Galatians

Don’t Be True to Yourself

July 4, 2022 by Tim Sherfy

For most of my life, I’ve heard people say we should be authentic and be our true selves. This sounds like good advice, but it’s the worst advice a follower of Jesus could ever follow. To be true to yourself stands in stark contrast to how we are called to live. It is prideful, putting our feelings and preferences ahead of God’s. The advice isn’t far removed from the way the serpent tempted Eve.

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He convinced her there was a better way than the one prescribed by God. The devil deceived Eve into believing she could be more than she was. It was the desire to be something more, something she believed to be truer to who she was that she shared with Adam. The rest is the unfortunate history of the fall of man and the source of all our problems today.

Fear God

June 2, 2022 by Tim Sherfy

Why do you fear God? Perhaps a better first question to ask is, do you fear God? Scripture commands us many times to live in the fear of God (Deuteronomy 6:13; 1 Samuel 12:24; Proverbs 9:10; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 2:17; Revelation 14:7). So, it’s not a question of whether we should, but imperative that we must. With all the sermons teaching God is love these days, it may seem a bit out of step to be talking about fearing God. Humans do not typically fear those we love.

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But God is not just someone else we love. He is the holy, righteous, and glorious Creator of the Universe, the Lord of lords, and the King of kings. God is indeed the highest expression of love. John told us this plainly in his epistle to the Church (1 John 4:8). However, we do not serve a one-dimensional God. Every emotion is magnified and perfected in Him. Thus, jealous, zealous, and righteous anger are also part of who He is. To quote Jonathan Edwards, “… it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”.

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A Life Worthy of the Gospel

April 28, 2022 by Tim Sherfy

Throughout the New Testament, we are exhorted to live a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To be certain, this is the goal of every believer. When we meet our Master, we want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23). Like Paul, we want to say, “We have fought the good fight and finished the race” (2 Timothy 4:7).

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But for many of us, it’s an elusive goal. We know we want it but aren’t too sure how to get there. What does it mean to live a life worthy of the gospel? Fortunately, God’s Word is very clear on what this looks like. It gives us a blueprint for how to conduct ourselves in the here and now, so we need not be ashamed when we meet Christ.

Why Do You Follow Christ?

April 21, 2022 by Tim Sherfy

I read an article written by Costi Hinn in a recent “Answers” magazine. In it, he posed three questions, one after the other, that stuck with me. He wrote, “Is the gospel about the gifts or the giver? Is the gospel about earthly riches or eternal life? Is the gospel about monetary gain or the glory of God?” These are poignant questions, particularly in the Western context in which so many of us live.

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We claim to love Jesus, but do we love Him because of who He is or because of what we perceive He can give us? Why do you follow Christ? Jesus is God. He is holy, and the epitome of love. His very nature demands we love and worship Him simply for who He is. And yet, many see Jesus as only a means to get what they want. This is not Biblical Christianity, and it certainly is not the gospel.

Jesus Every Day

April 11, 2022 by Tim Sherfy

On an intellectual level, I know focusing on Jesus leads to great joy. I don’t mean transitory happiness. I mean a deep and consuming joy. It is the state in which God means us to live (Galatians 5:22-23; John 15:11; Romans 15:13;). Joy was a frequent topic of Paul in his various epistles to the churches. He knew a life focused on Christ would be a life well-lived, a life worthy of Christ.

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Conversely, a life lived in search of enjoyment, satisfaction, and accomplishment robs us of the very joy God intends for us to have. So, if we know this on an intellectual level, why is it so difficult to practice? “Jesus every day” should be our mantra. Nothing we do matters except what we do for Him.

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