Called by God, 14

 ~ The Career Call To Be A Teacher Of God’s Word ~

 

Series Note  ~  In the first post in this series, we considered the Universal Call to all mankind.  Then we addressed those who accepted that call.  In posts 2-5 we looked at the new responsibilities to accept the Obedience Call.  In posts 6-12 we examined some new roles of those who accepted that initial call.  In posts 13-17 we are considering a sampling of specific career calls.

 

Scripture  ~  There are many passages about teaching and teachers.  Some are called to a career of teaching such as seminary professors and Teaching Pastors. Here are a few  of the many Scriptures about teachers.

 

“For this reason I [the Apostle Paul] have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17).

 

“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.  Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm” (1 Timothy 1:3-7). 

 

“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:1-3).  Spiritual leaders are required to have some level of teaching ability.

 

“If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.  But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.  For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.  For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.  These things command and teach” (1 Timothy 4:6-11).

 

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1-3).

 

Comment  ~  God has given us an every present teacher to instruct us.

 

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:25-26).

 

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:12).

 

We have a responsibility to personally practice the truths which we teach others.  “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?” (Romans 2:21).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Conscience, 14

~ A Good Conscience, 6of6 ~

 

Series Note ~ The conscience plays a crucial role in human behavior.  The Scripture has much to say about our conscience.  In these early posts of this series, we are looking at various Biblical Descriptions of our conscience. 

 

Overview ~ To possess a good conscience means that you are free from such things as guilt, jealousy, greed, anger, and other traits of our sinful nature.  To be in this condition requires that we are “walking in the Spirit.”

 

“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16-18).

 

When you are walking in the Spirit you are in constant unhindered communion with God. 

 

Scripture ~ “There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Peter 3:21-22).

 

Other Scripture ~ “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day’” (Acts 23:1).

 

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).

 

“This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck” (1 Timothy 1:18-19). 

 

“Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.  But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner” (Hebrews 13:18-19).

 

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:15-17).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Binary, 25

 ~ Binary: Attracted or Repelled ~

 

Series Comment  ~  When it comes to spiritual paths it is strictly a binary choice. 

(1)   It is a choice between the True or False.  “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6).  [See Post #1 in this series.]

(2)   It is a choice between Do or Done.  Jesus said, “It [the work of salvation] is finished!” (John 19:30).  Your Doing can add nothing to what Christ has Done for you.  [See Post #2 in this series.]

(3)   It is your choice between Religion or Relationship.  Religions are geared toward self-effort whereas Christianity is an intimacy with the only One who can save.  Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).  [See Post #3 in this series.]

 

Important Note  ~  We are currently in a binary sub-series of quoting short sections from books that draw parallels between physical light (the sun) and spiritual light (the Son) by Robert Lloyd Russell.

 

Quote  ~  There is a phenomenon called photophoresis that was discovered by the Viennese physicist Professor Felix Ehrenhaft. This phenomenon is another example of behavior that is different than that to which we are accustomed. Normally when something is hit by some force, its tendency is to move away from the force. We expect something that has been hit to move in the same direction as the force was heading when it struck the object. As we have previously noted, light from our sun actually strikes the surface of the earth with a measurable force.

 

“Although this pressure exerted by light is simple enough to understand, there is a phenomenon connected with it that remains an unsolved mystery. This is the movement of small particles in opposite directions when a beam of light falls on them. Some particles move away from the source of light, as might be expected if pressure is exerted on them; others, however, move towards the source of the light, as though they were being attracted to it.”²⁵ In other words, some particles are attracted to the source of the light, while other particles are repelled away from the source of the light.

 

Electrons move varying distances when light strikes an object. Blue photons have the most energy because their electrons move the greatest distance. The electrons of red photons move the shortest distance and hence have the least energy.

 

A similar reaction is seen in living creatures. There are many nocturnal plants and animals—those which are of the night. Coyotes, wolves, koalas, and raccoons are examples. Some creatures of the night actively pursue artificial light when it is available. “Many marine animals are attracted to our underwater lights. Tiny fishes and worms batter themselves to death against the glass lenses, striving as relentlessly as moths against a naked bulb. Why? We don’t know. During the day these same creatures hide away, shunning the light. Yet at evening they come forth in their millions, their passion for light so great that they give their lives for a few seconds of cold white illumination.”²⁶

 

The analogy is clear. In our physical world some living things are attracted to the true light and others are nocturnal. There exist both moths which are attracted to light and cockroaches which run from the light. So also in the spiritual world.

 

Reference  ~  We are now in the process of quoting short sections from the ebook: “GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight” (https://books2read.com/GodsNature).

 

Also from the print book: “GOD LIGHT: Sunlight Sonlight” (https://booksrlr.com/printbooks/god-light-sunlight-sonlight/).  ­­­­­­­­­­

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW 

 

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