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Spiritual Relationships

07 Feb
Spiritual Relationships

We’re looking at Paul’s letter to the Colossians. He now starts a new section. He’s giving some final exhortations before concluding.

In the past, Paul has written about family issues in detail. Now, he’s simply reminding them of his teaching. Paul makes a statement about each member of the family.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Colossians 3:18 NIV

He is saying to wives that they need to make a choice to view themselves as under their husband in rank. This is not something the husband can force. It’s a matter of the heart.

This doesn’t imply that the wife is inferior to the husband. It’s also not a matter of blind obedience. It’s about what’s fitting – proper – in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Colossians 3:19 NIV

To husbands, he says that they must make a choice to actively, positively participate in the lives of their wives. In this way, the husband is not striving to please himself, but doing the best for his wife’s sake.

You’re not to be harsh. You’re not ordering them as their lord. The wife is not a slave to the husband. You’re in this together to make the best family environment.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Colossians 3:20 NIV

When it comes to the children, we get to the word, obey. Just a note; this is NOT the same word as submit, above. The children’s place is a place of obedience.

All throughout Scripture it’s clear that children are to obey their parents. I would even say that if you’re a single adult living with your parents, then you still need to follow the “house rules”.

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Colossians 3:21 NIV

I believe this is more about dealing with older children. As they mature, they begin to question certain things. That’s when we must learn to communicate.

They may ask, “Why?”

“Because I’m the father and I said so.” is not an appropriate answer. As I parent, I need to show some respect for them as a thinking person.

The word, discouraged in this verse, literally means to be without passion. There are too many people in this generation who have grown up passionless. They spend their lives trying to self medicate with entertainment, social media, alcohol, or any of a thousand other things that can fill their time.

This is why the home is a sacred place. For believers, it should be a small picture of the church of Jesus Christ.

Christ is the head of the home and each of the members are striving to fulfill the corporate calling. Yes, every home has a calling. Every member of the family has a part to play.

That’s why how we treat one another is so important. Selfishness by any one member can bring the whole structure down. That’s why so many homes are in turmoil.

As believers, our goal should be a home where Christ is portrayed in all of His glory. It should be an example to the world of how life should be.

Question: How well do you fulfill your spiritual role in your family?

© 2024 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 7, 2024 in Relationships

 

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Mutual Submission Part Two

14 Jun
Mutual Submission Part Two

In my last post, we began looking at the section of Ephesians that talks about submission. To review, here’s the verse Paul started with.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:21 NIV

I talked about husbands and wives. Now we’ll go on to other relationships.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise – “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:1-3 NIV

Now we get into the parent and child relationships. The home is the first place we learn to be obedient. Unfortunately, we live in a society where disobedience is held in high regard.

But, it doesn’t end with childhood. Once you grow up, there’s still an obligation. That’s to honor our parents. Especially for believers, this needs to be a part of our adult life.

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:4 NIV

Then, there’s the role of the father. Too often, it’s ignored in our modern society. We somehow feel that raising children is the mother’s area. Scripture takes a different view.

That word, exasperate, literally means to anger alongside. I believe that’s talking about a father who only shows up to tell a child that they’re wrong. Or that they’re disappointed with them. That’s a very frustrating childhood.

Instead, our role should be that of a trainer. Our goal as a father should be the emotional and spiritual strength of our children.

This verse tells us that we need to give them instruction in the Lord. This means that we call attention to the ways of the Lord. We do that by allowing our children to see us praying and reading the Scripture. Spiritual manhood is something that can’t be overemphasized.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Ephesians 6:5-8 NIV

No, the Bible does not support slavery, but just the opposite. The book of Philemon is testimony to that. However, it does talk about things that were common practices in society, slavery being one of them.

This can be applied to the employee, employer relationship. Wherever we find ourselves in that corporate chain of command, we need to realize that Christ is our ultimate manager. We must work as we would work for Christ Himself.

That includes when they’re not watching us. We need to be a witness to the goodness of God, no matter what we’re doing. That also includes the times when we’re the ones in charge.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Ephesians 6:9 NIV

Business owners need to act as Jesus would. Treat those under you with love and respect. This is how we show forth the glory of God. We desire to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ attractive to as many people as possible.

Question: How well do you portray Christ in you work relationships?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 14, 2023 in Prayer, Relationships, Spiritual Walk

 

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Entering the Kingdom

10 Oct
Entering the Kingdom

We’re continuing through the Gospel of Luke. In chapter 18, we come to an event in the life of Christ that’s largely overlooked. However, I think that it’s important to understand its significance to us.

People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Luke 18:15-17 NIV

In this passage, three groups of people were coming to Jesus. There were parents, infants, and children. These parents simply wanted the Lord to declare a blessing over their children. However, the disciples weren’t too happy about this.

Jesus tells them clearly that this isn’t an annoyance. Receiving the children was a wonderful thing to the Lord. We can learn a lot from this encounter.

First of all, the Greek word for baby in this passage is very important. Its primary meaning is an unborn child or fetus. That tells me that, in the womb, a child is capable of receiving a blessing. Of course, we know that’s true because when Mary visited Elizabeth, John the Baptist leapt for joy in her womb (Luke 1:44).

Jesus had no problem holding the infants and blessing them. He used this opportunity to teach the disciples some important truths associated with life in the spirit.

Jesus went a step further. He started calling the other children who were standing nearby. “Hey kids! Come over here so I can bless you!” I’m sure the disciples felt a little embarrassed because of this.

Here’s where it starts to get interesting. The Lord begins to use this situation as a teaching moment for the disciples.

He tells the disciples not to stop them from coming. This is because these infants and children are the sort of people that make up the kingdom of God.

I’ve heard a lot of sermons preached about this, but in my mind, they fall short of what the Lord was saying. He’s talking about receiving the kingdom. You can’t receive something unless it’s given.

So, to understand how to receive, we need to see how the kingdom is offered. Jesus was clear about this throughout His ministry.

In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

John 3:3 NIV

If you think about it in the natural, it should become pretty obvious. What’s the easiest way to become part of a kingdom? The simple answer is that you’re born into it.

What’s the easiest way to become a United States citizen? It’s to be born in the United States. That may sound too simple, but the greatest truths usually are.

Jesus makes it clear to the disciples, the only way in, is to be born into the kingdom of God. You have to be willing to start from infancy – spiritually speaking.

Our problem is that many of us were already indoctrinated in the world system before salvation. We think that we know how things work. Unfortunately, the kingdom of God works on a whole different level.

We must start from a position of infancy. We must leave everything behind that we thought we knew.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV

Life in the kingdom of God requires a whole new mindset. That’s why the first order of business is to renew our minds by the Word of God. Only then can we truly begin to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom.

Question: Where are you along your spiritual journey with Christ?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 10, 2022 in Revival, Sonship, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel, Word of God

 

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Marriage Between Light and Dark

01 Apr

In my last post, we saw the Apostle Paul’s teaching on divorce between Christian couples.  Now he goes on to talk about marriages between a Christian and a non-Christian.

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.  And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
1 Corinthians 7:12-13

In this case, there’s a special set of circumstances.  You have two vastly different kingdoms living under the same roof.

It’s the problem of light and darkness coming together.  They don’t mix very well.  In many cases, the unbelieving spouse finds it very convicting as they live with a believer.  This is true even when the Christian isn’t actively trying to win them to Christ.

Because of this, Paul says that the decision should be left in the hands of the unbeliever.  If they’re willing to remain in the relationship, then the marriage should stay intact.

The reason it works this way is because of the influence of the Holy Spirit.  The Christian spouse brings a covenant blessing into the home because of their faith.

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband.  Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
1 Corinthians 7:14

Please understand what Paul’s saying here.  The unbeliever is made clean in a ceremonial sense.  They’re not saved by the spouse.  A clean rock is still a rock.

God gives the unbeliever a position of cleanness.  This is so that the children can come under the covenant blessing.  Because of the believer, they’re covered by God’s promises.

God will always desire for the marriage to remain together.  That’s because the Holy Spirit has a chance to work on the heart of the unbeliever.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so.  A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.  How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?  Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
1 Corinthians 7:15-16

As in all things, the rule is peace.  God wants our homes to be a refuge of peace.  That’s why He will not keep a believer and an unbeliever bound together.  A battleground between light and dark is no place to live.

God’s desire is for our best.  He wants our homes to be a place of blessing for both parents and children.

Question: How can God work on the unbeliever even if they decide to leave the marriage?

© 2019 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 1, 2019 in Relationships, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Best Father

17 Jun

FallenAs we look forward to Father’s Day this weekend, the best example of a father that I could give is of God Himself.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
II Thessalonians 2:16-17

In this short passage I see four things that we, as godly fathers, need to take to heart. First, the most obvious…

A father loves his children.

This love is the choice to love our children. You might be thinking, “This is the easy part.” It might be easy to say it, but not to do it.

That’s because true love involves disciplining our children. That’s one of the most important aspects of a father’s love. It’s also the part I liked the least, yet it brought about the greatest rewards.

Unfortunately this is a generation of fatherless children. Fathers have either left home or are never home. As of the last census, fatherless homes produce:

90% of homeless and runaway children.

71% of pregnant teenagers

63% of teen suicides

85% of children with behavioral disorders

90% of teen repeat arsonists

71% of high school dropouts

75% of teens in rehab

85% of teens in prison

43% of U.S. children live without their father

We desperately need fathers who are there for their children.

The second thing I see is that a father encourages his children. This Greek word implies what a coach does. The coach can’t play the game for you. But he can give you everything you need to win. A true father gets his coaching from God in order to coach his children.

Next, a father gives hope to his children. We live in a generation with no hope. Teaching our children about Christ gives them a lasting hope. This will give them the strength to endure any challenge ahead of them.

The last thing I see is that a godly father is imitated by his children. Knowing this should drive us to our knees before God. That’s because a true father loves by both discipline and example.

This Father’s Day, I want to encourage any fathers reading this to look to our Father in heaven as their example. Spend time with Him to pick up His heartbeat. Your family will be all the stronger for it.

Question: What are some examples of godly fathers that you’ve seen?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on June 17, 2016 in Encouragement, Leadership, Spiritual Warfare

 

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