Daily Bread: January 2013

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Is It Wrong to Tell the "Unvarnished" Truth?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

John the Baptist languishes in King Herod's dungeon. Plenty of time for study and prayer. Hopefully he had some kind of Old Testament Bible; at least he could remember the pleas of David in Psalm 25, "Teach me!" And John would plead with God, "Please teach me! Did I do wrong to rebuke the King for his affair with the woman he's with (Mark 6:18)? If I had been just a little more sophisticated, I could still be out there free, preaching and baptizing people--what You had called me to do; was it Your will that I be silenced like this? Did my righteous indignation and my zeal run ahead of You?"

King Herod halfway liked him (Mark 6:26) and would call him up to his office occasionally for discussions (vs. 20; and maybe sometimes--I hope--sent him down special trays from the royal chef's kitchen). How did the Holy Spirit answer John's prayers to be "taught"? The only apparent answer: "wait on the Lord." Even Jesus sent him only a rather cryptic message, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me" (Matt. 11:6). John was super-lonely.

The Bible does not specifically tell us if the Holy Spirit gently rebuked him for his extra-plain speech about Herodias that landed him in his dungeon. But a wise writer on the subject firmly upholds John for telling the truth, even though it made him suffer.

Did Elijah do wrong to tell the unvarnished truth in his day about Baal worship? Did God rebuke Elijah when He replaced him with the gentle-spoken Elisha who managed to stay out of prison all his life? Did Jeremiah do wrong to oppose the popular national sentiment about Nebuchadnezzar? It landed him in worse than a dungeon--a mud hole at the bottom of a well (chapter 38), plus a life of tears.

Each hero had to suffer for his honesty. In eternity, what will be the answer to our questions?

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 10, 2001.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Seventh Angel Is Sounding His Trumpet

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

God wants every man "perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. 1:28). Someone ridicules the idea. "Nobody can be perfect!" is the popular cry. "This is a chimera, this idea that God can ever have a BODY of people who are 'perfect in Christ Jesus.' Look at history: an unbroken record of sin and failure to be 'perfect.'"

Yes, that has been true all through the history of the first six angels blowing their trumpets (Revelation 8-10). But now we have come to "the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound" (10:7). Under the seventh trumpet something happens that has never happened in all history: "the mystery of God [is] to be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets."

Under "the voice of the seventh angel," two phenomena develop side by side:

(1) "The nations [are] angry" (Greek, those who do not believe the gospel; nation-rage), and they become demon-possessed (Rev. 11:15, 18; 18:2). Evil runs its full course, and the wicked try to rid the earth of those who follow Christ (see 13:15). At the present time this appears impossible; but just consider what the unbelieving world will be like when God finally withdraws His Holy Spirit (see Revelation 16).

(2) At the same time this evil develops, the Holy Spirit will cleanse and purify a people who do believe the gospel, and they will gain "the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, ... and they [will] sing the song of Moses ... and the song of the Lamb" (15:2, 3). They will be a corporate BODY of people who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (14:4, 5).

Listen! The seventh angel is sounding his trumpet! Listen to the Holy Spirit, and let Him have His way in your life. Stop resisting Him (Acts 7:51).

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 18, 2001.

Monday, January 28, 2013

What Is This "Mystery of God"?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

As the Angel of Revelation 10, Christ Himself gives the fanfare to "the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound" his trumpet (Rev. 10:1-7). Listen! Jesus says. The message of that seventh angel is electrifying to the whole world: "There should be time [delay, Greek] no longer. ... The mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants, the prophets."

Listen, world! Listen, church! Everything that God has been saying for 6000 years is now being shouted "before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" (vs. 11). Finally, something is being "finished"! No more "delay"! Finally the picture is being focused razor sharp.

But what is this "mystery of God"? Something He wants to hide from us? No, no, a thousand times no. A "mystery" in the Bible is something God wants to REVEAL to us. Colossians explains it neatly: "The mystery which hath been hid from ages ... [is] now made manifest, ... which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, ... that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (1:25-28).

The seventh angel says that now is the time to be done with all this sin-foolishness; now is the time to "see" Christ as He truly is, free from the foggy misconceptions invented by the "Antichrist" that envelop Him in mist that makes Him seem "far away from us." Now is the time to see how He became one of us, took our fallen, sinful nature, and "condemned sin in the flesh," our "flesh," so that those who "consider Him as He truly is" can "overcome even as [He] overcame."

Yes, God will have what He has always wanted--"every person perfect in Christ Jesus" (that is, every person who believes the Good News). And if you will "listen," you will find it easier to "believe." Impossible?

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 16, 2001.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Have You Been Listening?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Have you been listening? Above the raucous din of our freeways, jets, big-rigs, and trains; the noise of our TV's and radios; and talking on cell phones, something important is sounding: the blowing of a heavenly trumpet.

Most of the world is deaf to this sound of real alarm. It's the reality above and beyond the savvy of our wisest news commentators and philosophers. It's the news in the Book of Revelation chapter 10 of the seventh angel blowing his trumpet:

A special Angel (Christ Himself) with a rainbow on His head declares solemnly to all the world "that there should be time no longer: but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound [his trumpet], the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets" (vss. 1-7).

In Revelation chapters 8-11, we are given this glimpse into Reality--seven angels blowing seven trumpets of alarm. For centuries, careful, reverent-minded scholars have seen these "trumpets" as spanning the 2000 years since Christ's resurrection. In this larger picture of cosmic history, they have seen the events under the "fifth" and "sixth trumpets" as portraying the impact of Islam on the world, and the "seventh trumpet" as the time of the final Day of Atonement when the world's Savior completes His work of reconciling humanity to God's plan of salvation. Then "the kingdoms of this world … become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ" (11:15).

This solemn ministry is going on right now; none know how soon this special ministry of grace will end. The Angel calls us to be alert, to hear what's going on. Listen on your knees.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 15, 2001.

Friday, January 25, 2013

A Nugget of Pure Gold in Numbers 12

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Sometimes you find a nugget of pure gold lying almost on the surface of your Bible reading, a treasure of Good News truth you never saw before.

That's what happened when I decided to check into the meaning of the word "meek" as it is in Numbers 12:3. I have always been perplexed the way the word is used there. Verses 1 and 2 tell us of the painful heartache Moses must have felt when his two siblings, Miriam and Aaron turned against him--a cruel blow for him to endure. Having to contend with Pharoah, ruler of the world's greatest empire and all his courtiers--that was peanuts compared to this heartache. Also, enduring all the trials the unbelieving Israelites heaped upon him on their way to the Promised Land--all that he could endure more easily. But when his own siblings, older than he in his own family, turned on him, that was agony!

Why does the Bible writer then say immediately in parentheses, "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth"? Seems an irrelevant thing to say just then! Did he just take it all lying down?

And then I looked up the real meaning of the Hebrew word anav that is translated "meek." It does not mean to be a floor-mat, someone who is a wimp, always hanging his head. The word has built-in to it the meaning of one who has endured many setbacks, many humiliations, many oppositions, many put-downs, and yet has stood firm and said "No!" to discouragement. It is a very active word, not a passive word, not "taking what's dished out to you" like a weakling, but triumphing over it all.

It's a word that denotes strong, beautiful character, trusting God when everything seems to be against you. It's the pearl character, having to endure the irritations that have come so close to you and transforming it all into a precious jewel.

Have you met trials and even persecutions, mysterious setbacks? Take heart!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 16, 2001.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Is Jesus REALLY Coming Back Soon?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

You can't deny that it's a temptation: for well over 150 years "we" have been preaching that Jesus is coming "soon," "it's the eleventh hour," "time is almost finished," etc. Now, many are wondering, because they are tempted to doubt: "Is Jesus really coming back again soon as we humans are forced to understand the word "soon"? And some who have long believed that Jesus promised to return visibly, personally, in the clouds, are beginning to try to redefine "the second coming" so it won't be personal and visible. (That means they are repeating the arguments of "our" opponents of 150+ years ago, while telling us they still believe in the Second Coming!)

If you are tempted to doubt the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, let me suggest one simple observation you can make that will clarify your vision: consider how our modern world is fast becoming like Jesus described the days of Noah before the Flood. Look at Matthew 24:37-39 (these are the simple, direct words of Jesus Himself): "As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." Genesis 6 describes those "days" as "corrupt ... and filled with violence" (vs. 11). All the people cared about was sex and pleasure. And Genesis says that God repented that He had made man (vs. 7).

Think of how we are today living in a time of solemn judgment, and contrast the giddy, pleasure-driven, yes, corrupt spirit that prevails, and you can't help but see that it's as it was in the days of Noah before the Flood. It's time for solemn, serious, sober thinking! Nothing in this world makes sense except the truth as it is in Jesus! God give us grace to believe it!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 22, 1998.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A Forgotten Detail About Noah

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

As we study about Noah and the Flood, there is one detail that might get lost in the story of that terrible judgment that God brought upon the human race. It's true that the Bible says that God Himself brought the Flood--it was His initiative. And it appears on the surface that raw fear should be our motive in living--get in the ark or you will perish. BUT, take note of this often-forgotten little detail: Noah was "a preacher of righteousness by faith," not merely of a scare-mongering diatribe (see 2 Peter 2:5 and Heb. 11:7).

While he was "building the ark to the saving of his house" he was busy at the same time proclaiming the much more abounding grace of God, for only that is the message of "righteousness by faith" (Rom. 5:15-20). Hebrews 11 says that he "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith," indicating that he had not always understood that grace. During the 120 years of his ship-building and preaching, his understanding of God's character grew. He could have begun with a message of raw fear, but the closer he came to the Flood itself, the more he "became" aware of the love of God for a lost race. If he was preaching "righteousness by faith," he was preaching "the everlasting gospel"!

Further, Hebrews says he "became heir" to this understanding, an inheritance better than any of the lordly palaces that the antediluvians had built for themselves--all of which were destined to destruction. If you and I can become "heirs" to the full truth of righteousness by faith we shall have something that will nourish us with happiness throughout whatever trials are yet to come on the earth.

Just as Noah grew in his understanding of this "inheritance," so a church in our time may have started out with a message that to them was largely legalistic, but as time has gone on, they can "grow" in their comprehension of that much more abounding grace of Christ.

What sealed the doom of the antediluvians was not merely their acts of sin, bad as they were; they heard and rejected the glorious truths of "righteousness by faith." To reject that message of the grace of Christ is to bring judgment on ourselves. Let's listen and believe!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 26, 2002.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

A Suggested Prayer From Our Savior

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

When you are too tired to think, perplexed, you're in darkness, tempted to discouragement, you don't know what to say even if you try to pray, your Savior has a suggestion for you (this is a free rendition of Matthew 6:9-11):

"Pray a prayer like this:

"My Father in heaven, may Your name, Your reputation, be honored in and through me! Give me by Your grace the ability to think of what YOU need more than what I need! Save me from bringing disgrace upon You!

"May the hindrances to the coming of Your kingdom be overcome; in other words, let nothing further delay the second coming of Jesus! Teach me how I (unworthy as I am) can 'hasten,' not delay, that day (2 Peter 3:12).

"May the righteous purposes of God find fulfillment on this sin-cursed world, may His love become triumphant here, even as those purposes find fulfillment in heaven. Teach me how I can help, not hinder.

"Give me today a morsel of the bread of life that I can assimilate, some concept of 'the truth of the gospel' clearer today than I knew yesterday (Gal. 2:5, 14). Don't let my soul starve any longer.

"Take away my sin of 'enmity against [You]' (Rom. 8:7), save me from holding any grudge against You or any other human being.

"Deliver me from the entanglements of Satan. Amen."

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 12, 2005.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Jesus' Prayer for Us

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Jesus prayed a prayer to His Father for us all: "Sanctify them through thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

What does "sanctify" mean? We all can agree that there is a difference between the character and the personality of someone who is "sanctified" and someone who is not. The difference will be evident between theologians also, even they, the best in the world, can be ornery (sorry!).

We want to live in Christian harmony: "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren [and sisters] to dwell together in unity!" Day after day it's a joy to live. It was possible to live like that as far back in history as King David's time (Psalm 133). It would be heaven on earth to live that way today!

We of all kindreds, tongues, and people can agree that a "sanctified" person will be what 1 Corinthians 13 describes:

He/she suffers long, is kind, doesn't envy, doesn't parade himself/herself, isn't puffed up, doesn't behave rudely, isn't provoked [easily, KJV], thinks no evil (that is, doesn't impute evil motives), bears all things patiently, doesn't rejoice when someone falls, believes and hopes all good things, and endures all bad things (!?), never breaks down the endurance of being crucified daily (Luke 9:23). This is being "sanctified"!

All this, but not being a wimp or a doormat; Jesus confronted some people very directly, even sharply, but always His was a Christlike spirit. Oh, He could stand firm for what He knew is right (read Matt. 23:23-39)! No Christlike, sanctified person can be a wimp.

Father! Please listen to Jesus' prayer in our behalf--"sanctify [us]"!

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 29, 2007.

Friday, January 18, 2013

The Unpardonable Sin

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

The fear of the unpardonable sin has distressed many sincere people. It discourages some and keeps them away from the joyous eternal life that the Lord wants them to experience.

They are told repeatedly that the unpardonable sin is continued, persistent sinning, to the point that they can no longer hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit. But almost everybody in the world can realize that he or she has indeed sinned in one way or another, persistently, continually.

We must look again at the context of what Jesus Himself said about the unpardonable sin; it's in Matthew 12:22-37: Jesus healed someone demon-possessed. "All the multitudes were amazed" and wondered positively if Jesus might be the long-awaited Messiah (as we today wonder if our long-awaited "Elijah" may have already begun his work of "turning hearts"). But "the Pharisees ... said, 'This fellow ... casts out demons ... by the ruler of the demons," Satan himself. They reacted negatively to the nth degree.

This had already happened earlier, in Matthew 9:34; these leaders of the one true church of that day had already attributed the work of Jesus to Satan (which is the unpardonable sin) but now Jesus has given them another chance to repent; but they have repeated that awful sin. Jesus then goes on to tell the Pharisees that "if I cast out devils by the [Holy] Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" and you didn't know it, or recognize the blessing!

These church leaders went on and on in their way until they felt driven to cry out in Pilate's presence "Crucify Him"! (It makes one want to hesitate before accepting any job as church pastor or leader--it's a frightfully dangerous place to be in unless we walk "softly" as King Ahab did when he repented, 1 Kings 21:27-29.)

The way Matthew (chapter 12) and Luke (chapter 11) tell the story about the Pharisees, the people would have been willing to believe the truth and repent, but their church leaders hindered them and "in a great degree" blocked the way.

This action of the Pharisees was the Unpardonable Sin. Let's not repeat it. But if you fear and tremble, there's hope! Thank God.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 17, 2006.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Should We Be Concerned About Our True Conversion?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Should one be worried about whether he is "born again"? The answer is No. But should one be seriously concerned about whether he is truly converted? The answer is Yes. Right up to the moment when the Sanhedrim condemned Jesus to death, the apostle Peter was dead sure he was well converted. When Jesus told him Thursday night that he was not, he became upset, and loudly protested his being thoroughly "born again." In his conscious understanding, he sincerely believed he was already "converted," but when a mere lass (probably an attractive one) challenged his identity with Christ, his unconscious motivations took over and he denied Christ with vile cursing and swearing (Matt. 26:74). Peter did not know himself! One can be very highly educated and know a lot of things--yet not know that.

And who is "Peter"? Anyone who belongs to the seventh church of world history, "the church of the Laodiceans" (Rev. 3:14-21; well, more particularly, anyone who is part of "the angel of the church," its leadership). Jesus tells us frankly that "Peter" is indeed our patron "saint": "You say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy [by some assumed historical enrichment!], and have need of nothing,'--and do not know that you are [the one of all the seven, Greek, ho] wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked," strutting around on the stage of the universe and of the world--"naked."

Poor Peter made a fool of himself, thinking he was "rich" in his born-again experience and knowledge. He even argued with the all-knowing Lord, contradicting Him as if to say, "Lord, You don't know me! Give me a chance, and I'll prove to You that I am the most devoted follower You have! I've been (a) baptized, (b) ordained to the ministry, (c) have cast out devils in Your name, (d) finished my 3-1/2 years Seminary training with cum laude under You as Teacher, (d) have my doctoral diploma, (e) I really understand Your gospel and I teach it powerfully. Lord, do You think I need to go back to the spiritual kindergarten and start over and get 'born again' again?!! You're wrong, Lord!" Sadly, the Lord had to tell him honestly, "When you are converted, strengthen your brethren" (Luke 22:32).

Why should we be "concerned" about our true conversion? Not because of craven fear lest we won't make it into the kingdom, but for a more important reason: lest in our unconscious selfishness we bring shame on Him in these closing hours of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. The best Laodicean in the world can well pray that prayer, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Edward R. Sill probably had an even better idea in his heart-wrenching poem: "O Lord, be merciful to me, a fool!"

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 11, 1999.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread:"

If you had been living in the time of Jesus, do you think you would have felt worthy to be called as one of His disciples? The honest truth is that those twelve men were not outstanding personalities, at least most were not. Only three or four give evidence of gifts of leadership. In fact they were not called to be "leaders." They were called to be witnesses. And it doesn't take a great personality to be a witness!

Among the three or four who were leaders is John. When we read his sweet, gentle, gracious three letters written near the end of his life, we can't imagine what he was like at first. We read that at first he was harsh, ambitious, combative, critical, impetuous, outspoken, proud, resentful, revengeful, self-assertive, violent in spirit. (Where did I get those phrases? All in the Index!*) That's the kind of man that John was when the Lord invited him to leave his fishing business and follow Him in that special three-year "university training" course.

Several times in his Gospel, John speaks of himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20). Sounds strange. Was he boasting, telling everybody that he (John) was sort of "teacher's pet"? If so, how do you think the other disciples felt? Didn't Jesus love them too? (Of course they may all have been dead by the time John wrote his Gospel; but that wouldn't forgive his apparent arrogance.)

This had bothered me a long time. Then I remembered: the word John used when he said Jesus loved him was agape; and agape is the kind of love that loves bad people, ugly people, arrogant, harsh, rude, violent people. I think John may be saying, "Folks, the agape of Jesus singled me out simply because I was the most violent, harsh, combative, unworthy of the lot! No, he was not being proud when he said, speaking even after the resurrection, that he was the disciple whom Jesus especially loved. He meant that he was the one who needed that love the most! And look what it did to him. Receive that love yourself--that's all you can do and that's all that John did.

--Robert J. Wieland

___________

* Vol. 2, p. 1441.

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: June 30, 1997.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.

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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Prayer of the Empty Pantry

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

"I'd love to help somebody else but I don't know what to say!" If you bewail your incompetence as a "witness" for Jesus, welcome to the many who yearn to live for a purpose. They dread meeting Jesus at last with empty arms, a useless life. Let me try to encourage you.

There is a prayer that Jesus HAS to answer, HAS to respond to; He can never say no. It's that of the man in Luke 11 who wakes his neighbor in the middle of the night banging on his door, "Lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him" (vss. 5-13). That's the prayer of the empty pantry, "asking to give" to someone else. You're not asking the Lord to give YOU something; you're asking Him to give you bread for somebody else. That prayer goes priority to the throne, and is always answered.

It's the idea that permeates the "cry" of Jesus in John 7:37-39: "He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said [Song of Solomon 4:15 that is], 'Out of his inmost soul will flow rivers of living water.'" If that "living water" is not flowing out of my own heart to refresh somebody else, it must mean that I don't "believe" on Him! Everyone who "believes" has the well of living water. Is unbelief the problem?

Well, welcome again to the special "club" of fortunate people if you have begun to realize that your basic problem is that of ancient Israel--unbelief. Now you're ready to pray the prayer that can NEVER be denied: "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." Go kneel down beside the anxious father whose child is devil possessed (Mark 9:24). You can NEVER perish if you pray that prayer!

You must FEEL, must realize, must confess, must know forever, your weakness before you CAN be "strong" (2 Cor. 12:8-10). Under heaven there is no substitute for the "broken and contrite heart" which God, fortunately different than we are, "will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).

Yes, this means much less entertainment, and more hungering and thirsting for "righteousness." Kneel and tell the Lord your plate is empty; wait before Him, "wait, I say, on the Lord" (Psalm 27:13, 14). Don't rush off in a spin; give Him a chance. WAIT. Unbelief drains out of one's soul in a tiny drip. WAIT.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: February 2, 2004.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Confused by Conflicting Ideas of Righteousness by Faith?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Are you confused by conflicting ideas of "righteousness by faith"? Many are! It's quite likely that preachers, theologians, writers, have muddied the waters for you. Try reading the naked Bible. Yes, reading it, not merely listening to it on the radio or on CDs to some preacher read it whose voice betrays his own confusion or hard-heartedness (one who reads the Bible in public [or on a CD] must humble his or her soul before God before daring to do so).

Here's a brief suggestion: try reading the Gospel of John. (Those who try to learn New Testament Greek usually begin there, for John's Greek is the most simple of any New Testament writers.) But before you open the Book do offer a sincere prayer that the same Holy Spirit who inspired the apostle will condescend to inspire your mind and heart to grasp what he writes--then you and John will be kneeling together at the throne of grace!

If you have been afraid to read the naked Bible for fear you will be misled (yes, there have been fanatics!), make a choice to believe what the Saviour of the world has promised: "Ask and it shall be given you. .. What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? … Your Father which is in heaven [will] give good things to them that ask Him," not fanatical or poisonous ideas (Matt. 7:7-11; Luke 11:13 explains those "good things" to be the Holy Spirit, Luke). It's a healthy thing to be afraid of fanaticism! Plead with the Father to save you from pride, for fanaticism is spiritual pride. A good, healthy prayer to pray daily is in Romans 12:3, "not to think of oneself more highly than [one] ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

Now, with confidence that the Father is not teasing you but that He respects your humble prayer, start reading John. Remember, no commentaries for now, maybe later. (If you can kneel while you read John, good.) By the time you get to John 3:16, much of the confusion will be cleared out of your mind, like sunshine after a storm. You will see that it is God's job to tell you Good News, and it is now your job to believe it (that's the same as exercising that "measure of faith" God has already given you; and lo and behold, what happens? Righteousness by that faith; yes, willing and happy obedience to all the commandments of God--reconciliation of your alienated heart to Him and to His holy law. Another word for that? Salvation.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: August 7, 1999.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Luther Had the Right Idea of What "Faith" Is

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

An old book divulges a statement that Martin Luther made, brave leader of the Protestant Reformation; a statement that is true throughout time and on into eternity. It's in 16th century verbal brevity and clarity, but up-to-the-minute spiritual truth:

"Thus from faith flow forth love and joy in the Lord, and from love a cheerful, willing free spirit, disposed to serve our neighbour voluntarily, without taking into account any gratitude or ingratitude, praise of blame, gain or loss. Its object is not to lay men under obligation, nor does it distinguish between friends or enemies. ... but most freely spends its goods, whether it loses them through ingratitude or gains goodwill." *

Luther had the right idea here of what "faith" is: it's not grasping for a piece of heavenly real estate. There is no egocentric motivation involved in true faith, the kind that is in John 3:16, "that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, etc."

The faith that is in John 3:16 ("that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life"), is what Luther describes. It's a heart response to the agape-love that moved Christ to deny self and take up His cross on which He died the equivalent of the second death for every one.

On one occasion, the Lord Jesus healed ten lepers, but nine of them did not have the kind of faith that Luther was describing; only the tenth had that kind of faith and came back to thank Jesus for healing him (Luke 17:11-19).

Could it be today that out of ten people who proudly claim to "believe in Jesus," there is the same percentage that do not appreciate what faith is?

--Robert J. Wieland

* On Christian Liberty, p. 270 (quoted in Reinhold Niebuhr, Nature and Destiny of Man, Vol. 2, p. 193).

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 14, 2008.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Christ, A Savior FROM Sin

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Someone gets a bright idea, putting 2 + 2 together to come up with what he thinks is 4. First, King David experienced a deep repentance for his sin with Bathsheba--front-page news for the world. It occasioned Psalms 32 and 51, both bringing comfort and encouragement to millions in all lands. Second, David would never have written those valuable psalms if he had not sinned his adultery with Uriah's wife (and its concomitant accessory sin of murder; adultery in some way always in God's sight involves murder).

So, says the one with this bright idea: put those two truths together, and you end up seeing that since such a repentance as David had is a good thing, it's okay to commit the same sin so we can have a similar repentance. There's no other way to experience "big" repentance unless we commit a "big" sin. A little sin means only a little repentance, and that's being "lukewarm," the problem of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-17).

So, this bright idea says, we can never truly appreciate Psalms 32 and 51 unless we commit the same sin. It's a part of good "Christian education." You learn compassion; so it's really a plus. Only if you have been in the depths of iniquity can you appreciate the heights of righteousness. This doctrine is very attractive and subtle, for it makes sin to be a good thing.

It is based solidly on the egocentric motivation of "conversion": what's most important in the universe is MY personal salvation. Crucifying Christ afresh and putting Him to an open shame and dragging His name as Savior through the mud--this is secondary (see Heb. 6:6; Ezek. 36:20, 21). Such sin gives "comfort" and encouragement to other people to go the way that leads to hell (see Ezek. 16:54).

But there is Good News: Christ will have a people gathered from "every nation, and kindred, and tongue" who appreciate His sacrifice; and motivated solely by His love they are constrained to honor His name as Savior FROM sin even at the cost of life (2 Cor. 5:14, 15). They don't need to re-commit David's sin; they learn David's compassion by corporate repentance. That is implicit in righteousness by faith.

--Robert J. Wieland

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 23, 2001.