Category: 2024

How Should Christians React to Blasphemy?

Lisa M. Price3 Comments

You must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives- Jude 22-23 NLT

The Christian response to the opening ceremonies for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games exposed a deep and growing rift in Christianity.  When you get down to heart of the matter, the rift centers around how Christians ought to interact with a post-Christian culture.

 Some were angry, and not just at the weird display of crudeness and blasphemy. This group has had enough of Christianity being the one religion it’s okay to use as a punching bag. They point out (correctly) that there are no activists mocking or vilifying anyone else’s deeply held beliefs. Public scorn is reserved only for Christians. These folks believe it’s high-time Christians start standing up for themselves and fight back.

On the other side of the divide, are those who think Christians should ignore any blasphemy directed (deliberately or inadvertently) at the Christian faith.  These folks feel pretty strongly that any criticism, of any kind, directed at unbelievers sends the message that God (and His people) do not love them or want them anywhere near the Church. 

This group points out (correctly) that Jesus often associated with sinners and nearly all of His disapproval was aimed at self-righteous religious people who judged sinners mercilessly (Matthew 9:9-13).  They also note (correctly) that Christians are commanded to love everyone, including blasphemers (1st Corinthians 13:1-13, Matthew 5:43-44, Luke 6:32-35, Luke 7:36-47). Therefore, any and all disapproval of a non-Christians behavior should be hidden from view in the name of “kindness” and “love”. This group sincerely believes showing disapproval of sin will cause sinners to reject Jesus.

Yikes. No one wants that. 

So, is Christian disapproval of bad/blasphemous behavior really the fast-track to total rejection of all things Christian?

Well. 

I have some personal experience I feel is relevant to this discussion. 

I grew up in a messy non-Christian home, by the time I hit my teen years I was a jumble of chaos and sin. I knew nothing about God or the Bible. I never even thought about God or the Bible, I was a post-Christian girl long before post-Christian was even a thing. 

I was also a bit of a wiseacre.

I worked at a fast-food restaurant, mainly on the front register.  I almost never wore a nametag, mostly, because I didn’t want customers to know my name if I made a mistake or offended them in some way. One day, one of the managers happened to notice I wasn’t wearing a nametag. I was told to put one on, pronto. 

So, I did.  

However, I did not put my name on the nametag. To my (now) eternal shame I put “GOD” on my nametag in all caps (and YES, I am now VERY aware of how blasphemous that was). Some of the customers and all my co-workers thought it was hilarious, so I left it on. My idiocy started a bit of trend. Almost all my co-workers began putting crazy, absurd names on their nametags, stuff like “Big Bird” and “Abraham Lincoln”. The managers were oblivious, all they saw is that we were wearing nametags. No one bothered to look at what they said. 

It was all great fun.

Until one day, a lady came through my line, saw my nametag and went deathly pale. She looked me in the eye and said in the kindest, gentlest, most alarmed voice you can imagine: “sweetie, you need to take that nametag off. There is a real God who is very powerful and He is very offended that you put His name on your nametag”. I don’t remember what I said to her, I do remember feeling shocked she would care about something I saw as just silly fun. 

I did not become a Christian that day.

 However, her gentle demeaner and concern for my soul had a huge impact on me. For the first time in my life I thought about God, and what He was all about, and what else I might have done to offend Him.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere I felt super ashamed about the nametag (although at the time I had no idea why). I took the nametag off after my shift and never put it back on (1st Timothy 1:13). 

All that to say.

I do not think it’s a good idea to let people blaspheme God without some kind of a reaction. Silence indicates an absence of disapproval. Most people (not all) who blaspheme God have no idea what they’re doing (Luke 23:34). Some really do hate God and are doing their level best to be offensive (Acts 7:51, Hebrews 10:29), most aren’t. The vast majority are just attempting to be witty, or trendy, or outrageous. Very few actually understand how dangerous their behavior is from a spiritual perspective (Leviticus 24:16).  They are fools (Psalm 14:1). It is our job to gently guide them to the truth about God (Jude 22-23). 

However. 

When we talk to people we can’t be rude or hateful. We must communicate with our words and tone that we care about the souls of the people we are talking to. 

Nor can we make it about us. 

Our disapproval cannot be about our feelings, our firmly held beliefs or our rights. It has to be entirely focused on our God (1st Samuel 2:2). We have to tell people there is a holy, kind, patient God who loves them beyond all reason (John 3:16-18, Psalm 68:4-6, John 5:24). We also have to tell people that His patience is not without limits. People need to know there will come a day when all people will be called into account for their words and deeds (Matthew 12:36, Romans 14:12, Romans 2:15-16).  However, all this must be done in a spirit of gentleness and humility (Philippians 4:5, 1st Peter 3:15).

Takeaways from the Book of Job-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God- Job 1:22 NASB

NO ONE actually LOVES the book of Job. 

There are those who wax eloquent about the literary merits of the book. However, when pressed, even those folks admit there is little to love about the actual story. It’s just kind of sad. 

It goes like this: 

There’s this really awesome guy named Job. Job does all the right things. He loves God and his family. Job shuns evil and is honest. Job worries about the spiritual condition of his kids and does his level best to be an all-around stand-up guy in every area of his life (Job 1:1-5, Job 1:8). 

God digs him.

Then one day, out of the blue, Satan rolls up uninvited to what appears to be some sort of an angelic roll call (Job 1:6).  Satan informs God he’s been roaming the earth looking for decent people he can accuse of evil (Revelation 12:10). God proudly points to Job as an outstanding example of humanity. Satan immediately accuses Job of only loving God because God has blessed Job with all sorts of good things (wealth, property, good health, a great family). God tells Satan Job’s love for Him is genuine. 

God and Satan make a deal.

God tells Satan he can take everything from Job except his life (Job 1:12). Satan gets the job done in short order. Job loses his wealth, his health, his home, and even his kids all in the course of a few hours. The only thing Satan doesn’t take is Job’s wife, which is kind of a bummer because she’s not exactly supportive. The most encouraging thing she does in the whole book is to tell Job to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). Then Job’s friends, (the worst friends ever) show up to “comfort” Job.  They accuse Job of all sorts of secret sins and give him oodles of misguided advice. Then, just when you begin to think they are never going to stop harassing poor Job, God shows up and sets everyone straight.  (Job 38-41, Job 42:7-9). 

The story does have a happy-ish ending

God restores Job’s fortune; his family shows up to comfort him and in time, Job is blessed with seven sons and three (really pretty) daughters. Job lives a long life and he continues to be an upstanding guy who pleases God (Job 42:10-17).  

It’s good stuff. 

Nonetheless, (in my opinion) the happy ending is obfuscated by the utter gloominess of the account.  All that being said, Job’s story is in the Bible because there is much we can learn from it (2nd Timothy 3:16). The book has value whether we are going through something terrible or helping someone who is. Following are six take-aways from the book of Job:

There’s more to our trials than just pain- 

Job teaches that all trials serve some sort of a purpose. Normally, the purpose goes beyond proving the devil wrong about something. God uses trials to teach us and mold us into the image of Jesus. We get the most out of a trial when we choose to keep our hearts soft towards God and continue to seek Him in the middle of our pain and confusion (Job 1:22, 1st Peter 1:3-7, James 1:2-4). We need to understand, like Job did, that the point of this life is to prepare us to spend eternity with God and sometimes trials bring about that end (Job 19:25-26). 

Not all truth applies to every person or situation-  

Job’s friends were jerks (Job 42:7-9). Nonetheless, they were not wrong about every single thing they said, they were actually right about a lot of things. However, none of what they were right about applied directly to Job (Proverbs 18:13, Proverbs 18:17) They were convinced God must be punishing Job for SOMETHING. Nonetheless, Job was one-hundred-percent blameless. The book of Job teaches the importance of truly understanding all the particulars of a situation before we make judgments about the people involved (Proverbs 18:21).  

Sometimes it’s better to listen rather than speak-

Job’s friends made a mistake most people make at some point: they were quick to share their “wisdom” without hearing what was being said or understanding the particulars of the situation. When someone is hurting sometimes all they need is to feel understood (James 1:19, Proverbs 13:3, Proverbs 20:12). Once a person feels heard and cared for they will be more willing to hear and apply any advice that should be given.

God doesn’t always give answers but He’s still good-  

Job had a lot of (really good) questions for God and God never answered a single one of them.  Zilch. Zero. Nada. This does not mean God didn’t love Job or care about what he was going through. The book clearly teaches that God loved Job and blessed him for his faith and obedience in spite of some pretty gnarly circumstances. He does the same for us. 

Praying for the jerks who hurt us pleases God-

It just does. Job 42:10 proves it. The second Job got done praying for his awful friends God blessed Job with twice what he had before. God hasn’t changed. He still loves it when we pray for awful people who don’t deserve our prayers.  

And finally:

We should assume that our faith-filled response to pain is all God really wants from us when the very foundations of our lives are shaken (Psalm 16:8, Psalm 112:6, Hebrews 12:28). Job teaches that God richly rewards those who praise Him in the midst of the storms of life (Job1:21). God loves faith (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 9:20-22, Luke 17:6) and there is no greater expression of faith than choosing to praise, honor and glorify God when there appears to be zero reason to do so.

Attitudes that Indicate Serious Spiritual Problems-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister– 1st John 3:10 NASB

According to Merriam-Webster one definition of culture is:

The set of values, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic.

Christianity has a culture. 

The particulars of the cultural practices of Christianity vary somewhat from church to church. In some churches people dress more conservatively than in others. In many denominations raising hands in worship is considered a sign of piety. In others it’s thought to be peculiar. In some churches only certain Bible translations will do, in others all translations (even the kind of sketchy ones) have merit. 

Differences notwithstanding, 

The way Christians dress, relate to one another, conduct themselves in worship services and the even the words Christians use to describe shared spiritual experiences are all fairly universal. What we do and don’t do is deeply rooted in church culture. As a result, one does not have to be around the Church for very long to know what’s okay and not okay. 

This is not necessarily a bad thing. 

God has ordained standards and norms of behavior for His holy people (John 13:34, Romans 12:10-16, Romans 15:7, 1st Corinthians 1:10, 2nd Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 5:21, Ephesians 5:3, 1st Corinthians 5:11, Hebrews 13:1-8). There is nothing wrong with a community of believers having standards and norms, as long as those standards and norms are biblical, God honoring and life-giving to the people involved. A wholesome, healthy Christian culture creates an environment where God is glorified and people feel welcomed and esteemed. When it’s done right culture is a beautiful thing. 

Unfortunately, the culture of Christianity is also easily mimicked. Spiritual fakery can happen without so much as a smidgen of heart change (2nd Corinthians 5:17) and without any self-awareness whatsoever. Sadly, a person can spend their whole lives copycatting the culture of Christianity without realizing that they don’t actually know Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:31-46). Yikes. 

So, how do we know if our Christianity is the real deal or just a cultural copycat? 

Truth-be-told, it’s not always easy to tell who’s who and what’s what in Church world.  Many times, the mimickers have even fooled themselves. However, there are some clues we can look for in ourselves and others. Any of the following five things indicate there are some problems that need spiritual attention (more on that later). 

To the average mimicker…  

Sin is not problematic- 

A genuine Christian detests sin—especially when they see it in themselves. Anyone who is not horrified by their own sin is probably not the real deal (Romans 12:9, 1st John 1:4-6, 1st John 3:6). 

Double-mindedness is routine-

A double minded person lives with one foot in the world and one foot in the church (1st John 2:15-17). They behave like Christians when they are around mature Christians they want to impress or fool, but when they are with immature Christians or non-Christians, the performance ends, then they behave pretty much like any other heathen. Ultimately, double-minded people are inherently unstable spiritually and oftentimes emotionally as well (James 1:6-8). Unfortunately, double-minded people do immeasurable damage to the kingdom of God, immature Christians and the reputation of every serious believer in Jesus (Matthew 13:36-33). 

Repentance is for heathens-

Repentance is not a one and done.  Regrettably, some genuine Christians and all mimickers have bought into the lie that repentance is a one-time admission that one is a sinner with no further repentance required. Nothing could be further from the truth. The entire Christian life is meant to be a life of ongoing repentance. Repentance begins with a change of mind about what’s okay and not okay. Right thinking about sin leads to a renewed mind that leads to behavioral and attitudinal change (Isaiah 30:15, Acts 3:19, Matthew 3:8, Romans 12:1-2, 2nd Corinthians 7:9, 1st John 1:8-10). This does not mean Christians have to go back, remember and repent of every single sin they ever committed. It does mean a real Christian lives a life of self-examination and is quick to repent of any sin they see in their lives (2nd Corinthians 13:5). 

Zero inclination towards the spiritual- 

 Christians love God, the Bible, learning about God and the Bible and spending time with people who love learning about God and the Bible. Christians also want the advice, counsel and guidance of other believers, so much so, that they will go out of their way to avoid worldly advice or counsel (2nd Corinthians 6:14). A mimicker tends to avoid personal Bible study, does not enjoy spending time with mature, godly believers outside of church and has zero discernment when it comes to taking worldly advice. Anytime, a “Christian” lacks an appetite for the things of God it indicates a big problem.  

Here’s the thing:

Christians are not called to be busybody fruit inspectors. It’s not our business to decide who’s saved and who’s not. That’s God’s arena. 

That being said. 

Christians are advised to be careful about the company they keep. Paul cautioned the believers in Corinth to avoid those who claim to be Christians but do not live like it (1st Corinthians 5:1-13, 1st Corinthians 15:33). Jesus frequently warned His followers to avoid the Pharisees (the original mimickers) because their influence was spiritually deadly (Matthew 23:1-3, Matthew 16:5-6, Matthew 23:15). That said. It is absolutely critical we routinely assess our own lives and ask God to reveal signs of spiritual problems. Literally, anyone can take on the cultural behaviors of Christianity without experiencing real heart change. Our lives reveal heart change when we hate sin enough to turn away from it. When we live lives free of hypocrisy and love God, His word and His people. If those characteristics are present in our lives we know we will be spiritually productive on earth and warmly welcomed into God’s kingdom (Matthew 25:23, Luke 19:17)

The Truth about Trials and Hardship-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison – 2nd Corinthians 4:17 NASB

Okay, so.

Unless you’ve been hanging out in a cave with no access to the internet for the last decade or so, you have likely picked-up on the fact that our culture defines love entirely in terms of “being nice”.

Love is not love unless it is expressed in a completely non-judgmental manner. It is no longer loving to show even a smidgen of disapproval. It is categorically not okay to rebuke or criticize anyone, nor, is it okay to ask someone to do anything hard.  

This whole messy muddle has impacted how we understand God. Many Christians see God as the ultimate gentle parent. God is typically presented as sympathetic, mild and super worried about the feelings of humans. Most believe God would never do anything insensitive or harsh. He for sure would not ask anyone to do anything they were not were super ready to do.

Well.

 I definitely had some of those beliefs challenged this week. It happened as I was reading through Matthew fourteen. I came to the story where Jesus (and Peter) walk on water in the middle of a violent wind storm (Matthew 14:22-26). 

Truth-be-told there were a couple of things in this story I had never really noticed before, despite having read it umpteen times.  This first thing that caught my attention is that Jesus made (NKJV, NIV, ESV) or insisted (NLT) the disciples get into the boat. I read it in a bunch of different versions and it’s clear: Jesus didn’t suggest, encourage or recommend their late day jaunt across the lake. Jesus literally compelled (NASB) them to get in and row. 

I also noticed that, after making get onto the boat, Jesus left. He jetted. Seriously. He flew the coop. The text says after getting the disciples settled in the boat He went up to the mountain to pray by Himself. 

As evening rolled around some brutal winds started to toss their little boat around. Jesus showed up sometime between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning, He apparently just sauntered out onto the lake, scaring the bejeebers out of the disciples and then He (rather ironically) tells them not to be afraid. 

Then Peter, always the showoff, says to Jesus:

“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water”

So, Jesus commanded Peter to go onto the water. Apparently, everything was cool for a little while, until Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, looked at the wind and got scared. His fear caused him to sink like a stone. The minute Peter asked for help Jesus stepped in and pulled him out of the water. 

However.

Jesus did not do what one would expect a gentle parent to do. Jesus did not give Peter a cookie and a hug and tell him he did awesome in spite of his lack of success. Instead Jesus says:

“You have so little faith,” “Why did you doubt me?” (NLT)

It feels a little harsh Jesus. 

This story got me thinking about all manner of things. 

Mostly, I spent a lot of time wondering why Jesus would force his disciples/friends onto a boat headed for a storm and then criticize them for their fear and lack of faith. After all, I would not classify Jesus as a big meanie, so, there had to be at least one reason for what appears to be a serious lack of compassion.  

I also wondered if there’s some personal application we might glean from this story. 

It occurred to me that because Jesus is God, He knows and knew EVERYTHING.  Therefore, it is logical there is more to the story than meets the eye.  It’s interesting to note that four chapters earlier Jesus explained to His disciples in no uncertain terms that tough times were coming and that they would need to be ready (Matthew 10:17-23). 

Maybe, just maybe, Jesus wasn’t being mean or insensitive or cruel. Perhaps, Jesus was simply preparing the people He loved most for some much harder things He knew were coming. Things like leadership positions in a messy new movement, opposition, jail time, harassment, persecution and even martyrdom (Acts 8:1-3, Acts 10-11). Maybe, as Jesus watched Peter flailing around on the water He was thinking to Himself: “dude, you think this storm is scary? Just wait till you’re standing in front of Nero”.  Maybe, forcing the disciples into a storm really was the best way for them to learn to trust Jesus in the even tougher stuff that was coming? 

Let’s say this is true.

Then the implications for us are fairly obvious. God is not the quintessential gentle parent, that said, He is the best parent ever. He sees what’s coming and he does everything in His power to prepare us for what lies ahead and like a truly great parent God is far more interested in what we become than in our immediate comfort and ease. 

It’s our job to cooperate with God. 

We do that by choosing to view our trials and difficulties as a gift from a loving Father rather than punishment or something to endure (James 1:2-4, 1st Peter 1:5-7, 2nd Corinthians 4:17, 1st Thessalonians 3:3). When we do, we willfully position ourselves to be transformed into someone truly glorious (2nd Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:28-30). 

The (Somewhat) Surprising Sin on God’s Super Naughty Sin List-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good- Romans 12:9 NASB

Anytime, the God who defines himself as love says He hates something we ought to make a careful note of what that thing is (Deuteronomy 7:9, Joel 2:13, John 4:8, 1st John 4:16). That thing (whatever it may be) is the very biggest of deals and should be avoided at all costs. 

For reals. 

Thankfully, the God of the universe is never shy about clarifying His feelings on any subject. Proverbs gives us a detailed list of all of the things God hates the most. 

It says:

There are six things that the Lord hates. Seven that are an abomination to Him:Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil,a false witness who declares lies and one who spreads strife among brothers-Proverbs 6:16-19 NASB

First on the lineup on God’s naughty list is, “haughty eyes”. “Haughty eyes” is just a fancy-pants euphemism for having a prideful heart (Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 11:2, 1st John 2:16). God is opposed to pride because humans have no justification for getting all caught up in pride. Furthermore, it’s gross and a gateway sin for a whole heap of other really icky sins. 

Ultimately, prideful people consider themselves to be superior to and worthier than others.  A prideful person believes deep in their heart they are special and should be beyond rebuke—no matter how questionable or outright sinful their actions. As a result, prideful people have no issue skirting rules they demand others follow or inflicting emotional pain when it suits them. Prideful, arrogant, haughty people can justify pretty much anything. 

Nor, is it a surprise God is categorically not a fan of people who habitually go around devising evil schemes. All morally sane people agree evil schemes deserves to make the naughty list. It’s also no surprise God has issues with those who shed innocent blood or people who are eager to commit all sorts of evil deeds (Exodus 20:13, Jeremiah 8:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21). Those three issues are the low-hanging fruits on the morality tree. Even a lot of pagans understand why God has a problem those things. 

Perhaps, the biggest surprise (at least to me) is how much God has to say about what we say. Three out of the seven on the super-naughty list all have to do with lying and or strife—the natural fallout of telling lies. 

Which begs the question: 

Why is God so uptight about dishonesty?

Even morally questionable people fully understand God’s issues with big-giant-crazy-pants lies. It’s not difficult to grasp why lying under oath, in a court of law when someone’s life or freedom hangs in the balance is a big deal. It’s easy to understand why God would get bent out of shape over lies that effect someone else’s money, reputation or marriage. 

However.

It could be reasoned, that the vast majority of lies are harmless. What does it matter if I tell someone their hair looks nice when it doesn’t? Why would God have a problem with me telling someone I’m busy when I am not? God’s boundaries concerning this issue feel a bit restrictive to our twenty-first century, post-modern sensibilities. It feels like God is meddling in trivial issues that are none of His concern. 

However, God is not capricious. He does not make up rules for no reason. He knows the end from the beginning. He forbids any and all lying for at least four reasons;

Lying is a gateway sin-

Telling one little lie (even one that feels inconsequential) makes it easier to move on to bigger and more elaborate lies. It also makes us comfortable with other ugly sins that inevitably hurt others and defile us sins like jealousy, slander, hypocrisy and pride (Leviticus 19:16, 1st Peter 2:1, Mark 7:21-23)

If a person lies for long enough about enough stuff the lines between fiction and non-fiction become blurred in their mind-  

I have observed that is a liar lies for long enough, a moral transformation takes place and it becomes very difficult for the liar to know what is true and what is false anymore. Truth-be-told, I do not understand all the why’s and how’s of this process. I suspect it happens because when we lie, we literally affiliate or align with Satan. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and the enemy of our souls. When we align ourselves with Satan in this area he gains a foothold and sees to it we forfeit our ability to discern truth from lies (Ephesians 4:25-27). Yikes.

Lying stunts our spiritual growth- 

Any sin we willfully hang on to will create chaos with our spiritual growth and hijack our spiritual effectiveness. That said, lying is a pernicious and sneaky sin. It’s easy to dismiss lying as a small, inconsequential issue and therefore not a big deal. As a result, the loss of growth and maturity goes unnoticed. Furthermore, partnering with God to accomplish His purposes in this world is the ultimate blessing a Christian can experience. Because, God cannot and will not partner with darkness of any kind, living a life of duplicity makes partnering with God impossible.

And finally,

God is a relational God who loves to see His people living in harmony with one another. Therefore, He hates anything and everything that divides people and creates strife. There is no faster route to creating strife and breaking bonds between people than telling a lie.

The Potentially Fatal Gap in our Understanding of Christianity-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body-1st Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

The Bible is our go-to for understanding God, our faith and how to live out our faith in a way that glorifies God in this world. 

However.

Understanding the Bible is often complicated by the reality that the New Testament writers frequently referenced cultural practices completely foreign to the average Joe and Jane Christian.  Our ignorance of those everyday cultural practices can leave some gaps in our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 

There is possibly no better example of this than the term bondservant.

The Greek word for bondservant (doulos) is used twenty-eight times in the New Testament (NASB translation). In all but one of those references (Philippians 2:7) the word bondservant is either used to describe followers of Jesus, or it is the word a follower of Jesus used to identify and describe themselves (Luke 1:38-48, Romans 1:1, Jude 1:1, James 1:1, 2nd Peter 1:1). All the Testament writers, without exception, taught that all Christians, are by their very nature, bondservants of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:17, 1st Peter 2:16, 1st Corinthians 6:19-20, Revelation 1:1, Revelation 11:18). 

Okay, so, here’s the thing:

Our understanding of this one little concept is critical to grasping what it really means to be a Christian—no matter the era or culture. A lack of knowledge in this one little area will leave some big gaps in our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Some of those gaps could prove fatal. Seriously. It’s that big a deal. 

A bondservant and a servant were not the same thing. The Greek word for servant is diakonos. A dikonos was simply someone who served.  A diakonos could be slave but it was more common for them to be a free person. In the New Testament diakonos described a man or woman who worked in the church, usually in an official capacity such as a deacon or a deaconess (Acts 6:1-6, Romans 16:1, Philippians 1:1, 1st Timothy 3:10). 

On the other hand:

A bondservant was a slave by choice. The sold themselves for a price and in exchange for that price the bondservant forfeited all of their rights. 

All of them.

A bondservant could not purchase property, get married or even do something as basic as leave for the evening, without the explicit consent of their master. A bondservant placed every aspect of their lives in the hands of the person they sold themselves to. The master had all the power in the relationship and they were legally bound by their choice for the rest of their lives. 

 So:

Why on earth would anyone choose to become a bondservant? 

Ultimately, bondservants chose to become bondservants because they believed, after weighing all their options, living life as a bondservant would better for them in every way than running their own life and living as a freeperson. The bond-servant trusted their master to do right by them, usually because the master displayed stellar character and had an outstanding reputation.  

Nonetheless 

 The life of a bondservant was far from easy. A bondservant was a still a slave. By definition their choices were not their own. Bond-servants didn’t debate the rightness or wrongness of the orders given by their master. They were bought at a price, therefore they did what they were told. 

So, what does this mean for Christians?

Well.

First and foremost, it means we have the best Master ever (Psalm 84:11, John 3:16, 1st John 4:10-12, Ephesians 2:4-8).  We have a Master who literally died for the sake of every single one of His servants (Romans 5:5-8, 1stCorinthians 15:33). We have a Master who loves all of His servants as individuals. It means we have a Master who not only wants what’s best for those who serve Him. He also knows exactly what’s best for His people. 

It also means your life is not your own. 

You forfeited your rights in exchange for your salvation. As a bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ you do what God’s word instructs you do (Luke 11:28). When you realize you’ve sinned. You stop.  Because your Master calls you to be holy just as He is holy (Romans 1:7, Ephesians 5:3, 1st Peter 1:15-16). If He wants you to love someone. You love them. Because you are called by your Master to love as He loves 1st Corinthians 13, John 13:34-35, Ephesians 4:2).  If your Master wants you to forgive a jerk who hurt you. You forgive. Because you are commanded by your Master to forgive as He forgave you (Matthew 18:21-35). If He wants you to lay down your pride at the altar and ask someone for forgiveness. You do it.  Because you are called to a life of humble service to Him (Romans 12:3, James 4:10, Luke 14:11)

Being a bond-servant of Jesus Christ means you are obligated to do what your Master wants to do and if your desires are in conflict with His commands, He wins. Every. Single. Time.  

That being said:

Being a bond-servant also means, that if we are faithful to our Master, if we carry out His orders. If we allow ourselves to be molded into the image of Jesus, our reward will be beyond anything we can even imagine (Hebrews 10:35, Matthew 25:21, 2nd Corinthians 3:18). 

Fake Christians- a Real and Growing Problem

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? 2nd Corinthians 13:5 NASB

The deep thinkers in Church World have all sorts of opinions and theories as to what are the biggest and most vexing problems plaguing the modern-day Church. Weak preaching, scandals, bad doctrine, biblical illiteracy, legalism, lax sexual ethics, the acceptance of homosexuality, divorce, lack of strategy, division and Christian nationalism have all been bandied about as the cause of the Churches high attrition rates and inability to reach the lost and redeem the culture. 

With all due respect to the deep thinkers, all the above-mentioned problems are (for the most part) real and genuine. However, they are just symptoms of a much bigger and more complex problem:

Unsaved Christians.

For those screaming “oxymoron” at the ceiling right now, you are correct. There is no such thing as an unsaved Christian.  It’s an impossibility. One is either saved or unsaved, Christian or heathen. No one can be all those things all at the same time. Nonetheless, there is an increasingly large number of people who profess to be Christians, look like Christians and act like Christians (at least when people are watching) who have never actually made the journey from spiritual death to spiritual life (John 3:1-18 1st Peter 1:3-5). 

They don’t know Jesus. 

This sad state of affairs should come as no surprise. Jesus advised His people this day would come (Matthew 13:24-36). The apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders there would be false teachers (unsaved Christians) who would infiltrate the church, preach a false gospel and create all manner of chaos for genuine believers (Acts 20:29-31). In 2nd Timothy 3:1-5 Paul describes in graphic detail what unsaved Christians look and act like (2nd Timothy 3:1-5). Jude and Peter both strongly warned of the problems unsaved Christians would introduce into the church. 

Most unsaved Christians have no clue they are not the real deal. Jesus hinted this would be the case when He taught on the wide and narrow gates (Matthew 7:13-14).  He stated it in the clearest possible terms when He taught about true and false disciples (Matthew 7:21-23).  Jesus said these things because He knew the conduct of unsaved Christians would create doubt concerning the goodness of God in the hearts of those wounded by unsaved Christians. Many Christians (including some who are the real deal) have abandoned church because of something terrible a (likely) unsaved Christian or Christian leader did. Jesus also knew one bad apple really can spoil a whole barrel. Therefore, it’s essential Christians take their cues on what’s right and wrong from the Bible—not the behavior of other Christians. Christians are commanded to follow Jesus—not people. People inevitably disappoint—Jesus never does. 

Furthermore: 

Christians ought to be very careful about making judgments based entirely on one or even three or four interactions. Even a genuine believer can have a bad day, week or season. The judgement of “unsaved Christian” should be applied sparingly. There should be zero gossiping or wild speculation concerning the spiritual state of others. That’s icky.  

Seriously. 

Nonetheless. It is wise to be on the lookout for behavior patterns in ourselves and others that indicate a lack of real relationship with Jesus. The following five behavior patterns indicate a serious spiritual problem that requires immediate attention:

A less than cozy relationship with truth-  

Anyone who routinely lies or who has no guilt about lying (even occasionally) is probably not saved. Jesus is clear: knee-jerk deceit is an indicator someone has a tighter relationship with the devil than they do with God (John 8:43-45).  

Do what I say—not what I do-

There are two ways this works itself out. One way is through acts of classic hypocrisy: saying something is right and demanding others obey, then doing the exact opposite. There is also a form of hypocrisy that is more nuanced and tougher to spot. Sometimes Christians (especially Christian leaders) will urge or demand others to work and serve while they sit. This is a spiritual problem. All Christians are called to DO good works, not just talk about the importance of doing them (Matthew 23:23-28, 3rd John 1:11)

Lots of foliage—zero fruit-  

False teachers and unsaved Christians are like the fig tree cursed by Jesus (Matthew 21:18-19). They look awesome from a distance, but up close they are missing all the hallmarks of authentic Christianity: faith, obedience, life transformation, love for others, good works, thankfulness and compassion. (Hebrews 11:6, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 12:2, 2nd Corinthians 3:18, Luke 6:36, Matthew 5:7, Matthew 23:3, Colossians 4:2, Hebrews 12:28, Galatians 5:22-23)

Faultfinding and nitpicking- 

We all nitpick and fault-find on occasion. It’s a part of our fallen nature. However, unsaved Christians tend to have a chronically harsh and legalistic spirit that sees the worst and always assumes bad intent. Many unsaved Christians believe in their heart messy people are irredeemable, rather than works in progress. Christian love believes the best and always hopes for heart change (Jude 1:16, 1st Corinthians 13).  

It’s all cool-  

Like it or not, God places some firm boundaries around the behavior of His people (Exodus 20:1-17, Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 3:8-10). If an unsaved Christian is not a legalistic faultfinder there’s a pretty decent chance they will be a raging libertine. In other words, they will show contempt for God’s boundaries and encourage others to do the same (Romans 1:32). 

Christians are called to examine themselves to see if they are walking in and living out the teachings of the Bible (2nd Corinthians 13:5). If after a self-evaluation, you find you are lacking in Christian virtues, ask God for forgiveness and course correct ASAP (1st John 1:9-10). 

It’s critical Christians understand we are not called to judge the worthiness of others. However, we are commanded to be discerning about who we follow and spend time with (1st Corinthians 15:33). Sometimes that means separating from those who refuse to repent and show numerous signs of not being the real deal (1stCorinthians 5:11), although, we should never fail to pray for them. 

The Basics of Good Bible Study-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work- 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 NASB 

According to a 2024 study done by Arizona Christian University only four out every hundred people can think like a Christian. 

Yikes.

This depressing statistic became utterly demoralizing after reading the criteria defining a Christian worldview. It’s good stuff, just depressingly basic. It comes down to:

  • A Biblical understanding of God (Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 40: 28-29, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 46:10, Psalm 11:7, Psalm 90:2., Malachi 3:6, 1st Timothy 1:7, 1st John 1:5)

And the belief that:

  • People are sinful by nature (Psalm 36:1-4, Psalm 51:5, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:23, Romans 7:18).
  • Jesus Christ is the only hope of salvation (John 14:6, Acts 10:34-43, Romans 10:11)
  • The entire Bible is true, reliable, and relevant (2nd Timothy 3:15-17, 2nd Peter 1:20-21).
  • Absolute moral truth exists— those truths are unchanging (Psalm 119:160, Romans 1:18, John 17:17).
  • The ultimate purpose of human life is to know, love, and serve God (1st Samuel 12:24, Colossians 3:23-24, John 12:26).
  • Success on earth is defined as consistent obedience to God (Joshua 22:5, Matthew 6:20-24, Hebrews 6:10).

None of the above is exactly new news, nor is it terribly complicated. Those beliefs have been the foundation of orthodox Christianity for two thousand years. Yet this knowledge has been lost to most Christians.

Sigh. 

No wonder the world is such a dumpster-fire. 

Much of the blame can be laid at the feet of biblical illiteracy. Although, access to the Bible is readily available, few people read the Bible and even fewer know how to apply the Bible to issues of life. No one needs a theology degree to understand the Bible. However, one does need to pay attention to and understand the following five aspects of Bible interpretation:

Proper heart attitude is essential- 

The Bible is not Amazing Comics or a Tom Clancy novel. The Bible is a unique book (Psalm 119, 2nd Timothy 3:16, 2nd Peter 1:20-21) that must be approached with humility and the understanding we ALL need to learn and grow (Proverbs 11:2, James 3:13). Without the proper heart attitude Bible reading is essentially pointless.  

Commands are not suggestions –

The Bible is full of commands. Commands are easy to understand and rarely complicated to follow. If every Christian would simply do what the New Testament commands Christians their obedience would revolutionize the Church and transform society. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Christians feel New Testaments commands such as the ones found in Colossians 3:1-25, 2nd Peter 1:5-11, Romans 12:1-21, 1st Thessalonians 4:3-8, Hebrews 12:4-8, Hebrews 13:1-17 are optional or were intended only for the original readers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Commands are for everyone. 

Promises are not universal and are often conditional-

There are three kinds of Bible promises: promises God makes to everyone, promises God made to specific people concerning specific circumstances and the promises God makes about Himself. The promises God makes to everyone are often conditional. All of the New Testament promises concerning salvation fall into this category (Acts 16:31, John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 8:38-39, 1st John 1:9). It is critical we understand all of the promises related to salvation are conditional on one placing their faith in Jesus (2nd Corinthians 1:20). There is no universal salvation apart from faith in Jesus (Acts 4:12, Acts 16:31). There are also promises God made specifically to Israel or others concerning special circumstances they found themselves in (Luke 2:35, 1st Kings 9:5, Joshua 6:1-5). These promises are not meant to be liberally applied to every person and every situation. Insisting God keeps promises made to a specific person or group of people long ago is low-level insane and will only result in spiritual frustration. That said, many of these types of Bible promises contain ageless principles that can be applied to everyone on the condition they choose to obey the Lord (examples include Isaiah 41:9-11, Jeremiah 29:11). Promises God makes about Himself are in some ways the best kinds of promises. They remind us of who God is and what He is all about.  I personally believe God loves it when His children remind Him of what God says about Himself. Therefore, it is perfectly okay to remind God He says nothing is too difficult for Him when we have a big ask in prayer (Jeremiah 32:27, Luke 1:37). Nor is wrong to remind God He promises to be our ever-present help in times of trouble when the going gets tough (Psalm 46:1).

Context matters- 

Context is not just knowing what an entire passage says (rather than a single verse). Context is about understanding the who, what, where and why of the Bible books. Any half-way-decent Bible commentary or study Bible will give the what’s-what on who the book was written too, what the writer was intending to communicate to the original readers, where the book took place (historical context). It is critical we understand these things before we make personal application. If we don’t our personal application will be off in left-field.  

Be humble concerning prophecy-

There are two kinds of prophecy in the Bible: fulfilled prophecy and unfulfilled prophecy. All the unfulfilled prophecy is related in some way to the return of Jesus (Matthew 24, 2nd Timothy 3:1-5, 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-12, Daniel 6, Revelation). It is essential we know these prophecies but refrain from thinking we understand exactly HOW God will fulfill them. When we make the mistake of thinking we have unfulfilled prophecy all figured out we run the risk of doing what the first century Jews did. They missed the messiah because they were prideful and arrogant regarding things that had not yet happened. 

Understanding and applying the Bible is the key to spiritual success. Without basic Bible knowledge and a willingness to apply what we know to every aspect of life we become sitting ducks for worldly philosophies. Even more distressing we are easily outwitted by even the simplest and most basic of Satan’s schemes (Colossians 2:8, Ephesians 6:11, 1st Peter 5:8). 

 

Responding to Gay Pride Month with Grace and Truth-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments

 Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him- 1st John 3:18-19 NASB

The month of June used to be known mostly for weddings, graduations and the start of summer vacation. However, somewhere in the not-so-distant past, June became known mostly for gay pride. There are three common Christian reactions to gay pride month:

Fight, flight or fawn. 

The fighters are easy to spot, mostly because they’re kind of loud and they don’t mind being spotted. The fighters wear straight pride t-shirts, have a “Boycott Disney” bumper sticker on their car and play Buddy Brown’s Everything is Gay in June on repeat until the 1st of July. The fighters love a good fight and will loudly debate the subject with anyone, anytime, anywhere.  

The flighters are a little tougher to spot, mostly because they will do anything short of sin to stay out of the fray. The flighters are a mixed bag. Some are natural born peacemakers; who simply despise fighting over anything.  There are also some former fighters amongst the flighters who learned the hard way fighting this particular battle in this particular cultural moment is almost as futile as pushing water uphill with a spoon. The average flighter’s goal is to keep their head down. They spend a lot of time praying that July comes quickly.

The fawners, for the most part have good intentions. Fawners are good-hearted people who love people and want every human being on earth to know they are deeply loved by Jesus (John 3:16). In an effort to make every sinner feel comfortable and loved, they tell all sinners (regardless of their spiritual state): “it’s all good”: God loves them just the way they are. Therefore, there is no need for repentance or change. The fawners are deeply caring and loving. They simply do not want anyone, gay or straight to feel bad about anything. 

I do get where everyone is coming from.  

There’s a fighter girl who lives inside me. She desperately wants to see the word of God defended. She doesn’t mind making people mad, sometimes she even kind of likes it (sigh). However, because I also understand the nature of this issue (Ephesians 6:12), I know change will never be achieved through clever arguments, a good fight or legal wrangling. This is one of those battles that can only be won through spiritual means (Mark 9:29, Ephesians 6:10-19).  I also get that keeping quiet feels like a noble approach. The less said the less opportunity for offense and no sane person wants to offend on purpose. However, no sinful problem or issue in the history of forever has ever just gone away on its own. God calls His people to engage the world not hide from it (Matthew 6:13-16, 2nd Corinthians 2:14).  I also understand and even empathize with the fawners. I, too want sinners to feel love and accepted.   However, cutting corners where truth is concerned is a form of spiritual malpractice that generates much bigger problems in the long-run (John 3:21, John 8:32, 1st Corinthians 13:6, Ephesians 4:15).

There is another way that glorifies God without spoiling for a fight, hiding from the issue or minimizing the consequences of willful sin at the expense of truth. It takes a commitment to the following three things;

Prayer-

I do not have a problem with Christians getting involved in politics.  Christians ought to be involved in all aspects of civil life. Redeeming every sphere of life and culture (including the political sphere) is our calling as Christians. That being said, nowhere in Scripture are Christians told to fight for legislation that reflects Christian values. Nor are Christians instructed to use the legal system to change hearts and minds. None of these things are wrong but they are not what we are instructed to do. We are commanded to pray (1st Kings 8:44-50, Colossians 4:2, Philippians 4:6, 1st Timothy 2:1-3). Over and over again in Scripture impossible situations and evil people are transformed because God’s people devoted themselves to beseeching God for a miracle (Daniel 2:14-17, Daniel 6:1-28, Esther 4:15-17, Acts 12:1-10, Acts 16:25-30). If I had the power to do so, I would declare June the national month of prayer and fasting. Alas, I do not possess that power. However, I do strongly encourage Christians to pray and fast throughout the month of June. Pray for those you know who are in the homosexual/trans lifestyle. Pray pastors everywhere will love and shepherd people well. Pray pastors and Bible teachers will preach the word of God with a compassionate and gracious boldness that draws all people to Jesus. Pray for a movement of revival to sweep our world. Revival will solve many of our most vexing problems. 

Engagement – 

Get to know someone in the homosexual or trans lifestyle as a person.  Find a Christian family affected by this issue. Knowing people who struggle with a particular issue breeds compassion, inspires prayer and gives us all opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

And finally:

Christians must commit to standing firm on Biblical truth. We stay true to what the Bible says about homosexuality and every other issue God’s word addresses. However, is equally critical we stand on the biblical truth that anyone, regardless of their sin problem can be transformed by the grace of God (Romans 3:23-24, Romans 5;8). Christians must use every opportunity to proclaim the truth that no one is stuck in their sin, no matter the sin. Thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit anyone can live life free from the power of sin and death. 

The Inside Scoop on God’s Discipline-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it- Hebrews 12:11 NIV 

Is there a difference between discipline and punishment?

It matters because there are times when God’s discipline can feel every bit as unpleasant as punishment. However, there is a monumental difference between the two. The purpose of punishment is to inflict pain and sorrow without hope or relief (Matthew 8:12, Matthew 13:36-50, Luke 13:22-27). Conversely, discipline is intended to teach, correct and train. 

The whole point of discipline is to bring about maturity and to transform a person into something infinitely better. God does not punish Christians. Truth-be-told, God does not punish anyone (believer or unbeliever) prior to physical death. Physical death is the final cutoff for God’s mercy and grace.  Hell is real. It is a place reserved for those who refuse God’s kindness (Matthew 10:28, Matthew 18:9) by willfully rejecting Jesus and the salvation He brings. Discipline can be painful and it can feel punitive. However, the purpose of God’s discipline is to keep people from experiencing punishment. At the root of discipline is kindness, love and concern for the long-term wellbeing of the one receiving discipline (Hebrews 12:11)

God disciplines everyone, Christians and non-Christians alike. For non-Christians the point of discipline is to bring the unbeliever into the family of God. God loves human beings so much He will use anything short of sin to bring someone to faith in Jesus (John 3:16). When all else fails God will use pain, discomfort and trouble to bring people to the end of themselves. When someone comes to the end of their own understanding and ability to cope with the challenges of life they begin looking outside of themselves for answers. This unraveling of self-reliance is frequently the beginning of the faith journey. 

For Christians the purpose of discipline is different. 

For Christians, God’s discipline is all about bringing the believer to a place of obedience so that they can be transformed into the image of Jesus (2nd Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2, 1st Peter 1:22-2:4, 2nd Peter 1:3-10). A rebellious, disobedient or carnal Christian will never experience authentic spiritual transformation or become everything God wants them to be.  

It just doesn’t happen.  

For the record, not every difficulty Christians experience is the result of disobedience. Some of the trouble we experience in this life is simply the result of living in a fallen world. Death, becoming a victim of human evil and disease are not God’s discipline. Those painful occurrences are the natural consequences of living in a world broken by sin. God doesn’t use those things to discipline people. Those types of situations all fall under the category of a trial. For a Christian, a trial is a test of faith that has nothing to do with disobedience. Trials are an unpleasant part of life that will (if we allow them to) strengthen our faith, make us more compassionate and draw us closer to Jesus (James 1:2-4). Trials are no fun but they are not God’s discipline.

 The whole point of the Christian life is to become like Jesus. Therefore, God will do whatever it takes to bring a wayward Christian back into obedience. Following are three possible signs a Christian is experiencing discipline. 

A loss of personal peace-

Personal peace is the birthright of every born-again believer in Jesus (John 14;27, Luke 1:76-77, Romans 5:1, Romans 14:17, 2nd Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus came to make peace between God and humanity and to give peace to those who walk in obedience to God’s will (James 1:2-4, 1st Peter 1:6). Therefore, one of the surest signs a Christian is experiencing spiritual discipline is loss of personal peace. Discipline is always a result of disobedience and disobedience is a fast-track to personal turmoil. If you are experiencing a loss of peace, it is critical you seek the Lord and ask Him to show you how you are living outside the will of God. 

Self-inflicted pain- 

Some of the pain we experience in life is one-hundred-percent outside our control. However, a great deal of the pain we encounter in life is the direct result of our own foolish choices, sin and willful short-sightedness. Anytime we experience a great deal of pain, difficulty or trouble we ought to do a deep dive into the cause of that pain. If the trouble is a direct result of our own choices, there is a really good chance God is trying to get our attention.  We would be wise to heed His voice. 

A rocky path- 

One of the most merciful things God does for His children is to make their path difficult when they choose to live in willful disobedience. Again, this is not punishment, its discipline intended to get us to look upward and ask for direction. If things that were once going well (relationships, work, finances, etc.) are now going poorly, it’s time for some serious self-evaluation and ask God for insight on where exactly the problem lies (2nd Corinthians 13:5). 

In our anything goes world; the whole notion of discipline has some seriously negative connotations. Even many Christians believe the most loving thing a person can do is just leave people alone in their sin. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Sin and disobedience always leads to self-destruction of some sort. A good God cares enough to get us back on track and sometimes that means a little pain in exchange for a whole lot of personal gain.