God helps those who —

This was something I wrote out to a brother from Ebay who was struggling who asked me to pray for him. He said he was often discouraged in his walk with Christ and felt like giving up. Here’s my comment which might help several people along the way of their own Christian walk:

1 Corinthians 10:13 — No temptation has come upon you except that which is common to man, and God is faithful, he will provide a way out.

• 1st) way out = prayer for strength, guidance or help. Keep praying until help comes. Remember Elijah prayed 3 times… Daniel prayed for several WEEKS…
• 2nd) way = Turn to a brother in Christ — that’s what we’re there for. Galatians 6:1-3, 1 John 5:16 — hold yourself accountable to someone nearby…. that’s what the Church is there for.
• 3rd) way out = Grace for when we fall. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, God is Faithful and Just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is a promise. Every time you see the word “WILL” in scripture, it’s a promise you can bank on. God’s grace is new every morning, His compassions never fail. (Lamentations 3:22) —- WE —- may beat ourselves up for our failures, but God knows we are but flesh, he knows our struggles, and he understands. All he is looking for from you is to build in you the ability to keep turning back to him, to keep coming back to him and to remember that HE IS OUR STRENGTH…. that we have none of our own.

 

 

Reactionary Theology

I have been reflecting on the last 4 years of Xanga.com postings and something that Ehrinn_I@Xanga said to me during the first year of that time regarding how radically different my posts came to be.  Whereas I used to be super personal, though still reflective of Christian thoughts and attitudes, I became less personal and more directly theological: that is to say more tied to presenting Scripture and God in very direct terms.  Straightforward, in your face, “the Bible does have the answers” blogger.
And most of my readership dwindled…. esp. from ReveLife’s (NOTE: ReveLife is a Xanga Christian spin-off) editors.   (That was an inside joke and a direct poke.)  The more I read over (and commented or responded to things) at that convoluted “c“hristian website, the more angry I would become because of the BAD (as in HORRIBLY BAD) stuff being passed around “in Jesus name”.  As though people no longer cared what the Bible had to say, opinion trumps God, or worse, puts thoughts into the mouth of God.  Any opinion seemingly has more value over there at ReveLife, so long as it doesn’t reflect any sort of ABSOLUTE or authoritative air.  (such as “Homosexuality IS a sin” or “God WILL NOT tolerate false teachers.”)

I never minded the dwindling readership — God brings in those He will, and I am fine with that.  I stopped looking at footprints about 6 years ago.  I wrote what I wrote because it was true, because it reflected solid truth and because I felt compelled to respond to the insanity that has grown up around modern Christianity.  I have roughly 20% of the New Testament and 5% of the Old Testament memorized, and I can pretty much tell you what the chapter and verse would be for just about anything you could quote me.  This came from a challenge from a pastor 25+ years ago.

But I am side-tracking myself….

When I first started on Facebook 4-5 years ago, I was completely unprepared for what it would show me.  I befriended anyone I knew, and many Christian Music Artists I’d grown up around.

Back in the early 80’s

• I was working stage crew and security for a Christian concert promoter in Chicago,
• I was a volunteer worker for Cornerstone 84, 85, 87 & 89,
• I also did artist interviews at all of those C-Stone festivals,
• I worked as a Radio DJ (twice),
• I wrote for several Christian music themed magazines….
• and I even held a position (albeit volunteer… still, I was behind the counter) at the coolest Christian Music store on the planet — True Tunes, Etc.  (I was in charge of the Auctions Catalog from 88-90)
• I ran my own Christian Music company called “Shuman’s ODD SOCKS”.
• All of this before I was “JulieMillerFan” on Ebay.

In short I had a long history in Christian music, met many of the singers, and felt comfortable enough to ask many of them to become Facebook friends.

And that’s where it all started.   As Facebook started to show me more clearly the thought lives of these individuals, and how far many of them actually were from Evangelical Christianity…..  And add to this mix many Xanga friends who became Facebook friends who also would say / do / post / reflect non-Christian attitudes and beliefs towards things….. as Facebook started showing me all this stuff…. I reacted.

• I reacted by challenging folks to see the Truth of the Bible.
• I reacted by challenging them to understand that what we “think” about something is irrelevant if God has already given us an answer to the topic.
• I reacted by writing lengthy comments and conversations which would later work themselves into posts.
• I reacted by honing my theology (study, knowledge, understanding of God) in opposition to all these Liberal-minded so-called Christians who think that it doesn’t matter if the Bible says something — obviously the bible must be wrong.

I reacted by learning, growing and producing 4 years worth of blogs which have become some of the finest things I have written — in a long history of writing and being published.  (My first published article was back in 1985, believe it or not.)  I reacted by learning how to apply my knowledge of Scripture and so many other things — and present the truth apologetically.   That means “In defense of the faith”.

I don’t know if I have ever “saved” anyone.  I don’t know if my writings have ever lead anyone to know Christ.  That has never once mattered to me.  I also don’t know if I ever changed anyone’s opinion by what I said — though I do know many folks who have expressed inspiration from things I’ve written.  I never cared about changing opinions, I cared about speaking forth what God had already said.

To me, all that mattered was this:

If I claim to speak for the mind of God — am I getting it right?

•  Because if I am not, then I am an idolator like Israel of old, creating a false God and putting my own thoughts into his mouth.
•  Because if I am not, then I will be judged MORE HARSHLY for having presumed to teach in the name of God.
•  Because if I am not…. I am leading people to Hell…. not God’s Kingdom…. even if I say God’s name a lot and talk about Heaven.

and that matters more than anything else.

Am I getting it right?

4 years now I have posted blogs in reaction to things I have read on Facebook, ReveLife, and even from real life situations — and felt compelled to set things straight.  Because Truth matters — and getting it right matters — because if we pass on lies, opinions or personal feelings, we’re no better than pagans.  4 years now I have passed along not what I think — but tried as best as I have been able to reflect the mind of God…. because in the end, that’s really all that will endure into eternity.

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16)
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.  (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:32)
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

In the end I have learned the honest meaning of 1 Peter 3:15 — simply by trusting that God did have all the answers.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

If your right hand offends you

This isn’t really a post, it’s really a comment I made over at ReveLife that I felt worth sharing / saving because it pertains to a general misunderstanding of a statement of Jesus.

The original topic was regarding pornography.  As with any “Religious” blog-site, atheists & agnostics love to heckle…. one “Lovegrove” made the following sarcastic comment which led to my response that follows after.

If your right hand offend you, cut it off.

As I had dealt with Him before, I knew his sarcasm and tone…. I responded thus.

I greatly think that we misinterpret that verse now-a-days.  Honestly face the question —- Does your RIGHT HAND cause you to sin?  Jesus said plainly — “From out of THE HEART proceeds all manner of evil.” (paraphrasing the verses found in Matthew 15:19-20) and even a casual review of scripture will show you that God’s not talking about your emotions here… but rather, your mind.  (one of the clearest evidences of that is the very passage I just quoted — for out of the heart proceed evil THOUGHTS…. since when do we think with our emotions?)

If your right hand causes you to sin… but it’s not our hands that cause us to sin… so where’s the chopping to be done?

Romans 12:1-2….. Philippians 4:8….. Psalm 119:9,11….  Psalm 1:1-6….

Once we face the fact that the very thoughts and imaginations of all that we do are evil (Genesis 6:11-12; Jeremiah 17:9-10), through and through, only then can we seek the only cure that God provides or offers —-

Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.  (Psalm 51:10-12)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, behold the old things have passed away and the new has come.  (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

and most beautifully —-

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope  (Titus 2:11-13)

If your right hand offends thee —- seek the grace of God that teaches us to say “No”… renewing our minds… creating a new spirit within us…. that we might ultimately please Him who calls us onward.

amen.

So how are you dealing with your thought-life?  Have you placed your neck on the chopping block lately?  See where I am heading with this?  It’s never our “right hand” or “Right eye” that causes us to stumble…. for from out of your HEART proceeds the evil that makes you fall.  If you aren’t taking your thought life to Christ for renewal and transformation… cutting off your hand isn’t going to solve the problem in the least.

Judgment Comes, Part 5: When Evil & Good are reversed

This post has been on my mind to write for nearly 2 years.  It is the product of many hours of reflection, and a lot of prayer.  It speaks with finality — by that I mean, this is something you can count on, it is a certainty, it is sure to happen… indeed, it will happen.  And never has there been a time more rife with warning signs as our day and age.

About 2 months ago I began the final stages to the posting of this serial conclusion.  I posted up two posts, back to back, regarding what the Bible calls “Evil.”  I followed those two posts with a re-posting of the original 4 chapters of this topic.  

Regarding the posts on what the Bible calls “Evil”, I chose English as my language, not the original Hebrew or Greek — I just wanted to keep it simple.   I chose the NIV as my biblical standard simply because it is the most common version of our day and it is the version I am most familiar with.  I chose to avoid pulling in extraneous words like “Wicked” or “Vile” or “Despised” — and I looked to define every single passage that used (in English) the term “Evil” in some manner…. by the simplest of hermeneutics, namely: What is the simple context of the passage.  No historical setting, no review of the totality of Scripture, no grammatical setting…. none of the myriads of manners by which a proper interpretation could be rendered.

Thus it was just me, a bible, and nothing more.  All comments that were posted were simply pulled from surrounding context of the passage.   No commentaries, not scholarly reviews… just my simple comments.

The Old Testament was dealt with in this post: Link here.  And the New Testament was dealt with in this post: Link here.  Judgement comes Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 , Part 3.5 and Part 4 respectively linked.

I did all that on purpose.  I wanted to know what the Bible said was “E-V-I-L” and I wanted to understand it on the most basic level.  The same way any child or adult could conclude under a similar basic reading.

I did all this on purpose because —- today, the only thing we view as “Evil” are serial killers and people like Adolf Hitler.

SIDE NOTE:  As part of the research for this post, I subjected myself to nearly 30 hours of documentaries on Serial Killers, looking to understand just how the world views “Evil”.   Ironically, though nearly every serial killer I reviewed was at some point called “Evil” by someone — many were simply seen as misguided or misdirected or some other psychological term which would thus excuse them of their actions.  “My parents made me do it.”  Really… they told you to plunge the knife into someone?

“The parents eat bitter grapes and sets the children’s teeth on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29) was a proverb in Israel that God specifically despised…. Each man shall be judged for HIS OWN ACTIONS, was God’s reply then (Jeremiah 31:30)…. just what do you think God would say today when we similarly say “My parents were to blame“?

Anyway, the world views only people like Adolf Hitler and Jeffrey Dahlmer as “Evil”…. and only these sort of people…. and nothing could be farther from the truth.

Let me give you two statements from Jesus…. and draw a simple conclusion.

If you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask of him?  (Matthew 7:11 NIV)

This is the verdict: Light came into the world but men preferred the darkness because their deeds are evil.  (John 3:19 NIV)

Simple conclusion: Jesus viewed mankind as evil.   Is that so large a leap?

And yet when I first started to run with this post 2 years ago, a “Christian” argued with me here on Xanga that obviously either I was wrong in my conclusion, or Jesus statement was wrong in it’s interpretation…. cause men are basically good.   (Comments section of this post from October 2011) 

(As an aside regarding this topic, one could likewise turn to Romans 3:10-18, Jeremiah 17:9-10, Psalms 51:5 and a whole host of other bible verses to draw the same conclusion — to a Calvinist, this is simply the Total Depravity of man, in a nutshell.)

All of what I just said is merely the introduction on what led into my review of “what does the bible call evil” before I could write this post.

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Look around you.

I mean it…. Look at the TV shows you watch, the Hollywood movies you watch, the books you read, the music you listen to (not Christian music, but secular),  the conversations you overhear at work, or with friends, or with others…. look around you and ask yourself if you’ve ever once heard the following things called “evil.”

Greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, adultery, murder, theft, sexual immorality, prostitution, sorcery, witchcraft, boasting, slander, civil disobedience, disobeying your parents, foul or coarse language…… just to list a few….

On TV, in music and in modern fiction novels, almost every one of these things are used as the normal state of human existence.   You’ll find people having sexual relations with just about anyone.  You’ll find adultery, greed, arrogance, envy, witchcraft, and a fair number of other things on that list — showing up in almost every aspect of media (Print, audio or visual) as something normal, something OK, something banal.   George Carlin can make humor of foul language — and people laugh… because what once was considered foul, now is commonplace, mundane, in regular use. 

I am not singling out the Western Hemisphere on this one… sadly, this is now a global matter.   But  it is precisely this aspect of things which God pronounces his harshest judgments — indeed, He has torn apart kingdoms, leveled nations, displaced rulers and authorities, burned entire cities to the ground and even once exacted universal condemnation on the entire world…… because men have reversed what is evil with what is good and pursued evil with wholehearted abandon.  (Genesis 6:11-12)

Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
    and champions at mixing drinks,
who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
    but deny justice to the innocent.

Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw
    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay
    and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
    and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.  (Isaiah 5:20-24)

Isaiah was writing about Judah and Israel, he might as well have been looking down the corridors of time at our age.  You can compare this to Paul writing to Timothy —

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.  For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.  They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.  They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!  (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

and see that Paul also seemed to think that a time would come when men would love evil more than they would pursue things good.   Men would reverse the natural for the unnatural and reject entirely all things that pertain to God and godliness.

Within Christian circles it is often cited that the Homosexual revolution is a direct condemnation from God on people bent on doing evil things.  It is said that this is God abandoning these men over to their debased / deprived natures and giving them over to their sins.  Romans 1 is the favored passage in making this reference clear.   Yet…..

One of the points that is regularly missed, though, when Christians plot out or read through Romans 1, esp. that part which deals with condemnation (1:21-32), is that this is humanity as a collective whole that Paul is talking about.  This is not individuals on a person to person level, this is the course of a whole nation turning it’s back collectively on God.   Thus…. when homosexuality, lesbianism, or general debauchery becomes the normative standard within a society or nation…. when men no longer call these things evil, but rather pursue them with whole-hearted abandon… THAT is when judgment falls upon that nation or government. 

It’s precisely when men choose evil over good — collectively — that God abandons men over to their passions and gives them up to depraved minds.   God may yet do this to individuals who spite him, but the bent of this passage is to show the downward spiral of a society that has uniformly turned it’s back on God and started calling “evil” things “good”.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Greek Term: anthrōpōn from which we get “Anthropology.  Used here and again in Verse 23.  Collective term, used regarding all of Humanity.  Every pronoun that thus follows collectively refers to all of mankind, as well as individual men, in all times and all eras), who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:21-32)

Look around you today.  Look at the bent of our nation — indeed of every nation in the world today… Even Taiwan was “gay pride” parades and tolerance laws… and you’ll find that we’ve dangerously crossed that line wherein things God calls “Evil” men now call “Good”. 

When a nation confuses Good and Evil… not when individuals do so, but when an entire nation does so… it’s a sure indication that God’s judgment is dangerously close.

Look around you today…..

What do you see?

All these things which God labels “Evil” are affronts to God’s holiness.   This is why Proverbs often calls them “Abominations”.  We thumb our noses to God’s standard of holiness and instead revel in foul pollution pretending we’re the emperor in his new clothes.   All of today’s era can be summed up thus:  “God’s law be damned… he made me this way and I’m gonna live however I want.”  (Judges 21:25)

But here’s a final nail to this coffin.

Remember back to the opening two verses where Jesus calls mankind’s natural bent “Evil.”  Ask yourself this — do you see YOURSELF as “evil”?  Do you understand what Jesus is talking about when he makes that proclamation?  Do you see that every act that you put your hand to is defiled by your corrupted human nature?  Even your worship?  Even your “good deeds”? Do you view yourself as Jesus viewed you, indeed viewed all of humanity.   Or do you see yourself as basically good…. just occasionally doing “bad” things.

When was the last time you heard anyone around you label themselves as “evil”… and not as the butt end of a joke? 

The Holy Spirit transforms us, indeed, but even one as mighty as Paul counted all those things he once viewed as “Valuable”, as things worth putting confidence in, instead as worthless “Dung” before God.  (Philippians 3:3-9)   His self-view wasn’t “I’m OK, you’re OK.” — Paul saw that “In me dwells not one good thing.” (Romans 7:8)  and rightly understood that “apart from (Christ) (I) can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Mankind is evil.  We just don’t believe it.  And today Christianity has bought into the lie that basically we’re all “good people”, thus denying the truth that God and Christ spell out plainly to us.  We’re not buying it… because we think we’re pretty decent…. 

When men call that which is evil, good….

It’s not merely the actions we do or the sins we participate in…. it comes right down to a proper view of humanity as a whole and our selves in particular.

When men call that which is evil, good….

Judgment is right around the corner… because a “good man” has nothing to repent of.

I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else.  (Luke 18:11 — prayer of the Pharisee)

Judgment…. comes.

Human Reason: What God has to say to the Modern Atheist.

We live in an age where reason is the standard that all things are driven by.   If one thing be universally true of Atheism, it would be that Human reason is recognized as the highest plateau in all creation.  Rationality runs the show.  If it doesn’t follow a logical sense, it’s considered flawed and thus worthless to the Human drama.

While some of that is true — we’d rather not have someone in the Presidential office who doesn’t follow some form of logic, trust me… bad deal — the fundamental principle of Human reason being the loftiest height in our landscape is, in itself, flawed.   It assumes that Human beings are the standard and faultless.  It assumes our mind supreme.  It also assumes that our Logic is without flaw…. and it isn’t.

Look at the world around you.  Look that the buildings, the roads, the businesses, the houses, the streets, the gas stations, the movie theaters, ….. in short, look at all that mankind has made over the last few centuries.  Have you ever once thought that what’s been made needed a creator to make it?   A building doesn’t “evolve”.   A road doesn’t magically appear after billions of years.  Your house didn’t spontaneously come into being one day.  That’s because of a simple rule: 

What’s created came from a creator.  Everything we know, from our Ipods to our pianos, from our computers to our cars — everything — was created by someone.

It was first the product of someone’s vision, then effort gave form to the vision and in the end raw materials were used and someone was paid to give the labor to bring it into being.   This is basic logic.

And yet the Atheist would look at creation and not apply that same rule.   They would look at the complexity of design for a human cell and deny that what’s come into being was, by logical conclusion, the product of some visionary with purpose.  An Atheist would scoff at the very concept — because an Atheist doesn’t apply his own logic to the puzzle.   This is because an Atheist cannot afford to.  Once “God” has entered the picture, then Human reason is no longer the hottest cookie in the jar.  No longer is Human reason supreme — because Mankind has to answer to something higher than himself, which designed him.  Thus an Atheist shows by his own refusal to acknowledge basic facts that his own “human reason” is clouded, pridefully obstinate — in short, his “human reason” is flawed.

Charles Darwin, when writing “On the Origin of the Species” actually realized that there were serious flaws in his theory —- this is an excerpt from a John MacArthur sermon detailing this ..

It was a hard sell. Even Darwin had a hard time with it. If you read anything of Darwin’s you find he’s continually filling all his writings with tremendous doubts. For example, he says in the sixth chapter of his Origin of the Species, “Long before having arrived at this part of my work, a crowd of difficulties will have occurred to the reader. Some of them are so grave that to this day I can never reflect on them without being staggered.” In his chapter on instinct he conceded such simple instincts as bees making a beehive “could be sufficient to overthrow my whole theory”. And to think he said that “The eye could evolve by natural selection seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.” In his chapter on imperfections in the geological record he complained that the complete lack of fossil intermediates in all geological records was perhaps, quote, “the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory.” In other words, he was at least honest enough to admit that the thing didn’t make any sense.

So here’s my point.   Atheism worships at the altar of Human logic.  In effect, Atheism has made mankind’s reason “god”, and is, thus, the highest form of modern idolatry.  Atheism self-worships humanity as it’s “god” and it’s refusal to acknowledge the one true Creator.   But God sort of expected this when He moved Paul to write:

 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.  (1st Corinthians 1:19-23 New Living Translation)

God’s wisdom is foolishness to men, to the Greek debater, to the philosopher, to the scholar, to the world’s best and brightest — in short, to one and all of mankind — God places true wisdom out of their reach and leaves them to their foolish idolatry which would seek any manner of erasing him from the equation.

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.  They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.  (Ephesians 4:17-19 New Living Translation)

Mankind would look at the world, rife with cohesion, order, and flawless harmony down to the minutest cell component… would view all this unimaginable attention to detail… and deny the basic logic that what’s been made necessitates a creator.  That is in truest essence: Pride.

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And what would God say to this?  The same thing He’s been saying all along: Drop the pride, repent, and come to me.  The message is the same, whether it’s to a Mormon, a Buddhist, an Atheist or any other sinner.  Your pride is what keeps you from knowing the most wonderful grace and mercy that has ever been offered to man.  Your faith in human reason is misplaced — you show it yourself by your obstinate refusal to see the hand of the creator behind all of creation.

Human reason only functions properly when it has been renewed through the Spirit of God.  It’s only then that we understand fully and know the world around us in it’s beauty.  God doesn’t call us to shun human reason, in fact, he calls us to use it.

Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.  (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV)

 

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthains 5:17-19 NIV)

Human Reason: What God has to say to the Modern Atheist

We live in an age where reason is the standard that all things are driven by.   If one thing be universally true of Atheism, it would be that Human reason is recognized as the highest plateau in all creation.  Rationality runs the show.  If it doesn’t follow a logical sense, it’s considered flawed and thus worthless to the Human drama.

While some of that is true — we’d rather not have someone in the Presidential office who doesn’t follow some form of logic, trust me… bad deal — the fundamental principle of Human reason being the loftiest height in our landscape is, in itself, flawed.   It assumes that Human beings are the standard and faultless.  It assumes our mind supreme.  It also assumes that our Logic is without flaw…. and it isn’t.

Look at the world around you.  Look that the buildings, the roads, the businesses, the houses, the streets, the gas stations, the movie theaters, ….. in short, look at all that mankind has made over the last few centuries.  Have you ever once thought that what’s been made needed a creator to make it?   A building doesn’t “evolve”.   A road doesn’t magically appear after billions of years.  Your house didn’t spontaneously come into being one day.  That’s because of a simple rule: 

What’s created came from a creator.  Everything we know, from our Ipods to our pianos, from our computers to our cars — everything — was created by someone. 

It was first the product of someone’s vision, then effort gave form to the vision and in the end raw materials were used and someone was paid to give the labor to bring it into being.   This is basic logic.

And yet the Atheist would look at creation and not apply that same rule.   They would look at the complexity of design for a human cell and deny that what’s come into being was, by logical conclusion, the product of some visionary with purpose.  An Atheist would scoff at the very concept — because an Atheist doesn’t apply his own logic to the puzzle.   This is because an Atheist cannot afford to.  Once “God” has entered the picture, then Human reason is no longer the hottest cookie in the jar.  No longer is Human reason supreme — because Mankind has to answer to something higher than himself, which designed him.  Thus an Atheist shows by his own refusal to acknowledge basic facts that his own “human reason” is clouded, pridefully obstinate — in short, his “human reason” is flawed.

Charles Darwin, when writing “On the Origin of the Species” actually realized that there were serious flaws in his theory —- this is an excerpt from a John MacArthur sermon detailing this ..

It was a hard sell. Even Darwin had a hard time with it. If you read anything of Darwin’s you find he’s continually filling all his writings with tremendous doubts. For example, he says in the sixth chapter of his Origin of the Species, “Long before having arrived at this part of my work, a crowd of difficulties will have occurred to the reader. Some of them are so grave that to this day I can never reflect on them without being staggered.” In his chapter on instinct he conceded such simple instincts as bees making a beehive “could be sufficient to overthrow my whole theory”. And to think he said that “The eye could evolve by natural selection seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.” In his chapter on imperfections in the geological record he complained that the complete lack of fossil intermediates in all geological records was perhaps, quote, “the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory.” In other words, he was at least honest enough to admit that the thing didn’t make any sense.

So here’s my point.   Atheism worships at the altar of Human logic.  In effect, Atheism has made mankind’s reason “god”, and is, thus, the highest form of modern idolatry.  Atheism self-worships humanity as it’s “god” and it’s refusal to acknowledge the one true Creator.   But God sort of expected this when He moved Paul to write:

 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
    and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.  (1st Corinthians 1:19-23 New Living Translation)

God’s wisdom is foolishness to men, to the Greek debater, to the philosopher, to the scholar, to the world’s best and brightest — in short, to one and all of mankind — God places true wisdom out of their reach and leaves them to their foolish idolatry which would seek any manner of erasing him from the equation.  

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.  They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.  (Ephesians 4:17-19 New Living Translation)

Mankind would look at the world, rife with cohesion, order, and flawless harmony down to the minutest cell component… would view all this unimaginable attention to detail… and deny the basic logic that what’s been made necessitates a creator.  That is in truest essence: Pride.

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And what would God say to this?  The same thing He’s been saying all along: Drop the pride, repent, and come to me.  The message is the same, whether it’s to a Mormon, a Buddhist, an Atheist or any other sinner.  Your pride is what keeps you from knowing the most wonderful grace and mercy that has ever been offered to man.  Your faith in human reason is misplaced — you show it yourself by your obstinate refusal to see the hand of the creator behind all of creation.

Human reason only functions properly when it has been renewed through the Spirit of God.  It’s only then that we understand fully and know the world around us in it’s beauty.  God doesn’t call us to shun human reason, in fact, he calls us to use it.

Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.  (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthains 5:17-19 NIV)

Does Baptism “Save” us?

The following is a conversation from Facebook covering the topics of Baptismal Regeneration, the Trinity, Baptism in Jesus name or in the name of the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit and a few other matters.  I thought the information was worth reposting here while everyone is waiting for me to finish “Judgment Comes, Part 5″… yeah, I’m still working on that one.  

For the sake and privacy of those involved, names have been truncated.

Gary –  When are we saved and our sins remitted?

Mark – When we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, which causes us to repent of our sin, believe that Jesus died for our sin, receive Jesus as our personal Savior. Some of my brethren also believe water baptism is part of the necessary equation. I tend to believe water baptism is an obedient act submitted to by believers rather than a necessary part of their salvation.

Gary – Thank you. Have you read where Peter told them to be water baptized when they asked him how to be saved in ACTS 1 and 2?

Have you read all the water baptism verse in the NT?

What about when Jesus said, “Except ye be water baptized ye cannot enter heaven?”

Mark – If you believe in baptismal re- generation, so be it. Many of my friends believe that Jesus taught that.

Wayne – (NOTE THIS: my initial response was not directly to the matter of Baptism or regeneration.  Therefore it doesn’t fully make sense to the overall conversation, only to Mark’s first reply.)  Mark — a good response to the above question is to turn to Titus 2:11-12. For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all who believe. It TEACHES US TO SAY NO to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright & godly lives in this present age.

a person who has not the Spirit of God can’t ever say no to their sins / passions / lusts / carnal desires…. because they lack the ability to do so. The only thing they can do is exchange one sin for another… such as giving up drinking while submitting to pride.

Make sense?

Gary –  We all wonder why with the bible and eternal life beings the most important thing in life, why folks don’t read and question every verse?

I visit all religions to share, ask questions and learn. If the bible said in ACTS that all water baptisms were in the (singular) name of Jesus, then I would ask a dozen peeps who water baptized that way: how and why.

Is it true everyone on FB wants to teach but none has any questions nor will they visit other religions nor do they really want to learn?

When I ask folks who had the KEY and what 3 things did he say, they have no idea. They do not have a clue to what the KJV of 1611 clearly says.

Wayne – Gary — when you’ve found the truth, everything else pales in comparison.

I used to work for a bank. Spent 4 years there. One thing they taught us very profoundly…. sticks with me to this day, 30+ years later. How to spot a counterfeit.

They did so not by teaching us the counterfeits — they taught us to spot counterfeits by drilling the real deal into us so thoroughly that every time a counterfeit showed up, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Jesus does the same thing — get to know the real deal, and all those other FALSE religions will all make sense…. as it is, they all preach the same thing…. “Do enough good deeds and you’ve earned your way into Heaven.” Jesus said the opposite … your good deeds account for nothing, squat, zip, zilch, nada. They get you nowhere.

1000 religions all preaching the same message…. ONE religion preaching against the flow… which makes sense? I’d lay you strong odds that all the others are counterfeits of the real —- because you never counterfeit something cheap. Whens the last time you saw a counterfeit penny?

Gary – @Wayne Shuman;

I only work well with bible verses. Thank you.

Now, please if you may, explain the Water Baptism verses I posted from ACTS. If you cannot explain them, try to post a bank statement.

Wayne – Peter has a crowd of roughly 30,000 – 75,000 people he’s preaching to. He needs to make it absolutely clear that those who are putting their faith in Jesus are making a public commitment and not merely lip service…. that they are honestly making their faith in Christ as Messiah (RE: the verses just before where you keep pointing to… bringing it all back to faith and not some sacrament…) a firm commitment. Thus for Peter to make the statement:

Repent (which I note that you keep omitting… it’s just as equally important my friend) and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.

is not some formulaic plan of salvation, but merely a call to Israel to embrace their messiah, whom they had just previously crucified.

The indication here is not HOW these things save you (re: Repentance or baptism) but that you are following along in obedience to what Christ had already laid out…. Repentance, Faith & obedience.

As for Chapter 1…. Jesus own words were in respect to John’s baptism, not the Church’s, and how we are to expect a greater baptism to follow… namely the indwelling Holy Spirit. Again… this isn’t a matter of salvation (hmmmm, seems to me that the Apostles would have already BEEN saved at this point… you think????) nor of staking out a formulaic plan on how men ought to be redeemed. Merely that we are immersed in a greater baptism by our adoption into the family of God.

Now here’s a thought for you… the King James writers…. missed the mark. They created the word “Baptism” from the Latin word for “Immersion.” They did the same thing with the Latin word Diaconis which they transliterated into “Deacon”. The word simply means “Servant”….. but as to “baptize” — the King James writers took a Latin word, dropped the context and merely transliterated it into English in order to not take sides on the whole sprinkle or full immersion controversy raging at the time. By creating “Baptize” they skirted the issue with neutrality.

It pays to do your history homework sometimes….

Gary – Thank you.

If you search the bible, you will find where they water baptized under the water.

They “Came Up” out of the water.

I noticed you skipped the 3 verses in ACTS that I posted.

You would not have shipped those on purpose because you follow the Pope’s Water Baptism of 325 AD at the Council Of Nicea when he started his 3 titles of, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, now would you?

You follow the Apostles in ACTS in the (Singular) name of Jesus or you follow the Pope’s 3 titles of that one name?

It $ pays to do your history and bible homework sometimes and find the truth instead of what others tell you

Wayne – Seems to me that the book of Matthew predates the pope… or at least the last time I checked it did…

Gary – You still flatly refuse to explain the ACTS baptism verses

Wayne – Only so far as they likewise support the rest of Scripture that God wrote. To be blunt, I see no disparity

Gary – That is OK. Most folks who follow the Pope cannot explain them nor do they have a desire to learn nor have they bowed in tears and asked GOD to reveal HIS truth

Wayne – Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. If Jesus said so… well… it’s clear enough for me.

Gary – Thank you.

Have you thought these 3 were titles of a Name?

A “proper name” or “title” or “office.”

More explanation: Matthew 28:19;

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the ( Singular ) name of the Father which is Jesus, and of the Son which is Jesus, and of the Holy Ghost which is Jesus.” (Singular)

Wayne – I reject Modalism, just as much as I reject Oneness Pentacostals. If you can’t deal with the fact that the Trinity exists, then I would honestly question your salvation…

look at your finger… it is created in the image of God.

Your finger is flesh,
Your finger is blood,
Your finger is bone.

You cannot remove a single component and have a working finger. Just like the God who created you.

Jesus is God, but he is not the father.

Just like the flesh of my finger is not blood. Both work in total unison…. but both are utterly distinct from one another.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit…. three… in one harmony.

Clear enough for you?

Mark – I love both of you brothers & I believe this discussion is very profitable. PLEASE keep it going as time permits. Most who will read this exchange haven’t heard most of these arguments before.

I recently met a wonderful brother & his wife. He rambled on a bit about having been Baptized again recently in the name of Jesus. Years before, he had been Baptized in the name of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. He seemed genuinely convinced by someone in the name of the F,S, & HS was not sufficient. My response was, well, I think you’ve pretty well got it covered @ this point & added a big smile.This all happened while we were witnessing to a non-Christian. I do know that Romans & I John give assurance to believers who may not have been water Baptized @ all. That us good enough for me. In addition, I have been submersed after conversion, so Biblically speaking, I’m well covered. I must add, the doctrine of the Trinity is a pillar of Biblical Christianity. There is no getting around that one. Blessings!

Gary – Thank you all.

I will donate Cajun food and Cajun Shrimp boats if anyone can post 2 verses;

1) where the baptizer spoke over the person in going under the water the words, “Father, Son, Holy Spirit”

and the 2nd) where the baptizer spoke over the person in going under the water the words the name (Singular) of Jesus.

Wayne – This ought to add some fuel to the fire…..

Mark – Jesus only needs to say it once Gary, “Therefore 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 NIV. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense if you grabbed a hold of the account in Acts, marched out to the creek and baptized people in Jesus name when He said, do it the way I told you. He also said, go make disciples, so to run out and make converts wouldn’t make sense either. Lastly, the Cajun food, and Cajun fishing boats belong to Jesus. I’m assuming your offer was set up on a tier system. Give one Scripture – win the food. Give two – win the boats.

Gary – I am not able to find any contradictions in the KJV. It all is congruent for those who read it with an open mind.

But, now when I was younger and Catholic, I read Matt 28:19 as the Formula instead of the Commission. I read the 3 titles as 3 names instead of 3 titles of the only 1 name of Jesus.

That is why I visit another religion every month. To share, and learn and ask questions and grow.

Gary – You guys are saying in a round about way, y’ll all cannot find any verse where they were water baptized in the 3 titles?

Gary – Ya’ll all also were not able to find any verse in ACTS where they were water baptized in the name of Jesus?

Mark – if you don’t trust in the Triune God revealed in Scripture, and disregard clear teaching of our Lord as recorded by Matthew, you might be a redneck, a cult member, confused or just another blinded reprobate. At this point, I can’t tell which. KJV only folks might not even grasp whats going on here I’m afraid. Either way, keep passing the good news around, that Jesus died for sinners like you and me, and all who repent of their sin and come to Him, He will not turn them away.

Gary – Thank you Mark;

I guess I am different. If I was not able to understand or explain every verse in ACTS, I would be attending other religions with an open mind seeking to learn. I love to learn.

Wayne – Gary — If God wrote scripture, then you can expect a unified message throughout, start to finish. It might be progressive revelation (Moses gave us the Law, but Law was only put into place to show us how far we had fallen and therefore usher in a new covenant of Grace… progressive revelation….) or it might be stated plainly or bluntly (The just shall live by faith — likewise — He who hides his sin shall not prosper, but whoever confesses & forsakes their sin shall obtain life.) (Habakkuk 2:4 and Proverbs 28:13) either way you’ll find a consistency to the message… because of one over all author.

Now…. that all said…. let’s go back …. way back… all the way back to your first comment.

When are we saved and our sins forgiven?

You are pulling from the Book of Acts with the aim of proving what’s known as “Baptismal Regeneration”.  Or plainly put, that it is Baptism that brings about our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins.  This is commonly deduced from 1 Peter 3:21 and again from Acts 22:16 which says

(using King James for just a moment …)

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Which seems to imply that the washing away of sins occurs from being baptized.

But let’s look at the rendering of this verse in another version… (I do prefer the New Living Translation personally… esp. since I am a missionary teaching the Scriptures to people who cannot comprehend neither Greek, Hebrew, nor King James English.)

What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.

One little preposition changes everything. Our sins are washed away NOT BY BAPTISM…. but — BY — calling upon the Lord (by Faith)…. such as the consistent message is throughout all of scripture. This is because in the Greek …. punctuation and often even prepositions… are left up to the reader to UNDERSTAND…. and not everyone always does. This is one reason so many “translations” have proliferated over the years as we try to better grasp what was meant… and likewise to compare what we have from the earliest manuscripts to what’s being put forth.

But let’s take this from another point…. You keep pointing to the book of Acts.

Acts mentions “Baptize” (Greek word, Baptizo or Baptizomai) 24 times in the King James version. Several instances run concurrently (re: all at the same time in the same passage) —- Acts 2:38 & 41. Acts 8:12, 13, 16. Acts 10:37, 47-48. Acts 19:3, 4, 5 (which incredibly uses the word 5 times in only 3 verses). Thus 15 instances of the word actually break down to only 4 real life situations — meaning only 13 real uses of the word “Baptize” in 13 specific occasions.

What’s even more interesting is that 10 full times the word is used NOT…. N-O-T …. regarding the churches baptism …. but of John the Baptists’ !!!! This means that really, only about 9 instances in the book of Acts are pointed to as regarding baptism in direct correlation with the Church. All the rest refer back to John’s calling the people to what…. Baptism? No…. John was calling the people to “Repent”! (Luke 3:3; Acts 13:24)

Acts likewise mentions Repent (Greek word, Metanoia) on 10 separate occasions. Interestingly enough… 10 independent instances, not one concurrent use of the word alongside itself. Also interestingly enough… side by side with Baptize in Acts 2, 8, 11 & 19. So nearly 40% of it’s usage is side by side with the word “Baptize.”….. but there’s a key passage (even in the King James…) that you seem to be ignoring… and this only from the Book of Acts.

Here’s the verse… for your benefit, from the King James.

When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. (Acts 11:18)

God granted the Gentiles…. repentance unto …. L-I-F-E. Repentance, if you clearly understand this verse, is what brings about salvation and Life. Not only that… but repentance is something God G-I-V-E-S… not an act of our own.

Does this stand up to the rest of Scripture?

Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Proverbs 28:13 He who covers his sin shall not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes it shall obtain mercy.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There are many other verses one could turn to… many… but I think these three read it plainly enough… Repentance is a gift from God that leads us from death to life. It has a purifying affect upon the heart.

A key note here — if you look to the incredible passage of Isaiah 1:18 — Come, let us reason together, though your sins be red as scarlet I shall wash them white as snow — That incredible offer of salvation….

…….is preceded by FIVE full verses calling men to repent!!!!

two verses offering salvation…. preceded directly by 5 verses calling men to repent in order to obtain that salvation. Tell me that repentance isn’t important.

So Let’s go back to your original question — When are we saved and our sins forgiven?

By the preponderance (That word means the overwhelming evidence in support of….) of verses in Scripture it’s clear that Salvation comes when we repent, turn to God and trust in him…. not by baptism, which merely places us in union to Christ’s death and resurrection by proxy.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
Acknowledge him in all that you do
And — HE — will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

From one end of scripture to the other the message goes forth.

The just shall live by faith.

And we obtain faith not by baptism…. but by repentance.

Repent and believe. (Thus says Jesus, Matthew 4:17, 9:13; Mark 1:15, 2:17; Luke 5:32, 13:3, 5, and most importantly Luke 24:47 which is Luke’s rendering of the great commission and spells it out in perfect detail.)

You really need to stop looking to those who are dead and blind for your answers…. for honestly, those DEAD in their sins are BLIND to the truth of God and have nothing to offer you which can lead you along the path of righteousness.

Here’s how I once graphed out Ephesians 4:17-19 — just so the effect of that verse becomes clear….

So I tell you this and insist upon it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the FUTILITY of their thinking.

Thus, before Christ, we are in this condition —

Our Thinking is futile
—Our Understanding is darkened
—–we are separated from the life of God
——–we are ignorant
————we have hardened our hearts
—————-we have lost ALL sensitivity to sinful things
——————-we have given ourselves over to sensuality
———————–we indulge in every manner of impurity (RE: all things UN-holy)
—————————-and lastly, we continually lust for more.

And from this sort of person you want to glean “Spiritual insight”? Sorry…. Jesus, himself, called them “Blind leaders of the blind.” They know nothing.

Christianity isn’t a matter of looking for what’s the best in all religions and incorporating it back into our faith — Christianity REJECTS the world’s wisdom and religions as folly, foolishness and the doctrines of demons. (1 Corinthians 1 & 2; James 3:15-16; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Colossians 2:16-23)

Christianity rests wholly, solely, purely & plainly upon Christ, his words and His works… and nothing else. The book of Hebrews makes that absolutely clear.

Wayne – Oh, and @Gary — regarding “not being able to find verses regarding threefold name baptism….”    I answered you already. I told you that Jesus command in Matthew was stated plainly enough for me to follow. Be baptized in the name of the Father, in the Name of the Son & In the name of the Holy Spirit.

I see NO —- N. O. —- disparity regarding manner of baptism here. In Jesus name, in the 3 fold blessing…. no disparity and no bother. Seems to me both are covered in Scripture so there’s no point to arguing the matter.

But let me point something out to you… if it was merely to be “in the name of Jesus”… and nothing else… then why didn’t Jesus make it that simple? Why specifically spell it out in very detailed terms? Why go through all the bother?

Why did He not simply say:

Baptizing them in MY name.

Period, end of conversation.

He spelled it out because it was important. He spelled it out because this isn’t three titles for one (singular) person, but THREE PERSONS IN UTTER UNITY. Three personages to one God.  A Trinity.

Again bringing us back to the question and matter of the trinity which YOU…. Y-O-U… keep avoiding and not addressing.

If more comes of this conversation I’ll consider posting it up as an addendum.  But I honestly think that the matter is spelled out clearly in the questions and responses given.  If nothing else, it is something to chew on.

On being a Missionary

Recently someone sent me a list of questions.  They are enrolled in a “Missionary college” and as part of their homework they are required to pose the following questions to some missionary they know.  I felt that some of the questions were good enough to share, so here goes.

Those of you who know me, know that I am not the type of person to give short answers…. be prepared.

1. Full Name: 

Wayne Shuman.   I am also known as 陳偉恩 (Pronounced “Chun Way-Un” in Chinese.   Interestingly, 偉恩 (Way-Un) means “Great Grace” or “Abundant Mercy”.  God chose that name for me.

2. Birthplace:

New York, America.  Only lived there 6 months though, so it’s really not “home” to me.  I spent about 30+ years living around Chicago.  That’s where I call home.

3. Birthday:

June 5th, 1964 — yes, My birthday is in 2 weeks.

4. Mission Field and Time there:

Taiwan, 4 years 3 months. 

5. Years elapsed between the call and the exit:

By this I assume you mean the time between I felt that God wanted me on the Missions field and the time I actually left for the Mission field.  The answer then would be 1 year, 2 weeks.   There’s a story to go with this — I’ll add it at the end if there is nowhere else in the questions to talk about it.

6. Exit country:

Sorry, this is another odd question.  I assume you mean where I left “From” — That would be America where I lived most of my life.

7. Marital Status:

Marriage #1  1987-1998.  Ex-wife pushed for and obtained divorce, despite my fighting against it.  In the end she got what she wanted.

Marriage #2 2008-present.  I love my wife so much that I married her twice — once in a civil ceremony (in order to speed up the process of obtaining a green card for her — originally we were going to stay in America.)  on January 25, 2008.   And again in a church ceremony on May 24th, 2008.  Yes… two days from now.  

8.  Do you have children?                           

Yes, by the previous marriage.

If your answer is Yes, how many do you have? 

I have two children by my previous marriage.  I have a son who is 24 and proclaims to be an radical Atheist Bi-Sexual.  I likewise have a daughter who is 22 and is a lesbian agnostic.  

I did not get to spend much time with my kids as they were growing up  (My wife demanded sole custody which meant she called the shots for their upbringing… for whatever good that did…), but I did try hard to preach the gospel to them when I did get to have time with them.  As a result, neither child wants any contact from me at this point in their lives.  They do not want to hear that their lifestyles are sinful.  I write my blog mostly so that in case some day they want to know who their father was and what he believed in.

9. Academic Preparation:

35+ years of studying Scripture and theology.  No college training, just in depth study of the Word, theology, cults and Church history.  

I have 20% of the New Testament and 5% of the Old Testament memorized, chapter and verse.  I have the whole of scripture topically memorized so that I can pull up key verses (by memory) on any given subject if necessary.   Definitely helps when I need an answer for the questions that pop up around me.

I have gone to Seminary — but I prefer not to count that.  It was run by Liberals who questioned the authority of God’s Word, who questioned the accuracy of God’s Word, and who did much to destroy the actual faith of many believers.   I fought my professors tooth & nail and refused to back down from my position that the Bible was written by God, not man, and is the ONLY source of our knowledge of God.   The only thing that Seminary taught me was not to trust in men who claim to be “Christian” Seminary Professors.

10. Mission Training:

Again, none.  When God calls someone to go, I don’t believe that it is always necessary for them to take a PH.D. with them.  Paul was classically trained, that shows in his letters to the Churches.  But Peter and John were a simple fishermen.  No college training.

Acts 4:13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.

Does training help?  It can.  If you want to train to be a medical doctor on the missions field that would be of great benefit to those you are taking the gospel to.  But if you’re getting a college degree in Economics — give it up and take something practical / useful to the folks you intend to preach to.

11. Have you been at other mission field?

No, this was not something I had planned to do.

12. Church or Mission Agency that sent you:

None.

I had my reasons.   It seems to me that Missions Agencies tend to do several things which counter-act or are counter-productive to the purpose of missions. 

(A) they tend to restrict or enhance the message of the Gospel.

By this I mean that they tend to tell you what you can or should preach, stressing things such as Tithing, Speaking in Tongues, Baptism in the Holy Spirit and any number of other things that while helpful in some ways — ARE NOT THE GOSPEL.

The Gospel is simply this — You are a sinner, who has offended a Holy God by your acts of rebellion against him.  Your sins deserve punishment, but the good news is that Jesus died for your sins if you will simply believe in him.   To believe means to trust in Him with all your heart.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  To repent of your sins (Proverbs 28:13; Acts 17:30) and turn to God for forgiveness, understanding that not one “good” work that you’ve done amounts to anything before the God who made you.  (Jeremiah 17:9; Isaiah 64:6)

(B) Missions agencies are just that — agencies.  They have bills, they have staff with salary requirements and often the money to pay these bills and staffing needs are pulled directly from the funds intended to go to the missions fields.  That means that a percentage of the money that you draw in for “Support” doesn’t go to you, it goes to your agency — who supports you.

Why have a middle man (The missions agency)?  Why not just go?  Trust that God will meet your needs and take care of you — AS HE HAS PROMISED.   (Philippians 4:19; Psalms 55:22; Isaiah 40:31)  Paul had one church that supported him, and many others that sent money as they had the opportunity.  God always made sure that Paul had enough to cover his missionary needs — and even beyond that, Paul labored in the field so that he would not be a burden to any city he preached in.  (Acts 20:33-35; 1 Corinthians 9:11-12; 2 Corinthians 11:7-8, 12:14-16) 

(C) Missionary Agencies & The great assumption.

Missionary agencies often ASSUME that the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) means

“Go —- to college and spend several years learning and preparing.

They assume that without some specialized training, God can’t use you.  Peter and John would have been useless to today’s Missionary Organizations. But bear this in mind —- God doesn’t choose the wisest and most college prepared!  1 Corinthians 1:27-29 tells us the exact opposite. 

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.  

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Go —- on a missions support round up, making sure all your needs are met BEFORE you go to the missions field.  (Meaning: Go from church to church to church in your home country — SOMETIMES FOR YEARS — until you get enough people to commit to supporting you when you finally do someday get to the missions field you intend to work in.)

Which begs the question — why even bother waiting on God to supply your need if you’re only going to do it yourself before you go?   Missions Agencies ASSUME that support must come from local churches back home, rather than from you actually being on the missions field and working and laboring there and allowing God to supply you as you work.

Go —- learn a new language (or two, or three) before you can be effective in preaching.

Missionary Agencies ASSUME that if you are going to preach in Chad, Africa, you must first learn French, before you learn the tribal tongue of the people you’ll work closest with.  

I am not making this up — I have a friend who is with Wycliffe Bible Translators, working in Chad, Africa.  He had to spend 2 years learning French first… before he was allowed to tackle the tribal language.  This meant he knew Spanish, English & French  — BEFORE — he ever learned a single word to preach the gospel where he felt led to.

Go —- present yourselves to a missions board to have their approval that you are “sent by God.” 

Ummm, isn’t that rather “sent by men of the Missions board”?  When Abraham heard the call to leave Ur of the Chaldees, he did not first put it to the vote of a committee.  (Genesis 12:1-4)  He simply obeyed.

All that before you can …. go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

Seems to me that Missions Agencies throw far more into it than Jesus ever intended.  The Disciples only had to wait 40 days…. why then do the agencies require upwards of 10 years?

(D) Missions Agencies will often require you to come back home every 5 years or so “for a vacation or break.”  

What this really means is that you will be required to go BACK to the churches you visited in your home country in order to (1) give them an overview of the missions work you’ve been doing and (2) work again to renew the missionary support you worked hard to get before you left the first time…. and hopefully gain more support (both for yourself and for the missions agency which takes a percentage).

I can’t tell you the number of missionaries I spoke to over the years whose one biggest complaint was that they were FORCED to leave their missions field for some mandatory “vacation”…. right when their work was at it’s most crucial point…. and have to remain on “Vacation” until they have drummed up sufficient new “support” for them to go back.

Paul lived on the missions field, died on the missions field — dare I expect to do less?

My final conclusion on the matter of missionary agencies was “Why not just go — and leave all the red tape behind?  Preach the Gospel where you can, as you can, as God leads — and allow God to marvelously supply all your need as it arises….. thus giving praise and Glory back to Him… and not the missions agency which begot you.

And so left I did, without an agency backing / supporting me — and I’ve never been more relieved that I choose that path.

13. Your Transportation at field:

An 8 year old car that was given to us by my wife’s parents.  It suits our needs and has been a blessing since we obtained it.

14. Do you have a job?

I sometime teach English and get paid for it, but it’s not very often or very much.  My wife has a full time job that helps us along.  She is a teacher at an Elementary School

I am presently a student, learning Chinese, so that I can adequately preach the gospel.   My story of becoming a student is a funny one though, and worth sharing.  In any case I am learning Chinese with grade school students, which gives me great opportunity to show the heart of the Gospel in action to both child and parent — even without knowing the language.

15. Monthly Expenses (USD currency)

a. Food  —  $400 for 2 people.  We eat as cheaply as we can.
b. Water  —  $30
c. Gasoline —  $120
d. Electricity —  $80 – $100
e. Others

1. Housing — $450
2. Cat supplies — $150  (We have 5 cats and often feed strays.)
3. Propane — $40  (In Taiwan, they use propane for hot water and cooking)
4. Car Insurance — $350 a year
5. Car maintenance — $500 a year  (Oil changes and light repair work)
6. Life insurance — $350 a year (on my wife only)
7. Medical — $350 a year (but 2 years ago I had an emergency appendectomy which cost us about $2500 US)

16. Do you receive economic help from any movement?

No.  I run auctions on Ebay once a year around Christmas in order to apply what we get  back into our ministry.  I usually sell Christian Music CDs… and have had people actually donate their CD collections to me for resale just for this purpose.

17. Do you receive support and counseling?

No, the only “counseling” a Christian should need is constant reading and application of the Word of God and the humble submission of himself to those he is accountable to in his local church.

God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right.  By using Scripture, a man of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

18. Do you have a Retirement Plan?

The man who trusts in God will lack for no good thing.  (Psalm 34:9; Psalm 23:1; Philippians 4:19; Psalm 55:22)

My wife has a retirement plan through her job, but for the man of God we ought not to look entirely to such things but rather to the Lord who abundantly supplies.

I do believe that the Proverb that says “Go to the ant, you sluggard” Isn’t referring to retirement plan but rather it’s a open rebuke of laziness.  Something we could dare to hear more about in our day and age.

19. Do you have a LOCAL prayer group that prays for your mission, family and you?

Yes, we do.

But let me offer this up to you.  The greatest prayer warrior we’ve ever seen was a man named George Muller back in the 1800’s.  This man feed over 1500 orphans in England for over 40 years —  BY PRAYER ALONE.  But his manner of prayer was unique.   He laid his prayers out to God ALONE…. no one else.  He told no man of his need, be it money, food or provisions.  He told no one but God and his wife.

He kept a record, a journal, of every item he ever prayed for, and noted just when and how God provided.   By the end of his life, when other men found his prayer journals, he had listed over 50,000+ answered prayers — often to the exact amount he had prayed for.

This man went to God alone so that God alone would get the glory for having answered the prayers.  He did not always and constantly present his needs to other men so that one of them might be moved to answer the prayer for him.   God alone.

When you trust in God completely, you start to see that you need nothing else.

20. Do you have a INTERNATIONAL prayer group that prays for your mission, family and you?

yes.  My Blog readers do constantly lay me before God in prayer.  I do know this.

21. From your perspective, answer the following questions: If your answer is No in any question, please explain Why?

I’m going to answer all the questions that follow individually…  but also all at once here by saying that the questions are foolishness to a Christian.  Does a Christian “NEED” to feel loved?  Does a Christian “NEED” to feel valued?  Is “Safety & security” a promise from God?

Paul wrote this of himself — Greatest missionary ever known to man… and this is how he summed up his ministry.

 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.  Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.  I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.  I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.  (2 Corinthians 11:23-27)

So for us to ask things such as the following portion of this Question & Answer survey is nothing more than foolishness and shows a very worldly mindset bent on being comfortable and lazy.

Need I remind you of Paul’s promise to all Christians?

Those who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus SHALL BE PERSECUTED.  (2 Timothy 3:12)

Jesus said that we should expect that the world won’t like us or our message — if they hated him, what makes us think that they’ll like us?  (John 15:18-21)

 a. Do you feel loved? — God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.  (John 3:16) Yes, I feel loved.  What else am I supposed to feel?

 b. Do you feel valued?  Feeling “valued” is a vain pursuit.  The only thing that has “Value” is to hear God say “Well done my good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:21) AFTER I DIE…. that has no bearing upon the here and now.

c. Do you feel you have a purpose for your life?  The world follows after such vanity.  I know Rick Warren wrote “the Purpose Driven Life” — but to be blunt, this man can’t even present the Gospel straight, what’s to make me buy into his baloney about me needing some grand purpose?

d. Do you feel safe and secure?  Jesus had no place to lay his head, no bed to call His own…. and you want to ask if I feel safe and secure?   God is my strength & my shield — The Lord is my shepherd.   Beyond that — I don’t care about personal comfort or safety.

e. Do you feel part of a community?  If you are asking do I have a local Church that I belong to, worship at and minister in — yes.

f.  Are your basic needs supplied?  Yes, Praise God, amen.

g. Are your health and your family’s health well?  When it’s not, we pray.  When it is, we simply & humbly thank God for His bountiful blessings.

h. Is your family committed to your ministry?  My wife, yes, my children, no.

i. Are you satisfied with your achievements?  I am simply a servant of God doing what I am called to be doing.  Achievements are meaningless.  (Luke 17:10)

22. Do you have any project in mind you want to develop? If you do, how much you think will cost? (USD)

Interesting that you should ask this — yes I have a project in mind.  I desire to give New Testaments with Proverbs & Psalms to the children I minister to daily.  It’s something that won’t be needed for another 2 years, but I am already at work trying to build up the funds and find the necessary Chinese Bibles (and name printing) so that I can do this.   I know what it will cost — but I’m willing to trust that God knows this too and is already working on taking care of it.

23. At your mission field:

I have to freely admit that I am not sure what you’re actually asking here.  I’ll try to give some form of answer based on my understanding.

a. Do you have liberty of association? 

If you mean by this — Am I free to worship openly and freely — then yes.   Taiwan does not have religious persecution…. yet.

b. Is there persecution or prejudice against the church? 

Sadly, no.  And interestingly — the only persecution I get is from the Church itself.   They don’t like my message of the Bible being God’s Word, Jesus being God in the flesh, bringing men to the repentance of their sins and faith in Christ being the primary mission of the Christian or any other number of similar evangelical doctrines.

The “Church” Here is mostly liberal social gospel garbage.   By that I mean that they don’t believe the bible, they don’t believe Jesus is the only way to Heaven, they don’t believe Jesus is coming again to set up a kingdom — they believe that we need to work to make this world a better place to live… through politics, through social action & through “being nice to one another”, forgetting that we are not permanent residents on this Earth.  (1 Peter 2:11; 2 Peter 3:13; Hebrews 11:10, 26 & 13:12-14)    This is not the Gospel Jesus came to deliver.   The Church is is luke-warm (Revelation 3:15-16) and shall one day be spit out of Jesus mouth if they do not repent.

24. Any advice for young people who feel the Call for missions:

(#1) Know your bible.   Consider it more precious than food.  Let the WORD of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16) so that you might be able to give answer for the hope that is within you.  (1 Peter 3:15)   Remember that the means of our affecting the salvation of men is two-fold — The word of God and the Spirit of God…. who uses the Word of God in the hearts of men to bring them to repentance.  (Luke 8:11, 15; 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 4:2;  John 16:7-11; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9)

(#2) Likewise — know your enemy.  I am not talking about Satan, though his schemes are plain and open to those who know the Word of God.  No, I am talking about the cults who you will come up against time and again — and likewise the false philosophies of our day and age which presume to know more than God.  Walter Martin’s “Kingdom of the Cults” is the best book you can have with you on the missions field beyond just a bible.  It will give you deep insight and information into the belief systems of most cults and world religions and give you answers on how to best present the Gospel to these lost souls.   I regularly come up against Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons and Buddhists here in Taiwan.   All of them are lost and without the Gospel of Christ… in need of salvation. 

(#3) Lastly — and this may seem strange — but know the Gospel.  (Romans 1:16-17)

This is the most important advice I can give you because scriptures pronounce serious damnation upon those who preach it wrongly.

No matter the source of the false gospel, even if it is preached by us or a heavenly messenger, ignore it. May those who add to or subtract from the gospel of Jesus be eternally cursed!  Listen again: if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than what you have accepted, may he find himself cursed!  (Galatians 1:8-9)

“As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and be drowned in the bottom of the lake.  How terrible it is for the world because of the things that cause people to trip and fall into sin! Such things have to happen, but how terrible it is for the person who causes those things to happen!  (Jesus in Matthew 18:6-7)

The key points of the Gospel are simply this:

1. Jesus was God, in man form, come to earth that he might be a sacrifice for our sins.  (John 1:1, 12-14)
2. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.  (Luke 19:10)
3. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.  (Luke 5:32)
4. To repent is simply this — turn from your sins, stop trusting in your “good works” to save you.   (Proverbs 3:5,6; 28:13)
5. If we confess our sins, indeed if we confess that we are sinners in need of saving, then God is Faithful to forgive us. (1 John 1:9)
6. We must openly confess Christ as our savior if we are to be saved.  (Romans 10:9-10) This means that we stop living for our selves and start living for God, in obedience to Christ’s commands.  (John 15:5-10; 1 John 2:3-4)
7. All men are not “Children of God” — we are all enemies of God (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21) — we only become Children of God by the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, after we are saved.  (Romans 8:15-16)
8. Once we are in Christ’s hands, no power in Heaven or Earth can remove us.  (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39) This is cause and reason for rejoicing!

Long answers — lots of scripture — much to think about.  It took me 10 hours to answer this email… I pray that those who dare to read it are encouraged and blessed in some way.

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Footnote I added later to the person asking the questions:

By the way — I took the time to review “Go to the Ant” in Proverbs  …. AFTER …. I answered your questions.   The implications for the verse are a rebuke about laziness, but I do believe there is justification for the verse likewise to be regarding saving up for one’s later years (RE: retirement).

But think about this — Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for changing God’s laws.  Jesus specifically pointed this out with the Pharisees setting up the “Corban” rule.  (Read about it in Mark 7:8-13)    But if you look at verse 11 closely, you’ll see something interesting.

Children were to provide for their parents in their old age…. this was their “retirement plan”.   

It’s the same way that Taiwan and China still follow today and exactly why China is having serious problems with their “One Child per Family” law — when you’re only allowed one child…. you want it to be a boy so that he can provide for you when you get old.

There is a retirement plan in God’s economy…. it’s just not the “SAVE ALL YOU CAN SAVE NOW!!!!!” method the world pushes us towards.

Judgement comes, P4: When everyone “speaks” for God

This marks the last post that I shall reprint, bringing up to date what I had previously said about Judgment from a Biblical point of view.  There was a reason for doing this, and I do feel it necessary to rehash old material before proceeding with new thoughts.  I have done some minor editing, so this is not entirely a rerun.  New thoughts will be in italics.

In any case, this was originally posted on September 20, 2011 as “Judgement Comes, P4: A Presuming Spirit” and continued an unplanned series of posts which I will soon finish.  

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Prelude —

There are very few things that scare me.  Honestly, I mean that. 

1. Ghosts?  Don’t believe in them — It is appointed for man ONCE to die, and then for judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) 
2. Monsters?  Don’t buy into them — there’s so very little of this world that man hasn’t seen that if there is a bigfoot or yeti or Loch Ness out there… they’re avoiding us for a reason. 
3. Aliens?  I’ll quote Larry Norman on this one — If there is life on other planets, then I’m sure that He must know and He’s been there once already and has died to save their souls.
4. Serial Killers?  If one happens upon me, he’d probably kill me quickly to shut me up from talking about the Grace of God and the forgiveness found in Jesus death on the cross.  I don’t fear death, nor do I fear the means by which I shall someday die.

This universe may be big — but it’s not bigger than God, nor His grace, nor his ability to save.  I believe in the Sovereignty of God as well, which means I know that all things that happen — do so for an ultimate purpose…. and that’s nothing to be fearful of.

No, there are seriously few things that scare me — yet this is one of them.

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In our day and age, information is wealth.  Those with the greatest knowledge at their disposal presume to have power.  And with the internet so freely available to one and all — the pride of man shows it’s ugly side time and time again.  I was just reflecting this morning on the fact that the more civilized a society becomes —- the greater it’s propensity towards sinful things becomes.  Today, we think ourselves not as sinners, but rather as good people who just happen to do bad things — occasionally… well, infrequently…. ok, hardly ever. 

But it’s not information or knowledge that scares me, it’s the presumption that we can all be teachers…. that we all know God intimately and can pull Him out of our pocket at any time — we’ve all got this “god” thing figured out and can teach you how you, also, can know “the truth as I see it“.  (The link is to my post from April 2011 entitled “What’s wrong with American Christianity, Pt 2: Wiki-Bible-Pedia — it also goes to show that this topic has long been on my “hit list….” of things wrong in the Church.)

There is a Bible verse that says that teachers (within the Church) will face a harsher judgment (James 3:1).  Ever wonder why that is?  When we teach, we presume to explain the Truth of God.  Who He is, what He’s all about, and more importantly (cause everyone loves to be a follower) what God expects of us.  We, in teaching, represent God —— or…. we MIS-represent God and lead people astray. 

Wrap your mind around this for a moment.

There are only two paths.  Heaven.  Hell.

By speaking the truth, we lead people away from Hell and into Heaven.  BUT —- ONLY —- by speaking THE TRUTH.  Half-truths are weapons in the hands of our enemy to deceive and lead people astray.  If we only give half of the picture — we are not leading people to God…. we’re leading them to an IDOL we’ve named “God” and thus leading them into the sin of idolatry.

Every cult and major religion was started by someone who presumed to teach FOR GOD.  Someone dissatisfied with God’s TRUTH who decided the Church had it wrong and he should set them straight.  Joseph Smith (Mormonism), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science), Mohammed (Islam), Nimrod  (Founder of the Babylonian cults which still pollute and foul the world today) — the list of people who presumed to speak for God is massive, and every one of these people had one thing in common — they presumed to be teachers of / for / sent by the one true God when in fact, they spurned truth and spread lies in it’s place leading

BILLIONS

of people into Hell.

Paul said that new believers ought not to be servants within the church. 

Greek word: Diakonos — translated by the King James Crew as “Deacon” … a word created specifically for the King James Bible….  but in reality the word simply means “servant”… someone, anyone, who works in and for the church. 

There was good reason for that — new believers don’t know enough lead and teach…. they have zeal, but it is not tempered by knowledge. (Romans 10:2)  They are prone to error and as such, prone to leading others astray.  There is good reason why James told us to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19).  Our words will someday judge us.

Our words

will someday

judge us.

Have you ever fully thought about that?  There is a judgment of believers (1 Corinthians 3:11-14).  Judgment STARTS WITH believers (1 Peter 4:17) and then moves onward to non-believers. 

Footnote — Consider for a moment the parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46).  WHO was dealt with first?  The sheep.  The blessing comes to the faithful ones, then… judgment for all else.  Even the parable of the Wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13: 24-30) shows that there will be a separating of true and false believers someday…

Jesus said that for every idol word that comes out of our mouths  —- we WILL be judged (Matthew 12:36 — the word “WILL” makes that a promise).  I honestly don’t believe that we believe this any more.  I honestly believe that we still buy into the whole “well, I’m really pretty decent and surely God sees my efforts for him and will consider that in my favor” attitude that stinks of trying to buy grace.  I say we don’t believe this because far to many of us presume to be teachers — speaking forth on God’s behalf without taking the time or effort to make sure we’re speaking T-R-U-T-H.  (2 Timothy 2:15)

Unless the LORD builds the house,
   its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
   the watchmen stand guard in vain.
 In vain you rise early
   and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
   for he grants sleep to those he loves.  (Psalms 127:1-2) 

That was one of the greatest problems in Israel — prophets who spoke for the Lord abounded…. and not one of them was called to be a prophet.  They just wanted the title, prominence, importance, or maybe they just liked having power over people —- esp. the king.  But time and again God would send a true prophet to correct the false ones and you know what — the false prophets never once repented.  They all still presumed  to speak for God, even when faced by the truth.

Bear all of this in mind for the next sentence.

For every 450 prophets of Ba’al — there was only 1 prophet of God.

For every 1,000 false teachers, who presume to represent God — there’s only a few, a handful out there, who are really doing the harder work of staying faithful and true to God’s Word and seeking to represent God faithfully, honestly and without creating yet one more “god” idol.   Billions across this planet follow some man’s teaching ABOUT God — from men who do not know God, and only serve to led men to hell…. In God’s name. 

Consider for a moment the next few verses in light of what I am saying

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

For the time will come when men will NOT put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Today, we presume to speak for God…. to teach His word…. to know His mind…. we all want to share what we presume to know about God… without taking the time to honestly get to know God first.  We’ve become like Israel during the time of Ahab… and one of the more common indicators of judgments approach was when everyone assumed the role of prophet and presumed to speak for God.

Judgment comes… are we ready?

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Postlude #1

If you are asking me what makes me assume that men presume to speak for God and do so in a manner which greatly misrepresents God and causes men to fall away into Idolatry — simply look at the list of “Christian” (So-called) Best-selling books and music over the last 10 years.

1. My Best Life Now (Joel Osteen) — This man does not know the difference between a Mormon and A Christian…. outright stating that “They serve the same Jesus I do”… and yet his books top the list of “Christian” best-sellers?
2. The Shack (William P Young) — this little tome presumes to put words into the mouth of God APART FROM SCRIPTURE.  Makes me wonder who died and made the author the newest Pope.
3. Love Wins (Rob Bell) —  Sure, there is no Hell, and a loving God is just that… a LOVING God.  I guess Jesus got it all wrong, poor Jesus.
4. The Harbinger (Jonathan Cahn) — playing fast and loose with Scripture (i.e. using a prophetic verse of Scripture intended for the nation Israel and making it apply to America today), this book likewise presumes to speak for God BEYOND the pages of Scripture.
5. Fearless (Phillips, Craig & Dean) — This trio of gentlemen, who have consistently topped the Christian Radio Charts over the last 20 years, are Oneness Pentecostals who reject the trinity and simply state that Jesus IS the Father, Jesus IS the Holy Spirit.  There is no God, there is no Holy Spirit, there is only Jesus — in both roles.  This is actually called Modalism and is heresy.  Please tell me what Jesus are they preaching to us on our Christian Radios and Ipods?!?!?
6. The Collection (Jennifer Knapp) — when her record label knew there was a problem, that she had gross sin in her life regarding her Lesbianism, did they pull the product or did they simply release a greatest hits collection to market further off her popularity before everyone eventually did find out? 
   Oh, and as for her calling herself a “Christian Lesbian” — The pharisees thought they had it right too, didn’t they.  You can’t hold on to your sin and Christ also — no man can serve two masters.

My point in all of this is to say just this —- we assume that any one who mentions the name “Jesus” to be a Christian now-a-days, regardless of what other truth(s) they might reject, obscure, or flat out deny.  We’d prefer to bury our heads in the sand and enjoy some light reading and peppy music — than to do the harder work of discernment — because everyone presumes to speak for God.…. and we unquestionably listen.

Postlude #2:

Before anyone comes forward and says “Ya know… what you just wrote… it applies to you as much as anyone else…”  I want to say that I completely understand that — and live in fear of it.  One of my biggest fears is that I might in someway mis-represent God, Christ or the Word of God in some way so as to lead people astray.

Years ago I led a daily bible study with some guys.  In order to do the one hour bible study, I spent SIX HOURS A DAY IN STUDY.  Six hours.  Every day.  Just to teach one.  I stood fearful of misrepresenting God, His Truth, His Word or His Son to those men — and I stand equally as fearful today, some 21 years later…. even though I know quite a bit more than I did back then.

Am I “God’s spokesperson?”   Am I a mouthpiece for God.  Am I some exalted teacher / preacher / pastor / prophet that everyone should pay extra special attention to. No.  I am a servant, pure, plain and simple.  No better than the next guy.

Humorous footnote: Someone in the Charismatic movement once said of me “God is going to form new religion through you — to bring the world back to pure Christianity.”   I laughed in the guys face and told him that was the last thing this world needed, one more religion.  That was nearly 30 years ago, and in all that time I have never felt that “prophecy” to be anything more than a joke.

Do I represent the Word of God faithfully?  I do my best…. even when what I say cuts me as well as everyone else. 

When I was leading the Bible study 20 years back, I once stopped in the middle of the study and told the guys I couldn’t continue for the lesson — I needed to ask forgiveness from someone I had offended and couldn’t teach with that sin not dealt with. 

I live under no pretense of being perfect… of knowing everything… and there have been many times I have been rebuked by others and have had to remove a post for a time in order to do more study or prayer to make sure what I said was right.  @Ehrinn_l, for instance, has faithfully and patiently sought to keep me on the straight and narrow over the years, and I respect that.  Her rebuke is always “iron sharpening iron…”

Nevertheless, what I said is true… and you can verify it against the Bible… in fact, I strongly recommend it.   Be like the noble Bereans (Acts 17:11) my friends…. Check God’s word for what is and isn’t true…. and do your best to live by what you read there.

Parable of the Soils, P2: Percentages

I wasn’t planning on posting this for a few more weeks.  There was also supposed to be another post between this one and the last one which was posted on March 5th and can be found linked here:  The Parable of the Soils, P1: What’s Missing?  A few comments at my last post, though, made me realize that the answer to their comments lay within my observations here, which was supposed to be the conclusion to this mini-series of blogs.  Thus I break in the middle of “Judgment Comes” and offer this both as Part 2 for the Parable of the soils and likewise part 3.5 of Judgment comes.

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Within the pages of Scripture there are interesting apparent dichotomies which defy explanation.  Dr John MacArthur likes to simplify these by asking a few pointed questions.

Who lives your Christian life?

1. You do, you live it as best you are able in this fallen world.
2. Christ does, He lives in you, through you and empowers you to do as He wills.

Who is Christ?

1. He is fully 100% human.
2. He is fully 100% God.

Who wrote the Bible?

1. Men wrote it, it was fully their words, their thoughts, their styles and manners and their character.
2. The Holy Spirit wrote it, using men and inspiring them on what to write, but not using them as robots, or dictating machines.

MacArthur likes to point out that within every major doctrine of Christianity, there is a point of tension.  This is why Christianity often splits in to differing Theological groupings — because men love to try to fix the points of tension.  Calvinism – Armenianism,  both opposite examples of theological poles…. a magnetic north and south if you will.   Men love to explain things, and we love to fix issues we see with the powers of our logic.

FOOTNOTE:  I am not dismissing Calvinism as an extreme.  I firmly believe that the truths of Scripture are CLEARLY presented in Calvin’s presentation of Biblical doctrine. 

But God places tension within Scripture in order that He might better display it’s Supernatural origin.  What MacArthur means by that is this:  If men had written the Bible — they would have eliminated the points of tension.   They would have found some way to bring logic forth and downplay one tension in favor of the other.  They would have presented things so that there would be no tension.   Yet the reality is that the writer’s of the scriptures themselves embrace these tensions.

To live is Christ, to die is gain.  (Philippians 1:21)

1. Practical question: Live in Christ in this present darkness or die that I might know Christ fully? 
2. Answer — Both have purpose… accept that God will use both your life and your death to His greater purpose and plan. 
1. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) 

1. Practical question: Do I live my life or does Christ live it for me? 
   
2. Answer — both, we live our lives, but Christ lives through us.  It is not a joint effort with you taking credit for the bad things and Christ taking credit for the good — your life is lived simply by the power that Christ gives you as you submit yourselves more and more to Him. 
   
1. Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.  (2 Peter 1:20-21) 

1. Practical question:  Who wrote the scriptures, man or God? 
2. Answer — Both.  The scriptures were not preplanned by the authors, but were preplanned by God.  Thus Isaiah did not sit down one day and say “I think I’ll write scripture today.”  But God took what he wrote, inspired him, and thus gave us the book of Isaiah.
1. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  (2 Timothy 3:16)
2. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. (1 Corinthians 10:11)
   

There is a hidden truth in the parable of the soils that we don’t like to consider.  It isn’t really hiding, it’s in plain sight, but we gloss over it so quickly that it might as well be hiding.  And the truth of this plays right into Harlots, Prostitutes & Adulteresses, my last post.

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Quick — how many different soils are there in the parable of the soils?

If you said 4, you’re partially wrong.  The actual answer is there are 6, 3 bad ones (obvious) and 3 good ones (not so obvious).    There’s the path, the rocky, the thorny (3 bad ones) and there’s the soil that produces 30%, the soil that produces 60% and the soil that produces 100% (3 good ones).  All of the latter are simply lumped together as “good soil” because the issue isn’t how much they produce, but simply that they do produce something.

4 soils or 6 soils, either way you look at it, there’s good and there’s bad — two things stand out from this though — both “types” of soil can exist in Church and only time and the production of “fruit” will tell the good from the bad.

Wheat  & Tares.  (Matthew 13:24-30)
Sheep & goats. (Matthew 25:31-46)
Faithul & unfaithful servants. (Matthew 25:14-30)
Bridesmaids found with lamps a-ready & those who were lazy & unprepared.  (Matthew 25:1-13)
 
—- Judgment comes to first separate the true from the false, those who say “Lord, Lord” and do not live by that admission and those who are found faithful to living by Christ’s commands.  (Matthew 7:21-23)

So here’s a key point that gets missed: the percentage of folk who are honestly saved  out of all those who are found within the walls of “Church” is actually only about 33% to 50% —- by Jesus own estimation!!!!  That’s right …. 33% to 50%, more or less, of all who claim to believe and follow Christ…. are false in their assertions!

Let’s quickly review:

Rocky Soil — People in church but who are only there for an emotional boost.  They live by their emotions, and in the end that will be their downfall.  (I went into further detail on this in my first post on this parable.)

Thorny Soil — people in church who only commit themselves superficially to the truth of God’s Word.  Maybe they like the fellowship, maybe they like the sermons (Benjamin Franklin used to love listening to George Whitfield preach — not because he loved the truth and was a Christian, but because He loved the passion of Whitfield’s beliefs… and how that came out in his sermons.),  maybe they even like the music…. whatever the reason, they are there, but they don’t really commit themselves to Christ.

Hardened Soil — These people still hear the truth, even while the dismiss it outright.  They may or may not be in church, but in some fashion the truth has or is being presented to them… and they have the opportunity to reject it.

Good soil — true believers, regardless of how much fruit they bear.

Thus, in the least, 33% – 50% of a church (Dismissing the Hardened Soil as they probably aren’t in or would never be a part of a Church) could potentially be honest regarding their commitment to Christ.  It could be more, one would hope that it is — but reality is that most folks are simply playing games with God hoping that God will save them because of how “good” they are, how “good” their lives have been, how much “good” they’ve done along the way and any number of other “good” reasonings.  They are in the Church, but they don’t belong…. tares, goats, thorny or rocky soils, unfaithful servants, lazy bridesmaids…..  and it’s to folks just like these that the strongest warnings and most earnest and passionate urgings of Scripture flow out to.  Even here in the parable of the soils!

3 times in the book of Hebrews, the writer breaks from his train of thought to issue a strong warning.   In Hebrews 2:1-3, in Hebrews 6:4-8 and lastly in Hebrews 10:26-31 the writer urges his readers / hearers to come out of their indecision and to make a stand for what has already been proven to be Truth.  The wording is strong and the ultimate condemnation is terrifying. 

…think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. — It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  (Hebrews 10:29, 31)

This warning isn’t merely something given in Hebrews — you can find echoes of it in every New Testament writer, and even in the words of Jesus.   Those who “CLAIM” to follow Christ are constantly called to make sure that “CLAIM” is true and honest.

Here’s where all this comes together —- all my thoughts and the questions posed in my last post about Judgment —-  Here’s where the question of the Eternal Security of the Believer and yet the Adultery of the Church (and it’s inescapable judgment, re:  Revelation 3:16) find their places.

Two truths — both inescapably absolute and yet seemingly at odds with one another.

Those that come to Christ, who are saved by Him, are saved for eternity.  There is nothing in all of Heaven or Earth which can or will take them out of God’s hand.  (John 10:28; Romans 8:31-39)   In Calvinistic terminology, this would be Irresistible Grace and the Perseverance of the Saints.  When God places a call upon someone’s life — they will be saved, and nothing will prevent that.  Once saved and you shall always be saved, scripture paints that picture very precisely.

Yet….

All men who call themselves believers are constantly and consistently commanded to make sure their salvation is real, honest and true.

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.  (2 Peter 1:10)

Jesus, himself, says this TO HIS FOLLOWERS:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.  ….. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. (John 15:4,6)

Paul adds this —

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.  (2 Corinthians 13:5)

When the church is full of weeds — when the soil of men’s hearts who claim to believe in Christ is naught but rocky & thorny ground — when men cry “Lord, Lord” but cry “Foul, foul” when they are questioned regarding their how their lifestyles break from what is pure and true and noble and right — > KEY POINT — >   When those that claim to represent the God of the Universe, the creator of all men, and His beloved Son AND in point of fact do not and lead men into an idolatry in Christ’s own name……  Judgment cannot be far behind.   This is why Paul says the last days will be perilous times where men will have a false form of spirituality, following doctrines of demons and deceiving many.  (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5)

This same fact of judgment was just as true of Israel when they played the harlot to every idol and false God……. it will be equally true today when Millions of men take upon their lips the name of Jesus, but in their lives show nothing of a life that displays a servant’s humility, a readiness to follow their Master or a dedication to stand upon the solid rock of Truth found in Scripture despite the ridicule of the world which mocks and scorns those of us who do.  These are the adulteresses for whom a commitment to Christ is meaningless.  And it’s a pretty high percentage.

In all of Israel God told Elijah that there were 7,000 who had not bowed their knee to Ba’al.  7,000 out of hundreds of thousands. (1 Kings 19:18)

In all the world, God found only 8 to preserve in the Ark….. OUT OF BILLIONS.  (Link is to a post I wrote 4 years ago looking into the number of people potentially killed in the universal flood.)

In all of Jerusalem and Judea, after Christ had preached His final message and had been crucified — only 120 men OUT OF POTENTIALLY 250,000 – 1,000,000+ PEOPLE…. only 120 men were to be found waiting on the day of Pentecost….

The percentages of the parable of the soils are telling —- and the warning is for one and all of us to pay extra careful attention NOT TO OTHERS…. but to our own salvation, to be absolute certain we are as we claim — even though once God’s calling comes upon a man or woman, to save that one, the place they gain in the family of Believers is unquestionably  E–T–E–R–N–A–L —- still Judgment does come…. and it begins with those who claim to be Christians….. and we would best spend our time making certain we are not deceiving ourselves.  (1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 1 Peter 4:17) 

So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers.  (John 8:31)

Brother, sister — when was the last time you thoroughly searched your life to be certain of your honesty before God?