Victorious Living
“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” 1 John 5:5
There have been many times over the past week that I have often thought to myself, as Paul did in Romans 7:19 when he wrote “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” I know that I am probably the only one in this boat (tongue in cheek), but I often struggle with doing what I know is right and not doing what is wrong. In most instances, it is just the omitting act of not doing what I know I should do, but there are those times when I find myself fighting with my sinful nature. I can think of numerous times when I have struggled with doing wrong, but somehow I had victory in the fight and was kept from doing wrong. What is it that allows me to fight off the sinful desires of my flesh? What is it that allows me to lose the battle of my flesh? What is it that helps me do what is good? What is it that keeps me from doing what I know I should do?
I was reading in I John 5 this week and found the answer to all these questions. John closes chapter 5 by talking about the victory there is for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world (v. 4a).” Because of the new birth, salvation, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to overcome our sinful nature. So what happens when we fall? Very simply put, we are not allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete control of our life. We are not making Jesus, Lord. The Bible clearly teaches that when we ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our life, we get 100% of the Holy Spirit. We don’t get just part of the Holy Spirit; we get all of Him. So if we have all of the Holy Spirit, we have all it takes to live a victorious life. When we fail to live this victorious life, it is simply because we have made a conscious decision to not allow the Holy Spirit to have complete control of our life. We have all it takes to live a life that is controlled by the Holy Spirit. We simply have to take advantage of the power within us. The next time you are faced with a decision to do what is good or to do what is evil, claim the victory that has already been won at the cross of Christ.
“This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4b
Living Victoriously,
Aaron Hodges
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Walk In The Light
Walk in the LIGHT!
As I read through 1 John this week, I was blown away again by the overwhelming responsibility we have to live holy lives. John can speak first hand about this subject because he was called and served directly with Jesus Christ. He was known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23).” 1 John is very similar to the Gospel of John in that both use contrasting figures, such as light and dark, life and death, truth and lies, love and hate. When I review the Gospel of John, it becomes very clear that John was always very close to Jesus and it is also obvious that because of this closeness, John was an expert on Jesus. When John writes in I John 1:5 that “God is light; and there is no darkness in him,” we can be assured that this is not just an opinion but also the hard truth about God. John tells us this so that we will understand what our example is. We do not serve an imperfect God, but a God who is perfect in every way. Light represents holiness and truth, whereas darkness represents wickedness and error. Truth, as mentioned in 1 John 1:6, represents Jesus, the embodiment of perfection. There is a warning in that verse that says if we claim to have fellowship with God (relationship with Jesus Christ) yet walk in darkness then we are liars and do not live in the truth. If we have a relationship with Jesus Christ then we should live a life of holiness and truth and not a life filled with the darkness of this world. John goes on in the following verses to remind us that we, unlike our example, are not perfect and do sin. Also in contrast to the hopelessness of the world, we, who have placed our lives in Jesus, even though we sin, have “one who speaks to the Father in our defense- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (1 John 2:1).” This however does not give us the right to live our lives however we want. Instead, this truth should encourage us to live even more righteously knowing that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Living in the “Light” should play out in every aspect of our lives. Holy living is not just for the times that we are around other believers but it should permeate our lives even when it is not convenient. For example, take a candle into a completely dark room. Then light that candle and see how the light permeates every part of darkness. Our lives should be as that candle. The Light of Jesus should destroy the dark places in our lives so that we become more like Jesus.
Go and LIGHT up the darkness!
Aaron
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Living for God
Living for God
When I look at what is happening in the world today, I cannot keep from seeing all the things that point me to the return of Christ. I believe that there are many things we are responsible to do to hasten the coming of the Lord, but I also believe that the Lord is putting all the pieces into place to usher in His return. With Christ’s return coming soon, the scripture tells us to live for God even more. As we live for Christ, others will be drawn to Him and live for Him also. Peter introduces this concept in 1 Peter 1 when he tells us to praise God for a living hope. “In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade (v. 3b-4a).” This hope in not wishful thinking; but instead, it is a firm conviction directed to a secure future. Because of what Christ did for us and because we have turned our lives over to Christ, we have, to quote the old song, “a home in heaven for sure.” The knowledge and hope that we have should cause us to live holy lives. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”(1 Peter 1:15) Holy living will not come without sacrifice and even suffering. Never in the Word of God does it say that living the life that God intends for us would be the easy road. On the contrary, over and over the Word of God teaches us to endure suffering even while doing good. I know, from experience, that you will suffer even while doing good but what defines you is how you respond to the suffering. I think it is very interesting that Peter speaks about this in 1 Peter 3. “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (3:13-15).” If you do not respond to your sufferings in a way that glorifies God, no one will ever see a need to ask you about your hope because they will not see the change in your life. This is why it is so important to live a life worthy of your calling. We have the ability to either turn someone to God or turn someone away from God. What is your choice? Are you going to live for God sharing your living hope or are you going to live for yourself? Choose you this day who you will serve.
Aaron Hodges
When I look at what is happening in the world today, I cannot keep from seeing all the things that point me to the return of Christ. I believe that there are many things we are responsible to do to hasten the coming of the Lord, but I also believe that the Lord is putting all the pieces into place to usher in His return. With Christ’s return coming soon, the scripture tells us to live for God even more. As we live for Christ, others will be drawn to Him and live for Him also. Peter introduces this concept in 1 Peter 1 when he tells us to praise God for a living hope. “In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade (v. 3b-4a).” This hope in not wishful thinking; but instead, it is a firm conviction directed to a secure future. Because of what Christ did for us and because we have turned our lives over to Christ, we have, to quote the old song, “a home in heaven for sure.” The knowledge and hope that we have should cause us to live holy lives. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”(1 Peter 1:15) Holy living will not come without sacrifice and even suffering. Never in the Word of God does it say that living the life that God intends for us would be the easy road. On the contrary, over and over the Word of God teaches us to endure suffering even while doing good. I know, from experience, that you will suffer even while doing good but what defines you is how you respond to the suffering. I think it is very interesting that Peter speaks about this in 1 Peter 3. “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (3:13-15).” If you do not respond to your sufferings in a way that glorifies God, no one will ever see a need to ask you about your hope because they will not see the change in your life. This is why it is so important to live a life worthy of your calling. We have the ability to either turn someone to God or turn someone away from God. What is your choice? Are you going to live for God sharing your living hope or are you going to live for yourself? Choose you this day who you will serve.
Aaron Hodges
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Faith Without Works Does Not Exist
Faith without Works… Does it exist?
Let me answer that question emphatically: NO! Faith without works, as James says in James 2:26, is dead. This passage of scripture has been misinterpreted so many times. To fully understand this passage, we must first understand the background of the letter. The author was most likely James, the bother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem Council. James was probably the oldest of Jesus’ bothers. At first he did not believe in Jesus (John 7:2-5), but later he became a believer and a leader in the early church (Acts 15:13). James was writing to a predominately Jewish Christian audience (James 1:1). James was writing to these early Christians to instruct them in the basics of Christianity. He emphasizes the living out of the Christian faith. That is why in chapter 2:14, James asked the question: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?” James is not referring to a genuine, saving faith but rather to an intellectual acceptance of certain truths. The Jewish people were a very intellectual people who were basically working for their salvation. James is not saying that a person is saved by works and not by genuine faith. Martin Luther explained it this way: “People are justified (declared righteous before God) by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” Our faith must be accompanied by goods deeds, but only faith in Christ saves. James uses a great example to demonstrate this fact. He points out that when Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar, it was his faith in conjunction with his action that was “credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).” If Abraham had just had the intellectual faith that God was going to save his son, then where would the proof have been? It was because Abraham put his son on the altar and raised the knife to sacrifice him that proved to God his faith. Like Abraham, in order to prove our genuine faith, we too must have works as an outward expression of the faith in us. Where are our deeds? Is there any proof of a transformed life? Can the world look at you and see your faith?
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead (James 2:26).”
Living out my Faith,
Aaron Hodges
Let me answer that question emphatically: NO! Faith without works, as James says in James 2:26, is dead. This passage of scripture has been misinterpreted so many times. To fully understand this passage, we must first understand the background of the letter. The author was most likely James, the bother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem Council. James was probably the oldest of Jesus’ bothers. At first he did not believe in Jesus (John 7:2-5), but later he became a believer and a leader in the early church (Acts 15:13). James was writing to a predominately Jewish Christian audience (James 1:1). James was writing to these early Christians to instruct them in the basics of Christianity. He emphasizes the living out of the Christian faith. That is why in chapter 2:14, James asked the question: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?” James is not referring to a genuine, saving faith but rather to an intellectual acceptance of certain truths. The Jewish people were a very intellectual people who were basically working for their salvation. James is not saying that a person is saved by works and not by genuine faith. Martin Luther explained it this way: “People are justified (declared righteous before God) by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” Our faith must be accompanied by goods deeds, but only faith in Christ saves. James uses a great example to demonstrate this fact. He points out that when Abraham offered his son Isaac on the altar, it was his faith in conjunction with his action that was “credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).” If Abraham had just had the intellectual faith that God was going to save his son, then where would the proof have been? It was because Abraham put his son on the altar and raised the knife to sacrifice him that proved to God his faith. Like Abraham, in order to prove our genuine faith, we too must have works as an outward expression of the faith in us. Where are our deeds? Is there any proof of a transformed life? Can the world look at you and see your faith?
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead (James 2:26).”
Living out my Faith,
Aaron Hodges
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