Topical Studies
Spiritual Goals
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Proverbs 28:13 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
Four words in this verse—"cover," "prosper," "confesses," and "forsakes"—highlight some valuable instruction for us. According to Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, these Hebrew words mean: » Cover (kacah, #3680): "to cover, to conceal, to hide." » Prosper (tsalach, #6743): "to advance, to prosper, to make progress, to succeed, to be profitable." » Confesses (yadah, #3034): "to throw, to shoot, to cast" and by extension, "to confess" or even "to praise." » Forsakes ('azab, #5800): "to leave, to loose, to forsake, to let go." In other words, if we try to hide or ignore our faults, our chances for success in life are dim, but if we admit them and put them behind us, we will have favor. In The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck remarks that "it is easier for us to try and forget a problem that we know exists than to deal with it." He states a fundamental truth about our problems. If we do not deal with a problem—in our case, sin—it will never go away. It will fester, and it will always come up later or manifest itself in a different form. Spiritually, then, if we are not honest with ourselves about our sins and shortcomings, we will not reach our full, God-given potential. God can show us our sins, but He cannot and will not force us to overcome—that decision is ours. We must see ourselves for what we are and have the desire to make the conscious choice to change. Thus, Paul instructs us in Philippians 2:12-13: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Warren Lee
Setting Spiritual Goals
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Romans 12:1-2 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
If a person has no specific spiritual goal for life, then he will be forced by circumstances to turn all of his attention regarding his life goals and ambitions to the material and the secular. There is no way to avoid this because people will, by nature, conform to the world around them. Now if his spiritual goal is the common Protestant view of immediately being born again at conversion and going off to heaven at the end of his life, he can make a few preparations for life after death. However, only the right goal can fully encourage the right preparation. Not being conformed to this world but to Christ requires consciously choosing to be like Him! This is vastly different from what it is like when we were born into this life. We had no choice then. We were by nature a slave of Satan the Devil and of the society around us. When God intervenes in our lives, calling us to Him, He begins to reveal Himself to us. He frees us from is our bondage to Satan so we can consciously choose to be conformed to the image of His Son—and we will not be unconsciously weaved into the mold of this world. This means that our part in His creative process is to come to the knowledge of God. We are to analyze and to understand its practical application according to the commands and the intent of His Word, and consciously choose to do it. This is the pathway that, by the grace of God, will result in our being born again as His very sons in His Kingdom!
John W. Ritenbaugh
We Shall Be God! (Part 2)
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Colossians 3:2 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
Paul is telling us where the focus of our attention needs to be. We can give our minds over to a lot of things, for instance, to our jobs—and there is a place for that. We can give our minds over to physical things—exercise, eating well, and so forth—and there is a place for these, too. Indeed, humans need to set their minds on many things, but they need to be prioritized correctly—put into the right niche and position. Then each of these things has to be seen in relation to the Kingdom of God. Our priorities must be set according to this standard—the overriding goal of our Christian lives. "Set your mind on things above" adjusts the focus of our attention so that we do not become distracted by things that are less important for any longer than needed, so that they occupy the right proportion and amount of time in our lives.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Titus 2:11-14
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1 Peter 2:11 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
A pilgrim is not a wanderer. Psalm 119:10 says, "Don't let me wander from the path." A pilgrim has a definite goal in mind. He may be passing through. He may not take up residence along the way that he is traveling, but he is traveling to a specific destination. He is on a pilgrimage. Perhaps we are most familiar with the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslim pilgrims may travel from one country to another, but they always have their sights on Mecca. Christians who keep God's holy days make a pilgrimage every fall to the Feast of Tabernacles. They may travel through many states, but they have a singular destination in mind. They follow the route mapped out to get there. They are pilgrims, and there is a route—a way—that they must follow to arrive there. There is a proper way to play a card game, a basketball game, or a football game. Is it possible to play a coherent game when each player does what he just "feels" is right, if he has his own set of rules, his own way? Is it possible to play a coherent game when some of the rules are left out? Hardly. The game immediately degenerates and will not achieve what the game's designers intended. There is a way to repair a mechanical device. There is a way to assemble things. We experience this with things we buy that must be assembled. If we do not follow the directions, the dumb thing will not go together! The point is this: God is not just trying to save us. He is producing a product that is in His image, and there is a way that will produce it. The commandments—all ten of them—play major roles in His way. If we remove any one of them, the product will be deficient. It will not be assembled in the right way. It will be lacking. Some people think God is stupid for assigning a particular day for worship, but He has reasons for it. Thus, a way is a method, a manner, a direction, or a route to follow—and that way has rules.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 2)
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1 Peter 4:12-13 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
When a trial comes upon us, we tend to think, "Why me? What have I done wrong?" We may have done nothing wrong. Trials are necessary for growth. Imagine being a college student, knowing that your progress needs to be measured. How can that be done without testing or examination? If we do away with tests, how do we gauge growth?
Mike Ford
Joy and Trial
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