Ed Stover

Salvation is by the grace of God and man cannot do anything to earn it, but God expects man to show his trust in God’s grace through an obedient working faith. Many today do not understand the concept of being saved by grace through faith. They falsely claim that any action on man’s part is considered a “work”, thus it is an attempt to earn their salvation. It is true, no works of merit, can earn one’s salvation. Works of merit, or works of the law, expect one to obey every command of God perfectly so that God owes or is indebted to man to give them salvation. But, God does expect man to obey certain conditions or commands given to prove their faith and trust in God’s gracious offer of salvation. These are works of God, or works of obedience, that in no way make God accountable to give man anything. They are simply the way that man proves his trust in God through an obedient faith. Remember, “faith without works is dead” (Jam. 2:20), and “a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (Jam. 2:24). The key to understanding is to realize the difference between works of merit and works of obedience. Let’s look at some examples from the Bible of people accepting God’s grace through faithful obedience.
1. Noah and his family were saved by grace through faith. God was going to destroy all of mankind because of their wickedness, but the Bible says “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Gen. 6:8). If Noah were to be saved, it would be through the grace of God. God commanded Noah to build an ark for the saving of his family. If Noah had only believed God would save him, but would not build the ark as commanded, he would have been lost with the rest of mankind. His faithful trust in God drove him to obey. The Bible says, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Gen. 6:22). Listen to how the writer of Hebrews describes Noah’s salvation. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Heb. 11:7). Noah did not do anything to earn his salvation, but he did faithfully obey the conditions of God’s gracious offer of salvation. What Noah did by preparing the ark, was a work of faithful obedience, not a work of merit.
2. The city of Jericho was destroyed by grace through faith. As the children of Israel entered the promise land, their first obstacle would be the walled city of Jericho. God told Joshua, “See! I have given Jericho into your hand” (Josh. 6:2). God said this before they had conquered the city. God was telling Joshua that He was going to give the city to the Israelites through His grace. Now, could Israel have sat back and simply believed what God had said? Would their faith alone have been enough for the city to fall? No, they would have to faithfully obey God’s conditions for them to receive the free gift from God. God commanded them to march around the city and shout in a certain order and He would destroy the walls. Would the people’s obedience mean they earned the cities destruction? No, it simply meant they were showing their trust in God by faithfully obeying Him. The writer of Hebrews said, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days” (Heb. 11:30). A further study of Hebrews chapter eleven will show how people accepted God’s gracious offers by faithfully obeying His conditions to show their complete trust in Him.
3. We are saved by grace through faith when we obey the plan of salvation. Many today will claim baptism is not essential to salvation because it is a work. Again, they confuse works of merit with works of obedient faith to God’s conditions. Like Noah building an ark, or the Israelites marching around Jericho, baptism is the condition we faithfully obey in the plan of salvation to show God we trust in Him to graciously forgive us of our sins. Salvation is an unmerited gift from God. Our Obedient faith is how we accept the gift. -Ed

We all know how important baptism is, but sometimes we do not consider just how many things happen when someone is baptized into Christ. It is the most important moment in a person’s life. Baptism is the final step and condition in the plan of salvation. It is the actual moment that one’s faith, repentance, and confession lead up to. Many have compared it to the door that one walks through to their salvation. One becomes saved at the point of their baptism, but there are many things that happen at baptism that are involved in the act of being saved. I want us to consider some of those today, and it is my hope that it will help us all appreciate just how important baptism truly is.
1. At the point of our baptism, we enter “into Christ.” Many casual readers of the Bible do not realize the significance of the statement “in Christ.” These two words emphasize the relationship we enter into with Jesus when we are baptized. Paul wrote of “the salvation which is in Christ” (2 Tim. 2:10), and how God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). At the point of Baptism we “become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21), and “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7). Paul used the expression “in Christ” some seventy times throughout his epistles to emphasize the importance of what happens when we are baptized into Jesus. And, we must remember that baptism is the only way mentioned in the Bible to get into Christ (Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27).
2. At the point of our baptism, we can have a clear conscience before God. Peter stated there is a direct link between baptism and the point our conscience is cleared. He stated, “There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). Baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God because in the act of water baptism the blood of Jesus washes our sins away. The writer of Hebrews spoke of this when he said, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). Only with our sins forgiven can our conscience be clear before God.
3. At the point of our baptism, we are united together in the likeness of Jesus’ death. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome and said, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death” (Rom. 6:3,4). Baptism is the point where we die to sin as we die with Christ. It’s at this point we come into contact with the blood of Christ, which He shed at His death. Paul describes this as obeying “that form of doctrine to which you were delivered” (Rom. 6:17). Baptism is the point where we are obeying the gospel as defined by Paul in 1st Corinthians 15:3,4 as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Our baptism is reliving what happened on the cruel cross two thousand years ago on the most important day the world has ever seen. Each Christian re-enacts that moment when they are saved. It is not an “outward sign of an inward faith” as some would claim, but instead it is the actual point where we die to sin so we can rise from the waters to walk in the newness of life. -Ed

It is hard to comprehend the depth of God’s love, but studying the different characteristics of His love can help us all appreciate the need to become better Christians. Understanding God’s love can help us appreciate the grace of God and the wonderful blessings we are so privileged to enjoy now and in eternity. Last week we began this study by seeing how God’s love is a tough love, a tender love, and a triumphant love. I want us to continue our study by looking at a few more facts about God’s love that can help us appreciate just how blessed we are to be in Christ.
1. God’s love is longsuffering and patient. We all would be in a great deal of trouble if this were not true. Just consider the children of Israel in the wilderness. Over the course of forty years they murmured and complained constantly about the care God was providing them. They began their journey in the wilderness with rebellion against God. Moses destroyed the golden calf they had made and returned to God on Mount Sinai, where God stated, “The LORD, the LORD God, Merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34:6). God had every right to destroy the people for their rebellion and idolatry, but He yielded because of His longsuffering and mercy. When you study the Old Testament thoroughly, you can see the amount of patience it took for God to endure the sinful rebellion of His people. But, God was still able to bring Christ into the world to make salvation available for us all. I wonder if any of us would have been as patient with those people in the wilderness as God was. Now consider our own lives. When we look back on our past and consider the sins we have committed against a holy and just God, it really makes us appreciate the fact that God is as patient with us as He is. Without God’s longsuffering our salvation would not have been possible.
2. God’s love is a sacrificial love. Anyone who has been in love before knows that sacrifice is essential in any relationship. We are all willing to sacrifice for those we truly love. Love and sacrifice go hand in hand. But, there was no greater sacrifice in the name of love than the sacrifice God made for us. The apostle Paul wrote, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-8). Notice how Paul describes mankind in the text. He refers to man as “ungodly” and “sinners.” When we sacrifice for our loved ones, it’s usually because of the mutual love they show us in return. God sacrificed His Son for all mankind; including those who despised Him. It truly is amazing! Consider the words of Jesus while He was suspended on the cruel cross dying for our sins. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus spoke of His love for man through His willingness to forgive them just before the very people He loved killed Him.
3. God’s love is a comforting love. When we consider the world around us, it is hard to find any lasting hope. Sin and moral depravity are flourishing everywhere, but we can always find comfort and hope in the love that God has for those who follow Him. We can read of His love in the Bible; we can pray for His love in our prayers; and we can experience the blessings of His love in His providential protection. -Ed

The word love could be described or defined in many different ways in our culture, but to a Christian the ultimate sense of the word love can be defined with one word-God. The Bible tells us “God is Love” (1 John 4:8, 16). Christians are to love one another, and love God, but the purest form of love is found in God Himself. It is difficult to grasp the idea of God being love with out looking at the different aspects of His love. The apostle Paul wrote, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). Faith and hope come from God, but love is greater than both, because it is eternal. It is amazing to consider that everything that God has ever done for mankind was based on His love for us. From eternity to eternity His love shines forth as a beacon of hope for mankind. So, as we attempt to understand the love of God, let’s consider some of the different ways He manifests His love toward us.
1. God’s love is a tough love. Do you remember those ironic words your parents would tell you right before they spanked you with a belt? They would say, “I’m doing this because I love you.” It may not have seemed true at the time, but as we grew older and had children of our own we understood what they meant. In the same sense, God shows his love to us through discipline when He knows it is what is best for us. The writer of Hebrews quoted a proverb of Solomon when he said, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens” (Heb. 12:5,6). A good parent rebukes his child for harmful behavior because the parent loves his child. That is true love, not an enabling and appeasing imitation of love. God’s love for us can be a tough love, because He will correct us for our own ultimate and eternal well-being.
2. God’s love is a tender love. David wrote, “Hear me, O LORD, for your loving kindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies” (Psalm 69:16). God has a compassionate and caring love for those who follow Him. God sent His son to earth in our likeness to experience everything we suffer and endure. The writer of Hebrews said that Christ can “sympathize with our weaknesses” because He was “in all points tempted as we are” (Heb. 4:15). God is not a hard and distant god who does not care about His creation. His divine love is shown to us every day through the forgiveness of our sins and His divine providence that watches over us through this life. It was this tender love that Paul spoke of when he wrote, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
3. God’s love is a trustworthy and triumphant love. Love in our day and time is not so trustworthy. Fifty percent of marriages in this country end in divorce and the divorce rate continues to climb. Couples separate and children grow up in broken homes wondering why the love of their parents failed. God’s love is eternal, secure, and based on the promises of a God that cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Paul stated that “love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8), therefore we know that God never fails! Temporal love on this earth may disappoint us, but the love of God will never cease nor fail us. -Ed

The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians describes the importance of love in the Christian’s life, but it also explains how love compares to two other important Christian characteristics; faith and hope. Paul tells us that love is the greatest. In the last verse of the chapter he says, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). Why is love greater than faith and hope? We know that we cannot be saved without faith, and it is impossible to please God without it (Heb. 11:6). Our hope is what drives us toward the goal of heaven everyday of our lives. Hope is what separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world. We have a true hope based on our faith in the promises that God has made. What can be greater than that? Paul says that love is greater! Let’s look at each of these words individually and consider why love is the greatest of the three.
1. Faith. The Bible defines faith for us. The writer of Hebrews said, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Faith is our belief in something we cannot physically see based on the evidence of its existence. We know God exists because we can see His creative handiwork all around us (Rom. 1:20). He also revealed Himself to us in His Word, but we have yet to see God face to face. Consider the promise that was made to Abraham and his seed. He had not seen the promise come true, but he had faith that it would based on what God had promised him. Paul spoke of Abraham’s faith in the promise to come when he said, “He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith” (Rom. 4:20). Faith is what sustains someone until the thing they believe in actually comes to pass. For example, when Christians enter into the presence of God in Heaven, faith will cease because we will see God face to face.
2. Hope. Hope is defined as, “a feeling that what is wanted will happen; desire accompanied by expectation” (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 4th ed. 2003). We have hope because of our faith. Our faith is what drives our hope. We believe in God and the glory of heaven, which causes us to desire and expect to be there in the presence of God one day. Paul also spoke of Abraham’s hope in Romans chapter four. He wrote that Abraham, “contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations” (Rom. 4:18). Abraham was one hundred years old and it would appear that he had no logical hope of having an heir. But, he had hope nonetheless because of his faith in God’s promises, and Isaac his son was born. But like faith, hope will cease as well when we enter heaven. Hope will then become a reality!
3. Love. Faith and hope will no longer be necessary one day, but love will never cease. Love will go on for all eternity. Why is that? John answered the question when he wrote, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). God is love! God is eternal; therefore love is eternal as well. We cannot know God without love, so love is vitally important to our eternal security. We must have love for God and for one another. Our faith and hope will cease when we stand before God, but love is the reason we have the opportunity to enter heaven. Remember, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). God’s love for us was great enough to sacrifice His Son. God’s love for us is the reason why faith and hope were ever needed. God’s love is forever! -Ed

The truth can be hard to swallow, so many will find ways to excuse it away or try to pervert it enough so they can accept a watered down version of it. We are going to confront this issue today in our sermon lessons. This morning we will discuss the excuses Noah must have heard from those who would not accept the truth regarding the coming flood, and the safety that only the ark could provide. I think we will find that the excuses that Noah probably heard are very similar to the ones we hear today about the church. In tonight’s lesson, we will see how many will distort an accurate view of God, and the truth, by attempting to bend them both into something they are not. We will see how some like to emphasize the love of God to the extent that it overshadows other important matters such as repentance, doctrine, and obedience. No matter what excuses are made, or how hard some attempt to only look at one side of the nature of God, it does not change what the Bible says. The Bible is the truth, and no amount of sincere wishful thinking or human excuses will change what God’s revealed message actually says to us!
The truth is too valuable to be trifled with. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Jesus makes it very clear that we can know the truth, but that does not mean that everyone will. People must want to know the truth, and part of knowing it means accepting all of it and not just the parts we like. Jesus also said the truth will make us free. Will some of the truth free us, or all of it? Jesus prayed to God, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). According to Jesus, all of God’s Word is what can make us free.
These are not new problems for the church. We can read many examples of people in the New Testament who tried to excuse away the truth or distort it. The books of Hebrews and Galatians are perfect examples. Those books were written to Christians who were trying to alter God’s simple plan for the truth so it could be more like something they wanted; a mix of Christianity and Judaism. Paul, and the writer of Hebrews, would not stray from preaching the truth, regardless of the consequences of their words. Paul asked the Galatians, “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth” (Gal. 4:16)? Would it have helped the Galatians if Paul had coddled them, or watered down his message as to not offend them? No, Paul would rather take the chance of becoming their enemy by convicting them with the truth, rather than risk their souls for all eternity. Many today emphasize the need to “speak in love”, but Paul told the Ephesians that we must speak “the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).
Many people are sincere in their feelings for God, but their sincerity is not based on knowledge of the truth. Instead, it is based on the erroneous teachings of denominationalism or Catholicism. Paul spoke about this type of sincerity when he spoke of those Jews who would not believe in Jesus. He said, “they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). Paul was speaking about the knowledge of the truth. Many will never believe the whole truth no matter what we do, but does that mean that we should give up? The devil has worked hard for hundreds of years to divide the body of Christ with false doctrines that pervert and compromise the truth to make it appear like something it isn’t. We must show the world that excuses and biblical distortions cannot substitute for the soul saving truth of God’s Word. -Ed

Our congregation is preparing for a gospel meeting that is coming up in a few weeks, so I thought it would be beneficial for us to study about one of the first gospel meetings that was ever held. The meeting was held in the household of Cornelius as recorded in the tenth chapter of the book of Acts. It was not called a “gospel meeting” in the text, but I think we can see that it had all the characteristics of one. People gathered to hear a preacher who was coming to teach them the truth. Isn’t that basically what a gospel meeting is? I think we can learn important lessons about conducting a successful meeting by studying what happened at Cornelius’ house that day. Consider the following points.
1. Cornelius feared God and prayed that he would hear the truth. Cornelius was a man who prayed constantly. Luke wrote that he was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). Obviously, Cornelius was praying to God to hear the truth of his Word, because an angel appeared to him and told him that Peter would tell him what he “must do” (Acts 10:6). We need to have the same attitude toward our gospel meeting. We need to pray to God that the truth will be preached, and that people as receptive as Cornelius will be present to hear the soul saving gospel. We, like Cornelius, will be told at our gospel meeting what we “must do” according to God’s Word as well.
2. Cornelius invited all his friends and family. Luke records that Cornelius had “called together his relatives and close friends” (Acts 10:24). He was waiting for the arrival of Peter. He knew what Peter had to say was so important, that he wanted all those who were close to him to hear it as well. We must develop the same attitude Cornelius had regarding our gospel meeting. Do we believe the words that will be spoken at our meeting are so important that we should invite those who are closest to us? He wanted his friends and family present to hear Peter because he cared for their souls. Our love and care for souls should drive us to invite everyone we can.
3. Those who came to Cornelius’ house were there to hear God’s Word. Cornelius was not having a social gathering. He wasn’t providing entertainment for his friends and family. They had all come together for a very specific purpose, and it was to hear Peter speak the truth to them. Cornelius was recorded as saying, “Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God” (Acts 10:33). We will hear God’s word proclaimed at our meeting as well. We should prayfully prepare for the opportunity that we will have to study the Bible together.
4. Those who attended Cornelius’ meeting were in the presence of God. We must remember that God is always present when Christians come together (Matt. 18:20). The thought of this should motivate us to make it the best meeting possible. Cornelius said, “we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God” (Acts 10:33).
5. Those who attended Cornelius’ meeting were blessed. They were blessed with the baptism of the Holy Spirit to show that the Gentiles were approved of God. We will not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit at our meeting, but we will be blessed through the work, study, and fellowship that we all participate in together. -Ed

Have you ever had a guilty conscience about something? Actually, that is a trick question, because we have all had one before God. A guilty conscience can weigh heavy on one’s soul. If we have any sense of morals, the guilt of doing something wrong can severely affect us both mentally and physically. The Bible says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). This is what Jesus was referring to when he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:3 & 4). Jesus was referring to those whose guilty conscience will drive them to be obedient to God. God’s plan for the redemption of mankind makes it possible for men to stand before God with a clear conscience. That means our sins should no longer bear on our conscience because they have been forgiven. Let’s examine three verses from the New Testament that speak of how we can stand before God with a clear conscience.
1. “There is also an antitype which now saves us-baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). Peter states in this verse that baptism is the “answer of a good conscience toward God.” What makes baptism the answer? Baptism is the final step in the plan of salvation. Baptism is the actual point where we become saved. It is the point where our sins are forgiven. Peter told the Jews on Pentecost, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Ananias instructed Paul to “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16). Baptism is the answer of a good conscience because it’s when our sins are forgiven. Only when our sins are forgiven, and blotted out, can we have a clear conscience before God.
2. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). This verse tells us what happens during baptism that makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven and our conscience to be cleared. First, we draw near to God with the right attitude and heart condition. That means we are aware we are sinners and have a convicted conscience. We then are baptized through faith, which is what the Hebrew writer meant, by saying our bodies are washed with pure water. Our hearts are then sprinkled from an evil conscience, which symbolizes our hearts being sprinkled with the blood of Christ to forgive our sins. It is during our baptism that we come into contact with the blood of Christ because we are united with Christ in His death. Paul stated, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death” (Rom. 6:3)?
3. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The first two verses above speak of how we initially come into contact with Christ’s blood to have our sins forgiven and our conscience cleared. John tells us in this verse how to maintain that status. Jesus’ blood will continue to cleanse us of sin if we walk in the light (1 John 1:7). We can confess our sins to God, and he is faithful to forgive us, which will keep us in the blessed condition of being able to stand before God with a clear conscience. Having a clear conscience before God leads to a clear conscience in all aspects of our lives. -Ed

It is not unusual these days to turn on the television and see reports of kids shooting other kids in school, co-workers killing each other, and teen suicide rates growing more and more. Why are things like this becoming ever more prevalent in our society? Why is it our country has allowed the murder of over forty million unborn babies in the last forty years? Any reasonable nation of the world would mourn for years the loss of forty million of their citizens, but most in our country are not the least bit concerned about it. Why is that? Many of us see these things happening, and scratch our heads wondering how things could ever get this bad.
There are many contributing factors that explain what is happening in our society, but let’s examine one that pertains to how we as humans have begun to look at ourselves. The sanctity of life means less in today’s culture than it used too. When a society lessens the importance of the sanctity of human life, it will gradually allow horrific things which once were considered criminal to become acceptable and commonplace. It will gradually cause people to have a gross disrespect for the life of others which will lead to the increase of violent crimes, violence in schools, suicide, and abortion. If the human life is no longer considered that important, then people will be more likely to believe that they can do with it as they please.
So, how did things get to be this way in America. We must remember that this county was founded on Christian principles. The founding fathers believed that we are made in God’s image and that God’s providential hand was involved in the development of this country. The majority of the early citizens of this nation were Christians, and believed what the Bible taught about the sanctity of the human life. These principles dominated this country’s ideology up until about fifty years ago when we saw the introduction of many beliefs that are contrary to the Bible. The theories and beliefs centered mostly around evolution which was a way to take God out of the equation. People who believed in this false theory began an intense campaign of propaganda to spread the teaching throughout the schools of our nation. We are now seeing the fruits of their labors.
When people believe in evolution, it opens up corrupt paths for man to follow. Once they had a way of taking God out of the picture, it gave them a license to be their own gods. For them, life only mattered as much as each individual believed that it did. With no God, there is no one to answer to, or be accountable to, except one’s self. This eventually opened the door in this county for the mass development and growth of humanism, hedonism, atheism, materialism, and basically “anything-goes-ism”. Life is now cheapened. Consider how many people we see beaten or murdered on a daily basis in the movies and television shows. Consider how our children spend countless mind numbing hours exposed to the violence in the hottest new video games. People begin to lose respect for the sanctity God has given to human life when we constantly see violence, death, and sexual exploitation in the many forms of our entertainment. Over time people begin believing those things they see in the media as being acceptable in our society.
There has always been violence and selfish criminal behavior in this country, but it has always been considered not only a violation of the laws of the land, but also a violation of God’s higher moral law. This mentality has changed over the last fifty years . Many in this nation have worked to have God removed from the country so things like abortion, euthanasia, and suicide can become more accepted and something of an individual choice. It reminds me of the attitude that the children of Israel had adopted toward the end of the period of the Judges. “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:20). Life means so much more to us when we remember God gave it to us, and that He expects us to love, protect, and care for His creation. -Ed

What do you picture in your mind when you think of someone meditating? If you’re like me, for a long time, I thought of meditation as someone sitting on the floor wearing a tie-dyed shirt with their legs crossed saying “hmmmmm” over and over. It’s clear why many of us would have that same understanding of what mediation is. We have all seen pictures, movies, or television shows where people where sitting around “meditating” to search for inner peace though some type of far eastern religious experience. But what about real Biblical meditation? What is it? Is it something we should be doing as Christians? And if it is, how do we do it?
The first thing we need to do is clear our mind of what Hollywood and all the self help gurus of the last forty years have told us about what meditation is, and rediscover the true definition of the term. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines mediation simply as “to plan” and “to think deeply” (2003, Fourth Edition, pg. 402). When you think about it, we all meditate some on a daily basis. Whenever we spend time thinking about a specific topic, we are meditating. It’s just focused thinking.
Let’s now consider the need for meditation regarding spiritual matters. We all meditate to some degree, even though we may not notice or recognize when we are doing it. We meditate daily on our hobbies, leisure activities, financial situations, and work; but how much time do we spend on spiritual matters? Let’s see what the Bible says about the need to meditate.
Listen to what the apostle Paul exhorted the Christians to do in Philippi. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8,9). The King James Version of the Bible translates the phrase “meditate on these things” as “think on these things”. Paul was telling them, and is telling us, that we need to spend time focusing on the great characteristics of the kingdom of God. You may also notice that all of the attributes Paul mentioned are positive ones. Remember the proverb that says, “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). We are what we think about.
We have to be careful what we spend our time thinking about. According to the proverb, if we spend all of our time thinking about money, then we will be materialistic. If we think only of our self-image, then we will be self absorbed and prideful. But, if we spend our time meditating on spiritual things, then we will become spiritual people. Paul wrote the letter of First Timothy to exhort Timothy to stay in the faith, and do the work of an evangelist. He spoke about the doctrine and Word of God. He then told Timothy to “meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:15,16). This advise to Timothy applies to us as well. We must meditate on the truths we learn from God’s Word. Remember, we are what we think about. Meditating on God’ Word will lead to a life of living by God’s Word. -Ed