Revelation 4

Revelation 4

This fourth chapter of Revelation has one primary purpose, one main message to communicate to us. We are tempted to attempt to fathom the meaning of every symbol and image, but before we do that, we must not miss the main picture. This chapter is a picture of the entire universe seen not from a physical perspective, but from the perspective of its order. The first question we need to ask is not, “What does this or that symbol mean?” The first question is, “Who is at the center of the universe? Who is it all about?” 

When Adam and Eve sinned, they were attempting to place themselves at the center of the universe as the ones who determined right and wrong and law. The rebellion of Satan was an attempt to place himself at the center of the universe, to usurp God's authority. When we sin, we are doing the same thing. By a sin of commission, we are actually trying to take God's place at the center and place ourselves as the one who rules. In a sin of omission, we are ignoring the one who is on the throne. We have been entirely too casual in our thinking about sin. We think of sin as a single act or a simple broken rule. It is much worse than that; it is an attempt to throw God from His throne and to take that place for ourselves. Every attempt to do so is inevitably going to fail, and we are ruined in the process.

Look at the One on the throne, and we will see we are insignificant, tiny, living dust that could be blown to the four corners of the world in a moment. In contrast to our smallness, we see the One who is on the throne. In verse 8, we see three descriptions of Him, none of which would apply to us. He is holy, almighty, and eternal. In verse 11, we see why He is worthy of worship. It is because all that exists apart from Him was created by and has their ongoing existence in Him and because of His will. This incomprehensibly large universe in which our lives are insignificant compared to God. It is as if in making it, He says, “Here is a tiny picture of my power.” The beginning point of understanding Revelation and of being a disciple is to understand it is about God and not me. That is why, as a disciple, our first call, our first order of life, is to die to self.

“Lord, grant me true humility before Your greatness. AMEN”

1 Peter 1:17-25

1 Peter 1:17-25

There is all too often a horrible and wicked attitude among some who claim to be Christians that once saved, a person is free to behave as they like. We treat forgiveness as an eraser for all past sins and an unlimited credit card for future daily indulgence. Peter destroys any idea that sin can be a part of, or a pastime for the believer. He begins with the dual role of God as both Father and Judge. Any earthly judge who sets aside justice for the benefit of his child would be held in contempt by all people. While God is our Abba, He is also our judge, and our adoption doesn't mean justice is ignored. With this in mind, we choose to behave in specific, holy ways. Fear is the terror associated with squandering our opportunity. It is the fear of the performer who finally gets to play a major role on stage or the athlete who becomes the starter. It is the fear of a disciple who realizes that any choice for sin can, if practiced repeatedly, become a habit and develop into a pattern or the identity of their lives and ultimately become their god, for whose sake they will reject Christ. They didn't lose their salvation; they traded it for a much lesser option. If a person wants to leave Christ, they will not be held against their will. While possible, it is radically foolish. Especially since we have been purchased out of the slavery of sin by the wildly high price of the blood of Christ.

Verse 22 says something that we might find shocking. If we read this casually, we may miss a key point. Peter is saying we purify our souls by our obedience. In what sense is this true? Is this a “works” kind of salvation where we earn our way to heaven? Not at all! It is when we decide to follow Christ, when we choose to follow Christ and become a disciple, then we have our sins washed away we are in obedience to God. When we submit to being baptized, we, in that act of obedience, have our sins remitted. But that is not the end. The habits and patterns of our lives are still impacted by our lives living in the world. We don't suddenly change every habit at baptism. We have to work at developing the life of holiness that we have in Christ. The seed (vs 23) is always like the plant; the plant is always like the seed, but it must grow. A grain of wheat will never grow an apple tree. We have the seed; we must now grow “the life”. God's grace and word will shape us to grow to establish the heart, life, and patterns of the new and holy life.

“Lord, help me to grow into what You have already made me to be.  AMEN”

1 Peter 1:10-16

1 Peter 1:10-16

The marvelous thing we call “Salvation in Christ” was of great interest to the Old Testament prophets. The Holy Spirit moving in them allows them to gain a glimpse, but not a full picture, of what was to happen in Christ. Two things that the Old Testament prophets did see were both the suffering and the glory of the Messiah. Again we see the “both/and” tension in faith. It isn't hard to see the appeal of Glory. But who really wants the suffering? Likely this suffering aspect was confusing and challenging to the Old Testament prophets. It was certainly hard for Peter to comprehend. During Jesus’ ministry, Peter didn't want to hear about His suffering. So much so that when Jesus brought it up, Peter rebuked or scolded Jesus. The “both/and” of suffering and glory is part of God's divine plan for all of us. Those who teach that as Christians we can live life without suffering are teaching a false Christianity. Suffering is an essential part of our spiritual formation. That is why we must understand the “both/and” of faith. The glory to come gives us strength to endure and move beyond the moments of suffering. The suffering gives us the ability to focus on what really matters, and that is a great aid in helping us leave the good behind so that we only keep the best.

What is the best? The best is holiness. As disciples, it is expected that we will live lives of holy behavior. The call to follow Christ to be a disciple must include a challenge in how we live, or we may doubt the genuineness of the call or our responses. Peter makes two contrasting points. First, we must not be shaped with or “conformed” (NASB) to the appetite of our pre-Christian life. Lust is not simply sexual but any craving that takes some degree of control over our lives. Next, Peter commands us to be holy in all our behavior. The word behavior is a compound word made from the combination of “up” plus “turning.” In other words, everything in our life that turns up needs to be holy. The absolute perfection of God, which we are to imitate, is not something we will achieve in this life. It is, however, our goal. Rather than thinking of this holiness in terms of a lifelong achievement, it might help us to think of being holy in one second or in one minute at a time. Like the alcoholic who wants to stay sober, they do it moment-by-moment until it is a lifetime. Holiness is much the same, living it repeatedly even if it feels awkward, until it becomes a habit or pattern. We may never get to complete holiness, but we can make great progress.

“Lord, help me develop the repeated behaviors of holiness until they become the pattern of my life in You. AMEN”

1 Peter 1:1-9

1 Peter 1:1-9

We tend to like complete or safe categories. “This item belongs in this box.” We tend not to like the things or circumstances of the “both/and” type. These are hard to put in a cozy comfortable space . But it is in these areas of “both/and” that we find tension, it is in the tension that we struggle, and we talk, and most importantly we learn. We don't do that with things that are in neat, tidy boxes. No one has ever had a heartfelt discussion about 2+2=4, but with questions like, “If God loves me, why am I suffering so profoundly?” We can have deep conversations. It is in this tension of ”both/and” that we grow in our faith and our discipleship. For example “I am both loved and allowed to suffer” is a compelling challenge to think, to learn, and to know God at a deeper level.

As we read this passage carefully and slowly, we see tension popping up. Peter begins this letter with this kind of “both/and” tension. Peter begins with the tension of being God's people but not in the old way of being His people. In verse one he uses three terms that were technical terms for Jewish people: “chosen” or “elect”, “sojourners” or “aliens”, and the “dispersion” or “scattered”. But these terms are now applied to people who were not Jewish. These believers are “both” the people of God “and” not in the traditional way. In verses 3-5 we see this wonderful description of the living hope that we enjoy. This hope of life is “both” reserved for us in heaven, “and” it is also to be lived out here and now.  What tension! We are told, in verse 5, that we are “both” protected, “and” then, in verse 6, we find that we are distressed by various trials. Which is it? Are we protected, or facing trials? The answer is yet “both” protected “and” in trials!

Our tendency is to go through the Bible looking for the promises of what we might call the "good stuff," such as hope, blessing, etc. We tend not to pay attention to the harsh realities of being a Christian. But that approach will leave us shallow and weak and unprepared when difficulties do come. Between the categories we might call good or bad, there's a place where we wrestle with the tension, and it is there that our best character is forged and formed. The salvation of our souls mentioned in verse 9 is more than the immediate forgiveness that comes at conversion. It includes the refining and reshaping that comes from the difficulties of the hardships and the tensions we work through. We are saved by grace, and part of that grace is tension.

“Lord, thank you for the struggles and the tensions of living the faith. AMEN”