Designated Christian

Anybody familiar with baseball has heard the term "Designated Hitter." The Designated Hitter, or DH, is a player who bats in place of the pitcher. He doesn't have to play defense. His only responsibility is to try and get hits. Recently, my father was asked if he would say a few words at the wedding of a relative. He respectively declined. Curious as to why he declined the offer, I asked him, "Are you tired of being the Designated Christian?" "Yes," he replied. My reason for asking is that I notice how people, even those who say they are believers, will ask other Christians to do "spiritual" things for them so they don't have to. Now, I believe my father was asked to do this out of love and respect. But, it is not the first time I have seen this happen. Maybe I am bias, but I wonder if the motivation behind such a request is to relieve the person asking of having to reveal anything about their faith, or lack thereof. We ask others to speak for us, pray for us, "stand in the gap" and so on. As if without them doing this what we seek can't be accomplished.

"What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas; still another, "I follow Christ." 1 Corinthians 1:12

When the Apostle Paul was chastising the Corinthians for the divisions within the church there, he talked about how Christians were following after the teachings of men. When you are following after the teachings of an individual, even if they are correct, you don't have a faith of your own. I am afraid when we ask others to do things for us within the context of a Christian setting we may be guilty of unintentionally acknowledging we don't have a faith of our own. I only say this because if you know something and care for it you shouldn't have any difficulty expressing yourself. A husband would not ask another man to speak for him about his wife. A fan of a sports team would not ask another fan to speak for them about their loyalty to their team. And so on. Therefore, if we claim to know God, and know that He knows us and loves us, we should be able to find the words to express how we feel. And definitely not have to rely on someone else to express how we feel for us, if that be the case.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6

If we claim to be Christians, we have the same Holy Spirit in us as those whose teaching we sit under. I believe one of the marks of a good pastor is that those sitting under his teaching are growing to the point where they are becoming teachers themselves. In other words, the pastor is becoming, dare I say, obsolete. We all have the Holy Spirit indwelling us. Our faith is in Him to guide us and teach us. When we are in agreement with a fellow Christian, be it a teacher or otherwise, we know that we were both taught by the Holy Spirit. It is this way that we become confident to share that which we have been taught by the Holy Spirit with those we encounter throughout our lives. We are all partners in the gospel as brothers and sisters in Christ. All of us rely on the Lord, in the person of the Holy Spirit, to carry us to the completion we already have been given through faith in Christ. In this way we constantly focus on the Lord and trust in Him. Then we don't splinter the Body into segments following after the teachings of others. And, ultimately, we end up having our own faith in the Lord and our own relationship with Him. Then we are able to express our faith in, and love of, God and those in our lives in our own words based on what we have learned directly from God. We can end up batting for ourselves and don't need someone to hit for us.

Fear of God or Love of Others?

On a Christian chat room there is a forum titled "How do I forgive?" The question was posted by someone struggling with forgiving somebody for a sin they committed against them. No doubt, the subject of forgiveness is a major topic within the Body of Christ. After giving a brief response to the question I discovered the following response written by another individual:

"I too, struggled with forgiveness. It's so crazy, because until you're really faced with having to forgive someone, it seems so easy. What helped me to overcome holding in unforgiveness was realizing that while I didn't forgive them, God wasn't forgiving me.. My youth leader once taught on this and asked the question 'Is this person worth going to hell over?' It was a really good point..."

I was in shock when I read this comment. What kind of fear must a person be in if they believe God won't forgive them unless they forgive others? And add to that their belief that if they don't forgive those who sin against them they will go to hell!

"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:12-15

The belief that forgiveness from God is conditional comes primarily from this passage in Matthew. And I can't deny that Jesus is clearly stating here that forgiveness is conditional based on our forgiving others. However, when did Jesus make this statement? He made it before He died on the cross. One of the biggest mistakes Christians have made is believing that the New Covenant began at the birth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, scriptures like this are mistakenly believed to be part of the New Covenant. However, the New Covenant began after the death of Jesus. Hence, the conditional forgiveness many believe in was actually part of the Old Covenant. If we are to believe that forgiveness of sins is conditional on our ability to forgive those who sin against us, we not only are in jeopardy of never being forgiven, we also have a contradiction in scripture.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

It is impossible to reconcile the conditional forgiveness stated in Matthew with the unconditional forgiveness proclaimed in passages like this one in Ephesians. What is the difference? The difference is the cross! Before Jesus died on the cross, forgiveness was conditional. It was based on what we did for God. The Old Testament sacrifices of shedding the blood of bulls and goats served as a temporary covering, atonement, of sins. But, it never took sins away. However, when Jesus died on the cross He purchased eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12) as the propitiating sacrifice (1 John 2:2) that took away our sins forever. Now God is no longer counting our sins against us (2 Corinthians 5:19) because Jesus is the final sacrifice (Hebrews 10:17-18) for our sins. We now forgive others because we have been forgiven not in order to receive forgiveness. It is a continuation of the love of God. He loved us first and now, in Christ, we share the love we have received with those we encounter in life. And forgiving others for their sins against us is the ultimate expression of God's love. Jesus paid a debt He didn't owe for a people who owed a debt they could not pay. We are now free to have a relationship with God, and He with us, because the sin issue that separated us from Him no longer exists. We in turn remove the sin issue that stands between us and others in order to free both parties from the bondage we were held under.

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

Ask yourself one question. What is more encouraging, to know that you are not appointed to suffer wrath because of what Christ has done for you or believing that you will suffer wrath, go to hell, if you are unable to forgive everyone who ever sins against you? In believing that your forgiveness, and thus your salvation, is tied to your ability to perform is putting yourself back under the law. You have cursed yourself to a lifetime of fear because you have made forgiveness and salvation conditional on your behavior. You have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4). Besides, how will you know if you have forgiven everybody, perfectly, that has ever sinned against you? What is your standard? You can't experience the love of God if you believe your sins still come between you and Him. Furthermore, you will find it difficult to mature in your faith because you will not be able to approach God in your time of need. If you are not experiencing the love of God, how can you encourage others in their faith? You cannot. Telling others about the love of God will be impossible because you are not experiencing it yourself. This will ruin your evangelism, your testimony, your walk, your relationships and every aspect of your faith. We forgive others in response to the love and forgiveness God has freely given to us not out of the fear of what He might do to us if we do not forgive.

Praying for Death

Q: Is it wrong to pray for an early death?

A: My first thought on this question is to find out why you want to die "early"? I must assume that it has something to do with being persecuted for your faith, suffering from a physical ailment of some sort, having lost someone close to you, facing financial difficulties or some variation of all of these. Jesus said that in "this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33)." Regardless of what we are dealing with we should not be surprised. In fact, we should expect to go through difficult times. Being a Christian does not mean that we are immune to the physical, emotional, financial and spiritual problems in this world. However, we should find comfort and peace in the words of Jesus who tells us He has overcome the world. And the Apostle John reminds us of who it is that overcomes the world. "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5)." If you are in Christ, you have overcome the world in Him.

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first (John 15:18)." We all know the suffering that Jesus experienced during His earthly ministry. As His disciples we can expect the same from the world (1 Peter 4:12, 1 John 3:13). Persecution comes in many forms and to varying degrees. It is not surprising that some may pray for an early death. The Apostle Paul mentions that the persecution he and other Christians experienced in Asia were so terrible that they "despaired even of life (2 Corinthians 1:8)." But, we must remember to "rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:13)." We are not of this world. In fact, as ambassadors of Christ, we are behind enemy lines trying to be a witness for Christ to as many people as possible. But, because of the message we bring there are many people who will rebel against it. Your average unbeliever does not understand, much less agree with, the fact that they are dead in sin and in need of life. Therefore, when a Christian comes along telling them of their need for salvation in Christ, their pride will often lead them to react aggressively, even violently, towards us. Even though we are Christians, we suffer just like any other human. So, it is understandable to want to avoid this if at all possible.

One of the worst aspects of living in a sinful, fallen world is having to go through it in our fleshly bodies. Because of which we all must deal with physical ailments of some kind. And even if we live a relatively pain free life, our bodies age and will soon die. With all the diseases and illnesses in the world, it can be disheartening to suffer through them or sit by as a loved one suffers. It can make us wonder where God is in all of it. The Apostle Paul had to deal with what he described as a thorn in his flesh. It bothered him so much that he pleaded with God three times to remove it from him. God replied to Paul's prayers with, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)." We must remember where most of us found faith in Christ. It most likely occurred when the struggles of life humbled us to the point where our only option was to cry out to God. If our difficulties lead us to thoughts of wanting to die, this should serve to remind us that God's grace is sufficient. God knows we are frail and can only endure so much. And it is during those times of weakness that allows the strength of God to shine through us.

One of the main causes of our suffering could come from trying to find love, acceptance, meaning and purpose to life from the world instead of from God. Sin is expressed as our attempts to receive this love, acceptance, meaning and purpose to life apart from a relationship with our God. As we go through life trying to find these things in the world, we usually only discover that it is never enough to satisfy our deepest needs. Unfortunately, the pursuit of sin can often lead us into circumstances that are unbearable. However, in Christ, God "has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)" and "has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)." Perhaps, if what you are seeking is leaving you in despair, it is time to evaluate what it is you believe about the Lord. If you have everything thing you need for life and godliness and have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, yet are praying for death, you are probably believing something about God that is not true.

In conclusion, you must remember that the life you live in this world is not your own. As a member of the body of Christ, the Holy Spirit of God is living His life in and through you. Scripture tells me that "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20)..." That being the case we are to allow God to live that life through us. When we understand this truth we can say, "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me (Colossians 1:29)." Christians are instruments of God to do with as He sees fit in order to proclaim His loving message of salvation in Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. In so doing, there will be times when our life can get so tough that we desire for God to take us home to be with Him. I believe God understands this and does not hold it against us. The best thing about being a Christian is that no matter what happens to us, in the end, we cannot lose. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21)." As long as we live we can proclaim Christ. And when we pass on from this world, we go to be with Him for eternity. So, if life has gotten you down to the point where you want to pray for death, let it serve as evidence that you are not separated from God or His love for you.

The Virgin will be with Child...

Q: Why is the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ so important?

A: The miraculous conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit is important because without it the salvation of mankind would not be possible. "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12)." When God created Adam, He gave him a warning not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or else he would die. Adam, in his unbelief, sinned and ate from the tree, which resulted in his spiritual death. God removed His life from Adam. Adam did not have any children prior to his sin. Therefore, all mankind comes in to this world spiritually dead in sin. "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20)." If sin entered the world through one man, Adam, then you can understand how Joseph could not have been the father of Jesus. If he was the father, than Jesus would have been born spiritually dead in sin and, thus, would not have been capable of saving anybody. Jesus, being God in the flesh, is the only man ever born spiritually alive. Therefore, He is the only man who had a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for our sins.

Tonight, during Christmas dinner, someone recalled an episode of the old television show St. Elsewhere. Apparently, one of the characters on the show, played by actor/comedian Howie Mandel, died and went to heaven. When he was in heaven he encountered God and was shocked that God looked just like him. God told Mandel's character that he was created in His image. On the surface I can understand why that would seem logical and humorous at the same time. After all, the Bible does say God "created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27). But, that only applies to Adam (and Eve), but not to the rest of us. As I mentioned before, Adam did not have any children before he sinned. The children he had came after he sinned when "Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image (Genesis 5:3)." The common perception that we are created in God's image is wrong. We are born in the image of Adam. We are an example of what it is like not to be in the image of God. We are all born spiritually dead to God in sin. There is nothing we can do to bridge the gap that exists between us and God. Entire religions have been formed under the misconception that if we just try hard enough we can be like God, or at the very least, earn His love and acceptance. That is the lie of Satan and nothing could be further from the truth.

We often hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ referred to as the Good News. What I have just described above could be characterized as the Bad News. It is imperative that we understand that because we are all born into this world spiritually dead to God in our sins, there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves to save us. "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3)." What is birth? Birth is life. We are all born once, physically. In order to see the kingdom of God, we must be born again, spiritually. The life of God we lost when Adam sinned must be restored to us. But, before God could restore His life to us, He had to deal with the sin that caused that life to be removed. That is where Jesus, and the importance of His virgin birth, come into play. Because Jesus was born sinless, and lived a sinless life, He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins that God required. Thus, when He was raised from the dead, He could now offer the life of God to all who accept Him by faith. This one fact is what separates Jesus from every other, so-called, religious icon in history. Buddha can't give you life. Muhammad can't give you life. The Pope can't give you life. Nobody else can you give you life. The life we all need can only be found in Christ Jesus.

When the angel Gabriel informed Mary that she would give birth to Jesus, her response is telling. "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin (Luke 1:34)?" God knew that if the conception of Jesus was from human origin, for example Joseph, then the curse of sin would have been passed on to Him. But, God, in His wisdom knew that in order to accomplish His desire to save mankind, He would have to do it Himself. "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (Galatians 4:4-5)." God became a man so that He could save mankind. The greatest act of love ever displayed. Now, for those who place faith in Jesus Christ they have been born again of the Spirit of God. The life we lost in Adam is restored to us for all eternity through Jesus Christ. We have eternal life because of Jesus Christ. And it all started over 2,000 years ago during the first "Christmas" when the virgin Mary gave birth to the Son of God. That is why the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is so important. Merry Christmas!

Thank You!!!

Today, December 23, 2008, marks the one year anniversary of the beginning of 360.yahoo.com/idog96. I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have taken time out of your busy schedules to drop in and read whatever it is that has been on my mind. I hope that what I have been blessed by God to share with all of you has encouraged you, answered some questions, planted a seed, stirred you to deeper study and most of all revealed to you the grace of God, the finished work of Jesus Christ and His resurrected life in you. As I have said in various ways, the only thing that matters in this life is being born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to the Father in Heaven. He has done all the work for you. All He asks is "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)."

If you're tired of trying to fill that emptiness in your soul, tired of bouncing from church to church and from religion to religion, tired of not being able to explain all the suffering in the world, tired of searching for why you are here and what this life is all about, then it is time for you to come to Jesus Christ. The Jesus Christ who, as God in the flesh, came to this world to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. He came to take the penalty for the sins that separated you from God, so that, raised from the dead, He can indwell you for all eternity. If you haven't taken that step of faith, I encourage you to do so at this moment. If you are not ready to do so, I encourage you take the opportunity to investigate the claims of Christ. What do you have to lose? God will lead you to the answers you seek that He has already revealed to the world. Wherever you are in your life, an unbeliever, a Christian stuck in religion, not quite sure what you believe, someone trying to find the right "path" to God through various religious and spiritual pursuits, an atheist, and so on, God is ready to meet you right where you are. Have you had a bad Christian experience? Were you chewed up and spit out by religion? Are you currently trying to dedicate yourself to a religion, Christian or otherwise, that seems to have never-ending or ever-more difficult rules to follow? Do you feel you are a good person and have done enough to please God, whoever God may be? Do you see people of faith, and religion, as a "crutch" for weak-minded people? Are you always chasing after the next high only to find out when you experience it, you need more? Then you need Jesus Christ! Even if nothing I have said seems to fit you, you still need Jesus Christ.

Ask yourself one question: "What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?"

If you don't know, and you claim to be a Christian, you may want to examine what it is you have put faith in. If you are not a Christian, how can you not accept what Jesus Christ is offering if you don't know what it is He offers? Maybe you've heard Christians exclaim, "Jesus is the answer!" But, you have thought to yourself,"What is the question?" Maybe you are one who sees Jesus as just another good example to follow like other religious icons. If so, how do you stack up? Have you lived a perfect and sinless life in thought, deed and speech? Have you walked on water? When was the last time you raised someone from the dead? I used to drink, but never met anyone who turned water to wine? Have you? The list is endless. Nobody can live up to the standard of perfection God requires. Jesus Himself said what God requires of us. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)." Sobering isn't it? If our only hope of getting to heaven is to be as perfect as God, from birth to death, than nobody is in Heaven. And you know what? That is exactly what God wants you to know. No matter how hard you try, no matter how good you believe yourself to be, you will not do enough or be good enough to enter heaven. Why? Because you are spiritually dead to God without His life indwelling you. Thus, we arrive at the Gospel and why we need Jesus.

When God created Adam he "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7)." The "breath of life" is the very life of God Himself. Man was created for God to be his life. But then something happened. God told Adam to eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil "for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Genesis 2:17)." We all know that Adam ate from the tree, but went on to live for 930 years. So, what kind of death, if any, did Adam suffer? Adam died spiritually. The life of God, breathed into Adam at creation, was removed from Him and he died. Adam was created in the image of God. However, the rest of mankind is born in the image of Adam, "in his own likeness, after his image (Genesis 5:4)," spiritually dead to God, but alive to the world.

In order for God to restore His life to us, it will be necessary for God to save us from our condition of spiritual death. And the only hope that we have if we are to experience a relationship with God is for Him to initiate and establish a relationship with us. He is God, and He gets to decide how and when He will accomplish this. God personally presented Himself as Jesus Christ to be our savior. God manifested in the flesh and dwelt among us to resolve the sin and the spiritual death issue. It is in this context that Jesus is referred to as the Savior, and as the Messiah.

The good news of Jesus the Messiah, the gospel of Jesus Christ, is that Jesus died for the sins of humanity, the unbelief in God that everyone had that was expressed in their attitudes and actions; and as a result of the forgiveness that would be executed, He would make His Spirit available again, offered as a free gift to anyone who would receive it, such that the life of God that we had lost through Adam could be restored to us again. Jesus died once and for all, taking away the sins of the world, so the sin issue would never again be an issue between man and God. And the Spirit of God is offered as a free gift. This is the life of God that was breathed into humanity at the time of creation, and there will never again be any sin that will cause this life to leave again, because Jesus died for all sin, the just for the unjust so that we could be reconciled to God. Therefore the life we have presented to us is an eternal life, an everlasting life, something that we can experience now and today, and will carry us into eternity even after our bodies physically die. If you want to experience this life may I suggest the following prayer:

Lord God, I need you. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for the forgiveness of my sins. I thank you for offering me your life, and I now accept your Spirit within me to raise me from the dead right now. Through your Holy Spirit within me, teach me about your love and grace, and about the new life that you have given to me. Begin the work of making me into the person that you want me to be.

If you have prayed this prayer, the living Christ has come to dwell within you forever and you have begun the great adventure for which you were created as a child of God.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17

Amen!

God knows the Answer, even if you don't...

One of my pet peeves, if you will, when it comes to matters of the faith are when Christians will act as though a topic is not all that important if they don't have an answer for it. We all know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the central message that all believers should understand and proclaim. However, sometimes, in order to get people focused on the Lord you might have to talk about subjects that may seem silly or not all that important. What I am beginning to believe is that the less we understand about a subject the less "important" it becomes. I admit that I am guilty of doing this myself. Although, I have an interest in End Times prophecy, I am not well versed in the topic. Therefore, I have a habit of saying "We'll know it when we find out," or words to that effect, to mask my lack of knowledge. Recently, I was talking with some believers about a comment my pastor made about the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1. When an individual disagreed with my comment on the subject they dismissed it by saying:

"I don't find that scriptural, perhaps he is subject to [Christian teacher] epiphanies."

My first thought was that this is the reaction of someone who may disagree with what was said, but doesn't have enough of a grasp of the subject to offer any reply. When you say something isn't scriptural you must be prepared to offer what is scriptural. Furthermore, when you slander the person you disagree with it only lessens your argument. Later on, another believer offered this comment about difficult subjects:

"We do not need to know that [understanding the genealogy of Jesus] in order to believe in Jesus... Some of these matters we just need to accept by faith."

In general, I can agree. But, we don't put faith in faith. We put faith in something of substance. If you believe a chair will support your weight, you show faith in that chair by sitting down. Your faith is based on facts, experience and testing. Therefore, when you try to convince someone of the chair's ability to support their weight you have evidence to present.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Have you ever asked a child why they believe what they do and they responded with, "because"? It is cute, but you know it is the byproduct of them not knowing why they believe the way they do. Obviously, we excuse a child because they don't know any better. Yet, as adults, especially Christians, we might as well be saying "because" if all we can offer as an answer or defense of our position is to dismiss the comment as unscriptural, slander the one who made the comment or make general statements about faith. Scripture is clear that faith is the substance and evidence of what we believe in. This means that there are tangible facts that can be used to support what we believe. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we will know every answer to every question. But, we must be ready to give a biblical response to what we believe or point someone in the direction to get that answer. It is okay to say "I don't know," but make the effort to find out the answer.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Matthew 5:13

Where did the universe come from? How did the human race originate? What is wrong with the world? Why is there suffering in the world? What is the answer to people's sense of guilt? All these questions, and those like them, have answers that do not directly center on Jesus Christ. But, they can and should lead directly to Jesus at one point or another. How do you get to that point unless you first give an answer to the initial question? Perhaps, you don't know the answer. And that is okay. But, there is an answer. You can't be the salt of the earth if you don't have any salt to give out. The salt we have is the truth of the Bible. And the truth of the Bible is supported from within and from without its pages. We serve ourselves, others and the Lord better when we familiarize ourselves with those truths that uphold the scriptures we claim to believe in. If we don't know the answer doesn't mean the subject is not important or "secondary" to the Gospel. And it definitely doesn't justify slanderous statements about those we disagree with on a subject. Remember that God does have an answer on just about every subject and He is willing to reveal it to us if we just let Him teach us. And, we then share that knowledge with those we encounter.

Cross Examination

You have often heard Christians who are struggling with their faith be counselled to "examine" themselves in order to see if they are truly Christians. The passages they are often given to look at is 2 Corinthians 13:5.

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?"

The first part of the verse is what is often quoted. Various meanings are put into the verse to describe what examining ourselves entails. Most often it has to do with judging your actions up against those of others or the standards of the particular denomination or fellowship you belong to. Basically, it is about seeing how well you are doing at keeping the law. Are you going to church enough? How are you doing at giving? Are you spending enough "quiet" time with the Lord? And, of course, do you have any "unconfessed" sin in your life? The list is endless, but you get my drift. The byproduct of this is that many Christians end up questioning their salvation or their standing before God because of it.

However, the test we are to examine ourselves with is given in the same verse. The second half of the verse tells us that the test of whether we are in the faith is if we realize that Christ lives in us. That is the test. If you know Christ lives in you then you are in the faith. It is plain and simple. Now, if He is not, you should question your salvation because you are not saved. It has nothing to do with how well you are performing the rituals and traditions of a particular body of believers. Christians are not under law. It has everything to do with how well you understand the Gospel.

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

When you think that the test of your faith is whether or not your performance measures up to God's standards, you have failed the test before it begins. We are not righteous because of anything we think we are doing for God. We are righteous because of everything God has done for us. A Christian is justified by the grace of God not by what we do before or after we have come to faith in Christ. The rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit we are saved by is the restoration of the life of God given to us at the moment we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior. Salvation is by grace and a Christian lives by faith. God's grace is Him doing for us, in Christ, what we are incapable of doing for ourselves. Therefore, we live by faith in the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us from within as we bear the fruit He produces through us. That is how we are justified, by recognizing that Christ has done and is doing everything for us to bring us to God.

"Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." Galatians 5:2-4

The conclusion to all of this is that if you examine yourself through the prism of your works, Christ is of no value to you at all. You are still a believer, still saved, and in no danger of losing your salvation. However, in your mind, you will be alienated from Christ because you will think your salvation is lost. Quite frankly, you should feel this way. There is nothing more sobering than believing that your salvation is tied to your ability to live up to God's standard of perfection or even the imperfect standards of religion. However, God can still use it by allowing you to come to the end of yourself. If you are trying to justify yourself before God through performance, you have fallen from grace and back under law. God, in Christ, is right there with you as you try and do so, but He will always be reminding you to let Him live the life only He can live. We had a test from God in which to examine ourselves, it was the law. We failed miserably. Christ, has taken that test for us and aced the test on our behalf. If we believe any different we have failed the test.

Dead and Gone

I happened to hear the hook (chorus) on a rap song [Yes, I still listen to rap, on occasion. Forgive me :-)] by the artist T.I. today that caught my attention. The song is called Dead and Gone and starts out with the following:

Ohh (hey)I’ve been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin to find my way back home (back home)
The old me’s dead and gone, Dead and Gone,
And Ohh.. (hey)I’ve been travelin on this road too long (too long)
Just tryin to find my way back home (back home)
The old me’s dead and gone, Dead and Gone, yeah

This song appears to be one of reflection for the artist who is, presently, going through some difficult times in his life. I am sure, given his audience, that it is a song that many can relate to. When I first heard these lyrics I couldn't help, but think about the transformation that I have gone through as a Christian. French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, is quoted as saying, "There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ." Assuming he is correct, it is the pursuit of trying to fill that vacuum that can lead an individual down many paths.

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—" Romans 5:12

That "God shaped vacuum" Pascal speaks of is the absence of the life of God. All men, because of the sin of Adam, are born into this world spiritually dead to God. In many ways we have been cursed to try and fill that void through the various options offered by the world. Unfortunately, the only way the world can try and provide what we are missing is through some form of sin. In many ways all mankind has been "travelin on this road too long." We try and fill that emptiness with anything from sex, religion, relationships, careers, hobbies, drugs, physical fitness and so on. As we travel along this road, we soon realize that what we are pursuing does not fill that void. Therefore, we are left to try another option in hopes that maybe the next time we will find what we are looking for. The sad thing is that we never find it.

"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die." John 12:32-33

God, in His love, wants all mankind to come alive to Him once again. But, before He could give us His life again, He had to take away the sins that caused that life to leave. Now, through the death of Jesus Christ, there is nothing standing in the way of anybody desiring to come alive to Him through receiving the gift of life made possible through Christ's resurrection. That endless pursuit we engage in trying to find something to fill that vacuum should make us give up from trying. And that is exactly what God wants from it. He wants everybody to realize that what they seek to get from the world can only be found in Jesus Christ. Our best efforts to find ultimate fulfillment can be described as "tryin to find [our] way back home." Home for us can only be described as a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. If you are truly seeking to find love, peace, acceptance, meaning and purpose to your life than, by all means, keep traveling down that road trying to find your way back home. Just remember that what you seek can only be found in Christ. The entire world is aware of the death of Jesus Christ. So much so that our calendars have been split by His birth; B.C. (Before Christ) and A. D. (Anno Domini -the year of our Lord). However, God splits time by the death of Jesus Christ. The death of Christ signifies the exact moment that the gap that separated us from God, created by our sins, was bridged. We can now approach Him, in Christ, to fill that void in our spirit.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

For those of us that have accepted Christ as Savior, and come alive to God, we have become new creations. The old creation, the one that had us searching in vain for anything to satisfy the emptiness we were born with, has gone. In other words, "the old me's dead and gone." We have been born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. God now sees us as His children. The road we traveled to get to Him can now be used to tell others about how we found God. The best part about the emptiness, the spiritual death we are born into, is that it acts as a homing beacon God can use to lead us to Him. He has revealed Himself to us through His creation, our conscience and, finally, Jesus Christ. This is more than enough evidence to lead us back to our real home. The Bible says that, as Christians, our citizenship is in heaven and we have been seated with Christ in heavenly realms. We have a home! The end of our journey to Christ is the beginning of our eternity with Him. That is enough to make us say, "yeah!" Amen!

Just Do It

Q: Where [in] the Bible does it talk about putting your profession first?

A: I am not aware of any specific place where the Bible talks about putting your profession first. However, the Bible does talk about putting things ahead of God. "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21)." Anything we put before God can be considered an idol. Usually, when we think of idols we think of worshipping false God's or chasing after money. But, you have to be careful not to make an idol out of your profession, or the pursuit of it. I don't know what is behind your asking this question. But, if you are anything like me, and I presume many other Christians, you may be struggling with just what do for a living. I cannot say that I am in a profession that I love doing. I would love to find a profession that makes me leap out of bed in the morning. However, as I have gone along in my career, and matured in my faith, I realize that this world we live in is not designed to give us peace. Furthermore, we must be careful not to look at what we do for a living as being tied to the will of God for our lives or His love for us. We can make a mistake and cause ourselves grief by expecting something from God He didn't come to give us.

Many people think that if they could find the right career then they could serve God better. Or that God needs them to find that career in order for Him to use them. But, if you think about it, there are two problems with this train of thought. First of all, there are people in all walks of life, and at every stage of it, that need to hear about Jesus Christ. Secondly, when did God ever "need" us to do anything? When Jesus gave the disciples the Great Commission, He said, "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)..." You will notice that He didn't tell them to take certain jobs or pursue specific professions in order to fulfill this command. Like the slogan for Nike, Jesus is saying "just do it." As we go out in life we meet people everywhere we go. It doesn't matter where they are, what they are doing or what we are doing. We don't go out to witness to the world about Jesus, we are a witness to the world about Him. Our specific profession, at the times we are doing this, is not of significance. Jesus said, "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5)." We bear the fruit that Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, produces through us. We don't produce the fruit. The Christian life is all about trusting Jesus to live His life in and through us. When and where this fruit is produced is up to the Lord to decide. Our responsibility is to make ourselves available to Him to let this happen.

The mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He, in the power of the Holy Spirit, lives within each believer. The idea of putting things in order, as is inherent in your question, can be misleading. I dare say that we should not be concerned about putting things "first" in our life as we should learn to understand Who is our life. It may sound good to say that God is first in our life and then numerically order whatever we deem most important to us after Him. This can lead to endlessly trying to prioritize when we serve God and when we devote time to other pursuits. "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me (Colossians 1:29)." The Apostle Paul can serve as a good example of how we are to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Paul labored in the energy of the Holy Spirit, not His own energy. As Christians, we simply go about our business no matter where it takes us. If that is searching for a profession we enjoy, or something else, that is fine. As we live, Christ lives in us. He is their with us regardless of our circumstances.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4)." The fact that you are asking about what the Bible says about putting your profession first, is evidence that you have a heart for God and desire His guidance in all you do. Regardless of what profession you choose, remember that there are people within that profession who need to hear about the Lord. If you find something you enjoy doing, do it with all your heart as though you were doing it for the Lord. In the midst of that, He will present you with more than enough opportunities to share the love He has shown to you with those you encounter. Realize that we share with others that which God has freely given to us. One of the best pieces of advice I have ever been given is to remember that God doesn't need our ability, He only needs our availability. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1)." A sacrifice is something that is totally at the mercy of something greater than itself. That is how we live the Christian life. We present ourselves to God to do as He sees fit with us. This can be accomplished regardless of our profession.

Avoiding the Truth

If you are anything like me, you tire of unbelievers, especially those in the religious and philosophical arenas, who always want to avoid the differences between belief systems in order to focus on what they deem to be the similarities. It is as if the differences are man made and should be discarded, but the similarities are of God and should emphasized. But, what they fail to realize is that the differences are where truth is determined, in many cases. It is even more disheartening when you see this same ideology arise within the Body of Christ. Case in point is the following statement taken from the website of a new fellowship that started up in my area:

"...Fellowship has been formed as a body of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Jesus and be conformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the Body of Christ. We believe that the only true basis of Christian fellowship is God’s (agape) love which is greater than any differences we possess and without which we have no right to claim ourselves as Christians."

We have "no right to claim ourselves as Christians" if we are deemed by others to over-emphasize doctrinal differences? This sounds just like the lost who think all religions lead to God, therefore, any differences in the religions should be ignored. I have said this before, but God does have an opinion on just about every subject. I don't belong to a denominational church either, but we all know that non-denominational churches, in many instances, are a denomination themselves. That said, aren't Christians supposed to reason from the Scriptures and be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit into all truth? That means discussing those things that "divide" us because by doing so, we can find out what the truth really is. And it is in finding the truth that harmony is, ultimately, found.

"When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said." Acts 17:1-3

What was Paul doing going into a synagogue? Is wasn't because he was putting aside the differences he had with his Jewish brethren for the sake of fellowship. It was so he could engage in intelligent and passionate debate, from the Scriptures, with those who disagreed with him, so as to win them over for Christ. He did so out of love for the Jews. We all know that there are vast doctrinal differences between Judaism and Christianity, chief among those is Jesus Christ. Jews, at best, esteem Christ as a great teacher. Christians know Him as God and Savior. That is a huge difference. And one that needs to be discussed. While the differences between so-called Christians may not be as major as those we have with unbelievers, they can be just as important to our understanding of who we are in Christ. Normally, what we have added to the Gospel is what we emphasize. That, in many cases, is why you have so many Christian denominations, all of which claim to be holding onto truth. Water baptism, election, speaking in tongues, law and grace and many other subjects are debated upon at length. Emphasis on one or more of these doctrines does not mean that you are not a Christian, but it definitely can hinder unity between the saints. These differences are normally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to differences in doctrine. They have to be hashed out if we are to mature in our faith and come into agreement with one another.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:2-6

Paul wasn't in chains because people agreed with him. He was in chains because of the differences in what he preached about Christ as opposed to those who didn't agree with him. Paul asked for prayer that he proclaim the Gospel clearly because he knew that their is one, singular, message to be preached. The sheer fact that he asked for clarity of his Gospel presentation is because there are errors and bad teaching out there to guard against. However, in the midst of our defense of the Gospel, we should do so in love, so as not to intentionally insight anger and malevolence against us. The offense of the Gospel is usually enough to polarize us from others. There is no need to preach it with an attitude. Be advised that Paul says that we should know how to answer everyone. Not everyone is going to agree with us. Therefore, it means that we should not be surprised when people disagree with us. Paul is advising us how best to engage with others, especially those who have doctrinal differences with us. He is not telling us to disregard or avoid those differences. If you care about someone, you may not emphasize the differences they have with you, if you believe they are in error. But, it is not an act of love to avoid those differences.

What is the abundant life?

What is the abundant life?

John 10:8-10 8 "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

For many years I have heard people comment on this passage, especially with reference to having life, and life more abundantly. It is normally used to suggest that the Lord wants us to have plenty of good food, designer clothing, a home with at least 1000 square feet per person living in it, and the latest sports car in the garage. In other words people normally interpret this on the basis of having abundance for the indulgence of the flesh. While they may not directly say this, indirectly it is often still made clear.

I personally do not see this passage addressing the issues of the flesh but those of the spirit. Keeping in mind the nature of the Gospel is not just the forgiveness of sins but the restoration of the Spirit of Life that had been lost in Adam, I believe this passage is referring to the subject of salvation. The reason why Jesus came was to provide salvation for humanity. Salvation is receiving the Spirit of Life so that you become alive to God.

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
Therefore, when He says that he came that you may have life, He is clearly saying that He came so you could have salvation. How much life did He come to offer? He came to offer enough such that you would never have a need for any more. The life He came to give is the very life of God that will provide complete fulfillment in the heart, soul and spirit of mankind. To say He came so that you may have life and have it more abundantly is to say that He came to restore to you the life of God to the extent that you would never have a need for anything else.

The thief, referring to Satan has been trying to steal from God His creation by killing us and subsequently destroying us. We were a temptation for Satan in that he could live within and through us in a similar way that our Creator could. In that way he could try and be like God. For this to happen he had to kill us by deceiving us into rejecting the life of God and becoming dead to Him. Then Satan could effectively steal us from the Lord and in using us in a way outside of the divine purpose for which we were created, he eventually destroys us. In our condition of being lost, we are dead, until we receive the life of God. It is when we are saved that we will be able to enjoy His life, in our life, in an abundantly fulfilling way.

Aaron Budjen
(www.livinggodministries.net)

Christianity's Biggest Problem

Any Christian, worth their salt, can look at the state of Christianity today and see numerous problems. We see doctrinal compromise that has allowed sin into the fold, like is the case with the acceptance of homosexuality in many churches. And we can't deny all the false religions and false teachings that hide under the banner of Christianity. For example, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons call themselves, and are accepted as, Christians despite the unbiblical beliefs they promote. And we also see error like the prosperity gospel misleading thousands into financial and spiritual chaos. But the biggest problem in Christianity is the that so many believers don't know the Gospel! On a Christian chat room, an individual asked, "What is the gospel message actually about? What's it[s] prime focus?" A simple question. But, some of the answers were disappointing, to say the least. Here are a few:

"God first loved us, and we should respond completely in Love to him."

"The gospel message is as simple as ABC... Admit, Believe, Confess."

"Not very many people realize that's it's not, in and of itself, simply about the death and resurrection of Messiah, though, this seems to be the only part of it that new believers are told about."

"The gospel message is to believe and trust in God through His Son Jesus Christ. We are to allow God to rule in our live and not be our own masters." (sic)

"Not once during His earthly ministry did He preach the death/resurrection, but He constantly preached the Good News of the Kingdom."

Now these are not all bad, but they are very superficial and vanilla. And some are just plain wrong. Jesus didn't preach His death and resurrection? What Bible is this person reading? It is this type of error that permeates the Body of Christ. None of these answers capture the totality of the Gospel. And because they don't, they open the door for all sorts of interpretations to arise as to what the truth really is.

The Gospel

"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Genesis 2:7

The prime focus of the Gospel is the restoration of the life of God to mankind. When God created Adam, He breathed His life into Him and Adam became a living being.

"...but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." Genesis 2:17

However, God warned Adam that if he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he would die. When Adam sinned, he didn't die physically. We know that because he lived 930 years. Adam died spiritually by God removing His life from within Him.

"When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth." Genesis 5:3

Adam was created in the image of God. However, mankind, you and me, were born in the image of Adam. We have been born into this world in spiritually dead to God, without His life indwelling us.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

God, in His love, desired to once again indwell mankind. However, before He could do that, He had to deal with the sin that caused that life to leave Adam. Jesus, being born spiritually alive, is the only man ever born who had a life to give that would satisfy God as payment for our sins. Now, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God can now offer His life to mankind as a free gift to all who accept Christ by faith.

"He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption." Hebrews 9:12

And because of the eternal consequences of the cross, there is now no sin that will cause that life to leave. That is why it is called an eternal life. A life that will carry a believer through this life and on into eternity.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" Romans 5:8-10

The Gospel is sin, death, forgiveness, life.

If we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we know what it is we have accepted? If we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we know what it is we have been saved from? If we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we know what it is we proclaim to the lost? If we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we discern the difference between the truth and the lie? If we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we explain why Jesus is the way, the truth and the life? If we don't understand the Gospel, how do we defend Jesus Christ as being the only way to the Father in heaven? If we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we know what the Christian life is all about and who lives it? And, if we don't understand the fullness of the Gospel, how do we know we are saved at all?

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

The Gospel is simple. Unfortunately, the fact that so many Christians do not know it is behind why they cannot answer a simple question about what it is. They end up defining it through their own religious and life experience instead of from the scripture. Therefore, they end up complicating the Gospel. The next time you open the scriptures, attend church or engage in Bible study, ask yourself if you understand the Gospel message and its primary focus. Your life as a Christian and, perhaps, your eternity depend on your ability to do so.

A "Harsh" Reality

A sister-in-Christ shared with me the following story about an officer in the Salvation Army who faces being let go because of his choice of fiance'.

"A Salvation Army review board will soon make a decision on the fate of suspended Oshkosh Salvation Army Captain Johnny Harsh. Today Harsh and his fiancee Cia are packing, knowing any day Harsh and his family could be forced to move out of their house. A home owned by the Salvation Army. Since his wife's death earlier this year Harsh wants to marry again, only his fiancee Cia is not an officer with the Salvation Army, which is against the rules. Harsh is now suspended and could lose his job as captain; a decision that has changed Harshes opinion about the organization he's served in Oshkosh for the past 3 years. "You wake up one day and a quarter of your family is gone. I expected more love and caring than what I have seen," says Harsh. Cia says she thinks the Salvation Army needs to put the Bible back into their policies. "I'm saddened that the Salvation Army which has such compassion for others, have not shown compassion for the Harsh family," Harsh says he expects a final decision to be made sometime in the next 30 days."

My friend said that reading this story brought back memories of the legalism she escaped from in her past. Is what we read hear any different than what goes on in many mainstream churches today? The controlling of the saints is severe. It is this "our way or the highway" mentality that drives many an individual out of fellowships and turns off unbelievers seeking for the Lord. One, can argue, as a friend of mine did, that Mr. Harsh doesn't have "a leg to stand on based on the fact he is obliged to be true to the rules he agreed to... I say he should step down and marry the women if she is in Christ and find himself another job, assuming she is more important to him than the job." I wonder how many Christians realize that the choice they are being forced to make is between their church and Christ?

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are." Matthew 23:13-15

It would seem that Mr. Harsh is the victim of a legalistic mindset within the structure of the Salvation Army. If a church had a rule that stated you could only marry someone from within its denomination would that be any different? Yes, scripture tells us to choose our spouses from within the Body of Christ, but not from a specific fellowship of believers. Furthermore, we even have the liberty to marry an unbeliever, although it is not wise to do so. If you did, you may have a difficult relationship, but you are still a member of Christ's Church. Funny, God will not leave you or forsake you, but certain groups claiming to be functioning in His name will leave you. It is a shame to see the extent to which organizations go to in order to control their members. Jesus had some harsh words for the Pharisees and their efforts to continually heap unbearable burdens on people. I think what is missed is that He called them hypocrites. This normally means that those in leadership are requiring their followers to be obedient to rules and regulations that they don't uphold themselves. If you are subjecting people to rules and regulations that Christ is not subjecting the Church to, are you in Christ?

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ... Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Colossians 2:8, 20-23

In my opinion, it is stuff like what the Salvation Army is doing to Mr. Harsh that does more damage to the Christian faith than it does to advance the cause of the Salvation Army. To some believers, depending on their persuasion, it can be looked at as "standing for the faith." Thus, some might be encouraged by the Salvation Army's willingness to sacrifice a leader in order to maintain their standards. To me, and others, it is just one more black eye for the faith because of the perception it puts out there about Christians. While it is true that no man has an excuse for not accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, it doesn't help our witness when His Name is sullied because of the actions of a few. Hanging on to manmade traditions, principles and philosophies is what leads to stories like this one. It doesn't help anybody when we cut off our nose to spite our face in matters of policy. This rule about marriage, within the Salvation Army, does not come from Scripture and has led to the loss of one of its leaders and to bad press. There is no value in this rule. It, obviously, did not keep Mr. Harsh from marrying someone from outside the organization. But, it may have made our testimony about Christ all the more difficult.

King and Heir

Q: Was Jesus made King of Israel and Heir of David before or after his death?

A: The inheritance of David had been long lost prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. He would be the recipient of an inheritance through His father Joseph, but the inheritance through David had long been dispersed and ownership changed through occupation and war for several hundred years. With regards to being the King of Israel, neither the people nor the authorities of the people acknowledged, or coronated Him, as King. Therefore, before and after his death, He was not considered the King for either. His Kingdom is not of this world. This Kingdom is the Kingdom over the Kingdom of Israel, but this will only be practically realized if the people want Him to be their King. Being born of Mary, He is the son of David, but this is a fulfillment of prophecy, not the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom.

To illustrate this further we can look, directly, at Jesus. Jesus was standing before Pontius Pilate, just prior to his crucifixion, and had this short, but profound, exchange with Pilate: "Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied (Matthew 27:11). " Jesus affirmed the fact that He was, indeed, the King of the Jews. Of course, this happened before His death. Shortly after the birth of Jesus Christ, Magi, more commonly referred to as Wise Men, came to Jerusalem asking, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2)?" These are just two examples, but I think they clearly give evidence that Jesus was King of the Jews before his death. However, what good is it to be a King if your "constituents" don't accept you as King? That is exactly the problem that Jesus encountered during His life.

For centuries, prophecies of the coming Messiah said such things as "the government will be on his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6)." This fed into the desire of the Jewish people to be set free from the hundreds of years of captivity and oppression they faced from people such as the Egyptians of Moses' day to the Romans of the time of Jesus. Even today, despite having their own country, the Jewish Nation still faces the constant threat of destruction and oppression by their enemies. Consistent during all these centuries is their hope for a reigning Messiah, one, who will rescue them from their oppressors, defeat their enemies and establish His Kingdom here on earth. But, when Christ came, He came as a "suffering" Messiah. One, who came to save His people from their sins. Therefore, because He was not the kind of Savior they were looking for they rejected Him. Although Jesus was and is the Messiah that was promised, they didn't accept Him as such and, by doing so, missed their King.

Going back to Pilate's questioning of Jesus, we see where Jesus, in the midst of confessing Himself to be the King of the Jews, admits that His Kingdom is not an earthly Kingdom. "Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place (John 18:36)." One of the principle mistakes many people make in regards to the sayings and teachings of Jesus is that He often spoke of the spiritual when man only sees the physical. Although, the kingdom Jesus speaks of reigning over is a real place, mankind can only relate to what He said in terms of what we know a kingdom to be here on earth. No doubt, Pilate, and the Jewish leadership trying to crucify Him, were thinking in worldly terms. The kingdom Jesus referred to was the Kingdom of Heaven. Pilate was perhaps thinking Jesus was the king of a kingdom that could be a threat to the Roman Empire. The Jews seemingly wanted Jesus to be their King, but because He had not come to be that individual who would set them free from their bondage to the Romans, and other enemies, they did not accept Him.

Thankfully, in many ways, the rejection of Jesus by the Jews means salvation for the world. When Paul was preaching in Rome, while under guard, he told his Jewish audience about the consequences of their rejection of Jesus Christ. He reminded them of the words of Isaiah. Words they all were familiar with because they knew the scriptures. He spoke of them hearing, but never understanding, seeing, but never perceiving, when it came to the truths Isaiah prophesied about Jesus Christ. He punctuated his remarks to them by stating, "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen (Acts 28:28)!" As a gentile, I am thankful that the Jews rejection of Christ gave me the opportunity to accept Him as my Savior. The Jews new that the Messiah would be a descendant of David. Thereby, he would be both King of Israel and their Savior. In fact, it was the Apostle Peter, when speaking about David, said, "he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne (Acts 2:30)." That descendant was, and is, Jesus Christ. He is not only King of the Jews, He is "the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15)."

Shadow Boxing

I remember when I first became a Christian, I had the usual insatiable appetite of a new believer. Not knowing where to turn for direction, although I had a church at the time, I listened to Christian radio and television. And just like a baby does in real life, I was putting everything in my mouth, so to speak. Of course, just like with babies, we realize that this is done just as much to explore the environment than it is to satisfy real hunger. But, in my case, as a new Christian, I made the assumption that if it had the "Christian" label it was truth. Looking back over 10 years now, I realize how much error I had subjected myself to. For example, I remember listening to one, popular televangelist, preach about demons and evil spirits as though fighting them is all a Christian is called to do. Thankfully, as I grew in my faith, and gained more discernment, I began to realize just how silly this idea happened to be. Now, don't get me wrong, demons are, indeed, a real problem. One need not look any further than the Gospels and the book of Acts to see Jesus and the disciples "exorcising" demons, quite frequently. However, these acts, recorded for us in scripture, were more to detail what went on during the establishment of Christ as the Messiah and what happened during the formation of the Church. Yet, somehow, Christians get focused on acts more so than on the message.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." Ephesians 6:10-15

When I look at this passage I can see how one could fit almost any and all examples, physical and spiritual, into it to explain the "battles" they encounter in life. There are those individuals who take passages like this as evidence that we are fighting demons and evil spirits at every turn. Case in point is an individual I know who, in dealing with personal problems in their life, believed these problems to be a byproduct of the devil attacking them. Their response to the crisis in their life was to do the following: "I was telling him (devil) As I stormed thru my house saturating everything I could touch around me with oil I dueled it out with the spiritual enemy yelling and screaming in the air fists up swinging as if the enemy was right in front of me and my neighbors must of thought Id lost my mind (sic)." Why is it so many Christians seem more concerned with battling the devil, and his minions, than focusing on Christ? I mean are the weapons we fight with shadow boxing and oils? I don't mean to make light of this ladies troubles, but she is more concerned about what the neighbors think of her odd behavior than whether or not anything she is doing is scriptural. When Jesus was led to the wilderness to be tempted, He used the Word of God as His defense, not boxing gloves and oil. Personally, this behavior is the result of leaning on one's own understanding about things rather than truth. I hope whatever is troubling her subsides, but part of me hopes that her circumstances reveal to her the uselessness of relying on her props and actions for spiritual support instead of Jesus Christ.

"I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one." 1 John 2:12-14

A Christian has overcome the evil one (devil) because they are in Christ. A Christian has been born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. That means that God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, literally lives within each child of God. The devil may try to influence us, but he cannot possess us. We are not his. The troubles in our lives should not surprise us. In fact, Jesus told us that in this life we would have trouble, but not to fear because He has overcome the world. The troubles we face are the result of sin being in the world, not necessarily the work of the devil. Many of our problems are the direct result of our own choices, actions and inaction's. And most of them can be resolved through our own choices, actions and inaction's. But, it all starts with understanding the Word of God and how it applies in our life. First and foremost is knowing His truth so that we can engage the world properly when trouble arises. We are not engaged in a physical battle with the devil. He attacks our mind through error and deception. This is always counter-acted through the truth of God's Word. Our faith is in Him to lead and guide us from within. When we are looking for the devil under every rock in every corner of our home, the devil has already scored a victory. If he has us believing that our defense to a spiritual attack is a physical response, then we are not focused on Jesus Christ. And that is exactly what the devil wants. Is your faith in what Jesus has done for you or in what you are doing?

Lalji Refused

I received the December 2008 issue of The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter. On the cover page under the heading, "Christians in Crisis in Orissa," read the following:

"It was just before dawn on Sept. 30, 2008. An angry mob of Hindu radicals had been gathering steam for weeks. Carrying sticks and machetes and chanting death threats to Christians, this hatred-induced tsunami swept in Rudangia, a tiny village in Orissa state, India. The mob attacked, burning homes, beating villagers and ripping Christian materials apart. Our VOM contacts say the mob settled upon Lalji Nayak. Hindu radicals grabbed Lalji and dragged him out of his home. One man stuck a knife to his throat. They yelled at him to renounce Christ. They demanded he "reconvert" and become Hindu. Lalji refused. They drove the knife deeper into his neck. Blood began to gush. Witnesses say Lalji continued to "cling to Christ." The radicals pulled out an axe and began beating him. They tortured him and when he refused to convert to Hinduism they left him for dead. Lalji died the next day at a nearby hospital. "Even though he was bleeding, he refused to abandon his faith," a witness told our VOM contacts."

Sobering!

I am always amazed at how one can cling to their faith in the face of certain death. But, then I think of Jesus' dying words on the cross, when He asked for God to forgive His tormentors because they did not know what they were doing. When I see unbelievers, like these Hindus, murdering those who do not believe as they do, I have pity for them. They do not know what they do. Even more astounding is that their heinous and evil act of murder, against a brother in Christ, is forgiven by God and does not prevent each and every one of Lalji's murderers from coming to faith in Christ. That is the power of the Cross. The death of Jesus keeps the sins of unbelievers from preventing them from coming to Him for life. And His death keeps the sins of believers from losing His life. All you can say to that is "Thank you, Jesus!"

"Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." Hebrews 11:35-40

I can only imagine that Lalji, and those like him, refused to abandon their faith because they knew that God had something better for them. Ever notice how so many people seem to hold onto this world so much? Most of them are unbelievers. It is as if their god is this world. I think this is what you see behind the radical environmentalist movement, political correctness and moral relativity. I have heard many people say words to the effect of "this world is all we got." While true in a sense, it is really the beginning of eternity. For an unbeliever, this world is as good as it will get for them, apart from Christ. For a believer this is as bad as it gets. Therefore, I can understand why an unbeliever would do all they could to "convert" people to their way of thinking, even if it means murdering them for their refusal. Hindus are not alone, as we are all to familiar with the exploits of Islamofascists. Ironically, India, where Lalji lost his life is where Muslim terrorists made their most recent attack. All of them seem to be fighting for this world as if it is all they have to look forward to. To me it seems like their actions are motivated by fear rather than faith. Because the root of anger is fear. I bet that what motivates all these religious and secular fanatics is the fear of their god or gods. After all, we usually treat others the way in which we believe God is treating us. Obviously, they do not serve a God of love like Christians do.

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." Philippians 1:20-24

I want to be clear. Lalji's act of martyrdom, while humbling and heroic, does not exalt him any higher in God's eyes than any other believer. Remember, Peter denied the Lord, but was still used mightily by God. Paul, prior to his conversion, murdered Christians, but was used by God to write two-thirds of the New Testament. God is no respecter of persons. And my prayer is that the suffering endured by those like Lalji would be few and far between, although I know better. The fact is, the life we live in the body, we live by faith in Christ, who lives it in and through each and every one of us. Whether we die a horrible death for our faith, deny the Lord out of fear for our lives, or something in between, God can use it all. It is imperative that we be certain that we cannot lose when it comes to our faith in Christ. While we are living we get to proclaim claim Christ. When we die, we get to go be with Him in eternity. That is why Paul could say that, for him, to live is Christ and to die is gain. One act of heroism in the face of death can serve to embolden the faith of fellow believers. One act of denial does not nullify ones faith in Christ, make the faith of an unbeliever true and cannot be used as an excuse for an unbeliever when they face Judgment. I look forward to meeting brother Lalji someday in Heaven. If anything I can thank Him for helping me stay focused on what is important in this life. And that is the life of Christ that is offered to all mankind even to those who, vehemently, attack it.

Authority

A few years ago I met a young lady on one of those online dating sites. She was a beautiful young lady and a Christian. Well, as we began to talk to each other about our beliefs, the subject of tithing arose. We were polar opposites on this view. She believed that it was a Christian's duty to tithe. I believe that tithing is not for a Christian, but was done under the Mosaic Law to support the Levitical Priesthood. To support her view, she used Matthew 23:23. In it we read, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others." I guess she believes this passage was said to Christians when it clearly said to Jewish scribes and Pharisees under the Law. When I offered up my defense that tithing is not mentioned anywhere in the New Covenant, and that we are to excel in the "grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7)," her response was to say that I needed to be under the "authority of a pastor!" I was speechless. I can only imagine that she such a thing because, at the time, I didn't have a consistent Christian fellowship to attend. Therefore, I must have come this "heretical" view of tithing because I didn't have a pastor leading me around by the nose. Honestly, this said more about her than it did me. But, I digress. My point is not about tithing, but the assumption many Christians make that their pastors are telling them the truth. I put forth that they may not even be Christian in many cases. One of my favorite quotes on this subject is the following:

"Now it may be a shock to discover this, but just because a person is in a position of authority in a church, this does not mean that they know the Gospel, or are spiritually alive."

This particular lady I have been mentioning admitted attending the church of one of the most popular, but heretical, Christian evangelists in the world. I, for one, do not believe this pastor to be a Christian. Not because a member of their flock holds a different view of tithing than I do, but for other reasons. For example, this pastor is on record as saying, "Jesus didn't come as God, He came as a man, and He did not come perfect." This is 100% heresy. Yet, it would seem that this dear, young lady I met was under this pastor's "authority.

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping." 2 Peter 2:1-3

How many Christians out there believe that we have to be under the "authority" of a pastor? They, effectively, give up their own relationship with the Lord and give it over to their pastors. The result of this is that they end up discerning scripture and everything pertaining to their faith through what has been taught to them. Their faith is in their pastor, not in Jesus Christ. And in the case of this particular pastor, they are not Christian. That begs the question, "If your pastor is not in the Lord, and you've put your faith in them, are you in the Lord?" As Peter has said, many people will follow the shameful ways of people who have denied the sovereign Lord. This lady I met is a perfect example of this. And even worse is that she ended up condemning me because I dare question a belief of hers. Their are many Christians who have faith in, and sworn allegiance to, their pastors and churches more than the Lord.

"I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?" 1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Obviously, this allegiance to men (and women) is not something new. Paul talked about people following him and others to the point where their faith was divided. We all say we are followers of Christ. But, we define our faith through our churches, our teachers, or whatever influences us the most. Question a teaching of the Pope and be prepared for the wrath of the Catholics. Question John Calvin's teaching on predestination and election and let the argument begin. It goes on and on. When we put faith in men, and their teachings, we end up having to defend them even if we are wrong. It is as if we develop an unteachable spirit because our religious pride will not allow us to be taught or question our beliefs. We must realize that if we have been taught anything that is true is was revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that taught Paul, Apollos, Cephas and whoever what they teach. If it is true, it comes from the Lord, not from man. We our under the authority of Jesus Christ and not a teacher. We go to Him when we need direction in our lives regardless of the situation or the teaching.

Utter Disregard

George Ham Cannon Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: S November 1915, Webster Groves, Mo. Entered service at: Michigan. Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own condition during the bombardment of Sand Island, Midway Islands, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. 1st Lt. Cannon, Battery Commander of Battery H, 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, U.S. Marine Corps, was at his command post when he was mortally wounded by enemy shellfire. He refused to be evacuated from his post until after his men who had been wounded by the same shell were evacuated, and directed the reorganization of his command post until forcibly removed. As a result of his utter disregard of his own condition he died from loss of blood. (www.medalofhonor.com/GeorgeCannon.htm)

On December 7, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt described the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor, by the Empire of Japan, as a "date which will live in infamy." This phrase, given in a speech by the President, came only hours after the attack and the day before the United States officially declared war on Japan. There are many military veterans and citizens who will never forget these words. But, how many people know the name of George Ham Cannon? I admit, I had never heard of him before. But remembering that tomorrow, December 7, marks the 67th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the entrance of the United States into World War 2, I thought it fitting to remember those forgotten heroes that made my freedom possible. I am often amazed at the willingness of those in combat who, as the citation of 1st Lt. Cannon states, show "utter disregard" for their life in order to ensure those around him are saved. Many people, like myself, like to think that we would display the same sort of courage in a similar situation. But, most of us don't know how we would respond until the moment happens. My heart and admiration goes out to all those men and women throughout the 232 year history of the United States, who gave their lives to establish and preserve the freedom we cherish.

"If 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, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:1-8

The exploits of 1st Lt. Cannon are a small, but powerful, reminder of what true love is. True love is embodied by sacrifice. No doubt Cannon loved his fellow military companions. They shared the same ideals of love for country and uniqueness of purpose to defend it against all invaders. When they were faced with the threat of the invading Japanese military, Cannon considered others better than himself. Despite being mortally wounded, facing certain death, he had the interest of others in mind rather than his own. In a sense, he made himself nothing and his mates everything. He was obedient until death so that his friends, companions and country would be free. We see the ultimate sacrifice in the Person of Jesus Christ. Being God, He humbled Himself by becoming a man. Scripture equates it with becoming nothing. This is a perfect example of just how unlike God mankind is. In other words, God is everything and we are nothing. That should humble everybody into realizing just how thankful we should be for what Jesus did on our behalf. Jesus showed "utter disregard" for Himself as He headed for the cross to take our sins away.

"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:31-36

I have heard it said that the truth is anything that corresponds to reality. If we use that definition, we can describe why Jesus is the truth. The truth is that all mankind is dead in sin when they come into this world and Jesus is the only man who had a life to give to pay for our sins. And raised from the dead, He was able to offer His life to all who accept Him by faith. That is the truth. It is the ultimate act of love to give your life for those you love. We see that in the form of our military heroes, like 1st Lt. Cannon, who have given their lives in defense of this country from the Revolutionary War, through World War 2 and all the way to the current War on Terror. Tomorrow I will fly the American Flag in honor of our country's fallen heroes who have sacrificed their lives so that I may live free in the greatest country God has given mankind. It is a small way to say thank you and show my appreciation. I will also be reminded that I should be thankful everyday, not only for the freedom they have provided, but for the freedom I have in Christ and He has provided through His death, burial and resurrection. And just like I have told you about the heroic sacrifice of George Ham Cannon on December 7, 1941, I encourage all believers to tell as many people as possible about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!