NUMBER ELEVEN, 2020
In this issue 3
6
An Invitation to Touch the Skin of Infinite God
charles r. swindoll
How to Handle Straying Saints
insight for living ministries
10 Epistle
steve johnson
Bumper Sticker Theology 12 All Sin is the Same to God
steve johnson
Beyond the Broadcast 14 Stop Lying and Start Acknowledging
Puzzle 15 Christmas in Code
Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bibleteaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 40 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright Š 2020 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NLT. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by Tim Schellenberg. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.
AN INVITATION TO TOUCH THE SKIN OF INFINITE GOD by charles r. swindoll
Cover & Article Photo: Emiliano Arias on unsplash.com
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hildbirth is something no man can completely appreciate. We can marvel as an observer—a helpless one at that—but we cannot experience it as a woman would. My wife tells me, “I cannot completely describe the feeling that came over me as the doctor held up Curt, cut the cord, and then laid him right across my tummy. As he stretched out, I reached down and felt him and thought, How incredible! This little life came from us!” Childbirth is enough of a miracle on its own, but this time of year adds a completely new dimension. Long ago in a quiet, crude place where animals sleep, Mary reached down and felt the Life from her body—she reached down and felt the soft, human skin of infinite God. The humanity of this scene appropriately pulls us in for a closer look. We can identify with Joseph’s confusion, Mary’s wonder, and the irony of God’s quiet arrival in such an inhospitable world...all of those thoughts are magnificent to ponder. But we cannot stop there. These are only an entrance to wonders far deeper, far more significant. Just beneath the soft, newborn skin of this beautiful story is the flesh and bone of a theological truth that is older than creation, since the plan was in place long before time began. The incarnation—God becoming flesh—is a doctrine that is foundational to everything we believe as Christians. Most conservative scholars see with 20/20 hindsight the hint of Christ’s birth in Genesis 3:15. Speaking to the serpent in Eden, God said: “I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” (NASB) Much later, the prophet Isaiah wrote these words centuries before God became man:
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) In telling the story of God’s incarnation, the disciple Matthew tells us this: Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:20–23) When the first man plunged all of humanity into sin with his disobedience in the Garden of Eden, evil entered the bloodstream of humanity, polluting all who live in it. And each of us has ratified Adam’s tragic choice by adding our sin to his. The result is a world subject to pain of every conceivable kind: hunger, thirst, sorrow, weariness, temptation, disease, prejudice, grief...the list would be endless if it didn’t end with the ultimate evil: death. Many struggle with the idea of God because they wrestle against “the problem of pain”—How can a good God allow evil to continue? The surprising answer: because He loves us. He could have ended all evil before the fruit of the forbidden tree digested in Adam’s stomach. Let’s not forget that the evil we would have God put an end to includes you and me. We brought, and continue to bring, evil upon ourselves and the world, and He would be entirely justified to condemn us to suffer the twisted mess we have made of His creation. But...He loves us.
What an awful predicament. God must left for God to do, except allow His crepunish sin. The penalty of sin is eternal ation time to respond. He patiently waits... death. But to carry out the sentence, God but time is running out. He will not wait loses the very people He loves. Just as forever. He will one day close the door of one man led all of humanity into rebel- opportunity, either by your own physical lion, another must reconcile us. But who? death or by bringing all earthly history to an end. Who among us does not As you ponder the deserve the penalty of Two millennia ago, humanity of the first sin? And if one sinless God answered the Christmas, remember person could be found, anguished cry of that it is an invitation what mere mortal would have the power to die the humanity by making to slow down and think deeper. I invite you to death you and I deserve, “the problem of evil” the infant skin of yet survive the process so His own. God Almighty touch the God-man with your that He could continue to became Immanuel, imagination. I invite represent us? Why, only a you to wonder as the human who is also God “God with us.” shepherds wondered could do that! Two millennia ago, God answered the and to worship as the wise men did. I invite anguished cry of humanity by making “the you to allow the God-man, Jesus, to take problem of evil” His own. God Almighty your own “problem of pain” and make it became Immanuel, “God with us.” He lived His. If you can accept my invitation, you as we live, suffered as we suffer, died as we will receive the greatest Christmas present die, yet without sin. And He, being the God- on earth: God’s indescribable gift. man, overcame the power of death in order to give us eternal life. Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, “An Invitation to The plan is complete. Remember Jesus’ Touch the Skin of Infinite God,” Insights (December words on the cross? “It is finished!” (John 2005): 1–2. Copyright © 2005, Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. 19:30). Mission accomplished. Nothing
The Surprise That Still Brings Relief SINGLE CD MESSAGE
WHEN WE SAY YES TO GOD’S WILL FOR OUR LIVES, GOD FLOODS OUR HEARTS WITH RELIEF.
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HOW TO HANDLE STRAYING SAINTS by insight for living ministries
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ave you ever rescued someone from drowning? If so, you know how victims often fight their rescuers in the hysteria of that terrifying moment. The same is often true when an attempt is made to rescue those who are floundering spiritually because their faith has suffered shipwreck. Author and teacher Howard Hendricks tells the story of a young man who strayed from the Lord but was finally brought back by the help of a friend who really loved him. When there was full repentance and restoration, Dr. Hendricks asked this Christian how it felt while he was out at sea, in deep water, deep trouble, and all his friends were on the shoreline hurling biblical accusations at him about justice, penalty, and wrongdoing. He answered: “There was one man who swam out to get me and he would not let me go. I fought him...[but] he pushed aside my fighting and he grasped me and he put a life jacket around me and he took me to shore. And he, by the grace of God, was the reason I was restored. He would not let me go.”1
In James 4:11–12, James does not prohibit Christians from confronting those who have strayed; rather, he warns against believers who maliciously slander others. Jesus underscored this same point in Matthew 7:1–4. The conclusion many Christians have drawn from these two passages can be boiled down to just three words: Do not judge! But what about those times when a Christian brother or sister strays from the Lord? Shouldn’t we attempt to rescue those whose faith has suffered shipwreck? Or do we simply let them perish? The climax of Jesus’ words in our Matthew passage answers this seeming dilemma. According to Jesus, there is a place for taking specks out of other Christians’ eyes (7:5). But remember, there are few places in our bodies more sensitive to touch than the eye. And just as removing something from the physical eye requires extreme sensitivity, so does attempting to remove the spiritual speck from our brother’s or sister’s eye. Jesus is not condoning those who feel “called” to criticism. Rather, He is welcoming
the help of those who are willing to have or denomination, but of Christ. And their own spiritual eyes cleared before where is this teaching to be found? In rescuing others. the Word of God, in the Bible.3 Understanding James’ Counsel Fourth, what should be done? Now we To learn more about the techniques come to the most sensitive part: removinvolved in spiritual eye surgery, let’s turn ing the speck from our brother’s eye. now to James’ words in 5:19–20 (NASB). Four When Christians wilfully stray from the important questions arise from his pen. truth, James says that one must turn them First, about whom is the counsel back, meaning any Christian with a clear addressed? At a glance, it appears as eye—not just church leaders—must help though James is speaking about saving turn around those who stray. Don’t ignore lost souls from hell. However, the words them or hurl criticisms from a distance, “my brethren” and “among you” indicate as some did to that young Christian Dr. that he is addressing believers. Hendricks mentioned. Swim out after Second, what has occurred that would them and don’t let them go! cause James to write these words? Most Proper Attitude likely, someone has strayed Now that we’ve considfrom the truth. The word To qualify for helping ered the action we must “strays” in Greek is planao, restore others to the take, let’s turn to Galatians from which we get the word for a close look at the truth, we must first be 6:1 planet. The heavenly bodproper attitude we need. filled with the Spirit To qualify for helping ies seemed to the ancient Greeks to wander in the and not controlled by restore others to the truth, sky. Likewise, when Chriswe must first be filled with the flesh. tians stray from the truth, the Spirit and not conthey wander from the prescribed course trolled by the flesh. We must seek the they once knew.2 Spirit’s help in removing the logs in our Third, from what has the person strayed? own eyes before we attempt to remove The truth. Commentator Spiro Zodhi- them from others. Only those who are ates expands on what straying from the spiritual—who approach such an operatruth involves. tion in complete dependence upon the The truth of which James speaks is Spirit—need apply for the job. naturally the person and work of The second qualification Paul menJesus Christ. He does not refer to an tions is gentleness. Carnal Christians are abstract philosophical or theological usually extremely sensitive to criticism. system, but to Christ Himself, who To approach them with a harsh, critical said, “I am the way, the truth, and the spirit only ensures failure and rejection. life” (John 14:6).... Of course, the word But a gentle spirit encourages those who “truth” here also means all that Christ are floundering to relax and be reconciled taught and instituted. It is His whole to God. doctrinal and practical teaching—not Third, before we rush off into deep water the teaching of any particular church to rescue someone, we should check to be
sure we are equipped with an attitude of humility—“looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted” (NASB). Misjudging the depth of the problem or overestimating our ability to handle it could quickly leave us floundering as well. Removing specks is not a pleasurable task. There’s no delight in rescuing someone who is thrashing and kicking against your every effort to help. In fact, those who are truly humble are often reluctant to step in, knowing that they don’t have the power in themselves to pull the other person to safety. Nevertheless, the humble do wade out, slowly...prayerfully, because of a genuine love from the Father. Operation Restoration Thus far we’ve covered the action and attitude involved in handling saints who stray. Now let’s go back to James 5:20 and see what happens when they are restored. The first result is that the straying saint’s soul will be saved “from death.” The word death could mean that if this individual had not turned back to the Lord, he or she may have died under divine discipline. It is more likely, however, that James means death in a broad, metaphorical sense. When we turn straying saints back to the Lord, we rescue their souls from a deathlike existence of loneliness, bitterness, anguish, and guilt. The second result is that we “cover a multitude of sins.” When someone is brought back into the fold through confession and repentance, Christ’s forgiveness completely covers this formerly lost sheep. Summary and Application Throughout his letter, James has pinpointed specific areas in which Christians have begun to slip: doubting during trials, blaming when tempted, anger and
prejudice, sterile intellectualism, a loose tongue, jealousy, arrogance, being judgmental, planning without God, taking advantage of others because of wealth, and lack of prayer—to name a few. For these five chapters, James has been coming to our rescue. Now let’s close by crystallizing his counsel about our rescuing one another. First, there are definite occasions when we are to be involved in removing specks from others’ eyes. Second, the entire process must be under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Third, the motive or attitude is as important as the action. And fourth, when we are prompted by the Lord, we should not feel reluctant or out of place about confronting others. Remember that you are saving that person from death and covering a multitude of sins. Don’t let go! Adapted from Insight for Living, “How to Handle Straying Saints,” James: Hands-on Christianity Study Guide (Plano, Tex.: Insight for Living), 127131. Copyright © 2003 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. 1 As noted by Charles R. Swindoll, in a sermon titled “Set Me Free,” given at the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, California, January 25, 1981 2 The implication here is that James is talking to believers, because only those who have intimately known the truth can stray from it. Unbelievers cannot stray from something they have never known. 3 Spiros Zodhiates, The Behavior of Belief (Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Col, 1959), 217.
EPISTLE
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he word “epistle” means letter. It’s written to specific individuals or groups as a formal treatise or for purposes such as answering questions, resolving problems, and encouragement. The fact that the New Testament is so largely composed of letters distinguishes it from all other sacred writings of the world. With the exception of the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation, the New Testament is epistle. This literary type is important to understand because we derive most of our biblical doctrine from the epistles and they decipher much of the Old Testament and Gospels. Interpreting Epistles First, read an epistle like you would any letter, in one sitting. Interpret the words literally and pay close attention to understand the recipient(s), the author’s flow of logic, terms, tone, and clues to the specific occasion and issues. Biblical epistles followed a format common in ancient Greco-Roman letters: 1. Opening salutation containing writer's name, the recipient's name, and a greeting
2. A prayer, blessing, or thanksgiving 3. The body of the letter (what the sender wanted to say that occasioned the letter) 4. Final greeting and farewell Not every epistle will include all four of these characteristics—and missing elements may be significant! For example, in Galatians 1:1–6 Paul changes the format and omits prayer, thanksgiving, and blessing. This helps underscore and communicate his distress over the actions of the Galatian church members. Next, ask questions. Reading these letters is like listening to one end of a phone conversation. We read Paul’s answers and now need to figure out the questions and issues involved. Who wrote the passage? Who is speaking? Who is the audience? What does the passage say? What is the main subject? What is the immediate context? What is the overall idea the author is writing about? When was it written? When do the events occur? Paying attention to verb tenses helps here.
Article Photo: Scott Graham on unsplash.com
by steve johnson
Why was this written? Many authors state specific people in a Mideast culture, in specific circumstances, and to address specific their purpose in the text. issues. That is part of the function of the How will these events take place? When it comes to the letters written by form of a letter. Resist the modern temptation to uniPaul, we can usually go back to the book of Acts and see what the city was like and the versalize these letters and make them circumstances surrounding the original absolute. They must be heard within the situation in that region. This helps give us a context in which they were written, and within the occasions picture of what may have This literary type is they were addressing. To motivated the writing of the letter. important to understand take writings intended Third, think in terms because we derive most to address specific historical circumstances— of paragraphs and their of our biblical doctrine such as Paul’s admonimain points. Notice especially when you get from the epistles and they tions to the factions and to words like “finally,” decipher much of the Old immature Christians at “therefore,” or “now” as Testament and Gospels. Corinth—and assume they are universal law these words can signal for all circumstances and all times is to breaks between large blocks of text. For example, Romans 12:1 (NASB) begins radically misunderstand the nature of New with a “therefore” and signals a transi- Testament letters even as Scripture. Keeping in mind the genre of letters/ tion in the book. And 1 Corinthians 15:1 demonstrates a transition by using the epistles and the forms that help identify word “now.” Philippians 3:1 uses the word them as letters will help us keep their “finally” as a transition. By following these situational nature in view. This provides transitions you can understand when the us some guidelines and boundaries for author is moving from one topic to another. how to read and apply the epistles in conFinally, look for what would apply at all temporary contexts. times and to all people. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for epistles were written 2,000 years ago for Living Canada.
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Bumper Sticker
Theology
by steve johnson
All Sin is the Same to God
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All sin is the same to God!” People use this phrase either to emphasize the seriousness of sin or to equalize sin so they are indistinguishable from each other, making every sin the same weight. By trying to level the playing field of sin and saying all sin is the same to God, the expectation is it doesn’t matter which sin is committed. It also allows everyone to be lumped together into an undifferentiated mass. There is one sense in which this statement is true. Any and all sin is enough to separate us from God and invoke His wrath—even eating fruit (Genesis 3:6)! All sin is equal in the sense that all sin breaks God’s law and falls short of His perfect standards. The Bible portrays sin as straying from God’s paths, opposing Him, and rebelling against Him. Whether it’s the sin of stealing a small item, telling a lie, or
murder, all sin transgresses the law of God. So yes, in that sense all sin is the same in God’s eyes. The problem with this phrase arises when it is used to assert that no sins are worse than any other. Doing so confuses the result of the sin (separation from God) with the personal and social consequences of the sin. In human law, jaywalking does not have the same personal and social impact and consequence as committing murder. The Bible also teaches that not all sin is equal in its personal, social, spiritual, and eternal impact. The sins David committed in connection with his adultery with Bathsheba had a far greater negative personal, social, spiritual, and eternal impact than the lie told by Rahab to protect the Israelite spies (Joshua 2:1–7). Measuring it in this way, some sins are obviously greater than others.
God also treats some sins more harshly Scripture makes distinctions in the penalties for breaking the Mosaic Law (Numbers depending on one’s intention involved in 35:16; Deuteronomy 19:18–19; Leviticus the sin. In Numbers 15:27–30, God distinguishes 7:20). Sacrifices as atonement for sin ranged from a grain offering, to a dove, a sheep, goat, between the person who sins unintentionor bull, illustrating that God does not view ally and the person who brazenly violates God’s will. all sin as the same. This is true because of the nature of God’s Jesus also made it clear that God espejustice. His justice requires that He renders cially despises the pain caused to children. “But if you cause one of these little to everyone what they deserve, both good ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it and bad—reward or punishment. “For we would be better for you to have a large must all stand before Christ to be judged. millstone tied around your neck and We will each receive whatever we deserve for be drowned in the depths of the sea.” the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10). (Matthew 18:6) This is the why in RevAnd in Pilate’s converelation 20:12–13, it says sation with Jesus we read, Acceptance or rejection the books are opened at “Why don’t you talk to of Christ’s work on the judgment, to judge me?” Pilate demanded. the cross determines the dead “according to “Don’t you realize that our destiny of heaven what they had done, as I have the power to recorded in the books” release you or crucify or hell. But how we and to subsequently you?” Then Jesus said, live—choosing to sin or measure out appropriate “You would have no not—and the kind of sin punishment. Judgment power over me at all we commit matters now, Day will be payback time unless it were given (Romans 12:19) and justice to you from above. So and for eternity. requires for rewards and the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” (John punishments to be commensurate with the deeds. Greater sin requires greater punish19:10–11, italics mine) In Matthew 11:21–24 Jesus speaks against ment or else it isn’t justice. Acceptance or rejection of Christ’s work the cities of Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum and tells them Tyre, Sidon, and on the cross determines our destiny of Sodom will be better off on judgment day heaven or hell. But how we live—choosing than they would be. This was because these to sin or not—and the kind of sin we commit were places Jesus did miracles and therefore matters now, and for eternity. Judgment of gave more light concerning His identity. But our deeds determines the degrees of reward they didn’t repent. So Jesus indicates how in heaven, or degrees of punishment in hell. While every sin breaks God’s standards, they were accountable for more because they have been given more and their punish- not every sin is consequentially the same. ment would be worse than Tyre, Sidon, and How we live now matters forever. Sodom. This teaches us that God treats some sins more harshly than others depending on Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada. the degree of light the sinner possesses.
Stop Lying and Start Acknowledging
“You and I can have closer fellowship if you know that I’m telling the truth and if I, in turn, know that you are doing the same. Truth cultivates trust.” — CHUCK SWINDOLL
Of all the bad habits we could address, few are more prevalent yet more acceptable than lying. And few are more destructive to our relationships and our integrity. As painful as it may be to hear, we’re a nation of liars. The majority of people find it hard to get through a week without lying! And unfortunately, Christians are not the exception. It is time for us to face it: lying is an ongoing habit that we must expose, analyze, and stop! We must stop lying and start telling the truth, and with God’s help through the guidance of His Word, we can do just that. Paul urges us to throw off our old ways, renew our minds, and put on Christ’s new ways (Ephesians 4:22–24). Imagine the habits of our old life as an old tattered and stained T-shirt or as a pair of old rotten sneakers. Paul urges us to throw away the vestiges of our old life—not just set them
aside for later use but toss them into the incinerator never to wear them again! And put on beautiful clothes befitting our new identity as God’s children. The key to “putting off and putting on” is letting “the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (4:23). The following chart lists some thoughts from our old life that lead to lying. What might be a correlating, Spirit-renewed thought of the new life? The first one is filled in as an example, and verses are listed to help you. Our behaviour reveals our spiritual heritage. For this reason, Paul pleads with those who follow Christ, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children” (Ephesians 5:1). We mouth the thoughts of the Devil when we lie; conversely, we mouth the thoughts of our heavenly Father when we speak truth. How much better is that!
“Stop Lying and Start Acknowledging” is from Chuck Swindoll’s series Things to Stop and Start. You can stream this message online anytime at insightforliving.ca/audiolibrary.
Puzzle — Code Word
Christmas in Code Difficulty ● ○ ○ ○ Crack the code to discover some common Christmas phrases and words found in the New International Version Bible translation. Each letter in this puzzle is represented by numerals one through 26. Two letters are already in place to get you started. 1.
(Isaiah 7:14)
19 13 14 15 13 23 10 13 3 3 11 9 23 11 8 13 19 8
2.
(Micah 5:2)
21 8 5 4 3 8 4 8 7 8 26 4 14 6 5 4 6 4
3.
(Jeremiah 23:5)
6 14 13 15 4 5 8 9 25 12 21 14 6 23 11 4
4.
5 13 7 8 4 6 17 1 25 3 3 22 11 9 7 8
5.
6 11 4 13 3 17 13 12 21 9 14 23
(Isaiah 9:6)
6. 11 6 3 3
4 13 7 13 7 7 6 23 25 8 3
7.
10 9 14 17 21 8 11 6 7 8
1 3 8 12 4
8. 4 8 13 12 5 4 8 7 8 12 12 13 6 4 9. 16 13 23 15 9 1 5 4 8 24 8 10 12
(Matthew 1:23)
(John 1:14)
(Luke 2:11)
(Matthew 2:2)
10. 13 23 17 8 12 11 14 13 21 6 21 3 8 15 13 1 5 11. 12 26 14 8 6 17 5 4 8 10 9 14 17
1
2
3
4
5
6
14
15
16
17
18
19
H
A
(Galatians 4:4)
(2 Corinthians 9:15)
(Luke 2:17)
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
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