Sin is common, but avoiding it is common sense

Paul said it well when he said, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). How do you handle that fact? Knowing we all sin can cause us to live more carefully because we are aware of our fallen natures. Or that knowledge can cause us to simply shrug our shoulders and say, “Oh well, everyone sins,” disregarding our sins as a normal part of life.

Sin is not a popular topic, but God’s word often deals with the subject, so we should consider it seriously. When we learn to live with an eternal perspective for our earthly lives, we can avoid a lot of sin.

For Christians, avoiding sin makes the most sense. So, how can we learn to avoid sin, especially common ones that sneak up on us?

  1. We can live with an eternal perspective for our earthly lives.

James wrote, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). 

James would not get high reviews for that comment. We live in the “take care of yourself first” era, and “you only have one life, live it well.” That’s the perspective of most people on earth, yet it’s the wrong way for the Christian to view life. We don’t have one life; we have one life on earth and another for all eternity. 

If we live with an earthly perspective, we will have wrong priorities for our time, our choices, and, most importantly, our values. We can invest in the “mist” that quickly vanishes or in the ocean of blessings that will last forever.

How will you spend your day today? What will you accomplish that will matter forever?

  1. We can learn to recognize sin.

One of my favorite verses in the book of James is, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17). I think James gives the best definition for sin in the Bible!

When my boys were little, I had a rule for disciplining them. When they did something wrong, I asked myself, “Did they know it was wrong?” That parenting technique came straight out of James 4:17. If I had never specifically said, “Don’t do that,” I disciplined with words. If, on the other hand, I had taught them not to do something, I disciplined them with consequences of some kind. “Whoever knows the right thing to do” and doesn’t do it, for him or her, it is a sin. It really is that simple.

We have a responsibility to learn to recognize sin and then avoid it. God gave us his word, and we need to know what the Bible says so that we can obey it. God also gave us his Son, the Word, as our living example of what a life of complete obedience looks like. Finally, God gave us his power, his Holy Spirit, so we can resist every temptation to sin. 

So why do we still sin? Even though we know the right thing to do, we sometimes choose what we want rather than what God wants for us. I’ve often wished we could see the eternal consequences of our choices because I think we would sin less often. 

Have you ever been in a store, a restaurant, or a movie and wished that person from your church hadn’t just seen you? Has someone in your Sunday School class witnessed you having a bad day in public? Are you the same person at work that you are at church or Sunday School?

Years ago, I was in a hurry at the grocery store, and my toddler son would not stop reaching for the stuff on the store shelves. I had a newborn in the cart, and my three-year-old was supposed to behave. Finally, I had enough, and I popped my oldest on the backside to make my point. He started wailing and woke the baby up, who started crying. As I glanced up, I saw the wife of one of our deacons looking at me with a stunned, deer-in-the-headlights look. The sin in the moment wasn’t the behavior of my small children. I knew what to do, they didn’t. 

For all of you who just read that and thought, “She is being too hard on herself” – thank you, but that kind of makes my point. I lost my temper with my child and didn’t have an ounce of grace for him in that moment. It was normal. It was common frustration. But it was also a lack of self-control. I could have and would have done better if I had lived with God’s strength in that moment. That son whose backside I whacked just turned 39, and I still remember feeling like I had not lived my best witness to that deacon’s wife in the grocery store. It isn’t the “big sins” that commonly trip us up. More often it’s the multitude of common sins that accumulate and become stored in our minds as acceptable that cost us the most. 

When we know the right thing to do and choose not to do it, we sin. It’s a pretty simple definition to hold onto.

  1. We can make our witness an eternal priority. 

James wrote, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days…You have lived on the earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter” (James 5:1–5).

Animals that are about to be sold or butchered for food really enjoy the final month or two of life. They get to eat a LOT, and they get to eat the best grains and grasses. They just don’t understand that all that “good food” is preparing them for death. Everything we own on earth has a beginning and an end. James is teaching us that if we live for the sake of our earthly lives, we will miss the treasure that God wants us to have eternally. But he also said something that should be even more convicting. James said, “You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you” (James 5:6).

When we fail to live with eternal priorities, we “fatten” our personal lives with the temporary stuff that seems important but is only important temporarily. When we live with God’s eternal priorities, we make choices for the sake of our eternal treasure. We should be much more aware of the importance of our witness to others. Pursuing wrong priorities in this lifetime doesn’t just harm our lives; we are probably harming others in the process. Murdering our witness might mean we cause someone else to distrust our faith. We trust Jesus as our Savior, but we must live with Jesus as our Lord. Our words often matter eternally.

Avoiding sin is common sense

Paul was right. All of us will sin, and there is nothing, this side of heaven, that we can do about that. We can’t be perfect, but we can probably all try harder to make godliness our high priority. We expect to sin, but that doesn’t mean we should accept our sins. Instead, we are called to avoid sin with all of our hearts and with all the strength God has given us.

Avoiding sin will lead to eternal rewards for each of us and likely for many others as well. I still wish I could do those moments in the grocery store over again. That experience has served as a reminder for a lot of years now. God is so good at redeeming our mistakes and using them for our sanctification. His grace is truly amazing.

We won’t avoid every sin, but living with God’s common-sense values will help us avoid more than we realize. Why live for the mist when we can inherit his ocean of blessing?

Wisdom is “uncommon” sense

The book of James contains some of the most common-sense teachings in the New Testament but also teaches “uncommon” sense. At the beginning of his letter, James encouraged his first-century readers and all of us to maintain a steadfast, faith-filled relationship with God. He said that good works will result if we walk through life in a close relationship with God. James also said that if anyone lacked wisdom, he or she just needed to ask, and God would provide his wisdom generously.

James addressed wisdom again at the end of chapter 3. James, Jesus’s half-brother, had grown up learning and following the Old Testament teachings that Mary and Joseph would have insisted their children understand. James would have been taught the proverb, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). 

In many ways, James 3:13 is one of the most important questions in all Scripture. James asks his readers, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” Who comes to mind when you consider that question? If you’re like me, you have a list of people you consider “wise and understanding.”

For today, let’s also ask: “Whose list contains my name?” 

Are you wise and understanding?

James said that wise and understanding people are recognized by examining their actions. James wrote, “By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13). The key to knowing if your life is full of wisdom is remembering the meaning of the word “meekness.”

James had just written about the power of our words and our great need to be careful with all we say. He wrote about the control a bit had in the horse’s mouth. He described a ship’s ability to be directed by a small rudder. Then James spoke about the “meekness of wisdom.” The meaning of the word meekness in the first century was literally a picture word for the submission of a war horse to the bit in its mouth. The meekness of wisdom reminds us that we need to submit ourselves to God in order to lead lives that God controls and guides. Submission to God’s control is our source of wisdom.

Who is wise and understanding among you? The person whose wisdom is produced by the power and grace of God and lives consistent with his word. How can you be wise? God makes us wise when we are fully submitted to his complete control in our lives. God didn’t intend for Jesus to be only a Savior. God intends for Jesus to be our Lord as well. That’s why God sent his Spirit to indwell our lives. Are we fully submitted to the Holy Spirit’s leadership?

Who is NOT wise and understanding?

James wrote, “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:14–16).

We are not wise if we compare ourselves to others and feel like we deserve more than we have. We are not wise if we aim for what we want rather than what God wants. We are not wise if we stretch the truth to validate our opinions. James makes it clear that earthly standards for wisdom are unspiritual, even demonic. Earthly standards for truth produce disorder and every vile practice. 

Take a minute to consider the last newscast you watched or remember a recent political debate. We can know if we are listening to earthly ideas when those ideas are borne of worldly ambitions and standards. 

Common-sense Christianity requires us to seek wisdom, which is sadly not common enough in our world.

Why is wisdom “uncommon” sense?

James answers that question in verse 3:17. He wrote, “But the wisdom from above is . . .” Wisdom is uncommon sense because it comes from God alone. Humans cannot think like God, love like God, or be perfect like God. God’s children need to remember and acknowledge:

  • “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).
  • “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33).
  • “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28).

God’s wisdom is “uncommon” sense because humans cannot produce it and rarely seek it. God’s wisdom must be requested and received.

What does God’s uncommon wisdom look like in us?

James said, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).

God’s wisdom purifies, produces peace, and is gentle and reasonable. God’s wisdom fills a person with God’s love, character, and grace.

We will submit our lives to God and his Holy Spirit if we are wise. If we are wise, we will want to exude God’s character as our own. If our lives are filled with his wisdom, we will experience many moments of godliness.

What are the consequences of living with wisdom?

James told us, “A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18).

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Common-sense Christianity requires us to seek wisdom, whatever the cost, because we aren’t called to simply be peaceful people, we are called to “make” peace. God’s wisdom will produce God’s character in us, and we can help others make peace with their God. If we live with God’s wisdom, we will enjoy a “harvest of righteousness.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to fill this day and all that follows with God’s uncommon sense? Remember, James began his letter by saying, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

Will you ask God for his “uncommon” sense now? 

It makes good sense to wait with purpose

Books, blogs, articles, and sermons are popular when they discuss the second coming of Christ. Why do we take so much interest in something that Jesus said we would never know or be able to anticipate? Jesus said, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). He could come right now while you enjoy a second cup of coffee and read this blog post.

James had no way of knowing God’s people would still be waiting more than 2000 years later when he told his church, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7–8).

The tulip bulbs I planted last winter are a beautiful reminder to me that, here in Texas, Spring has arrived. When I planted those bulbs, I had no way of knowing when they would bloom. When a farmer plants his crops, he doesn’t know the exact day to schedule the harvest. We can put bulbs and seeds in the ground, but it is up to God to bring the rains, control the winds, and produce the miracle from a tiny seed that turns into something amazing and able to feed our souls and bodies.

Our job is to wait on God’s timing, but we wait with purpose. Weeds need to be pulled and branches trimmed. There are places to step and places to avoid stepping. If God doesn’t send the rain, we must provide water from another source. We wait on God’s timing, but we have work to do while we wait.

We are called to wait with his good purpose

We don’t know when the Lord will return, but James tells us how to wait until that time. The Lord may return for every believer in the world this afternoon. The Lord will most certainly return for several believers today as they pass from this life to eternity. Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). The word “today” meant “today” or immediately.

James taught his people to wait with the character of Jesus as we wait to see the face of Jesus. James wrote, “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold the Judge is standing at the door” (James 5:9). I’ve often wondered how many words I would have kept to myself if I had thought of this verse first! James taught us to walk through this life as if Jesus were close by, listening to every word . . because he is.

James also reminded us about the patience of Job, a man who suffered the worst things this earthly life can subject a person to. He didn’t enjoy his suffering, but he held onto his steadfast faith, which promised a future life with God filled with joy and hope. Job understood that the Lord was compassionate and merciful (James 5:11). James taught his church that it is common sense to rely on the promises of our faith during the worst of times because our steadfast faith will keep us from grumbling about things. If we walk in faith, even the most difficult times can produce a godly witness that will be eternally blessed.

Our word can be our bond

James wrote, “Above all . . .do not swear, either by heaven or earth or by any other oath but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” It always felt like James 5:12 was out of place or an afterthought verse, but James, after the previous verses, says, “Above all.” James was likely referring to the oaths that were considered the verbal contracts of the day.

I like to think of James 5:12 as a summary of his entire letter. From the beginning, he has offered common-sense Christianity. James is a practical letter about how a Christian can live carefully and faithfully. In some ways, James 5:12 could be an umbrella of common sense for the entire letter. 

  • Chapter 1: There are trials in this life, and we ought not to be tossed about. Our steadfast faith in God should hold us firm, and our actions, especially during tough times, should show others that we don’t just know God’s word; we believe it.
  • Chapter 2: We should be careful to love everyone like God loves, without partiality, because we know we cannot judge anyone else’s character. Our job is to live with the character of Christ so that our faith is not just words we confess but something our daily actions prove we trust and believe.
  • Chapter 3: If we allow God to be Lord of our words, he can also be Lord of our actions. The tongue is a powerful rudder that tends also to steer our actions. If we receive the wisdom from above, we can then know and speak that wisdom to others. Our character can display the character of Christ if we will wisely live with that priority.
  • Chapter 4: We can live for the world and like the world. We can define success by the world’s standards. Or we can live our eternal lives daily as our highest priority.
  • Chapter 5: We can sacrifice our eternal treasure for the treasures of this world and claw our way to the top of earth’s ladder. Or, we can endure this life with steadfast faith in the hope of heaven. In humility, we can claw our way to the foot of the cross and choose to be more like Jesus.

And “above all” or overall, as James has taught in this amazing letter, we can make sure we are known as people who speak the truth of God all the time. Every lesson we teach and every action we take can be trusted because people know we are God’s children and we live truthful, faithful lives. Our “yes” and our “no” can be trusted.

What is your “prayer of faith”?

James closes his common-sense letter about faithful living by speaking about prayer (James 5:13–20). To summarize his words: In good times and bad, in sickness and health, in the sinful times and during your righteous days, confess, pray, and trust the power of your faith to carry you through every circumstance of this life.

When someone wanders from the truth, “bring him back.” Pray fervently for everyone because there is no greater use of our time than to “save a soul from death” because the salvation of even one person will cover a multitude of sins. 

The single most important reason to live a “Common-sense Christian” witness is that every person who God calls us to influence might be led to seek a saving faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

It’s the Lent season, a perfect time to carefully influence others with our faithful observance of all Easter means to our faith. Let’s be careful to live with humble gratitude for God’s Easter gift. Jesus died to pay for every sin. Jesus rose again as the living example of God’s power over death. 

Living wisely and carefully with James’ words in our hearts makes good practical sense. The sermon our life preaches may bring someone to church on Easter Sunday. How many sins could be erased if God’s people steadfastly lived as James taught?

“Above all,” let our words be true and our character Christ-like. Truth is a powerful witness, and its rewards are often eternal. May our common-sense Christianity be a sacrificial gift to Jesus this Easter. 

As we wait for his return, it makes good sense to wait with that purpose.

Common Sense tells us to cover our mouths

We all know to cover our mouths when we sneeze to prevent the spread of germs. The Book of James also teaches us to cover our mouths spiritually. Our words can also spread many unhealthy things. 

This topic is a tough one. James teaches: “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body” (James 3:2). In other words, all of us will say wrong things because there is no such thing as a perfect person. We all forget to cover our mouths at times spiritually, and our words infect others as a result.

Did you get through the recent political election without saying something you regret? Did you get through yesterday without saying something that would have been more helpful to have left unsaid? James makes it clear that we all sin in this area, and we need to consider the potential our words have to cause harm and learn to live more cautiously as a result.

This sin is common but more hurtful for some

James 3:1 is one of my least favorite verses in Scripture. The verse says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” I’ve taught for a LOT of years, and this verse makes me gulp every time I read it. 

We who presume to teach others about God must be cautiously careful with our words. I’m careful not to take the Lord’s name in vain by using it as a cuss word or slander. I really hate when people say the name “Jesus” in frustration or anger. But just because that isn’t my personal issue doesn’t mean I won’t take the Lord’s name in vain by using it lightly, without reverence. I enjoy a good joke or clever satire and don’t mind repeating a few things that I know will entertain those around me. The same mouth that teaches the Bible can spout some words that teach a much different lesson.

If, like me, you are a teacher, a minister, or anyone who wants to share a godly witness with the world, we are called to know that our words matter. It’s good common sense for Christians to be careful with our words.

God created us to speak, then asked us to make him Lord of what we say

I wonder if the first recorded sin in Scripture followed words like these from Eve to Adam: “Hey Adam, you have GOT to try this!” We know Satan’s temptation began with a conversation that led Eve to doubt God’s word as truth. When have our words caused others to doubt the truth of God? That is a sobering thought for all of us. We should never underestimate the power our words can have in the lives of others.

James told his readers, “If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things” (James 3:3–5).

God created us to speak, and James reminds us that when we made Jesus Lord, we also made him King of our conversations. How many times have you walked away from a fun conversation only to hear that still, small voice convict you over something you said? The older I get, the quicker those thoughts come. I rarely make it home before I have to pray, “I’m sorry, Lord. I blew that. Please forgive and redeem my words with your own.” 

The church isn’t full of hypocrites

The only reason the church isn’t full of hypocrites, however, is because the church isn’t yet full. A church might run out of seats on Easter Sunday or Christmas Eve. Only then could the church possibly be full of hypocrites.

The reason Christians are labeled hypocrites is because we so often are. It’s okay to acknowledge that we are all sinners because that allows us to help others know that Jesus died for their sins as well. We can tell anyone that the church isn’t full of hypocrites. The church will always make room for one more. 

James wrote, “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:7–8). 

We will never say everything well. Nor will we always speak the truth of God with love. We will never tame our tongues completely. Truthfully, that just means we can help others to know that everyone needs God as much as we do. 

How can you learn to control your words?

The most important part of controlling an addiction is admitting that the addiction is actually controlling you. A typical AA introduction begins, “Hi. My name is _____, and I’m an alcoholic.”

Maybe we should introduce ourselves in a similar way. “Hi. I call myself a Christian, but I’m also still a hypocritical sinner. Thankfully, I’m a sinner saved by grace, and the good news is, God can save you, too.”

As James said, our words can “bless our Lord and Father” and can “curse people who are made in the likeness of God” (From James 3:9). James also said, “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10). Whatever we say that does not bless a person’s life might actually cause them harm.

That’s why James wrote, “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water” (James 3:11–12). Fresh water was considered a great, life-saving value in the first century. Our words can have that same high value for someone’s eternal life. 

We choose to speak, and we can choose to speak carefully and thoughtfully.

Common sense requires us to ask for help when we need it

No one says everything right. No one speaks only words of kindness. But who do you know who comes close to speaking almost perfectly? I know someone who amazes me in this area. (Yes, Marcia, I’m thinking of you!) I’ve often asked God to help me be more like Marcia. I look up to her because she yields her words to the Spirit’s leadership. I think James would have been impressed with her as well!

Our words matter. Common sense Christianity requires us to value our words enough to submit our mouths to God’s leadership. If Jesus wouldn’t have said it, we shouldn’t either!

A pastor named Buddy Owens is credited with saying, “When you fix your thoughts on God, God fixes your thoughts.” Jesus said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36). Let’s fix our minds on “things above,” and then maybe we won’t have as much to fix before that day we stand before God. That’s just good, common-sense Christianity that we can all aim for. That choice will impact a lot of lives, our own included.

It’s common sense to pursue righteousness

The verse that caused Martin Luther to call the Book of James “an epistle of straw” was likely the verse that asks the question, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” (James 2:14). Martin Luther was fighting the ideas that had moved the practices of his church away from the truth of the Bible. His fight would eventually lead to the beginning of the Protestant denominations.

Luther’s biggest fight was against the idea that certain “works” the church assigned people could ensure or even obligate God’s favor. The people had been taught to believe that the pope’s words were as valid as the words of Scripture. Many in Luther’s day couldn’t read, so they acted on flawed human ideas rather than the teaching of Scripture.

We face those same issues today. We all have an individual responsibility to know God’s word and will and make our choices according to what we know God has said.

When James wrote about faith and deeds, he wasn’t talking about “earning” righteousness through our works. James was teaching that a person who truly has faith will reveal their faith by their works.

How does righteousness work?

I often teach that righteousness is found in a life that is “right with God.” The most important thing we can do daily is make choices that honor God and allow him to pour his favor and blessings into our lives. 

James described righteousness using this example: “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:15–17). In other words, if our faith is only seen through what we say we believe, it’s less likely someone will believe what we say about our faith.

When a person is truly right with God, they will say and do the things that reveal a close relationship with God. People are drawn to God when they see him at work in the lives of his children.

James wrote, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:18–19). James was teaching his people that true believers don’t simply believe there is a God; they believe in, and on, the One true God as their King. 

True believers don’t just believe the Bible has good ideas; they believe it is the foundation for all that is truth. True believers don’t just believe Jesus existed; they believe he lived and died to provide their eternal salvation. 

Righteousness works when true believers live their faith in Christ and proclaim him as their Lord.

Righteousness has always been witnessed through obedience. 

James then uses Abraham to further his point: “You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone” (James 2:20–24).

Abraham wasn’t found righteous because he knew God’s word; he was found righteous when he obeyed God’s word. All of us who have grown up in church, attended Sunday School and Bible study, and even read Christian blogs and articles like this can sometimes feel confident in the amount of Bible we have learned. According to James and Abraham, the righteous need to find confidence in the amount of God’s word that they have obeyed.

Who and what do you see as righteous?

It is humbling to realize that when Jesus began his earthly ministry, he didn’t choose the leaders of that day to be his disciples. He did, however, except for Judas, choose those who were righteous. They were fishermen who led their business with godly standards. Those men gave up a great deal to walk with Jesus. Some, like Matthew, a tax collector, were actually viewed as unrighteous by their peers. Matthew walked away from a lucrative job to know Jesus and learn from him.

Sometimes, we don’t see righteousness the same way God sees it. James said, “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26–26). God, in his great grace, rewards righteousness even in the lives of people whose choices were unrighteous. And all of us have made sinful choices at some point. Rahab is an excellent example of why God told us not to judge the righteousness of others.

What is righteousness that works?

Paul taught Timothy to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:11-12a). Common sense tells us that none of us will luck into righteousness. Paul quoted several lessons from the Old Testament when he said, “As it is written, there is no one righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10). 

To “fight the good fight” literally means to “agonize the great agony.” We can pursue many things in this life, but Paul taught us that the good pursuit, the great “agony” of our lives, should result from running hard after righteousness.

What “works” are you busy with today that will bring God honor and glory and reveal your faith? Which works will simply use up your time rather than invest it in heaven’s treasure? 

Our works don’t earn our salvation, but they sure do reveal we have been born again as a child of the King. It only makes good sense to pursue righteousness as our highest goal. If we run our best race, we will also fight the good fight. The trophy for completing that race is eternal.

Common-sense faith teaches us to avoid favoritism

The book of James offers us a lot of common sense that is surprisingly uncommon in our Christian circles. James wrote to his church members and said, “Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (James 2:1). Apparently, there were issues among some of the early Christians because some people were given seats of honor and other privileges while others were being told to “stand over there” or “sit at the feet” of others (James 2:2–3). James called them out because they were playing favorites, saying, “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:4). James would “call out” today’s Christians for making the same mistakes.

This passage always makes me wonder how Christians in earlier generations could have possibly thought it was okay to tell other people to sit in the back of the bus or even prohibit them from entering a school, a restaurant, or especially a church. James’ words in this verse are abundantly clear, but the church was just as guilty as the rest of the world about their treatment of others. The church, God’s children, have always been guilty of those same sins. I often think of the verse from Jesus’ parable, “So the last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16). Who will be favored in heaven?

Heaven is going to be surprising in many ways. I like to imagine heaven as a place where God tells everyone there, “You are my favorite.”

Until heaven, we need a common-sense approach to having “favorites”

Partiality is part of our human nature. We have lots of friends, but a few best friends. We have people we like or respect and others we deeply love and admire. Our actions tend to reflect our feelings, which is why James’ words are difficult to apply authentically to our lives.

James seems to encourage the impossible when he writes, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ’You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:8–10).

I must admit, I read his words and think, “Can you please define what you mean by neighbor?” or “Is it okay to assume if you didn’t use the plural, “neighbors,” we have some wiggle room here? Truthfully, sometimes, I picture Jesus rolling his eyes at some of my thoughts. Actually, I can picture some of my readers doing the same!

Is it even possible to keep from having favorites? I know I haven’t mastered James’ teaching yet. But, if I’m teaching others what James meant, I always point out his words above. The point James was making is the same point Paul was making in the book of Romans, chapter 3. We shouldn’t play favorites because we aren’t able to judge anyone better than another. We shouldn’t honor people for things that God wouldn’t honor. We also can’t judge a person to be more valuable than another. Why?

We aren’t allowed to judge because we aren’t perfect. We all have a different set of values, usually borne from our own preferences and priorities. But there is no possible way we can judge if a person is good, better, or best because we judge everyone while having our own set of sins. Paul told the church that “all have sinned and fall short,” and Jesus taught the parable about not pointing out the splinter in a person’s eye while having a “log” in our own eye. We aren’t allowed to judge because we aren’t perfectly able to judge. Only God has that right because only God is right all of the time.

How do we have favorites but not show favoritism?

The answer to that question will keep us from a whole lot of sin and a whole lot of heartache in this life. One of the best things each of us can do is consider the moments when we were treated to a “choice seat” and also remember the moments when no one even noticed we were there. We have all experienced both sides of that coin. Remembering how we felt in those moments will help us not to cause those feelings in others. We aren’t helping someone if our actions cause them to feel more worthy than they genuinely are. In the same vein, we don’t hurt people if our actions allow them to know they are as worthy as the next. We are all just a bunch of sinners, tripping our way toward heaven. The point is trying not to fall when we trip.

Everyone who enters the church ought to find a welcome spot somewhere, actually everywhere, in the building. James told those first-century Christians, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12–13). The word James uses for “mercy” is the Greek word eleos, meaning loving-kindness. That’s equivalent to the Hebrew word hesed, which means the unconditional, steadfast mercy God extends to us.

We are called to freely offer the unlimited grace and favor poured into our lives through our saving faith in Christ. 

How can we choose to show favoritism when our perfect God has chosen our sorry, sinful selves to be his children? How can we offer limited mercy when we have received unlimited hesed from our perfect, loving heavenly Father?

But how can we have favorites without showing favoritism? We cannot offer hesed, unconditional, steadfast love, from our fallen human natures. We can only offer what we have received from God. 

The next time you want to show favoritism. . .

Our human natures will always want to play favorites, but our Spirit-led souls can do better! Pray for hesed. Pray until you know you don’t have the merciful love you need to give until God provides it. Pray until you are genuinely asking God to create in you his clean thoughts and his character. Pray until you look at your least favorite person and realize your own set of flaws probably places you in that unfavorite category with someone else. Pray until you open your heart to receive the love and mercy God has called you to give. Only then will you be able to show favoritism like God does. Imagine a moment on earth, like every moment in heaven, when God tells your least favorite person that he or she is his favorite. Imagine when you choose to offer hesed to another, and God finds favor with you as a result!

Don’t just hear James’ teaching about favoritism; change your own actions as a result

This blog post should come with a warning label. I’m always amazed at how God makes certain I have learned a lesson by providing an opportunity to live the lesson myself. Actually, that is what James teaches next! Chances are, we will each have the chance to offer God’s mercy to someone this week who we might have been inclined to walk past before James went to preaching at us. What do you want to do when that happens?

If you pray and then offer God’s love and grace as a result, you will really enjoy next week’s blog post. If you don’t, then next Wednesday, you might want to wear steel-toed shoes before reading. James will bruise toes when he tells us to “be doers of the word, not hearers only.”

Thousands of Christians read this blog post each week. What if we all commit to sharing hesed instead of showing favoritism to our neighbors? We can give people a glimpse of heaven while still on earth. I pray that James has provided common-sense faith that will motivate all of us to live with uncommon faith. May we all find favor with God and favor with man. That’s the example Jesus set for each of us. Then, Jesus died, rose, and sent his Spirit so that each of us could live as his example to others.

One day in heaven, we will tell Jesus, “You’re my favorite!” Let’s prove that by the way we live now.

Common-sense Christians live what they believe

I asked the Google AI how often the groundhog got it right. Google’s response: “Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is right about 39% of the time when predicting the length of winter. This is based on his predictions since his first recorded prediction in 1887.” 

Common sense tells us that the odds of getting it right would be greatly improved if the mayor of Punxsutawney simply tossed a coin!

I’ve enjoyed the news reports that say things like, “It’s just common sense” for Americans to think this or that or choose to do this or that. Americans enjoy hearing about the groundhog’s shadow. Still, I think most of us know not to actually believe the reports and make any choices based on a groundhog’s shadow. Who wants to plant a bunch of flowers only to see them ruined later by a heavy frost?

Common-sense Christians understand that Scripture has provided timeless teaching and wisdom for every generation of God’s people. Yet, why have so many people refused to follow God’s teaching throughout history?

I think Billy Graham answered that question when he told Christians, “We are the Bibles the world is reading; We are the creeds the world is needing; We are the sermons the world is heeding.”

In other words, if Christians don’t live what they believe, people won’t believe what is necessary to live eternally in heaven. As we continue to look at the book of James, let’s notice that James and Billy Graham taught the same lesson.  

Hearers need to be doers

I was teaching my Bible study last week using 1 Corinthians 2. In many ways, Paul, James, and every Spirit-led preacher before and after, have all taught this very important truth to their congregations: It is always going to be a spiritual challenge for God’s children to live their faith.

We are often content to know God’s word. We often measure a person’s spirituality based on the amount of Scripture they know. We are often more impressed with a preacher’s delivery than we are with the actual results of their message. We often rank faithfulness by attendance rather than obedience. We are human beings and tend to function with human judgment, even in spiritual matters. Paul taught the Corinthians to value the Holy Spirit’s leadership in their lives. Simply said, we must submit our common-sense judgment to the uncommon wisdom of God’s Spirit. Paul asked those in Corinth, “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” Then Paul reminded them of a crucial fact: “But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

It is overwhelming to consider that every Christian has been given God’s Holy Spirit, and we are, therefore, able to think, judge, and discern with the mind of Christ. So, what hinders us from utterly changing the world because we have the ability to think like Jesus?

James answered that question, saying, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22–25). 

Common sense tells us that if we look in a mirror and see a problem, we ought to fix that problem before we head out. I liken it to someone who is at an important dinner table and excuses themselves from the table for just a few minutes. Before leaving the bathroom, a quick glance in the mirror reveals that their front tooth is covered with a piece of Brussels sprout they just enjoyed. Common sense tells them they ought to fix that before returning to the table.

All of us have heard an important truth in a sermon or Bible lesson, realized that the Holy Spirit was talking to us, and knew we needed to obey the Spirit’s leading. But an hour or two later, we just walked away from the church the same way we walked in. We heard God speak, looked in a mirror, and left the church with a big ol’ piece of Brussels sprout on our front tooth.

No wonder people can’t hear our words of witness! Our lives are distracting their thoughts. It isn’t what we know about God that will impress people with our faith; our lives preach our faith.

Pure religion is preached with a pure mouth

It isn’t just the Brussels sprout stuck to our front tooth that matters. It’s also the fact that people can’t see past it to hear our words. If our lives are a distraction to our message, common sense tells us to fix the problem.

James said, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world (James 1:26–27).

In full confession, I really hate those verses from James. I never read them, teach them, or write about them that I’m not required to throw myself, yet again, under that really big bus. Teaching is one of my spiritual gifts. Teaching is the thing I do that most allows God to use my life for his Kingdom purpose. The same mouth that teaches God’s word is the same mouth that sometimes teaches something less. 

My greatest spiritual failures usually come from words that fly out of my mouth. The only verse I like less than the verses above is James 3:1, which says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” 

The good news is this: I own a “spiritual mirror” through the Holy Spirit. I can teach with some Brussels sprout on my front tooth or clean it off ahead of time. When I live and speak through the power and wisdom of God’s Holy Spirit, he can change, encourage, and direct people’s lives. The same mouth that can distract people from my religion is the same mouth that God has been able to purify and then use to teach his word. I try to live with a spiritual mirror because I “presume to teach.” But I also know that I can teach people how to know God when I teach using “the mind of Christ” rather than my own thoughts. I consider that my highest calling, and being used by his Holy Spirit is definitely my great joy.

How can you purify your religion today?

I would ask a blunt question that requires you to look in your spiritual mirror. What in your mirror requires some clean up before you head out into the day and preach your religion to the world? None of us will ever be perfect this side of heaven. All of us can hear James remind us to keep ourselves, “unstained from the world.”

I would teach all of us, myself included, to pause before heading into our day, choosing not just to hear or read God’s word. What will you do today differently because God’s Spirit, the actual “mind of Christ,” is changing your thoughts into his and changing your actions as a result?

Common sense tells us that Christians live what they believe. Our witness to the world is changed when we live as both hearers and doers of his word. Have a blessed and fruitful day!

Common-sense Christianity: hope, joy, and help

Before I begin this week’s post, let me offer some praise to all of you who caught my “oops” in last week’s post. It flew to your inboxes with a reference to Proverbs 3:16 Christianity, and many of you caught the mistake! I use the idea of 3,5,6 Christianity OFTEN when I am teaching or speaking. I also use John 3:16 OFTEN when I’m sharing the gospel or trying to help someone else know how to share their faith. Needless to say, I combined two of my lessons into one and got it wrong. So, please forgive the “oops” and my thanks to all of you who caught it and, to my assistant, Trace, who quickly fixed my mistake on the website!

The whole process of fixing my “oops” inspired this blog post. We try to get things right at Denison Ministries, but we will never get everything perfect. Common sense and Scripture tell us that but nevertheless, we should make perfect a goal. Why? Because perfection is the promised hope of heaven.

Common-sense Christianity

The idea of “common sense” has been a subject of political news lately, which brought about an idea for this blog post I will try for the next several weeks. I’ve taught the book of James many times because it is, in many ways, a favorite book of mine in the New Testament. Not everyone shares my love for this epistle, however. The famous theologian and Protestant reformer Martin Luther called James “an epistle of straw.” Who am I to disagree with Martin Luther? But I do!

The Book of James is one of the most practical books in the Bible, filled with common-sense ideas about our faith. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote it to the first-century Jewish Christians. Most of those early recipients had been forced to flee their homes in Jerusalem because of persecution and hardship. James wrote to tell them how to live their Christian faith well in the new cities and different cultures where they had relocated their lives. 

Why is it a favorite of mine? Because it provides that same common-sense advice to Christians today. For the next few weeks, let’s look at the book of James and allow God’s word to remind us to live with the same practical, common-sense encouragement that James gave to the people he loved.

How can we accept, even appreciate, the hard times in our lives?

I would never say that James’ advice is easy to follow. In fact, apart from the help of God’s Holy Spirit, it is downright impossible! Thankfully, when Jesus taught us about the Holy Spirit, he described him using the word paráklētos, meaning “helper” or “aid” (John 14:26). I wish James had written, “You have been filled with the power of the Holy Spirit therefore you are able. . . to”:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2–4).

If we sincerely consider the hard times of our lives, the times we ran in prayer to God’s throne for comfort, help, and direction, we can remember all that God taught us during those difficult moments. We probably wouldn’t choose to repeat those hard times, but we are truly grateful for the spiritual growth we experienced as a result. “Steadfastness” is a blessing that will help carry us through our next trial. The chance to be “perfect and complete, lacking nothing” is the promised hope of heaven that will one day become our reality.

Common sense tells us that we should never seek trials in this life, but Scripture teaches us that trials are a very real part of our Christian journey. Jesus promised that “in the world you will have tribulation,” but he also promised that we could “take heart” because he has overcome the world (John 16:33). 

How can single-minded faith be wisdom?

The world encourages people to be “open-minded” and criticizes those who appear to be “single-minded,” only open to one idea or definition of truth. Common-sense Christianity requires us to trust the word of God more than we trust the ever-changing opinions in our culture. 

Christianity doesn’t make sense to the world because it is “un-common” truth. Jesus taught his disciples, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). Non-Christians do not have the indwelling strength and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit. It’s essential for us to remember that it is our faith that makes our trust possible.

James understood that his first-century readers were surrounded by people who had been taught to worship and trust the many different gods of the Greco-Roman empire. They needed to share their faith with people who knew almost nothing about the one true Creator God. The lost people in our own culture have some of those same issues. James taught the early believers and us to be careful and live with a single-minded faith. God gives the wisdom we need for our daily lives and our witness to others. His advice:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5–8).

It’s amazing to realize that God wants to give wisdom to all who ask for it. But that wisdom isn’t promised to those who want to consider his direction a possibility or option. God’s wisdom is given to those who ask with single-minded faith and trust in God’s perfection. When we seek God’s wisdom in the Bible, we must realize that we are seeking perfect truth that must be accepted and obeyed.

Common-sense Christianity believes in the one perfect and holy God

James began his letter with two truths that are common-sense Christianity.

  1. We can face the trials of life with hope and faith; if we do, we can trust God to redeem every trial for our spiritual good.
  2. We can ask for and trust God to give us his perfect wisdom if we will believe in the Lord with single-minded faith.

James wanted his friends to live among unbelievers as witnesses for Jesus. James knew it would be challenging and difficult. We face that same challenge today. Common-sense Christianity requires un-common faith. Our faith and our lives will not be perfect on this side of heaven but thankfully, we can live with the knowledge that we are being perfected through his word and the Spirit’s work in us.

Whatever trial you might be experiencing today, you can steadfastly choose to be faithful and trust in God. Whatever wisdom you need, you can ask for and then receive it from God as you accept and believe his word is perfect truth. 

We are richly blessed when we live as common-sense Christians who hope in the Lord, live with his joy, and trust his help for each day. 

A Daily Appointment with God

When we were making appointments to look for a new home in Tyler, Texas, I spent a lot of time on Realtor.com. I’ve always enjoyed stopping by an open house or walking through a new home build. I usually enter the HGTV sweepstakes hoping to win their latest home giveaway. I just enjoy most things “real estate.” 

I made appointments to “see” several homes in Tyler over a period of several months. The homes were nice and in good neighborhoods, and I tried to talk myself into buying one. I just never walked through those homes and thought I was “home ” until we walked into the home we ended up buying.

Many years ago, I started praying a prayer that I have continued to use when we needed to make a move. As I walk up to the front door, I ask the Lord to “Tell me when I’m home.” I needed God’s answer for our new home in Tyler so much. There was a lot to think about with this move.

When the “no’s” became “yes”

We moved to Tyler when I knew my mom needed a better place to care for her needs. Jim and I had planned to retire to a quiet spot, and searching for a good place for Mom also became searching for a good place for Jim and me to “grow old” peacefully. We gave our needs to God, allowed Mom’s needs to matter too, and then God changed all our ideas into his. 

I write about 356 Christianity because Proverbs 3:5–6 is truth we have lived. God doesn’t lead our lives until we “trust” in him with all of our hearts. That means we cannot lean on our own understanding. We have to give him “all of our ways,” and then “he can direct our path.”

Every home I toured on Realtor.com was a possibility. Over the months of searching, I chose about ten homes I thought looked like a good possibility, and we went to see them. Each time we toured those homes, I tried to make them work. But when I asked God, “Am I home?” he didn’t seem to answer.

Then the quiet “no’s” became a “yes.”

A room with a view

I looked at one home online almost every day. This house enthralled me, and I could visualize all its possibilities. But my practical brain wouldn’t consider it. It was too large and extravagant, and it felt irresponsible for me to consider it. 

The only reason I set up a tour of that home was because I could not get it out of my head. As we walked up the steps to the front door, I prayed and asked the Lord to speak what I needed to hear, fully expecting him to say “no.” We walked in the front door, and our eyes traveled through the house to the wall of windows in the back. My heart sank. I wanted to live there. That “want” increased with every new room I entered. 

Every home I had toured was lovely, and I should have wanted each of them, but I didn’t. I walked into the big, extravagant house and I did want it. After that, I spent another few months not looking any longer. I was sure I just needed someone else to buy that house I wanted, and then I would get over it. Months passed, and I still peeked sometimes at Realtor.com. The house, my house, remained on the market.

God saved our home for us. Months later, I returned to see that home again, and God said, “You’re home.” I found a perfect spot for my mom. We made all kinds of life and ministry adjustments to live in Tyler. I cannot tell you how many details had to fall into place that did. 

God made all things possible, and we moved into our new home one really warm day in May. Jim and I are often reminded of Paul’s words to the Ephesians when he spoke of being rooted and grounded in God’s love and strengthened to do ministry. Paul wrote words of praise, saying, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21)

Now, every morning of these winter months, Jim and I sit in that room, looking out our “wall of windows,” and we witness the most glorious sunrises you have ever seen. Almost two years later, I’m still amazed by the realization that God is able to bless far more abundantly than we would ask or think. Every morning, Jim and I give God glory for our blessings.

That said, our “material blessings” have been a great gift, but our spiritual blessings matter even more.

Our 7:00 a.m. appointment with God

Jim and I sit together on our sofa almost every winter morning and watch the sunrise. We feel disappointed when, on occasion, we have to miss it. Every morning, we look out that wall of windows and watch God “show off.” Nothing is as spectacular in this world as all that God has created.

Jim and I can remember the early weeks of our marriage when we didn’t know if we had the money to get the gas he needed to drive to his seminary classes in Fort Worth. For most of our adult lives, I was very, very careful with every dollar we had so that we had enough to live our lives. (Right now, my friends are grinning. I have a bit of a reputation for being too frugal or, as some say, downright cheap!) 

I only write that because you can imagine what I felt when I stood at the front door of our house and heard God say, “You’re home.” I did NOT believe him for several months! Thankfully, we serve a patient God who puts up with our stubborn, doubting selves. Sometimes God wants to bless us “far more abundantly” than we would even “ask or think,” and certainly more than we could ever deserve.

I now lead a Bible study in our home and enjoy a wonderful group of women each Tuesday morning as we gather to learn more about our Lord. I enjoy hosting my family and hearing my grandchildren race through the house or run out to the pool. Every day, I watch my husband walk back to his new office, which is located in a small home in our backyard! I often tell people that I think I have spent more time with Jim in the past two years than in the first forty-two years of our marriage combined! God is SO GOOD, and he has given us more than we would have asked for or imagined.

We keep our 7:00 a.m. appointment with God together to worship, talk, and praise God with gratitude for leading and blessing our lives as he has. We know we are blessed, and we are grateful.

This morning’s appointment with God

I said this before and will say it forever: “God speaks” if we pray Samuel’s prayer from 1 Samuel 3:10. That prayer: “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” God speaks to servants who will listen. And chances are, you might be surprised at what God will tell you.

God told me to move to Houston, Texas, when I LOVED my life, friends, and one special man in California. God told me to go to Houston Baptist University even though I wasn’t Baptist, and truthfully, LOVED to dance every chance I got. Then God led me to date and eventually marry a man who would be a Baptist preacher and didn’t ever dance. God has led my life in unusual ways, and every chance I get myself out of the way, I trust him to be my Lord. My life hasn’t been perfect, but it is more than I would ever have “asked or imagined” as a result. 

As I watched the spectacular sunrise outside my wall of windows this morning, God told me to ask my readers these questions for today’s blog post: 

  • Are you a Proverbs 3:5–6 Christian? 
  • Do you ask God to speak because you are a servant who will listen? 
  • Do you have an appointment with God each day to praise him for his abundant blessings, pray for your needs, and worship the God who creates and brings about every sunrise and sunset?

If so, then join me in singing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow! If not, what will you do tomorrow?

The power of fire

I lived in Thousand Oaks, CA, during high school and spent hours and hours at Zuma Beach. Zuma is the beach just north of Malibu. I watched the news coverage of the California fires, recognizing much of what the reporters described as “completely destroyed.” I can’t imagine what Malibu looks like today. Fox News called the fire damage “apocalyptic.”

I watched the flames and considered the number of times the Bible uses the word “fire” to describe an activity of God and even his character. The Bible uses “fire” more than five hundred times, ninety times in direct reference to God himself. Hebrews 12:29 says, “For our God is a consuming fire,” which refers to Deuteronomy 4:24.

The powerful Santa Ana winds drove the fire all the way to the ocean, destroying homes and lives, and I wondered why God chose to describe himself like that. 

A consuming fire

My high school prom was in Malibu. For my 17th birthday, my boyfriend took me to Moonshadows restaurant, where I ate dinner a few tables away from Ted Knight, a star of the Mary Tyler Moore show. I drove up and down the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) many times over those years, enjoying the restaurants and shops. The fire consumed everything but my memories. 

The fires raced through the area and skipped across PCH. Multi-million-dollar homes ignited, burned to the ground, and smoldered. What finally stopped the fire? The enormous power of the Pacific Ocean.

Is that why God called himself a consuming fire? God’s power is evident in fire, wind, and the vast waters that eventually stopped the devastation. The most powerful things in this world testify to the existence of the One who created all there is.

It’s probable to assume that one or more of the fires resulted from human error or intent. God honors the free will of those he created while working to redeem and restore the consequences of misusing that free will. I wonder if God’s plan to redeem includes the redemption of so many who feel like they have lost everything. I watched the news interviews and listened to what those affected were saying. Their grief was understandable, but I was struck by the fact that no one interviewed spoke about God or his saving grace. No one thanked the Lord for sparing their lives. It struck me how different those interviews would have been if the tragedy had occurred here in my hometown. We all grieve things in this life, but Christians can grieve with hope. 

Scripture clearly states that everything accumulated or accomplished on earth is temporary except the things we do that have eternal value and reward. We should “set our minds on things above” as often as possible to keep a biblical perspective on the “stuff” of this world.

Paul’s perspective on our earthly priorities

The church in Corinth was a fascinating, diverse group of Christian believers. Some were wealthy, while others were slaves. Some were of Jewish background, while most were Gentile. Paul told the church, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:11–15).

The Bible doesn’t say much about our rewards in heaven, but it does say that how we live on earth will impact our lives eternal. Works that have no eternal value will simply burn up. Christians who professed their faith in Christ will always gain their salvation one day, but some “only as through the fire.” Our souls will survive the fire, but what will happen to our works? It’s good to assess our lives with a biblical perspective. If we lost everything on earth, would we still be able to consider ourselves wealthy beyond measure? What choices have we made and are making now that will result in our eternal reward?

I’m praying that some Christians who can share that biblical hope with the world will be interviewed in California.

Is your faith “fireproof”?

Peter told the first-century Christians, many of whom were suffering “various trials,” that God would redeem the hard times for their good. Peter told them and us that God allows suffering “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

God has always held “genuine faith” as his high standard. Isn’t it true that the strength of our faith is most often revealed during the fiery moments of this life? Sometimes, we fail, but we often discover the reality of the “peace that passes all understanding” when those hard times help us seek God’s presence and fully trust in his perfect character.

Faith becomes fireproof when it can withstand or simply survive the consequences of living in a fallen world. Leaning on God is a strength-building exercise.

The Spirit of Christ arrived with fire

God sent his Holy Spirit to the believers gathered in the upper room at the Pentecost celebration. Acts 2:3 describes the appearance of his arrival, saying, “Divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” That day’s fire was an individual experience with a personal and powerful Savior. The Holy Spirit gifted those gathered and enabled them to share the gospel with everyone, speaking it in the languages the people needed to hear. That is the powerful fire of the Holy Spirit. More than three thousand people received their salvation that day.

That’s what John the Baptist meant when he preached, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

God is a consuming fire, and through the power of his Holy Spirit, we have been gifted to carry God to people who have experienced the worst moments this life can bring. People who think they have lost everything on earth can gain the hope of owning everything eternal. 

Does your witness need a little more fire or a little more power? Does your evangelism need to become a higher priority? Those are good questions to consider as we listen to the needs of the people around us. I look at those grieving, lost faces on my television and realize that, except for a move to Texas, I could easily have been one of those people. 

Let’s pray for their souls—that God will redeem the hardest times for his great glory. He wants to help them, and we should, too.