God's Sovereignty

Trusting in the sovereignty of God does not give us license to live lax or laidback lives. Knowing that God is actively governing and guiding life’s events is a comforting realization. It rightly dispels fear and anxiety, but it should not quench our passion or drive to attack each day with zealous intent. Consider Paul’s confidence in God regarding the salvation of the elect. He obviously believes that “as many as are appointed to eternal life believe” when he proclaims the gospel (Ac.13:48). And yet we see his passionate determination as he describes his evangelistic fervor: “Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” and “God is making his appeal through us:  we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2Cor.5:11; 20). There is no “letting go and letting God.” Rather, there is an underlying confidence in the providential work of God as we give ourselves wholeheartedly and passionately to the work he has called us to do. So whether it is evangelism or financial planning, prayer or childrearing, the biblical model is to trust God fully and work at it with all of our heart.

Confession

The Bible instructs us to “confess” our sins (1Jn.1:9). While many think that means to say “I’m sorry” to God, the word actually precludes most forms of modern apologies. The word confess in the Greek New Testament is a compound word which is made up of the words “the same” and “to speak”. The idea is that when we confess our sins, we are saying the same thing about our sins that God says. God, of course, sees our sins as detestable (2Kgs.21:11), appalling (Jer.2:12-13), shameful (Job 31:11), grievous (Eph.4:30), wicked (Gen.39:9), offensive (Pr.17:9), and even nauseating (Rev.3:16). Popular sentiments like “I’m sorry if I offended you” or “I’m sorry you were hurt by my actions” is a long way from calling our own actions detestable or appalling. True biblical repentance always includes seeing our sins for what they are and agreeing with God about the sinfulness of sin. That is why passages that depict biblical repentance include phrases like “this godly sorrow has produced in you… indignation, alarm and readiness to see justice done” (2Cor.7:11). So let us be careful that we don’t mistake a half-hearted “I’m sorry” for biblical “confession” of our sins.

Feelings

Our Maker tells us in his word that our volition can and should take charge of our emotions. God has so designed our minds and now insists that we not be tyrannized by our feelings. It may not be easy. At times it will be a fierce battle, but our decision-making must not be conscripted by our fickle moods and emotions. Consider the Psalmist who taught God’s people to marshal their inmost being: “Praise the Lord, O my soul; and all my inmost being, praise his holy name” (Ps.103:1). Even when fears grip the psalmist’s heart his response is, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Ps.56:11). Circumstances will obviously ignite our feelings, but God has designed us and called us to take charge and lead with our volition and not our emotions. If we let our feelings lead we will inevitably be driven and tossed by the tide of our circumstances. May God’s Spirit embolden our minds to lead and allow our feelings to fall inline.

Stand for Truth

God warned of a great apostasy as the end of human history draws near (2Th.2:3; 1Tim.4:1-3; 2Tim.3:1-5; 4:3-4; et al.). This is not a promise of a religion-less world. On the contrary, the end times events are filled with references to popular and influential religious organizations (Rev.17:1-18). What God’s word predicts is the loss of true biblical faith in Jesus as the “only way to the Father” and in Jesus as our “sovereign Lord” (Rev.17:1-18; Jn.14:6; Jude 4). We must not let this forewarned slide into relativistic religion take us by surprise. We must stand on the objective truth of God’s word regardless of how unpopular it may become. Though God’s truth is timeless, we should expect increasing portions of society to mock it and malign us for adhering to it. As J.C. Ryle once wrote, “if a man studies the Scripture and labors continually for the conversion of souls… he will probably be thought a firebrand and ‘troubler of Israel.’ But let men say what they will. Such are the truest friends of the Church who labor for the preservation of the truth.”