The Faith

Our Chief End

November 14, 2022 by Taylor Wiley Leave a Comment

At one point or another, we’ve all wondered about the meaning of life. Some people spend decades searching for their own life’s purpose. It’s only human to long for something that makes us feel whole and fulfilled. The wisdom of the day tells us that we are the key to our own happiness. We are taught to focus inward and self-reflect. Culture says we should prioritize ourselves and let our lives be guided by our own proverbial internal compasses. That’s what living your best life is all about.

Christianity, on the other hand, offers another solution. The Christian faith addresses these longings for meaning and purpose head on, but not by telling us to look further within ourselves. Rather, biblical wisdom teaches us to fully surrender ourselves to the Almighty, Everlasting God. In Him, we find ultimate meaning.

Nearly 400 years ago, a group of leaders in the Puritan Church developed The Westminster Shorter Catechism, written as a series of questions and answers, to teach the basic doctrines of Christianity. The first question of the Catechism seeks to get at man’s need to identify the meaning of life by asking, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer given is simply, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.”

Glorify God

Glorifying God is the true aim of the Christian life. Scripture points to a number of ways we are called to bring honor and glory our Maker.

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

As we grow in grace, glorifying God takes place throughout the lifelong process of sanctification by the Holy Spirit. We glorify God by increasingly loving Him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds and by loving our neighbors as ourselves. As Jesus so clearly stated in Matthew 22:40, “on these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

Practically speaking, glorifying God looks like obeying His Word, reading and understanding the Scriptures, praying fervently, serving others, practicing self-denial, giving generously, loving our enemies, and so on. All of these things bear the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

Enjoy Him Forever

Enjoying God is all about delighting in the salvation freely given to us in Christ.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

When we were dead in our trespasses, what reason did we have to rejoice? Once we have been transformed by the renewing of our minds, we become exceedingly glad for all that Jesus has done for us. We sing praises to God, an outward expression of joy, because we have the hope of everlasting life. We find joy in Him because of who He is and what He has done. The gospel alone is the reason we enjoy God forever.

So, why are we here and what’s life all about? If I’m certain of one thing it’s that the key to good living is not to double-down on our own happiness and endlessly search for meaning in our relationships, careers, or material possessions. I think, in the end, we would all agree that this approach is futile. Instead, the secret to our existential purpose lies with the Creator of all things. We, as His creatures, belong to Him. And thanks be to God that His ways are better than our ways. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Simply put, as Christians, we are called to live our daily lives in a way that glorifies God. As a result, we will enjoy Him all our days. As C.S. Lewis explains, “Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Additional Resources

Hold The Faith

October 29, 2020 by Taylor Wiley 2 Comments

In the Anglican Church, we regularly pray from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the comprehensive service book derived from the Church of England. The Book of Common Prayer provides written liturgies for special celebrations and services. It also contains the church calendar, the book of Psalms, a catechism, Scripture readings, and a large section of prayers and thanksgivings.

One such prayer is the Prayer for all Conditions of Men:

O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [* especially those for whom our prayers are desired….;] that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities; giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
1928 Book of Common Prayer, Prayer for all Conditions of Men

This prayer is full of hope and rich in meaning. It puts the profound understanding of biblical theology into the words of the ordinary Christian. For the purposes of this post, I want to focus on the following section specifically directed towards the universal Church:

We pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
1928 Book of Common Prayer, Prayer for all Conditions of Men

This timeless prayer is a call for guidance and governance that can only be granted by the Holy Spirit. We pray always, and more especially during this time of great turmoil, that all professing Christians stand firm and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

Unity of Spirit

The triune God intends for professing Christians, that is members of His universal Church, to faithfully preserve unity and continually strive for oneness. He himself is one God in three Persons; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Church is called to be many members of one body. The apostle Paul speaks to this type of Christian unity in his epistles to the early church. For example, to the Philippians, he says,

Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

All who have true faith in Jesus are united in Christ. Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson, author of Let’s Study Philippians, says that unity in our fellowships is essential to our Christian witness because the gospel is a message of reconciliation and peace with God. Ferguson points out that Paul’s plea for Christians to be of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, and intent on one purpose, underscores the need for even the most mature believers to do God’s Word. This means embodying humility in our relationships, at our jobs, and with our communities. We should seek to pursue unity and build bridges with believers and non-believers alike, even at the expense of our personal preferences, opinions, or other non-essential issues, but never compromising God’s truth. We are called to live in light of the gospel of grace together, united under the Lordship of Christ, upholding what is good, right, and true according to His Word.

Bond of Peace

The second exhortation in this section of the Prayer for all Conditions of Men is about holding the faith in the bond of peace. The Bible tells us that God is a peacemaking God. The whole history of redemption involves His plan to bring about lasting peace between us, His creatures, and Himself. We know from Scripture and our own life experiences that, without the gospel, we are estranged from our Creator. We are born in sin and at enmity with God until we put our faith in His promise of salvation, His Son. In order to have such peace we require a mediator who can make things right and reconcile us to the Father. Jesus Christ is that mediator. Our Lord made peace for us by the blood of the cross. Jesus encourages us to be peacemakers in the Sermon on the Mount when he says,

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Real, genuine peacemaking reveals our true identity as God’s children. In a world engulfed by conflict and strife, we must devote ourselves to biblical peacemaking. Holy peacemaking does not mean avoiding conflict, calling a truce, or idling standing by in the face of sin. Rather, Christ-like peacemaking is intimately tied to the work of Christ. As followers of Jesus, we are peacemakers by humbly sharing the truth of the gospel with our lips and in our lives.

Righteousness of Life

Lastly, we pray for righteousness of life. The good news of Christ is not only that our sins are forgiven, but also that He has imputed His righteousness to us. He has mercifully taken on the cosmic burden of our sinfulness in His death, and in His resurrection, graciously given us His reward, everlasting life. To hold the faith in righteousness of life is to freely receive this gift of grace by which we have been saved through faith.

1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

As professing Christians, we seek to walk in faith and obey God because Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father, even unto death. When we repent and confess that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we must submit to Him and as Paul says, “walk in a manner worthy” of our calling. We do not obey God in order contribute to our justification, but obedience to His Word does demonstrate that justifying faith is at work in us. By the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit this true faith leads to the fruits of justification which is righteous living.

Let Us Pray

Again, Lord, we earnestly pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

Additional Resources

Let’s Study Philippians – Sinclair Ferguson
Christian Unity – Ligonier Ministries
Peacemaking: A Gospel Necessity – The Gospel Coalition
Blessed Are the Peacemakers – DesiringGod
Righteousness and Life – Ligonier Ministries

Three Days And Three Nights

August 14, 2019 by Taylor Wiley Leave a Comment

Matthew 12:38-41 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Most know the story of Jonah. In short, God tells the prophet to go to Nineveh to prophesy of its destruction. Instead, Jonah flees in the opposite direction and boards a ship to Tarshish in an effort to get as far away from God and Israel’s enemy as possible. A huge storm rages and the sailors of the ship become concerned. Jonah explains that God is bringing judgement upon him, so they throw him into the sea and God appoints a great fish to swallow Jonah. After three days and three nights, the fish vomits him back onto land. Jonah then travels to Nineveh to finally proclaim God’s message and to his surprise, the people repent and God promises not to destroy the great city. But instead of rejoicing, Jonah’s response is to throw a fit in anger. So, God deals with him and teaches him a valuable lesson about compassion and mercy.

Knowing this, we must ask, what is this sign of Jonah that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel of Matthew? What does the story of the prodigal prophet and a great fish have to do with Jesus’ ministry? What application does this have for the modern Christian? Well, I set out to do some further study on this very topic. This is what I have learned so far on the matter:

Scripture tells us the scribes and Pharisees had many signs. They were by no means strangers to Jesus’ miracles. And yet, they demanded another. In fact, they had just witnessed Jesus heal a blind and mute demon-possessed man earlier in this very same chapter, but claimed that He must have used satanic power.

I find Jesus’ response to their request for a sign very interesting. In verse 39 He says, “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign.” It is important to note that I do not think Jesus is saying that desiring a sign from God is sinful in itself. God provides His people with signs elsewhere throughout the Bible. For example, the New Testament records many accounts of Christians faithfully praying for signs in the name of Jesus. Therefore, signs and wonders must be significant and valuable in bringing people to Christ.

The difference here is this request for a sign comes from resistant hearts and an unwillingness to believe. Jesus perceives His opponents are only seeking to maliciously conspire against Him. These skeptics had been given all the reason in the world to believe Jesus is who He says He is. Jesus even states they had been given more signs than previous generations. They had heard His authoritative teaching with their own ears and witnessed His compassionate healing with their own eyes, yet they could not be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. As C.S. Lewis said,

You can’t know, you can only believe—or not.

So, because of their hardness of heart, the only sign left is the sign of Jonah. The parallels between the story of Jonah and Jesus’ redeeming work are undeniable. Here are seven ways Jonah prefigures the Messiah according to Agape Bible Study:

JONAH	JESUS
Jonah’s mission was to call the gentiles of Nineveh to repentance and acknowledgement of God as the source of their salvation (Jonah 1:1; 3:1-2).	Jesus’ mission was to call all of mankind, including the gentiles, to repentance and into a covenant relationship the Father through Himself (Matthew 28:18-20).
Jonah was willing to sacrifice his life for the salvation of his shipmates (Jonah 1:12).	Jesus was willing to sacrifice His life for the salvation of the world (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; John 1:29; 1 Timothy 2:6).
Jonah was entombed in the belly of a great fish (Jonah 2:1).	After Jesus’ death He was placed in a tomb (Matthew 27:60; Mark 6:29; Luke 23:53).
On the third day Jonah was “resurrected” from the belly of the fish (Jonah 2:11).	On the third day Jesus was resurrected from the tomb (Matthew 17:23, 20:19, 28:1-10; Mark 9:31, 10:34, 16:1-7; Luke 9:22, 18:33, 24:7, 24:46).
After his “resurrection” from the belly of the fish, Jonah continued his mission to call the gentile Assyrians to repentance and salvation (Jonah 3:1-3).	After His resurrection from the grave, Jesus continued His mission to found the universal Church and to commission the Apostles to spread the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:12-20; Luke 24:13-53; Acts 1).
Jonah preached that Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days if the people did not repent (Jonah 3:4).	After His resurrection, Jesus taught the Church for 40 days before His Ascension (Acts 1:3).
Jonah taught that sin brings judgment but salvation is a gift of God (Jonah 1:1, 3:4-5, 9-10).	Jesus taught that sin brings judgment but salvation is a gift of God (Matthew 5:21-22; John 5:22-29, 8:34-36; Luke 24:47; John 3:17, 5:34, 10:19; Acts 2:21).

The sign of Jonah points us to the bold truth that Jesus laid aside his divine glory and humbled himself even to the point of ultimate weakness – death on a cross. Jonah was cast into the deep and consumed by the large fish before being coughed up three days later. But, Jesus was crucified and put to death to bear all the punishment our sins deserve and on the third day was resurrected for our justification. That’s the sign of Jonah.

Even amidst our questions, uncertainties, and doubts about the faith, this message serves as a reminder that our Pharisaical tendencies can lead us to be cynical skeptics in the face of convicting truth. Cynicism leads to a bitterness and contempt that works to contaminate every good and perfect thing. As Christians, we ought to continuously examine our hearts and earnestly repent like Ninevites. The sign of Jonah is simply the gospel of grace. It foreshadows the One who willingly laid down His life for us. He was rejected by many of His own generation, but will be forever exalted and glorified. Lord, help our unbelief. Surely something greater than Jonah is here!

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Additional Resources:

The Prodigal Prophet – Tim Keller
Signs and Wonders: Then and Now – desiringGod
The Gospel According to Jonah – The Gospel Coalition

Divine Order

March 24, 2019 by Taylor Wiley Leave a Comment

When you hear the word “order”, what comes to mind? I immediately think of structure, systems, and plans. Everything in its rightful place. When I consider the world we live in, I find it difficult to deny orderly design. When I say orderly design, I am not just referring to the belief in an intelligent Creator, although I am very interested in this subject and have read several books about the relationship between science and religion (I will site a few below). To me, evidence for orderly design can also be found in God’s design for relationships, community, work, worship, etc. As a Christian, I believe the God of the Bible has revealed Himself to us primarily through creation, Scripture, and his Son, Jesus Christ. And as image-bearers of God, I believe His revealed orderliness is intended to inform how we ought to live intentional and purposeful lives for His glory.

Order In Creation

God has revealed truths before us in creation. The universe we live in is by no means haphazard. Science and the natural world are both predictable and reliable. Remarkable patterns and symmetry emerge in things like snowflakes, seashells, and flowers. Every star moves with precision. Formulas and equations are fixed and exact. Biological ecosystems are systematically arranged and beautifully interdependent. The human body is wonderfully intricate as our eyes, ears, hearts, and lungs each work together with awe-inspiring accuracy. The physical world bears witness to our Creator’s eternal power, greatness, and beauty. The Divine Designer undeniably reveals His handiwork and orderliness through creation.

Psalm 19: 1-6 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Order In God’s Law

God not only reveals His majestic orderliness in creation, but also through His law in the Old Testament. Some places of Scripture (Leviticus, for example) portray God as incredibly particular. Whether we look at laws concerning sacrifices, tithes and offerings, dietary restrictions, or the specifications for the building of the Tabernacle, God unveils a part of Himself that is seriously concerned with the details. He establishes an orderly framework of commands and proper behaviors for His people.

A good part of the Old Testament is spent explaining these laws and Israel’s continuous pattern of receiving God’s statutes and subsequently breaking them. Ultimately, the rebellion of God’s people led to wrath and destruction. But, the prophets of old spoke of a day when following God’s commands would feel less like duty and more like pleasure.

Psalm 119: 33-40 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statues;
and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding ,that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise,
that you may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that I dread,
for your rules are good.
Behold, I long for your precepts;
in your righteousness give me life!

Order In Jesus Christ

We are all inadequate when it comes to fulfilling the demands of the law by our own moral efforts. The honest Christian will look back at the Old Testament and say, “these laws are impossible to keep!” No matter how hard we try, our sin remains. On the surface, God’s law carries a burden that crushes us under the weight of His holiness.

Matthew 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

So, it is in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ that we see the true purpose for the law and divine order of God. Jesus came to condemn sin so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled. God requires a righteousness that we cannot achieve or earn on our own accord. By God’s grace alone we are justified through faith in the perfect life, precious death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we understand the law through this lens it becomes a standard by which we see God’s holiness, our sinfulness, and our need for salvation. This is the true beauty of the gospel. That we might give up on our legalism and begin trusting in the One who satisfied the law on our behalf.

Romans 8: 3-4 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

It is my hope that God’s orderly design would push us to see and reflect on the gospel more clearly. His divine order calls us to live purpose-driven, intentional lives and echoes our great need for grace. Let us respond with honor and delight for God’s established order and design, knowing that it is always for our good and His glory.

From Strength To Strength

June 8, 2017 by Taylor Wiley 1 Comment

Meekness is a quality extremely counter to modern culture. In fact, it is often misconstrued as reserved, insecure, and spineless. Biblical scholars and commentators say that meekness is one of the most untranslatable words in the New Testament. I find this to be incredibly interesting. The best I understand meekness is some distinctive characteristic closely related to a combination of humility, gentleness, lowliness, and spiritually poor. According to Scripture, it is a sign of God’s grace and power in someone’s life. I think meekness is something we should all strive for because in the kingdom of heaven, the last will be first and the first will be last. (Side note: My competitive side really struggles with this concept).

As C.S. Lewis famously said,

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

The Word has so much to say about this idea of meekness, and so much wisdom to warn against its antithesis, pride. Below are just a few examples with my comments as I work toward more fully understanding what meekness is, how to practice it, and what it means for the Christian life. I would love to hear any additional insights you might have, so please do not shy away from the comments section below!

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

The first of these examples is probably the most well known reference to meekness in the Bible, so I figure it’s a good place to start. Jesus says the meek are so favored that they will inherit all of the earth. Doesn’t this seem kind of backwards from what culture tells us? Secular culture would say something like, “Blessed are the strong, for they shall conquer the earth all by themselves.” Meekness, on the other hand, is acknowledging and behaving in accordance to our standing before God. In this world, we might be rich and influential and think we have it all together, but really, we are all beggars in the presence of a King. The meek regularly bow before the throne and reverently worship. In the end, the meek will be victorious with Christ.

Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

I think this verse serves as a reminder that meekness is not really our natural response. We have to “put on” meekness. It’s not automatically there. We have to intentionally clothe ourselves in it and practice throwing pride in the laundry, so to speak. Paul points out that the same holds true for compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. A few verses later, he says that above all of these virtues is love, which binds everything together. We love because he loved, we display meekness because He was meek.

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

The book of James points us to the more practical outcomes of meekness: wisdom and good works. In meekness, we recognize our own sinfulness. This happens when we see the cross and begin to truly understand the gravity of Jesus’ death and the resurrection. It’s no longer just some crazy magic trick, but rather, the miracle of sacrificial love that drove Jesus to suffer death on our behalf. Meek is knowing we deserved death because of our manifold sins against a holy and great God, not Jesus. Christ bought us at a costly price. Paul says good conduct, or good works are another sign of a meek heart. Responding to the Gospel in wisdom is sharing the good news with others, loving our neighbors, and serving the afflicted. In summary, meekness is indicative of heart-change and behavior-change.

Philippians 2:7 but emptying himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Lastly, Philippians 2:7 portrays Jesus as a servant. The Son of God displayed perfect meekness when He left his heavenly throne. He did not run back to paradise even amidst ignorance and persecution and brutal torture. Instead, He stayed and endured the crown of thorns for our sake. He did not point fingers or place blame. Instead, He said, “Father forgive them, for they no not what they do.”

Our culture may call the meek weak, but God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Read more about meekness here!