THE WAY OF LIFE

Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)

The concept of "The Way of Life and the Way of Death" is a profound biblical theme that underscores the moral and spiritual dichotomy faced by humanity. This theme is deeply rooted in the Scriptures, where the choices between life and death, blessing and curse, obedience and rebellion, are presented as fundamental to the covenant relationship between God and His people.

Kallistos Ware, in his book “The Orthodox Way,” writes, “Christianity is more than a theory about the universe, more than teachings written down on paper; it is a path along which we must journey – in the deepest and richest sense, the way of life.”

The way of life and the way of death are not merely ethical choices but are deeply theological, reflecting one's relationship with God. The way of life is characterized by faith, obedience, and communion with God, leading to eternal life. In contrast, the way of death is marked by unbelief, disobedience, and separation from God, resulting in spiritual death.

Throughout Scripture, the call to choose life is a call to covenant faithfulness, a call to walk in the ways of the Lord, and a call to embrace the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. This choice is both a present reality and an eternal destiny, underscoring the urgency and significance of the decision each person must make. 

-- Adapted from Bible Hub

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THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPH OF GOD’S WILL

“We were therefore buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”  (Romans 6:4-5 NIV)

Ultimately, hardship and suffering, evil and sin, will not have the final word. That is the overwhelming message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was put to death by men whose hearts were evil. God, in Jesus Christ, is subject to the forces of darkness. Yet we cannot forget that the cross is not the end of the story. With great triumph Christianity affirms that though Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried, on the third day God raised Him from the dead!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is itself a shout from God that good triumphs over evil, that the forces of light will defeat the forces of darkness, and that life will vanquish death! Eventually, most of us come to recognize this. We most certainly see it in our deaths. And ultimately everyone will see it at the last day. 

-- Adam Hamilton in “Why?: Making Sense of God’s Will”

#6098

SEEKING GOD’S WISDOM

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!"  (Isaiah 5:20,21 NKJV)

We are caught in a dilemma between good and evil, right and wrong. God's Word seeks to inform us about what is right and what is wrong. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Fortunately, we are not simply left with that information. The Holy Spirit then seeks to transform us from wrong to right. (Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18)  However, the way the world deals with the dilemma is to inform us that wrong is right. 

As believers, we must discern between right and wrong, good and evil. Sometimes, societal norms or personal preferences can lead us astray. Let us seek God’s wisdom and align our hearts with His truth. (Ephesians 4:22-24) 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

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ENCOUNTERING EVIL

In any encounter with evil, we must have love in our hearts and we must absolutely trust in the goodness of God and God's call.  We are enjoined by Christ not only to love God and our neighbors but also to love our enemies. This seems a hard enough task by itself, and it has led a number of people to believe that Christians should be nonresistant or even compliant with injustice in the cause of “turning the other cheek."  But if we are to try to follow Jesus' example as well as His words, it is impossible to remain uninvolved.  Jesus stood up to Satan, threw money changers out of the Temple, and stepped in to stop the unjust stoning of a woman.

Somehow, then, we are asked not only to love our enemies but to resist them while we are loving them.  I would propose that a partial answer to this challenge lies in a radical, absolute, and wordlessly contemplative trust.  It is, I think, something reflected in 1 Peter 1:13 (JB):  "Free your minds, then, of encumbrances: control them, and put your trust in nothing but the grace that will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed."  It is only in such absolute trust that love can be fully energized for nondestructive action.

-- Gerald May in “Living with Apocalypse” 

#5739

PLACE YOUR LIFE BEFORE GOD

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life -- your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life -- and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you….

If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. 

-- Excerpted from Romans 12:1-2, 6-13, “The Message” by Eugene Peterson

#5530

THE WOLVES WITHIN

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.”  (Philippians 4:8 NIV)

An old grandfather said to his grandson who came in to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story:"

"I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much with no sorrow for what they do; but hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy. It is like drinking a poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times."

He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm.  He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended.  He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.  But… the other wolf… Ah! The littlest thing will send him into a fit of temper.  He fights everyone, all of the time, for no reason.  He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great.  It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed." 

-- The story of two wolves is a classic fable that is credited to the Cherokee or Lenape people. It is also known as “Which Wolf Do You Feed?”

#5464

FINE, UPLIFTING AND GOOD

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”  (Proverbs 3:7 ESV)

You have but to look at our culture to realize that it’s perishing. We have broken with our traditional and spiritual past and find ourselves stumbling and lurching into a new dark age of uncertain and bewildered character. There is a growing sense that nothing is true and everything is permitted. “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.” (Psalm 12:8)

Evil, morbid influences lead us into ever-deepening confusion -- a clutter of distortions, half-truths, bald-faced lies and an addled notion of tolerance that demands we accept everyone’s version of truth. There is no final standard; everything varies according to the weather.

G. K. Chesterton once observed that morality, like art, consists of drawing a line. Now no one knows where to draw the lines! Once there were boundaries and absolutes. Now, traditional concepts of right and wrong have warped so radically and thoroughly that no one knows what is fine, uplifting and good.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NRSV) 

-- Adapted from David Roper in “A Beacon in the Darkness: Reflecting God’s Light in Today’s World”

#5208

WHAT ARE YOUR FEET DOING?

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”  (Proverbs 6:16-19)

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”  (Isaiah 52:7)

If you want to know who you are, watch your feet. Because where your feet take you, that is who you are. 

-- Frederick Buechner in “The Alphabet of Grace”

#4968

RIGHT AND WRONG

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.”  (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)

In a world without God, who’s to say whose values are right and whose are wrong? There can be no objective right and wrong, only our culturally and personally relative, subjective judgments. Think of what that means! It means it’s impossible to condemn war, oppression, or crime as evil. Nor can you praise generosity, self-sacrifice, and love as good. To kill someone or love someone is morally equivalent. For in a universe without God, good and evil do not exist -- there is only the bare, valueless fact of existence. And there is no one way to say you are right and I am wrong.  

-- William Lane Craig in “On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision”


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