by Pastor Patrick Cho

Grace Life is at about the midpoint of our Bible study for this year and so far it has been a great time of fellowship and study. Wanting to focus on fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, this year was devoted to theology proper, the study of God. Each meeting, we have been looking at another attribute of God surveying the Scriptures to see what God has revealed about Himself. Since Grace Life is on an abbreviated schedule, meeting roughly every other week, we have covered seven different topics thus far including God’s glory, holiness, omniscience, and immutability.

Of course in an affinity group ministry like Grace Life, which is focused on the church’s married couples and parents, people are always clamoring for practical studies like building godly marriages, biblical parenting, and finances. While these focused practical studies are important and indeed helpful, we need to be careful that we start building our biblical understanding from the ground up. Practical studies are popular because the principles derived can be put into immediate practice, but this does not benefit an individual nearly as much if that person does not have a good biblical or theological framework to think from.

In other words, how do you know that what a certain author writes is helpful? If there isn’t a good understanding of biblical principles and theology to help filter ideas, people will come to conclusions based simply on what sounds right or feels good. This is a dangerous way of coming to conclusions. It is a much sounder approach to lay a good biblical and theological foundation before seeking to build practical structures on top of it. We say we want to live Christ-centered lives and build godly homes, but that is going to be very difficult if we don’t know what the Bible says about who Christ is or what God is like.

Besides all this, a study on theology proper is immensely practical. Let’s not forget that one of the purposes for which God has revealed Himself to us in Scripture is that we might reflect His glory and imitate His character. For example, the basis of our love for one another is His love for us. If we don’t have an accurate understanding of God’s love, we will unfortunately substitute it with a worldly or personal concept of love that falls infinitely short.

With all this said, I would continue to encourage our married couples and parents to come out to Grace Life for the remainder of our meetings. We hope to see you on Thursday evenings! The meeting schedule looks like this:

• February 27 – No Grace Life (Flocks)
• March 6 – No Grace Life (Shepherds’ Conference)
• March 13 – Lesson 9: The Sovereignty of God
• March 20 – Lesson 10: The Transcendence and Immanence of God
• March 27 – No Grace Life (Flocks)
• April 3 – Lesson 11: God Is Truth
• April 10 – Lesson 12: God Is Love
• April 17 – No Grace Life (Good Friday)
• April 24 – No Grace Life (Flocks)
• May 1 – Lesson 13: The Grace of God
• May 8 – No Grace Life (Break)
• May 15 – Lesson 14: The Patience of God
• May 22 – No Grace Life (Break)
• May 29 – No Grace Life (Flocks)
• June 5 – Lesson 15: The Goodness of God

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Since we are at the start of a new year, I know that many people in the church have begun a Bible reading plan for 2014. This probably means that most are reading somewhere in the opening chapters of Genesis. Genesis is a book of beginnings. The opening chapters give the account about the foundation of the world and how God created all there is in six days. Chapter 3 focuses on the fall of man and the entrance of sin into the world. In Abraham, we see the beginnings of God’s people, set apart to Himself to accomplish His grand purpose in this world.

But also significantly implanted in the opening pages of Scripture is the establishment of marriage. Marriage was given according to God’s plan and purpose for His creation. It was designed under His divine prerogative guided by His infallible wisdom. Regardless of whether people are Christian or not, the foundation of their marriages is found in their Creator. The reason we get married and give one another in marriage is because this was in accordance with God’s design from the very creation of man and a gift of grace.

The specific record of the creation of man and the establishment of marriage is given in Genesis 1:26-28. By God’s will, He created man in His own image and after His likeness. He made them male and female so that each equally bears His image, and upon creating them male and female He immediately commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply.” This is the same command God gave to the “swimming things” in the sea and the “flying things” in the air (v. 22). It is implied that this same command was applied to the living creatures of the earth – the livestock, creeping things, and beasts of the earth. This command was specifically given because each animal was to procreate according to its kind in the established order God set for His creation. Fish would produce greater numbers of fish, birds would produce more birds, and beasts would produce more beasts.

It is in this context that the first man and woman were commanded to be fruitful and multiply, which is the general statement of God’s institution of marriage. Chapter 2 goes on to explain more specifically what God meant by this and why Eve was such a suitable counterpart for Adam. Indeed no other “helper” could be found for Adam from any other created thing. God created Eve especially for Adam to serve as his partner and companion. By God’s own admission, it was not good for man to be alone. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24).

There is no being fruitful and multiplying with man outside of marriage. God designed marriage to be monogamous between a man and a woman. This was so they could enjoy each other and love one another in the bond of their relationship, and it was also for the purpose of fulfilling His command to fill the earth. Genesis 2:24 helps define what it means to have a family, to leave father and mother and cleave to your spouse.

Any attempt to change the definition of marriage is a perversion of God’s established order. The fact that marriage has become so twisted in contemporary society and cheapened is a testament to the sinful rebellion in the hearts of men. The fact remains that the true definition of marriage is not the result of the latest poll or election. It isn’t left to human opinion regardless of how well-intentioned people try to be. It doesn’t matter if people stand up for what they believe is right under the banner of “love.” Frankly, God never asked our opinion about the way marriage should be. He doesn’t need fallible minds and darkened hearts to correct His infallible and perfect norm. He designed marriage His way because He made us. And that Creator/creature distinction will exist for all of eternity.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

This past week at Grace Life, we continued our series on the attributes of God. This week’s study was on the aseity (or independence) of God, and it was a wonderful time of fellowship and instruction. We encourage all of our married couples and parents to come out on Thursday evenings to join us for Bible study as we walk through this helpful series. The following is the “blurb” from this week’s study:

The aseity of God is the idea that the Lord is independent and self-sufficient. The term is derived from the Latin a se (“from himself”). The basis for this doctrine is found in several passages of Scripture that indicate that God is completely content and sufficient on His own such that He does not depend upon His creation. In Acts 17:24-25, Paul explains to the Athenians why God is unlike their false gods. Their gods needed their service, but our God is not “served by human hands, as though He needed anything.”

The very nature of God supports the idea of aseity. God exists because existence is a necessary part of His eternal nature just like we die because death is a necessary part of our finite and fallen nature. In this way, the Creator/creature distinction is emphasized because God is of a completely different nature as us. Consider this thought from Wayne Grudem:

The difference between God’s being and ours is more than the difference between the sun and a candle, more than the difference between the ocean and a raindrop, more than the difference between the arctic ice cap and a snowflake, more than the difference between the universe and the room we are sitting in: God’s being is qualitatively different. (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 162.)

God is thus existent in Himself and is not dependent upon any part of creation for His existence. Even if none of creation was ever made, God would not only still exist, but He would also be the same perfect God Scripture reveals Him to be. The name of God revealed to Moses sums up God’s aseity well: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exod. 3:14). Moses expresses the thought in the Psalms, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Ps. 90:2).

The relationships of the Trinity also shed light on God’s aseity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have enjoyed perfect fellowship for all eternity. In John 17:5, Jesus prays, “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.” In other words, since eternity past, the Father and Son shared in perfect glory. Later in John 17:24, Jesus says, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” In other words, the Father and Son shared in a perfect love relationship before time began. For all of eternity past, God was perfectly happy, content, fulfilled, and sufficient in Himself through the relationships of the Trinity. There is nothing that created beings can offer that would possibly compare to what God enjoyed in Himself.

This attribute of God establishes an eternal Creator/creation distinction. The gods of the nations required man’s service and worship. Our God does not need us. He does not need our service. He does not need our worship. God does not need us to repay Him. We don’t give to God as if He needs us, and He certainly is not obligated then to repay us for our service. We serve the Lord out of gratitude and worship, but not because we’re doing God a favor. Wayne Grudem writes,

People have sometimes thought that God created human beings because he was lonely and needed fellowship with other persons. If this were true, it would certainly mean that God is not completely independent of creation. It would mean that God would need to create persons in order to be completely happy or completely fulfilled in his personal existence. (Ibid., 161.)

In light of all that is said about God’s aseity, this does not mean that God is impersonal or somehow does not want us. Consider the amazing truth that the Lord created men to have relationship with him even though it was not necessary. What motivated God’s free choice was His grace. And then consider that this sinful man sinned against Him and rebelled against His will, and yet God redeemed him. What an awesome testimony of God’s infinite, matchless grace especially in light of His aseity. God made us because of a choice of love, and it is not because He had to satisfy some deep need. It was His gracious choice by His divine free will to create man.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

The word “awesome” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “causing feelings of fear and wonder.” This is undoubtedly a fitting adjective to describe our God. To borrow from the old worship refrain, our God is an awesome God. What is desperately needed in the church today is a greater sense of God’s greatness and majesty. In order to preserve the idea that Jesus is our friend, we have adopted perhaps too casual of an attitude towards God. We treat Him like He is our buddy. This casual attitude is sometimes reflected in our prayers. We talk to God like He is anyone else. Of course, we can come to the Lord honestly and pray to Him candidly, but we would do well to remember that we are speaking with the God of the universe and of our lives.

This casual attitude also manifests itself in our casual approach to Sundays. Our worship services have adopted this casualness. People waltz into church consistently late. Even the way we dress is oftentimes embarrassingly casual. This isn’t to say that church should be stuffy or follow some rigid liturgy. But when someone walks into church on Sunday morning, there should be a sense of passing through a threshold into the presence of God.

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Exodus 33:18-23 and 34:4-8. This is the account where Moses asks the Lord to show him His glory. God quickly reminded Moses that no one could see His face and live, but He accommodated His servant by promising to walk by and reveal His back. The next day, when Moses ascended Sinai, the Lord hid him in the cleft of a rock and passed by. As He passed by He proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”

If Christians today could experience the brief encounter Moses had with the Lord on Sinai, perhaps they would be quick to respond the way Moses did immediately after his meeting. The text says, “And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Exod. 34:8). Moses worshiped because this experience all the more helped him to understand what an awesome God he served. He knew it from what he was able to see, but perhaps he knew it more from what he was able to hear. God’s own words revealed to Moses who he was and what He was like.

Considering this, perhaps we have something much closer to Moses than we might have originally suspected. I would argue that we have something even greater in the Bible we possess. We enjoy the incalculable privilege of holding the completed revelation of God’s Word. Everything God has desired to communicate to us is perspicuously written in the Bible. Moses received a couple sentences, but we have received sixty-six books! Moses looked forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. We get to live on this side of the cross and look back on much of what God fulfilled in Christ.

Living in such privileged position with our access to the God of the Scriptures, we would be remiss to ignore the incredible benefit afforded us. Shouldn’t we be doing all we can to gain more of Him, to know Him more and be more intimately acquainted with God our Savior? This year, our Grace Life family ministry will be walking through a study of God. Our hope is that through this time together we will develop a greater appreciation and deeper worship, that the thought of God would evoke in us feelings of fear and wonder!

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Whenever we approach the beginning of a new year for Grace Life Family Ministry, thoughts flood my mind about the things we could cover together. There are so many issues that could be hugely beneficial for our families. Many topics have been suggested such as the importance of good communication, how to love your spouse, God-centered marriage, biblical parenting, etc. While these practical issues and more should be addressed by the church, it is important for a ministry to first consider laying down a good theological foundation to build upon. It is important to help young families understand how they ought to live, but it is also more important to explain clearly why they ought to live that way.

I have had many conversations with people about different convictions I have held and know the frustration that results when you talk to someone who is simply not thinking from the same theological framework and reference point. Try convincing someone about the sin of homosexuality when they don’t hold to the inerrancy and authority of Scripture and you will quickly learn how frustrating it can be to make a point. Even in the church, with so many who would agree that the Bible is inspired of God, and so inerrant, infallible, authoritative, and sufficient, there are still too many who don’t understand some of the more fundamental doctrines prescribed in their Bible. So in counseling I have learned over the years to keep stepping back until the basic theological framework is understood so that practical matters are addressed with greater stability.

Last year, Grace Life covered a series titled “What Do You Think?” The purpose of that study was to examine sin’s effect on the mind and how that trickles down to everyday decisions. In Christ, God has illumined our hearts and minds and made it possible for us to understand Scripture rightly. Instead of depending on intuition and worldly wisdom, we can have the mind of Christ and think God’s thoughts after Him. Through our meetings together, we looked at the importance of developing a biblical grid through which we should filter our thoughts and convictions.

This year, we will be walking through the theme “Amazing God.” That adjective is often appropriately associated with grace because of the beloved hymn, but grace is only amazing because God is amazing. The purpose of our times together will be to gain a greater biblical understanding and appreciation of the God we serve and live for and then to take those ideas and connect them to our lives in a practical way. In other words, how should we live in light of who God is? I’m super excited for Grace Life this year and hope it will be a blessing for all who come out.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Anyone who has been at Lighthouse long enough understands that many of the doctrinal positions we teach are not necessarily the most popular. I suppose this is expected because we don’t formulate our beliefs based on how we might best be accepted by others. The Bible is our authority and we seek to be faithful in teaching it – in season and out of season. Through our years in ministry, some have ridiculed us for our teachings. Others have objected vehemently. Sadly, there have been fellow believers who have criticized us for taking biblical stances on issues like the sanctity of life, the authority of the church, and the biblical roles of men and women. As time goes by, I am sure it isn’t going to get easier to stand for God’s truth. In fact, it seems it will get significantly more difficult. Even still, since we are believers, it is essential that we hold true to the Word of God because of its inerrancy, sufficiency, and authority.

There are many contemporary issues that completely stand against the principles of God’s Word, but perhaps none has been more prevalent recently than the widespread societal acceptance of homosexuality. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which was initially instituted by President Clinton in 1996. The act was initially created to protect states from having to recognize same sex marriages of other states. In effect, this Act essentially barred the federal government from legally recognizing same sex marriages and giving gay couples the federal benefits of marriage. The Supreme Court also refused to review a lower court’s invalidation of California’s Prop 8 law, which prohibited same-sex marriage. By refusing to review the case, the Supreme Court let the lower court’s ruling stand that Prop 8 is unconstitutional. Needless to say, this was a monumental day for the LGBT community.

As a Christian looking at contemporary cultural trends, in some ways, it seems this day was inevitable. It was only a matter of time before a ruling was going to be made in favor of same sex marriage. As society continues to veer the issue more and more towards civil rights and not moral choice, I am sure more rulings will be made in the future in support of the LGBT community. Homosexuality is becoming more and more ordinary in the United States and this is reflected in our media. You can hardly find a sit-com on television today that doesn’t feature at least one homosexual couple.

So how should the church respond? Should we hit the streets and picket in protest? Should we go door to door encouraging our neighbors to fight in the next election to reverse the trends we are seeing? While it is helpful to exercise our freedom to vote, as Christians, we understand that our greatest hope is not found in governing bodies and political authorities. The hope for this nation is not found in propositions and laws. As always, we need to view all of this biblically since God is our ultimate authority. Cultural and national trends change from age to age, but the Word of God will always stand (cf. Matt. 24:35).

The Bible has always been clear about the sinfulness of homosexuality. Some have tried to write off the passages dealing with homosexuality by cleverly citing cultural and historical context, but it is undeniable that regardless of the culture or age, God’s Word is consistent in deeming homosexuality as a perversion of His order for creation. Marriage God’s way was instituted and designed to be between one man and one woman (cf. Gen. 2:24). The simple fact is that since God’s Word will not change on the issue, the church also should not change on the issue. The convictions of the church do not ebb and flow with cultural trends. Society doesn’t ultimately dictate what men should believe. Our authority has always been Scripture.

This of course means that the church and popular society will be increasingly at odds. Individual churches may compromise these convictions and bend to societal trends, but God’s Word will remain an immovable foundation. This doesn’t mean that Christians should treat homosexuals in a disrespectful or hateful way. Believers should always seek to speak with grace and tact (cf. Eph. 4:29). Love is still the rule for all true believers. But it isn’t loving to look the other way when someone is living in violation of God’s law. It isn’t loving to tell people everything is ok when you know they’ll need to stand before the Lord one day and give an account for their lives against His perfect standard.

The gospel is truly at stake. What needs to come first is our love to God, and it certainly isn’t loving not to call sin “sin” when God came in flesh to die on the cross for the sins that men commit. Before all else, God’s glory needs to be in mind and our desire needs to be to put Him first above all things.

True love demands that we help people understand the truth of the gospel – that there is a loving God who is eager to forgive and save if men will turn from their sins and turn to Him in faith. True love dictates that the gospel should be preached respectfully and graciously since everyone who preaches it is a fellow sinner in need of grace. What this nation needs is for Christians to express and demonstrate the love of God more and more by telling others about the hope of the gospel. But as our society moves farther away from a biblical worldview, we should not be surprised if the opposition to the gospel becomes more and more severe. The point is that Christians need to remain committed to the truth of God, but this is only going to get harder and harder.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Lately at Lighthouse, we have been engaging in some conversation about God-appointed roles in the church and home. Generally speaking, these discussions tend to revolve around gender. Is there a fundamental difference between men and women, or does God desire the complete equality of the genders even at an economic/functional level? While these discussions are important, we must not forget that the reversal of biblical roles is something that is going to be rebelled against at any level – not just between genders.

One arena where the assignment of biblical roles is constantly being threatened is in the home. But this threat is not merely between husband and wife. The battle for authority also rages between parents and children. I’m assuming that most people would agree that parents have authority over their children and are called to bring them up to maturity. However, practically it seems the roles are often reversed. Parents are constantly giving in to their children’s demands. Children are manipulative towards their parents and assume the place of authority in the home. Kids assert their wills to eat when they want, sleep when they want, play when they want. They fight to get their way at all costs. Strangely, we still call this parenting because the kids are generally taken care of – they eat, sleep, and have shelter. “Besides,” we reason to ourselves, “kids will be kids, right?” The sad reality is that even though kids are being watched after, “parenting” is not happening.

Colossians 3:20 states, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” The Bible teaches that children are to obey their parents, and not vice versa. From infancy, children are going to test these limits and cross the boundaries. I’ll never forget the various ways our baby girl attempted to bend rules and flirt with boundaries. We would tell her not to cross a certain line onto the tile floor. So what would she do? She would come as close as possible to the line without crossing over. Sometimes she would put her hand on the tile wondering if she could get away with it if the rest of her body remained behind the line. Once, she even put a book on the tile and sat on the book as if to say, “Hey, at least I’m not technically on the tile.”

In the home, children are constantly going to fight to gain as much authority as possible. They will do this through flattery, manipulation, tantrums, and blatant rebellion. Every parent knows this frustration, but many do not seek consistently to correct it. Parents give in to their children’s will in order to keep them quiet, not cause a scene, or spare embarrassment, and time and again children win the battle for authority.

What is much needed in the home is a movement back to biblical priorities. Children need to be instructed in the ways of God to understand the authority of their parents. And that instruction needs to be promoted and supported by helpful reinforcement and healthy discipline. Children simply don’t have the knowledge, wisdom, or experience to assume the authority in the home (though they often think of themselves as more mature than they really are). This order, however, is not only necessary for the health of the child, but for the glory of God. Parents need to remember what is really at stake. When children are taught and trained to obey their parents and submit to their authority, it is pleasing to the Lord.

What is encouraging for all parents is that it is never too late to start. Perhaps there is a pattern in the home of succumbing to the demands of your children. It isn’t too late to help your kids understand that greater structure, rules, and order are going to be implemented. Those rules will probably be tested, but with consistent application children can learn to submit to their parents and even do this with joy.

More than anything, we need to pray for the hearts of our children. Really what this comes down to is the manifestation of their sin nature. Children are little sinners doing what they are innately programmed to do. What they need is God’s saving grace to transform their hearts so that they can desire the things the Lord desires for them. Thankfully, the Lord often uses the spiritual example of godly parents. When things are difficult or frustrating with your children, persevere to show them patient, gracious, and loving authority. Lord-willing, they will see the example of their parents and will come to desire the same relationship with the Savior that their parents have.

Editor’s Note: Patrick was inspired by some previous articles by Al Mohler, and asked that the links be included:

• http://www.albertmohler.com/2009/10/14/parents-obey-your-children/
  
• http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/05/28/are-parents-surrendering-control/

by Pastor Patrick Cho

The term “heritage” is not used much in our day, but this is the word employed by the Psalmist to describe God’s gift of children to parents. A heritage is equivalent to an inheritance or legacy. It is something passed down from one generation to the next, intended to be a blessing. In Psalm 127, however, children are not a gift from the previous generation, but from the Lord. Indeed the Psalmist says that the “fruit of the womb [is] a reward.”

This passage comes in the context of a Psalm dedicated to the raising up of families. It is one of two Psalms attributed to Solomon, the wisest man to ever walk on earth (excepting Jesus). Solomon recognizes, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (v. 1). In other words, we are not in control when it comes to family planning and bearing children. Children are a gift and blessing from the Lord. He exercises His sovereignty and grace to give or withhold children. Because of these truths, Solomon confesses that the one whose family is filled with numerous children is considered blessed (vv. 4-5). A couple’s children help provide strength to the home and fill their parents’ hearts with joy and pride.

It is no surprise that the prevailing attitude towards children today (sadly even in the church!) is completely antithetical to the principles of this passage in God’s Word. Children are often considered a chore, nuisance, and inconvenience. Parents are sometimes resentful about the things they have had to sacrifice in order to raise their children. In order to pursue personal ambition with their careers, many parents have surrendered the responsibility of raising their children to grandparents, daycares, and nannies. Many couples put off having children so they can pursue personal pleasures and freedoms like traveling and other hobbies.

The great heart issue that needs to be addressed is whether we believe the Scriptures and trust that children are a gift according to God’s goodness and grace. Instead of cultivating worldly and even sinful attitudes towards children, we ought to promote parenthood and be thankful for God’s grace to us. Many godly couples come to find that they are unable to have children, though they intensely desire it. For whatever reason in the plan of God, He has withheld this blessing from them (perhaps to bless them by some other means).

If God has blessed you with children, it is important to develop a biblical understanding of your role as a parent and to view your children as God views them – a gift of His grace. We need to guard ourselves from having a worldly attitude and think God’s way. For the sake of our children, let us consider ourselves tremendously blessed by God because of the precious heritage he has passed on to us. Parents serve as stewards of God’s gift and our children are entrusted to our care so that we can raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).

by Pastor Patrick Cho

One of the great joys we experience at Lighthouse is the number of babies that are born into our church family. It seems almost customary now that I would announce some pregnancy before the sermon on Sunday morning. As a body, we are able to experience this joy together, and some are even able to track their history at the church by the life of a little one. These gifts from God are a reminder of His amazing grace to our families and to the church.

Pastor Chris Mueller once pointed out the importance of raising your family in the church. Since no one person possesses every spiritual gift, a single parent is incapable of demonstrating fully what it means to represent Christ in this world. In a real way, parents need the members of the church to show what is lacking in their presentation of Christ to their kids. Only together can our children see what it really means to love one another, serve one another, and be committed to one another. As our children mature physically, hopefully they are able to witness the church maturing spiritually.

This has been one of the chief focuses of the children’s ministries at LBC. We are constantly thinking through how we can come alongside parents and encourage them in the great responsibility to raise their children in the Lord. In this way, Grace Life and the various children’s ministries will always be vitally connected. The church is not an adequate substitute for godly parenting but can serve as a tremendous help to our families.

When we have our parent/child dedication services, the point is not only for the parents to dedicate their children to the Lord or even to pray for the children; it also includes the church’s commitment and involvement in the lives of the babies. The church holds the parents accountable to their responsibility to be godly parents, but a mutual agreement is also understood that there is a church-wide responsibility to show Christ to the next generation.

When we gather together in corporate worship or enjoy some fellowship activity, we need to remember that at any given moment, two little eyes might be studying our actions, speech, and behavior. Any parent can tell you how scary it is that their children pick up on their mannerisms and adopt their speech. Our children are watching you and want to follow you. They look up to you and admire you. All the more, it should emphasize the importance of living godly lives and serving as examples to the rest of the flock. Let’s demonstrate godliness and not worldliness, and let’s be sure to show our children what an amazing thing it is to live for Jesus.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Grace Life took a break for the winter holidays and is now up and running again. It has been tremendously encouraging to see all the people come out to Bible study on Thursday nights. I’m sure the midweek meeting is still difficult for some of our families, but having LKC meet on the same evening makes things much more manageable. It has also been a blessing to see the families getting more involved even in little ways like bringing refreshments or helping with nursery care. All these acts of service continue to strengthen the group and make for an enjoyable time.

We are still in the middle of our series entitled “What Do You Think?” It has been a helpful series exploring a simple but biblical theology of the mind. So far, hopefully the families haven’t been too discouraged as we have almost exclusively focused on the bad news. Through our first five lessons, we have studied the creation and fall of man, as well as the consequences of sin on the mind. The Bible teaches that as sinners we are of a depraved mind and that we are completely blind to spiritual truth. Without God, we are incapable of interpreting the world around us in the right way. Sin affects our minds so that we are even oblivious to this incapacity.

God speaks particularly through Apostle Paul in Romans 1 to describe sin’s impact on the human mind. Because of our sinful minds, we suppress the truth of God even though it stares us blatantly in the face (vv. 18-20). Sin has rendered our thinking futile and foolish even though we think ourselves to be wise (v. 21-22). Sin causes us to reject the true God of the universe and to worship other lesser things instead – most of all, I should say, ourselves (v. 23-25). Because of our sinful hearts, we would rather willingly believe a lie than accept the truth of God (v. 25). Because of our hateful, sinful minds toward God, we take what God intended for our good and completely violate it and rebel against it. For instance, in our rebellion against God, we pervert the order and natural relations He ordained for us in creation. Paul teaches that this is ultimately rooted in our inherent hatred toward God. We don’t trust that God is good, nor that His plans for us are good. Our sinful minds, thus, bring forth sinful actions (v. 26-32).

This isn’t a very pleasant or optimistic picture the Apostle paints of mankind. It certainly isn’t the popular message of contemporary culture that continues to insist upon our inherent worth and inner beauty. Instead, Paul describes the human heart as wicked, depraved, lost, and desperate. He exposes the human heart for what it truly is in the eyes of God. (Praise God for His grace to save, without which we would have no hope!).

In the coming weeks, we are going to examine how through the gospel, God shines a light in our hearts and causes our blind eyes to see. Because of what Christ did for us on the cross, our minds can be renewed, so that we can interpret God, the world, ourselves, and our circumstances rightly. It should be an eye-opening and helpful study filled with principles for practical application. Even though the bad news is depressingly bad, the good news that follows is gloriously good!