Jesus—His Life and Message: John and Jesus (Part 1)

http://directors.tfionline.com/post/jesushis-life-and-message-john-and-jesus-part-1/

By Peter Amsterdam

(You can read about the intent for and overview of this series in this introductory article.)

Early in Luke’s Gospel we have been told of the events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth, including the proclamation of the Angel Gabriel and the prophecy of John’s father Zechariah. The only thing we know of John’s youth is that the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.1 He resurfaces about thirty years later in the Gospels. Luke tells us that the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.2

The word of God coming to John is significant because after the last three Jewish prophets—Zechariah, Haggai, and Malachi—there were no further prophets who spoke to the nation of Israel. When Luke writes that the word of God came to John, he is telling us that God is speaking to His people once again.

Luke’s wording harks back to centuries earlier, when God was still speaking to Israel. There are many similar mentions in Scripture, such as the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet3… the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah4… The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.5 After 400 years of silence, God was once again speaking to the nation. People were excited, as evidenced by the numbers that sought John out, as we’ll see.

We’re told that John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.6 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.7

John, called “the Baptist” in the Gospels, conducted his ministry around the Jordan River. The exact location isn’t specified. He could have been ministering in the Judaean wilderness adjacent to the Jordan, or in the north near Perea, or possibly he worked his way up and down the Jordan valley between different locations along the river.8

Large numbers of people would come to hear John preach and be baptized by him. Matthew’s statement that Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him9 indicates that John had become very well known, so much so that even many Pharisees and Sadducees came to hear him.10Priests and Levites were dispatched from Jerusalem to inquire about who he was.11

John not only drew crowds, he also had a considerable number of disciples who followed his practices and preaching.12 In the Gospel of John we read that some of Jesus’ first disciples were originally John’s disciples.13 The book of Acts14indicates that he had a following even many years after his death. It’s possible that the movement not only survived but spread after John’s death.15

The Gospels tell us that Jesus was baptized by John,16 that He called John “Elijah who was to come,”17 said he was more than just a prophet,18 and that he was the greatest person ever born.19 After John’s death, some people thought Jesus was John resurrected.20 John certainly had an impact, so it’s worth looking at his life more closely. Who was he exactly, and what was his role in relation to Jesus?

We know from the stories about Jesus and John’s birth that John was the son of Zechariah, who was a priest, which meant John was eligible to become a priest as well. However, from before his birth, God had called John in a different direction, and instead of participating in the priestly duties in Jerusalem, he went out into the wilderness. Some Bible scholars conjecture that John may have been part of the Essene community at Qumran,21 which was near where John baptized. Among their spiritual rituals, they had specific purification rites that included immersing themselves in water. Similar to John, they believed that the judgment of God would soon fall on Israel. While it’s possible that John may have been connected with or at least influenced by their teachings, it’s clear that by the time he began his ministry he was no longer connected with them; some of his beliefs and practices, which we read about in the Gospels, were contrary to what the Essenes taught.

John powerfully preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He baptized all those who made the decision to repent. His baptism signified their new or renewed allegiance to God’s purpose, and their commitment to living in a way that reflected their being true children of Abraham. His message was that Jewish heredity, being children of Abraham, wasn’t sufficient—repentance of sin was needed. He said:

“Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”22


Echoing Isaiah’s prophecy,23 John expressed the urgency of repentance when he said, Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.24 The fruits he’s speaking of are the fruits in keeping with repentance.25 The fire is reminiscent of Malachi’s prophecy: For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.26 John was making the point that those listening shouldn’t hesitate; the time to repent was immediately.27

The crowds asked John: “What then shall we do?” To which he answered: “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”28 This general counsel would have reminded the listeners of the fuller message already given in Scripture through Isaiah:

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?29 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings …Bring no more vain offerings …Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates …Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.30

John’s brief answer clearly showed the listeners that repentance required more than following rituals or offering burnt offerings. It meant manifesting godly action in their day-to-day lives.

After John’s general answer to the crowds, the scope narrows as Luke tells us that the toll (tax) collectors and soldiers ask John what they should do. The toll collectors were known to exploit the tax system by collecting taxes above and beyond what was owed for their own profit. They were generally despised by the populace as collaborators with Rome.31 John’s response is that their “fruits of repentance” should be carried out in their daily lives by not collecting more taxes than they are authorized to. His response to the soldiers, who may have been Jews in the military service of Herod, is similar: Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.32 These examples highlight the positive effect John’s preaching was having, not just on the general populace, but on those on the fringes of Jewish society as well.

John accompanied his preaching with baptism. The Greek word used for baptize (baptizo) means “to immerse, to submerge.” In similar Jewish water rites at the time, most individuals immersed themselves; however, in the case of John’s baptism, he immersed them. His wasn’t just a cleansing or purification ritual, it was a baptism of repentance—an outward manifestation partaken of only by those who repented, who had a change of heart and mind. It was symbolic of the death of a whole way of life and the rebirth of another.33 It was a new start, and the expectation was that the one who was baptized would change, and that their lives would show fruits of their repentance.

Besides preaching the urgency of repentance and the consequences of not repenting, John also announced that he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.34 Stating that he wasn’t worthy of untying the sandals of the coming one was John’s way of saying that he wouldn’t even be worthy to perform the duty of a slave for this mightier one to come. The baptism of the coming one would be a baptism of the Holy Spirit and with fire, greater and more powerful than John’s baptism.

Luke tells us that by this point, people were waiting expectantly and wondering if John was the Messiah.35 In the Gospel of John, the question is put to the Baptist by the priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem:

“Who are you?” He confessed …“I am not the Christ.” And they asked him,“What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”And he answered, “No.”36

Since he explicitly states that he is not the Messiah, they want to know if he is Elijah, or the prophet. J. Ramsey Michaels explains:

The expectation that Elijah would return to prepare the people for the day of the Lord is as old as the prophecy of Malachi, where the pronouncement, “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me” (Malachi 3:1 NIV), anticipates the concluding promise, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes” (Malachi 4:5 NIV).37

Jesus later referred to John as being Elijah, in the sense of being the one who was to come before the Messiah.38

The question “Are you the Prophet?” is in reference to Deuteronomy 18:18: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.39

In answer to “Who are you?” John said,“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”40 All of the Gospels refer to Isaiah 40:3 when describing John, but it’s only in the fourth Gospel that these words are put in John’s own voice. Later he reiterates that I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.41 He calls himself the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, and who rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.42 John understood his calling as the forerunner of the one to come.

Besides baptizing with the Holy Spirit, John says that the one to come will also baptize “with fire.”43 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.44 The winnowing of wheat is the process of sifting the wheat from the chaff. Fire is seen throughout the Old Testament as an image for judgment.45 John expresses that the baptism of the one to come purges as well as blesses. We later see this theme in Jesus’ parables of the sower and of the wheat and the tares.46

John contrasted his baptism with the baptism of the one to come. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.47 This greater baptism to come echoes prophecies given through Ezekiel: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.48 John’s was a cleansing baptism of repentance; the greater one who was coming would bring a baptism of salvation.

John’s message was popular, and crowds came to see him. As we’ll see in the next article, Jesus came to see him as well.

Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

General Bibliography

Bailey, Kenneth E. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008.

Biven, David. New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus. Holland: En-Gedi Resource Center, 2007.

Bock, Darrell L. Jesus According to Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002.

Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah. New York: Doubleday, 1993.

Brown, Raymond E. The Death of the Messiah. 2 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1994.

Charlesworth, James H., ed. Jesus’ Jewishness, Exploring the Place of Jesus Within Early Judaism. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1997.

Edersheim, Alfred. The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Updated Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, 1993.

Elwell, Walter A., and Robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament.Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.

Evans, Craig A. World Biblical Commentary: Mark 8:27–16:20. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000.

Flusser, David. Jesus. Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, 1998.

Flusser, David, and R. Steven Notely. The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus’Genius. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007.

Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997.

Green, Joel B., and Scot McKnight, eds. The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology, An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Guelich, Robert A. World Biblical Commentary: Mark 1–8:26. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989.

Jeremias, Joachim. The Eucharistic Words of Jesus. Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1990.

Jeremias, Joachim. Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1996.

Jeremias, Joachim. Jesus and the Message of the New Testament. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002.

Jeremias, Joachim. New Testament Theology. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1971.

Lewis, Gordon R., and Bruce A. Demarest. Integrative Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976.

Manson, T. W. The Sayings of Jesus. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1957.

Manson, T. W. The Teaching of Jesus. Cambridge: University Press, 1967.

Michaels, J. Ramsey. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2010.

Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1992.

Ott, Ludwig. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma. Rockford: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1960.

Pentecost, J. Dwight. The Words & Works of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.

Sanders, E. P. Jesus and Judaism. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985.

Sheen, Fulton J. Life of Christ. New York: Doubleday, 1958.

Spangler, Ann, and Lois Tverberg. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Stein, Robert H. Jesus the Messiah, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Stein, Robert H. The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings, Revised Edition.Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994.

Stott, John R. W. The Message of the Sermon on the Mount. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978.

Wood, D. R. W., I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman, eds.New Bible Dictionary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.

Wright, N. T. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.

Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.

Yancey, Philip. The Jesus I Never Knew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

Young, Brad H. Jesus the Jewish Theologian. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1995.


1 Luke 1:80.


2 Luke 3:2.


3 Haggai 1:1.


4 Zechariah 1:1.


5 Malachi 1:1.


6 Mark 1:4–5 and Matthew 3:1.


7 Luke 3:3.


8 Witherington, John the Baptist, The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 386–87.


9 Matthew 3:5.


10 Matthew 3:7.


11 John 1:19.


12 John 1:35, 3:25, and Luke 11:1.


13 John 1:35–40.


14 Acts 18:24–25, 19:1–7.


15 Witherington, John the Baptist, The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 388–89.


16 Matthew 3:13,16; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21.


17 Matthew 11:14.


18 Luke 7:26.


19 Luke 7:28.


20 Matthew 16:14.


21 Although not spoken of in Scripture, another group of religious Jews called the Essenes existed in Jesus’ time. They are spoken of in the historical writings of Josephus, Philo, and Pliny, as well as in the Dead Sea Scrolls. It appears that a number of them settled near the Dead Sea, possibly in Qumran, somewhere between 150 and 140 BC. Around 31 BC they abandoned that location, possibly due to an earthquake. Some of them returned to the location following the death of Herod the Great. They disappeared from the historical record after the Great Revolt of Judea in 66–70 AD. The Essenes were anti-temple, believed in the preexistence and immortality of the soul, and were very legalistic in matters of ritual purity. They saw themselves as the righteous remnant of Jews who were living in the last days. They looked for a political Messiah and the end of the age. Some of the Essenes lived together communally and held all their possessions in common. They dedicated themselves to studying Scripture, ritual washing, prayer, and copying their own writings. The Dead Sea Scrolls, found hidden in caves near where they lived, contained some of what are considered to be writings of the Essenes, along with scrolls of some of the writings of the Old Testament. (From Jesus—His Life and Message: Rulers and Religion, earlier in this series.)


22 Luke 3:8.


23 Behold, the Lord GOD of hosts will lop the boughs with terrifying power; the great in height will be hewn down, and the lofty will be brought low. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an axe, and Lebanon will fall by the Majestic One (Isaiah 10:33–34).


24 Luke 3:9.


25 Luke 3:8.


26 Malachi 4:1.


27 Green, The Gospel of Luke, 177.


28 Luke 3:10–11.


29 Isaiah 58:6–7.


30 Paraphrased from Isaiah 1:10–20.


31 There were three types of taxes which were required by the Romans, who ruled Israel during the time of Jesus: the land tax, the head tax, and the customs tax system. The taxes were used to pay tribute to Rome, which had conquered Israel in 63 BC. Throughout the Roman Empire there was a system of tolls and duties that were collected at ports, tax offices, and at the city gates. The rates were between two and five percent of the value of the goods that were transported from town to town. On long journeys, a person bringing goods from one place to another could be taxed multiple times. The value of the goods was determined by the tax collector. The customs and tax collection system operated through what is called tax farming. The way it worked is that wealthy individuals would bid on how much they would pay Rome for the privilege of collecting taxes in an area. The highest bidder, the “tax farmer,” would pay the amount that was accepted by Rome for the bid, meaning that Rome got its tax money in advance. The tax farmer would then collect the taxes through local tax collectors. The tax farmer and those he hired to collect the taxes would make their living from the taxes collected from the people. They would charge as much as possible in taxes, within certain legal limits, as their income was determined by how much money they could bring in over the amount that they had already paid to Rome. In short, tax collection was a for-profit business. The tax farmers hired local tax collectors to do the work of collecting taxes. These tax collectors would assess the value of the goods and then assign the amount to be paid. While there was some measure of control, tax collectors would often value the goods much higher than their actual worth, in order to make a profit. They would stop people on the road and demand these taxes, which could either be paid in currency or by forfeiting a portion of the goods. Those being taxed considered this institutional robbery. When some tax collectors came to John the Baptist to be baptized, they asked him what they should do, and he responded, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” … Tax collectors were despised. They were seen as extortioners and unjust, and according to Jewish law, others were not obliged to speak the truth to them. They were considered religiously unclean, and their houses and any house they entered were thus considered unclean. The hated tax collectors were often put in the same category as sinners and prostitutes. They were seen as thieves and shunned by respectable people. (Peter Amsterdam, The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, in The Stories Jesus Told.)


32 Luke 3:14.


33 Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, 56.


34 Luke 3:16.


35 Luke 3:15.


36 John 1:19–21.


37 Michaels, The Gospel of John, 98.


38 Matthew 11:14.


39 Deuteronomy 18:18–19.


40 John 1:22–23.


41 John 3:28.


42 John 3:29.


43 Luke 3:16.


44 Matthew 3:12.


45 Isaiah 66:15; Ezekiel 38:22; Zephaniah 1:12.


46 Matthew 13:8–30. See also Matthew 25:31–33.


47 Mark 1:8.





48 Ezekiel 36:25–27. See also Ezekiel 11:19–20.

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Desenvolvendo Auto Controle Segundo a Bíblia

http://anchor.tfionline.com/pt/post/desenvolvendo-auto-controle-segundo-biblia/
Uma compilação

Ó abençoado Jesus, dá-me paz em Ti
Que grande serenidade reine em minha alma
Governa-me, Rei da ternura, Rei da paz
Dá-me controle, grande poder de autocontrole
Domínio sobre minhas palavras, pensamentos e ações.
De toda irritabilidade, falta de mansidão, falta de gentileza,
Livra-me, querido Senhor
Por Tua infinita paciência, concede­-me paciência
Torna-me nisso e em todas as coisas, mais como Tu.
—São João da Cruz (1542–1594)

*

Jamais desfrutaremos a estabilidade, jamais fruiremos da maturidade espiritual até que aprendamos a fazer o que é certo, mesmo que isso represente um sacrifício. Sempre que assim procedermos, por resultado de uma decisão intencional, usando disciplina e autocontrole para ir além dos sentimentos, e quanto mais dolorido for para a carne, mais cresceremos no espírito nessa ocasião. —Joyce Meyer

*

Autocontrole é a habilidade de manter a cabeça fria quando as coisas esquentam.—Anônimo

*

Pois Deus não nos deu espírito de covardia, mas de poder, de amor e de equilíbrio.—2 Timóteo 1:7

*

O segredo para termos domínio próprio é confiar a vida a Deus e deixar Seu Espírito Santo guiar nossos pensamentos, ações e destinos. “Não se amoldem ao padrão deste mundo” —Paulo aconselha— “mas transformem-se pela renovação da sua mente, para que sejam capazes de experimentar e comprovar a boa, agradável e perfeita vontade de Deus.”[1]

Isso não significa que não sofreremos tentações ou não teremos de continuar trabalhando para superar maus hábitos e fortalecer as áreas fracas das nossas vidas. Mas o fato é que todos, às vezes, cedemos às tentações, às fraquezas pessoais, e exageramos em algumas coisas que não são erradas quando desfrutadas com moderação. O que Paulo escreveu para os romanos poderia muito bem ser endereçado a todos nós.

Pois eu sei que aquilo que é bom não vive em mim, isto é, na minha natureza humana. Porque, mesmo tendo dentro de mim a vontade de fazer o bem, eu não consigo fazê-lo. Pois não faço o bem que quero, mas justamente o mal que não quero fazer é que eu faço.

Assim eu sei que o que acontece comigo é isto: quando quero fazer o que é bom, só consigo fazer o que é mau. Dentro de mim eu sei que gosto da lei de Deus. Mas vejo uma lei diferente agindo naquilo que faço, uma lei que luta contra aquela que a minha mente aprova. Ela me torna prisioneiro da lei do pecado que age no meu corpo.

Como sou infeliz! Quem me livrará deste corpo que me leva para a morte?[2]

Logo a seguir, Paulo oferece a perfeita resposta à própria pergunta retórica:

Que Deus seja louvado, pois Ele fará isso por meio do nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo![3]—Rafael Holding

*

Os frutos ou os efeitos do Espírito Santo em nós são manifestos conforme nos tornamos mais amorosos, mais cheios de alegria, pacíficos, ternos, bondosos, fieis, gentis e exercemos mais autocontrole. Em suma, tornamo-nos mais santos ou santificados. Conforme cresce nosso autocontrole, podemos melhor resistir à tentação de ficarmos irados com os outros, ou de sermos rudes, agressivos e de cedermos ao ódio. Ficamos menos propensos a agir de maneiras que magoariam os outros ou a nós mesmos, por meio de ações, atitudes negativas e contrárias aos mandamentos de Deus. Tornamo-nos assim mais capazes de superar a pecaminosa natureza humana.—Peter Amsterdam

*

Algumas pessoas têm naturalmente muita força de vontade e autocontrole, mas não é típico. Se você é dos que têm dificuldade para ficar firmes em suas resoluções, desenvolver e manter uma rotina ou cultivar um novo hábito, tenho boas notícias: inclua-Me na sua vida e terá uma vantagem especial —a vantagem de ter Jesus.

Meu Espírito pode operar na sua vida de muitas maneiras, inclusive dando-lhe poder para manifestar o autodomínio. A chave para ter acesso a esse recurso é a oração. Para começar, é o que Me faz agir. De um jeito ou de outro, ou de alguma forma inesperada, farei algo para atender à sua oração.

Outro efeito de recorrer à Minha ajuda é que passa a contar também com minha sabedoria e insight, podendo então ver as coisas de uma melhor perspectiva.

Por último, mas não menos importante, é que a oração me permite lhe mostrar coisas que você pode fazer, que o ajudarão a avançar rumo à sua meta. Sou muito prático, conheço você e sei como sua mente funciona. Quem, então seria mais indicado para lhe dar ideias, dicas de como fazer as coisas para sua resolução ou rotina “vingarem” e funcionarem para você?

Mesmo com a “vantagem de ter Jesus”, você terá de fazer a sua parte. Não vou calçar e amarrar seus sapatos nem vou jogar fora aqueles biscoitos que você comprou logo depois de ter decidido diminuir o consumo de açúcar. Entretanto, posso ajudá-lo a descobrir em você mesmo o motivador e a razão que o ajudará a fazer as coisas que precisa fazer e a não fazer o que não deve. Você está sempre lidando com dificuldades humanas perfeitamente normais, mas, com a “vantagem de ter Jesus”, poderá enfrentá-las com uma determinação sobrenatural.—Jesus, falando em profecia

*

Pessoas com autocontrole controlam o seu humor. Elas não permitem que seu humor as controle. A maior parte das realizações no mundo é feito por pessoas que fazem o que é certo mesmo sem sentir vontade. “Como a cidade com seus muros derrubados, assim é quem não sabe dominar-se.”[4]

Pessoas com autocontrole têm cuidado com suas palavras. Elas botam a cabeça para funcionar antes de abrirem a boca. “Quem toma cuidado com suas palavras protege sua própria alma porque quem vive falando tudo o que pensa acaba arruinando sua própria vida.”[5]

Pessoas com autocontrole controlam suas reações. Quanto você aguenta antes de perder a calma? “Um homem sábio sabe conter a sua cólera, e tem por honra passar por cima de uma ofensa.”[6]

Pessoas com autocontrole fazem o seu horário. Se você não determina como vai passar o seu tempo, outros farão isto por você. “Tenham cuidado com a maneira como vocês vivem; que não seja como insensatos, mas como sábios, aproveitando ao máximo cada oportunidade, porque os dias são maus.”[7]

Pessoas com autocontrole administram o seu dinheiro. Elas aprendem a viver com menos do que ganham e investem a diferença. O valor de se ter um orçamento é que ele diz ao seu dinheiro onde você quer que ele vá, em vez de ficar se perguntando onde ele foi! “Na casa do sábio há comida e azeite armazenados, mas o tolo devora tudo o que pode.”[8]

Pessoas com autocontrole se mantêm saudáveis. Elas assim podem realizar mais e desfrutar de suas realizações: “Cada um saiba controlar o próprio corpo de maneira santa e honrosa ....”[9]

Em que aspectos você precisa desenvolver o autocontrole? A disciplina que você estabelece hoje vai determinar o seu sucesso amanhã.

Mas é preciso mais do que força de vontade para ter autocontrole a longo prazo. Requer um poder maior do que você próprio: “Pois Deus não nos deu espírito de covardia, mas de poder, de amor e de equilíbrio.”[10]—Rick Warren[11]

Publicado em Âncora em junho de 2014. Tradução Denise Oliveira. Revisão H.R.Flandoli.


[1] Romanos 12:2.

[2] Romanos 7:18–19, 21–24.

[3] Romanos 7:25.

[4] Provérbios 25:28 NLT.

[5] Provérbios 13:3 BV.

[6] Provérbios 19:11 Versão Católica.

[7] Efésios 5:15–16 NIV.

[8] Provérbios 21:20 NIV.

[9] 1 Tessalonissenses 4:4 NVI.

[10] 2 Timóteo 1:7 NVI.

[11] "Developing Biblical Self-Control," 26 de Janeiro, 2010,http://purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/index.html?contentid=3502.

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Unfathomable Love

Words from Jesus
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/unfathomable-love/

Audio length: 9:06
Download Audio (8.3MB)

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”—Romans 11:331

I know that you cannot fathom how great My love for you really is. I could say that My love for you is greater than the ocean, higher than the highest mountain, or deeper than the deepest sea, and these metaphors would give you a small inkling of what My love for you is like. But these words are also clichés that don’t really impart the true magnitude of My love, for it is much more than any of these images can depict.

You may not fully understand My love, you can’t really comprehend it, but you can accept it by faith, and your faith is one of the many things that I love and cherish about you. I also greatly admire your giving heart. I’m grateful for your steadfastness in prayer. I joy at your love for the lost of this world. There are so many things about you that make My heart overflow with love.

You are My creation of love, and I will cherish and love you and care for you forever!
Forever

My love for you is like eternity—it goes on and on forever. The thought of that is hard to grasp‚ I know, because to the finite human mind, there must be a beginning and an end to everything. But just as eternity goes on forever, so does My love. You can’t do anything that would make Me stop loving you. You are Mine. You are My bride, and I will love you forever.

I look at you and I see beauty, love, and care. I know that when you look at yourself, you see confusion, disorganization, and a great big mess, but I don’t look at those things at all. I see your heart, I know your motives and intentions, and even when you feel like a mess and your thoughts are confused, and even when you yield to the Enemy in some way‚ I still love you.

I know that above all, you want to please Me and you want to serve Me. I also know that no matter what you get hit with, you fight, you bounce back, and you come to Me in the end. Even when you’re in a tough spot, I know that it won’t be long before you cry out to Me to save you and to help you to fight.

Even if you feel as though you’re a mess, that doesn’t take away one ounce of My love for you. Everyone has shortcomings; they have areas in their hearts and lives that no one else knows about, and that they feel bad about. But everything is known to Me; I see it all and I still love you. Turn your confusion and your heart toward Me, and I will help you, I will comfort you, and I will guide you and send you encouragement.

When you’re feeling down, I can send My love through another person’s smile or affection or cheery words to lift you up. When you’re in need of some encouragement, I can encourage your heart through My written Word. When the world around you looks gray and drab, I can color your world and fill it with laughter and love through the happy, smiling faces of children.

I give you so many touches of My love; look for them and treasure them as signs of My presence. I scatter manifestations of My love throughout your day among the experiences you go through to encourage your heart and give you hope. Be open to these touches of My love; otherwise you might miss them.
Through the tears

The words you spoke to Me today through your tears‚ as you looked to Me in prayer, brought with them so much beauty. I look upon you and I see the struggles you face. I see the decisions you make out of trust in Me and out of love for Me. I see how difficult it is for you at times, yet you don’t give up, because you know that I am guiding your life, and you know that no matter what you face, I will turn it for your good. You stand on this.

I will never let you down. I will fulfill My promises. You are so dear to My heart, I have a special interest in you, and I am personally guiding your life. You can let go and give it all to Me because of your knowledge and assurance that I will be here for you, and because I love you with more love than the earth can contain. I will always be tuned into and caring for every detail of your life—the big things and the small things.
Your heart, My home

I am the Creator of the universe, yet I choose to make My humble home in your heart. It is there that you know Me most intimately; it is there I speak to you in holy whispers.

I know that this is more than you can fathom—that someone so great and majestic would choose to live in someone so small and sinful. Your mind almost recoils at the thought of My perfect holiness living in you. … Though you are indeed an exceedingly humble dwelling for Me—the One who also inhabits the highest heavens—I am living in your heart because I deeply desire intimacy with you. You are easily distracted by the noise of the world. But I want to help you hear My gentle whispers in your heart.

You need stillness—outer and inner. Find a quiet place, where the noise of the world is minimal. Then focus your mind on this loving command, “Cease striving and know that I am God.”2 Be still, let go, and relax in My presence while I commune with you in holy whispers.3
The little things

The great things of the universe are made up of lots of little things all put together. Great things come from little things—little endeavors‚ little choices, little deeds of kindness‚ and little decisions to do the right thing. One of the true measures of a person is what they do when no one is looking, and what sort of conviction they have to make the right choices and to do kind and loving things.

There are so many ways that love can be manifested in little ways each day. You might not think you excel in this area—and of course I know that you make mistakes, but I don’t focus on the mistakes; I just see the good and loving things that you do. Even when you don’t feel like doing much for others and you’re a little grumpy‚ you still try, and you know that you should do better.

It doesn’t matter whether you think or feel that you do so well, as I see your heart of love that does so much for others and for Me.
The power of love

Love is such a powerful force, for I am the giver of all true, lasting love. I want to pour more of My love out to others, yet I need you to manifest My love. I know sometimes you feel like such a small, insignificant person, and you wonder what you can possibly do to change things. Just as a little bit of water poured upon the dry ground can bring to life the dormant seeds hidden under the surface, so can your small amounts of love poured out upon others change them and bring them back to life.

Joy fills My heart when I see a soul that was lost and dying come back to life—or when I see someone who is waiting for love receive that love, and then bloom and spring forth with joy and laughter, because they felt someone cared.

I pour out My love in great measure to those who give to those in need. So make room for more of My love to be poured into your life today by pouring out what you have received to others.

Originally published June 2008, unless otherwise indicated. Adapted and republished February 2015. Read by Jon Marc.



1 NAS.


2 Psalm 46:10 NAS.


3 Sarah Young, Jesus Lives (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009).

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Santos Sacrílegos

De Hugh Halter
http://anchor.tfionline.com/pt/post/santos-sacrilegos/
Ele adora o cheiro de cachorro e leite.

Bosco agora tem 42 anos de idade, e é um ateu realmente benevolente que viaja ao redor do mundo e faz documentários para mostrar as pessoas sem teto, a fome e a horrível exploração do ser humano.

Há trinta e sete anos, aos 5 anos de idade, Bosco se viu escondendo-se debaixo da mesa no pequeno chalé de sua família no norte da Irlanda, tentando desesperadamente manter seu cão quieto distraindo-o com uma cuia de leite. Ele se escondia porque um bando de carrascos do IRA fora matar seu pai, que era um líder rival na resistência.

Bosco naquele momento fez uma oração sincera para Deus poupar a vida de seu pai. Dois segundos depois, e ele ouviu o disparo de uma arma e viu seu pai caído ao chão. Ele ainda se lembra do cheio do seu cãozinho e do leite. Ele também se lembra de ver o assassino de seu pai duas semanas depois na missa, cantando hinos e baixando a cabeça para orar. Naquele dia ele resolveu que Deus não existia.

Como vim a conhecer Bosco? Acabei de celebrar o casamento dele. Terri, uma pessoa que busca a Deus, estava tentando me contar um pouco da história da vida dele. “Bosco tem sido o homem mais gentil, amável e respeitoso que já conheci. Espero que um dia, quando eu conseguir entender Deus, ele esteja mais aberto comigo. Deb me disse que você seria uma boa pessoa para ele conhecer, e eu realmente lhe agradeço por celebrar a nossa cerimônia de casamento.”

Comecei com esta história porque Deus realmente Se importa com a história da vida de uma pessoa. Ele não categoriza as pessoas como ateias, agnósticas, boas ou más cristãs, pagãs ou santas. Ele simplesmente vê as pessoas como são e entende sua desorientação ou vertigens espirituais com as quais as pessoas lutam, especialmente a vertigem causada pela religião e as pessoas religiosas.

Foi por isso que houve a encarnação de Cristo. João 1:14, diz, “A Palavra se fez carne e habitou entre nós, e vimos a sua glória como a glória do unigênito do Pai, cheio de graça e de verdade.”

Nós super espiritualizamos ou teologizamos por que Deus veio à terra através de Seu filho, mas a verdadeira razão para isso é que Ele sabia que o ser humano não tinha condições de entender, ver ou perceber Sua verdadeira glória a não ser que Ele viesse e vivesse entre nós como uma pessoa o menos religiosa que eles jamais conheceram.

Jesus tinha uma beleza sacrílega.

Ele era companheiro da turma errada, era gentil com os pecadores, abraçou os doentes, permitiu que as crianças fossem até Ele, e os discípulos dEle eram ainda piores. Eles não lavavam as mãos direito, comiam, se divertiam e trabalhavam no Sábado, e Ele derrubou constantemente os seus sistemas religiosos focado no templo e nos sacerdotes. Ele foi o homem mais santo que eles já haviam visto, mas com certeza era excentricamente não religioso… chegava a ser sacrílego!

Sacrilégio pode parecer uma palavra forte, mas simplesmente significa desafiar o que os outros pensam ser religioso para expor o verdadeiro Deus. E de tudo o que Jesus vez como “Deus encarnado”, o aspecto mais sacrílego de Sua vida foi a maneira como Ele deu dignidade a história da vida de cada pessoa.

Ora, isto talvez seja muito for a dos padrões para muitos de vocês, mas apenas 30 minutos antes da cerimônia de casamento, chamei Bosco até o meu jipe e o levei para fora das “premissas sem bebidas alcoólicas” da igreja, parei o carro e tirei do porta-luvas um pequeno frasco do uísque irlandês Jameson e lhe dei. Ele ficou com os olhos cheios de lágrimas ao receber e me disse, “Eu não acredito que você fez isto por mim, trouxe meus amigos de todas as partes do país aqui para o meu casamento, mas os cristãos não me permitem ter nenhuma bebida alcoólica. Passei o dia sem jeito.

“Como é que você, sendo o pastor, me deu isto de presente?” Ao que respondi, “Porque Deus conhece a sua história e Ele parece não ter problema nenhum com deixar as pessoas beberem em casamentos.”

Ele tomou um gole, e eu então tomei um gole, e ele imediatamente colocou o seu braço ao meu redor e disse uma bênção irlandesa para mim. Eu então fiz uma oração irlandesa por ele.

“Então, por que você não termina?,” perguntei. Quando ele colocou a tampa de volta, disse, “porque quero dividir o resto com os meus amigos. Obrigado por honrar a mim e aos meus amigos hoje.”

Foi um bom momento, um momento de Deus, e ele sabia que a história de Bosco era importante para mim e quem sabe ele não começou a ver Deus de maneira diferente?

A encarnação o leva a se importar com a história de vida de cada pessoa. A vida incarnada tem a ver com ouvir especificamente aquelas coisas que desorientaram o coração e mente da pessoa. E ao aprender a colocar de lado as generalizações trivias, o dogma debilitante, o legalismo inútil e os versículos bíblicos fora de contexto, você chega a entender o verdadeiro contexto do coração de uma pessoa e descobre as maneiras mais estranhamente apropriadas de ajudar os outros a se aproximarem de Jesus.

Sacrilégio é o segredo para os seus amigos encontrarem Deus, e se você for um discípulo de Jesus e fizer da sua meta de vida ser o mais irreligioso, e até mesmo sacrílego, verá que todo o mundo frio e preto-e-branco do cristianismo explode com as cores do reino.

Fromhttp://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/sacrilegious_saints_what_the_world_needs_and_what_god_wants_us_to_become/
Publicado por Âncora em julho de 2012.
Tradução Denise Oliveira. Revisão Hebe Rondon Flandoli.

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Smash That Idol

A compilation:
http://anchor.tfionline.com/post/smash-idol/

Audio length: 10:58
Download Audio (10MB)

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.—Exodus 20:4–51

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Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.—1 John 5:212

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When we hear the word “idol” we often think of statues and objects reminiscent of those worshipped by pagans in ancient cultures. However, the idols of the 21st century often bear no resemblance to the artifacts used thousands of years ago. Today, we have replaced the “golden calf” with an insatiable drive to reach the top of the corporate ladder or with a myriad of other passionate pursuits. And, sadly, those who aggressively pursue goals and dreams, altogether excluding God, are often admired for their individualism and drive. In the end, however, it doesn’t matter what empty pleasure we chase after or to what or whom we bow down, the result is the same—separation from the one true God.

Understanding contemporary idols can help us to understand why they prove to be such a powerful temptation. An idol can be anything we place ahead of God in our lives, anything that tugs at our heart more than God does, such as possessions, careers, relationships, hobbies, sports, entertainment, goals, greed, addictions to alcohol/drugs/gambling/pornography, etc. Many of these things we idolize can be very good, such as relationships or careers. Yet Scripture tells us that whatever we do, we are to “do it all for the glory of God,”3 and that we are to serve God only.4 Unfortunately, God is often nowhere to be found as we zealously pursue our idols. Worse yet, the significant amount of time we often spend in these idolatrous pursuits leaves us with little or no time to spend with the Lord.

… The joys of this world for which we too often seek will never satisfy the human heart. As Solomon beautifully conveys in the book of Ecclesiastes, apart from a right relationship with God, life is futile. We were created in God’s image5 and designed to worship and glorify Him, as He alone is worthy of our worship. God has placed “eternity in man’s heart,”6 and a relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to fulfill this longing for eternal life.—S. Michael Houdmann7

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How many have found it easy to have your idols smashed? If you have, you’re unusual! For most people, it’s pretty hard to take. We are tempted to say, “Now listen, Lord, can’t we just keep this little idol here? I worshiped this idol for many years and it was very dear to me and I thought it was great. Now that I’ve found out it isn’t great, can’t I just keep it in one little back corner of the house someplace? After all, I spent a lot of money on it and it took a lot of my time. If it’s not good for much else, if it’s not useful and I can’t worship it anymore, can’t I at least just keep it around someplace?”

Don’t you find this true with a lot of things? Don’t you find this true in your own heart? “Lord, why do I have to give this up? It’s not so bad—and it used to be pretty good. I used to think it was great. It may not be useful, but at least maybe it’s harmless! Can’t I just at least keep it back in the corner someplace?”

Then, wham! Just like that, God comes along and smashes that idol. “I will have no other gods before me.”8 Nothing short of right is right. And when you find out that it isn’t just right and that idol gets smashed, it hurts. It’s not easy to take.

You can read in the Bible about how they went around smashing idols. And the kings who said: “Yes, we’ll have a revival and we’ll go back to the worship of Jehovah,” but they destroyed not the idols, and they cast not down the altars, and they left the groves... “Therefore this thing displeased the Lord.” Though they had a real revival and they got back to the true worship, they didn’t get down to business and smash the idols. They didn’t burn their bridges behind them. They didn’t take off the plow and sacrifice the oxen upon it.

It’s like that story about the eagle that had been chained so long to a stake in the middle of the ground, he’d worn a rut in the ground going round and round and round. Finally the eagle was getting old, and his master felt sorry for him and thought, “I’m going to set him free.” So he took the metal ring off his foot and he took the eagle in his hand, and he tossed it into the air. And what do you suppose happened? The eagle could barely fly at all. He flip-flopped right back down to the ground and he walked back over to the old rut and started walking round the rut. No chain, no bird band—just the habit.

Smash the habit. Smash the opportunity to get back to the habit. Smash the idol! Abolish it from your life and get rid of it.—D. Brandt Berg

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It helps us to carry out the first and greatest command, love God, by having no idols. What do you love more than God? What do you look to for security more than you look to God? Where do you draw your sense of identity from, more than you draw it from God? These are things you must lay on the altar. Here is where your most earnest repentance lies. These things may not in and of themselves be bad, but if we make … [them] more to us than God is, we have made an idol of them, and here we must repent.

Whatever you look to for security or comfort or assurance or validation, whatever you look to to make yourself feel better or to bring you pleasure over and above or quite apart from God is idolatry. … When you say, “I love God,” but what you care about more is what others think about you, you’ve got an issue. When you say, “I know God is my provider,” but all your hope and confidence is in your career, that’s idolatry. It happens anytime we look to anything over God as the source of life.

When it comes to God, we simply begin to practice loving Him. We make him the treasure of our heart, every day. Simply begin the day by saying, Jesus, you are my treasure. You are my heart’s desire. I love you. Help me to love you today. And then we shepherd our hearts, with his help. We notice where our hearts go looking for love or approval, for comfort or affirmation, and in those very moments we repent. O Jesus, forgive me for this idol. Cleanse me here, give me your holiness here. I renounce this idol. I choose God. In those moments, we give our hearts over to God in fresh and deeper ways.—John Eldredge9

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What kind of idols do people worship today? “Who worship the works of their own hands.”10 What are people crazy about today? What do they go in debt for today? All kinds of luxuries, electronic equipment, beautiful luxurious homes, gorgeous million-dollar buildings. Things, things, things! What do many people today live for? What do they spend most of their time and money on? What are they working for? “The works of their own hands,” which they give most of their time, their devotion, and their strength.

“My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”11 The message given through Jeremiah was to a people who had forgotten their God and turned to other idols.

As God’s Word says, “The people seek a new thing.”12 But they find nothing that ever satisfies, no love that ever lasts, no happiness that is forever theirs. They are miserable, brokenhearted, wounded, bound, captives of their own passions and prisoners of their own shattered hopes, desires, and limited human frailties.

For although the body is of this earth and is satisfied with the things of this earth, the human spirit—that intangible personality of the real you that dwells in that body—can never be completely satisfied with anything but utter union with the great and loving Spirit that created it. He’s the power and life of the universe that the Bible itself calls love, for “God is love,”13 the very spirit of love itself—true love, everlasting love, real love, genuine love that never ends from a lover who never leaves, the lover of all lovers, God Himself.—D.Brandt Berg

Published on Anchor January 2015. Read by Jon Marc.

1 NIV.

2 NIV.

3 1 Corinthians 10:31.

4 Deuteronomy 6:13.

5 Genesis 1:27.

6 Ecclesiastes 3:11.

7 http://www.gotquestions.org/idol-worship.html#ixzz2wssvtiso.

8 Exodus 20:3.

9 The Utter Relief of Holiness (FaithWords, 2013).

10 Jeremiah 1:16.

11 Jeremiah 2:11,13.

12 Acts 17:21.

13 1 John 4:8.

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Sovereign Man by Simon Black

January 30, 2015
Sovereign Valley Farm, Chile

A member of my staff caught an obscure resolution that was introduced in the US House of Representatives last week—Resolution no. 41.

The fact that there was essentially no coverage of this Resolution really shows how the mainstream media is completely turning a blind eye to the true fiscal situation of the United States of America.

The entire point of the resolution is to say that the federal government is broke.

It can’t pay its own bills, and therefore is shouldn’t be responsible to pay anyone else’s either.

It doesn't’ take a rocket scientists to figure out what a bankrupt government will do—just like any thief, they’ll go after easy targets first.

The easiest target of all is future generations.

They’re going to run up the debt as high as they can, which essentially means pulling future tax revenues into today. It’s the easiest tax of all, because unborn children do not vote.

The estate tax is another one to watch out for—because, like unborn children, dead people don’t vote either.

We had a great podcast yesterday about retirement savings, where there’s an easy $5 trillion treasure chest for them to raid.

And, of course, there’s the greatest tax of all, the inflation tax, which decreases the standard of living for most of the population as the cost of living rises much faster than incomes.

This Resolution is a pretty scary dose of honesty. But again, what’s even more concerning is that it was just ignored and has objectively a zero percent chance of passing.

I do encourage you to check it out though—even the government is admitting it’s finished.

I’ll quote from the Resolution now without comment and wish you a very pleasant weekend:


Whereas the Federal Government is operating at an annual deficit and is increasing its outstanding debt every year;

Whereas the Federal Government, as of January 2015, is carrying more than $18.0 trillion in debt, of which $13.0 trillion is owed to the public and $5.08 trillion is owed to Social Security and other trust funds;

Whereas foreign governments, individuals, and corporations as of October 2014 own 47 percent of Federal debt held by the public;

Whereas Social Security's unfunded liabilities in 2014 are $10.6 trillion over 75 years and $24.9 trillion over the infinite horizon;

Whereas the Federal debt held by the public is expected to increase by more than $7 trillion from 2014 to 2024 according to the Congressional Budget Office;

Whereas more than 16 percent of the entire Federal budget goes directly to States and local governments;

Whereas more than 22 percent of total State and local government general revenue comes from the Federal Government according to Census Bureau's latest Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finance;

Whereas several State and local pension plans are expected to fully exhaust their funds within ten years.

Have a pleasant weekend,

Simon Black
Founder, SovereignMan.com

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You Will Know the Truth

A compilation


Audio length: 14:41
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You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.—John 8:321

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For the Christian, the ultimate expression of truth is found in the Bible, in Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life...”2 Of course, most philosophers and skeptics will dismiss His claim, but for the Christian, He is the mainstay of hope, security, and guidance. Jesus, who walked on water, claimed to be divine, rose from the dead, and said that He was the truth and the originator of truth. If Jesus is wrong, then we should ignore Him. But, if He is right, then it is true that we should listen to Him. The eyewitnesses wrote what they saw. They were with Him. They watched Him perform many miracles, heal the sick, calm a storm with a command, and even rise from the dead.—Matt Slick
What is truth?

Almost 2,000 years ago, a Roman governor chose to ask a profound question of a man who was about to be executed.

“What is truth?” he asked.

Most people ponder that question at some time in their lives, especially at critical points when they are struggling with the question of the meaning of life. After all, the need for meaning is a basic human need, and there can be no meaning without some ultimate truth. We seem to know instinctively that ultimate truth is somehow related to the existence of God. In fact, it is interesting that those who deny the existence of God are the same ones who say there is no absolute truth and that everything is relative. But something deep within us says this is not so—something tells us that God exists and that He holds the key to truth. …

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor who, almost 2,000 years ago, looked into the eyes of Jesus and asked, “What is truth?”

Pilate was talking to the Truth. He was talking to God in the flesh—the One through whom the worlds were created.

“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free,” Jesus had proclaimed. But the truth was not setting Pilate free that day, because he didn’t honestly want to know it. So there in his governor’s palace, while history held its breath, with Truth standing right in front of him, Pilate still had to ask, perhaps flippantly or perhaps sadly, “What is truth?”

He never knew. The human heart unwilling to submit to the truth will never know the truth.

Jesus didn’t just talk about being the Messiah, He demonstrated the power of God—His power—through many “signs and wonders.” He revealed His authority over creation by turning water into wine, and by commanding storms to cease—and cease they did. He revealed His compassion for people by healing multitudes, restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and health to the sick. He raised people from the dead. Finally, after Jesus was crucified and buried, He physically arose from the dead and appeared afterward to more than 500 people. In every phase of His life—from His conception to His resurrection—Jesus fulfilled prophecies made hundreds of years beforehand, convincing those around Him who knew and believed the Scriptures that He was the Messiah.—Author unknown3

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Christ became human flesh and lived among us. We saw His shining-greatness. This greatness is given only to a much-loved Son from His Father. He was full of loving-favor and truth.—John 1:144
True for you but not for me…

Christian philosopher J. P. Moreland has written about an illuminating encounter with a student at the University of Vermont. Moreland was speaking in a dorm, and a relativistic student who lived there told him, “Whatever is true for you is true for you and whatever is true for me is true for me. If something works for you because you believe it, that’s great. But no one should force his or her views on other people since everything is relative.”

As Moreland left, he unplugged the student’s stereo and started out the door with it. The student protested: “Hey, what are you doing? … You can’t do that.” Moreland replied, “You’re not going to force on me the belief that it is wrong to steal your stereo, are you?” He then went on to point out to the student that, when it’s convenient, people say they don’t care about sexual morality or cheating on exams. But they become moral absolutists in a hurry when someone steals their things or violates their rights. That is, they are selective moral relativists.

Interestingly, a few weeks later this student became a follower of Christ because he recognized the connection between God and human dignity and rights—that God made us in His image. I like to tell churches that this could be a great new evangelistic method, called “Stealing Stereos for Jesus.”—Paul Copan

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See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.—Colossians 2:85

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True for you, but not true for me is a self-defeating and therefore false statement. You can prove this one conclusively to yourself today. Just drive 90 in a 55 lane, and when the cop stops you for speeding just say, “That’s true for you, but not for me,” and speed off. Since it’s not true for you, he can’t give you a ticket, right?—Frank Turek

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Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.—C. S. Lewis
The Bible tells me so

Our convictions as Christians include that God exists, that this is His world, and that man is made in His image. If we are right, then reality turns out to be structured in a very specific way, and no skeptic can escape it. That’s the rest of the story. Unless a person is truly pathological, his language and his behavior will always betray his deepest beliefs about the world. Sure, emotions, prejudice, and bull-headedness may cause him to deny what would otherwise be obvious except when he is defending his ideological turf. But when his guard is down, every person understands that the basic structure of the world is the way the Bible says it is, at least in the broad strokes. Simply put, reason and rationality still matter, even to the postmodernist, regardless of his claims to the contrary.—Greg Koukl

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From a Christian worldview, God doesn’t simply tell us what is righteous; He is righteous. Goodness and righteousness are attributes of His innate character. While it’s tempting to think there isn’t anything God couldn’t do, this is not the case. God cannot act or command outside of His character. He is innately logical and moral; it is impossible for Him to create square circles or married bachelors, just as it is impossible for Him to sin. Objective moral truths are simply a reflection of God’s eternal being. They are not rules or laws God has created (and could therefore alter recklessly), but are instead immutable, dependable qualities of His nature reflected in our universe. They exist because God exists (not because God created them or recognized them later). The Bible describes God as omnipotent and capable of doing anything He sets out to do. God’s choices, however, are always consistent with His moral and logical nature; He never sets out to do something contrary to who He is as God.—J. Warner Wallace

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Knowledge has a unique and irreplaceable function in human life. Unlike any other human capacity, it authorizes individuals to act, to direct, and to teach, and the lack thereof disqualifies one in those same respects…. Knowledge therefore lays the foundation for confident and successful dealings with reality and, as such, is one of the most precious things one can acquire. People “perish for lack of knowledge,”6 as the Bible tells us, precisely because, without it, disastrous encounters, or lack of encounters, with reality are certain to occur; most importantly, they occur with reference to God, God’s Kingdom, and any possibilities for an eternal kind of living.—Dallas Willard
There are absolutes

In every field of science, math, art, music, history, philosophy, and religion, they have tried to destroy confidence and faith in the absolute to try to shake your faith that there is anything sure, anything that is necessarily so or true or right. The whole theme song is: “It ain’t necessarily so. The things that you read in that Bible, they ain’t necessarily so. Beginning with the Bible, that ain’t necessarily so; and history, it ain’t necessarily so; religion, it ain’t necessarily so; and philosophy ain’t necessarily so.” They’ve gone right on down the line through everything—“creation ain’t necessarily so; music, art, none of them are necessarily so, because there ain’t no so. There’s nothing that’s true, so there is no truth,” in other words.

Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Jesus answered him and said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”7 So if nothing is so, then nothing is true, then there is no truth and noChrist! So to disprove the existence of God, they had to disprove the existence of truth and rhyme and reason, order, plan, laws, rules, etc. …

A revolutionary education today would be back-to-God education, and that’s reallyrevolutionary in this modern day and age! Back to God in creation. Back to real faith in religion, back to creation in science, back to a plan in history, beauty in art, harmony in music, laws in learning to read, right and wrong in behavior, and order in government and God in everything—the Creator of all things, the designer of everything, the planner—so that life again means something. …

Back to reasoning, back to a pattern for existence made by a divine designer who makes the plans according to rules, brings about order, and who gives meaning to the universe and purpose to the planets, and love to our hearts and peace to our minds, and health to our bodies and rest to our spirits, and happiness to our lives and joy to our souls, and the wisdom to know that “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,”8 and that mere knowledge is not enough, but how to use it is more important for the glory of God.

We must see God in everything to give it meaning, reason, purpose, plan, design, and a goal, and peace and order and a design for living given us by the great designer in His rules and laws, rights and wrongs and absolutes, without which there can be no peace and no order and no happiness.

Thank God for the absolutes and the rules of the Ruler, that we may know the difference between right and wrong and therefore find happiness through His love and His loving laws and reasonable rules. May God help you to “know Him, whom to know is life eternal.”9 And absolute!—David Brandt Berg

Published on Anchor February 2015. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.



1 ESV.


2 John 14:6.


3 From cbn.com.


4 NLV.


5 ESV.


6 Hosea 4:6.


7 John 14:6.


8 Proverbs 9:10.


9 John 17:3.

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