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The Daily Discipler: Daily Readings That Will Give You A Solid Foundation in the Christian Faith
The Daily Discipler: Daily Readings That Will Give You A Solid Foundation in the Christian Faith
The Daily Discipler: Daily Readings That Will Give You A Solid Foundation in the Christian Faith
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The Daily Discipler: Daily Readings That Will Give You A Solid Foundation in the Christian Faith

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The Daily Discipler provides daily discipling and mentoring from trusted author Neil Anderson. You will find fifty-two weeks of practical Christian theology that can be digested in only five minutes a day, five days a week. Divided into four quarters, this vital resource shows readers what it means to have a Christian worldview, who they are in Christ, and how to find freedom through their Christian identity. This is the beginning of an adventure that will not only teach readers the fundamentals of their faith but will also lead them into a closer walk with God.
 
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 3, 2005
ISBN9781441265555
The Daily Discipler: Daily Readings That Will Give You A Solid Foundation in the Christian Faith
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Neil T. Anderson

Neil T. Anderson is the founder and president of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He was formerly the chairman of the Practical Theology Department at Talbot School of Theology. He holds five degrees from Talbot, Pepperdine University, Arizona State University, and Arizona State University and has authored several bestselling books on spiritual freedom, including Victory Over the Darkness and The Bondage Breaker.

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    The Daily Discipler - Neil T. Anderson

    Anderson

    FIRST QUARTER:

    ROOTED IN CHRIST

    THE CREATION

    Genesis 1:1-31

    In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). These opening words of the Bible reveal that there is only one Creator God who is eternally existent. The Bible makes no attempt to prove the existence of God, only stating, Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

    The Old Testament prophets consistently credited God as the only creator and source of all existence. There is a contingent relationship between God and His creation, for it is the Lord who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by [Himself] (Isa. 44:24). God’s handiwork is absolutely dependent upon Him for its ordering and survival. Whenever Old Testament prophets wrote about creation, they were making a religious affirmation that God was the one and only sovereign Lord of the universe. They never entertained the thought of more than one God set forth by other religions.

    Although Scripture makes clear that Earth has been created by God alone, the Word does not specify its age. As a result, scholars have differing views on the subject. Many conservatives hold to a literal 7-day creation. Recognizing that there are gaps in the genealogies given in the book of Genesis, they would propose a young earth theory which holds that our world has been around for 10,000 to 20,000 years. Others understand day to mean an age and consider that the earth is much older, possibly millions of years. However, the Hebrew word for day when used elsewhere in the Bible with a numerical adjective always refers to a solar 24-hour day.

    Another possible explanation is the gap theory. According to this theory, a gap of time exists between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis. In other words, although in the beginning of time, God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Gen. 1:2). Therefore, God could have created the earth thousands or millions of years before the re-creation (or restoration) of earth with a new creation of humanity to rule over it. This would account for the appearance of Satan in the garden who had previously been created and subsequently fallen from heaven.

    It is interesting to note that in the beginning literally means, by way of beginning, or to begin with. The creation narrative is the starting point of history as we know it, not necessarily the absolute start to creation. While it unfolds in a manner consistent with observations made by scientists (i.e., the creation of vegetables had to come before the animals, since the study of photosynthesis has shown that green plants furnish the oxygen necessary for animal existence), the creation narrative provided the necessary stage for the creation of humanity and the unfolding drama of sin and redemption.

    The creation account also establishes the relationship that we were intended to have with our Creator and reveals who we are and what our purpose is for being here. The first three chapters in the book of Genesis, depicting the creation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent fall, provide the singular backdrop that sets the stage for the rest of Scripture.

    For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him (Col. 1:16).

    Thought for the day: How should we relate to God?

    DIVINE REVELATION

    Psalm 19:1-14

    God has chosen to reveal Himself in three primary ways. The first is commonly referred to as general revelation, as illustrated in Psalm 19, verse 1: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. The beauty and order of all things created reflect the glory of God and reveal the divine architect of the universe. What humanity discovers empirically through scientific observation is never at odds with divine revelation, since God created what science can only discover and use.

    God has also revealed Himself and His plan for the universe through the divinely inspired prophets and apostles who wrote the books of this Bible. The written word is referred to as special revelation, which is what the psalmist is referring to in verses 7 to 11. Special revelation interprets and explains general revelation.

    The ultimate revelation of God, however, is revealed in Jesus, who declared, Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (see John 14:7). The Word of God is considered by Christians to be the sole authority for faith and practice because the Creator is the only One who can define Himself and explain who we are and why we are here. In creation, there is no separation between the secular and the sacred. The Bible speaks expansively to all of life and experience—to matters of faith as well as to matters of everyday practice; to the spiritual and sacred, as well as to the physical and secular; to the eternal as well as the temporal. It declares that all of life derives from God Himself. There are not two realities, but only one reality, and the ultimate reality is God.

    God is the Creator and His Word speaks to a lot more than just our faith and practice. It speaks to every essential discipline of society. The statement, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) speaks directly to matters of theology and philosophy. God’s prohibition to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (see Gen. 2:9) is the starting point for ethics. The mention of animals according to their kind (Gen. 1:21) recognizes the importance of biology. The statement that man became a living being (Gen. 2:7) suggests our physical, psychological and spiritual nature. The command to be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28) speaks to matters of sociology and the relationship of humans to the natural order. The statement, Whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood be shed (Gen. 9:6) sets legal and political precedents. God’s gift of grains and fruit for food (see Gen. 1:29) speaks to economic relationships. The statement, I will put enmity between you and the woman, (Gen. 3:15) foreshadows misunderstandings that will occur between men and women throughout history.

    God underlines the significance of all the above disciplines in the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ. In theology, Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead (see Col. 2:9). In philosophy, Jesus is the Logos (Word) of God (see John 1:1). In ethics, Jesus is the true light (see John 1:9). In biology, Jesus took on the form of a man (see Phil. 2:7), and became our source for physical and spiritual life (see John 1:4). In psychology, Jesus is the true and perfect man who saves and transforms us (see Luke 1:46-47). In sociology, Jesus is our example for social relationships (see 1 Pet. 2:21). In law and politics, Jesus came to fulfill the Law (see Matt. 5:17) and is the Lord of lords and King of kings (see Rev. 19:16). In economics, Jesus is the owner of all things (see 1 Cor. 10:26). All things were created by Christ and for Christ (Col. 1:16). Finally, in history, Jesus is the Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end; see Rev. 1:8).

    The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands (Ps. 19:1).

    Thought for the day: How has God made Himself known to you?

    THE NATURE OF HUMANITY

    Psalm 8

    The psalmist asks, What is man that you are mindful of him? (v. 4). The uniqueness of humanity is revealed in creation. God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Gen. 1:27). Being created in the image of God is what sets humanity apart from the animal kingdom. Our souls have the ability to think, feel and choose. Consequently, we have the capacity to participate with God in the shaping of our own lives. The temptation is to act independently of God and determine for ourselves who we are and what we shall become.

    The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (Gen. 2:7). This combination of dust (natural) and divine breath (spiritual) is what constitutes the nature of humanity who are created in the image of God. The original creation of man could be depicted as follows:

    Some believe we are composed of body, soul and spirit (trichotomous), with the mind, will and emotion constituting the soul. Others understand the human soul and spirit to be essentially the same (dichotomous). Most would agree that part of our human existence is material and the other part immaterial—that each of us possesses an inner person and an outer person (see 2 Cor. 4:16).

    Adam was created to be both physically and spiritually alive. To be physically alive means that our soul/ spirit is in union with our bodies. We will remain physically alive as long as our soul is in union with our bodies. When Christians die physically, they will be absent from their bodies and present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:6). To be spiritually alive means that our soul/spirit is in union with God. Adam and Eve were created by God to be both physically and spiritually alive.

    We have a physical body that enables us to relate to the natural world through five senses. Consequently, we can taste, smell, feel, hear and see. The mind, will and emotion come together in the heart, which is the core of our inner being. As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man (Prov. 27:19).

    Since we are not the source of our own life, the heart is inherently open to external influence. What the heart takes in also becomes its master, stamping the heart with its character. In the original creation, God was at the center of Adam’s and Eve’s lives, and they naturally took on His character. Even though we were created to be a little lower than heavenly beings and crowned with glory and honor, and given dominion over the animal kingdom (see Ps. 8:5-6), we are still dependent creatures who are called to worship God as the Creator and Sustainer of life.

    God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Gen. 1:27).

    Thought for the day: Are you spiritually alive?

    THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HUMANITY

    Genesis 2

    Genesis chapter 2 is an expansion of the creation account in chapter 1, depicting the uniqueness of humanity. In the presence of God, Adam’s physical needs as well as his psychological needs of acceptance, security and significance were divinely met. He didn’t have to search for significance. Adam was significant because he had been created in God’s image; and he had been given a divine purpose, which was to rule over the birds of the sky, the beasts of the field and the fish of the sea (see Gen. 1:28). His first assignment was to tend the Garden of Eden (see Gen. 2:15), and his first act of dominion over the creatures was to name them (see v. 20).

    At that time Satan was not the ruler of this world, nor did he have any sense of dominion over it. That responsibility was given to Adam and his descendants. In the center of the garden was the tree of life, and Adam could freely eat from it and any tree of the garden, except he could not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see vv. 15-17). Had Adam and Eve chosen to live dependently upon God, they would have lived forever.

    All that God had made was good (see Gen. 1:31) except for one thing. He said, It is not good for the man to be alone (2:18). Adam found no suitable companion when he named the animals. So God created a helper suitable for him (v. 18), and she and Adam were naked and unashamed (see v. 25). There was no sin in their lives and they had nothing to hide. Adam and Eve could have an intimate sexual relationship in the presence of God. They were unconditionally loved and accepted and had a sense of belonging not only to God but also to each other.

    They were also safe and secure in the presence of God, both physically and psychologically. They were children of God who were intimately related to their heavenly Father. Their assignment was to Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28). No other creature has been created in God’s image. The birds of the sky, the beasts of the field and the fish of the sea all operate according to divine instinct. Adam and Eve had the capacity to think, feel and choose. It was the intention of God that the descendants of Eve, the mother of all the living (Gen. 3:20), would form a human culture that would be an expression of humanity bearing the image of their Creator and sharing as God’s servants in His kingly rule. No other created being had such significance.

    All creation in its original form is only a reflection of the Creator. The Bible clearly teaches that there is an unseen, spiritual world from which the visible world draws its significance. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). Our existence has meaning, and we maintain our significance as long as we stay intimately connected to the unseen source of life. Our faith in the invisible God is the only means by which we can withstand the seductive powers of the visible world.

    So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18).

    Thought for the day: Where do you draw your significance from?

    THE WAY OF LIFE

    2 Samuel 22

    God designed humanity to live a certain way and his way is perfect (2 Sam. 22:31). God is also the source of strength that enabled the children of God to live the way He prescribed. David said, It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect (v. 33). The mind of the Hebrew believer was so ingrained with this concept that it was said of the Early Church believers that they belonged to the Way (Acts 9:2), and they knew that Jesus was the only way (see John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

    Nonbelievers struggle with the Christian notion that there is only one way. However, every man-made object has been designed to function only one way. A computer can perform incredible calculations and be of tremendous service to humanity, but only if it is used the way it has been designed by the manufacturer. A tractor can pull a heavy load, but it can only be operated the way the designers intended it to function.

    As believers we will be tempted to live another way in our own strength and resources. It is the nature of pride and a fatal flaw of human reasoning that cause us to think we know what is best for our own lives and to believe we don’t need the help of God and others. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (Prov. 16:25).

    We will also be tempted to question God’s wisdom for creating us the way we are and for not giving us more favorable circumstances in which to live.

    But who are you, Oman, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use (Rom. 9:20-21)?

    Further, Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ (Isa. 45:9).

    The key to successful living is to know God and learn His ways and then live accordingly by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why Scripture permits us to boast in only one thing.

    Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight (Jer. 9:23-24; see also 1 Cor. 1:31).

    We can only fulfill our purpose if we are dependent upon God for our strength and learn to live in a manner that is consistent with how we have been designed. The prophet Samuel wrote, For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God (v. 22). What a world this would be if all God’s creation could say that.

    The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior (2 Sam. 22:47)!

    Thought for the day: What are the results of living your way as opposed to living God’s way?

    THE FALL

    Genesis 3

    Adam and Eve’s God-given dominion over this earth was immediately challenged by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Throughout Church history, the serpent has been identified as Satan, or at least as a beast possessed by Satan. The New Testament writers referred to Satan as the tempter (see Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5). The ancient serpent who leads the whole world astray is clearly identified by the apostle Paul as the devil, or Satan (see Rev. 12:9).

    Satan immediately questioned God’s Word: Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? (Gen. 3:1). Eve responded by saying, We may eat from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die’ (v. 3). Notice that Eve added the words, and you must not touch it (v. 17). ‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’ (vv. 4-5).

    To have knowledge of good and evil means to be the origin or determiner of what is good and evil and what is true or untrue. Thus when Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit, they were saying in effect, We reject God as the One who determines what is right or wrong. We will determine for ourselves what is good for us. In a distorted way, Satan was right. Adam and Eve acted like gods when they chose to believe it was their prerogative to determine what was right and wrong. They played right into the hands of the devil, who is the deceiver and the father of lies.

    All sin is the inevitable consequence of rebellion toward God, and every temptation is an attempt to get us to live our lives independently of God. Adam and Eve sinned and they died spiritually. Their souls were no longer in union with God and they were banished from the Garden of Eden (see v. 23). Since they could no longer eat from the tree of life (see v. 22), physical death would also be a consequence of sin.

    There were two immediate consequences of the Fall. First, Adam and Eve forfeited their right to rule, allowing Satan to become the rebel holder of authority, the god of this world (see John 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4). Second, every descendant of Adam and Eve would be born physically alive but spiritually dead (see Eph. 2:1). They would have neither the presence of God in their lives nor the knowledge of His ways.

    Satan thought he had thwarted the plans of God, but the Lord responded with the first mention of the gospel by cursing the serpent and promising that a future descendant of Eve would crush him: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel (Gen. 3:15). The devil would inflict damage upon the covenant people of God, but the seed of the woman would strike the fatal blow by crushing the serpent’s head, a promise fulfilled in Christ’s victory over Satan.

    Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men (Rom. 5:18).

    Thought for the day: Have you ever felt alienated from God?

    THE DECEPTION OF EVE

    1 Timothy 2:11-15

    Like Adam, the woman was not spoken into existence as was the rest of creation. Unlike Adam, however, she was not an independent creature taken from the dust. God formed the woman from a part of the man. Adam knew the difference instantly, proclaiming, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh (Gen. 2:23). The man is honored by the acknowledgment that the woman was created for him. The woman is honored by the acknowledgment that the man is incomplete without her. In humility, the woman acknowledges that she was made for man. In humility, the man acknowledges that he is incomplete without the woman. They were not created to be in competition with one another. Eve came into being by the power of God, from man, for whom she is called to be a helpmate in a complementary relationship with him.

    That fact that Satan could deceive Eve, which led her to believe a lie, is a sobering reality of life. Good people and even innocent people can be deceived. Deception is the major tool of Satan, because if people knew they were being deceived, they no longer would be. Deception occurs when people believe something to be true when it is not. Believing the lies of Satan brought swift judgment upon Eve: I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you (Gen. 3:16).

    Any mother could testify to the first part of the curse being true. The second part of the curse has been far harder to work out in our homes, churches and societies. The apostle Paul wrote, I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man (1 Tim. 2:12). The order of creation is the basis for this instruction to the churches. The issue is one of authority, not inferiority, nor the stifling of a woman’s contribution to the Church. Every child of God is gifted regardless of gender, and every child of God should be encouraged to use his or her gifts and talents to the glory of God. Not permitting a woman to teach (see v. 12) refers more to the establishment of doctrine, rather than proclaiming the truth in love, which we are all commanded to do.

    Taking this commandment to one extreme has caused undue hardship to the women of this world and prohibited them from making a valuable contribution to the Church and society. The other extreme is for women to rebel against this commandment, resulting in the Word of God being dishonored (see Titus 2:5). Being under spiritual authority is for our own protection and being submissive does not imply inferiority. The image of God is equally present in women and men. Women have been afforded equal status with men wherever Christianity has flourished.

    This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man (Gen. 2:23).

    Thought for the day: Is your relationship with the opposite sex complementary or competitive?

    THE SIN OF ADAM

    Ezekiel 3:16-19

    In the creation account, Eve was deceived, but Adam sinned. He knew what he was doing and he made a conscious choice to disobey God. Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned (Rom. 5:12). The clear message of the Bible is that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Sin separates us from a holy God, resulting in spiritual death; without His life to sustain us, we will also die physically. Because all have sinned, Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Heb. 9:27).

    God had clearly warned Adam what the consequences would be if he disobeyed (see Gen. 2:15-17), but he disobeyed anyway. God continued to warn Adam’s fallen descendants by providing spiritual watchmen. In the days of the prophet Ezekiel, watchmen were stationed on the highest parts of the city to warn or inform the inhabitants of coming danger. In the same way, the prophets were watchmen who relayed God’s Word to the people and warned them against disobeying His law. The fact that God would hold each person responsible for his or her own behavior was the central part of the message of the prophets.

    Ezekiel was a watchman who had been given the task of warning others that the wages of sin is death. If wicked men died in their sins without a word of warning from Ezekiel, God would hold Ezekiel accountable for their blood. But if Ezekiel did warn them and they did not turn from their wicked ways, then their blood was on their own hands.

    In order to understand holiness, we must understand sin. But it is difficult to grasp the true nature of sin for several reasons. First, we have all sinned and lived in an environment conditioned by sin. We can’t fully understand the difference between living in sin and living in righteousness because we have never experienced perfect holiness. Second, our awareness of what is sinful can easily grow dull with tolerance of and exposure to sin. Third, no living human has yet experienced the full weight of sin’s consequence. Had Adam fully known what the consequences would be, he may not have chosen to sin. The same holds true for Adam’s descendants, hence the need in the Old Testament for prophetic messages from God to warn them and admonish them to turn from their wicked ways.

    The full responsibility for the presence and consequences of sin in the world falls upon man. Man sinned; therefore, man must die. Death itself silences every attempt to transfer, even partially, man’s guilt to Satan in whom sin arose and by whom man was tempted. The devil did not make Adam sin. Adam was created in the image of God, and he had the capacity to choose as we all do.

    God has authentic freedom and He cannot sin. Adam and Eve were created with a freedom that was morally qualified and whose continuance depended on refraining from sin. Freedom for humanity is the capacity not to sin and should not be understood as the morally unqualified faculty to do one or the other. Freedom does not simply lie in the capacity to choose as though it were unrelated to the consequences of the choice. Everything that does not come from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23).

    Adam and Eve lost their freedom and their lives because of the lies they believed and the sin they willfully committed. Thankfully, neither sin nor death has the final word.

    For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22).

    Thought for the day: Do you sense your new life and freedom in Christ?

    THE PERSONAL EFFECTS OF THE FALL

    Genesis 4

    What Adam and Eve lost in the Fall was their spiritual life and their knowledge of God, which was intrinsic to their relationship. They were now spiritually dead. Their souls were no longer in union with God, and it had an immediate effect upon their capacity to think, feel and choose. Lacking an intimate relationship with God, they had no true perception of reality. To illustrate, how does one hide from an omnipresent and omniscient God as Adam tried to do (see Gen. 3:7-8)? Adam and Eve’s distorted perception of reality fits Paul’s description of mental depravity of those who don’t know God: They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18). The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14).

    Adam and Eve were also emotionally distraught and became fearful and anxious. The first emotion expressed by Adam was fear (see Gen. 3:10). (To this day, anxiety disorders are the number one mental health problem in the world!) They were filled with guilt and shame. Before the Fall they were naked and unashamed. Now they wanted to hide and cover up. Just so, if we don’t know of God’s love and forgiveness, we will often mask our inner selves in fear that others may find out what is really going on inside us.

    Adam and Eve’s descendants were also emotionally plagued by anger and depression. Cain and Abel brought their offerings, but God wasn’t pleased with Cain’s.

    So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door; it desires to have you, but you must master it (Gen. 4:5-7).

    In other words, you don’t feel your way into good behavior. You behave your way into good feeling.

    Before the Fall, Adam and Eve had only one bad choice. Afterward they were plagued by choices every moment of every day, just as we all are. Apart from God’s presence in our lives, the greatest power we possess is the right and the responsibility to make choices. We can choose to pray or not to pray. We can choose to believe or not to believe.

    Before the Fall, Adam and Eve had personal attributes that became glaring needs. First, they had a sense of belonging to God and each other. They were accepted, but now they were struggling with a sense of rejection. Ever since Adam and Eve’s sin alienated them from God and introduced strife into human relationships, we have experienced a deep need to belong. We will never fully overcome the power of peer pressure and the fear of rejection until the legitimate need to belong is met in Christ. Second, their innocence, which was replaced by guilt and shame, precipitated an identity crisis and a search for significance. Third, their loss of spiritual life left them weak and helpless. Separated from God, they had no choice but to seek their identity in the natural order of this fallen world, find their purpose and meaning in life independent of God, and try to meet their own needs by their own strength and resources.

    The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14).

    Thought for the day: How has God opened your eyes to see and understand what you could not before?

    MEANINGLESS LIVING

    Ecclesiastes 1

    After Adam and Eve lost their relationship with God, they and all their descendants had little choice but to try to meet their own needs in a fallen world. Even though God’s plan for redemption was slowly unfolding, they struggled to find purpose and meaning in life without an intimate relationship with God.

    If it were humanly possible to adequately meet one’s own personal needs, Solomon would have had the best chance. As king during the time Israel enjoyed its greatest prominence, he could do almost anything he wanted. He had accumulated immense personal wealth and military strength (see 1 Kings 10:14-29). He also had more God-given wisdom than any other mortal to interpret all his findings and observations (see 1 Kings 3:12). Yet with all these riches and power at his disposal, when Solomon sought to find purpose and meaning in life independent of God, he could only summarize his conclusions in the book of Ecclesiastes by writing, Meaningless! Meaningless! . . . Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless (Eccles. 1:2).

    Having no relationship with God, humankind has likewise struggled with its personal identity and purpose for being here. Being a man or a woman may describe one’s sexuality, but it doesn’t define one’s identity. As a result of the curse, women will bear their children in pain and men shall work by the sweat of their brow (see Gen. 3:16-19). Consequently, women have historically tried to find their identity in their role as mother, and men have tried to find their identity in their careers. But what if a woman never gets married or is unable to bear children? What if the man loses his job or the ability to work? Do those men and women lose their primary identity in Christ, or their God-given purpose for being here?

    Trying to be our own god has driven people to improve their appearance, to perform better and to seek a higher social status as a means of self-verification. However, whatever pinnacle of self-identity we manage to achieve soon crumbles under the pressure of hostile rejection or criticism, introspection or guilt, fear or anxiety. Somebody will eventually look better, perform at a higher standard and reach a greater social status. Everything we have managed to achieve or possess by human effort we shall one day lose. We are incomplete without Christ, and nothing we can do by way of self-help will make us whole.

    The natural person senses that something is missing but fails to fill the void by human effort. There is a longing for wholeness and a deep inner groaning as a result of its absence, but we are not alone in our groaning. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Rom. 8:22). All of creation was affected by the Fall and longs for the day of redemption.

    For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom. 8:20-21).

    Thought for the day: How has your life taken on new meaning since you came to Christ?

    THE GOSPEL

    Philemon

    The apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon portrays his passion for the gospel and is a testimony of those who believe it. Paul had been imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel. Onesimus was someone who gladly received this good news. His life was transformed. Onesimus was useless before Paul shared the gospel with him, but then he became useful to Paul and Philemon (see Philem. 11). Before he had been a slave, but afterward he was a brother in Christ. His identity and character had changed.

    Paul prays that every believer would share this good news of salvation in Christ and that they would fully understand all that they have in Him (see v. 6). To understand the gospel, one has to understand the plight of fallen humanity, which the apostle Paul summarizes in Ephesians 2:1, As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air.

    To overcome the effects of the Fall, three primary issues had to be resolved. First, the sin that separates humanity from a Holy God had to be atoned for. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:23-24). Jesus died for our sins in order that we may be forgiven.

    Second, it is not enough that our sins are forgiven if we are still spiritually dead. To save people who have already died, you first have to cure the disease that caused them to die. Because of Christ’s death on the cross, we are forgiven, and because of His resurrection we have eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). What Adam and Eve lost was spiritual life and Jesus came to give us life (see John 10:10). As children of God, we have received a glorious inheritance in Christ (see Eph. 1:18) and have become new creations in Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:17).

    Paul wrote, Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you . . . If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith (1 Cor. 15:1,13-14). Because of the Resurrection we have new life in Christ, and eternal life is not something we get when we die physically. We receive eternal life the moment we are born again. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:12). Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies (John 11:25). In other words, those who believe in Jesus will continue to live spiritually even when they die physically.

    Third, The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8). Jesus defeated the devil and disarmed him (see Col. 2:15), and we are no longer subject to him because every believer is now seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (see Eph. 2:6).

    I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies (John 11:25).

    Thought for the day: Which has greater value, your physical life or your spiritual life?

    FORGIVENESS OF SINS

    Hebrews 9:11-28

    After the Fall, God’s plan of redemption began to unfold when He established the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen. 12:1-3). The descendants of Abraham would multiply and from his seed would come the Messiah who would be a blessing to all the peoples of the earth (see Matt. 1:1). Then God made a covenant with Israel through Moses (see Exod. 19:3). He gave them the Ten Commandments and set up a sacrificial system by which atonement could be made for sins. But a man-made sanctuary was only a copy (see Heb. 9:24), and the blood of bulls and goats (see v. 23) could not spiritually cleanse the sinner.

    The sacrificial system set the stage for the coming of Jesus, who was the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of people for all times. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12). For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself (Heb. 9:24).

    How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our conscience from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (Heb. 9:14-15).

    Forgiveness of sins required a perfect sacrifice without spot or blemish, which no animal could qualify for, and neither can any person qualify on the basis of his or her own righteousness, because, All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).

    Christ has died once for all our sins (Heb. 9:12,26; see also Rom. 6:10). Our past, present and future sins have been forgiven. There will be no other sacrifice for our sins and none is needed. It is faulty logic to think, I know that Christ has died for the sins that I have already committed, but what about the sins I commit in the future? When Christ died once for all your sins, how many of your sins were future? All of them! Nor is it correct to think that our sins are forgiven because we confessed them. Our sins are forgiven because Christ died for them. We confess our sins in order to walk in the light as He is in the light (see 1 John 1:5-9) and to live in moral agreement with God. Knowing that our sins are forgiven is not a license to continue sinning; rather, it is a gracious means by which we can approach God. Our sin no longer separates us from God: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us (Heb. 10:19,22).

    How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our conscience from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Heb. 9:14).

    Thought for the day: How should the truth that Christians are forgiven affect how they live?

    NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

    John 6:25-59

    The blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all our sins, but the gospel would not be complete without Jesus also being for us the bread of life (John 6:35,48; see also v. 51). Bread has been referred to as the staff of life. Under the Law, God sustained the Israelites in the wilderness by providing them with a daily portion of manna, or bread from heaven (Exod. 16:4). Now Jesus claims to be the bread of life. Most of those who heard this claim immediately protested, because they identified Him as only the son of Joseph (see John 6:42), not even to be compared with Moses.

    Jesus countered by saying that Moses didn’t give the Israelites the bread. It came from heaven; and although it did sustain their physical lives in the wilderness, it could not give them eternal/spiritual life. Like the manna, Jesus came from heaven, but unlike the manna that was temporal, the life of Jesus is eternal.

    For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life (vv. 33,35,47).

    What Adam and Eve lost was life and Jesus came to give us life (see John 10:10).

    But how can we receive that gift? The answer Jesus gives to Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, is meant for us as well. Knowing full well what was in Nicodemus’s heart, Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3). We were all born physically alive, but in order to have eternal/ spiritual life we must be born again, and the only way to do that is by believing in Jesus and by trusting in the works of Christ to give us eternal life. The work of God is this: To believe in the one he has sent (John 6:29). For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9).

    Always keep in mind that eternal life is not something we get when we physically die. We are eternally and spiritually alive the moment we are born again. If you we not born again before we physically die, all we have to look forward to is an eternity without Christ. Jesus is our life (see Col. 3:4). Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (see John 14:6). He is the resurrection and the life (see John 11:25). If we have been born again, our names are written in the book of life (see Phil. 4:3; Rev. 20:15).

    To be spiritually alive means that our souls are in union with God. It means that we are in Christ, and that Christ is in us. The life of Christ is not just some historical account of the 33 years that He appeared in the flesh. The life of Christ is what every born again believer has right now within them. It not only means that we are again united with God, but we also have the power of His presence to live a righteous life.

    God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

    Thought for the day: Would you live differently if you fully understood that Christ is always present within you?

    NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST

    John 1:1-14

    There had been no new revelation from heaven for over 400 years when the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (v. 14). To the Greek philosophers, the word (logos) was the ultimate of intellectual pursuit, the rational principal that governs the universe. God was now revealing that this highest of philosophical notions had become incarnate, that is, had taken on a human form. Jesus not only spoke the truth, He also made it clear that He is the truth and in Him there is no darkness at all (see 1 John 1:5). In him was life, and that life was the light of men (John

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