Truth Telling

Of all the endangered species, truth is the most endangered.

 Someone said, “Truth, absolute truth, defines and governs the cosmos. It exists independently of our perceptions or our capacity to comprehend reality.”  Truth is not subject to our thoughts, biases, or desires.  It is what it is regardless of how well we may or may not understand it. It is what it is whether we accept, reject, or ignore it. Truth is constant and immutable. It is unchanging. Finally, absolute truth is internally consistent: it cannot contradict or be in conflict with itself.

 In the Biblical account between Jesus and Pilate, Jesus said, “In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.” In reply to Jesus’ declaration of his mission, Pilate asks this most important question: “What is truth?”

Indeed, Jesus came to earth for the important and influential purpose: to be a truth teller. We may surmise correctly that truth is very important.

Jesus indicates that we should not be seeking political power. In the end, it is not power that can right wrongs, but something more enduring than power. It is the truth. Jesus instructs us that telling the truth is the best remedy to the political, social, religious, and any other wrongs of any time.

 Someone said the opposite of being a truth-teller is to be a teller of lies. Whereas truth works, lies frustrate. Whereas truth endures, lies falter. Whereas truth expands, lies diminish. Whereas truth welcomes discussion, lies become defensive. Whereas truth promotes reconciliation and healing, lies lead to betrayal and distrust. Without truth-tellers telling the truth, a civilized moral, ethical, and honorable society cannot exist.

 Brigham Young said something like this, “How easy it is to live by the truth. In every circumstance of life, no matter whether among the humble or lofty, truth is always the surest guide and the easiest to square our lives by. I delight in this, because truth is calculated to sustain itself; it is based upon eternal facts and will endure, while all else will, sooner or later, perish.”  He also said: “Our religion is simply the truth. It is all said in this one expression, it embraces all truth, wherever found, in all the works of God and man that are visible or invisible to mortal eye.

 It is important to learn some truths about truth. The answer to Pilate’s question “what is truth?” is long, for the list of truths are endless.  The marvel of truth is that it is self-sustaining as it needs no artificial support.

The discovery of truth is a lifelong search. With the desire to learn, discover, and tell truths, we may learn truths through different methods such as philosophical, historical, and scientific methods. As truths are discovered they are found to exist at different levels.

 Dr. Henry Eyring said about truth in science, “If a thing is wrong, nothing can save it, and if it is right, it cannot help succeeding.”

Henry David Thoreau observed that many of us are not very curious. Thoreau paraphrased said, “It is remarkable how long men will believe in some stated fact without taking the trouble to examine it for its truth content.” Thoreau points out how rare it is for humans to search for the truth and how much more willing we are just to accept that which we are told. Thoreau admonished us to search thoroughly for the truth, settle ourselves, and work through the mud and slush of opinion, prejudice, tradition, delusion, and appearance . . . through church and state, through poetry and philosophy and religion, till we come to a hard bottom which we can call reality. Yet, in these days of information overload and opposing opinions, few will seek any clarification and evidence of truth. 

Truth requires us to examine our narrow interests, assumptions, a priori beliefs, biases, prejudices, and customs. As Socrates recounts, the search for truth is usually difficult, requires great effort, and can be uncomfortable. However, the journey is rewarding as one’s worldview is expanded and one’s knowledge of truth is increased.

We need to be careful that our search for truth does not just reflect to us what we want to be true or what just benefits us or confirms our biases. We need to look deeper into the premise, beyond a mere superficial reflection of our preconditioned belief. Truth is often at the bottom of our search, and it can be hard to discern.

 Speaking of the dangers of seeing only what we want to be true rather than what is actually true, Hugh Nibley said, “True knowledge never shuts the door on more knowledge, but zeal often does.” Nibley reminds us that though we know many great truths that have been passed on down to us from earlier scientists, philosophers, historians, prophets, and others, there are endless truths yet to be discovered, encountered, and learned from. We should embark on a continuous, conscientious, honest acquisition of knowledge.” This knowledge we seek after should include historical, scientific, social, and moral truths.

We need to look for the truth ourselves, for there is a self-reliant aspect to truth-seeking. Being self-reliant in our truth-seeking emphasizes the importance of studying difficult issues out in our own minds and of being willing to change our minds. A most challenging task as who among us wishes to be wrong about an issue.  Even on the most trivial of issues!

Always willing to change his mind, Socrates sought out others to prove him wrong. He liked to be proven wrong, for in that case, he could discard a mistaken idea and learned something new. In contrast, to be proven right is not to learn anything new.  An important insight in truth-seeking. Socrates engaged in dialogue after dialogue with religious leaders, politicians, artists, and philosophers, always trying to learn something new, always willing to change his mind.

Often, however, Socrates’ fellow dialogue participants were not as eager to learn new truths, for they were reluctant to acknowledge they had been wrong. Also, new truths required them to reassess and modify their worldview.

Faith

What is a biblical definition of faith?

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." This would be the most concise biblical definition of "faith." But what else does the Bible say about faith?

The Greek word used most often in the New Testament for "faith" is pistis. It indicates a belief or conviction with the complementary idea of trust. Faith is not a mere intellectual stance, but a belief that leads to action. As James 2:26 says, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." James talks about demonstrating his faith by his works. Often what we do says more about what we believe than what we say.

The type of faith required for salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." If we don't actually trust that God is real and that what He says is true, we won't come to Him for salvation. Ephesians 2:8–10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Faith is an active trust in God, a belief in what He says is true that results in action. When we have faith in God, we believe that we are sinners deserving of eternal punishment (Romans 3:23). We believe that Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life, die on our behalf, and rise again victorious over sin and death (John 3:14–18; Romans 5:6–11; 1 Corinthians 15:3–5, 20–22; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

We trust in Jesus to save us from our sins. We have faith that He gives us His Holy Spirit, as He promised (John 14:15–17; 16:4–15). We then trust in the Holy Spirit to do His work of sanctification in us (Romans 8; 2 Corinthians 3:18). We live to honor God, relying on His forgiveness and trusting that His ways are truly best (John 15:1–27; Romans 13:8–14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3; 2 Peter 1:3–11).

Why does God require faith?

The Bible often speaks of the importance of faith in knowing God. For example, Ephesians 2:8 teaches, "For by grace you have been saved through faith." First Corinthians 13:13 adds, "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." But why does God require faith?

One way to answer why God requires faith is because He is our Heavenly Father. Our relationship to Him is similar to other relationships in the sense that it includes trust in the other person, time together, love, and respect. Because we cannot fully know another person, let alone an infinite God, all relationships require some degree of faith (trust). God is our Father and it takes faith to believe that He loves us and that He provides for our needs.

Faith is also important because God is not visible to humanity. Hebrews 11:1 teaches, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We cannot see God (John 1:18). However, we have faith in Him that provides assurance.

Faith is necessary to please God. Hebrews 11:6 notes, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Not only does faith please God, it leads to reward—eternal life, heavenly rewards, and experience of fullness of life on earth (John 10:10).

Faith is important in order for believers to obey the Lord. For example, Adam and Eve had been given a command—to not eat from a particular fruit (Genesis 2:15-17). Because their faith wavered regarding this command, they ate the forbidden fruit and sinned. Contrastingly, James 2:23 shares, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."

God requires faith because it allows humans the ability to choose or reject Him. Without the ability to make choices, humanity would cease to be human as we know it. Because people can choose to have faith or not to have faith, there is a way for God to know those who have believed in Him and those who have not.

Faith in God is not "blind faith" as some argue. Instead, it is a choice based on the available information. The Bible, the created world, the changed lives of believers, Jesus Christ, and other ways God operates in our world provide sufficient evidence for people to choose faith in God. As Jesus taught in Luke 16:31: "If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead."

Is God pleased by blind faith?

Blind faith is trusting in something without any evidence. It has been described as a leap in the dark, a giving over of oneself to something despite a solid foundation. God does not expect us to have this type of faith.

God has revealed Himself to us. Romans 1:20 says, "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." God is evident in creation. It may take faith to believe that God is Creator, but that faith is far from blind.

God has also revealed Himself through Scripture. In the Bible we read of God speaking to the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament. His manifest presence was with the Israelites (Exodus 13:21; Exodus 33:7-11). He gave us Scripture that we might come to know Him and trust Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The greatest revelation of God is Jesus Christ. He is God Incarnate, the Word made flesh (John 1:1-5; 14). Jesus reveals to us the glory and character of God. Because He rose from the dead, His message is validated.

We, of course, also use the tools of science, archaeology, history, literary criticism, personal experience, and similar methods. These things give us evidence of the existence of God and of His character.

Therefore, our faith is not blind. We are called to love God with all of our minds (Luke 10:27). He does not expect us to blindly leap in the dark, but to understand His revelations and to take calculated steps of faith. We are to search the Scriptures and spend time getting to know Him (1 Timothy 4:13-16). Yes, we do exercise faith. There are some things we will simply not understand (Isaiah 55:8-9; Psalm 139:6; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12). Even so, we can know that our faith is built on a solid foundation. It is based on God's revelation of Himself and our understanding of that revelation. It is trusting and it is faith, but it is far from blind.

What is childlike faith? Does the Bible instruct us to have childlike faith?

The Bible never uses the words "childlike faith," but faith is central to the Christian life. In fact, faith is essential to life as a Christian. Faith is both necessary and a gift. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and we are saved by grace, through faith—and that faith doesn't come from ourselves, it is given to us by God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is not something that we produce within ourselves. Like an essential piece of armor, we are fitted with faith so that we are protected from the adversary’s warfare against us (Ephesians 6:16).

Faith is a very humble quality, which is perhaps why it is associated with childlikeness. Jesus' disciples were concerned with which of them was the greatest, or the closest to Him, or the most important. But Jesus responded to their debate by taking a small child to His side and saying that the least among them was the greatest (Luke 9:46-48). He told them that they were to "become like children" (Matthew 18:3) in order to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus was pointing out the truth that a child is completely dependent on adults for safety, sustenance, and knowledge. Similarly, the faithful person depends on God in a way that is absolutely dependent. The faith God looks for is humble, teachable, and trusting—like a child. In this way, the Christian is to have childlike faith. Jesus emphasized this kind of faith when he said "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" (Mark 10:14-15).

Childlike faith looks outside itself for salvation. Salvation is a gift; man does not pay for or contribute to his salvation—it is entirely of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1). Just as a child has to use his father's money to pay for a Christmas gift he plans to give his father, we depend on God's provision for everything, even the good works we do in His name (Ephesians 2:10). The world sometimes misunderstands the idea of childlike faith, thinking that Christians are childlike because they believe in myths and fairytales. But this is not the Bible's meaning when it compares us to children. Instead, childlike faith is a metaphor for trust, dependence and love, and an encouragement to ask for what we need (Matthew 7:11).

What is growing in faith? How can a Christian grow in faith?

Paul rejoiced that the Christians in Thessalonica were growing in faith: "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing" (2 Thessalonians 1:3). What does it mean to grow in faith?

Simply put, to grow in faith means to grow spiritually. It is to mature in both knowledge of God and in godly living; ultimately, it is to become more like Christ. Just as a person grows physically from infant to mature adult, a Christian's life is designed to grow spiritually from baby to mature Christian. In 1 Peter 2:2-3 we read, "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."

Hebrews 5:12-13 speaks against believers who had failed to grow in faith: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child." To grow in faith involves growing in God's Word and its application.

Paul also used similar words to condemn some of the practices of Christians in Corinth: "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Paul notes that he began with feeding them "milk" or with spiritual basics. Yet they were still not ready for solid food, as their maturity was lacking.

This lack of spiritual maturity was displayed in jealousy and internal conflicts. We can see, then, that growth in faith manifests not only in our relationship with God, but also in our relationships with others. As we seek to grow in faith, rather than be jealous of one another or attempt to set ourselves apart as better than others, as was happening in the Corinthian church, we should have the attitude mentioned by Paul, "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:7). When our life is consumed with living for God and His glory, we are well on the path to growing in faith and being spiritually mature.

It is also interesting that Scripture highlights a certain amount of time is involved to become spiritually mature. The apostles were with Jesus for over three years before they began to minister to others with the appropriate maturity. Paul also commanded that church leaders were not to be new converts, because "he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6).

Growing in faith requires both time and effort. God ultimately causes the growth, yet He expects us to follow His ways and seek to grow, becoming mature followers of Jesus who can help make disciples of others (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2).

Why should I trust in God and how can I learn to trust in Him?

God does not lie or even change His mind, as men often do. Balaam, who was not a follower of God, but knew who He was, said in Numbers 23:19, "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" We have the witness of someone who didn't follow God that His character is excellent. God doesn't lie, He doesn't change His mind, and He is powerful enough to do whatever He has said.

This sounds like a statement that God can be trusted. And the statement was made by someone who didn't follow God! But let's look at statements elsewhere in the Bible. Paul said, in 2 Timothy 1:12, "But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me." Even though he suffered because of his faith, Paul trusted in God. Paul was convinced that God would not let him down. In Romans 8:28, Paul made an equally strong statement in showing that God is worthy of our trust. Paul said, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (NASB). God is not only able to keep things for an individual, but He causes all things to work together for good for many. This care and oversight is good reason to trust God.

But that leaves the question of how we learn to do that. Trusting God is a normal consequence of getting to know Him. If we try to trust Him but don't get to know Him, we'll fail miserably. We cannot trust someone we don't know. We may trust certain things about them, but we won't trust them. So the question of how we can learn to trust God becomes a question of how we can get to know Him. The first step to getting to know God is to accept Jesus as our savior, then it becomes a matter of growing in our Christian life through prayer and Bible study. Initially, we may trust God only a little, and there will be huge parts of our lives where we will not trust. As we grow in our Christian life, we will trust God more and more. We will not increase in trusting because we try harder; we will increase in trusting because we know Him better and are living closer to Him.

Who is God? - The Fact

The fact of God’s existence is so conspicuous, both through creation and through man’s conscience, that the Bible calls the atheist a “fool” (Psalm 14:1). Accordingly, the Bible never attempts to prove the existence of God; rather, it assumes His existence from the very beginning (Genesis 1:1). What the Bible does is reveal the nature, character, and work of God.

Who is God? - The Definition

Thinking correctly about God is of utmost importance because a false idea about God is idolatry. In Psalm 50:21, God reproves the wicked man with this accusation: “You thought I was altogether like you.” To start with, a good summary definition of God is “the Supreme Being; the Creator and Ruler of all that is; the Self-existent One who is perfect in power, goodness, and wisdom.”

Who is God? - His Nature

We know certain things to be true of God for one reason: in His mercy He has condescended to reveal some of His qualities to us. God is spirit, by nature intangible (John 4:24). God is One, but He exists as three Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17). God is infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22), and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). God exists everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12), knows everything (Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:28), and has all power and authority (Ephesians 1; Revelation 19:6).

Who is God? - His Character

Here are some of God’s characteristics as revealed in the Bible: God is just (Acts 17:31), loving (Ephesians 2:4-5), truthful (John 14:6), and holy (1 John 1:5). God shows compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3), mercy (Romans 9:15), and grace (Romans 5:17). God judges sin (Psalm 5:5) but also offers forgiveness (Psalm 130:4).

Who is God? - His Work

We cannot understand God apart from His works, because what God does flows from who He is. Here is an abbreviated list of God’s works, past, present, and future: God created the world (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5); He actively sustains the world (Colossians 1:17); He is executing His eternal plan (Ephesians 1:11) which involves the redemption of man from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13-14); He draws people to Christ (John 6:44); He disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:6); and He will judge the world (Revelation 20:11-15).

Who is God? - A Relationship with Him

In the Person of the Son, God became incarnate (John 1:14). The Son of God became the Son of Man and is therefore the “bridge” between God and man (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). It is only through the Son that we can have forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), reconciliation with God (John 15:15; Romans 5:10), and eternal salvation (2 Timothy 2:10). In Jesus Christ “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). So, to really know who God is, all we have to do is look at Jesus.

What does it mean to walk with God?

There are several people described as “walking with God” in the Bible, beginning with Enoch in Genesis 5:24. Noah is also described as “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God” (Genesis 6:9). Micah 6:8 gives us a glimpse into God’s desire for us: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Walking with God is not an activity reserved for a select few. God desires all of His children to walk with Him.

What happens when we walk with someone? Imagine that you and a close friend are enjoying a walk down a country lane. You are in close proximity. You talk, laugh, listen, and share your hearts. Your attention is focused on this person to the exclusion of almost everything else. You notice the beauty around you or an occasional distraction, but only to point it out to your companion. You share it together. You are in harmony, and you both enjoy the peaceful camaraderie.

Walking with God is like that. When we enter into an intimate heart relationship with God through faith in His Son (Hebrews 10:22), He becomes our heart’s greatest desire. Knowing Him, hearing His voice, sharing our hearts with Him, and seeking to please Him become our all-consuming focus. He becomes everything to us. Meeting with Him is not an activity reserved for Sabath/Sunday morning. We live to fellowship with Him. The goal of every Christian should be to "live in a state of unbroken worship." This is only possible when we walk with God.

Just as walking with a close friend requires saying "no" to many other things, so walking with God requires letting go of anything that would be a distraction. If we were on a walk with a friend but you brought a flute and played it the whole time, the walk would not be satisfying for either of us. Many people attempt to walk with God, but they bring along flute-like habits, sins, worldly entertainments, or unhealthy relationships. They know these things are not God’s choice for them, but they pretend everything is fine. The relationship is not satisfying to either of them. To walk with God means that we and God are in agreement about our life. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3, KJV). To walk with God means you have aligned our will with His and seek every day to consider ourselves "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20). We don’t have to be perfect, as none of us is (Romans 3:10). But your heart’s desire is to be pleasing to God, and you are willing to let His Spirit conform you to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

When the Bible speaks of "walking," it often refers to a lifestyle. We can walk in the ways of the world as well (2 Kings 8:27; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 3:7). In the New Testament, walking with God is often called "walking in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:4). To walk with God means we choose to glorify Him in every way we can, regardless of personal cost. And there is a cost. Walking with God also means we cannot also walk with evil people as companions (Psalm 1:1-3). We choose the narrow road over the broad way to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). We don’t live to please our sinful flesh (Romans 13:14). We seek to eliminate from our lives everything that does not enhance our walk with Him (Hebrews 12:2). We apply 1 Corinthians 10:31 literally: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." God’s ways are reflected in our thoughts, our actions, our motivations, and our life choices because we spend so much time with Him.

It is not difficult to identify people who walk with God. Their lives are a stark contrast to the world around them, like stars in a nighttime sky (Philippians 2:15). They produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) rather than the fruit of fleshly desire (Galatians 5:19-21). In Acts 4:13 Peter and John had been arrested for preaching and were brought before the authorities. "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus." When we walk with God every day, the world cannot help but recognize that, in spite of our imperfections and lack of knowledge in some areas, we have been with Jesus.

Happy Easter

As I am pondering this Easter message, I am hoping this letter finds you safe, loved, and prosperous. I am wishing for you a happy and joyous Easter weekend.

I would like to invite you to take a moment to pause and reflect on a few thoughts about this sacred Easter season. Take a deep breath, slowly release it and rest for a moment in the stillness of renewal.

Good Friday is the day the Christ Jesus relinquished his body. The words to his father, “Into Thy hands, I commend My Spirit,” are powerful and pertinent.  Throughout his life, Jesus was the perfect example of how we too are asked to actively surrender and entrust all that we are to the divine source.

Can we imagine what was going on inside the minds of Jesus’ disciples on the day after his death and before the resurrection … shock, loss, fear, desertion, and aloneness? Have we ever experienced any of these feelings? How natural it is in difficult moments of trial and tribulation to feel let down, alone, and confused.

Yet, the message of Easter offers us hope!

Resurrection means transformation from any lower state of being to a higher one. Jesus, appearing in human form, was also the Son of God. The Easter message invites us to realize we too are divine. This is our highest soul reality; ultimately, this is truth. Jesus reminds us, “Therefore we are to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect.” We are called to rise up, with Jesus, into the glory and splendor of the resurrection.

We must call on your soul nature to awaken and allow our own ‘resurrection’ to unfold. Walk consciously with Jesus and all the great ones who have shown us the way to live in loving acceptance of each other and in acceptance of all that is.

Have a blessed and happy Easter. It is a glorious time to practice unconditional love, inner peace, and eternal joy.

May our light, the light of Christ, the infinite consciousness, shine brightly in this world!

What does the Bible say about how to find purpose in life?

The Bible is very clear as to what our purpose in life should be. Men in both the Old and New Testaments sought for and discovered life’s purpose. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, discovered the futility of life when it is lived only for this world. He gives these concluding remarks in the book of Ecclesiastes: "Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Solomon says that life is all about honoring God with our thoughts and lives and thus keeping His commandments, for one day we will stand before Him in judgment. Part of our purpose in life is to fear God and obey Him.

Another part of our purpose is to see life on this earth in perspective. Unlike those whose focus is on this life, King David looked for His satisfaction in the time to come. He said, "And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness" (Psalm 17:15). To David, full satisfaction would come on the day when he awoke (in the next life) both beholding God’s face (fellowship with Him) and being like Him (1 John 3:2).

In Psalm 73, Asaph talks about how he was tempted to envy the wicked who seemed to have no cares and built their fortunes upon the backs of those they took advantage of, but then he considered their ultimate end. In contrast to what they sought after, he states in verse 25 what mattered to him: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (verse 25). To Asaph, a relationship with God mattered above all else in life. Without that relationship, life has no real purpose.

The apostle Paul talked about all he had achieved religiously before being confronted by the risen Christ, and he concluded that all of it was like a pile of manure compared to the excellence of knowing Christ Jesus. In Philippians 3:9-10, Paul says that he wants nothing more than to know Christ and “be found in Him,” to have His righteousness and to live by faith in Him, even if it meant suffering and dying. Paul’s purpose was knowing Christ, having a righteousness obtained through faith in Him, and living in fellowship with Him, even when that brought on suffering (2 Timothy 3:12). Ultimately, he looked for the time when he would be a part of the "resurrection from the dead."

Our purpose in life, as God originally created man, is 1) glorify God and enjoy fellowship with Him, 2) have good relationships with others, 3) work, and 4) have dominion over the earth. But with man’s fall into sin, fellowship with God is broken, relationships with others are strained, work seems to always be frustrating, and man struggles to maintain any semblance of dominion over nature. Only by restoring fellowship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ, can purpose in life be rediscovered.

The purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We glorify God by fearing and obeying Him, keeping our eyes on our future home in heaven, and knowing Him intimately. We enjoy God by following His purpose for our lives, which enables us to experience true and lasting joy—the abundant life that He desires for us.

The Renewed Mind and How to Have It | Desiring God

What does it mean to renew the mind?

it is a process of shedding the old outer covering and putting on the new. This takes place in the 'spirit of our mind'. ... As we come to know Him, our minds are renewed in accordance to that knowledge of Him. In Romans 12: 2 Paul speaks of 'proving' what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

What does being renewed in the spirit of your mind mean?

There is renewal. But being renewed in the spirit of our mind is not a one time act of renewal as when we are born again. This word means that from the time we repent we put on the new man (Eph 4:24), from that time continuing through the rest of our life we are being renewed.

What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of the mind?

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1–2).

The phrase “the mercies of God” refers to all of what has preceded chapters 1—11. The exhortation that Paul presents is that since we have been the gracious recipients of God’s great mercies, we are to be “living sacrifices” to God. How do we do this? We are living sacrifices to God by not conforming to this world, but by being transformed by the renewal of our minds.

This exhortation really serves as a summary statement of all that follows. A living sacrifice to God is one who does not conform, but is transformed. We are not to be conformed to this world. Paul is using the word world here to refer to the spirit of the age. In other words, world refers to the popular worldview that rejects God and His revelation. As unbelievers, we are naturally conformed to the world (Ephesians 2:1–3). As believers, we are no longer conformed to this world because we no longer belong to the spirit of this age. We have been translated rather than continuing to conform to this world; we are to be transformed by having our minds renewed.

It is interesting to note that Paul says that we must be transformed by the renewing of our “minds.” The mind is the key to the Christian life. The reason why non-Christians do not respond to Christian truth is that they cannot discern spiritual truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). The gospel is a call for the unbeliever to repent of his sin and embrace Christ by faith. The Greek word translated “repentance” carries the notion of a change of mind. Our thinking must be changed (transformed) from old, ungodly ways of thinking into new, godly ways of thinking. What we know in our minds to be true forms a conviction in our hearts of that truth, and that conviction in our hearts translates into action. Therefore, we must first renew our minds.

The only way to replace the error of the world’s way of thinking is to replace it with God’s truth, and the only infallible source of God’s truth is His revealed Word, the Bible. Transformation through renewed minds comes as believers expose themselves to God’s Word through the faithful exposition of it each week in church, personal Bible study, and group Bible study. A solid church that believes in preaching the Word, reading the Word, and singing the Word is invaluable in helping us renew our minds.

There are no shortcuts. There is no magical formula for renewing our minds. We must fill our minds with God’s Word. As Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

Renewal of the mind from a yoga perspective

Spirituality is the search, practice and experience through which one carries out the necessary transformation on himself in order to have access to the truth. In this regard we can call spirituality a set of looking, exercises, renunciation, and conversion of looking at modifications of our existence which are not for knowledge, but for one’s very being. It is the price to be paid for access to truth.

Spirituality is then an entire set of disciplines which is the price to be paid for truth.

Spirituality postulates that truth is never given to us by right. It further postulates that that we do not have the right to access of the truth neither is it not capable of having access to the truth.

It postulates, that truth is not given to us by a simple act of knowledge. It postulates for us to have the right of access to the truth, we must be changed, transformed, shifted and become to some extend different from what he was. The truth is only give to us at a price that brings us to closer to the realization of our true nature., for without this realization, we cannot know the truth.

In short no spiritual conversion, no access to truth.

If the Self of us is to be known as all peace and wholeness, there needs to be a peaceful mind.

The mind entertains aimless desires and for this reason is restless. The mind needs to become like the Self. 

The four pre-requisitions for knowing God are:

Discrimination between the eternal and the non eternal

Dispassion for the fruits of one’s labor

Control of mind and senses

A burning desire to know God

We also need to see this world clearly for what it is.

How can I overcome the fear of death?

Even the most secure, devout believer can have occasions when he fears death. It is hard-wired into our systems to avoid death. And death was not an original part of God’s plan for His creation. We were made to be whole and holy, living in paradise in communion with Him. The introduction of death was a necessary response to the admittance of sin into the world. It is a grace that we die. If we didn’t, we would have to live in a sinful world for all eternity.

Knowing that in your head doesn’t necessarily counteract the visceral reaction to the thought of your own mortality. The fragility of our physical bodies and the sudden cessation of life are violent reminders of our lack of control in a large, dangerous world. We do have a great hope, that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). And He did go to prepare a place for us so that we can join Him (John 14:2). But it might help to consider the more immediate, practical considerations we’re faced with.

Beginning with, what is the actual fear? There are several aspects of death that can potentially cause fear. Fortunately, God has an answer for each of them.

Fear of the unknown

What exactly does it feel like to die? What can you see as your life leaves your physical body? How will it come about? Is it anything like people have reported—a bright light? A group of relatives?

No one knows for certain what it feels like, but the Bible does describe what happens. Second Corinthians 5:6–8 and Philippians 1:23 say that when we leave our body, we are at home with the Lord. What a reassuring thought! We will stay in this state until Christ comes and resurrects the believers (1 Corinthians 15:20–22; 6:14) when we will be given a new, glorified body.

Fear of loss of control

By the time humans reach adulthood, they have a pretty good idea how to interact with the world around them. They know how to find what they need, get to where they want to be, and interact with others in a way that fulfills their intent.

Many though, even those who profess a trust in God, are so fearful of not getting what they need that they feel they have no choice but to manipulate their surroundings and the people around them to their benefit. We have all met men and women who abuse and grasp out of fear. They don’t trust God needs, so they take 

needs, so they take care of things themselves. They don’t trust others to give them consideration, so they demand what they think they need.

How much more they must fear the loss of control upon their deaths. As Jesus said to Peter, describing how he would die, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go” (John 21:18). Before Peter got this warning, he denied Jesus out of fear. Directly after the warning, he reacted by demanding to know how John was going to die. But after Jesus returned to heaven, Peter took the gift of the Holy Spirit and became a new person—one whose passion for Christ’s message far out-stripped his need to control his surroundings (Acts 5:17–42). The Holy Spirit alone gave him the strength to face whatever challenges he might face.

Fear for those left behind

The Christian view of death is “separation.” Ultimate death is separation from God. With physical death, we will be separated from our loved ones on Earth for a time. If they are also Christians, we know that the separation will be a short blink of an eye compared to the eternity we’ll spend with them in heaven. If they are not Christians, that will not be the case. Our commission, then, becomes to use this time together to talk to them about where they will go when they die. Ultimately, however, the decision rests with them. Just as God gives them the room to choose, we must also.

Fear of the act of dying

Few of us know how we will die. Quick and painless, in our sleep, a long, drawn-out illness—the mystery of it, the inability to prepare, can be frightening. If we do know, if we’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness, it can still be scary.

But it is only a moment. A moment nearly everyone has gone through or will go through. And, when that moment is over, we can claim Philippians 3:20–21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Often, being informed and actively participating can help assuage fear. You can take steps to prepare yourself and those around you.

Overcoming the fear of death — Practical steps

Many people believe they shouldn’t die because they have too much to live for. Often, this means they have responsibilities and unfinished business that wouldn’t be taken care of if they were gone. But having people and things you are responsible for won’t keep you from dying if it’s your time. Doing what you can to make sure they’re seen to can alleviate fear.

If you have a business or children or other dependents, consider their care. Decide who will take over your role and work with that person to come up with a plan. Look into a will or a trust. Make sure all of your necessary paperwork is organized and easy to find. Reconcile broken relationships before you’re unable to. But don’t live for dying. There’s a difference between taking reasonable steps and obsessing.

Overcoming the fear of death — Physical steps

If you have strong feelings about what you want to happen to you should you become incapacitated, express them now. It’s entirely possible that during the course of an illness or injury, you’ll lose control over the situation and be unable to make your wishes known. Get a living will. Let those closest to you know what you want—or at least tell them where it’s written down. Choose someone you trust to be authorized to make decisions for you should you become unable.

Overcoming the fear of death — Spiritual steps

These are all steps to keep up responsibilities or maintain a measure of control in the worldly realm, but they don’t get to the meat of the matter. The most important thing to remember regarding death is the truth about life. You love your family and care for them, but God loves them more. You may worry about your earthly legacy, but God’s more concerned with a kingdom perspective. All the paperwork in the world won’t bring the peace of mind of one simple action: abide.

In the middle of living this life, with these people, in this world, it’s difficult to keep in mind that this is just a temporary condition, and not a very good one at that. First John 2:15–17 says, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” How we remember this is by abiding (1 John 2:24). Staying in the truth of His Word, believing what He says about us and the world around us, will give us the proper perspective regarding this life and the one we will receive.

When we are able to keep that kingdom perspective, we’ll be able to fulfill 1 John 3:1–2: “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” It will be so evident that we do not belong in this world that others will see it, too. We will so take ownership of our position as children of God that we will actively seek the day we can be like Christ and see Him as He is.

The meaning of Yoga according to Patanjali

Yoga is the experience of oneness, or union with the all of all or God.

Patanjali states in his Yoga Sutras 1.2., in order to experience Union with the One or God, we must modify the fluctuations which normally occur in our mind, in Sanskrit, chitta vritti nirodha.

Let’s take a closer look at its meaning.

    YOGA = to yoke, to join, to unite

    CHITTA = consciousness

    VRITTI = fluctuations

    NIRODAH = cessation" or "removal

Note: The controlled mind should not be confused with suppressed thoughts. The thoughts and emotions remain, but in deep meditation, the mind becomes still and one-pointed. This mastery of deep stillness is called nirodha.

The fluctuations that occur in our mind refers to desires, aversions, attachments, ignorance and the ego's sense of “I” and “me” and “mine”.

By identifying with the fluctuations of the mind, life becomes like a roller coaster ride of madness.

Then what is our solution?

One way to get free of attachment of the fluctuations is to cultivate the witness consciousness, to become a neutral observer of our thought and actions. The witness in us is simple awareness, the part of us that is aware of everything — just noticing, watching, not judging, just being present, it is being here now.