Fact Check, 74

~ Competence Compensates For Character ~

Introduction  ~  First, lets be clear about what we mean by character—it is clearly not the same as reputation.  Reputation is what others think you are.  Character is what you really are—the truth that God knows about you.  (One good test of character is how you act when no one else is around to observe you.)

A Key Reality  ~  More individuals, including leaders, fail and sometimes fall because of character than because of competence.  In advanced civilizations hiring decisions are made almost entirely on what an individual has proven they can do (competence) versus the individual they have become (character).  One clear reason for this is competence is much more easily determined than character. 

Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.  These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:23-28). 

Spiritual Leaders  ~  Where Scripture describes the qualifications of elders and deacons (I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4) the qualifying factors—when understood from the original language—are all character issues.

Spiritual Lay People  ~  Read how the book of Colossians describes the character of a believer.  “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:12-17) 

Conclusion  ~  Put bluntly: God does not care about competence (after all He gave that to you).  What God does explicitly care about in the spiritual realm is character—which requires tough choices by you as you journey through life on earth.  But this is only important regarding His children who have accepted His Son as their Savior.  Good character and any resulting good works are of no value from an eternal perspective if you are not covered by the shed blood of the crucified Messiah—Jesus Christ. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Fact Check, 73

~ You’re Putting God In A Box ~

Introduction  ~  Sometimes people will declare “You’re putting God in a box!”  But is that a legitimate statement?  Not really, but be careful of the nuances.   

Clearly Not Legitimate  ~  Sometimes individuals will put God in a box by making statements such as, “God only does His work through man.”  Yet, many have come to know God through nature (see Romans 1:18-23) or through the direct work of the Holy Spirit without the involvement of any person.  In such a case it is clear that they are illegitimately putting God into a box.  God works in many ways—some of which we are totally unaware. 

Somewhat Legitimate  ~  Speaking of partial truth from Scripture (ignorant of the complete Word of God) someone might say, “You’re putting God in a box!”  If such a person uses an example from Scripture to say “God only speaks through prayer” they are correct that God does sometimes speak through prayer but neglecting the reality that God sometimes speaks in other ways.  In this situation, the person whether realizing it or not, is actually putting God and His methods into their self-conceived box.  But because it is only a partial truth it still needs a much closer examination. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Fact Check, 72

~ Need Religion ~

People Think  ~  Religion is good for the masses.

The Bible Says  ~  Consider what Jesus Christ—The Messiah—had to say about the religious leaders of His time on earth.  “When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers!’” (Matthew 3:7a).

Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.  …  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.  These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets’” (Matthew 23:13-14, 23-30).

The Significance  ~  Religion is based on rules and regulations, do’s and do not’s!  The solution is a relationship with the very Son of God—Jesus Christ. 

Comment  ~  No person is capable of meeting the righteous required of a righteous God.  “For I [Jesus] say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees [who kept the rules], you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).  

The Good News is that repentant sinners can be viewed by God as covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  Listen to what He said:

“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.  But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day’” (John 6:35-40).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .