Gospel – PAOLOPUNZALAN.COM

HOW AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE CHANGES HOW WE VIEW THE PRESENT

In the day to day ministry that I am privileged to participate in, I get to speak with many people who would hit a speed bump in their relationships, careers and future aspirations.

Jessie (not his real name) is uncertain about his future in the current position for he has in the company because he decided to keep his integrity intact by not giving in to the pressure of getting involved with under the table deals. As a result, he gets bypassed for every possible promotion he should’ve had the past years.

Sharon just found out that her husband has had an affair. Though it wasn’t a long drawn out relationship, still, it has crushed her and has no clue how to put the pieces back together with her 2 children.

Rick perseveres to witness to his schoolmates about the gospel message of Christ and yet rejection and persecution slammed the door shut everytime he opened up spiritual conversations.

Now, with our limited perspective, it seems that giving up is a viable option. But this is not what we are told in the Scriptures. The Bible will make no sense at all without the eternal perspective.

In Colossians 3:2-4, Paul declares:

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

We are told that as a result of what Jesus has done, our lives are no longer lived for our own benefit. With this in mind, we are given a perspective – “this life isn’t all that there is!” There is a glory that will appear when Christ appears. There is a better end than what we are living in right now. Sin has been conquered. We have been redeemed and heaven and earth will be restored when the New Jerusalem appears. All the troubles, hardship, brokenness and sacrifice would make no sense without an eternal perspective.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:19 that “if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied than all men.”
If God isn’t taking us somewhere, then following Jesus is a sheer waste of time!

Why would Jessie keep standing up for his convictions in the workplace?
In everyone’s eyes, he is being stupid.
Why would Rita forgive her husband’s transgression? He doesn’t deserve it. He may be repentant but he’s caused her lots of pain. Without eternal perspective, she is just getting duped.
Why would Rick persist on sharing God’s love to his friends?
If there’s no eternity, then he is just wasting his time.

Everything God does and everything God calls us to do will only make sense from an eternal perspective. Paul says, if our hope is only in this life, then “we are to be pitied than all men.”

But that’s not where the story ends. The story ends with Christ as King of all kings and Lord of all Lords. The story ends with Jesus on the throne victorious. The story ends with God’s people from every tribe, language, nation and people worshiping the Ancient of Days.

Remember, this life isn’t all that there is.
When we see things from an eternal perspective, things eventually make sense.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

RADICAL FORGIVENESS: “First A Sinner, And Second, Sinned Against.”

A failure to grasp the grace that have been demonstrated to me will cause the failure of demonstrating grace to other people.

I grew up religious. But we all know that being religious doesn’t necessarily mean being righteous. I had a semblance of virtue but only I knew the wickedness brewing inside of me.

It didn’t take long to show on the outside what stemmed from the inside – pride, greed, immorality, selfishness, self-righteousness. And when it did, I would mess up big time.

Gratefully, at 17, God rescued me from my sinfulness. But that rescue mission didn’t stop that moment when I accepted Christ. He had to rescue me daily from slipping back to my old self. I am forever grateful for the gospel that frees me from sin, the Holy Spirit that sanctifies me to become more like Christ and the hope of the resurrection that is to come where sin will no longer be present.

I used to have great difficulty dispensing forgiveness. I said “great difficulty” because to this day, offense is never an easy thing to deal with. But it has become quicker to forgive when I remember that I myself have been forgiven.

I love how Colossians 3:13 (NLT) puts it.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

Make allowance for each other’s faults.
In other words, Paul was telling the church, “Expect it. You’ll have to practice forgiveness for offense will happen. The people you have relationship with, they have faults. They are not perfect. Because of that, not only will you have to make allowances for their faults but choose to forgive when the opportunity arises.”

How in the world can we do it?
As the Lord has forgiven, we are to forgive others.

This we need to remember, we are first a sinner
and only secondarily sinned against.
Read it again.
We are first a sinner and only secondarily sinned against.

When we have no idea how much we have been forgiven, it will be hard for us to release forgiveness. If we don’t comprehend how much grace has been dispensed toward us, then we will have a hard time dispensing the same grace to others.

And this will extend to our marriage, friendships, work relationships, family relationships, classmates and church friends.

The more aware we are of our own need for grace, we become more willing to extend it to others.

“But this person doesn’t deserve my grace! You have no idea how much he/she offended me.”
Well, that’s why it’s called grace.
Grace is kindness undeserved.
The bottom line is that the person we choose to forgive may not change when we first extend grace.

Once we embrace this truth, it will not just benefit those we forgive. It will greatly free us from baggages we’ve been carrying for days, weeks, months, maybe even years.

Grace changes everything!

DO I NEED TO LIVE A PERFECT LIFE?

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Philippians 1:27)

What does it mean to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ?
Do I need to be perfect?
Should I strive to be sinless?
What if I sin again?

Here are a few thoughts on what it’s not followed by what it is according to Scriptures.

What “living a life worthy of the gospel” is not:

1. A way by which we can earn our salvation.

No one can ever receive God’s forgiveness and redemption by his own merit. As Isaiah puts it, “our righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Is. 64:6) Our personal righteousness doesn’t measure up to the standards of God’s holiness.

2. A way to perfection.

Perfection can never be achieved apart from the imputation or transfer of Christ’s perfect moral record upon our imperfect moral record. When a person comes to faith in Christ, a divine exchange happens – Christ’s righteousness upon us and our unrighteousness upon Him.

3. A way to gain more favor from God.

To a person who has been rescued by Jesus’ gospel redemption, there’s no additional favor to gain for he already has the full extent of God’s love and favor through Christ.

As a result, the saying is true –

There’s nothing you can do to make God love you less
nor make Him love you more.

In Christ, we have the full extent of His love.
For God demonstrates His love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Man’s depravity forever excludes him from being “worthy of the gospel.
His salvation merits his uncompromising, unmitigated, undying commitment to live as those who are saved by the only One able to save and the only One who is worthy of praise. (Tony Miano)

What then, does it mean to live a life worthy of the gospel?

It is living a life consistent with God’s Word resulting from being justified by Christ alone through His work of redemption. In other words, as Paul puts it, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old is gone and the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Only he who has been changed on the inside will be able to demonstrate that on the outside by the power of the Holy Spirit. What comes after salvation is the sanctifying work of the Spirit to change us to become more like Christ. This too, is by His grace.

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be the atoning sacrifice for my sin. I understand that I am saved not by my good works but only through Christ’s work on the cross. Help to me to grasp that in a greater way and embrace it more and more as each day would pass. By Your grace, help me to live for You in the power of the Holy Spirit so I can live a life that brings glory to Your name. May my life be pleasing to You and You alone. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

WHAT’S SO MAUNDY ABOUT THURSDAY?

What’s so special about Mandy Thursday? I understand Friday for that’s when Jesus was crucified. Saturday was when Jesus was in the grave. As for Sunday, it was the greatest event in all of human history.

What happened on Thursday? And why’s so “maundy” about it?

Maundy comes from the Latin word where we derive the word ‘mandate’. It was a day where a command was given by Jesus. It was on the night before he was betrayed where He took the cup and the bread, blessed and gave thanks to share the meal with His disciples.

It was during the meal that Jesus took a basin of water, wrapped a towel around His waist and started to wash the disciples feet. So what was the “mandate” that made Thursday Maundy?

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

What He did (washing the feet of his disciples) preceded what He said (love one another).

It was a powerful moment for if He only told them what they needed to do, they would most likely obey but the impact wouldn’t be as intense and compelling.

If their Master could serve them the way He did, how much more can they do the same to others?

His command to love one another is an overflow of the love we have received.
We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

REFLECTION APPLICATION:

1. Pray to Jesus now and thank Him for His sacrificial love to take our place on the cross for He died on our behalf. He paid the debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.

2. Pray for someone now to know Christ personally as their Lord and Savior (family member, friend, officemate, classmate).

3. Text that person a verse to encourage and reflect on what Jesus did on the cross.

“YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU’RE SAYING”

“I don’t think you really believe in what you’re saying.”

Joe Kim (not his real name) was telling me today regarding his experience before he met Christ. He was in high school when someone shared the gospel to him in Korea. He felt that his friend had just come from an evangelistic seminar and he was his friend’s first “project.”

Growing up in a Buddhist background, Joe wasn’t all that interested. In fact, he challenged his friend’s faith by telling him that “he really didn’t believe in what he was saying.”

When his friend asked how come he said that, Joe’s answer was, “Well, if you really believed in what you’re saying, it would show in how you live.” Joe loved his friend. In fact, they were often together, even in parties and drinking sprees. But he concluded that what his friend declared didn’t really work.

“If you believed in what you are declaring, you’re life would be different.”

Joe’s statement hit me. In fact, it hit me quite hard.
I began to look at my own life to see if what I believed lined up with how I lived my life.

Jesus addressed the crowds and told them this about the religious leaders of his time,

“Pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.” (Matthew 23:3)
What they taught didn’t line up with how they lived.

Our lives are sometimes the only Bible our friends will read. We can say one thing but if our life exemplifies something else, it will be difficult to believe. Does this mean that our lives need to be perfect? By no means. However, the important thing is that we’re progressing towards what God intended for us to go towards – to become like Christ. And THAT would be entirely by His grace working itself out in our daily lives.

LORD, thank You for saving me by Your grace. It is never by personal merit or deserved achievement. As I grow in the knowledge of Your grace and salvation, allow me to grow in greater Christ-likeness and holiness. May my life be a story of someone who was undeserving yet unconditionally cared for, fully known yet fully loved. And for that, I am forever grateful. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

MY STORY: Aina Lim

When life has no meaning, we will try our very best to try to fill it with what we think would feel good – stuff, relationships, achievements.

But in the end, they will all fall short of our expectations.

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” – Blaise Pascal, French philosopher and physicist.

Watch the story of Aina on how God rescued her from a life of misplaced identity, meaninglessness and neglect.

LOVED IN SPITE OF

God loved us in spite of what we have done to offend Him. The greatest expression was when He sent His Son, Jesus to die on our behalf.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)

APPROVED AND ACCEPTED

THE RADICAL LOVE OF GOD AND THE RADICAL LOVE ALBUM

God’s radical love and God’s radical mission demands our radical response.

GOD’S RADICAL LOVE

There’s no other sacrifice that could compare to what was displayed in Calvary. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). What father would sacrifice His own Son? God did and demonstrated His own love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).

This love has been so radical that it has been misconstrued and argued. Others can’t believe it’s true.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

GOD’S RADICAL MISSION

Since the time of the Fall, when man chose to rebel against God and relinquish his relationship with his Creator, God’s redemptive plan kicked in. He was on an all out search and rescue mission to reconcile his children back to Him.

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10)

Since we’ve now been reconciled back to the Father, God has give us the task to go with this message.
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

OUR RADICAL RESPONSE

Because of this radical love, we offer our radical response. We will do whatever it takes to bring the gospel message of Jesus to every nation in our generation. Moreso, as a response to this radical love, we give our all out worship to Him who is worthy of all honor and praise. Yes in worship songs but much more than singing , we respond with worship through our lives.

As you worship God with everything that’s within you, these songs may propel you to moments of devotion to the King who is worthy of all honor.

Hope you are blessed by them.

RADICAL LOVE

GRACE CHANGES EVERYTHING

JESUS MY SAVIOR

FAITHFUL

WHEN MAKE OVERS DON’T WORK

The very thing you despise is what you end up becoming.

And the very thing you become is what you absolutely despise.

If we are honest with ourselves, this is true on many counts.
“I don’t want to end up like my dad who prioritized work over family.”
“I don’t want to be like my mom who micromanages and controls every aspect of my life.”
“I don’t want to live a life that’s full of pretense, deceit and facade pretending to be someone I’m not.”
“I will never be one who will always be dependent on being in a relationship to feel complete.”
“I cannot allow myself to be sucked into a situation where I cannot do anything about it.”

These statements run through our minds, promising ourselves we will never go the direction our parents, friends, relatives, loved ones, even enemies have gone. But for some reason, we find ourselves in that “cave.”

One of my favorite movies is “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” Eustace was an English school boy who was taken into a magical country called Narnia. If you are familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia, this would be one of the books C.S. Lewis authored that became a movie.

Eustace’s identity was an arrogant, self-absorbed goofball. Towards the middle of the movie, while with King Caspian and his other shipmates stop over in an island to re-stock supplies, Eustace wanders into a cave of a dragon. He who hated and despised dragons, became one. The one who had “dragonish thoughts in his heart” transforms into a dragon.

“We become the identities we hate and hate the identities we become. “- David Lomas

“How did I let bitterness take over my life?”
“How did I allow one bad relationship to ruin the way I view men?”
“How did I let that loss keep me from trusting anyone again?”
“Why did I allow one failure to define every decision I make in the future?”

So what do we do? We try to reinvent ourselves.

“Reinventing ourselves doesn’t work. It may work for a season. Losing a hundred pounds will change things. Dating the “perfect person” might go a long way to medicate that loneliness. But we become neurotic. We have to keep off the weight; we have to keep the person we love.” (David Lomas)

The problem with this is that we just traded identities. We had our old one but now we replaced it with another. It became just a mere substitute.

Identity is never found on self-discovery. It only downward spirals into frustration.
Identity is never found in another relationship. It only ends in heart aches when you get into a wrong one.
Identity is never found in possessions. We only realize that they are absolutely temporary.

It can only be found in the One who designed you and me.
He who is the Designer gets to design.
He who is the Creator gets to define the purpose.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.” 1 John 3:1.

We are His children by faith in Christ. That’s who we are and that’s our identity.

We are loved, accepted and favored. And in that, we can feel secure.
And the great thing is that the love, acceptance and favor all come way before we even did anything for Him. In fact, all that came when we were in darkness and sinking in the quicksand of sin.

Only those whose identity is found in Him will discover their truest identity.