Encouraging or Preventing Worship of God

With my new responsibilities of overseeing the worship along with the youth at Gracepointe I was thinking of my own role in God's worship and directing the people. I want to point the people to God and not be a distraction. With last's week's blog and the poor signage pointing the wrong way I thought this one would be a nice compliment to it. It reminded me of some thoughts I had from John's gospel last year.

Last Year I was hosting a Bible study at my house and we were going through the Gospel of John. John chapter 2 has the famous story of Jesus clearing the temple. We usually focus on the problem that was the traders and money changers making huge profits in the house of the Lord. Jesus gets upset rightfully so and says "That they are turning his father's house into a market or a house of robbers!" So we in turn nod in agreement and say you greedy jerks.

But going through this book again I was stuck at how another reason that Jesus had such zeal for his Father's house. His Father's house was about meeting with the people, but in this situation was that zeal also about the prevention of Gentile worship?

The only area that the nations had to approach God at this point in history was in the court of Gentiles. What the Jews were effectively doing was preventing Gentiles from approaching God in any meaningful way. Imagine trying to worship in a church with men walking up and down the aisles yelling "Peanuts? Popcorn?!" This would be disturbing to say the least. This would have been a complete misunderstanding of their mission to the world. Israel was always supposed to be about presenting God to the world, instead they withdrew and made it about themselves and stunted evangelism.

Hmm...This made me think about where we are as a church. Do we actively promote non-Christian participation? Is this the same thing? This was about gentiles wanting to worship God. Do non-Christians want to worship God? Should the church have a non-believers section? Is the function of the church to cater to the desires of the people? We could go this direction but the seeker sensitives have already tried this. It really amounts to watering down the Gospel to reduce all the uncomfortable squirming in the seats.

In fact I have been involved in these kinds of discussions many times. I think it is a good question to ask, but I think it is misdirected to ask this of Sunday morning worship rather than of the  people themselves. You can never water down the message or else the question "Will somebody want to come hear?" has answered it self. You want to change the look of the building? Go right ahead, that doesn't really matter so much.

Later in John 4 Jesus told the woman at the well that with his advent the place of worship was no longer the issue. It was now about how they worshiped. Why? Because the place of worship at the temple was replaced in his own body and thus the place of worship is replicated in our own bodies. We are the temples now (1 Peter 2:5). So do we invite non-Christians to worship of the true God or do we repel it? Do our lives promote interest in God? Do our lives point to his?

A much better question.

The way the church has a court of the gentiles is in outreach. The Gospel. This means just as the gentiles had to enter through the gates of the temple and come to the house of the Lord on his terms. They now have roaming temples that approach them, but they still have to enter by the Lord's terms, his Son.

So the question is as a roaming temple does my witness present the Gospel or prevent it? Now let's not confuse this question with their response to it. A lot of people have been doing this lately. If someone is offended that Jesus is the only way out of their slavery to sin, then that is not the temple's fault. See the challenge should be at the moment of this question "Who do you say that Jesus is?" When we try to put other things before this question we are in danger of getting them offended/interested because of the wrong message. We make it about the temple grounds rather than who the temple is supposed to be pointing them to.

This was the money changers problem. In their effort to make people use the right currency and the right offering they sidelined the actual worship of God. This is not to say that using the right currency and the right offering wasn't important. It actually was important. But where they were doing it, and how they were doing it took focus away from the people meeting with God.

This is why it is dangerous for us to try and come up with new ways to present the Gospel or ways to soften the blow of the message or to try and avoid unnecessary offense in presenting it. It has to be raw because it will always be a rock of offense, a stumbling block, or the first building block in their own temples. This is what Peter says in 1 Peter 2:6-10.

When we tell people that Jesus loves them unconditionally before they come to terms with the Gospel, apart from the Gospel, well the Gospel itself seems a bit unnecessary. If Jesus already loves me why do I need to repent and believe? If Jesus is all about loving me then why do we need all that theology and those doctrines? This can get confusing to say the least. We don't want to cause confusions and cause them to ask "Am I unconditionally loved? Then what is all this denying myself temptation and self-control about?"

See, if we mess up the message we accidentally present universalism and then we wonder why people get offended when they actually come into church. And they hear some of that theology. This is how people get upset with institutions. This is why they say they like spirituality but they dislike the church or religion. They like all the he loves me talk but they don't like all the what loving him looks like talk.

That is not to say "let's have the gospel without this love business" no, not saying that, but love has to be properly couched in the gospel to the get the message right.

We should say "You are loved by God and that looks like him giving his Son for your sins to break down the wall, the chasm, between you both." We have to enter into his love through his Son. This is the point of John 3:16, "Yes he loves you, but it looks like something, it looks like this." If we do not present it this way we let the world bring their own definitions of what love means into their belief and that can get sticky.

Just like gentiles couldn't bring their own currency into the temple, or use a blemished lamb as a sacrifice.

Was there any way for Morpheus to have softened the blow for Neo when he explained to him what the Matrix was?  No, Neo had to see it for himself so he could come to understand his place in it. Once you understand what the Matrix is there is no going back, that is why they had to choose the red or blue pill first.

Someone is either going to continue their journey towards God or continue their journey away from him. These are the only two options, so we need to make sure our presentation of the Gospel is not unnecessarily sending people on their way away from him. Or worse yet, letting people think they are travelling with God when they haven't been born again.

This does not mean that it is all dependent on us. God draws those who he will. All we can ever do is water and plant because it is God who gives growth. But as we saw with the money changers in the temple, God still has something to say to way we treat his worship and direct the worshipers.

Hopefully we encourage the worship of God and not prevent it. I want to encourage God's worship in all aspects of my ministry, with both the youth and with the actual worship service, so help me God.

thanks

My Dahli Lament

War, war never changes. To quote a modern proverb. With the recent attacks on Paris the world once again is reminded we have an enemy that will not relent, will not stop until we all convert or are killed. Shame on us for forgetting. These wolves will not go away.

The Dahli Lama is a great man who has suffered more than the most of us, but I will critique his theology on prayer. He spoke about the recent tragedies with terrorism. He challenged more people to love and spread the love, and quite frankly it is not a bad message. However in this instance thinking that more love will do anything in the face of this enemy is utterly misinformed. He continues on about the need for love and said that if we emphasize harmony and non-violence then we usher in a new era. Now I appreciate the sentiment but it really doesn't solve much in this instance. Failing to understand that we are dealing with demonically fueled hate from a false god will never help the situation. It would have been similar to John Connor trying to convince the Terminator not to murder him. Kyle Reece explained to Sara Connor what the Terminators do.

Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead. Terminator (1984).

This is not something we can win out with love and good intentions. This is not the case of religious differences but the kingdom of man wrestling with the kingdom of darkness. Powers, Principalities, Rulers, Authorities have raised themselves an army of darkness and now march on the earth to wipe out mankind. This is literally what Paul was warning about with the armor of God in Ephesians 6. But these demons do have foot soldiers. If we don't understand the enemy or their mission then any attempts at solutions will only fail or worse yet enable the spiral to continue, insert American foreign policy. Trying to reason against a growing army with an evil conviction committed to death and destruction is a failure to respond.

But this is not a political blog, the bigger issue I had with his statement apart from a misunderstanding of extreme Islam, was the obvious one that the media have latched onto, him urging the people to stop praying for Paris. Part of his thought was fine because I think that he was trying to say that more than simply prayers were needed. Now this is true, our governments should step up. But his other reasoning was that God's answer would be "No, solve the problem yourself, because you caused it." Well perhaps Buddha may respond saying something like that because he is quite incapable of doing anything, but God is.

The problem with this is that this is not God's nature. He is loving and compassionate. He encourages us to humble ourselves and pray and to repent. God encourages interaction with himself. If God cannot and will not help then get a new god. This is why Paul speaks about the armor of God. This absolutely has a spiritual element to it and we need God's help.

2 Chronicles 4:14 teaches this principle.
14if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

I think the problem is we have gone on long enough without the help of God. 

The other issue is God is not a pacifist. He raises up kingdoms and brings others to the ground. God gives the power of the sword to the governments for the very purpose of curbing evil. The governments of the world are supposed to rise up and topple this evil, that is their very purpose. They in a sense hold the peace until true justice returns. 

"But Gabe, Jesus was a pacifist!" You are right, he was for his purpose in his first coming and he requires it of his followers as well. That is why he has governments in place to handle the wet work. They are not expected to handle this task with protest and peace vigils. God raises up governments and kings for this purpose. They maintain order and they and bring the sword when it is necessary. As Ecclesiastes teaches there is a time for hate and a time for war, also read Revelation.

When these neo Nephilim reek havoc on the world then God's avengers must stand up. I already wrote about God's avengers though. If God expects his avengers to do something then do we expect him to turn a deaf ear at our prayers? In fact sending in governments from around the world to combat this evil may very well be one of his ways of intervening and answering prayer. God raised up armies to do that very thing in the Bible all the time. God judged his own people with Assyria and Babylon. God used his own people to judge the Philistines, Canaanites, the Ammorites etc.  

So go read a Psalm about calling on God to intervene on the world stage. He does it all the time.

Psalm 94 is a psalm calling on God to act on the enemies.
Psalm 10 is calling God stop the wicked.
and this from Psalm 58   

O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
    tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away;
    when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,
    like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
    whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

10The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
    he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
    surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

God cares about justice. This is not to say do not pray for your enemies though. Jesus does tell us to do this. So while I pray for them to turn from their wicked ways and come to the Lord I hope in the meantime their violence will be stopped whether by a solider doing his job or a missionary doing his. 

So while he meant well, the Dahli Lama only caused me to lament at having missed this one. So I want to end by offering a prayer. Thank you God for being a God who hears, a God who acts, and a God who cares. We have indeed made a mess here of your beautiful creation. We are in need of help from the enemy of creation. Delivery us oh God from evil and if this be a judgement, keep us oh Lord during it and let all people return to you. God help us, oh Lord and continue to bestow your grace on France and anyone else suffering at the hands of this regime of evil.

thanks

I can't see your Faith Brother (brothers part 1)

Commenting on someone's faith, no I would rather not do it.  This becomes the inevitable conclusion of trying to minister in categories and ministering in categories is the inevitable conclusion focusing on sheep and goats. This is why election discussion are nor truly helpful from a pastoral perspective. We can only approach people as potential followers or potential followers. This is why my last blog about the learners is really more philosophical than practical. It is good to know for own sanity but it shouldn't set policy. We can understand that some fail to launch but apart from trying to help all we can do is give it to God. We can't really minister as such without creating different levels of believers.

This is too easy to do. It is easy to look at someone's life and declare they either look like me or they don't. This is hard because I know that we are instructed to look at the fruit. But what conclusions are we allowed to come to? Am I as a Christian allowed to look at a fellow believer and say that they are not on the path or that they are?

Whenever I hear this type of speak I am reminded about Romans 14:4

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Here is the current problem in the church, this "hey man don't judge me" mantra has infiltrated the church.  But the verse is for the judges not to judge, not for the judged to not repent. Those in need of repentance must repent and be made whole. But the speck finders also need an inspection. 

The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts of sin.  

 8And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Their ultimate problem is belief in him and the Holy Spirit will bring this conviction albeit perhaps in response to preaching the Gospel. They will be convicted of righteousness in that their own fails in comparison to Christ and he is vindicated as the standard because he was welcomed by the Father. Finally the ruler of this world that they are still under is judged so they have nothing to which to hold onto or stand on.  

 So God does the judging not I. This also makes me think of the prodigal's son parable.

¹¹ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to^[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’^{[b] 22} But the father said to his servants,^[c] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, ²⁹ but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

I don't want to be the older brother in the parable, it is too easy to do. It is too easy for the church to be the older brother. When it comes to someone else's walk. There are two brothers with two sins here. The younger flaunts it and the older with pride hides it. But they both are in danger of destroying their relationship with the Father if they do not return. 

The problem is the younger recognizes his faults and the older does not. Only God can come along and clearly say where the person is at on their journey to, from, back or away from him. I think as a real brother would have chased after the younger as Jesus explains that a good shepherd does. He leaves the 99 in search of the one. What good does it do for some of the 99 still comfortable in the pin to comment about how much of a sinner number 100 is?  But in order for the shepherd or good brother to chases the wayward soul down, he must have words about the need to return. 

This is the hard part we need to encourage our brothers to return, not write them off as sinners without hope. Brothers come home, but does our home welcome and do our hearts welcome?

It is easy to point out sinners, but brothers should treat each other differently. It is our treatment of each other that speaks of being Christ's disciples. Christ disciples are each others keepers. When we are tempted to act like Cain remember: Cain was bad. 

He was jealous of his brother's offering being accepted by God just like the prodigal's brother was jealous and angry that his brother received forgiveness for his behavior. This brother is similar to Jonah who knows God's forgiving nature and decides that these people should not receive it. 

The Law's purpose is is to illumine our need.  Paul says its purpose was not to make righteous because only God can do that. It's purpose was for us to understand that we need help and that help is available. The question really is are we willing to admit that we are a damsel in distress or not?

We must never communicate the world's sin problem in a way that is more than a mirror to show them their need for a savior. It is never to discourage them away from a relationship with God. They are prisoners who can't see the bars. The message is always to return. So when your brother is in need say "Brother please, come let us return unto the Lord."

Brothers are there for each other even when they are different and on different paths. Just like Jake and Elwood Blues, we are on a mission from God, let's stay the course. 

thanks

On arguing with your Doctor

The man walks through the revolving doors and looks around. The smell of rubbing alcohol immediately reaches his nose and he is reminded that he did not want to come here. He looks around at the half empty room and decides on a good seat as he walks to the counter.

"Do you have an appointment, sir?"

The man looks at the young woman and again is reminded of the hassle of the ensuing paper work. "Yes I should have been scheduled for 2pm."

He half smiles, so does she. The woman checks her computer "Mm-hmph" and reaches down and hands out the large stack of papers that he was dreading to have to fill out. "Please fill these out and we will call you shortly."

The man looks around and grabs a pen off the counter and looks back to see his seat has now been encroached upon by a lady and her son. The seat he wanted was not yet taken but the buffer zone he was counting on was now gone. He lets out a short sign and eyes another seat off in another corner by some fake plants and quickly approaches. He turns gives another glance over the room and sits down. He was looking around to make sure no one was also racing for the place. No one was. But he checked all the same.

He glaces at his phone 1:50pm. "Well, now for mindless paper filling out, it's like I am still at work."

He beings writing his name and birth date and social security number. "They should know all this". He let's the tedious work annoy him. He continues down through the document where it starts to ask pertinent and seemingly non-pertinent medical history. "Hufff, I don't know why they need all this, what does my sexual history have to do with this?!" He continues on annoyed in the paperwork and at about 2:09 he concludes he has done enough.

He slams the pen down on the clipboard louder than he meant to, he quickly looks up to check if, but nobody notices. He gets up to look around as if someone was lusting after his seat, but nobody was doing that either and so he quickly dropped off the paperwork and returned to sit down.

"John?" The woman calls out.

He looks over his shoulder to the left and watches as a man looking equally as annoyed as him walks through the silver double doors to the back.  The man glances around and sees the typical magazines that people don't actually want to read. He lowers his head and pulls out his phone to continue reading an article he had found interesting earlier at work. Of course CNN was on but he would rather read about it. After a few minutes into it.

"Martha?" A woman not to far from him on his left stands up and heads to the doors but her face is more one of fear than annoyance.

He continues with his article. The government has made a decision, saved the day by simply pushing their laws through without the voice of the people. Of course the man doesn't read it that way. "It is time to move forward with culture." He said quietly. "It was the voice of the people, there didn't need to be a vote." He continues reading and thinking 'You can't legislate morality, everyone knows that.'  He gets lost in the article again. A few more minutes pass...

"Samantha?" The man looks up and to his surprise the lady that had moved in on his last seat position was moving up with her son. The man wanted to speak up. 'I was definitely here before her" he thought. Instead of causing a scene he sat back in his chair and decided that as usual the nurses just messed up the order. "Alight Peter, no big deal." Peter continued to read another few minutes, and then like music to his ears.

"Peter?" He gleefully stood and up and walked through those silver double doors. "Follow me." The nurse said. They walked down a white hallway and rounded a corner and she led him into room 307. "The doctor will be with you in a few minutes." She half smiled and closed the door.

Peter sat back down and was slightly annoyed that he had to wait more but such is life he said. Many more minuter passed and he decided to start reading once again. Eventually the door opened and the Doctor came in. "Hello Peter, how are you today?" The doctor was an older man with the looks of about 50 with his grey hair parted to the side and small but thick glasses. He looked like the kind of doctor you would imagine and would want to be your physician.

"Just fine today Doctor, I really feel great." Peter smiled truly this time.

"That's good Peter, good to hear, well...I know they sent you over here for the results, so if I may?" He asked.

"Please Doctor, I am all ears." He smiled genuine again. The Doctor open his folder and took out three X-rays. The Doctor scanned over his notes one last time and looked up.

"As you know we were very concerned with some of these spots." He said holding up the the x-rays so that Peter could see. Peter was truly not worried.

"Well Peter, I think we have been preparing for this." Peter's smile did not change.  "I still hate to have to tell you this but it looks terminal." The doctor said in the most gentile voice he could muster. With a bit of his own surprize from the lack of a reaction from Peter he continued.  "But not to worry it is still fairly early on, so we can probably make good progress with chemo."

Peter just blinked again, "But I feel fine doctor, In fact I went for a run this morning and I still feel as good as I always have. In fact since the fall, I haven't had an episode at all. I feel even better than before because I have been doing everything that was suggested. I can't have caner, I can't!"

"I am sorry to have to give you this news Peter, but again don't worry there is so much we can do for you, especially sine it is early on." The Doctor put his hand on Peter and tried to console him.

"No Doctor, I don't believe you, I won't!" Peter was physically shaking throwing off the Doctor's hand.

The Doctor backed away and put his clip board up in front up him as if to make a bit of a barrier. "Now Peter, this is not the end by any means, we can work through this together, I have had quite a bit of success in this operation."

"Noo! Doctor!! I won't accept that, I won't!" Peter stood up fuming. He looked at the Doctor and wanted to say something but instead he pushed right passed him and headed for the entrance. Peter stormed out of the reception and got into his car. "That Doctor doesn't know what he is talking about, I feel fine. I am fine. I will show them."

Peter continued his routine for months and convinced himself that he was fine and would not listen to anyone especially the Doctor. In two years, he passed away.

Now we understand the five stages of acceptance. We know that anger and denial are the first two steps, but we also understand that it is a tragedy if people stay there. 

So sad. But is this really that unbelievable?

The church is a hospital. God is calling all to the house. We are all sick and in need of him. In fact it is so bad that we might as well be delivered straight to the morgue when we arrive. But all is not lost. Jesus Christ is the great the physician. He says that he calls not the healthy but the sick. He came not for the righteousness but for the unholy, in fact he came for our this very problem.

This is where Jesus says that we are, also that he is who we need, what we need, and he is available.

Furthermore the truth is that Jesus's staff are also sick. This is a sick person run hospital, some may have earned their positions as nurses but they still need the great physician's care as well, and he allows them to help. The job of the sick are supposed to bring their friends and loved ones because they themselves have experienced healing at the hands of the great physician.

See the great physician has already given the diagnosis. The call has gone out, it has been told on the mountains and in the streets. Some recognize their need and come to his hospital but some scoff at the notion that they are even sick. Both are sick but only one comes and gets treatment. When someone is convinced they do not have cancer no amount of discussion will change their mind. And certainly no amount of screaming will either.

If a man wants to walk the earth as a sick man rejecting the healing services of God there is not much I can do. This is why Jesus spent more time with those who heard his message rather than those who rejected it. He told them all of their need of the Great Physician but only the humble responded and received care.  This is the sad truth. It is not about types of sin or types of religiosity, it is always about humility at the diagnosis.

However compounding the issue sometimes the help tends to focus so much on the other people's x-rays that they start to sound like they themselves are not also going through their own treatment as well. If I sound like I am not also in treatment for my own prognosis than others will start to resent that they need treatment and I don't. I fear that sometimes we get into the business of instead of applying the healing balm of the Gospel we have instead tried to be evangelist's for people's sickness.

The church can never convince someone they are sick when don't believe that they are. We can only point people to the great physician. Only the sick that realize they are sick will go, only they can recognize their pain and identify with it or reject.

I fear where we are culturally is that the church is trying to convince the world of something they will not see and they hate us for it. Maybe instead of trying to convince people they are sick we can only remind them that Hospital is open 24/7 and the Great Physician is always on duty.

thanks

A Dying Breed

The previous commentary on Jude was all about false teachers already in operation in the first church. But false teachers were not only around in the first century. The apostle Paul vehemently charges young Timothy to a proclaim and respect the Word of God in 2 Timothy 1.

1I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.   

Why does Paul say this, what is he so concerned about? 

3For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Paul continues on to warn that people will not put up with sound doctrine. He seems to think that eventually people will no longer be interested in what the Bible teaches. People will want teachers that simply tell them what they are eager to hear. Hmm....

Peter also writes to the church about this. In 2 Peter 1-3

2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

John also writes about this in first John 2 and 4. He says already many false teachers have gone out into the world and that this is why we need to test the spirits to see whether or not they are from God. We are charged to watch.  Because many Antichrists have come and will continue to do so. 

This is why I do this. There is something to be said for holding the line. I believe that. I don't make the mistake of thinking I am the only one, but I want to be one of the ones who do.  I think we are already seeing this all around us. People who want to deny Hell, people who want to deny that sin is sin. People who want to call darkness light and good evil. It is very easy to follow a culture when a culture is collectively moving in one direction. Our country did it when it was walking after God in it's infancy and they are still doing it as it walks away from him in its so called maturity. This is why mass appeal for the Christian church should always raise an eyebrow. If we are attracting the world to our services we should be prudent enough to ask ourselves why?

Have we created doctrine to scratch their itching ears or are they falling on their knees and repenting before a Holy God? One message fills churches and makes people happy, the other is the heart of Jesus getting people to a place where he pronounces that their sins have been forgiven.   

I have even seen this a bit in this blog. My most read blog are the ones that encourage and remind that God will come through in hard times. My least read ones are the ones that remind that God has some hard things to say to his people as well. But God brings both messages as his followers we must as well.

I thank God that we live in a country where we can stand up for the truth. But the other side of the coin is that the acceptable truth is being more and more regulated.  I see a future where in order for America to preserve its current and evolving way of life it will become necessary to curb the freedoms that granted it. It will be more important than preserving the truth that allowed for that way of life to come about. It may still be years off but we are already seeing some trying to compare all religion to the radicals that want to tear down our world. If they can make that link in enough people's minds than our Christianity will be truly relegated to a personal religion not free on the streets. 

The answer so far has been to get in line, acquiesce, and thus we get the people that Paul and Peter and Jude were talking about. The other option is to take their encouragement to heart and to continue on. But this may and probably will result with us getting to experience the persecution that Jesus talked about. The kind that only those other countries get to live with. 

I want to hold the line and be faithful to the end. This may sound like I am being presumptuous, but I don't think that the apostles were just given to drama. 

Are we a dying breed? I hope not, let's continue on. 

thanks

Wrestling with 1 Corinthians 5

Where is the grace Paul?!

1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

3For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

So we judge the person inside the church who claims brotherhood not those who do not. Why? Because we lack grace? No because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Addressing sin in the church is not about legalism it is about maintaining the witness to the world of salt and light. The witness that does not openly condemn the world with words but by our deeds are the unrighteous put to shame. If we allow our good deeds to be clouded by prevailing sin then our message is totally silenced. This is why sin in the church needs to be addressed not because we are loosing our salvation or because we have a poor balance of works and grace but because our testimony is tainted. 

But doesn't Paul like, talk about grace, like, all the time?  Grace is what this man needs from God in order to address his sin. If this man believes that he can change on his own then he misses the point. Paul's point is not to get this man to fix himself but to recognize what he is doing needs correction and that he needs to reach out for grace. This guy is already trying it his own way and he needs the grace of God to help him change, if he will only lift his head. This is Paul saying you have started looking elsewhere and you need to rely on God. 

But doesn't grace mean being nice, why is Paul yelling? He sounds upset.

See we have to let the Bible define grace for us. Jesus actually talks very little of it. Paul gives us most of the information about grace. In Titus 2 he explains that grace enables us to have salvation for sure, but what it does it teach. It teaches us obedience and self-control. It informs out behavior, it enables and teaches us to be Godly. It is not blanket favor that means God looks the other way. 

The problem is we can't see the heart. For someone lost in sin trying to come to God and actively needing grace, he is granted it, but we do not see it when we see someone lost in sin saying they want God but not changing. 

Let's be honest Grace is hard to spot when someone is walking through it and forgiveness is hard to grant. We can't see people's heart but we can see their deeds. It is deeds that spread and influence in the church. Paul is concerned because the atmosphere is one where the people are arrogant and not instead grieved over the sin. The leaven had spread and the testimony was silenced. "Why go to the church? The people there are involved in more vile sin that we are." In other words the Gospel is ineffective. The message is undermined the mission is pointless and we are all wasting our time. At least that was probably what Paul was thinking. 

Thankfully Paul wasn't content to leave it there. He wanted change because there is more grace to go around. There is favor from God that enables salvation and teaches his people Godliness.

Paul absolutely does not want the Gospel of Jesus undermined by the behavior of the church. This is something that we need to take very seriously. This is why it is a big deal when a very prominent Christian leader or any leader falls into moral sin. Their sin has ramifications, their behavior has influence. Their sin speaks about the condition of the church and the condition of the Gospel. Paul is all about about grace, but grace is never supposed to undermine the message. 

Our good deeds are to put the world to shame, not that our sinfulness seems inviting. Because frankly it is not, it is off-putting. Church sin is only appealing to the nominal and hypocritical it is never appealing to the outside world. At least in the sense we think, In fact they love it because it silences us.

Paul speaks about this again in Titus.

 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Peter says it as well.

16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Paul is all about grace. Christianity is all about grace, but do not undermine the movement. Do not undermine the message. Do not undermine the Gospel. Let God's grace teach you. 

So where is the grace? It flows down to under-gird his people and the gospel. It does not flow down to help keep the leaven alive to spread throughout the body. The little book of I John is all about this. He is faithful and just to forgive all our sins, so don't for a moment claim that you are without them. 

So Paul has grace for the repentant and harsh words for the hard of heart, but all are forgiven when we humbly come to the mercy seat of God. Grace teaches and enables salvation. 

thanks 

Jude 17-25 a Commentary

^{Finishing up on Jude.}

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” ¹⁹ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. ²² And have mercy on those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

17-18 Jude returns back to addressing the church specifically. There is a reminder to recall the words of the faithful to Christ and the apostles. They foretold that in the last times there will be scoffers. Scoffers are those who will not believe and mock at sound doctrine. They do this because of their own malcontent and they will not heed to what was already delivered to the saints; the faith in completeness. So they follow their own ungodly passions. If we are do not hold to the true faith then we are left to run after whatever passions that our malcontent urges lead.

19-20 Worse still these men lead others astray. They will cause divisions in the church because they are without the Spirit. The Spirit is the one who will bring to remembrance all the things Jesus taught and will lead the people into righteousness therefore these men are without him. This is how Jude says these men are devoid of the Spirit. If they had the Spirit they would be bringing unity and not just a unity but unity under Christ. In other words the Spirit would lead them in true unity of the scriptures and with true followers of Christ, as a major job of the spirit is to illuminate it to us. This is why they are of the world and not of the Spirit. Jude reminds the faithful to continue to build themselves up in the faith that was already once delivered to the saints that he referred to at the beginning of the letter.  Pray in the Holy Spirit because he does not lead into error as these false teachers do.  

21-22 But the loved of God along with building themselves up with the faith are to keep themselves in the love of God by holding to the faith. One way they do this is by waiting for the mercy of Jesus that leads to eternal life.  Jude seems to be saying that keeping yourself in the love of God means patience on him to deliver them unto salvation. Waiting for mercy is very different than adopting the malcontent natures of the teachers. While the loved of God keep themselves in the love, they are not to fall for the lie. What they are to do is distribute mercy to those who are being tempted and are having doubts because the false teachers. 

23 But this takes discernment. Jude says that some need mercy and some need decisive action in order to snatch them out of the jaws of these lies. This action is love keeping. Steal others with mercy and reveal the fear over their souls because of the path they are walking. But always hold the hate of the sin itself. Do not excuse the trespass of the lies and always distance yourselves from them. Stained by the flesh may be another reference to the sexual sin again, but the message is avoid the teachings that are undermining the faith and causing the doubt. 

24-25 This is a famously used doxology for the church. This is a reminder that those who hold to the faith have the assurance that God is able to keep them within it. This is not an assurance to the false teachers who have incurred judgment. Jude is making a distinction between who exactly God holds safe here. God keeps us from stumbling if we so desire him to do so by keeping in the faith. God will keep us all the way to present us to the Father in Glory. He concludes with giving praise to the only God and savior Jesus Christ. This is because Jesus is Lord but also to draw a distinction between what a true teacher of the faith believes and what these new teachers were able to say. Glory and dominion are only God's.

Jude reminds his listeners that we have the necessary truth to keep ourselves from these teachers and their lies if will will recount that we were warned about these exact problems. Jude is saying I have written you this letter so you can look at when you feel the pressure to listen to these false teachers. In the last days the scoffers will come and he was right, the scoffers are all around us. It is our responsibility to build ourselves up in the holy faith and to keep ourselves in the love by being patient on his return. But he reminds us again that God himself is at our aid in this.  Love keeps us safe and it reaches out to the brothers to help them stay in the love as well. 

We are not alone, even when it seems like so many "churches" are falling for the lie. Or being consumed with consumerism church. Sure we could reach more people if we pervert the Gospel.  But for those of us with the Spirit, we are to hold on to the once and for all delivered faith, despite what society is doing and what many churches are caving to. All we can do is uphold the Gospel, preach the Gospel, and call on the name of the Lord to help and return. Maker return, your people need you. 

Jude knew it and I pray our churches today see it as well.

thanks 

Jude 14-16 a Commentary

<sup>Continuing our look at Jude.

14</sup> It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” ¹⁶ These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. (ESV)

14 Jude reminds that he is drawing imagery from the book of Enoch. This judgement is in its own category and is apocalyptic in nature. Judgement that requires a pulling back of the realm of the physical so the spiritual realm can be witnessed. God is upset. Again these ones have warnings and prophecies about what happens to them from the Bible. They should know better and they are without excuse. 

15 Judgement is coming for these men who not only pervert the truth of the faith but act in ways worthy of Judgment. God will bring conviction on these because of their anti Godly deeds. Not only are their deeds anti God but their methods are anti God. And not only this but they speak harshly against God himself. This is probably both by undermining his character in their teachings and outright blasphemy as they have already been shown to do against the glorious ones. These men undermine God's character when they teach that God allows and encourages things that he outright forbids. This undermines the character of God. It misrepresents God. It challenges his authority and it attempts to steal God's glory making him out to be something lesser than he is. Did I mention God is upset with these men?

16 Jude calls them grumblers and malcontents. This may be what fuels their misdeeds. They refuse to be content with what God has done, they continually grumble against the one who would have saved their souls. Perhaps they grumble against what they consider his restrictions on their behavior so they drum up teaching that allows them to continue down their dark path? Instead of listening they follow after their own sinful desires, and worse for the wear they use the grace of God to justify their own sins.  They are loud mouthed boasters and they show favoritism for their own gain. They work for money and prestige and somehow their message of cheap grace leading to sexual sinful pleasure has a landing place in some hearers. 

The testimony of Jude about these men is damning indeed. What is worse is that they are teaching others to follow suit. God will absolutely judge false teachers. God will defend his honor and character and woe to the man that attempts to poison the image of God. God will not excuse those who lead others astray, nor will he excuse those who attack his very nature. This is both for Jude's time and in ours. Grace does not excuse perverting the character of God.  I do want to comment for application on how they show favoritism to gain advantage. This is precisely what is happening in our culture, they show favoritism to those with the sinful proclivities of our culture and in return receive praise and acceptance. They get to both live in the world and be of the world. They manufacture a different gospel that sinners love because it does not call them to repentance. So they rightfully gain a following and point to this "gain" as God's blessing but do not see that their judgment was long written down. We should not lose heart that many follow after them and the rest that hold the line get socially condemned, because it is before God that any man stands or falls. Take heart the day is coming when everything done in the darkness will be revealed. 

I know this is challenging. I feel discouraged sometimes when our own Christian theology is hijacked. When grace and love are the handles that they hang their new teachings and perversion on we are made to look like bigots and backwater fundamentalist without hearts or care for the the world. But take heart, God is well aware of the score. 

thanks 

Jude 9-13 a Commentary

<sup>Continuing the series in Jude. 

9</sup> But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” ¹⁰ But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. ¹² These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. (ESV)

9  Verse 9 fills the in the gap of who the glorious ones are. Taking from Jewish tradition again Jude mentions the disputed body of Moses that Michael fought with the Devil over. Even Michael who we assume would likely have the authority to pronounce a judgement on the Devil refrains but lets God be the one who brings judgment on Him. In contrast to this humility these men seem to be cavalier in their addressing of the glorious ones whether angel or demons. If Michael was prudent in his handling of the Devil shouldn't we as creatures created lower than the angels use at least a similar demeanor when dealing with the glorious ones? 

10 Continuing in this vein Jude says that these men blaspheme all that they do not understand. They act like foolish animals only using instinct instead of using their minds given to them by God. They act on natural impulses rather than relying of God. This is especially dangerous as our natural state is one that is enslaved by sin. An unconverted heart is still left to the whims of the enemy. When our natures are not under the protective hand of God then we act out the only resources available to us: our base natural desires. They reject faith because they cannot engage it without the help of the spirit. Especially in this case a faith that was given to them from God. They inform their own theology and demonology instead of letting God inform them and thus they are destroyed in their ignorance. 

11 Jude gives three more example of prideful people and groups who tried to do it there way as Sinatra famously sang. Cain who killed his brother Able out of jealousy over a better given offering to the Lord. God warned him that sin was at his door waiting to overtake him.  If he would have only repented and softened his heart, but instead he went his own way. He is the first murderer and the father of murderers. Those who do it their way. The second example is of Balaam's error, of chasing gain in order to curse the people of God. He knew that God was real and that he favored Israel but Balaam chose to align himself with the highest bidder. His own dumb ass was smarter than him in the epic tale of his donkey talking to him because he did not see his destiny of futility at opposing God. The third example is of a group of people who wanted to usurp authority from Moses God's chosen leader of Israel and perished in their arrogance and attempt at mutiny. 

12 Jude again uses three example of the emptiness of these individuals. They feast with you in secret feeding only themselves. They share in communion while they secretly undermine the whole thing. They are supposed to lead but feed only themselves, their message does not feed, their flock is starving while they are well fed. They are clouds that do not bring rain to a dry a desert. They have no purpose but to be blown around by the wind.  They cause an expectation of hope but bring only death. They are like trees with no root, they do not bear fruit and they take up space in the garden and even in that latest of the season they still do not yield a crop. 

13 Jude uses yet more imagery to paint the picture of their utter uselessness in the kingdom of God. They are waves that do not contribute to the tides but only bring a dirtier foam to coat the shores. They are stars that wander the skies in darkness. Their light does not contribute to lighting up the sky or being in one place to aid in direction on a dark night. They are futile. 

For application God does not view these people in high esteem at all.  God will not hear these people and God will not feel sorry for people who follow them either.  Jude uses so many different pictures here to communicate these men's uselessness before God. Jude seems to think that God takes the perverting of his Word very seriously, our take away is so should his people. God is calling for repentance, but will the people hear? Will we hear a message that sounds so harsh to people who are teaching his own? Will we believe that people holding the place of Pastor might have strong charges against them? This is a serious charge and it is important to note that this is after the resurrection and giving of the Spirit. It is not like these charges and call to repentance are before we moved into the softer grace filled covenant. God is very upset with the mishandling of his word and the leading of his flock astray. As James reminds not many of us should desire to be teachers because we will ensue a stricter judgment. A scary and sobering thought. This is a sobering reminder to those who desire the office of an overseer. The Bible says such desires are a good thing but we have to remember the weight of the responsibility as well. It is OK to question your leaders when they are leading the people into sin. 

thanks

 

Jude 5-8 a Commentary

Looking at part two of this short book of Jude which is uncannily appropriate for our culture today. Jude has as much to say to us as he did in the first century. 

5Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— ⁷ just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. ⁸ Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. (ESV)

5 Jude is reminding the readers that Jesus, interestingly enough, who saved people from their bondage turned around and destroyed those who did not believe. He is using the picture that some people who started out with God, do not finish with him. This is a scary theology but one that is consistent in the New Testament. The need to endure and overcome and continue on. This is so prevalent through all the letters of the New Testament even though it flies in the face of our once saved always saved mindset. Rescued people can and will still be destroyed if they return to their unbelief.

6 Jude continues on to use a common Jewish metaphor of the angels trapped in there abode after abandoning their proper positions of authority.  This may be referring to the fall. Or to the Nephalim from Genesis 3 which I don't personally buy into because that tradition comes more from the book of Enoch which is not considered cannon rather than from the Genesis account itself. Either way the idea is clear these angels formerly had a place of honor but chose to leave it and are now judged. It is a similar idea with the previous verse. These men from verse 4 have abandoned God and gone their own way. An interesting thing here is in the Greek for "the eternal chains under gloomy darkness" until the judgement uses a word in the Greek only used one other time in the Bible from Job from the Septuagint, The word is TARTAROS. In Greek mythology this refers to the deepest darkest nether regions of Hades where other gods who were judged have been imprisoned. The similarity of the traditions is very interesting and may point to some other reality that we are not privy to, but the message is still the same. This kind of sin requires special judgment.  A kind for a group of people that once knew better and chose to do it anyway.

7 Verse seven is a third example of the coming judgment for those who corrupt the message of Jesus. Jude reminds the readers of the stories of Sodom and Gomorrah and their judgment for similar sexual immorality and unnatural desire just as the these false teachers have similarly bent the message of grace to allow for. These cities are an example of judgment with fire of what happens when God is abandoned and personal sensual desires are put first. Some have taken the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah and tried to reduce it to simply a failure of hospitality. Well it was definitely that at the lowest level, but at the highest level it is accosting, attacking, molesting, and attempting rape and murder. I know that Ezekiel mentions a lack of hospitality as one of the sins but that was not the extent of the problem. To undermine the serious charges for the easier to swallow less political charged sin of a lack of hospitality is an exercise of obtuseness that only a culture with such a moral decline as ours can manufacture. But just in case this is our temptation Jude goes ahead and spells out that the sexual immorality and unnatural desires were the problems here. He prefaces his argument with the "Just" in other words those sins are similar to the ones that current problem paves the way for. "Just" as a lack of moral compass leads to sexual immorality and unnatural desires paved the way to the perversion that Sodom and Gomorrah were judged for. So do the false teachers application of grace and misuse of the Bible. Just as the first were judged so will the second. 

Jude 8 continues on to comment of the nature and behavior of these false teachers. He says that they rely on their dreams probably referring to the fact that they are not relying of the once delivered faith but dream up their own ways to communicate their teachings. They defile the flesh probably another reference to the sexual nature that their easy treatment of grace leads to.  They continue to reject authority.  Not sure if this is simply the authority that was laid down by the true faith or if in compounding that sin they continue to reject the disciples authority to call them out on their doctrine. This last statement is very interesting it says they blaspheme the glorious ones.

Our application is Jude says that Jesus who once forgives and brings someone near is not beyond casting that same person away if they fail to remain in belief. He gives the example of those who left Egypt with Moses but grumbled and abandoned the people of God with their behavior. This is a scary truth but a sober reminder about how this point is tied to conduct and obedience especially those of the false teachers.

Again is that God is not overlooking in grace those who pervert his teaching and use it for sexual immorality. God has laid out rules of sex that he expects his creation to follow. No amount of finagling with his own gracious nature changes what he has said is OK or not.  The scarier thing here is that God is saying a special judgments awaits those who pervert his words and lead people astray.  The take away here is that faithful followers of God need to remind people that God's word is sure even in the face of shifting culture that wants more license for their sexual preferences.  God takes this issue seriously, especially so among his own body who distort his words in order to allow this kind of behavior. This is why the church has to be careful who teaches the people. As Jesus and Paul teach a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

thanks