Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 5A
Isaiah 26:3
Bob Rakestraw
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you” (New Living Translation). Here the biblical writer speaks to God with a very strong confidence in God’s ability to fill the minds and hearts of his trusting people with continuous peace.
I memorized this text about forty years ago, and it has been one of the most helpful scriptures to me in the ongoing struggle to stay healthy—spiritually, mentally and physically—in a world that is fundamentally unhealthy. I was encouraged years ago when the words of this verse were set to music with a pleasant and peaceful melody. I sometimes sing this chorus when I need comfort, and sometimes simply to praise God.
The Hebrew says “peace, peace” (literally shalom, shalom). One commentator, F. Delitzsch, translates the verse: “You keep the firmly-established mind in peace, peace; for his [or her] confidence rests in you.” The repetition in the Hebrew is to show that deep and constant peace abides in the mind of the one who trusts in Jehovah.
While I was working on this blog I showed the first draft to my wife, Judy. After reading it, she asked an incisive question: “What actually is the peace God offers here?” Her question was prompted by the realization that even devout Christians struggle to have “peace” (as commonly understood) in the midst of life’s circumstances. Does “peace” mean that we will never have any sense of frustration, irritation, anger or confusion? I was richly blessed by my research on the Hebrew word shalom, and I wish to share a few thoughts here with you.
Unlike the Greek word for peace, shalom is “the opposite not so much of war as of any disturbance in the communal well-being of the nation.” It is used over 250 times in the Old Testament, and includes everything given by God in all areas of life. It “covers well-being in the widest sense of the word.” It includes bodily health, contentedness, good relations between nations and individuals, salvation and wholeness. The social dimension of the word reminds us that God’s desire for you and me to have true peace is something attainable only when our interpersonal relationships are healthy.
Another key thought is that peace is inseparable from Yahweh. The name of the place of Gideon’s altar (Judges 6:24) means “Yahweh is peace” (Jehovah-shalom). In the priestly benediction of Numbers 6:24-27 the concept of peace “sums up all the other blessings and…is closely associated with the presence of Yahweh.”
One final thought—too good to leave out—is that shalom often indicates “a comprehensive kind of fulfillment or completion, indeed of a [wholeness] in life and spirit which quite transcends any success which man alone, even under the best of circumstances, is able to attain…. This is illustrated by the promise of Yahweh that Josiah will be gathered to his fathers not ‘in peace’…which was manifestly not the case, but ‘in success,’ i.e., having achieved his calling (2 Kings 22:20).” [Notes are from The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 2, pp. 776-779.]
The basic sense of “peace,” then is wholeness, completeness, contentedness, worked in us by the presence of God, producing well-being in the community and an awareness of satisfaction and success in one’s life calling. This is so much more than “absence of war” or even “absence of worry” as peace is commonly thought of.
From my late teens until now I have experienced much peace from this verse, although I did not understand the text as fully as I do now. Whenever I have been plagued by anxiety, doubt about myself or my future, frustration, sadness, discouragement, depression, fear, temptation, anger, grief, and other difficult states of mind, I have tried to keep a “steadfast mind” (NRSV) by trusting in God and focusing on God’s promises and provisions for me. This text is much like the one in Philippians 4:4-9, which we considered earlier in this series. (I strongly recommend the Philippians passage to you as a way of “filling out” the thought of Isaiah 26:3.)
I have to admit that over the years of my Christian life I have frequently failed to keep my mind fixed on God, and in those times I have lacked the peace this verse offers. There have been many times when I have not kept my focus on the beauty and holiness of the Lord, and his intimate bond with me, and my mind became troubled, unholy, and afflicted by the diseases of the world. Each time, however, that I came back to God for forgiveness and cleansing, he faithfully received me and restored me. As I continued to seek him earnestly, he took me to new levels of holiness and wholeness that I had not experienced before.
Yes, this is a diseased world. There is a brokenness at the core of human existence, individually and collectively, due to the alienation from God that the scriptures call sin. The promise of Isaiah 26:3, however, is astounding. Just as God offered his comfort to ancient Israel in the midst of her struggles for survival, health, wholeness and purpose in life, so he offers his shalom to you and me today.
I want to continue further on this verse next time, giving some recent personal information, but right now I give you a benediction as a corollary to our theme.
Now may the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times in all ways.
The Lord be with all of you
(2 Thessalonians 3:16).
Monday, May 26, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Misfortune, Love, and Blessed Assurance
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 4C
Romans 8:28
Bob Rakestraw
Who are “those who love God”? This is the most troubling aspect of Romans 8:28 for me, intellectually. I have struggled for years with what these words mean in relation to the person who is going through hard times, yet believes in God in some sense. The whole verse—one of my favorite Bible verses for decades—is full of assurance as well as mystery:
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (New American Standard Bible).
While the most troubling part of this verse for me experientially has been the word “good” (considered in the previous posting), the most difficult aspect cognitively has been wondering about who “loves God” in the sense intended by the verse. Can every Christian claim that God is working everything together for good in his or her life, even if they are not loving God in their daily lives? Can we apply this promise to ourselves or others no matter how we are living?
The scripture verse that comes to my mind most often in this regard is John 14:15: “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” I also think of some passages in the letters of John that connect our love for God with keeping God’s commandments. “This is love, that we walk according to his commandments” (2 John 6). “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome…”
(I John 5:3).
What is Romans 8:28 saying, then? Does the promise apply only to those who are living according to God’s commandments, and, if so, how high is the standard? What if I get in a car accident while I am speeding angrily from a nasty argument I just had? If the accident was my fault, does our text of the month apply to me? Does it make a difference if I have been experiencing a close walk with God in recent weeks, or if I have been mostly ignoring God lately?
It seems to me that such questions are legitimate, even necessary, to ask as long as we focus primarily on ourselves rather than others. I should be most concerned about my own relationship with God above all. Then if I find myself in the midst of trouble—whether it be financial, job-related, family, health or otherwise—I can have the assurance that God is working all things together for my good. Because God’s Word connects love for God closely with obedience to his commandments, I don’t believe that I can claim Romans 8:28 for myself with confidence unless I am following God’s ways. God does not expect me to be flawless, but he does call me to live a godly life. And whatever he asks of us, he always gives us the grace to do. Above we quoted I John 5:3—a truly comforting verse: “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome….” God’s commands are always grace-filled, and for our benefit and joy.
How then, in the light of these matters, should we think about our friends and loved ones who are not living in harmony with God and his commandments? While it does not seem correct to apply Romans 8:28 to them (and if they are honest they will admit that), we may take comfort in the fact that God works lovingly and patiently with those for whom we pray and care about. In other words, God is at work in various ways in the lives of both faithful Christians and rebellious Christians, and even with non-Christians, for whom we are concerned. These levels of God’s activity are mysterious, however, and beyond our understanding.
Romans 8:28 is intended to be a strongly encouraging word for those living in fellowship with God—those who “love God.” Those “who are called according to his purpose,” mentioned at the end of verse 28, is speaking of the same group. Regardless of what matters of fortune or misfortune happen to us, we can rest solidly in the blessed assurance that God is at work for our benefit both in this life and the next. If we can trust God for our eternal salvation on the basis of his Word (John 3, Romans 5, Ephesians 2), even so we can trust him from Romans 8 that he is in perfect control of every aspect of our lives. Even when we fail him, we come to him seeking forgiveness and mercy. True to his promises, he cleanses us and continues his great providential ministry of working all things together for good to those who love him.
This is the last of three postings on Romans 8:28. The other two were posted April 18 and 23, 2008.
Romans 8:28
Bob Rakestraw
Who are “those who love God”? This is the most troubling aspect of Romans 8:28 for me, intellectually. I have struggled for years with what these words mean in relation to the person who is going through hard times, yet believes in God in some sense. The whole verse—one of my favorite Bible verses for decades—is full of assurance as well as mystery:
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (New American Standard Bible).
While the most troubling part of this verse for me experientially has been the word “good” (considered in the previous posting), the most difficult aspect cognitively has been wondering about who “loves God” in the sense intended by the verse. Can every Christian claim that God is working everything together for good in his or her life, even if they are not loving God in their daily lives? Can we apply this promise to ourselves or others no matter how we are living?
The scripture verse that comes to my mind most often in this regard is John 14:15: “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” I also think of some passages in the letters of John that connect our love for God with keeping God’s commandments. “This is love, that we walk according to his commandments” (2 John 6). “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome…”
(I John 5:3).
What is Romans 8:28 saying, then? Does the promise apply only to those who are living according to God’s commandments, and, if so, how high is the standard? What if I get in a car accident while I am speeding angrily from a nasty argument I just had? If the accident was my fault, does our text of the month apply to me? Does it make a difference if I have been experiencing a close walk with God in recent weeks, or if I have been mostly ignoring God lately?
It seems to me that such questions are legitimate, even necessary, to ask as long as we focus primarily on ourselves rather than others. I should be most concerned about my own relationship with God above all. Then if I find myself in the midst of trouble—whether it be financial, job-related, family, health or otherwise—I can have the assurance that God is working all things together for my good. Because God’s Word connects love for God closely with obedience to his commandments, I don’t believe that I can claim Romans 8:28 for myself with confidence unless I am following God’s ways. God does not expect me to be flawless, but he does call me to live a godly life. And whatever he asks of us, he always gives us the grace to do. Above we quoted I John 5:3—a truly comforting verse: “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome….” God’s commands are always grace-filled, and for our benefit and joy.
How then, in the light of these matters, should we think about our friends and loved ones who are not living in harmony with God and his commandments? While it does not seem correct to apply Romans 8:28 to them (and if they are honest they will admit that), we may take comfort in the fact that God works lovingly and patiently with those for whom we pray and care about. In other words, God is at work in various ways in the lives of both faithful Christians and rebellious Christians, and even with non-Christians, for whom we are concerned. These levels of God’s activity are mysterious, however, and beyond our understanding.
Romans 8:28 is intended to be a strongly encouraging word for those living in fellowship with God—those who “love God.” Those “who are called according to his purpose,” mentioned at the end of verse 28, is speaking of the same group. Regardless of what matters of fortune or misfortune happen to us, we can rest solidly in the blessed assurance that God is at work for our benefit both in this life and the next. If we can trust God for our eternal salvation on the basis of his Word (John 3, Romans 5, Ephesians 2), even so we can trust him from Romans 8 that he is in perfect control of every aspect of our lives. Even when we fail him, we come to him seeking forgiveness and mercy. True to his promises, he cleanses us and continues his great providential ministry of working all things together for good to those who love him.
This is the last of three postings on Romans 8:28. The other two were posted April 18 and 23, 2008.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Misfortune, Mystery, and the Almighty
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 4B
Romans 8:28
Bob Rakestraw
On “The Benediction Project” earlier this month we started to consider Romans 8:28—one of the best known verses in the Bible. This is the scripture passage where we find the well-known words: “all things work together for good for those who love God.”
But what do the words “work together for good” mean? First of all we find that “all things” are not doing the work. The subject of the sentence, while not stated directly in the text, is clearly God. The literal translation of the scripture is, “And we know that to the ones loving God, He [God] works together all things for good.” The idea is, “he works together,” not “all things work together.” There is deliberate, purposeful activity on God’s part. Much of the time—perhaps most of the time—we are not able to see this “working together.” Outward circumstances may not appear to be any different for the follower of Jesus than for the non-Christian. But, as I and many of God’s people have learned over the years, with eyes of faith and hearts of love for God we know God is at work.
The word “good” raises problems, however. Are we using “good” to mean something of inherent worth, value, or moral rightness, or are we thinking of it as something that contributes to one’s health, welfare, or happiness? Those who use the word in the latter sense may have big struggles with Romans 8:28, because so many of life’s circumstances do not bring us happiness or benefit at the moment. Rather, all things may seem to be working together for our misery!
In Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the word “good” (agathos) has a strong moral quality to it. The word is used of God (Luke 18:19), God’s will (Romans 12:2), and a conscience pleasing to God (I Timothy 1:5). In today’s society, when someone asks us how we are doing, or if we would like more to eat, we sometimes say, “I’m good.” This is a popular way of saying, “I’m feeling fine,” or “I’m satisfied.” But the word “good” in Romans 8:28 is a much deeper, much more meaningful word. It means morally honorable, pleasing to God, and for our lasting benefit. God is working our circumstances—some pleasant, some neutral, and some terrible—for our everlasting good. He is almighty God, not only as Creator and Redeemer, but also as Sustainer and Friend.
What if you are attacked and robbed? Is this good? Romans 8:28 does not say that bad actions in themselves are good. An evil action, such as cursing someone, defrauding them of their money, or sexually assaulting them, is always wrong, never good. God never orders such things. But in this chaotic world of good and evil, where God allows people to make free choices, awful things happen. Because God generally does not block the freedom of his created beings, and because he regularly allows the natural world to operate according to natural laws, we experience the effects of drunken drivers’ mistakes, the sufferings of an unjustified divorce, and the tragedy of cancer. These are not good in themselves, but God with his own loving hands, declares that he is shaping these events into a mosaic of eternal good. In some situations we can see it or sense it happening right away, while in other circumstances we cannot. This is a realm of great mystery, to be sure.
I am struggling these days, trying to keep my mind and soul stable and satisfied. Since my heart transplant of 2003 I have had more difficulty than at any time in my life staying well-grounded and whole. Due to rejection problems with my new heart, I had to retire from teaching theology and ethics in 2005. It has now been over three years since that time, and I have been learning continually how to maintain a sense of spiritual, psychological, and bodily equilibrium. How do I think about myself and my usefulness on this earth? How do I spend my days, when I have fewer and fewer segments of time each day in which I have some strength to work? What do I do when lying down, sitting, standing and walking are all increasingly hard to do? Just “being” is difficult.
Although I become weary of life this way, without the activity and ministry I once had, I find that God assures me daily of his presence and purpose in my life. Daily meditation on one or more of the scripture texts in this series of blogs (as well as other scriptures), interaction with key people in my life, communion with God throughout the day (especially with praise and thanksgiving and some potent reading materials), and trying to accomplish some good for others each day, are some of the ways I keep going.
While life is tough for all of us at times, Romans 8:28 is intended for all who love God and are called according to his purpose. This latter part of our verse is the topic for our next posting.
May God comfort, strengthen and guide you with his steady hand and loving Spirit. Thank you for reading; I welcome your comments in reply.
Romans 8:28
Bob Rakestraw
On “The Benediction Project” earlier this month we started to consider Romans 8:28—one of the best known verses in the Bible. This is the scripture passage where we find the well-known words: “all things work together for good for those who love God.”
But what do the words “work together for good” mean? First of all we find that “all things” are not doing the work. The subject of the sentence, while not stated directly in the text, is clearly God. The literal translation of the scripture is, “And we know that to the ones loving God, He [God] works together all things for good.” The idea is, “he works together,” not “all things work together.” There is deliberate, purposeful activity on God’s part. Much of the time—perhaps most of the time—we are not able to see this “working together.” Outward circumstances may not appear to be any different for the follower of Jesus than for the non-Christian. But, as I and many of God’s people have learned over the years, with eyes of faith and hearts of love for God we know God is at work.
The word “good” raises problems, however. Are we using “good” to mean something of inherent worth, value, or moral rightness, or are we thinking of it as something that contributes to one’s health, welfare, or happiness? Those who use the word in the latter sense may have big struggles with Romans 8:28, because so many of life’s circumstances do not bring us happiness or benefit at the moment. Rather, all things may seem to be working together for our misery!
In Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the word “good” (agathos) has a strong moral quality to it. The word is used of God (Luke 18:19), God’s will (Romans 12:2), and a conscience pleasing to God (I Timothy 1:5). In today’s society, when someone asks us how we are doing, or if we would like more to eat, we sometimes say, “I’m good.” This is a popular way of saying, “I’m feeling fine,” or “I’m satisfied.” But the word “good” in Romans 8:28 is a much deeper, much more meaningful word. It means morally honorable, pleasing to God, and for our lasting benefit. God is working our circumstances—some pleasant, some neutral, and some terrible—for our everlasting good. He is almighty God, not only as Creator and Redeemer, but also as Sustainer and Friend.
What if you are attacked and robbed? Is this good? Romans 8:28 does not say that bad actions in themselves are good. An evil action, such as cursing someone, defrauding them of their money, or sexually assaulting them, is always wrong, never good. God never orders such things. But in this chaotic world of good and evil, where God allows people to make free choices, awful things happen. Because God generally does not block the freedom of his created beings, and because he regularly allows the natural world to operate according to natural laws, we experience the effects of drunken drivers’ mistakes, the sufferings of an unjustified divorce, and the tragedy of cancer. These are not good in themselves, but God with his own loving hands, declares that he is shaping these events into a mosaic of eternal good. In some situations we can see it or sense it happening right away, while in other circumstances we cannot. This is a realm of great mystery, to be sure.
I am struggling these days, trying to keep my mind and soul stable and satisfied. Since my heart transplant of 2003 I have had more difficulty than at any time in my life staying well-grounded and whole. Due to rejection problems with my new heart, I had to retire from teaching theology and ethics in 2005. It has now been over three years since that time, and I have been learning continually how to maintain a sense of spiritual, psychological, and bodily equilibrium. How do I think about myself and my usefulness on this earth? How do I spend my days, when I have fewer and fewer segments of time each day in which I have some strength to work? What do I do when lying down, sitting, standing and walking are all increasingly hard to do? Just “being” is difficult.
Although I become weary of life this way, without the activity and ministry I once had, I find that God assures me daily of his presence and purpose in my life. Daily meditation on one or more of the scripture texts in this series of blogs (as well as other scriptures), interaction with key people in my life, communion with God throughout the day (especially with praise and thanksgiving and some potent reading materials), and trying to accomplish some good for others each day, are some of the ways I keep going.
While life is tough for all of us at times, Romans 8:28 is intended for all who love God and are called according to his purpose. This latter part of our verse is the topic for our next posting.
May God comfort, strengthen and guide you with his steady hand and loving Spirit. Thank you for reading; I welcome your comments in reply.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Misfortune, Wickedness, and Hope
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 4A
Romans 8:28
Bob Rakestraw
When I was a new Christian I heard often in church services and meetings that “all things work together for good for those who love God.” Because I was in good health, enjoying my college classes, and reveling in my new faith—especially the knowledge of forgiveness from sin and acceptance by God—I received the teaching of Romans 8:28 gladly and easily. Surely the verse made solid spiritual sense coming from my understanding of an all-powerful, all-loving God.
Over the years my belief in the truth of this verse has been thoroughly tested. Job and career issues, the pursuit of education, financial matters, parenting, health problems, temperament/personality concerns, and spiritual struggles have been part of the “all things” covered by Romans 8:28. This has been one of my all-time favorite Bible verses, but I have surely questioned its meaning in my life when circumstances have been hard.
What, exactly, is the text teaching? How does the immediate context—the verses before and after our scripture—help us to interpret the passage? What about cancer, tornadoes, and sexual assaults? Do these—even the last mentioned—actually “work together for good” in our lives? What about the remainder of the verse: “for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”?
In this posting, and in the next two as well, I intend to consider this very well-known scripture passage. I trust, by God’s grace and wisdom, to be able to unpack—at least a little—the amazing truth within this verse. It is my firm belief that God gave us his written Word for the purpose of helping us with daily living. Even though some biblical passages—such as this one—are full of mystery, God gave us the scriptures to enlighten us, not to confuse us. This we know (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
And this is where we will start—with what we know. The first four words of Romans 8:28 in English are “And we know that.” By saying “and” the apostle Paul wants to connect verse 28 with the previous two verses, where he teaches the glorious truth that the Spirit of God prays for us “with sighs too deep for words” and “according to the will of God.” Whatever else we discover about our text of the month, we know that God’s working everything for our good is in conjunction with the Spirit’s powerful prayers for us. In fact, the Spirit’s prayers are part of the “working together for good.”
Perhaps the most startling (and even, to some, objectionable) words in the text are “all things.” It is one thing to say that God can make a car theft or a broken leg work together for our good, but it is a wholly different matter to say this of a lifetime prison sentence for an innocent person, a childhood of terrible abuse, or being defrauded of one’s life savings in one’s retirement years.
Sometimes a person is able to see the good effects of a misfortune. For example, you may come out of the car theft with an even better car, or your broken leg might put you in the hospital where your nurse or therapist turns out to be the person you will marry. Other experiences, however, appear to be so awful and evil that no good can come out of them, and it seems artificial (at best) to try to explain them as something good.
In the midst of misfortune and wickedness, is there reason for hope? The “all things” cannot be brushed aside. In addition to Romans 8:28 we read, “give thanks in all circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18), and “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything” (Ephesians 5:20). If we believe the good parts of the Bible, such as John 3:16 and Psalm 23, we must believe these more difficult scriptures as well. May God help us to understand them and give us hope.
This article is one of a series presenting my all-time favorite Bible passages. My criterion for selecting these texts—one for each month of 2008—is the practical benefit/nourishment/help I have received from God through these scriptures over the four and one-half decades of my Christian life. I am who I am today because of some key people and because of the truths in these twelve scripture texts. There are many other Bible verses that could fit well in this series. The Word of God is a well-stocked gold mine of truth.
If you wish, start your own list, and share some of your stories on this blog—to help us all live well, help us all to serve others, and help us all to prepare well for the remainder of this life and for the next.
Note: I may use more than one posting to consider some Bible texts, but I will try to keep the related postings within the same month.
Romans 8:28
Bob Rakestraw
When I was a new Christian I heard often in church services and meetings that “all things work together for good for those who love God.” Because I was in good health, enjoying my college classes, and reveling in my new faith—especially the knowledge of forgiveness from sin and acceptance by God—I received the teaching of Romans 8:28 gladly and easily. Surely the verse made solid spiritual sense coming from my understanding of an all-powerful, all-loving God.
Over the years my belief in the truth of this verse has been thoroughly tested. Job and career issues, the pursuit of education, financial matters, parenting, health problems, temperament/personality concerns, and spiritual struggles have been part of the “all things” covered by Romans 8:28. This has been one of my all-time favorite Bible verses, but I have surely questioned its meaning in my life when circumstances have been hard.
What, exactly, is the text teaching? How does the immediate context—the verses before and after our scripture—help us to interpret the passage? What about cancer, tornadoes, and sexual assaults? Do these—even the last mentioned—actually “work together for good” in our lives? What about the remainder of the verse: “for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”?
In this posting, and in the next two as well, I intend to consider this very well-known scripture passage. I trust, by God’s grace and wisdom, to be able to unpack—at least a little—the amazing truth within this verse. It is my firm belief that God gave us his written Word for the purpose of helping us with daily living. Even though some biblical passages—such as this one—are full of mystery, God gave us the scriptures to enlighten us, not to confuse us. This we know (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
And this is where we will start—with what we know. The first four words of Romans 8:28 in English are “And we know that.” By saying “and” the apostle Paul wants to connect verse 28 with the previous two verses, where he teaches the glorious truth that the Spirit of God prays for us “with sighs too deep for words” and “according to the will of God.” Whatever else we discover about our text of the month, we know that God’s working everything for our good is in conjunction with the Spirit’s powerful prayers for us. In fact, the Spirit’s prayers are part of the “working together for good.”
Perhaps the most startling (and even, to some, objectionable) words in the text are “all things.” It is one thing to say that God can make a car theft or a broken leg work together for our good, but it is a wholly different matter to say this of a lifetime prison sentence for an innocent person, a childhood of terrible abuse, or being defrauded of one’s life savings in one’s retirement years.
Sometimes a person is able to see the good effects of a misfortune. For example, you may come out of the car theft with an even better car, or your broken leg might put you in the hospital where your nurse or therapist turns out to be the person you will marry. Other experiences, however, appear to be so awful and evil that no good can come out of them, and it seems artificial (at best) to try to explain them as something good.
In the midst of misfortune and wickedness, is there reason for hope? The “all things” cannot be brushed aside. In addition to Romans 8:28 we read, “give thanks in all circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18), and “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything” (Ephesians 5:20). If we believe the good parts of the Bible, such as John 3:16 and Psalm 23, we must believe these more difficult scriptures as well. May God help us to understand them and give us hope.
This article is one of a series presenting my all-time favorite Bible passages. My criterion for selecting these texts—one for each month of 2008—is the practical benefit/nourishment/help I have received from God through these scriptures over the four and one-half decades of my Christian life. I am who I am today because of some key people and because of the truths in these twelve scripture texts. There are many other Bible verses that could fit well in this series. The Word of God is a well-stocked gold mine of truth.
If you wish, start your own list, and share some of your stories on this blog—to help us all live well, help us all to serve others, and help us all to prepare well for the remainder of this life and for the next.
Note: I may use more than one posting to consider some Bible texts, but I will try to keep the related postings within the same month.
Monday, March 31, 2008
More about Suffering and Divine Justice
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 3B
Genesis 18:25b
Bob Rakestraw
In my previous posting I introduced the topic of human suffering, and whether or not we are able to reconcile the enormity—both quantitatively and qualitatively—of suffering with the Christian teaching that God is a loving, caring and just God. Concerning the justice of God, which is our specific focus here, I indicated that the most helpful thought to me on this whole matter—for some forty years or more of questioning—has been Genesis 18:25. Here Abraham asks one of the most important questions anyone can ever ask: “Shall not the Judge [or Ruler] of all the earth do what is just?”
The biblical context is essential for our understanding of these words. Chapters 11-25 of the book of Genesis contain the fascinating story of Abraham. He was a man with flaws, like you and me, but he was a faithful servant of God. A valuable theological commentary on the Genesis account of Abraham’s life is found in Acts 7:2-8; Romans 4:1-25; and Hebrews 11:8-19. In these three accounts we learn from a medical doctor (Luke, the author of Acts), a Jewish Rabbi (Paul, the author of Romans), and the unknown author of Hebrews (someone very well educated in the Old Testament scriptures and the Greek language). All three affirm the remarkable character of Abraham, and his powerful example to us of trust in God.
The Genesis account tells of a visitation from God to Abraham. What looked like three men came to him, and Abraham and his wife, Sarah, displayed lavish middle-eastern hospitality toward them (Gen. 18:1-8). Reading on, we discover that the three were actually two angels and the Lord himself in human form (Gen. 18:33-19:1).
The reasons for these three strangers’ coming into Abraham’s life were to announce the forthcoming pregnancy of Sarah (Gen.18:9-15) and to consider what to do about the wickedness of Sodom, Gomorrah and the other “Cities of the Plain” (Gen. 18:16-19:29). It is this latter issue that concerns us here.
While the Lord did not say initially that he was considering destroying Sodom and the other cities, he obviously did come to the region with this in mind. The Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know” (Gen. 18:20-21).
Abraham then begins to intercede with the Lord for Sodom. He was distressed over the thought of Sodom being destroyed, and the reason for his turmoil was because his nephew Lot, Lot’s wife, and their two daughters, lived in Sodom. If God destroyed Sodom, Abraham’s loved ones would be killed.
Abraham had a very close relationship with the Lord. In fact, he is called the “friend of God” three times in the Bible (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). But in the latter half of Genesis 18 Abraham is clearly upset at the prospect of what might happen to his loved ones in Sodom.
Then Abraham came near [to the Lord] and said, Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?
Here we come to the crux of the story and the heart of the issue of suffering: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” While we will not examine here the fascinating interchange between God and Abraham, we look ahead and see that Sodom and the other cities were destroyed (Gen. 19:13, 24-29; 2 Pet. 2:6-10; Jude 7). Lot, his wife, and their daughters were first rescued from the city (Gen. 19:16). “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew these cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Gen. 19:24-25).
Abraham, sensing this was going to happen, was concerned not only for his loved ones but also with the issue of divine justice in general. Should so many people be killed in the coming devastation? How can this be reconciled with the righteous character of God? The very point in the Genesis account of Abraham’s turmoil is that God will not do what is unjust! Abraham knew this. “Far be it from you” to do anything unrighteous, he says twice to God. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen. 18:25). Abraham’s relationship with God was so close that, even though there was much he did not understand about the ways of God, he knew that God was just in everything he did.
Throughout my life I too have struggled, as Abraham did, with the problem of evil and suffering and God’s dealings with these matters. One of the four areas of study for my comprehensive Ph.D. exams—necessary to do well on in order to qualify to write the dissertation—was the problem of evil. I have examined many angles and aspects of the topic, and studied numerous treatments of the issues, but I do not claim to have found “the answer.” It is a major challenge just to formulate the questions well!
The primary question before us concerns God’s justice, or righteousness, not his love, mercy, or power. While these other qualities of God are essential to a full discussion of the problems of suffering and evil, we are here considering how Abraham’s confidence in God may help us live in the face of our questions and sufferings.
Although my conclusion in this essay may not sound very profound, it is to me one of the most satisfying ways to respond to the issues of suffering. I say this not (I trust) as a way of boasting, but as an expression of deep gratitude to my Lord for his teaching and comforting ministry to me over the years. Whatever insights I have gained are from the Spirit of the Lord working through the written Word of the Lord, through life experiences, and through choice servants of the Lord instructing me by their lives, their writings, and their prayers.
Essentially, I trust in the justice and righteousness of the Lord for two reasons.
(1) I have found that the biblical teachings on this topic—taken as a whole—are both coherent and comforting when I try to study them with an open mind and an acknowledgement of my inability to grasp fully the mysteries of God’s ways.
(2) I have found that the total Christian message, proclaimed and lived by loyal followers of Christ around the world, is intellectually, psychologically and spiritually satisfying. I know of no other theological/religious system that even comes close to offering me a solid cognitive basis, a compelling testimony of many faithful, justice-oriented believers, and clear reasons for hope in this present world and the world to come.
In summary, if I find true biblical Christianity to be valid and life-giving, as I do, then I hold to the justice of God in the face of suffering, even though I live with mystery and sometimes confusion in these matters. I find the example of Abraham, as given in the New Testament scriptures above as well as in the Old Testament, to be most informative and encouraging. Abraham’s strong affirmation, presented in the form of a rhetorical question, has strengthened me mightily ever since I first studied it in the fall of 1963. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
This article is one of a series presenting my all-time favorite Bible passages. My criterion for selecting these texts—one for each month of 2008—is the practical benefit/nourishment/help I have received from God through these scriptures over the four and one-half decades of my Christian life. I am who I am today because of some key people and because of the truths in these twelve scripture texts. There are many other Bible verses that could fit well in this series. The Word of God is a well-stocked gold mine of truth.
If you wish, start your own list, and share some of your stories on this blog—to help us all live well, help us all to serve others, and help us all to prepare well for the remainder of this life and for the next.
Note: I may use more than one posting to consider some Bible texts, but I will try to keep the related postings within the same month.
Genesis 18:25b
Bob Rakestraw
In my previous posting I introduced the topic of human suffering, and whether or not we are able to reconcile the enormity—both quantitatively and qualitatively—of suffering with the Christian teaching that God is a loving, caring and just God. Concerning the justice of God, which is our specific focus here, I indicated that the most helpful thought to me on this whole matter—for some forty years or more of questioning—has been Genesis 18:25. Here Abraham asks one of the most important questions anyone can ever ask: “Shall not the Judge [or Ruler] of all the earth do what is just?”
The biblical context is essential for our understanding of these words. Chapters 11-25 of the book of Genesis contain the fascinating story of Abraham. He was a man with flaws, like you and me, but he was a faithful servant of God. A valuable theological commentary on the Genesis account of Abraham’s life is found in Acts 7:2-8; Romans 4:1-25; and Hebrews 11:8-19. In these three accounts we learn from a medical doctor (Luke, the author of Acts), a Jewish Rabbi (Paul, the author of Romans), and the unknown author of Hebrews (someone very well educated in the Old Testament scriptures and the Greek language). All three affirm the remarkable character of Abraham, and his powerful example to us of trust in God.
The Genesis account tells of a visitation from God to Abraham. What looked like three men came to him, and Abraham and his wife, Sarah, displayed lavish middle-eastern hospitality toward them (Gen. 18:1-8). Reading on, we discover that the three were actually two angels and the Lord himself in human form (Gen. 18:33-19:1).
The reasons for these three strangers’ coming into Abraham’s life were to announce the forthcoming pregnancy of Sarah (Gen.18:9-15) and to consider what to do about the wickedness of Sodom, Gomorrah and the other “Cities of the Plain” (Gen. 18:16-19:29). It is this latter issue that concerns us here.
While the Lord did not say initially that he was considering destroying Sodom and the other cities, he obviously did come to the region with this in mind. The Lord said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know” (Gen. 18:20-21).
Abraham then begins to intercede with the Lord for Sodom. He was distressed over the thought of Sodom being destroyed, and the reason for his turmoil was because his nephew Lot, Lot’s wife, and their two daughters, lived in Sodom. If God destroyed Sodom, Abraham’s loved ones would be killed.
Abraham had a very close relationship with the Lord. In fact, he is called the “friend of God” three times in the Bible (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). But in the latter half of Genesis 18 Abraham is clearly upset at the prospect of what might happen to his loved ones in Sodom.
Then Abraham came near [to the Lord] and said, Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?
Here we come to the crux of the story and the heart of the issue of suffering: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” While we will not examine here the fascinating interchange between God and Abraham, we look ahead and see that Sodom and the other cities were destroyed (Gen. 19:13, 24-29; 2 Pet. 2:6-10; Jude 7). Lot, his wife, and their daughters were first rescued from the city (Gen. 19:16). “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew these cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Gen. 19:24-25).
Abraham, sensing this was going to happen, was concerned not only for his loved ones but also with the issue of divine justice in general. Should so many people be killed in the coming devastation? How can this be reconciled with the righteous character of God? The very point in the Genesis account of Abraham’s turmoil is that God will not do what is unjust! Abraham knew this. “Far be it from you” to do anything unrighteous, he says twice to God. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen. 18:25). Abraham’s relationship with God was so close that, even though there was much he did not understand about the ways of God, he knew that God was just in everything he did.
Throughout my life I too have struggled, as Abraham did, with the problem of evil and suffering and God’s dealings with these matters. One of the four areas of study for my comprehensive Ph.D. exams—necessary to do well on in order to qualify to write the dissertation—was the problem of evil. I have examined many angles and aspects of the topic, and studied numerous treatments of the issues, but I do not claim to have found “the answer.” It is a major challenge just to formulate the questions well!
The primary question before us concerns God’s justice, or righteousness, not his love, mercy, or power. While these other qualities of God are essential to a full discussion of the problems of suffering and evil, we are here considering how Abraham’s confidence in God may help us live in the face of our questions and sufferings.
Although my conclusion in this essay may not sound very profound, it is to me one of the most satisfying ways to respond to the issues of suffering. I say this not (I trust) as a way of boasting, but as an expression of deep gratitude to my Lord for his teaching and comforting ministry to me over the years. Whatever insights I have gained are from the Spirit of the Lord working through the written Word of the Lord, through life experiences, and through choice servants of the Lord instructing me by their lives, their writings, and their prayers.
Essentially, I trust in the justice and righteousness of the Lord for two reasons.
(1) I have found that the biblical teachings on this topic—taken as a whole—are both coherent and comforting when I try to study them with an open mind and an acknowledgement of my inability to grasp fully the mysteries of God’s ways.
(2) I have found that the total Christian message, proclaimed and lived by loyal followers of Christ around the world, is intellectually, psychologically and spiritually satisfying. I know of no other theological/religious system that even comes close to offering me a solid cognitive basis, a compelling testimony of many faithful, justice-oriented believers, and clear reasons for hope in this present world and the world to come.
In summary, if I find true biblical Christianity to be valid and life-giving, as I do, then I hold to the justice of God in the face of suffering, even though I live with mystery and sometimes confusion in these matters. I find the example of Abraham, as given in the New Testament scriptures above as well as in the Old Testament, to be most informative and encouraging. Abraham’s strong affirmation, presented in the form of a rhetorical question, has strengthened me mightily ever since I first studied it in the fall of 1963. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
This article is one of a series presenting my all-time favorite Bible passages. My criterion for selecting these texts—one for each month of 2008—is the practical benefit/nourishment/help I have received from God through these scriptures over the four and one-half decades of my Christian life. I am who I am today because of some key people and because of the truths in these twelve scripture texts. There are many other Bible verses that could fit well in this series. The Word of God is a well-stocked gold mine of truth.
If you wish, start your own list, and share some of your stories on this blog—to help us all live well, help us all to serve others, and help us all to prepare well for the remainder of this life and for the next.
Note: I may use more than one posting to consider some Bible texts, but I will try to keep the related postings within the same month.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Suffering and Divine Justice
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 3A
Genesis 18:25b
Bob Rakestraw
March 29, 2008
The single most-widely held reason for not believing in a personal, loving God is, it seems to me, the prevalence of suffering in the world. While neither I nor anyone else can say for sure that this is the most deeply and widely held objection to belief in a caring God, it appears to me from studying the personal accounts and arguments of atheists or near atheists to be so. And if we consider suffering to include the broad area of unanswered prayer, this confirms even more the category of suffering as the biggest objection to God.
Not long ago my wife and I were sitting at the table after breakfast, looking through the newspaper. I was glancing at the obituary section—something I have done more frequently during the past year than in my whole life before. (In March, 2007, I was told I probably had no more than six months to live.) I read a few of the write-ups about those who had recently died, then my eyes feel to a brief section titled "In Memoriam" after the obituaries. Here is where loved ones place fond memories and kind thoughts concerning relatives and friends who died one or more years ago, marking the anniversaries of their deaths. Often these tributes are written directly to the deceased person, and are very touching.
I read one of the tributes from a man to his wife who died in 2001. As soon as I read it I began to sob—gushing with loud and tearful bursts of sorrow and pain. The man had written next to her photo:
"We had it all
and I wish we could do it over."
I am not sure why these words and the photo affected me so deeply. I kept sobbing and grieving for several minutes, while Judy sat there offering what consolation she could. Perhaps I had this outburst of emotion that morning because I had had a difficult time health-wise the night before. Ever since my heart transplant in 2003 I have been more sensitive emotionally. Perhaps this is due—at least in part—to the powerful drugs I take to prevent rejection. Perhaps it is due to physiological changes within my body since the surgery. I may have had my outburst that morning because reading the bereaved husband's words triggered grief over the eventual parting with my wife here on earth, thinking that our parting—due to my precarious health condition—might be near.
One thing I know is that I have in recent years become more sensitive to the hurts, sufferings and sorrows of my fellow human beings on this planet earth. I feel the sufferings of the millions devastated by the Asian Tsunami of December 26, 2004. I feel the agonies of those caught in the ugly web of human trafficking. I grieve deeply over tragic news stories such as murders, rapes, accidents and suicides, and at times I know I take these burdens upon myself in ways that affect my mood (and therefore overall health) significantly. I sometimes allow the sufferings of others to tear me apart. While I know that compassion is an important Christian quality, I struggle at times to find a healthy balance between—on the one hand—an unhealthy sense of anguish over the sufferings of others and—on the other hand—a sense of detachment and apathy about human pain. I know there is a godly, biblical balance between these two extremes, and I continue to search for it.
Where is God in the midst of human suffering? Is God really a God of justice and mercy, as I have taught my college and seminary students for many years? If so, how can there be so much pain in the world?
It is obvious, of course, to each of you who has read this article so far, that the subject I have raised is simply enormous. A very large number of books has been published on the topic, as well as countless articles in magazines, journals and edited collections. My purpose here and in the next posting or two, is quite limited: to consider briefly one scripture text bearing on the topic—a Bible verse that, to me, has been the single most important thought on the issue, whether viewed philosophically, theologically, biblically, or any other way.
In my next posting I want to think about the issues raised above, but for now I want to offer a benediction to you that I trust will give genuine comfort and hope.
"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever, Amen." (I Peter 5:10-11)
Genesis 18:25b
Bob Rakestraw
March 29, 2008
The single most-widely held reason for not believing in a personal, loving God is, it seems to me, the prevalence of suffering in the world. While neither I nor anyone else can say for sure that this is the most deeply and widely held objection to belief in a caring God, it appears to me from studying the personal accounts and arguments of atheists or near atheists to be so. And if we consider suffering to include the broad area of unanswered prayer, this confirms even more the category of suffering as the biggest objection to God.
Not long ago my wife and I were sitting at the table after breakfast, looking through the newspaper. I was glancing at the obituary section—something I have done more frequently during the past year than in my whole life before. (In March, 2007, I was told I probably had no more than six months to live.) I read a few of the write-ups about those who had recently died, then my eyes feel to a brief section titled "In Memoriam" after the obituaries. Here is where loved ones place fond memories and kind thoughts concerning relatives and friends who died one or more years ago, marking the anniversaries of their deaths. Often these tributes are written directly to the deceased person, and are very touching.
I read one of the tributes from a man to his wife who died in 2001. As soon as I read it I began to sob—gushing with loud and tearful bursts of sorrow and pain. The man had written next to her photo:
"We had it all
and I wish we could do it over."
I am not sure why these words and the photo affected me so deeply. I kept sobbing and grieving for several minutes, while Judy sat there offering what consolation she could. Perhaps I had this outburst of emotion that morning because I had had a difficult time health-wise the night before. Ever since my heart transplant in 2003 I have been more sensitive emotionally. Perhaps this is due—at least in part—to the powerful drugs I take to prevent rejection. Perhaps it is due to physiological changes within my body since the surgery. I may have had my outburst that morning because reading the bereaved husband's words triggered grief over the eventual parting with my wife here on earth, thinking that our parting—due to my precarious health condition—might be near.
One thing I know is that I have in recent years become more sensitive to the hurts, sufferings and sorrows of my fellow human beings on this planet earth. I feel the sufferings of the millions devastated by the Asian Tsunami of December 26, 2004. I feel the agonies of those caught in the ugly web of human trafficking. I grieve deeply over tragic news stories such as murders, rapes, accidents and suicides, and at times I know I take these burdens upon myself in ways that affect my mood (and therefore overall health) significantly. I sometimes allow the sufferings of others to tear me apart. While I know that compassion is an important Christian quality, I struggle at times to find a healthy balance between—on the one hand—an unhealthy sense of anguish over the sufferings of others and—on the other hand—a sense of detachment and apathy about human pain. I know there is a godly, biblical balance between these two extremes, and I continue to search for it.
Where is God in the midst of human suffering? Is God really a God of justice and mercy, as I have taught my college and seminary students for many years? If so, how can there be so much pain in the world?
It is obvious, of course, to each of you who has read this article so far, that the subject I have raised is simply enormous. A very large number of books has been published on the topic, as well as countless articles in magazines, journals and edited collections. My purpose here and in the next posting or two, is quite limited: to consider briefly one scripture text bearing on the topic—a Bible verse that, to me, has been the single most important thought on the issue, whether viewed philosophically, theologically, biblically, or any other way.
In my next posting I want to think about the issues raised above, but for now I want to offer a benediction to you that I trust will give genuine comfort and hope.
"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever, Amen." (I Peter 5:10-11)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wisdom - How to Get It
Top Twelve Scripture Texts: Number 2
James 1:5-8: Wisdom
Bob Rakestraw
God showed me very early in my Christian life the importance of James 1:5-8. This passage of scripture has been a powerful influence on me, guiding me and encouraging me in the biggest decisions of my life. God used it in guiding my choice of a college, leading me from the one I was attending. God used it in helping me know the woman I would marry—and have now been married to for over forty years. God used it in guiding my wife and me concerning major moves to Missouri, Alberta, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, and Minnesota. Here is the scripture text I have come to love and highly value.
If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:5-8, NRSV).
I have used this Bible passage numerous times as I have sought for guidance, not only for the “big” decisions such as college, spouse, and major geographical moves involving education or employment, but also for hundreds—probably thousands—of less “dramatic” matters. I need God’s wisdom for the daily details and “business” of life as well as for the most serious decisions and crises.
All of us need wisdom many times a day. Whether we need direction in handling our money, help in preparing for an exam, or guidance in knowing what to say to someone we are trying to help, we need God’s wisdom. This scripture text from the book of James instructs us in our all-important quest for wisdom. It has been for years one of my “top twelve” all-time favorite Bible passages, because it has been so consistently encouraging and practically beneficial. I memorized it long ago, as I have all twelve of these texts. That way, I can pull it out of my memory as easily as I take a pen from my pocket.
Helpful Background
James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote this epistle about 50 AD. He was the leader of the Jerusalem church, and was writing to Jewish Christian congregations scattered outside of Palestine throughout the Roman Empire. The church was under pressure, suffering not martyrdom and physical persecution as such, but economic persecution and the oppression of the poor. Christians were beginning to break under the pressure, so James wrote to urge them to stay strong and persevere in trials. For this they would need much wisdom from God.
Here is the background to our text on wisdom from James 1:2-4:
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
These words are so startling—utterly amazing and contrary to our natural inclinations—that they cause us either to ponder them deeply or discard them quickly. I have studied and taught the book of James from the original Greek language for over thirty-five years. In terms of its practicality in my life it is my favorite New Testament book. I never fail to be stunned, however, by the words “consider it nothing but joy.” No amount of reworking or retranslating of the original text can dull the force of these words. When we embrace this attitude of considering our trials—whatever kind they are—as “nothing but joy,” we are surely ready to ask God for wisdom in the midst of these trials.
Many times I have lain upon a bed in severe physical pain, trying to think about God and the illness in such a way as to relieve the pain. It is clear to me that the suffering and distress of these moments is not “pure joy” in itself. In the new heaven and new earth, “mourning and crying and pain will be no more” (Rev. 21:4), so pain itself is not a joyful thing. I hate the pain. The joy, I have discovered, is in the intensity and singularity of God’s presence in the moment of trial. No thought, measure or device resolves the issue other than the pure presence of God himself. Knowing that God loves me supremely and allows only what is of eternal benefit for his trusting children, I find that the experience itself is a kind of encounter with heaven. There comes an infusion of heaven’s presence that eclipses the agony of the moment. My favorite expression at such times is: “I trust you, Lord.” I repeat this over and over. Even though I “groan inwardly” at such times (Rom 8:23), I also find God very real, very near and very comforting. Other kinds of trials—relational, psychological, financial (the main category of trials experienced by James’ readers)—are included in this scripture: “whenever you face trials of any kind.” In the same way as with physical sufferings, we are to consider such difficulties as “pure joy” (Jas. 1:2, NIV).
The God we Address
And we are to come to God for wisdom. As remarkable as the previous thought is (“consider it nothing but joy”), these words are just as remarkable: “ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly (‘without finding fault,’ NIV), and it will be given you.” The invitation is open to everyone going through trials. The Greek word translated “generously” (haplos) is used only here in the New Testament. It may be rendered “generously,” “liberally,” “without reserve,” but there is also good support for the translation “simply,” “without mental reservation,” “sincerely,” “with an undivided mind.” One scholar, Peter H. Davids, leans toward the second meaning because, in part, “it prepares one for the description of the vacillating petitioner [in vss. 6-8], whose divided loyalty prevents his prayer from being heard” (The Epistle of James [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982], p. 73). God truly does give to us liberally (2 Cor. 9:8), but he also gives to us without mental reservation. He is not double minded—wanting to give us wisdom but also wanting to hold back in some way. No, he gives to us with the purest of motives—to help us navigate the rocky shores and treacherous waves on the oceans of life. God’s pure, simple desire is to give us the wisdom we need to live well, as we consider our trials “pure joy.”
God is also said to give “ungrudgingly.” The idea here is “not reproaching,” “without finding fault,” “not insulting.” God does not feel any displeasure or regret after giving us the gift of wisdom. He gives freely and kindly, not looking down on us with disfavor or disappointment. The Bible could not give us more encouraging language about God’s amazing character then what we find here in James 1:5.
Coming to God
The final emphasis in this scripture passage is really a two-fold, double-sided statement: “it will be given you,” “but ask in faith, never doubting.” First of all, God assures us that the wisdom we are asking for will be given to us. This is one of the “sure promises” of God’s Word—a guarantee of answered prayer because God is both generous and ungrudging. When we come to God with the right heart-attitude, we can be sure that he will give us all the wisdom we need for whatever problem we have.
In his heavenly wisdom, however, God adds the exhortation to “ask in faith, never doubting.” James describes the doubter as “being double-minded and unstable in every way,” and states that this kind of person “must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (vss. 6-8). Such a condition attached to the gracious invitation just given may seem at first to be too difficult to meet. It is easier for us to accept the words, “ask in faith,” than the condition, “never doubting.” But both expressions are saying basically the same thing—one positively and one negatively: we are to come to God with confidence (trust, faith, belief, conviction) that he wants to help us. He delights in giving wisdom to those who seek it with an expectation that honors the One who is supremely wise.
When I first noticed this scripture many years ago I wondered about the asking “in faith, never doubting.” Does the Divine Author of the biblical text mean that we will never receive the wisdom we need if we have any doubts about the outcome of our prayers? To ask in faith means to believe. Obviously, we must believe in God, but something more is intended. The most convincing interpretation to me, in light of the immediate context and the overall biblical context (see, for example, Mark 11:24 and 1 John 5:14-15) is that we are to believe that God will surely give us the wisdom to do the right thing, say the right thing, and handle the overall situation well, as long as our motives are pure.
Two matters are involved here, and they are closely related. First, we are not to doubt that God will give us the wisdom we truly need, according to his own wisdom, and second, we are not to be double-minded. Verse eight says that “the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” Double-mindedness lies at the root of doubt. It has to do with purity of heart, as James indicates later: “purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). If you or I come to God wanting wisdom for a certain situation, yet with a wrong motive (or without the right motive—God’s holy will for our lives), we cannot expect to receive anything. This scripture may sound severe, but I have learned that God is always wise in everything he does and in everything he teaches. His ways are always for our good.
One crucial lesson I have learned over the years regarding this whole matter of asking for wisdom without doubting is that some times I will need to come right down to the time when I need to make a decision, and still not have a “clear as a bell” word from the Lord. In such cases, because I have asked God for wisdom, with the right intentions and with no doubt that he is in the situation guiding me, I then make the decision to the best of my ability, and believe that the decision I am making is the one that will honor him. Even if, after the decision, circumstances turn sour, I still remain confident, without doubting, that God has led me. He said he would give wisdom, and so I trust that he did.
Practical Examples
Many of you know that I had a heart transplant in 2003, and have had serious problems with rejection. My body has been working non-stop to shut down my new heart. While I have experienced considerable physical sufferings since the transplant, and for years before that, my major realm of suffering has been the psychological. We are, of course, wholistic beings, and our bodily, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual lives are closely intertwined. In my case, the bodily afflictions affected the other spheres of life significantly. The illnesses in the bodily realm resulted in major struggles within my mind and spirit. During the past month I have been using James 1:5 in a way that I had not done before. I am now asking God for wisdom to know how to think and live regarding my illness throughout each day. Whereas previously I used this text when I needed wisdom for decisions and/or tough situations concerning my body, I lately have been calling to God for wisdom to know how to handle battles of the mind, such as discouragement, anxiety, and mental fatigue. Much of the time God’s word to me is: “lie down and rest your body and soul.” Other times he teaches me or refreshes me with some biblical insight. Sometimes he gives me meaningful work that leaves me with a sense of satisfaction and deep gratitude.
Recently, my wife and I followed with prayer some friends of ours—we’ll call them Shawn and Grace—contemplating a major geographical move. Our friends—married with four children—are Christians who needed to change their circumstances for the sake of the family. Shawn had a job that took so much time that both his health and family were suffering. When he received a job offer out-of-state he became very excited and wanted to move. Grace had strong objections to the move. After a time of serious disagreement, Shawn and Grace came to the point of praying together—resolved that their overriding desire was to know God’s will and do it. We prayed with them about the decision, and finally they came to the conclusion that they should not move. They were at a standstill until they came to God in prayer and asked for wisdom in faith and purity of motive.
The case of Shawn and Grace is an excellent illustration of how God frequently works. After we cry to him for help, he often allows time—sometimes weeks, months or even years—to pass before he gives us a clear sense of direction. Sometimes the “direction” is that we have a sense of unease about making a change. In the case of our friends, they felt God was telling them to stay where they are for now, but to be open for a possible move in the near future.
Becoming Wise Persons
This leads to a very important truth: we do not first receive something called “wisdom” that is tangible or knowable by sense experience and then out of that quantity or deposit of wisdom we make periodic withdrawals. We are not given wisdom as a “thing” that we then use as needed. Rather, wisdom is a divinely-given quality of our personhood. It is part of our very being. God longs to shape us into wise persons. As we become more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, who is our wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30), we become wise people. We grow in wisdom in proportion to our exercise of wisdom.
A helpful way to close this discussion is by simply listing several powerful scripture texts on the subject of wisdom as a foundational personal quality.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Ps. 111:10).
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight” (Prov. 4:7).
“You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart” (Ps. 51:5).
“So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart” (Ps. 90:12).
This article is one of a series of twelve blog postings—one for each month of 2008—presenting my all-time favorite Bible passages. My criterion for selecting these texts is the practical benefit/nourishment/help I have received from God through these scriptures over the four and one-half decades of my Christian life. I am who I am today because of some key people and because of the truths in these twelve scripture texts. There are many other Bible verses that could fit well in this series. The Word of God is a well-stocked gold mine of truth.
If you wish, start your own list, and share some of your stories on this blog—to help us all live well, help us all to serve others, and help us all to prepare well for the remainder of this life and for the next.
James 1:5-8: Wisdom
Bob Rakestraw
God showed me very early in my Christian life the importance of James 1:5-8. This passage of scripture has been a powerful influence on me, guiding me and encouraging me in the biggest decisions of my life. God used it in guiding my choice of a college, leading me from the one I was attending. God used it in helping me know the woman I would marry—and have now been married to for over forty years. God used it in guiding my wife and me concerning major moves to Missouri, Alberta, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, and Minnesota. Here is the scripture text I have come to love and highly value.
If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:5-8, NRSV).
I have used this Bible passage numerous times as I have sought for guidance, not only for the “big” decisions such as college, spouse, and major geographical moves involving education or employment, but also for hundreds—probably thousands—of less “dramatic” matters. I need God’s wisdom for the daily details and “business” of life as well as for the most serious decisions and crises.
All of us need wisdom many times a day. Whether we need direction in handling our money, help in preparing for an exam, or guidance in knowing what to say to someone we are trying to help, we need God’s wisdom. This scripture text from the book of James instructs us in our all-important quest for wisdom. It has been for years one of my “top twelve” all-time favorite Bible passages, because it has been so consistently encouraging and practically beneficial. I memorized it long ago, as I have all twelve of these texts. That way, I can pull it out of my memory as easily as I take a pen from my pocket.
Helpful Background
James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote this epistle about 50 AD. He was the leader of the Jerusalem church, and was writing to Jewish Christian congregations scattered outside of Palestine throughout the Roman Empire. The church was under pressure, suffering not martyrdom and physical persecution as such, but economic persecution and the oppression of the poor. Christians were beginning to break under the pressure, so James wrote to urge them to stay strong and persevere in trials. For this they would need much wisdom from God.
Here is the background to our text on wisdom from James 1:2-4:
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
These words are so startling—utterly amazing and contrary to our natural inclinations—that they cause us either to ponder them deeply or discard them quickly. I have studied and taught the book of James from the original Greek language for over thirty-five years. In terms of its practicality in my life it is my favorite New Testament book. I never fail to be stunned, however, by the words “consider it nothing but joy.” No amount of reworking or retranslating of the original text can dull the force of these words. When we embrace this attitude of considering our trials—whatever kind they are—as “nothing but joy,” we are surely ready to ask God for wisdom in the midst of these trials.
Many times I have lain upon a bed in severe physical pain, trying to think about God and the illness in such a way as to relieve the pain. It is clear to me that the suffering and distress of these moments is not “pure joy” in itself. In the new heaven and new earth, “mourning and crying and pain will be no more” (Rev. 21:4), so pain itself is not a joyful thing. I hate the pain. The joy, I have discovered, is in the intensity and singularity of God’s presence in the moment of trial. No thought, measure or device resolves the issue other than the pure presence of God himself. Knowing that God loves me supremely and allows only what is of eternal benefit for his trusting children, I find that the experience itself is a kind of encounter with heaven. There comes an infusion of heaven’s presence that eclipses the agony of the moment. My favorite expression at such times is: “I trust you, Lord.” I repeat this over and over. Even though I “groan inwardly” at such times (Rom 8:23), I also find God very real, very near and very comforting. Other kinds of trials—relational, psychological, financial (the main category of trials experienced by James’ readers)—are included in this scripture: “whenever you face trials of any kind.” In the same way as with physical sufferings, we are to consider such difficulties as “pure joy” (Jas. 1:2, NIV).
The God we Address
And we are to come to God for wisdom. As remarkable as the previous thought is (“consider it nothing but joy”), these words are just as remarkable: “ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly (‘without finding fault,’ NIV), and it will be given you.” The invitation is open to everyone going through trials. The Greek word translated “generously” (haplos) is used only here in the New Testament. It may be rendered “generously,” “liberally,” “without reserve,” but there is also good support for the translation “simply,” “without mental reservation,” “sincerely,” “with an undivided mind.” One scholar, Peter H. Davids, leans toward the second meaning because, in part, “it prepares one for the description of the vacillating petitioner [in vss. 6-8], whose divided loyalty prevents his prayer from being heard” (The Epistle of James [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982], p. 73). God truly does give to us liberally (2 Cor. 9:8), but he also gives to us without mental reservation. He is not double minded—wanting to give us wisdom but also wanting to hold back in some way. No, he gives to us with the purest of motives—to help us navigate the rocky shores and treacherous waves on the oceans of life. God’s pure, simple desire is to give us the wisdom we need to live well, as we consider our trials “pure joy.”
God is also said to give “ungrudgingly.” The idea here is “not reproaching,” “without finding fault,” “not insulting.” God does not feel any displeasure or regret after giving us the gift of wisdom. He gives freely and kindly, not looking down on us with disfavor or disappointment. The Bible could not give us more encouraging language about God’s amazing character then what we find here in James 1:5.
Coming to God
The final emphasis in this scripture passage is really a two-fold, double-sided statement: “it will be given you,” “but ask in faith, never doubting.” First of all, God assures us that the wisdom we are asking for will be given to us. This is one of the “sure promises” of God’s Word—a guarantee of answered prayer because God is both generous and ungrudging. When we come to God with the right heart-attitude, we can be sure that he will give us all the wisdom we need for whatever problem we have.
In his heavenly wisdom, however, God adds the exhortation to “ask in faith, never doubting.” James describes the doubter as “being double-minded and unstable in every way,” and states that this kind of person “must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (vss. 6-8). Such a condition attached to the gracious invitation just given may seem at first to be too difficult to meet. It is easier for us to accept the words, “ask in faith,” than the condition, “never doubting.” But both expressions are saying basically the same thing—one positively and one negatively: we are to come to God with confidence (trust, faith, belief, conviction) that he wants to help us. He delights in giving wisdom to those who seek it with an expectation that honors the One who is supremely wise.
When I first noticed this scripture many years ago I wondered about the asking “in faith, never doubting.” Does the Divine Author of the biblical text mean that we will never receive the wisdom we need if we have any doubts about the outcome of our prayers? To ask in faith means to believe. Obviously, we must believe in God, but something more is intended. The most convincing interpretation to me, in light of the immediate context and the overall biblical context (see, for example, Mark 11:24 and 1 John 5:14-15) is that we are to believe that God will surely give us the wisdom to do the right thing, say the right thing, and handle the overall situation well, as long as our motives are pure.
Two matters are involved here, and they are closely related. First, we are not to doubt that God will give us the wisdom we truly need, according to his own wisdom, and second, we are not to be double-minded. Verse eight says that “the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” Double-mindedness lies at the root of doubt. It has to do with purity of heart, as James indicates later: “purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). If you or I come to God wanting wisdom for a certain situation, yet with a wrong motive (or without the right motive—God’s holy will for our lives), we cannot expect to receive anything. This scripture may sound severe, but I have learned that God is always wise in everything he does and in everything he teaches. His ways are always for our good.
One crucial lesson I have learned over the years regarding this whole matter of asking for wisdom without doubting is that some times I will need to come right down to the time when I need to make a decision, and still not have a “clear as a bell” word from the Lord. In such cases, because I have asked God for wisdom, with the right intentions and with no doubt that he is in the situation guiding me, I then make the decision to the best of my ability, and believe that the decision I am making is the one that will honor him. Even if, after the decision, circumstances turn sour, I still remain confident, without doubting, that God has led me. He said he would give wisdom, and so I trust that he did.
Practical Examples
Many of you know that I had a heart transplant in 2003, and have had serious problems with rejection. My body has been working non-stop to shut down my new heart. While I have experienced considerable physical sufferings since the transplant, and for years before that, my major realm of suffering has been the psychological. We are, of course, wholistic beings, and our bodily, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual lives are closely intertwined. In my case, the bodily afflictions affected the other spheres of life significantly. The illnesses in the bodily realm resulted in major struggles within my mind and spirit. During the past month I have been using James 1:5 in a way that I had not done before. I am now asking God for wisdom to know how to think and live regarding my illness throughout each day. Whereas previously I used this text when I needed wisdom for decisions and/or tough situations concerning my body, I lately have been calling to God for wisdom to know how to handle battles of the mind, such as discouragement, anxiety, and mental fatigue. Much of the time God’s word to me is: “lie down and rest your body and soul.” Other times he teaches me or refreshes me with some biblical insight. Sometimes he gives me meaningful work that leaves me with a sense of satisfaction and deep gratitude.
Recently, my wife and I followed with prayer some friends of ours—we’ll call them Shawn and Grace—contemplating a major geographical move. Our friends—married with four children—are Christians who needed to change their circumstances for the sake of the family. Shawn had a job that took so much time that both his health and family were suffering. When he received a job offer out-of-state he became very excited and wanted to move. Grace had strong objections to the move. After a time of serious disagreement, Shawn and Grace came to the point of praying together—resolved that their overriding desire was to know God’s will and do it. We prayed with them about the decision, and finally they came to the conclusion that they should not move. They were at a standstill until they came to God in prayer and asked for wisdom in faith and purity of motive.
The case of Shawn and Grace is an excellent illustration of how God frequently works. After we cry to him for help, he often allows time—sometimes weeks, months or even years—to pass before he gives us a clear sense of direction. Sometimes the “direction” is that we have a sense of unease about making a change. In the case of our friends, they felt God was telling them to stay where they are for now, but to be open for a possible move in the near future.
Becoming Wise Persons
This leads to a very important truth: we do not first receive something called “wisdom” that is tangible or knowable by sense experience and then out of that quantity or deposit of wisdom we make periodic withdrawals. We are not given wisdom as a “thing” that we then use as needed. Rather, wisdom is a divinely-given quality of our personhood. It is part of our very being. God longs to shape us into wise persons. As we become more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, who is our wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30), we become wise people. We grow in wisdom in proportion to our exercise of wisdom.
A helpful way to close this discussion is by simply listing several powerful scripture texts on the subject of wisdom as a foundational personal quality.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Ps. 111:10).
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight” (Prov. 4:7).
“You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart” (Ps. 51:5).
“So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart” (Ps. 90:12).
This article is one of a series of twelve blog postings—one for each month of 2008—presenting my all-time favorite Bible passages. My criterion for selecting these texts is the practical benefit/nourishment/help I have received from God through these scriptures over the four and one-half decades of my Christian life. I am who I am today because of some key people and because of the truths in these twelve scripture texts. There are many other Bible verses that could fit well in this series. The Word of God is a well-stocked gold mine of truth.
If you wish, start your own list, and share some of your stories on this blog—to help us all live well, help us all to serve others, and help us all to prepare well for the remainder of this life and for the next.
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