In my last blog entry I gave a brief overview of the closing chapters of the book of Acts. The letter to the church in Colosse was written by the apostle Paul while he lived under house arrest in Rome. Historians place him there between A.D. 61-63. What I really hope you and I see clearly is Paul's attitude during this time. Take 15 minutes and reread the short letter, taking note of his focus as he sits with his guard, in prison in his house. It is well worth the time.
In Colossians 3, verses 12-17, Paul gives us instructions for life, the abundant life. Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) So Paul gives us the recipe for that life. He begins by reminding us of all the great blessings we have in Christ Jesus. He says we are "God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved". Discussing those few words could take several days worth of a blog, so let's keep it short and sweet. In Christ, we are His chosen people. Just like the Jews were under the covenant with Moses, all who place their trust in Jesus under His new covenant are His chosen people. (to see how to place your trust in Jesus, read Col 2:9-15)
As His chosen people we are to be holy. Holy here is the Greek word hagios, which carries the idea of pure, blameless, consecrated and sanctified. Our lives, once they become His are to be different. The word saint used throughout the scriptures comes from this same word. A saint isn't a dead person that is declared to be so. A saint is a Christian and a Christian is a saint. (Col 1:2, 4, 12, 26) If you are a Christian, you are now a saint. So there you go... as His disciples our lives are to reflect purity. We are to live in such a way before others that we are blameless. We are consecrated and sanctified; we are set apart for service to God.
And we are dearly loved. That one I can really settle into. I can feel God's gentle arms around me. I can hear His voice telling me that he loved me so much that He sent His Son. God loves us! The idea here is that we have become loved and we continue to be loved. We are the beloved of God. Three terms that surely lifts our faith: chosen, holy and beloved. That is who you are, that is who I am in Christ.
Paul gives us the pep talk and then tells us what is expected of us. Because of who we are, whose we are, we are expected to be different. We are to clothe ourselves "with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Vv 12-14) It is our job, we are to clothe ourselves. Living rightly requires effort; living honorably takes focus and living noble demands self-discipline. So what are our garments?
He tells us to put on compassion. That means that we are to be aware of other's problems. We are to be a people filled with sympathy for others; we are to demonstrate mercy and pity. He tells us to put on kindness. Kindness is helpfulness, generosity, tenderness and goodness. Next we are to pull on some humility. Humility calls on us to view ourselves modestly in relation to others and we are to recognize that all people are of equal value in God's eyes. Gentleness is the next garment that Paul instructs us to wear. A gentle person is humane, amiable and tenderhearted. Courtesy and consideration are also part of the fabric. The next piece of clothing is patience. A person that has this kind of patience is able to deal rightly under provocation. They are willing to suffer wrong and are steadfast under difficult situations.
Paul is telling us the elements of Christian character. After we become Christians, we are expected to change, to grow... to become like our Master. A disciple is to become like his teacher. (Matthew 10:25) All these things that we are to "put on" are really Jesus' traits. He is perfectly compassionate. (Matthew 9:35, 36) He is perfectly kind. (Luke 6:35) He is perfectly humble. (Philippians 2:8, 9) He is perfectly gentle. (Matthew 11:29) He is perfectly patient. (1 Timothy 1:16)
Paul concludes the list with love. "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (V 14) He calls love the glue, the cement that holds all the other traits together. Without love, we might be able to act like Jesus for a while, but it will not last. Without the glue, soon the pieces begin to fall apart. My prayer for each of you is that you will, through love, grow in your discipleship. Jesus is the greatest lover of man that ever lived. He gave up everything because he loved you. (Phil 2:1-11) May God richly bless each of us as we clothe ourselves with Christ.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
We Are Meant to be Courageous!
As we near the end of the book of Acts, we are immersed in the story of Paul's arrest, trials, shipwreck and imprisonment. In chapter 21, we read of his arrival in Jerusalem and subsequent visit to the temple. It is there that the Jews seize him and drag him from the temple and begin to beat him. Paul had been warned of this very thing by the prophet Agabus in Caesarea, so he understood what he was facing even before he arrived in Jerusalem. I am encouraged by the fact that even though he knew what was ahead for him, he still packed his bag, caught the next flight out of Caesarea and headed for Jerusalem. :-) We are given detail after detail about what Paul endured and overcame during these days and even years of his life. Paul was courageous!
Paul is outside the temple, being beaten to death when Roman officers and soldiers show up and save his life. (ch 21, vv 31-36) He is arrested and taken into custody and as they are leaving the scene of the beating, Paul asks the soldiers for permission to speak to the crowd that was just trying to kill him. Think about that.... he wants to talk to the very people that moments earlier were beating him to death. He is given permission and Paul tells them his conversion story. He takes the opportunity to tell them about Jesus. In the midst of a beating and being arrested, Paul is thinking about telling them the life-changing, life-giving story of the Savior. Paul was courageous!
While in custody in Jerusalem, the Jews plot to kill Paul (ch 23 vv 12-15). The plot is discovered and the Roman Centurion that is responsible for Paul transfers him to Caesarea. While in Caesarea, Paul is brought before Felix, Festus and Agrippa, administrators of the Roman government to be examined. In each case, Paul uses the opportunity to teach them about Jesus. King Agrippa puts it this way...“Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (ch 26, v 28) Paul understands that he serves a risen King; a King who has authority over all other kings and so he is not afraid or unwilling to speak up and tell them about Jesus. Paul was courageous!
Next, Paul is sent to Rome and placed under house arrest. What does he do? You know already! First thing Paul does is send for the Jewish leaders to teach them the gospel. Just like today, some accepted the message and some rejected it. Paul attributes the two different responses to the condition of the person’s heart. Some had honest, open hearts ready to receive the good news, while others hearts were closed. He quotes Isaiah the prophet...
"Go to this people and say, you will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Isaiah 6:9, 10)
And then the book closes with two simple verses that tell us a lot about Paul. He is under house arrest, guarded 24/7, yet his focus does not change, his purpose is still the same. "For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." (ch 28, vv 30, 31) What do we take from Paul's arrest and prison time? What does God want you and me to learn from Paul's life experiences? He wrote them down for us, so He must want us to go away with something of value.
Sure, we admire Paul and his commitment to his Lord and Master. We stand in awe of his ability to speak to those in power with power that comes from God. Those are good things. But God wants you and me to live our lives the same way Paul did. Paul is a great mentor for us. Whatever comes our way, we are to live faithfully, telling the story of Jesus. Someone mistreating you... tell them about Jesus. Standing before a king... tell him about Jesus. Sitting in jail unjustly... tell the guards and the other prisoners about Jesus. Sitting beside your coworker on your job... tell them about Jesus. Standing in line at Wal-Mart... tell them about Jesus. You get the idea... tell them all, in every situation you find yourself... introduce them to Him! You see just like Paul, we are meant to be courageous!
Paul is outside the temple, being beaten to death when Roman officers and soldiers show up and save his life. (ch 21, vv 31-36) He is arrested and taken into custody and as they are leaving the scene of the beating, Paul asks the soldiers for permission to speak to the crowd that was just trying to kill him. Think about that.... he wants to talk to the very people that moments earlier were beating him to death. He is given permission and Paul tells them his conversion story. He takes the opportunity to tell them about Jesus. In the midst of a beating and being arrested, Paul is thinking about telling them the life-changing, life-giving story of the Savior. Paul was courageous!
While in custody in Jerusalem, the Jews plot to kill Paul (ch 23 vv 12-15). The plot is discovered and the Roman Centurion that is responsible for Paul transfers him to Caesarea. While in Caesarea, Paul is brought before Felix, Festus and Agrippa, administrators of the Roman government to be examined. In each case, Paul uses the opportunity to teach them about Jesus. King Agrippa puts it this way...“Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (ch 26, v 28) Paul understands that he serves a risen King; a King who has authority over all other kings and so he is not afraid or unwilling to speak up and tell them about Jesus. Paul was courageous!
Next, Paul is sent to Rome and placed under house arrest. What does he do? You know already! First thing Paul does is send for the Jewish leaders to teach them the gospel. Just like today, some accepted the message and some rejected it. Paul attributes the two different responses to the condition of the person’s heart. Some had honest, open hearts ready to receive the good news, while others hearts were closed. He quotes Isaiah the prophet...
"Go to this people and say, you will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Isaiah 6:9, 10)
And then the book closes with two simple verses that tell us a lot about Paul. He is under house arrest, guarded 24/7, yet his focus does not change, his purpose is still the same. "For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." (ch 28, vv 30, 31) What do we take from Paul's arrest and prison time? What does God want you and me to learn from Paul's life experiences? He wrote them down for us, so He must want us to go away with something of value.
Sure, we admire Paul and his commitment to his Lord and Master. We stand in awe of his ability to speak to those in power with power that comes from God. Those are good things. But God wants you and me to live our lives the same way Paul did. Paul is a great mentor for us. Whatever comes our way, we are to live faithfully, telling the story of Jesus. Someone mistreating you... tell them about Jesus. Standing before a king... tell him about Jesus. Sitting in jail unjustly... tell the guards and the other prisoners about Jesus. Sitting beside your coworker on your job... tell them about Jesus. Standing in line at Wal-Mart... tell them about Jesus. You get the idea... tell them all, in every situation you find yourself... introduce them to Him! You see just like Paul, we are meant to be courageous!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
"You Will Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit"
I ended my last blog entry with the following statement....."So, now you are asking "how do I know if the Spirit is living in me?” Great question! Important question! Really, the all important question!" The reason that is the all important question is that those that are saved have the Spirit living in them; those that are lost do not. Read Romans 8:5-17; Paul makes it abundantly clear that the difference between those that belong to Christ (Christians) and those that belong to the world (Satan) is the presence of the Spirit within the individual. So, what does the Bible teach, not your preacher, not you Sunday School teacher, not my blog or someone else’s.... what does the Bible teach about when a person receives the Spirit? When does God come to live within a person?
I believe that everyone agrees that the moment we are talking about is when a person becomes a Christian. That is the simple part, everyone agrees. God cannot live in a dirty home, so when our sins are forgiven and we become disciples of His Son, the Spirit moves in and lives in us. Using Old Testament terminology, we are as His disciples, the temple of God. "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) The point of disagreement is the point at which a person becomes a Christian. Again, let the Bible speak for itself. If having the Spirit live in us is the dividing line between those that are saved and lost, then the Bible must make it clear to us when the Spirit takes up residence within us. Surely God would not make that hard to understand. Surely.
As you read about the Spirit of God, keep in mind that there are two distinct topics that the scriptures discuss. First we learn about the indwelling of the Spirit and secondly, we learn about the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Today, I am only looking at the indwelling of the Spirit. We will discuss the miraculous gifts at a later date. So, what does the Bible teach?
A great place to look is at the beginning of the church. The age of Christianity started on the day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts chapter 2. Peter stands up and gives the first sermon of this new age. He preaches a sermon about Jesus that brings many to the point of making a decision to follow Christ and they ask him "what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) Let's be clear here, they had heard the message and believed it! Were they saved? Some will say yes, but Peter didn't think so. So, he told them what they needed to do to be saved. And by that, he told them what to do to receive God's Spirit. Had they already received it? I guess some would say yes again, but Peter didn't think so.
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38,39) Peter calls on the people to repent, (turn away from a life of sin and turn towards Christ) and be baptized (immersed in water) for the forgiveness of their sins. God is not going to move into a dirty home! Again the question that must be answered here is simply this... had the people already received the Spirit? If so, Peter didn't need to tell them how to receive it; if not, he would tell them plainly how the Spirit was to come live within them.
Some people will take this verse and twist it to say what they want it to say. (Not a good idea, 2 Peter 3:16) Peter makes it simple and clear to anyone with an honest heart and open mind. "Repent and be baptized.... forgiveness of sins.... you will receive the Holy Spirit". Where I come from when someone says "will receive", it means I have yet to received it. And when someone tells me what I must do to receive it, they are setting the conditions by which I will be receiving the gift. Again, I know many will not accept the simple message that Peter gave on that day. Many did not accept the message then, only 3000 repented and were baptized and received the Spirit. (Acts 2:40,41)
It is amazing to me how many people attack me for quoting scripture. Some will surely send me many messages (as they have in the past) for merely stating what the Bible says very clearly in these verses. They will tell me that these verses don't mean what they say. It is up to each person to make their own decision, just like it was on the day of Pentecost. Have you repented of your sins? Have you been immersed in the waters of baptism for the forgiveness of your sins? If not, Peter calls on you to do that. Not me, the apostle Peter! He calls on you to make a decision and act based upon that decision. Then he tells you that you when you obey, you will receive the Holy Spirit, not that you already have, but you will. Not when you believed, but when you believed and were baptized. (see Mark 16:16) And that my friends is the most important thing! As an engineer I like equations.... repent+baptism = forgiveness of sins..... forgiveness of sins = saved..... saved = God's Spirit living in you.
Listen, don't trust me. Trust God. Surely He communicates to us in a way that we can understand. The people on the day of Pentecost understood clearly what Peter said and made the decision and "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (v 47) The Lord added! No vote needed, when you become a Christian, the Lord adds you. I like that! Make the decision today to follow Jesus, become His disciple. Repent of your sins and be baptized and God will come live in your newly renovated temple and then find a Bible believing church to worship with that teaches the same gospel that you just believed. May God bless you as you study His word.
I believe that everyone agrees that the moment we are talking about is when a person becomes a Christian. That is the simple part, everyone agrees. God cannot live in a dirty home, so when our sins are forgiven and we become disciples of His Son, the Spirit moves in and lives in us. Using Old Testament terminology, we are as His disciples, the temple of God. "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) The point of disagreement is the point at which a person becomes a Christian. Again, let the Bible speak for itself. If having the Spirit live in us is the dividing line between those that are saved and lost, then the Bible must make it clear to us when the Spirit takes up residence within us. Surely God would not make that hard to understand. Surely.
As you read about the Spirit of God, keep in mind that there are two distinct topics that the scriptures discuss. First we learn about the indwelling of the Spirit and secondly, we learn about the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Today, I am only looking at the indwelling of the Spirit. We will discuss the miraculous gifts at a later date. So, what does the Bible teach?
A great place to look is at the beginning of the church. The age of Christianity started on the day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts chapter 2. Peter stands up and gives the first sermon of this new age. He preaches a sermon about Jesus that brings many to the point of making a decision to follow Christ and they ask him "what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) Let's be clear here, they had heard the message and believed it! Were they saved? Some will say yes, but Peter didn't think so. So, he told them what they needed to do to be saved. And by that, he told them what to do to receive God's Spirit. Had they already received it? I guess some would say yes again, but Peter didn't think so.
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38,39) Peter calls on the people to repent, (turn away from a life of sin and turn towards Christ) and be baptized (immersed in water) for the forgiveness of their sins. God is not going to move into a dirty home! Again the question that must be answered here is simply this... had the people already received the Spirit? If so, Peter didn't need to tell them how to receive it; if not, he would tell them plainly how the Spirit was to come live within them.
Some people will take this verse and twist it to say what they want it to say. (Not a good idea, 2 Peter 3:16) Peter makes it simple and clear to anyone with an honest heart and open mind. "Repent and be baptized.... forgiveness of sins.... you will receive the Holy Spirit". Where I come from when someone says "will receive", it means I have yet to received it. And when someone tells me what I must do to receive it, they are setting the conditions by which I will be receiving the gift. Again, I know many will not accept the simple message that Peter gave on that day. Many did not accept the message then, only 3000 repented and were baptized and received the Spirit. (Acts 2:40,41)
It is amazing to me how many people attack me for quoting scripture. Some will surely send me many messages (as they have in the past) for merely stating what the Bible says very clearly in these verses. They will tell me that these verses don't mean what they say. It is up to each person to make their own decision, just like it was on the day of Pentecost. Have you repented of your sins? Have you been immersed in the waters of baptism for the forgiveness of your sins? If not, Peter calls on you to do that. Not me, the apostle Peter! He calls on you to make a decision and act based upon that decision. Then he tells you that you when you obey, you will receive the Holy Spirit, not that you already have, but you will. Not when you believed, but when you believed and were baptized. (see Mark 16:16) And that my friends is the most important thing! As an engineer I like equations.... repent+baptism = forgiveness of sins..... forgiveness of sins = saved..... saved = God's Spirit living in you.
Listen, don't trust me. Trust God. Surely He communicates to us in a way that we can understand. The people on the day of Pentecost understood clearly what Peter said and made the decision and "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (v 47) The Lord added! No vote needed, when you become a Christian, the Lord adds you. I like that! Make the decision today to follow Jesus, become His disciple. Repent of your sins and be baptized and God will come live in your newly renovated temple and then find a Bible believing church to worship with that teaches the same gospel that you just believed. May God bless you as you study His word.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
If the Spirit of God Lives in You
Romans Chapters 6-8 contain some pretty heady stuff. I read and reread these chapters and still don't feel I am picking up everything that Paul is putting down. :-) Chapter 6 gives the Christians in Rome (and us) a much deeper understanding of what baptism should mean. They had already been baptized and Paul is expanding their understanding of the importance of what God had accomplished through their obedience. Chapter 7 gives them more meat to chew on relative to the Law and the blessing we have in being freed from it. He uses the picture of marriage to give us a better view of our relationship to Christ. In Chapter 8, our relationship to the Spirit of God is revealed in a much larger way.
That is a lot to digest in a single setting, so split it up if you need to, but if not, dig in deeper. My focus in this blog entry will be on the verses identified as Romans 8:1-11. My personal study for 2012 will be focused on the Spirit and gaining a deeper understanding of God living in me. Maybe fear has held me back from this topic in the past, but through the encouragement of my brothers and sisters in Christ, I have begun the study and Lord willing, will press on.
Paul gives us the ultimate encouragement in first verse of Chapter 8. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." No condemnation, not even a little bit! If I am in Christ, I live a life and face the judgment with no condemnation. That changes everything. The Law condemns; Christ satisfies the Law and removes the condemnation. (v 2-4) If we understand that we are freed from condemnation, we live out our lives filled with joy and thankfulness. We are no longer "dead men walking", living on death row. Rather, our release has been secured by someone who paid our debt in full. Joy and thankfulness.
Verses 5-11 contrasts those living by the Spirit and those living by their sinful nature. Paul tells us that if we live by the sinful nature, our minds are controlled by that nature which leads to death. But those that live by the Spirit have their minds controlled by the Spirit which leads to "life and peace." "The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Those that live by the sinful nature cannot please God." (v 7,8)
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you." (v 9) Paul tells us that Christians are to live by the Spirit because the Spirit lives in them. The "if" is very important here. We are not controlled by the sinful nature.... if.... the Spirit of God lives in us. Then he tells us that "if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." So, the identifying mark of a Christian is that the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God lives in them. No Spirit, no Christian. Without the Spirit, you are not a true disciple of Jesus, you are not a Christian.
So, now you are asking "how do I know if the Spirit is living in me?". Great question! Important question! Really, the all important question! My next blog entry will explore this question, so check back. I will continue to study; you do the same. God bless.
That is a lot to digest in a single setting, so split it up if you need to, but if not, dig in deeper. My focus in this blog entry will be on the verses identified as Romans 8:1-11. My personal study for 2012 will be focused on the Spirit and gaining a deeper understanding of God living in me. Maybe fear has held me back from this topic in the past, but through the encouragement of my brothers and sisters in Christ, I have begun the study and Lord willing, will press on.
Paul gives us the ultimate encouragement in first verse of Chapter 8. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." No condemnation, not even a little bit! If I am in Christ, I live a life and face the judgment with no condemnation. That changes everything. The Law condemns; Christ satisfies the Law and removes the condemnation. (v 2-4) If we understand that we are freed from condemnation, we live out our lives filled with joy and thankfulness. We are no longer "dead men walking", living on death row. Rather, our release has been secured by someone who paid our debt in full. Joy and thankfulness.
Verses 5-11 contrasts those living by the Spirit and those living by their sinful nature. Paul tells us that if we live by the sinful nature, our minds are controlled by that nature which leads to death. But those that live by the Spirit have their minds controlled by the Spirit which leads to "life and peace." "The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Those that live by the sinful nature cannot please God." (v 7,8)
"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you." (v 9) Paul tells us that Christians are to live by the Spirit because the Spirit lives in them. The "if" is very important here. We are not controlled by the sinful nature.... if.... the Spirit of God lives in us. Then he tells us that "if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." So, the identifying mark of a Christian is that the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God lives in them. No Spirit, no Christian. Without the Spirit, you are not a true disciple of Jesus, you are not a Christian.
So, now you are asking "how do I know if the Spirit is living in me?". Great question! Important question! Really, the all important question! My next blog entry will explore this question, so check back. I will continue to study; you do the same. God bless.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Our Impartial Judge
Today we started reading through Paul's letter to the church in Rome. (for me, one of the most difficult letters to fully understand) In this letter, he gives us a wonderful presentation of how the gospel of Jesus is so much better than the Law of Moses. For us, (the non-Jew) the good news is that we are included in God's plan of redemption. Jesus died for everyone! The Jew and the Gentile. He died for every single person that has ever lived and every single person that will ever live. (John 3:16, Acts 10, Matthew 28:19)
In the first chapter, Paul gives us one of his most often quoted verses. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (v 16) This verse causes a person with an honest heart to question whether or not they are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus. Do we keep it to ourselves because of fear of rejection? Do we, at some level believe that people think it is silly to believe in a God that we cannot see? Are we ashamed to tell others about a crucified and risen Savior that died to take away the sins of man? Do I take every opportunity that God gives me to communicate the most important message that a person will ever hear? Tough questions! How do we answer?
Secondly, Paul tells us that God's power to save is contained in the gospel. The only means of salvation is found in the gospel message! Can God go outside of that means of salvation? I guess He has the ability to do that, but He seems to have tied His own hands in this matter. "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Next, Paul tells us that our part in this salvation is belief. This belief is not merely a mental ascent.... the Greek word translated “believes" takes into account that when we believe we act on what we have learned. James drives this message home in the second chapter of his book. "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." (James 2:18, 19) The demons believe.... I wonder if they will be saved. Of course not; simply believing doesn’t change anything, only belief that causes us to change, to act is the belief referred to here.
Lastly, Paul tells us that the salvation that is brought through the wonderful gospel of Jesus is for the Jew and the Gentile. Everyone receives the same salvation! (read Romans 2: 6-11) It took the apostles a little while and some direct communication from God to understand that the net had been enlarged and would now bring a harvest of souls from the entire world. The great commission communicated it (Matthew 28:19), but they didn't understand it until Peter met Cornelius. (Acts 10) You and I, if we are non-Jews should greatly rejoice when we read this verse. Without Jesus, without His sacrifice and without that sacrifice being for all people, we would be lost and without hope in this world. But God had a better plan… the gospel. And contained in that gospel message is salvation for everyone, for the Jew first and then for the Gentile.
Good news? Great news! So let's get busy telling it, unless we are ashamed. Am I ashamed of the gospel or will I open my mouth and communicate the eternity changing plan that contains God's power? May God bless you as you tell it to friends, family, strangers.... everyone.
In the first chapter, Paul gives us one of his most often quoted verses. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (v 16) This verse causes a person with an honest heart to question whether or not they are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus. Do we keep it to ourselves because of fear of rejection? Do we, at some level believe that people think it is silly to believe in a God that we cannot see? Are we ashamed to tell others about a crucified and risen Savior that died to take away the sins of man? Do I take every opportunity that God gives me to communicate the most important message that a person will ever hear? Tough questions! How do we answer?
Secondly, Paul tells us that God's power to save is contained in the gospel. The only means of salvation is found in the gospel message! Can God go outside of that means of salvation? I guess He has the ability to do that, but He seems to have tied His own hands in this matter. "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Next, Paul tells us that our part in this salvation is belief. This belief is not merely a mental ascent.... the Greek word translated “believes" takes into account that when we believe we act on what we have learned. James drives this message home in the second chapter of his book. "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." (James 2:18, 19) The demons believe.... I wonder if they will be saved. Of course not; simply believing doesn’t change anything, only belief that causes us to change, to act is the belief referred to here.
Lastly, Paul tells us that the salvation that is brought through the wonderful gospel of Jesus is for the Jew and the Gentile. Everyone receives the same salvation! (read Romans 2: 6-11) It took the apostles a little while and some direct communication from God to understand that the net had been enlarged and would now bring a harvest of souls from the entire world. The great commission communicated it (Matthew 28:19), but they didn't understand it until Peter met Cornelius. (Acts 10) You and I, if we are non-Jews should greatly rejoice when we read this verse. Without Jesus, without His sacrifice and without that sacrifice being for all people, we would be lost and without hope in this world. But God had a better plan… the gospel. And contained in that gospel message is salvation for everyone, for the Jew first and then for the Gentile.
Good news? Great news! So let's get busy telling it, unless we are ashamed. Am I ashamed of the gospel or will I open my mouth and communicate the eternity changing plan that contains God's power? May God bless you as you tell it to friends, family, strangers.... everyone.
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Lord's Supper
1 Corinthians 1:17-34 gives us great insight into the Lord's Supper. Jesus had commanded the apostles to keep the Supper and we see that they passed on the directive to churches as they established them. In Acts 2:42, we see that the first church, established on Pentecost in Jerusalem, "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers". So from the very beginning, the Lord's Supper figured front and center in the assembly of the saints.
In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul corrects some abuses that had entered into the fellowship about the Supper. Beginning in verse 17, he tells them that their meetings (Sunday assemblies) do more harm than good. Not a good commentary on their worship service! He points out that they had divisions among them. This is not hard to understand as we see this today in many churches. People want things their way and will divide based on many things: socioeconomic, racial, age, opinion, ethnic, etc. I guess this will always be true as long as people put their wants ahead of others needs.
Next Paul addresses the issue of the Lord's Supper. He tells them that when they come together each week that it is "not the Lord's Supper that they eat." (verse 20) They are eating the Supper without waiting on others to arrive, leaving nothing for them. The Supper had become a time of gluttony and they had forgotten that it was a time of remembrance. They had forgotten that it was a time of self-examination, a time of unity of the body. Paul makes it clear that we can, by our actions distort the Supper to the point that it no longer has the meaning that Jesus intended. (read the chapter) He reminds them of Jesus' words as He gave them and us this special time of unity that we partake of each week. We call it communion; think about that word and what it communicates.
On the doctrine side of things, it is clear from these verses as well as several others (and history), that the early church made the Lord's Supper a weekly celebration. Many today do it quarterly or even annually. Many today make the "Christmas" celebration a much bigger deal; even though it is clearly a manmade "holiday". Jesus asked us to remember Him and His death by taking the supper each Lord's Day. He never asked us to celebrate His birth. Now understand, I have no issue with remembering His birth, (His birth is recorded in the Bible) I just have a big issue with not remembering Him the way He commanded.
I would encourage us to think about these things next Sunday. Are we dealing with our brothers and sisters in a way that makes the Supper something other than what Jesus intended? Are we keeping the Supper each Sunday? Are we divided or united as we break the bread and share the cup? If we are struggling with any of these issues, may we reconsider our conduct and refocus on our Savior as share in His body and blood.
In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul corrects some abuses that had entered into the fellowship about the Supper. Beginning in verse 17, he tells them that their meetings (Sunday assemblies) do more harm than good. Not a good commentary on their worship service! He points out that they had divisions among them. This is not hard to understand as we see this today in many churches. People want things their way and will divide based on many things: socioeconomic, racial, age, opinion, ethnic, etc. I guess this will always be true as long as people put their wants ahead of others needs.
Next Paul addresses the issue of the Lord's Supper. He tells them that when they come together each week that it is "not the Lord's Supper that they eat." (verse 20) They are eating the Supper without waiting on others to arrive, leaving nothing for them. The Supper had become a time of gluttony and they had forgotten that it was a time of remembrance. They had forgotten that it was a time of self-examination, a time of unity of the body. Paul makes it clear that we can, by our actions distort the Supper to the point that it no longer has the meaning that Jesus intended. (read the chapter) He reminds them of Jesus' words as He gave them and us this special time of unity that we partake of each week. We call it communion; think about that word and what it communicates.
On the doctrine side of things, it is clear from these verses as well as several others (and history), that the early church made the Lord's Supper a weekly celebration. Many today do it quarterly or even annually. Many today make the "Christmas" celebration a much bigger deal; even though it is clearly a manmade "holiday". Jesus asked us to remember Him and His death by taking the supper each Lord's Day. He never asked us to celebrate His birth. Now understand, I have no issue with remembering His birth, (His birth is recorded in the Bible) I just have a big issue with not remembering Him the way He commanded.
I would encourage us to think about these things next Sunday. Are we dealing with our brothers and sisters in a way that makes the Supper something other than what Jesus intended? Are we keeping the Supper each Sunday? Are we divided or united as we break the bread and share the cup? If we are struggling with any of these issues, may we reconsider our conduct and refocus on our Savior as share in His body and blood.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
"Then what baptism did you receive?"
(Acts 18-19)
Today's reading contains a telling of a story that might confuse many. At the end of Chapter 18, we are introduced to Apollos, a Jew who had been taught by either John the baptizer or one of his disciples. He was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and doing so "accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25) He comes to Ephesus and begins to "speak boldly in the synagogue." When two Christians, Aquila and Priscilla "heard him, the invited him to their home and explained to him the way of the Lord more adequately." (v 26)
There are several things we can learn from this encounter, first we see a preacher who needed conversion. Apollos was clearly a fine man, well schooled in the scriptures, but he had not learned about being baptized into Christ. He taught accurately about Jesus, but was teaching error about baptism. Secondly, we see that Apollos was a man with an awesome heart. Although he was well educated and knew the scriptures, he didn't think he knew it all. He held firm convictions, but when he was presented with truth, he listened. He loved truth and truth was more important to him than pride. These are rare qualities in a man. After his conversion, he was of great help to the disciples and helped convert many to Jesus.
In Chapter 19, we are introduced to some "disciples" of John the baptizer in Ephesus. Again, they had either been taught by Apollos (many believe this) or some other disciple of John. Paul encounters them and immediately ascertains their spiritual status. He asks them questions that make it clear what their current condition is. His first question is “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Simple question with eternal consequences. No one is a Christian without the Spirit. (Acts 2:38, Rom. 8:9, Tit. 3:5, Heb. 6:4) When they respond that they did not know that the Spirit was given, Paul moves to the next question, “Then what baptism did you receive?” (v 3) Paul understands that the Spirit is given in baptism (Acts 2:38) and so he questions their baptism. They respond that they only knew of John's baptism.
Luke gives us the "Readers Digest" version of Paul's teaching, but he records their response to what they heard. "On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (v 5) The twelve men who had been baptized into John's baptism were baptized again, this time into Christ. Why? If baptism means little or nothing and they had already been wet once, why do it again? Why had Paul connected their lack of having the Spirit to the baptism that they had obeyed?
John 3:5 tells us that "no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." Paul understood that even though they knew about Jesus and even though they had been immersed into John's baptism, they were not yet Christians. (unless someone can be a Christian without having the Spirit) Again, like Apollos, we see that these twelve men were more concerned with obeying the good news than debating with Paul. Each of them were baptized again, this time for the remission of sin, in the name of Jesus. They were men of sincere hearts, wanting to be obedient to the truth regardless of the personal costs. Embarrassment... who cares when we are talking about eternity. Pride..... all of us only know what we have been taught. They wanted to be right with the Lord! I like that!
May we all be just like these thirteen men. May we be willing to change our beliefs whenever we find them in conflict with the scriptures. May we put aside pride and accept the pure truth of the Gospel. If you are like these men, if you find that you have been taught something that conflicts with God's word, make it right, make it right now!
Today's reading contains a telling of a story that might confuse many. At the end of Chapter 18, we are introduced to Apollos, a Jew who had been taught by either John the baptizer or one of his disciples. He was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and doing so "accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25) He comes to Ephesus and begins to "speak boldly in the synagogue." When two Christians, Aquila and Priscilla "heard him, the invited him to their home and explained to him the way of the Lord more adequately." (v 26)
There are several things we can learn from this encounter, first we see a preacher who needed conversion. Apollos was clearly a fine man, well schooled in the scriptures, but he had not learned about being baptized into Christ. He taught accurately about Jesus, but was teaching error about baptism. Secondly, we see that Apollos was a man with an awesome heart. Although he was well educated and knew the scriptures, he didn't think he knew it all. He held firm convictions, but when he was presented with truth, he listened. He loved truth and truth was more important to him than pride. These are rare qualities in a man. After his conversion, he was of great help to the disciples and helped convert many to Jesus.
In Chapter 19, we are introduced to some "disciples" of John the baptizer in Ephesus. Again, they had either been taught by Apollos (many believe this) or some other disciple of John. Paul encounters them and immediately ascertains their spiritual status. He asks them questions that make it clear what their current condition is. His first question is “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Simple question with eternal consequences. No one is a Christian without the Spirit. (Acts 2:38, Rom. 8:9, Tit. 3:5, Heb. 6:4) When they respond that they did not know that the Spirit was given, Paul moves to the next question, “Then what baptism did you receive?” (v 3) Paul understands that the Spirit is given in baptism (Acts 2:38) and so he questions their baptism. They respond that they only knew of John's baptism.
Luke gives us the "Readers Digest" version of Paul's teaching, but he records their response to what they heard. "On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (v 5) The twelve men who had been baptized into John's baptism were baptized again, this time into Christ. Why? If baptism means little or nothing and they had already been wet once, why do it again? Why had Paul connected their lack of having the Spirit to the baptism that they had obeyed?
John 3:5 tells us that "no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." Paul understood that even though they knew about Jesus and even though they had been immersed into John's baptism, they were not yet Christians. (unless someone can be a Christian without having the Spirit) Again, like Apollos, we see that these twelve men were more concerned with obeying the good news than debating with Paul. Each of them were baptized again, this time for the remission of sin, in the name of Jesus. They were men of sincere hearts, wanting to be obedient to the truth regardless of the personal costs. Embarrassment... who cares when we are talking about eternity. Pride..... all of us only know what we have been taught. They wanted to be right with the Lord! I like that!
May we all be just like these thirteen men. May we be willing to change our beliefs whenever we find them in conflict with the scriptures. May we put aside pride and accept the pure truth of the Gospel. If you are like these men, if you find that you have been taught something that conflicts with God's word, make it right, make it right now!
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