Tag: Salvation

Rooted in…

~ Steve Vandop ~ Leave a comment

Anyone living on the West Coast of BC who has attempted to dig a hole in the ground for a fence post or drainage line knows the irritations of digging around roots. These intricate networks of tenacious tentacles work their way into the pathway of most ground projects. As frustrating as they may be to us, they are the life-giving support that sustain the life and growth of the tree above. 

Recently in my studies I was given a question to reflect on and answer, “What is the root of the gospel?” Our mandate as Christ followers is to share the “good news” of the gospel with others; to invite them into the truths and the promises that come when we put our hope and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. The core that gives power to this good news is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But what is at the root of the core, the root of the gospel? 

Before we can answer that question, we need to know what the gospel is. The word gospel translated from “euangelion” means good news, it is the news or message of God’s salvation for his people. Salvation is the rescue from sin and death.Full of grace and mercy it is the reconciliation and restoration of a once beautiful and trusting relationship between God and his people. 

We all live in a world that has been affected by the power of sin. Sin is the “bad news” that tries to overshadow the message of the good news or gospel. For the good news to outshine the bad, its roots must be grounded deep into a life-giving source. So, what might this be? 

The root of the gospel, this good news is LOVE.

John 3:16 is probably one of the most well-known Bible verses that describes this incredible love that the gospel is rooted in. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

This verse captures the message of the gospel in a few short yet powerful words and presents love as the catalyst that ties the events of Jesus’ death (the core) to God’s incredible love (the roots) for the world He created. 

God’s love for us is incomprehensible on a human level. The world has defined love in so many ways that many have dismissed the power and truth of God’s love for them. God’s love for us needs to be the love we reflect to others so that they will see and know him. As stated previously our mandate as Christ followers is to share the gospel. As the gospel is rooted in God’s love, then we are to love others just as he loves us. Easy to say or write, hard to do sometimes.  

When the root (God’s love) of the gospel takes hold in our lives, when we accept that what Jesus did for us through the cross, our sins are forgiven and our relationship with God is made right. Our lives should reflect that change. How do we share the good news with love? 1 John 3:18 says “let us love not with words or speech but with actions and in truth”. 

We have all heard the term “actions speak louder than words” before. God proved his love to us through the action taken on the cross through Jesus. Knowing that the gospel is rooted in love what action(s) can you think of that will see those roots grow into the lives of others?

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Incomprehensible… not Unknowable

~ Steve Vandop ~ 1 Comment

Incomprehensible is the word used to describe a thought, idea, or action that is not able to be understood.

I was reminded this past week of the unity or oneness of who God is while listening to a message on Baptism. According to the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20 When we baptize someone, we do so “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” 

Opponents of the Christian faith will argue the doctrine of the Trinity, (the oneness of God, the deity of three, his three in oneness) is incomprehensible. Guess what? They are right! Our finite human minds are not able to understand the fullness of the nature of God.

The psalmist writes. “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” (145:3). Following Jobs’ account of how great God is as he commands the skies above him, he says “And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26). 

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah the Lord himself declared, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa 55:8-9)

The incomprehensible truth of who God is as Father, Son and Holy Spirit for some people is a proverbial “brick wall,” stopping them from pursuing a relationship with God as their heavenly Father. 

The “faint whisper” Job so eloquently describes are the words given to us in scripture today that have the power to draw us near to God; it supplies all we need to know about him. The revelation of who God is through the inspired words of the Bible provides for us great assurance of who he says he is. 

Does this understanding of who God is require faith? Absolutely! What is it that stands in the way of those who oppose the truth of the Gospel? Could it be a lack of faith? 

The writer of Hebrews tells us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is confidence, it is to trust in the word of God that draws us into a relationship with him. Faith is more than the mere knowledge of what is true; it is embracing what we do know and trusting in what has not yet been revealed as true and good as we seek to know an incomprehensible God. Faith is acting in obedience to the call of the Lord to be on mission for him and with him. 

In no way can I examine the intricacies of this foundational truths of the Trinity in 600 words or less here. Books upon books have been written to help us dive deeper into the understanding of the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and for that I am thankful. 

I have questions just as I am sure you do. What I do know is that our Father in heaven has given us an incredible gift through the death and resurrection of his Son (salvation – the forgiveness of our sins). Through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives we can continue to grow in relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally. There may be things about God that are incomprehensible but, he is not unknowable. I pray that your faith is placed in the arms of our loving father. 

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What was that Word?

~ Steve Vandop ~ Leave a comment

There are several words in the English language that make us feel a little uncomfortable. While some make us shift in our seats or send chills down our spine others make us “run for the hills”. I did a Google search for “words that make us feel uncomfortable”. Little did I know, the list was very consistent among various sources. High on the count of awkward and squeamish words were, “moist, ointment, creamy, squid, squirt, phlegm and smear”.

If you are still reading, thank you for continuing to follow this unusual train of thought. In our minds we tend to associate words with different experiences we have in our lives. Often, the meaning or context of a particular word is defined by our personal experience and at time even redefined (hi-jacked) by cultural influence.  

What comes to mind when you hear the word/name Lord?

Defined as “someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler” there are several different contexts in which the word lord is used. Not counting words like, a, and, or the, “Lord” is the most used word in the Bible. It is found between 7000-8000 times, depending on the translation. This English translation of the Hebrew names “Adonai”, “Yahweh” and “Jehovah” along with the Greek “Kyrios” speak to the whole character of who God is. 

As followers of Jesus, we make a commitment to live our lives in accordance to the power and authority of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. I have had numerous conversations with people that were exploring Christianity and while understanding the need to be saved from their sins, they were reluctant to commit themselves to having Jesus be the Lord in their life. Having Jesus as Lord in their lives made them feel uncomfortable. It can be difficult to let go of what we have built up on own.

In today’s world of individualism and widespread “all about me” attitude, standing accountable to a higher authority seems counter to what our current culture so desperately calls of us. It is in this moment that we need to grab ahold of what Jesus has to offer us. It’s a matter of stepping out in faith and trusting that the Lord will lead and guide our lives.

A good friend of mine spent most of his youth thinking that the Lord was an angry, vengeful watchdog just waiting to smite him when he said or did the wrong thing. His understanding of who God is as his Lord was skewed. It was not until he understood (little by little) the wholeness of God’s character that he experienced his incredible love and grace in his life. 

So much can be said about having Jesus as our Lord. Micah 6:8 sums up beautifully what this looks like for each one of us in a practical way; “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

As our Lord, Jesus seeks to have a personal loving relationship with us, so we can know him better. He watches over us, not as a “watchdog” but as a caring, compassionate, loving Lord who cares for us deeply. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Have you experienced his love and mercy in your life? Pray for the desire to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with the Lord your God. 

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Wise Investing

~ Steve Vandop ~ Leave a comment

In today’s world there are many strategies and options for investing in your future. You can pick from stocks, bonds, mutual funds, bank products, options, annuities, ETFs and more. Within my limited knowledge of investing, I know a little bit about dividend reinvestment plans. They allow the investor to reinvest cash dividends into additional shares of the “parent” stock when dividends are paid out. 

Recently as I was working through a portion of scripture, I was reminded that there is another type of investing that reaches far beyond our desire for “physical” or material gain. While the responsible use of what God provides for us is important, our real investment portfolio should be filled with strategies and options to help equip others with the truth of the Gospel message. 

The book of Titus is a short yet carefully penned letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to Titus as he prepared to minister and lead the people as the church in Crete. There is a real connection between believing in what is right and acting in a manner that shows others what it means to live in the light of truth and godliness. 

Chapter 2 of Titus lays out a different type of reinvestment plan that guides us through a proven strategy for investing in the lives of others, one that makes a lasting impact. 

Paul instructs Titus in chapter 2:2-3 to “Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way that they live, not be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.”

Paul’s strategy begins by making an investment of time and energy into teaching “older” men and women to live in a way that first honors God and second sets a good example of living right for those who follow. This first, or initial investment into the lives of the older generation becomes the initial point of re-investment for future generations. 

Paul continues to give instruction in the following verses using terms like, “urge the younger women” and “encourage the young men”. What he does here for the older men and women is this: he sets up the terms of re-investment into the lives of the younger generation. Their learning and growing in temperament, respect, self-control, sound faith, love, endurance, reverence are the dividends that pay forward into the lives of the younger men and women. 

Paul reminds us in verse eleven of chapter two that by the grace of God, salvation is for everyone. While we may live in a different time and space culturally from Paul’s original audience, the truths that these words speak should continue to be a guide to investing into the lives of our younger generations. 

Held in-between these words of instruction to Titus and to us is a message of living out our faith in a way that inspires others. How does your life inspire others? Will people see Jesus in your life through your actions and not just your words? As we live and lead by example it is my hope and prayer that we are all investing into the lives of those who will one day fill our shoes and follow in our footsteps. 

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Shedding Some Light on the Subject.

~ Steve Vandop ~ 1 Comment

What-is-Darkness-1024x507If you are a photographer, light is a big deal. In order for a camera to record the perfect picture, the light has to be just right. Astronomers can find and focus in on a pinpoint of light from hundreds of  thousands of miles away and discover the intense beauty if its origins. The soft glow of a night light can bring an incredible sense of comfort to a young child struggling to sleep in the middle of the night. Science has studied the effects of light on almost every aspect of life and continue to discover its incredible power. Simply put, light provides life.

In the Bible, light is synonymous with life, both in the physical and spiritual sense. From the very first verses in scripture, we see how God created light to pierce the formless and empty darkness. Throughout scripture, writers make use of this incredibly vivid image, to symbolize the contrast between good and evil. John records these words of Jesus in his gospel, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (8:12). It is important to take note of Jesus’ first statement, “I am the light of the world”. Jesus floods the darkness of our souls, our sinful nature with light that cannot be overcome. John 1:5 says “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This is a promise. As believers, when we walk in the light and life of Christ he has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Deut 31:6)

This symbolic statement used by Jesus himself contrasts the significance of life with Him and life without Him. Life in Christ equals light, (salvation and eternal life); life without Christ equals darkness or separation. John suggests in a matter of fact way that the solution to the problem of darkness is as plain as night and day. He uses the word or concept of light over twenty times in his gospel trying to make the point that Jesus is the light that guides our lives, both physically and spiritually.. When we walk in the footsteps of Jesus (the light of life) we can walk with the full assurance and promise of salvation from the darkness of this world. Are you wandering in the darkness? Step into the light, experience a transformed life today.

 

Light in the Darkness

~ Steve Vandop ~ Leave a comment

pinhole cameraHave you ever used a pinhole camera? The pinhole camera is one of the most basic cameras you can construct with only a few materials. This simple camera works on a basic principle of light and dark, how a small amount of light shining into a dark box through a hole made by a pin can create an image, an image of something much larger. The pinhole acts as a lens similar to that of a regular camera only on a much smaller scale.

The book of Lamentations is not an easy read. It is filled with passionate expressions of grief and sorrow. The author of Lamentations voices his deep concern and disappointment for the sinful acts committed by the people of Jerusalem. Their direct and open acts of disobedience to God’s word has unleashed the promised destruction of their city. God brings the gavel down and serves the people with his mighty hand of justice. The author records the destruction of the temple and the suffering of the people, “The enemy laid hands on all her treasures; she saw pagan nations enter her sanctuary” (the Babylonians ransacked the temple before burning it down). “In fierce anger he has cut off every horn (power) of Israel. He has withdrawn his right hand (his presence, power and protection) at the approach of the enemy. There was a darkness and feeling of torment that fell over all of those who disobeyed God.

Lamentations 3:22-24 reveals the “pinhole” that casts a light of hope into the darkness of the fervent laments of the author. In the middle of his discourse he changes his perspective by focusing on the hope that he still has in the Lord. “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” Through the “pinhole of light” we have the picture of God’s everlasting promise of goodness and compassion. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail.” (3:22). This pinhole of light (salvation) comes from God. As hard as it is to read through the deserved sorrow and despair of those before us, we can learn from their actions and suffering. Today, with the same hope (because we serve the same God), we have to wait patiently through our own suffering and expectantly look forward to the salvation that we have been promised in Christ.