At the beginning of a new year, I like to get back to basics, to talk about the fundamentals of the Christian faith. What are we really doing here? Why do we get up every Sunday morning and come together with other people, to sing songs about God and listen to a talk on religion? Why do we pray, and read this ancient book? Why do we model our lives after the teachings and example of some guru who lived twenty centuries ago? In other words, what’s this all about, this thing called Christianity? What’s the essence of it? What’s at the root of everything we do?
Don’t you want to make sure you have that nailed down? I do. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find out that I’ve been traveling down the wrong path. I don’t want to become so focused on this doctrine and that doctrine, and this activity and that activity, that I lose sight of the main thing, lose sight of the goal. I don’t want to be diligent, and zealous, and wrongheaded. I want to make absolutely sure that I understand, fundamentally, what I’m giving my life to.
Some people regard true doctrine as the essential thing; right belief, right opinions. They derive confidence from the fact that they are Christian rather than Muslim; or Protestant rather than Catholic; or even Baptist rather than Methodist or Presbyterian. They have the truth! They believe all the right things! And certainly, the content of our faith is critically important. But it’s not enough. Because it’s possible to have accurate views of the truth, and yet for that truth not to become a part of you; not shape and transform you. You could sit in a pew every Sunday, hearing and agreeing with everything that is said, and yet in God’s eyes, be no different, fundamentally, than a good, moral atheist. A person could be a professor in a university or seminary; be fluent in Greek and Hebrew; and even publish learned commentaries on the Bible, and yet completely miss the point, if what he knows never makes it into his heart. If you have any doubt about this, listen to the words of James:
"Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!" – James 2:19, NLT
In other words, the demons, whom God has condemned to everlasting punishment in hell, all have a very clear understanding of Christian doctrine. They’ve been in the presence of God. They’ve seen and experienced what we’ve only read about. But it does them no good. It won’t save them. They tremble in terror at the thought of what awaits them on the day of judgment. And likewise, a clear understanding of doctrine, in and of itself, will do us no good. You can be a diligent student of the Bible, an expert on theology, and still end up in hell, along with the demons. Your correct understanding of the truth will not be sufficient to save you. As the author of Hebrews pointed out, referring to the generation of Israelites who died in the desert:
". . . we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." – Hebrews 4:2, NIV
It’s not enough just to hear the message, or even to judge it, intellectually, as true. It has to be taken into the heart by faith. It’s more than just giving mental assent to the truth. It’s more than just accepting the Bible as being accurate and reliable. It’s a response of the whole person; an embracing of the message; a receiving of it into one’s life that’s required.
Well, some others, understanding that there’s more to it than just having the right set of beliefs, have settled on right conduct as the expression of genuine Christianity. Following the example of Christ. Obeying his teachings. That’s the essence. And certainly, conduct is important. There is an ethical and moral dimension to our faith. God does expect, and demand, that we conform our lives to the standards set forth in Scripture. But is that really, fundamentally, what the Christian life is about? No. What does Paul say?
"For no one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God’s law, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying it. . . . So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law." – Romans 3:20, 28, NLT
It’s not just a matter of knowing the truth, or even keeping God’s commands. It’s a matter of faith. Accepting what Jesus Christ did on the cross, giving his life as payment for sins, as your own. Trusting in that act of supreme sacrifice to save you from judgment, and condemnation, and hell. Faith is the essence of Christianity. Faith is built on a right understanding of the truth, and it produces right conduct, but the thing at the center isn’t the head or the hands, but the heart.
Now, everything I’ve said so far, I expect most of you agree with. I probably haven’t challenged your thinking too much – yet. Well, that’s what I’m going to try to do now. Because most of us, I’m convinced, tend to see faith as something we have, something we are. It influences and shapes our lives – our choices, our priorities, our actions – but in itself, it’s something rather static. Something we acquired at a point in time, when we first came to trust in Christ, and which we now possess. But what I want you to understand today is that faith is not static; that faith is not just a state of being, but rather a state of active becoming. Faith is not just a matter of having Christ, but also of constantly seeking after Him. I know that sounds contradictory. How can you both have something and seek it, at the same time? But listen to these passages from Scripture:
" . . . seek first his kingdom and his righteousness . . . . " – Matthew 6:33, NIV
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." – Hebrews 11:6, NIV
Do you think these verses are talking only about our initial entry into the faith? That once we’ve found God, we can stop seeking? Not at all. They’re talking about our whole life as disciples of Christ. Look carefully at Hebrews 11:6. In this context, faith is what precedes seeking. Faith is what makes the seeking effective and pleasing to God. In other words, seeking God is what we do because we have faith. If you and I have faith in God, then what we need to be doing is – what? Seeking him. Not resting, satisfied and complacent in what we already know and what we’ve already experienced. But actively striving to know and experience Him more fully. Consider these verses from the Psalms:
"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." – Psalm 105:3, NIV
"Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, ’Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek." – Psalm 27:7-8, NIV
When David writes here of "seeking," is he referring to an unbeliever on his way to faith in God? No. David was already a believer. The Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart. David trusted in God, he loved God, and because of that, He was committed to seeking God all his life. In Psalm 105, he’s urging his fellow Israelites to do the same. And he’s urging us to do it as well. "Seek his face always." Are you doing that? Are you going after God, pursuing him, seeking him, as David did?
Let’s look at what this "seeking" looks like; so that we can understand what we’re being called to do. First, it has to be wholehearted. God will not respond to an indifferent, careless, lackadaisical pursuit. It has to be fervent; it has to be passionate; it has to be dedicated; or it will come to nothing. It must be willing to do whatever is necessary to take hold of God. It must be willing to wrestle with God, as Jacob did. You see, God isn’t interested in receiving your leftovers, after all your passion and commitment has been spent on your job, or your family, or your hobbies, or your pleasures. He doesn’t want the scraps off your table, whatever you think you can spare after you’ve given the best of yourself to other things. He wants your best; He wants what comes from the deepest part of your soul. Are you ready to give him that?
Listen to how the Psalms express this desire, this longing, this yearning for God:
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God . . . " – Psalm 42:1-2, NIV
"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." – Psalm 63:1, NIV
Is that your attitude toward knowing God? Is it like that of a man parched with thirst, traveling through the desert, whose mind and heart and body are consumed with an intense desire for water? Hear what the Scriptures say about the necessity of seeking God in this way:
". . . if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him." – Deuteronomy 4:29, NLT
And consider the charge that King David gave to Solomon, when he handed over the kingship:
"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." – 1 Chronicles 28:9, NIV
Now, I know that there are dozens of things in our lives that cry out to us for attention, every day. Each one proclaiming itself urgent, and important, and necessary. And it’s true that we have to live our lives. We have to go to work, and take care of our children, and pay the bills, and prepare meals, and go to the doctor. What I’m saying doesn’t contradict any of that. The issue, though, is what is our fundamental purpose in life. What’s driving us? What’s our highest priority? What is the one thing that matters to us most of all; the one thing for which we are willing to sacrifice, and suffer, and strive? (1) For some, it’s their families. Family comes first. The needs of the children are above all else. (2) For some, it’s financial security; building up a nest egg for retirement. (3) For some, it’s achievement; making a difference. (4) For some, it’s pleasure. Not necessarily illicit pleasures, but things like food, or movies, or reading, or sports, or politics, or enjoying time with friends. That’s what makes it all worthwhile for them; that’s what gives life meaning. (5) For some, it’s simply peace and quiet. Their greatest desire is simply to be left alone. In everyone’s life, there is something fundamental; something that drives everything else. And what I’m saying is that, for us as Christians, that one thing must be seeking God. Listen to Paul:
"Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You must also run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. . . " – 1 Corinthians 9:24-26, NLT
Many olympic athletes have families. Some of them have sponsors, so that they can train full-time, but others have jobs like anyone else. They have to take care of their homes, and go grocery shopping, and pay bills. But the thing that drives them isn’t any of those things; it’s the quest for a gold medal. In the midst of daily living, they have to be utterly committed to a regimen of exercise, and nutrition, and training, that will make their dream a reality. That’s their priority. Everything they do is organized around achieving that goal. And Paul is saying that this is what our attitude should be toward seeking God. Wholehearted, single-minded devotion.
Let me take this a step further. So far, it might be possible for someone to regard all this as good and desirable and beneficial, but a little extreme; a little out of the mainstream of the normal Christian life. Something for advanced students, if you will. Something we can choose to do if we’re extremely committed to our faith, but which is not absolutely necessary. But that’s not the case. Seeking after God isn’t just for some Christians; it’s at the core of what it means to be a Christian. It’s at the core of what it means to have faith. Listen to what Christ said:
"And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent." – John 17:3, Msg
What I’m trying to convey is that this "knowing" of God isn’t a static thing; something you arrive at once and for all when you first come to faith. It’s something that grows deeper and deeper as we continue to seek after God our whole lives long. That’s what it means to have the kind of life that comes from God, the kind of life that’s eternal. Hear the words of Amos the prophet:
"This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: ’Seek me and live . . . ’" – Amos 5:4, NIV
Seeking God isn’t just a matter of spiritual growth, something that we can take or leave as it pleases us. It’s a matter of spiritual life and death. Look at how Paul describes those who are without God, who do not believe or follow Him:
"There is none righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." – Romans 3:10-11, NIV
In other words, failing to seek God is a characteristic of an unbeliever, not a believer. It is characteristic of someone who, whatever their religion may be, and whatever they profess to believe, in their heart of hearts does not have faith. Because authentic faith produces a desire to know God; it stimulates us to seek after Him with all our might.
Again I ask you, are you seeking God? Is it your consuming passion to know him and experience him? Is your love for God, and your desire for Him, the thing that energizes you, the thing that gets you up in the morning? Or is it something you give little thought to, something you might attend to, at best, when you have nothing else going on that’s particularly pressing? Think hard about the answer to that question, because it means the difference between heaven and hell.
If then, the great purpose of our lives is to know God, how do we go about it? What does it look like? The general answer to that question is that it requires the involvement of every part of us – our minds, our hearts, and our bodies, or conduct. Remember what Christ said when he was asked, "what is the greatest commandment?"
"Jesus replied: ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’" – Matthew 22:37, NIV
I like the way the Message paraphrase renders this verse: "love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy."
Let’s take loving God with the mind. Loving God with your mind, seeking and pursuing him with your intelligence, means utilizing your God-given reason to understand the things of God. It involves storing up knowledge, from sermons and from the Scriptures and from good Christian books. It means thinking about how you can better serve God and honor him with your life. And again, not just occasionally, or whenever the mood strikes you. But regularly, with purpose, and planning, and dedication. Why don’t we get down to brass tacks. Do you read your Bible? How often? More than you read the newspaper? More than you read magazines? More than you read Tom Clancy novels, or John Grisham novels, or romance novels? More than you watch television? Read the Bible. Consistently. Regularly. And think about what you read. Take notes. Look up cross-references. I’m going to make a bold statement here, but I believe it. Every Christian who can afford it should own four books: a Bible with cross-references, a concordance, a Bible dictionary, and a one-volume Bible commentary. At minimum. And not only own them, but use them. I would be glad to show any of you how to do that. And read, not only the Bible and these Bible helps, but good Christian books. Frankly, a lot of the stuff sold in Christian bookstores isn’t very good. But I’d be glad to help direct you toward what is really worthwhile.
And ask questions. You know, seldom do I get any inquiries about the Bible, about the meaning of this or that passage, or about Christian doctrine. And that’s a little strange. I mean, don’t you ask your doctor questions about medicine? And isn’t the health of your soul more important than the health of your body? I can help you find the answers to your questions. That’s my job. All you have to do is ask.
Let’s move on. How about prayer? In the gospel of Luke, Christ teaches,
". . . keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks." – Luke 11:9-11, NLT
Again, prayer is not to be an occasional thing, but a regular, consistent discipline of our lives. To know God, you have to spend time with him in prayer. And the only way to have "quality" time with God is to invest "quantity" time. If you spend more time interacting with Dan Rather or Peter Jennings than you do with God, you will not come to know him.
Seeking God also requires a commitment to obedience, to holiness of life.
"Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have right standing with God their Savior. They alone may enter God’s presence and worship the God of Israel." – Psalm 24:3-6, NLT
Likewise, Hebrews tells us:
"Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord." – Hebrews, 12:14, NLT
Do you want to know God? Are you seeking God? Then you have to obey God. Yes, Christ has given us a right standing with God, a "positional" holiness. If you have trusted in Christ, God will never count your sins against you. But look again at Hebrews 12:14 – "live in peace," "live a clean and holy life". It’s not our standing before God that’s in view here, it’s practical holiness; it’s the purity of our life and conduct. If we don’t strive after that, we won’t see God. We won’t know Him. We won’t experience Him. And in the end, we won’t be received into His presence. Am I saying that good works are necessary for salvation? No. We are saved by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone. But genuine saving faith produces a holy life. Not instantaneously, not perfectly. But over time, if God has indeed changed our heart, he will also change our conduct. That’s why Peter instructs us to seek after godliness, and by doing so to make our "calling and election sure." (2 Peter 1:10, NIV) In other words, we are to confirm that we really are among those God has called and chosen, by growing in holiness. The reward for our diligence will be not only eternal life, but God himself, both now and in the age to come.
In closing, I realize this can all seem overwhelming. It’s certainly a more demanding view of the Christian life than what is commonly presented. But here’s a word of encouragement. You’re not alone in your quest. You’re not seeking God by your own power. God has given you his Holy Spirit, and it’s by the Spirit’s power that you are enabled to seek him, every day of your life. As David prayed,
"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands." – Psalm 119:10, NIV
David understood it was by God’s power that he was kept on the path of righteousness. Yes, he was seeking with all his heart, but he still had to pray for God to keep him from straying. And we should do the same. Let’s seek after God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, even as we pray for his strength and power to enable us to do so. And he will give us success. As he promises in Proverbs 8:17: "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." (NIV) I invite you today, and God invites you today, to claim that promise.
(For an .rtf file of this and other sermons, see www.journeychurchonline.org/messages.htm)
