Jesus’ A+ Grade Doesn’t Mean The Rest of the Class Flunked! #JesusFollowers

If Jesus was a student in a typical American classroom, what grade do you think he would get from his teacher?

I think most people would correctly assume he'd get an A+, and that’s exactly right. His life, example and teachings are the perfect model we can follow for us to know the perfection God wishes us to have, and if the 'grade' is an analogy representing that life, he'd definitely get that perfect grade.

Now, using the same analogy, what do you think everyone else in his class would receive as a grade? That's a more difficult question. But if the analogy of perfection is used, many would rate humanity (the "others' in the class) rather low.

Many evangelical and mainline Christian ministers, in fact, would automatically give everyone else an "F" – a totally failing grade. Why is that? Because for some theologians and ministers, they need all of us to be seen as complete failures, in order to make Jesus seem "more perfect."

But that isn't our experience. Some people in classrooms, as in life, earn Cs, Bs, D pluses and yes, even Fs – failing grades. Most of us remain average unless we receive instruction that raises us up higher. And Jesus needs no one's failure to make his perfection shine any brighter.

But the analogy hints at a more disturbing doctrine that many mainstream Christian ministers are teaching their flocks. They believe we ENTER life as "Fs" or complete and utter failures, even before we enter the "school" of life, first as children, then as adults.

This isn't how classrooms or grades or schools work. This isn't how life works. And it’s not how the Good News, Jesus, God, or eternal salvation works. It is instead a FALSE belief based on false premises and false theology. It’s wrong, even though it’s widely taught and believed.

So how does our class really stand? Because Jesus is our brother, and fellow 'classmate,' we actually can do VERY WELL.

The Good News is that Jesus, with his perfect A+, turns to us and "tutors" the rest of the class in how our God wishes us to live. Jesus offers to us his lessons, his experiences, and his life as one who lived in perfect harmony with God, our Father and Jesus' Father.

He calls us to do exactly as he did: to be perfect and holy, just as God is holy. And tells us we, too, can do it!

Jesus becomes not the only one in class who succeeds, but one who seeks to help everyone in the class succeed and be better students of God's moral will for our lives: serving others, loving God with all we have, and shedding bad habits that keep us isolated from others and from our Creator.

The Bible teaches frequently, especially in the teachings of Jesus, that we'll be judged by God only by the performance of our DEEDS, after we repent for our past misdeeds and vow to do what is good and right. That doesn't mean we all earn "A+" grades without listening to the tutor; or that we, without effort, can instantly earn As, Bs or Cs in the classroom of God.

Nor does it mean we can neglect to seek the further moral strength and wisdom we may obtain from God’s Spirit to better equip us for learning in life's classroom.

But with Jesus as our ‘tutor,’ we achieve more than we can by not following him or (worse) by not making ANY effort – hoping instead that we’ll get there by simply “admiring” the most perfect student in the class.

God has chosen Jesus to be our example, and by seeking to follow him, we may become better than we could ever become on our own. Let’s make him our Tutor, teacher and Master and become what God wants us to be!

We Are Responsible For Our Own Actions. #JesusFollowers

There is no truth more clearly taught in in the scriptures than this: that God will render to every man according to his deeds. The scriptures contain scores of passages which teach us that God will bring every work into judgement, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

Being accountable to God for our actions, those who set His laws at defiance are justly deserving of a punishment, and can be sure of their reward.

In relation to the native characters of human beings, we all came into the world pure; that is, free from any innate depravity, and are born into the world without a moral character; we neither possess any positive virtue, nor actual vice; but we inherit a nature which is capable of both. We cannot believe a God of infinite mercy would bring His own offspring into being under a load of hereditary guilt. 

We also cannot admit that infants in all ages are "liable to the pains of hell forever," in consequence of the sin of our first parents – a sin committed without their knowledge or agency, and thousands of years before they had a being.

The scriptures teach us that infants are free from moral defilement. Our Savior took up little children in his arms and blessed them, and pronounced them heirs of his kingdom. But if they had been totally depraved, filled with all that is evil, would he have taken them up in his arms and blessed them? Had they been embryos of hell, as they are frequently represented, Jesus would not have pronounced them heirs of his kingdom. Again, our Master says, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:3)

With these, and several other passages before us, we are constrained to believe that we are born into the world pure. The doctrine of imputation appears to be cruelly unjust. Every man is accountable for himself, and for himself alone. The scriptures assure us that, "the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son, nor the son the iniquity of the father." (Ezek. 18:20)

Such passages entirely destroy the doctrine of imputation. All who arrive at years of understanding are depraved in some degree, but their depravity is of their own making.

How is it possible to transfer the guilt of Adam's sin to me? I cannot be criminal, unless I have a consciousness of committing the act, and I cannot have this consciousness of committing the act, unless I have in fact committed it; and if I have in fact committed the sin, it ceases to be Adam's, and becomes my own.

The doctrine of total depravity appears to impeach both the wisdom and goodness of the Deity. If we are the subjects of this total corruption, the revelation which God has given us would be useless.  If God requires all to love him, was it wise of Him to give us a nature which would forever prevent our compliance?

The scriptures assure that God will punish sin. But does it not infringe upon His goodness to say He will punish us for our sins which the nature He gave us compels us to perform? 

There is no truth more sacred than this: that we are accountable for our actions, just as far as we have an ability to perform our duty, and no farther. Whenever you limit our ability to do good, there our accountability ceases.

We must contend for moral virtue. I object to the contemptuous manner in which some speak of morality. Some denounce moral excellence as "dry morality," and insinuate that it is akin to infidelity. If moral goodness is the fruit of infidelity, then give us infidelity in preference to that Christianity which teaches us to slight virtuous actions. 

We may perform good actions from bad motives. In such a case, there is no moral worth in such an act. But if we perform good actions from benevolent motives, they are in the exercise of practical Christianity. Whoever does to others as they desire them to do to him, obeys the requirement of the religion of Jesus.

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father," (James 1:27) consists in gratitude to God, good will to others, and watchfulness over our own conduct. 

If we do not exercise charity one to another; if we do not deal justly with our fellow creatures, our religion is of a spurious kind. As Christians, it is our duty to correct our own faults, rather than point out those of others.

We should so favor excellence of character, so that all preaching ought to be directed to this one object, namely, to make people better. Religion in theory should not be valued as much as in practice. Further, religion has no value unless it effects the conduct and renders people virtuous and good. Not that theoretical religion doesn’t have worth, but its value lies entirely in its influence upon the mind and the heart.

That system of doctrines which does not exert an influence over the person is useless. Every scheme, therefore, which is made up of cold speculations which cannot warm the affections, or of inexplicable mysteries which no mortal can comprehend, is not worth professing.

(Adapted from a Sermon by Rev. Charles Hudson, 1795-1881)

When You Pray. #JesusFollowers

 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matt. 6:7-8)

The reasonableness of our worship, and of prayer to God, prompts us most naturally to look to Him Who made us, in the fitness of acknowledging His continual favors, and the assurance we have that He is present with us.

God attends to and directs those who seek to recommend themselves to Him in the best way they are able.

The power, wisdom and goodness displayed in bringing us into being, and the various ways and methods to make it happy to us, are a just foundation for this our application to our Maker.

Nor can He ever be absent from us, so as not to hear and attend to us. For the same divine energy by which he first made us and all nature is necessary to support us in being. We cannot divest ourselves of the idea that His continual presence is with us.

We need never fear our being overlooked or disregarded by God. Our attention indeed can only be fixed on one object at once, and we are soon disturbed and perplexed with a multiplicity of affairs. But, as the sacred writer speaks, “Yahweh’s eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3)

These natural grounds of the duty of prayer and thanksgiving to God appear plain and obvious, and afford much satisfaction to the pious mind.

Nevertheless it is a great privilege, that we have the express encouragement from God to offer up our prayers to Him, which He has given us by holy men, His prophets; and last of all by our Savior, Jesus.

And in that part of our Master’s sermon which is before us, he is giving some cautions to his followers concerning this duty, and directing them how to perform it in the way most acceptable to God and useful to themselves.

After severely condemning many in those days, who, by their holy outward appearance of great devotion, sought to impose on the world that they were better and more to be trusted than others, to serve their private ends of gain and ambition.

Jesus’ words are a caution to those who thought they were religious because of the frequency and length of their prayers, or who thought so poorly of their Maker, as if He, the all-knowing God, needed to be told often about their needs, as if He had forgotten them!

Our prayers and thanks to Him are not needed for any information or satisfaction that He can derive from them, they are in the highest degree serviceable to ourselves, and therefore are fitly and most kindly enjoined by Him who seeks our good.

Everything in us, good or bad, is the effect of habit. To keep up a due sense of God, it is necessary to think of Him frequently, to bring Him, His goodness, His greatness, freshly to our minds. And this is done most effectually in prayer, which puts us into His presence.

To pray with any degree of fervor or earnestness, one must have some persuasion that it will be of service to him to procure what he prays for.

The Scriptures therefore uniformly represent Almighty God as listening to the prayers of human beings, and disposed to bestow upon them everything they ask that is good for them.

However, as we ourselves are creatures so shortsighted and unknowing what might be good for us, and our heavenly Father, who is ever most kindly disposed toward us, as our Master here tells us, knows what things we have need of before we ask him, we should never pray for anything but only so far as His wisdom may see it best for us.

The great subject of our prayers to God undoubtedly ought always to be for our virtuous improvement, and to be assisted to do his will in all things, and that we may be assisted in watching over ourselves where we are most likely to fall; giving us such a great love of wisdom and goodness it will keep us above the narrow gratifications of our appetites and every unlawful desire, and make all the temptations of the world lose their power over us.

The great end of prayer is to bring us to live under a habitual sense of the divine presence, with which it will be impossible for any to live or continue in any known evil or dishonest practice.

Far from interrupting or taking us away from our worldly pursuits, prayer furnishes us with a greater ability to go through the necessary duties of life, and spread continual comfort, cheerfulness, and joy all around us.

 (Adapted from a sermon by Theophilus Lindsey, given in March, 1778)

Knowing God's Will For Us. #JesusFollowers

It is not by what people profess or believe that we are to judge of them, but by their works and doings. If all their works give evidence that they arise from the love of God; if they are clothed with his love, and wisdom, and humility, this exalts the creature.

For it is only the humble soul that is exalted by God. And what encouragement we receive through when we are brought by the light into a feeling of unity with our great Pattern, Jesus Christ, and with God, our Creator!

When the Almighty enters into our souls by his light and life, by his penetrating eye, he sees the evil and the good, and is a searcher of the hearts and a trier of the reins. And here, in His abundant mercy and loving kindness, He makes a rule for us; we learn His commandments, and we find that they are not grievous.

When we come to know God, and feel him to be continually with us, an observer of all our works, and watching over us continually for good, it enables us to put in practice what is comprehended in the saying of the wise man, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

And our duty to our Heavenly Father, and our own best interest, can never be divided: they are one, because Almighty Wisdom has ordained that every act of a man's life shall have its consequent reward, let it be good or evil.

We must now not only be gathered together, but we must set to work in good earnest, and do what the Lord has furnished us with ability to do; and as he has given us the means to exercise.

We ought to use all our mental powers to get our bodies quiet, under a consideration that we are now in the presence of the Almighty and merciful God, who will distribute unto us according to our wants and necessities.

We are to do all that we can, to be humble, and to show ourselves humble, by stilling our bodies and keeping our minds clear of agitation and unprofitable thoughts.

We are all to attend to our own salvation: and if we are concerned to do this, will we give way to notions that will hinder this salvation? God is to judge of these things; and man is only to judge of the overt acts of his fellow creatures - those which have a tendency to injure his fellow creatures.

But if a brother does all his duty, consistent with the will of God Almighty, we have no right to judge any farther than this, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

We know that love and good works are the only fruits of the right and good tree, and a soul fixed on God, its maker, for support is happy beyond all comprehension.

(Adapted from sermons by Elias Hicks, 1826)

Faith Without Works Cannot Bring Salvation #JesusFollowers

When our Master began preaching, he did not only require men to believe in his name, but also exhorted us to forsake our evil ways, and charged those who became his disciples to distinguish themselves by their good works.

"Let your light so shine before men," said he to his disciples, "that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven' (Matt. 5:16.) 

And when Jesus sent his apostles to preach the Gospel, he enjoined them to teach those whom they baptized, to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them, (Mat. 18:20) - a commission they faithfully executed. For they declared to their hearers that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to only those who obey him. (Acts 5:32)

When we reflect on these things, we might think that ministers of the gospel should have nothing to do except to instruct us in the practice of our duties; and that we should have no occasion to prove either the necessity of faith, or of good works. But yet so prone are men to degenerate from true principles, that both of these are now necessary to be done.

Some hope to be saved by their faith in Jesus Christ, though they are destitute of those good works which God has ordained that we should walk in them. 

St. James seeks to convince them of their mistake. 

He shows them, that as it would be an idle presence, for a man to say he loved his brother, if he did not show his love by kind actions; it would be mere presumption for anyone to rely upon his faith, if it was not producing good works.

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (2:15-17)

The works here intended are undoubtedly good works, done in obedience to the will of God, and proceeding from faith in Jesus; and therefore, though from the context it may seem, that he principally intends works of charity and mercy, yet they comprehend the whole Christian practice, without which our faith will not, for when he asks, "can faith save him?"

He affirms in the strongest way that faith alone cannot save him. This says that faith in Jesus, which is producing good works, will save us, as a means by which is necessary to our salvation.

Many will therefore be most unhappily disappointed, who flatter themselves with the hope of heaven, because they believe in Jesus, and rely upon his merits, but do not reform their lives. And yet is not this the unhappy condition of many Christians? They hope to be saved by Jesus, but few live in conformity to his precepts and example.

Works, which are necessary to render our faith effectual for our salvation, must be done according to the will of God revealed in the Gospel, and proceed from faith and the other true principles of religion; they must extend to the full compass of our Christian duty, and be uniform and persevering.

But though faith, destitute of good works, is not sufficient for our salvation by Jesus, yet we are not to rely upon the observation of moral duties; without faith in our blessed Mediator.

All the doctrines of Jesus have a tendency to promote holiness of life; and therefore those who most perfectly understand them, ought to be most active promoters of good works. And if they, notwithstanding their superior knowledge, live wickedly, their faith will be so from saving them, but it will add to their guilt, and aggravate their condemnation.

None are more confident of their salvation than the hottest zealots, even though their lives are irregular. How often do they condemn others who are holier than themselves, and because they think themselves sound in the faith, have no scruples about their own salvation, however they live, as if they hoped to atone for the badness of their temper, and the irregularity of their lives, by the heat of their zeal?

For such an intemperate, and flaming zeal as this, is so far from promoting good works, that it actually destroys them. Those who defame and oppress their neighbors, because they are not of the same judgment with themselves, act most uncharitably, and transgress the great and plain law of equity given us by our blessed Savior.

Let such people consider, and tremble at the words of our apostle, "do you not know, vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

And at the words of Jesus himself, "Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father, who is in Heaven." (Matt. 7:21)

The fairest external profession of religion, therefore, will not secure to us the favor of God, unless we live in obedience to Jesus, and our obedience flows from an inward principle of religion in our hearts.

No faith in him can be saving, but that which produces a universal obedience to his authority and commandments. Yea, a man may say, to use the words of James, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18)

(Adapted from a sermon by Rev. James Morris, 1757)

The Meaning Of Love #JesusFollowers

What Is Love? Love is one of those words in the English language that can be easily confused. Love can mean a strong attachment to pancakes or pickles, a deep emotional attachment to another person like a spouse, parent or neighbor, it can express a deep “fan” relationship with a movie franchise like Star Wars, or it can mean lust for a drug, a person, an object, or a stranger.

This imprecise definition didn’t exist in the oldest manuscripts of the words of our Master, Jesus, which were preserved in Greek. 

Love most often was conveyed with a word, agape [agapaō] which means a pure, all-consuming love. 

It’s this word that is used when Jesus calls us to, "Love Yahweh, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." And, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

It was not limited to our friends, or to those who love us, because it’s agape that is used when Jesus says “Love your enemies.” (Matt. 5:43)

The Fourth Gospel records, “For God so loved the world,” using that same word, agape, showing that God has deep, abiding and unlimited love for us. God chose and sent out Jesus as our special example to us, so that we might not live in darkness, but in light.

And it’s not just God than can show this love, however. We are called by Jesus to “Love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

The fact that we are to love “JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU” is a powerful calling to us. We are told by Jesus that we may indeed love just as he loved; act just as he acted; serve just as he served. Our love is to have no bounds, just as Jesus’ love had no bounds.

This is all important to understand, given the many misconceptions about “love” – even among those who attend the churches of Christendom today – and even among those who do not.

"Love" having so many meanings, many today believe the love we are called to show is the shallow love of food, movies and other things we have a strong emotional attachment.

It would be a serious mistake, however, to assume that ALL we must do is express a light, shallow Love towards God and towards others. "Love is All You Need" is the name of an awesome Beatles song about emotional attachment between two lovers, not the imperative that Jesus calls us to embrace.

The Power of Love, the kind of Love God shows us through His son, Jesus, is the kind of Love that is deep, unattached to emotions. It’s not an erotic love, or a shallow love, or a "love" that has no meaning or caring behind it, but it is instead the deepest and most pure Love there is. 

This kind of Love must be the cornerstone of our faith. Love of God and love of our neighbors is what Jesus calls us to actively show in our daily lives.

The faith Jesus challenges us to love God so much that we love others just as God does, and show it by doing Good Works.

We are called to love and obey God and serve others, using Jesus' perfect example as our guide, and then we are to accept that GOD ALONE is our judge, and our God is a God of mercy, if we ask for it.

"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me." (John 14:21)

"If you keep my commandments," says Jesus, "you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." (John 15:10)

A Desire for Doing Good #JesusFollowers

To be uniformly good, to consider ourselves as destined in this life to promote the happiness of all around us, and to make this steadily and invariably the rule of our actions; this, as it is the true Christian character, is surely the most noble and godlike that can be ascribed to human beings.

We cannot contemplate it without love and delight, and this will as naturally excite our emulation, and lead us to desire in ourselves what we necessarily admire in others.

But this perfect character is not to be attained by a transient wish, by the simple inclination and consent of the mind; it must be formed, like other virtuous habits, by time and patience, exercise and application.

God, who has made the welfare of mankind depend much on their mutual love and care one for another, has at the same time, lest reason and religion should have too cold an influence, implanted very powerful passions in the heart to stimulate and excite to these duties. 

We are so made as necessarily to commiserate the wants and feel the distresses of others. But if our mercy and compassion have no other foundation than this, though world may be the better for it, we shall be none the better ourselves.

But if we help others only to gratify ourselves, there is no virtue or merit in this appearance of charity. If we do Good only from instinct and inclination, from selfish or other human considerations, these principles vary in their influence and tendency; and, if some of them, at times, prompt us to what is generous and good, others will prevail in their turn, and more frequently seduce us from it.

To give stability to virtue, it must be founded on better motives, on the principles of reason and truth: these are everywhere the same, and operate in all circumstances alike; they will not bend to our own inclinations, or be moved by the entreaties and importunities of self-love.

This, then, is the proper foundation, the rock on which our virtue must be built. Whatever claims the authority of duty over us must be tried by our reason, not by our passions and inclinations. And where this authority is acknowledged, we must be subject: not for pleasure, profit, or fame, but for conscience sake.

This rational choice, this subjection of the mind to duty, is necessary not only to support but to constitute virtue. Without it our best actions will be worth nothing; it being a first principle in morality, that the virtue of every action is to be estimated from the principle and intention with which it is performed.

The best resolutions will not make us all of a sudden virtuous or charitable. We must not mistake the plan for the thing itself. Resolutions must be pursued to their proper consequences, and set the active powers of the mind at work, before we can take their character into ourselves. 

We purchase very cheaply our own good opinion. If we would know our true moral character, we must inquire about our actions, not about our sentiments and opinions. These latter are always on the side of truth and virtue. God has made them so.

Only our actions are properly our own, and tell what we are. "I will show you my faith by my works," says the Apostle James. If you have charity, show it by your works. You feel it in yourself, but let others feel it.

Our Savior has declared that whoever gives a cup of cold water only to a disciple, for his sake, shall not lose his reward.

What families or what persons have been the better for your bounty? Have your ears and your hands been open to the wants of your suffering neighbors? Is your labor or your fortune, in any good degree, spent in their service?

When any good work has invited our concurrence, have we, according to our ability, encouraged and promoted it? Or have we contented ourselves with bidding it Godspeed, and wishing it good luck in the name of our Master, Jesus?

Charity is a duty, a duty God has bound upon us by all the ties of nature, reason, and religion; a duty which strikes the mind with more piercing conviction than any other duty which we acknowledge, and even think ourselves resolved to practice. But if this is a duty in any circumstances, it is surely so when the sick and needy in the anguish of their souls call upon us.

It is thus we must bring our virtue in this and every other instance to the trial, before we can determine what our real character is.

(Adapted from a sermon by Rev. Dr. William Adams, “Perseverance in Well-Doing," given Sept. 14, 1749 in Shrewsbury, England )