearly symbolized in baptism by immersion. When a person goes down into the water it is a picture of going down into the grave and being buried. Coming up out of the water is then a picture of being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. Thus, baptism very clearly pictures death to your old way of life and rising to a new kind of life in Christ.

The Subjects of Baptism

The pattern revealed throughout the New Testament is that only those who give a believable profession of faith should be baptized. This view is often called “believers’ baptism,” since it holds that only those who have themselves believed in Christ (or, more precisely, those who have given reasonable evidence of believing in Christ) should be baptized. This is because baptism, which is a symbol of beginning the Christian life, should only be given to those who have in fact begun the Christian life.

We see evidence for this in the New Testament when after Peter’s sermon at Pentecost we read, “Those who received his word were baptized” (Acts 2:41). The text specifies that baptism was administered to those who “received his word” and therefore trusted in Christ for salvation. Similarly, when Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, we read, “When they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women” (Acts 8:12). Likewise, when Peter preached to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ household, he allowed baptism for those who had heard the Word and received the Holy Spirit—that is, for those who had given persuasive evidence of an internal work of regeneration. While Peter was preaching, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word” and Peter and his companions “heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God” (Acts 10:44–46). Peter’s response was that baptism is appropriate for those who have received the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit: “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Then Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:47–48). The point of these three passages is that baptism is appropriately given to those who have received the gospel and trusted in Christ for salvation.

In addition to these indications from New Testament narratives that baptism always followed immediately upon saving faith, there is a second consideration that argues for believers’ baptism: the outward symbol of beginning the Christian life should only be given to those who show evidence of having begun the Christian life. The New Testament authors wrote as though they clearly assumed that everyone who was baptized had also personally trusted in Christ and experienced salvation. For example, Paul says, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). Paul here assumes that baptism is the outward sign of inward regeneration.

Is infant baptism Biblical?

If baptism is a personal response, and outward sign of the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit to bring a sinner which brings a sinner to repentance, then it is difficult to believe that this would have been true of infants. Paul could not have said, “As many infants as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ,” for infants have not yet come to saving faith or given any evidence of regeneration.

Paul speaks the same way in Romans 6:3–4: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death.” Could Paul have said this of infants? Could he have said that “all infants who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” and “were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead”? But if Paul could not have said those things about infants, then those who advocate infant baptism must say that baptism means something different for infants than what Paul says it means for “all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus.”

A similar argument can be made from Colossians 2:12: “You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” But it could not be said of infants that they were buried with Christ, or were raised with him through faith, since they were not yet old enough to exercise faith for themselves.

The Effect of Baptism

Since Jesus commanded his church to baptize (Matt. 28:19), we would expect that there would be a measure of blessing connected with baptism, because all obedience to God by Christians brings God’s favor with it. This obedience is specifically a public act of confessing Jesus as Savior, an act which in itself brings joy and blessing to a believer. Additionally, it is a sign of the believer’s death and resurrection with Christ, and it seems fitting that the Holy Spirit would work through such a sign to increase our faith, to increase our awareness of death to the power and love of sin in our lives, and to increase our experience of the power of new resurrection life in Christ that we have as believers. Since baptism is a physical symbol of the death and resurrection of Christ and our participation in them, it should also give additional assurance of union with Christ to all other believers who are present.

Since water baptism is an outward symbol of inward spiritual baptism by the Holy Spirit, we may expect that the Holy Spirit will ordinarily work alongside the baptism, giving to believers an increasing realization of the benefits of the spiritual baptism to which it points.

We have used language that suggests baptism symbolizes regeneration or spiritual rebirth. But does it only symbolize? Or is there some way in which it is also a “means of grace,” that is, a means that the Holy Spirit uses to bring blessing to people? Is there something in baptism itself that can cause us to say, “A person is not saved until they have been baptized?”

When baptism very closely accompanies someone’s initial profession of faith and is in fact the outward form that profession of faith takes, there is certainly a connection between baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter said this on the day of Pentecost, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Moreover, Paul says, “You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). The statement that it is “through faith in the working of God” that this happens reminds us that there is no magical property in the act of baptism itself, which causes a spiritual result to come about, yet the verse also indicates that when faith accompanies baptism there is genuine spiritual work in the life of the person being baptized.

The Necessity of Baptism

Is baptism necessary for salvation? The answer is both “yes” and “no”. Huh? While we recognize that Jesus commanded baptism (Matt. 28:19), as did the apostles (Acts 2:38), we must be careful not to say that baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation. Why not? Because baptism is an act of your will; you do it. And the Bible is abundantly clear and consistent that salvation is by grace through faith alone, not by works so that anyone can boast (Eph. 2:8-9). To demand that baptism or any other action is necessary for salvation is to say that we are not justified by faith alone, but by faith plus a certain act or work, namely the act of baptism.

Another reason why we mustn’t argue that baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation is that our justification from sins takes place at the point of saving faith, not at the point of water baptism, which usually occurs after a person has faith. Seldom do we ever see a person desiring to be baptized for no reason at all. Baptism is an appropriate response to saving faith.

So, though baptism is not absolutely necessary for justification to take place in a person’s heart, it is necessary if we are to be obedient to Christ, for he commanded baptism for all who believe in him. This describes why we answered both “yes” and “no” to this question. It is the same reason we would answer yes to the question, “Is it necessary to love others in order to be saved?” or “Is it necessary to forgive others in order to be saved?” or “Is it necessary to pray in order to be saved?” or “Is it necessary to read or listen to God’s Word in order to be saved?” The fact of the matter is that all true believers will be baptized. It is as much a part of being saved as any of the things mentioned above.

Two Remaining Questions Regarding Baptism

1.  Should churches be divided over baptism?

In spite of many years of division over this question among—not only the Romans Catholics and Protestants, but among Protestant churches themselves—is there a way in which Christians who differ on baptism can demonstrate greater unity of fellowship? And is there a way that progress can be made in bringing the church closer to unity on this question?

One way to move forward could be for those who have differing views on baptism to concede that the act of baptism in and of itself is not a major doctrine of the faith, and that they are willing to live with other views on this matter and not allow differences over baptism to be a cause for division within the greater body of Christ.

In the church (particularly Oasis) we have an “open hand” and a “closed hand” when it comes to theological issues. In the closed hand are beliefs and teachings that such as: the Trinity, the inerrancy of God’s Word, man’s sin and depravity, Jesus is the only way to salvation. In the closed hand are the issues we will not bend on. We will go to war for these things. But in the other hand, the open hand, are issues that we hold a strong conviction about, but we allow for differences of interpretation. These are issues such as: worship style, frequency of taking communion, charismatic or non-charismatic, eschatology (views of the end times). Likewise, in this open hand is where baptism would be held. Yes, we have a strong conviction regarding baptism, which you have seen from this teaching. But we respect the liberty of others to hold onto different convictions than us, and we still regard them as brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus.

2.  Who can baptize?

Some wonder about the qualifications for performing a baptism ceremony. Does it need to be an ordained pastor? Can a woman do it? Can a teenager do it?

As with anything we try to answer, we should look first to God’s Word. In doing so we will see that Scripture simply does not specify any restrictions on who can perform the ceremony of baptism. However, another consideration is this: since baptism is the sign of entrance into the body of Christ, the church (1 Cor. 12:13), then it seems appropriate that it be done within the fellowship of the church, and by someone who is in the fellowship of the church.

Questions for Personal Consideration
Have you been baptized? When? If you were baptized as a believer, what was the effect of the baptism on your Christian life (if any)? If you were baptized as an infant, what effect did the knowledge of your baptism have in your own thinking when you eventually learned that you had been baptized as an infant?

If you have not been baptized but would like to be, please contact us at oasis@bethechurch.com.

James 1:1-18

About 7 weeks ago God convicted my heart with a task. I can’t explain the exact origin of time or place that I was in when God wrangled me with this conviction. I just know that one moment this feeling was there where it had not been before. I began to notice what I identified as an element of hypocrisy in my character. I did not invest much time in the word of God. I didn’t love it and treasure it with every ounce of my being. Its language did not flow comfortably from my tongue. I did not know it as others knew it. This was compounded by the fact that I did not grow up in covenant with a church fellowship. Many of the “familiar” passages in the Bible were unfamiliar to me. If someone said, “You know John 3:16 right” I would have to shrug my shoulders. This changed after I began to fellowship with Oasis a few years ago. I finally read the Bible through in its entirety and with study I became familiar with many of the things I had missed in my adolescent youth. What I realize now is that in these early stages I learned to “like” the Bible. I “liked” studying it with others. I “liked” talking about it and debating about its thematic principles. I “liked” the portrait that it painted of God. Though I “liked” the Bible the revelation that I hadn’t yet developed a truly unbridled love for it began to bother me. This was just a few months ago and it was around this time that the “conviction” I spoke about earlier began to creep into my thoughts on a daily basis. I felt compelled to begin memorizing as much scripture as humanly possible. But I didn’t know how best to proceed. I wasn’t sure if I should start with memory verses or if there was perhaps another way. Then I was reminded of something I heard at the Passion ’06 conference earlier this year. Louie Giglio was the speaker and during the course of one of his sessions he referenced Colossians. He actually recommended that people memorize the entire letter of Colossians. As silly as this might sound, that thought had never occurred to me. In my limited scope of church experience I had never heard anyone say, “Go memorize this entire book in the Bible.” After this thought ran across my mind it became clear what I must do. God had convicted me with the task of storing up his word in my heart and he led me to start this task with the letter of James.

 

So here I am roughly 7 weeks into this task and I’ve completed memorization of the first two chapters of James and recently I began memorizing chapter 3. But I’m not typing today to boast to you of some accomplishment of mine. I wanted to share very briefly with you what I have learned and most importantly I want to give to you what God has given to me in this endeavor….a greater peak into His sovereign nature.

 

James 1:2-18

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

 

James begins this letter with a difficult proposal. “Count it ALL joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” When difficult times land squarely on top of us what is our first reaction? Is it one of joy? Do we count all things joy when we encounter struggle?  Don’t let this opening phrase be lost on you. Take some time to really digest that thought. James immediately gives us a reason to count all things joy in times of trial with the next line in his thought, “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” When your faith is tested it is supposed to produce steadfastness but in what? What exactly are you being steadfast against? James is bringing into sharp focus two incredibly relevant questions: (1) From where do we derive our joy? (2) What is the nature of true faith?

 

The first question is easily encountered and answered. The truth is that most people, whether they are aware of it or not, are actively trying to fill their lives with something meaningful and an equal amount of people burn away years of their life trying to fill that void with all the wrong things. The only true source of joy in this world is God. James will speak later about how every good and perfect gift comes from God. When we learn to enjoy God in his natural state and embrace his sovereign ways it changes the way we see and delight in everyday life. Someone will say, “Yeah, that’s easier said than done!” However, the further I dig into James the more convinced I become that objections such as these are no more than convenient reasons to not follow through with something. As I go through this more thoroughly in the words that are yet to come I hope you will gain a more broad perspective on exactly what I’m trying to say in regards to this specific matter.

 

The second question is something that James takes quite a bit of time to flesh out so let’s continue to read forward…

 

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways.

 

In verse 4 James says, “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” When I read this for the first time I was very taken aback. Surely James isn’t asserting that we be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. That can’t be. That contradicts what we’ve learned about God doesn’t it. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is righteous. Nobody seeks God, no not one. If all that is true then how can James state here with such audacity and near heresy that any of us should be perfect and complete. If we could be such a way then that means we could achieve righteousness on our own and therefore receive justification and favor with God through our works of righteousness. This would negate the very existence of Jesus wouldn’t it?

 

Now after that string of objections ask yourself this question: If we aren’t aiming to be as perfectly adhered as humanly possible to the ways of God then what is our aim? If we are lacking in an area of our faith do we simply not make an effort to be as complete as possible in our faith? I believe what James is challenging everybody with is a call to be the most steadfast group of servants to God’s purpose that we possibly can be. Why is that a bad goal? It’s not! It is not heretical for James to say that we should be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. That should be our aim. We may never attain the perfection that brings righteousness as Jesus did but the Bible teaches us that this is the very reason why Jesus is so necessary. It is through Jesus that God views those who are conformed to the image of Jesus as righteous. This is how God has chosen to offer the saving grace that we so desperately need.   

 

If we lack in any area of our lives in our worship and service to God, what would you guess might be James advice to us. He gives us the simple solution beginning with verse 5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” So if you lack in some command from God what must you do? You must ask God for that which you lack. But be cautious here. This is not a license to ask God for a new Ferarri. In scripture we see people praying to God for non-selfish reasons. When people ask God for something, it is, in every instance that I’m aware of, first about God receiving glory. The gifts and talents of mind and body are given to us to reveal the riches of the glory of God. James gives us an essential component that must be in place before our hearts can ask anything of God. That essential element is faith.

 

Beginning with verse 6 James launches headlong into a rather lengthy unraveling of what faith is, what it should like, and how to tell if our faith is alive or dead. James will stay on this heading all the way up to the start of chapter 3. Though he will briefly branch off into varying byways, he never gets away from what faith is and how it is exercised.

 

It’s interesting that James calls the one who doubts like a person who is akin to a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. The example indicates that such a person is shiftless and restless in what they believe. There is also the implication that such a person is rooted in nothing and they go wherever the strongest wind might be at any given time. This is not a portrait of the steadfastness that James spoke of just a few verses earlier. This is yet one more reason why it is so important to store the word of God in your heart, and pray, and be in constant relationship with God in your heart. If you do not ingest all these practices so that they become who you are then you will never understand the steadfastness in faith that James is referring to here. I’m speaking as much to myself as I am to anyone reading this. So together let us seek to be steadfast in our faith so that we would not be double minded people who speak to God with a dead tongue.

 

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

 

Here James gives us an in depth look at how materialism fails to bring forth any kind of fruit. If we spend our lives pursuing “things” rather than pursuing the worship and service of God then all that we do will fade away into nothing. To do such a thing would be like trying to chase a shadow in the dark. The only pursuits that are worthwhile are those that either glorify God or serve the purpose of God. If that is not our focus then our minds eye will always be ill aimed.

 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

 

Many people consign themselves to defeat before they ever attempt anything. For example, imagine that two people are going to start a diet together. Before they ever start one of them says, “You know we’ll probably only do this for a few days and then we’ll stop.” What just happened? Before either individual had done anything one of them had deemed in their mind that this effort was going to fail. So what was the point of ever trying to start? This person already spoke failure so it should not come as any surprise to them when they fail. Sadly, this is how people often are when it comes to areas of faith.

 

I beg you, my beloved brothers and sisters, to not forget James challenge to us early on in this first chapter. In verse 4 James said, “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Do not consign yourself to defeat in any area of your life. Remember that this life that you live you live to God. Memorize verse 12 of James 1, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” This life is not about your desires. It is about Gods desires and if we need further proof of that all we have to do is read on past verse 12.

 

James picks up in verse 13 with a very interesting statement, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.” How many times have you heard people blame God for their lot in life? How many times have you done the very same thing? I am sitting with my hand raised because I accuse myself as a guilty party to behaving in such a fashion. Yet James assures us here through the influence of the Holy Spirit speaking through him that God cannot be tempted by evil. We also receive the blessed assurance that God tempts no one. Knowing that, who has any right to bring a charge against God? If you want to get technical, all our “problems” in this world derive from the same place. I encourage you to get a Bible and begin reading the book of Genesis. You won’t have to read far to locate the source of all the “ills” in this world. I’ll go ahead and spoil the story for you. Certain individuals followed their own desires rather than the desires of God and desire, as James teaches us, has a natural progression.

 

In verse 14 James shows us a disturbing peak inside of ourselves. He says, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” The wording used in this quote makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. What does our desire do? It lures and entices us. When I think of being lured into something I think of being drawn into something that I know is going to end badly. I get a similar feeling when I hear the word entice. There is a devious nature to these words in the context of James message. What happens when desire is conceived in the mind? James answer: Desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin. What does sin lead to? James answer: Sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. Desire is a dangerous pit to fall into and we constantly find ourselves standing at the precipice of this great void. How is it that we can successfully back away from that edge? James has already given us that answer. If there is anything that you lack in your faith that is keeping you from being the most perfect and complete slave to Gods will that you possibly can be, then you must ask in total faith to receive what it is you lack. James has a wonderful example for us in verse 5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” Remember that this asking is not about receiving selfish things. It is about receiving things that help you serve God more completely. If you do not ask in this spirit you shouldn’t expect to receive anything. Such a person would be, as James calls it, “a double minded man, unstable in all his ways.”    

 

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

 

I once heard an incredible line in a movie. The film was “The Shadowlands”. If you’ve never seen it I highly encourage you to go rent it. It is a film well worth watching. It is about an event in the life of renowned author C.S. Lewis, who is played by Sir Anthony Hopkins in the film. Anyway, at one point in the film Lewis says, “I pray each day not because it changes God, but rather because it changes me.” This is not an exact quote but the heart is the same. God is not a God of constantly changing variables. Gods course is set. Verse 17 holds perhaps my favorite phrase in the entire letter of James. The phrase is, “the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” It is incredibly encouraging to know that God is firm and resolute in all his ways. It stands as an assurance that all the promises that God hands down to us in the Bible are promises that we can know he will keep. This is one of the most easily embraceable things about Gods sovereignty. We do not change God. God changes us. God transforms us. God molds us. He does this so that he can reveal the riches of his glory. Does this make me feel like a puppet? Absolutely not! What an honor and a great privilege it is to know that God is bringing himself glory in every facet of his creation. All things wonderful flow down from God and they all serve the same purpose…namely, his purpose. Though darkness exists under God’s permission, God does not bring evil into the world. We did that of our own accord and the complete account of it can be found in Genesis. James has already told us that this is against his very nature (James 1:13 – Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.)

 

Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 

Why are we here? How did we come to be here? These are cosmic questions that have long been in debate. For the Christian the answer to theses questions is simple. We exist by God’s will and by God’s grace. Verse 18 is an affirmation of this very thing. How were we brought forth? James answer: By God’s will and his word of truth. Why? James answer: That we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. But what does James answer actually mean? What does he mean that we should be a kind of firstfruits of God’s creatures? Here again we encounter one of those moments in scripture where we find a common word in the Bible that is not a common word in our every day vocabulary. So let’s get an idea of what it means that we are a kind of firstfruits of Gods creatures.   

 

It is first important to understand that all throughout scripture the firstfruits of anything belonged to God. This makes perfect sense when you realize that all things belong to God anyway. However, we do see a few occurrences where firstfruits is used in somewhat confusing contexts. Take the example from Psalm 105:36, “He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength.” Here it seems that firstfruits is not really used to indicate God’s ownership over something. Instead it seems to be implying that the firstborn of the land of Egypt were the firstfuits of Egypt’s strength. So context does matter and this is very important in James 1:18.

 

To begin with, firstfruits, in verse 18, is specific. The word in and of itself is specific. It does not imply, by definition, that it can refer to just anything at all. All throughout the Bible the word firstfuits is used very specifically. So when James wrote, “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures,” he is making a very specific reference in his vocabulary.

 

If we break verse 18 down into pieces the meaning begins to unravel itself. The first key piece to latch onto is “Of his own will he brought us forth.” This immediately establishes that no matter what James writes next it is to be explicitly understood that God’s will must be first in the picture. What James will say next cannot be disconnected from what he has just said. The second key piece to latch onto is, “by the word of truth.” What does he mean, the word of truth? Different scholars believe different things about the phrase “word of truth”. Some say that this is a specific reference to Jesus whereas others say that it is not. At this point James doesn’t say anything further that helps us understand precisely what he means. However, in chapter 2 James exhorts his readers to “receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls”. What is this word that can save our souls? From what name do we receive a path to salvation? Is it not Jesus? Grace comes through Jesus and when we put our faith in Jesus we receive God’s favor. Does not the gospel of John open by saying that in the beginning there was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God? Does not John go on to say that the word became flesh? Did Jesus himself not say that he was the way, the truth, and the life? I believe that James is clearly referring to Jesus when he mentions the “word of truth”.

 

The third piece to tackle before putting this puzzle together is the phrase, “that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” In the Old Testament we constantly see the firstfruits of a harvest being given to God as an offering. The firstfruits of anything were generally the best of whatever you had and all those things belong to God. We belong to God. Those whom God has chosen to conform to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29) are his specifically reserved property. Those persons are God’s firstfruits. This parallels what we have been studying in Romans during our Sunday gatherings.

So to summarize James 1:18 I would say this: God, in the pursuit of doing what is most pleasing to his will, determined that he would gather to himself a remnant of people that would be conformed to the image of His Son. These people would be his firstfruits. Through these people he would reveal the riches of his glory in a vast multitude of ways.

 

I will end my commentary on this section with a few thoughts on what I have learned from this section as well as what follows in the next several chapters. Perhaps the biggest lesson James’ letter has taught me is that slavishly adhering yourself to the will of God is the most valuable task you could ever pursue in all of your existence. James’ letter is a call to action. It is a call to stand firm in your faith. James gives us many practical ways regarding how to accomplish this very thing and he challenges us in some of the most difficult areas of our life. This is a searing treatise on living inside the vein of God’s will. James challenges us in areas of finance, treatment of others, the use of our mouths, and basic human decency defined not through morality but rather through the lens of God’s desire. I strongly encourage you to pick up a Bible right now and begin reading through James. Memorize it. Study it. Pray over it. Challenge yourself with it. Store these words in your heart and it will transform your life, your worship, and every other essential area of your humanity.