Not only is this a powerful part of a Christian’s personal growth, it is also integral to spiritual maturity. Many Christians attend a Bible study at their church or with some other ministry group. Don’t forget that non-Christians also attend from time to time (sometimes trying to figure things out for themselves). Attendance at these gatherings does very little for spiritual growth unless the attendee is an actively engaged and desiring more.

What is your reason for attending Bible study? Is it to learn more about God and His Son, Jesus Christ, along with the Holy Spirit? Or is it out of some type of obligation that you feel?

There have been many instances in my past when I attended Bible studies because I felt that, since I’m a Christian, I should go, not necessarily because I desired to go. Typically, what I got out of those sessions was what I went in seeking…not much. I went, simply, to go. I was more concerned with attendance (quantity) than learning (quality).

I always find myself eager to learn more about the people in my life that I love. In doing this, I can better express my love for them through actions, not merely word. A big part of being a Christian is loving God. Even more than with the people in my life, I need to continuously learn more about God so that I can show my love for Him with my actions and life. To display our desire, and yearning, to know the God to whom we have committed our lives, we should always approach Bible study, church, or our own study with a willingness, and intense desire, to grow in the Lord.

(Special thanks to Lindsey Thomas for her contributions to this entry.)

The story quickly takes us to the foreign capitol where the Olympics are to be held. The four locals, who we meet in the bar scene, will play a pivotal role in how the plot unfolds. One common trait among them is that they are all atheists. In this scene they come across as four guys that most of us could compare to people we know, even friends that we have.

I think it is very important to point this out. Faith’s Reward is not a story about Christians versus atheists. I believe that some Christians think that atheists are enemies that must be overcome. That is wrong. Check this out…

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

Are we supposed to minister to atheists? Yes, as living testimonies of God’s amazing grace and love. Are we supposed to force the Word down their throats through argument? No. You cannot convince a non-believer of the Truth through argument, especially because what we believe is faith-based.

Remember the scripture mentioned in the previous post. We should treat atheists with the love that we are called to show everyone. They are not enemies. Satan is. Work to overcome temptation for the glory of God.

Three Olympic athletes, one of whom is Hunter, provide their thoughts on safety concerns in the host country’s capitol since that country has been notorious for its lack of human rights over the years. This had been mentioned in a previous scene that was covered in the following post.

One of the main themes in the first act of this story is being a Christian vs. being religious. Some people get the two terms confused. You can be of Jewish faith and be called religious. You could be Muslim and be called religious. Jesus never told us to be religious. He told us to follow His lead:

Jesus said, “³⁴A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

Breaking this misconception starts with each of us knowing who we are, what we stand for, and how we display it.

The two church scenes bring out more of Hunter’s personality to the readers. He discusses his preparation for the Olympic Games with Nate, as well as other church members who stop to greet him. Where does his focus seem to be? What do you think his interactions with these other characters reveal about his level of faith?

Paul gave us all a very important charge in his letter to the Philippians:

Chapter 2, verses 1 through 3 read, “¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

We hear from various sources that eating in moderation is usually a good thing. However, I need humble pie in my diet quite frequently. Not really the dessert of choice that comes to mind. Some people like to play the role of a waiter and serve it up to others but not themselves. (Remember an earlier post.) Usually when that happens, it seems that we’re too full to receive a slice of humble pie. I think it’s better to have a buffet approach and take the initiative to go back for seconds and thirds on our own.

Recall when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. At no point does the Bible say that someone had to tell Jesus to perform that humble act. Verses 15 through 17 really hit home with me:

“¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

What Christ stated is exactly what Paul is challenging his fellow Christians to act on. As someone who has committed his life to the Lord, I have the responsibility to accept this charge by Paul and reflect it in my personality and interactions with people on a daily basis. What about you?

Hunter and Nate make it into the sanctuary in time to hear the tail end of the pastor’s sermon. Whether or not they’re listening to the sermon is a separate issue. The focus of the sermon is on three people in the Bible of the pastor’s choosing who exhibited unparalleled faith. The third person is Abraham, who is probably known by most for being called by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, who was born to Abraham and Sarah when they were 100 and 90 years old, respectively. Abraham faithfully obeyed God to the point of almost bringing the knife down upon Isaac before God finally stopped him. (Read more in Genesis 22)

Basketball was my favorite sport while growing up, and Randolph Childress of Wake Forest University was by far my favorite player.

I wanted to be able to shoot the basketball as well as him (but we won’t talk about how that turned out, haha). He was a role model on the basketball court for me. As I got older, I began looking elsewhere for role models outside of sports.

It wasn’t until halfway through college that I got serious about applying my faith to my lifestyle. In order to learn more about how to put my faith into action, I felt the need for spiritual role models. The first and most important role model that every Christian should look toward is Jesus the Christ. I began reading in the Gospel and attending Bible studies to learn of Christ’s example that I need to follow. Not to say that Christ’s example isn’t enough, but there is another type of role model that I needed.

Because I know that I mess up in my Christian walk and sin against God, I need to learn how to overcome these issues. Have you ever heard the following phrase: “You are who you surround yourself with.” I bought into that phrase during college. While hanging around the old crowd, my spiritual growth was non-existent. However, once I made friends with other fellow Christians (especially ones who were more mature than me), I could see marked changes in my walk. Those mature Christians were role models to me.

When I caught myself in sin, I could go to them and get advice on how to overcome it because they had once been where I was. They could point me toward relevant Bible verses that would help encourage me to strive for a more focused mindset. Then, I could read about role models such as Abraham. Even better, those mature Christian friends were there to hold me accountable for missteps when I either didn’t recognize it or wasn’t willing to admit it.

Thanks be to God, who has placed these positive Christian role models in my life. Who are your role models? Do they help you in your walk with Christ, or do they take the focus off of your Christian faith?

Immediately upon arriving to church, Hunter runs into his friend, Nate, in the foyer. Nate comments on Hunter being late to church once again, which draws a hint of ire from Hunter. He points out that Nate is not even in the sanctuary worshiping with the other members of the church. Nate justifies his stance by saying that, “At least I’ve been here the whole time.” Hunter astutely points out Nate’s hypocritical attitude.

This is a problem for many Christians. It is something that I fall victim to quite a bit. And with me, it is not always a matter of vocally expressing my hypocritical views. It is sometimes expressed in my thoughts.

I remember a time recently when I scolded a close friend of mine for doing nothing but sitting on the couch every night after he came home from work. He is a person who has goals for his future, and I told him he was wasting time sitting on the couch and not acting on his goals. In the following two weeks, I came home from work and found myself sitting on the couch almost every night watching television. What a hypocrite! I wasn’t even taking my own advice. I’ve got goals. And for two weeks, I did hardly anything to move closer to those goals. I wasted two weeks of valuable time doing the same thing that I chastised my friend for doing…nothing.

Here is a quote from Jesus in Matthew Chapter 7 that many of us have heard before…

¹“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Just in case you are reading this scripture for the first time and have not studied it before, Jesus teaches us that we should not be critical of someone else’s shortcoming when that shortcoming is an even bigger issue for us.

However, my intention is not to merely point out this passage. I am challenging you (and myself) to accept this lesson that Jesus the Christ has taught us and put it into action. The next time you feel a hypocritical comment crawling up your throat and onto your tongue, swallow it. If there is anyone that I need to examine, it is myself. If there is anyone that you need to examine, it is yourself.

When you feel the need to confront someone about an issue, make sure that the issue is not as big of a problem for you. Seek the Lord first through prayer for wisdom on how to handle the situation, rather than taking matters into your own hands. Have a heart for accountability not judging. And do it to help build the person up, not tear the person down.

My family will probably cringe when they read this post because a certain characteristic of the Williams family is based on my family. Hunter and his father are introduced to us on a Sunday morning, with Hunter returning home after a run through the neighborhood. The father has finished getting ready for church, and we find out that the mother is already at church. On top of that, Hunter will obviously be late since he extended his run. Therein lies the similarity. I need this lesson just as much as anyone else, if not more.

When I lived with my parents and siblings, we hardly ever drove to church together. Some of us would get ready on time, others would not, and the ones who were ready on time didn’t want to wait for the others. No wonder parking comes at a premium at my home church because families like mine would take up a few parking spaces instead of just one.

So, the question is…

On whose time do I expect things to happen?

I arrive at church when I feel like it. Yet, I want God to answer my prayers the moment that I say, “Amen.” That prompts me to wonder why I should expect things from Him in the manner that I deem to be important when I am not willing to fulfill my commitment to God.

It’s as if I don’t trust His timing.

We must give God the trust that He asks for and the He deserves. He is the God of all things. God is God. Why are we so arrogant to think that we know what good timing is? The next time that you begin to question whether or not to let go and let God take over, I challenge you to reconsider that mindset and remember what David said:

Psalm 20:7

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 25:1-2

1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

² in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

Psalm 31:13-15

¹³ For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.

And then remember that David overcame Goliath!

A “man on the street” segment follows the church playroom scene. Various Americans have been asked their feelings on the significance of the Olympics being hosted in a country that outlaws religion. (We find out later in the story that the country has a history of diminished human rights that has steadily improved over a period of time.) As you study their comments, you should see that there are a lot of assumptions being made.

Religion/religious is used by three of the people instead of faith. It is important to notice this difference. The media always seems to refer to Christianity as being merely a religion, but to some, it is much more than that. Christianity - faith in Jesus Christ - is a lifestyle. When you commit your life to Christ, you are not simply committing to attend church every Sunday. It goes deeper. You are committing to a lifestyle, holding yourself to the new measuring stick that replaced the old measuring stick. Christ replaced the law. We are not judged by the law laid out in the Old Testament. We are judged by the examples and teachings of Christ.

There are too many people in this country who give undue focus to religion and forget that faith is the core of who a person should strive to be, not a set of religious practices. Religious practices and traditions might be how faith is expressed when you worship, but they should not take precedence over personal faith in Jesus Christ.

I do not want to be called religious. I would rather be called a Christian. It is up to me to make sure that I live accordingly. How do you want to be referred?

When we are born, we are not saved by God and have not received the gift of grace. That is why we must be born again. C.S. Lewis makes an insightful reference to this from a fictional demon’s perspective in The Screwtape Letters. That character mentioned the fact that God wants people to be under His command by their own free will (making a conscious decision to be born again), rather than being forced to obey Him.

So, with that said, it is natural for us to sin. Thinking about it from the other side, it takes work (and making that decision) for us to act as Christ did. The two boys in the Sunday school playroom exemplify this point. The Bully is acting out of natural instinct, his sinful nature. Think about it. While growing up we are not taught how to accentuate how we already act. Instead, we’re taught new ways to act.

Say, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am.” Share with your friends. Respect your elders.

Most importantly, we are taught that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God and the only way through which we can receive salvation.

The boys in the Sunday school playroom were brought there to learn new ways of acting. Consider other possible avenues for Christian growth: parents, grandparents, Bible study, church, friends, prayer, etc. How many of these do you take advantage of and what others could you include?

In Romans 7:7-25, Paul addresses struggling with sin. I admit that I am not the best resource for breaking this scripture down. I encourage each of you to seek out a mentor, friend, or Bible study group (or all three) through which you could learn more about this topic.

A scene with a young married couple heading into church immediately follows the spiritual battle scene. It serves the plot in two aspects: 1) To contrast the spiritual battle and 2) to be a transition to a scene that utilizes some important foreshadowing. The time relation between these two scenes is not important. For now let’s focus on the first aspect.

Let’s assume that the young married couple is at church to worship God. Do you get the impression that the couple is ready to worship? I don’t. How prayerful, humble, and reverent do you think they will be immediately after bitterly arguing about which of them made the family late to church? I admit that I am not always in the right mindset on Sunday morning, but that is the challenge that we are presented with not only on Sunday but every day. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us how we should be:

“16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Easy to do all the time? No. But it is the epitome of how a person who has committed to Christ should live at all times. It is our responsibility as Christians to emulate the Savior whom we have entrusted our lives. The scene with the feuding couple was placed right after the Angel’s battle to remind us how easily we forget that. If we cannot have the proper focus in church on Sunday, how can we expect to be representative of Christ on the other six days of the week?

The Angel is engaging in a deadly fight with two demons because that is what God told him to do. And here we are, all too often, neglecting the type of person that God wants each of us to be. If we obey the Lord and take on the characteristics in the above scripture, then we have the opportunity to be great ambassadors for Christ. However, if we do not take our commitment seriously, well…that will be a theme later in the story. Stay tuned.