Christ and Common Sense

Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Month: August 2021

Citizens of Heaven

August 27, 2021 /

The struggle of living a holy life in a fallen world can be overcome if believers find their identity in Jesus Christ, instead of some cheap substitute. 

In an interview about his book Dangerous Calling, Paul David Tripp said, “The normal human struggle is “I look for identity horizontally, when I was hardwired by God to get it vertically.” This is a simple concept, but it is incredibly profound. If a Christian understands that his identity is wrapped up in Christ, then he is mentally equipped to resist the desires of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The apostle Paul understood this. He wrote, “Whatever gain I had I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8 ESV) Paul was able to write “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” because his identity was centered upon the person of Jesus Christ. Instead of finding purpose in legalistic religious tradition, Paul was consumed with serving Jesus Christ and bringing glory to his heavenly Father.

This really hit me when I was preparing for our church family’s sermon series on Philippians. I was struck with how much time Paul spent helping his readers understand their identity as followers of Christ. He mentions more than a dozen illustrations that help create a vivid picture of how a Christian is supposed to see themselves. 

One of the most powerful illustrations is found in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” 

Jesus Christ is our king and we are his citizens. This can be difficult for us to grasp because there is no flag for Heaven. God does not have a political embassy on Pennsylvania Avenue. 

A day is coming when his spiritual kingdom will be gloriously established as a physical domain here on the earth, but until that day comes we have to live as spiritual citizens of heaven. 

This is difficult to do because we are surrounded by a society that constantly distracts us from our spiritual citizenship. As Americans this can be a great struggle because we are taught to ground our identity in our homeland. We are taught to salute our flag and pledge our allegiance to the great ideals that this country was founded on. And I agree that our constitution has a wonderful standard for protecting the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but as Christians we must never forget that those ideals pale in comparison to what awaits us in heaven. 

I think one reason I have been so impacted by this is because I have spent almost half of my life outside of the United States. Whenever I have travelled elsewhere as an adult I have understood that I am an American traveling abroad. I am just visiting. I know these other countries are not my home. I am just a passing through. This mindset has helped me grasp what Paul was talking about in Philippians. As a Christian, my citizenship is in heaven. I am just a sojourner on this world. I am grateful for the time God gives me in the United States, but I know it pales in comparison to what God has in store for us when the Eternal State is established on the earth. Revelation 21:23 says, “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” 

When life is difficult here on the earth I find great comfort knowing this is not my eternal home. I  can give up the fleeting pleasures of this world because I know lasting treasure is only found in heaven. I pray this will be an encouragement to you today. Remember as a Christian you are a citizen of heaven and that can give you the peace needed while living on this tumultuous earth. 

Christians with Conviction

August 12, 2021 /

“…for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”  — 2 Timothy 1:12


The Apostle Paul was a man who was fully persuaded about the importance of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Though he was facing execution for his proclamation of the gospel and his faith in Jesus Christ, he knew that “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) 


Acts 18:4 says that Paul “… reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” Verse 13 of that same chapter records the complaint of some religious leaders concerning the Apostle Paul. “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”  Acts 19:8 says that Paul “…went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.


Without question, the apostle Paul was a man of intense conviction!  Those to whom this apostle spoke were never left trying to guess what he stood for. Paul made no attempts to “razzle dazzle” people with ambiguous rhetoric.  No double talk, no evasive dialogue to side skirt the issue. When this man spoke, all who were present soon knew of his allegiance to Jesus Christ.


How refreshing!  Especially in a day were so many who profess to follow Christ are so unpersuaded about what they believe, why they believe it and their commitment to live it out. Some of the blame for that may be that many pulpits are rather ambiguous when it comes to a clear presentation of who Jesus really is and why He came. The purity of the gospel of Christ is being exchanged for a kind of psychological counseling session or it’s cheapened by today’s pop theology into a gospel that promises you the moon if you just know the proper “keys” to getting what you want from God. This distorted version of the gospel has grown rapidly in popularity over the years even though much of what is being taught does not mesh with the clear teaching of scripture. 


Today what is needed in the body of Christ, are clarion voices that will not give way to these seducing doctrines. Jesus’ church needs believers who are absolutely persuaded about who Jesus truly is, what He truly is like and what He came to accomplish. His church needs men and women who have a deepening knowledge of Whom they have believed and are absolutely persuaded to keep that which they have committed to do for the great cause of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! People who not only know what they believe but are committed to living it out in every strata of life.


Too many congregations today are top heavy with tag-a-long, do as you please believers. Never really persuaded about, nor committed to, anything in particular. They never live out their faith in such a way so as to persuade a lost person about their need to trust Christ. These people are salt that has lost its saltiness (Luke 14:34), candles that are hid under a basket (Luke 11:33). They are characterized by shallow convictions which stem from a shallow understanding of the Person of Christ and the work He came to accomplish.


The writer of the book of Hebrews urges all believers to “draw near [to Christ]…in full assurance of faith…” We are to be confident, absolutely persuaded, of who Christ is, what He is like and what He desires in terms of our commitment to His kingdom.


Paul prays for the church at Ephesus that “the Father of glory would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him [the Person of Christ];and that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened; that they would know what is the hope of his calling…[the work of Christ].”


Find someone who is absolutely persuaded about the Person and work of Jesus Christ, and you’ll find someone who is committed to His calling upon their life.

Pastor Frank Caudell has served as an associate pastor at South Valley Church in Lemoore for over twenty years. You can contact him at frank@svcclemoore.org. 

Feminism vs. Femininty

August 6, 2021 /

Feminism steals from women the beautiful design of femininity that God intended for them to pursue. Instead of rebelling against God’s wonderful design, women can discover the beauty that comes from living the way God intended.


Rebecca Lemke is an author and blogger who writes about her struggle to live as a woman of God in a godless society. I was struck by an article she wrote titled, “Feminism tried to steal my femininity.” In it she describes how, “Feminism, not the patriarchy, was what tried to steal my choices and my femininity.” She included the following quote as an accurate summary of her thoughts on feminism, 
“I think there is a fundamental understanding that lies at the root of feminism. This has impacted women of all ages, but I think it has especially impacted these young girls. This sense that freedom is the ability to do whatever I want, whenever I want, and that the earlier I can experience this total freedom, the better. But we know that freedom is the ability to do what you ought to do, to do the good, to choose the good.” – Coleen Carrol Campbell (emphasis added)


Jesus Christ told his disciples, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) What a beautiful concept! The truth will set you free. The truth doesn’t restrict and burden God’s people. It liberates them to live the way God intended. The truth about femininity is that God has designed women in a wonderful way and he wants them to pursue the high calling He has given them. If a woman will repent of her sin and trust that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save her then she will be saved (Acts 2:38). If a Christian woman will commit her life to Christ, then she will seek to live the way God intended her to live. 


The Bible explains that the essence of femininity is to receive what God has given. God created Eve to be a helpmate for Adam (Genesis 2:18). She was to receive this calling and purpose and find great fulfillment in pursuing her calling as a servant of God by helping her husband in his unique purpose and calling. Unfortunately, Eve wanted to have more than God gave and so she fell into sin and took what had not been given to her. 


Mary, on the other hand, is a positive example of femininity in the Bible. When Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, she responded the way God intended. She said, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”(Luke 1:38) Her reply is the essence of femininity. She was ready to receive what God had given her, and she flourished as a result. 


Elizabeth Elliot paints a picture of femininity in a chapter entitled “The Essence of Femininity.” She writes, “Think of a bride. She surrenders her independence, her name, her destiny, her will, herself to the bridegroom in marriage. This is a public ceremony, before God and witnesses. Then, in the marriage chamber, she surrenders her body, her priceless gift of virginity, all that has been hidden. As a mother she makes a new surrender—it is her life for the life of the child. This is most profoundly what women were made for, married or single (and the special vocation of the virgin is to surrender herself for service to the Lord and for the life of the world).” Taken from Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (1991). 


Feminism is at odds with the calling that God revealed for women in His word. The Oxford Leaners Dictionary defines feminism as “the belief and aim that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men; the struggle to achieve this aim.” Bell Hooks wrote that “feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” The last word of Hooks definition reveals how much modern feminism has been influenced by critical theory, which is a philosophy that divides the world into the oppressed and the oppressor. 


According to feminism, men are the oppressors and women are the oppressed. And any God who describes a purpose and roles for women that do not fit with the feminists ideals of equality is thus also considered to be oppressive. This makes the feminist ideology incompatible with Scripture. As Elisabeth Elliot writes, “The feminist theology of Christians (I cannot call it “Christian feminist theology”) is a Procrustean bed on which doctrine and the plain facts of human nature and history, not to mention the Bible itself, are arbitrarily stretched or chopped off to fit.” 
Feminism steals from women the beautiful design of femininity that God intended for them to pursue. Instead of rebelling against God’s wonderful design, women can discover the beauty that comes from how God intended both men and women to live. 

Let God Define Gender

August 3, 2021 /

The question of gender identity can be answered with the clarity that comes from the hard science of genetics and the firm foundation of the Bible. 

The “Trends vs. Truth” series at GBC Lemoore is off to a good start. Last week we looked at Critical Race Theory’s insistence that the world should be drawn with skin-colored crayons. Everything is about race, CRT proponents claim, and if you don’t agree then you are being racist. My article made the argument that God’s word encourages humans to look past someone’s skin and realize the problems in the world come from their sin! Each human is born in rebellion against God and each of us must repent and be made right with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

This week we are looking at the “Gender Question.” Proponents of gender theory like to pull out the crayon box as well. They argue that gender is fluid. You can color in your gender from a veritable rainbow of colors. Here is a partial list of the gender colors you can choose from: agender, bigender, cisgender, gender fluid, transgender, gender varient, and two-spirit. In case you are wondering, male and female don’t get their own color, they are both contained in the term “cisgender,” which means “a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth.” (Merriam-Webster dictionary) 

Did you notice what just happened there? The term “cisgender” assumes you will accept the notion that there is a difference between biological gender and biological sex. Gender theory is built on that assumption, but you don’t have to take that theoretical leap. The Bible certainly does not. Genesis 1:27 makes it very clear, “male and female he created them.” There is no difference between gender and sex. There are only two options and each person’s gender and sex are decided for them when the sperm enters the egg at the time of conception. 

Jenny Graves is a distinguished professor of genetics at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. She knows that if a human sperm has a Y chromosome it will join with the X chromosome in the egg and create a little baby boy. She also knows that if the sperm has an X chromosome the little girl will be a girl. Gender and sex are determined at conception based on the irrefutable evidence of human biology. 

In 2017, Moran Gershoni and Shmuel Pietrokovski published a research paper in the BMC Biology journal that made Jenny Graves realize her belief in the genetic impact of someone’s sex was much more pervasive than previously thought. The paper was titled “The landscape of sex-differential transcriptome and its consequent selection in human adults.” In it, evidence was given that shows that almost one third of the 20,000 genes that men and women share behave differently based on whether the individual is a man or a woman. So, not only does a man and woman’s brain tissue function differently. If I understand the research correctly, almost one third of human tissue behaves differently based on whether the original sperm had an X or a Y chromosome. 

Once again science and the Bible correct the coloring box of critical theory. In this case it is gender theory that needs to reduce the crayons in the box. Male and female are the genders that God has given humanity and we need to learn to live with the gender He has graciously given each of us at birth. Is it easy to live as a woman in this world of ours? No, it is not. Is it easy to live as a man, same answer. Why? Because we are all living in a fallen world. We all struggle to live the way God intended. We have all lied and lusted. We have all felt the pain of sin and death. There is sickness and disease. We are constantly tempted to follow desires that we should not pursue. 

This is not to say that one desire is worse than another. In God’s sight all sin is the same. Lust for someone who is not your spouse is sin. It is that simple. Marriage is given as a wonderful gift from God to encourage men and women to have companionship, hopefully have children, and make disciples among the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). We need to submit to God’s definition of gender so we can think and act in the way that He intended. 

This article was published in the Hanford Sentinel under the heading, “We all struggle to live as God intended, no matter what gender we may be.” The editor made the change and I am not too concerned because if you read the article you can tell I do not advocate gender fluidity.

The Myth of Critical Race Theory

August 3, 2021 /

Many people refer to Derrick Bell as the father of Critical Race Theory (CRT). He worked tirelessly to promote a racially driven philosophy of law during his tenure as the first African American professor at the Harvard School of Law (1971-1990). He wrote books and articles. He spoke at conferences and even staged protests to seek to legitimize CRT in the American consciousness. Those who agreed to the presence of systemic racism in the United States were said to have “woken up” to the endless oppression of minority groups. Those who disagreed were dismissed as narrow-minded racists. 

One political scientist named Adolph Reed Jr. heard Derrick Bell speak at a Harvard conference in 1991. He remembered that Bell made the audacious claim that African Americans had made no progress in society since the end of the Civil War. Mr. Reed dismissed Bell’s comments as “more a jeremiad than analysis.” A jeremiad is a “long, mournful complaint” made against a perceived injustice. In Bell’s case his complaint was negated by the fact that he was a tenured African American Harvard professor. 

We shouldn’t be surprised that Derrick Bell’s teaching was lacking in logical clarity. You see the philosophy he believed in did not require it. Critical Race Theory is not like other social sciences that encourage analysis and critique. No, CRT is the opposite of analytical. It is subjective. It does not try to explain why something exists. It merely declares that systemic racism is real and then looks for ways to support it. Common sense is not needed with CRT. The only sense that is needed is one that looks for racism under every stone.  

The Oxford dictionary of Critical Theory defines the theory like this, “The word critical should thus be understood to mean the opposite of analytical. It refers to a set of concepts whose reach is always greater than their grasp. Critical Theory is interested in why human society failed to live up to Marxist enlightenment and became what it is today, unequal, unjust and largely uncaring.” This pessimistic perspective on society feeds off a victim mentality. As long as people buy into the myth of the oppressed and the oppressor it can survive, but when the bubble of critical theory bursts, the subjective foundation of CRT crumbles. 

The apostle Paul warned the church in Ephesus about false teachers who would promote “myths and endless genealogies.” He warned Timothy that they “do not understand either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:7 ESV) The Bible reveals CRT to be a myth because the Bible teaches all humans belong to one race, the race that God created in His image (Genesis 1:27). If proponents of CRT would accept the bible’s unifying outlook on humanity then the divisive worldview of CRT would come to an end. 

When Max Horkheimer (1895-1973) coined the term “critical theory,” Darwinian thought was very much in vogue. Race was not seen as a social construct, but as a scientific category that separated one group of people from another. Geneticists did not know that 99.9% of human DNA is shared by all humans, regardless of differences of skin color or ethnicity. The myth of racial division was maintained because people had been taught to think in terms of the color of their skin and not the content of their character. 

Thankfully, geneticists are now calling for “race” to be disbanded as a category. Michael Yudell, a professor of public health at Drexel University in Philadelphia wrote, “It’s a concept we think is too crude to provide useful information, it’s a concept that has social meaning that interferes in the scientific understanding of human genetic diversity and it’s a concept that we are not the first to call upon moving away from.” 

As with any myth, there comes a time when truth makes it fade away. I for one am tired of people referring to each other by the color of their skin. We need to realize race is not a helpful category for humans. Darwin had no problem referring to people by their skin color because he thought certain people came from chimps and others from gorillas! He promoted referring to people like animals because he thought that is where we came from! 

I won’t be surprised if evolutionists continue to use racist terminology to describe people, but Christians should not. According to the Bible, there is only one race, the human race. We believe humans are made in the image of God! Let’s honor Him by referring to his creation in an honorable way. That will help bring an end to the myth of Critical Race Theory by reminding everyone that we all come from one race, the race of Adam and Eve! 

Waiting-Expectantly

August 3, 2021 /

At the end of the day, a father’s great delight is to be greeted with “Daddy!” A child’s excitement and anticipation of his or her father’s arrival is so encouraging. Their chatter and smiling faces are the highlight of any day. One may want to play catch and another may want to read a story. Most of all, children want to spend time with their dad. They desire his attention, love, and praise.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus about another reunion that will happen one day, “Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” (Titus 2:13, Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)) This event is called the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Vance Havner, a prominent twentieth century Southern Baptist pastor and evangelist said, “We are not just looking for something to happen; we are looking for Someone to come! And when these things begin to come to pass, we are not to drop our heads in discouragement or shake our heads in despair, but rather lift up our heads in delight.” Jesus Christ’s return is imminent. Believers are to be expecting it.

“Looking for” in the Greek New Testament (GNT) has several facets of meaning. The first is to accept or receive someone or something to yourself. The second facet is to patiently wait for that expected event. The third is to look forward to the arrival of a future event. The GNT uses “looking for” to refer to the believer’s persistent outlook of the Lord Jesus’ return.  (Luke 2:25, 38; Mark 15:43).

The phrase “looking for” is in the present tense with continuous action indicating we are to always be looking for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It carries the concept of patience with expectation of Christ’s return. We do not know when Jesus Christ will return. However, we know it is imminent, meaning it can take place at any time.

Some have made the mistake of trying to predict when Jesus will return. That is a waste of time. Scripture tells us we will not know when He will return, but we must be ready. Matthew 24:36 says, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

At the time of Jesus Christ’s ascension, the angels prophesied the Lord would return to earth in the same manner that He went to Heaven. Acts 1:11 records the following, “They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Paul described Christ’s appearing as the blessed hope and glory. The Lord’s return will bring happiness and be filled with great expectations. Jesus will come with high honor. He is called the great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

The Bible says, “Our Savior gave Himself for us” (Titus 2:14). He sacrificed Himself by enduring personal loss for mankind. This phrase adequately describes Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. Romans 5:8–10 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Jesus Christ’s gift of salvation had two purposes. The first was to “redeem us from every lawless deed” (vs. 14b). The Greek word “redeem “means to liberate a captured person by paying the price demanded for his return. Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. 1 Peter 1:18–19 says, “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Everyone was in open defiance to God’s law because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. This is the reason for Christ’s redemption of believers.

The second purpose was for Christ to purify or cleanse a people for Himself. Jesus is purifying a people group for His own possession. His chosen ones are zealous and enthusiastic for performing good works. It carries the aspect of being militant in serving God. Believers are obliged to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

The reason believers are to wait expectantly for Jesus Christ’s return is that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” Titus 2:11 (LSB). It is by God’s grace that Jesus died for us. We have been offered the free gift of salvation because of God’s mercy. His grace is unmerited and undeserving favor.

It is important to stress that the phrase “to all men” does not refer to universal salvation. In reality it designates the whole entity of humanity. It is a reference to the whole and not to the individual parts. The gift of salvation is offered to all of humanity, but each individual must respond separately. John 3:36 says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Have you received Christ? God’s word says “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

Therefore, believers are to be anxiously waiting for the Lord’s return. We are to always be continually looking for Jesus Christ, obeying God’s Word, and patiently serving our Lord. So, perhaps He will come today! We are to be waiting expectantly! (All Scripture references are from the NASB95 unless otherwise noted). 

Deepening Faith at the Grand Canyon

August 3, 2021 /

There are only a few places in the world that make you feel as small and insignificant as when you are standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. As you stare down at the Colorado river your mind struggles to comprehend the grandeur of those majestic cliffs and sandstone spires. How was this formed? How could that little river create a chasm that is a mile deep, 18 miles wide, and 277 miles long? 

Our family recently visited the southern rim of the Grand Canyon National Park while on vacation. We decided to go away from the crowds so we turned east at the entrance and stopped at one of the trailheads. We met people who had come from all over America to witness the second most visited national park in the country (the first is the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee). We had brought along some bikes, so we had the privilege of cycling along the most picturesque path I have ever biked on. 

After we were done biking, we stopped and listened to a tour guide give an explanation about the Grand Canyon. She said, “The Canyon was formed over millions of years. The river slowly carved away at the limestone until it created the canyon we see today. The canyon is still expanding 15 inches every year. Water is not the only way the canyon grows. It also changes from wind, tree roots, and rocks that fall down the cliffs.” 

I was listening with my dad, wife, and kids. The adults kept giving each other quizzical glances as the tour guide continued her monologue. At the end of her evolutionary explanation she said, “Can you believe that?” I couldn’t keep my mouth closed any longer. I uttered a quiet “No!” and my dad said, “I’ve got to hand it to her. She has more faith than I do! It would take more faith to believe what she said than what the bible says.”

The book of Genesis describes the flood as a massive upheaval, which caused water to cover every piece of land in the entire world. Recent studies by geologists, such as Dr. Steve Austin, have presented compelling evidence that shows the formation of the Grand Canyon aligns with the biblical account of the flood. As the water rose over the North American continent it laid successive layers of dirt upon the granite basement rock, which some geologists refer to as the Great Unconformity. Once the water stopped rising, a huge amount of water was trapped above the current location of the canyon. When this natural dam broke the torrent rushed down through the newly laid sandstone layers and carved out the 18 mile wide canyon in the form we see it today. 

Dr. Steve Austin explained it this way, “It’s water on a colossal scale and that’s the story here in the Grand Canyon. It’s not a little water and a lot of time. It’s a lot of water in a little time.” As Christians, we know God is able to create the world in the time frame he desires. If he created it in a short amount of time, then why couldn’t the Grand Canyon be carved out in a short time as well? The next time you are at the southern rim of the canyon consider it for yourself? Was it formed by gradual erosion or by a sudden global calamity that coincides with the biblical account? 

I hope you will take the time to question the worldly philosophies of our time and always analyze our world through the clear, God-glorifying pages of Scripture. 

Seven Rules for Rich Living

August 3, 2021 /

Our society is one of the wealthiest in the world. The average annual income of our planet is a little more than $2,500 a year! As a result of our wealth many Christians in the U. S. struggle to live in a way that is rich towards God. This struggle brings specific temptations that must be understood in order to be resisted. The apostle Paul gave seven rules for rich living in 1 Timothy 6:17-19. The following principles will help Christians who are rich in earthly goods be rich in heavenly wealth as well. 


Don’t Be Arrogant
The first rule for rich living is Don’t Be Arrogant. There is a natural tendency for wealth to make people think about themselves more highly than they should. Paul wrote, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty…” Instead of becoming isolated and insulated to others problems, wealthy Christian need to continually think of others as more important than themselves. 

Don’t Set Your Hope on Wealth
The second rule for rich living is Don’t Set Your Hope on Wealth. Paul put it like this, “Charge them not to… set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches.” Earthly wealth is uncertain. We don’t know when an investment will lose value. If we allow the pursuit of wealth to consume our thoughts then we will be ineffective for the Lord. Proverbs 23:4, “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”


Set Your Help On God 
The third rule is to Set Your Hope On God. This should be done because “He richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” Our society is consumed with pursuing wealth apart from God. This narcissistic madness will never be satisfied. But those who pursue God will have their needs met in ways that money cannot buy. Isaiah 55 says, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!” 


Do Good
The fourth rule is Do Good. The goodness referred to in 1 Timothy is defined by God. This means much more than being a good neighbor. To do good means to understand that all your wealth is to be used for the glory of God! James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights in whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” If everything you own is from God, then everything you do with your wealth should be done to honor him. 


Be Rich in Good Works
The fifth rule is to Be Rich in Good Works. This does not mean that you can earn salvation with good works. Remember Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Good works come after salvation and those who are wealthy must use their resources to point others to God. 


Be Generous
The sixth rule for rich living is to Be Generous. Paul wrote, “Be generous and ready to share.” This attitude protects against the stinginess that is often connected with those who accumulate wealth. Christians need to constantly have a generous attitude that is ready, willing, and able to give to the needs of others. This has a dramatic impact on how we view our wealth. We are stewards of the resources God has given us. We need to be ready to use them the way God wants them used. 


Invest in Heaven
The seventh rule for rich living is to Invest in Heaven. Paul wrote, “thus storing up treasures for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” Riches on earth naturally turn our thoughts away from heaven. They enamor us with a life that is transient and superficial. Like buying a ticket to Disneyland, the fun and games only last for a while. Those who are thinking of heavenly riches look to make investments that will last forever. 
Instead of thinking about things, rich Christians need to think about people. Every human has a  soul that will either enter eternity without Christ or with HIm. We have to think about how we can use earthly wealth for heavenly good. That means investing in people and looking for ways to share the love of Christ with those in need. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven.” That is the attitude of those who want to live richly. 

taking the road less traveled

I've been to 30 out of 217 countries

© 2024 Christ and Common Sense

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑