How Important is Knowledge?

Note that I am referring to the average Joe believer and not the one called into the ministry who must utilize all the tools of the trade and prepare himself by studying.  Knowledge is usually a byproduct and not a goal to see how smart one can become; there is little correlation between education and spiritual maturity or growth.  If there was I would certainly be rated a great believer, simply by virtue of my knowledge.  Knowledge must be accompanied by wisdom and understanding.  "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty (Mal. 2:7).

Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and in increasing knowledge results in increased pain"  (Eccl. 1:18).  The meaning of what Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required" applies in that the more we know, the more responsible we are, especially in our sinning and ministry.  The goal, Hosea says, is to "go on to know the LORD"  It is better to know the Author than to know the Bible, no matter how vital this is.  But don't get the fallacious impression that ignorance is bliss!  "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Ps. 111:10).

1 Cor. 8:1 says that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." God hates arrogance and conceit.  We overestimate our place in the body and our importance when we know a lot and don't relate to the less informed.  We may think of them as a poor specimen because they aren't as clued in as we are and it may be a source of pride.  We are not to reject knowledge per se, but it is not the goal, it is the means to an end, and not the end itself.  We must always ask ourselves, "Why do I need to know this?"  For instance, I don't learn Greek, because I can't justify it, even though it would be a source of pride and I could brag.  I asked a friend of mine why he was taking this course and he really hadn't thought about it--it seemed to satisfy idle curiosity it seemed.

Hos. 4:6 warns the priest that has rejected knowledge (it comes with the territory). And "since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD" God will not answer their prayers and let Himself be found by them.  For some brethren, it is more pleasing to God that they serve in a soup kitchen or charity than take a theology course to think they are "educated" and "informed" (i.e., a person should know his gift and how  God uses him in the body).  People erroneously think that "knowledge is power" and this only applies to the right kind used wisely and of spiritual knowledge, otherwise it puffs up (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1).

The man of God knows who God wants him to hearken to and submit to.  There are many courses over the internet, for instance, and one must exercise caution and discretion.   I like the prayer warrior who replied that he didn't have theology on prayer, he just prayed!  Another teacher said, "I don't need another book on prayer, I just need to pray, and I won't find the time, I must make time!  Most of us know enough, we just aren't applying enough.  The proverb that "curiosity killed the cat" has some validity, in that one may get too enamored with the intellectual side of Christianity and lose its main focus, which is seeking God and doing His will which will glorify Him.

Some people are converted to the program and not to Christ--and this is another danger.  If one is too intellectual and not practical, he may be in love with the idea of God, rather than God.  God is not looking for some genius to discover His truths (I have been told that I'm the brains behind the program and I don't take this as a compliment, because God is looking for a man after His own heart--it is no accolade to be smart in some one's eyes, but to be able to be a spiritual or spiritual leader is another thing)--He's looking for an open mind, willing spirit, and needy heart to search the Scriptures ("Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life," according to Prov. 4:23; cf. Prov. 23:7)  The question is whether a person's heart is in the right place, not how smart he is.

We want to know what God showed you in the Scriptures, not what the experts say:  Jesus was contrasted to the Pharisees who quoted the authorities and never footnoted His sermons, but said, " You have heard it said, but I say unto you."  "No man ever spoke like Jesus," cf. Matt. 7:29.  To be called a scholar is more of an insult than a compliment because he doesn't have first-hand knowledge of the Lord, but only knows what he has read in books.  "Of making many books, there is no end, and much study wearies the body" (Eccl. 12:12).

It is so refreshing to talk to a believer who doesn't read any book but the Bible,  in contrast to him.  We need believers with more than a second-hand knowledge of the Lord.  There is knowledge we all can commend: the knowledge of the Lord, which must be contrasted with knowledge about the Lord.  This comes from our daily walk in the Spirit.  Experience, indeed, is the best teacher, and we should always need someone who has been there and done that or has gone through the school of hard knocks, as it were.

To sum up in a sentence:  the gift of knowledge is a gift and we should try to be like them who have been filled with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, not emphasizing and elevating knowledge, but not despising or rejecting it either--it has a place--we are to love God with all our mind, too.  Soli Deo Gloria!

What is the Essence of Worship?

Caveat:  Only worship the LORD your God, for He alone is worthy, that even goes for angels who stand in the presence of God and represent or speak for Him.  "At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the LORD of hosts."  Worship is called that because of His "worth-ship."  We worship God for who He is and what He has wrought.

The typical believer thinks that he simply goes to church to "worship" God and hopes to get something out of it.  This couldn't be further from the truth, biblically speaking, that is.  We don't go to worship we are to worship with our bodies, our time, our talents, our resources, our opportunities, our money, our speech or testimony, our demeanor or attitude, our relationships, our vocations and vacations or witness.  Our whole life is a devotion to God.  "Present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God...."  Worship is a prostration of ourselves unto God, valuing and recognizing his "worth-ship" (the origin of the English word).  We "bow" to God ("worship and bow down," says Ps. 95:6). Whenever we give God His "due" we are worshiping and humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord--"God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Worship must be lively or "in the Spirit" and not "lukewarm, nonchalant, disinterested, or casual  (this refers to Mark 7, Matt. 15 and Isa. 29:13 which says, "Because these people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote." Jesus said, "But in vain do they worship me.")--we take God seriously and not treat Him in a flippant or frivolous manner.  Don't be a fraud at worship, but sincere.

Indeed, some are more demonstrative and some are by nature stoical or inhibited, but God wants us to learn to worship God, nevertheless--feelings are not wrong, but worship is more than emotionalism, just as much it is more than intellectualism.   "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name, worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness"  (Ps. 29:2).  ("Bless the LORD, O my soul, all that is within me bless His holy name, says Ps. 103:1.  Jesus said that those who worship God must "worship in spirit and in truth," according to John 4:24.  

That means that accuracy and right teaching are important to God as well as how excited we get. Speaking of excitement:  Ps. 100:4 says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, enter his courts with joy."  Ps. 47:1 says: "Clap your hands all ye peoples, shout to God with the voice of triumph."  Likewise Ps. 89:15 says:  "Blessed are the people who hear the festal shout," or "Blessed are the people who hear the joyful call to worship!"  or "Blessed are the people who have learned to acclaim You."

Worship is a celebration and meant to be happy and a "sacrifice of thanksgiving."  "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me," says Ps. 50:23.  All worship glorifies God and whenever we do something to the glory of God it is a sacrifice to God, in fact, "whatever you do, do to the glory of God,"  1 Cor. 10:31.  God hates "solemn assemblies" and "religious feasts" (Amos 5:21).

 We offer our daily activities to glorify and honor our Maker and they are the worship we are called to do, just as the pastor giving his sermon is doing what God has called him to do in life (another example is the bricklayer seeing himself as building a temple for God, not just making money or laying bricks).  I've heard it said that we don't "go to church, we are the church."  It is the same in worship, there is corporate worship as the body assembles and we are not to neglect this, but we are to worship God individually (our private walk with the Lord), too and I don't mean like the farmer who says he can give God His due in the cornfield.

 The biggest misconception concerning worship is that one can listen to someone sing and that is worship per se.  "Sing to the LORD a new song {not listen]."   Worship is not passive, au contraire, it is very active and so active you would call it a sacrifice unto God.  Yes, it's sacrificial and going to cost you (you might have to give up something, and I don't mean for Lent)   We don't receive, we give--only God is worthy of worship and in today's society there are many idols people worship, such as fame, fortune, power, success,  and money even though we don't worship "idols" like the Israelites did.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" worship and some are traditionalists by nature and don't like new, untried activity.   God wants us to always give Him the credit and not think it ours.  The motto of the Reformation was Sola Deo Gloria or to God alone be the glory! The more we exalt God the better and we should be like John who said, "He must increase, I must decrease."  The whole idea is to get our eyes off ourselves and on our triune God.   As we get older we get set in our ways, but this is not ideal--we should be young at heart and relate to the youth, even then, and reach out to them--the older are to mentor the younger in the Lord.  Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is Preaching?

Sometimes we are preached at and know it, other times we think we have been preached to and really only given a facsimile or similitude of a sermon. Note that preaching is not the same as teaching and they are separate gifts, though often the same person has both; one may find the two distinguishable, but not separable.  A report, a lecture, a story, a testimony (though these may include preaching), is not a sermon, and preaching requires exhortation and implies some kind of response or application.  We don't listen to sermons to get info as the main objective, or to get informed; but transformed, if you will.   We go to school to get informed and prepared.  That is, preaching should aim to be edifying to the spirit and to encourage, exhort, or convict.

 A real preacher afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted--no one is uninfluenced and there is no neutral opinion or unmoved listener. He never loses track of keeping the main thing the main thing, which is the preaching of Christ, and Christ crucified (the gospel message--the Great Commission).  We don't need to get the scoop, the lowdown, the skinny, or the latest news when we are given a sermon, unless it is only incidental as a digression, or to mention in passing or parenthetically, as it were, as an aside to make a point; such as using an anecdote for an illustration as  a teaching technique.

Some preachers are big on quoting the authorities like the Pharisees were and don't have more than a second-hand knowledge of the Lord.  It is one thing to go to the commentaries and share something interesting, and quite another to get an original message from God speaking to you personally.  The commentaries are not inspired and we need to learn to depend on the Bible and not secondary sources for our authority. They really want to hear what the Lord showed the preacher in the Word personally more than what the Keil and Delitzsch Commentary says.   The point about sermons is that they need not just be interesting, but change lives, i.e., have an impact!  The purpose of the Bible is not to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.  Don't "wow" them with your scholarship!

Some preachers give you the feeling that you have just been in a class lecture and not a church meeting.  People need to learn to seek the Word of the Lord while it is available because according to Amos 8:11 the time will come when people will seek the Word of the Lord and not find it.  We need great expositors of the Word who have a literary mind and can interpret Scripture as well and an explanation of the Word never goes out of style.  The man with a message will never go out of vogue, but the man of learning may go out of style and out of demand.  ("They will go to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it," Amos 8:12b).

 It is not a compliment to call someone a gentleman and a scholar; that's what the Pharisees were, and Jesus despised them--they didn't "know the Scriptures, nor the power of God," (Cf. Matt. 22:29) though they had studied them all their life and had even been teachers.   The scholar is not an original, but only quotes authorities and dares not say anything new that may not have been heard before or break new territory--he plays it safe.  We need preachers who will dare to stand alone and be a Daniel, and not be people-pleasers, who are just concerned about the people's opinions or trying to be popular.

 In summation, preaching is a spiritual, not an intellectual endeavor-there is no special advantage to someone just because he is intelligent, educated, or wise, but sensitivity to the Spirit and the anointing is what matters most.  The flock doesn't need a lecture, they need a savior and not a report, but someone to believe in that has the gift to preach-there are too many preachers not called into the ministry. They need to be leaders who have learned to follow first and aren't control freaks, but willing to let God be God and not play God.  They are not to exalt themselves or lord it over the flock, but to be examples and instruments of God's grace and truth.  "Don't take my word for it; check it out for yourselves in the Word like the noble Bereans, who searched out the Scriptures to see if these things were so.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Is God Doing His Best?

Some people think they are doing God a favor by "helping" Him out and doing Him a favor by what they do.  God doesn't need our aid to accomplish His purposes; He only has decreed the means to His ends and it is a privilege to be used by Him, not God that is privileged by our aid.  God doesn't need us in the slightest and can accomplish His will regardless--to say that He needs us is to deny His self-existence or His self-sustaining ability--He requires no outside aid to exist--God is dependent on no one. 

 Of course, some look at the lost and say that God is trying to save everyone and only doing His best--which means that God is a failure because not everyone is going to be saved.  ("As many as were appointed unto eternal life believed," says Acts 13:48.)  The doctrine of election is further delineated in Romans 11:7 saying, "The elect obtained unto it, and the rest were hardened."  Peter says, "They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do" in 1 Pet. 2:8.  There are encouraging words to the elect:  "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ," says 1 Thess. 5:9.  However, regarding the reprobate, Jude says, "For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation."

God achieves what He sets out to do and "accomplishes all His good purpose" (Isa. 46:10).  God takes no pleasure in the ultimate destiny of the wicked ("For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live," says Ezek. 18:32).  You might think of a judge that has to execute the guilty person but hates doing it.

God is a God of mercy and love, but also of justice and in some cases, justice must be served.  God owes mercy to no one or it would not be mercy, but justice.  God could have decided to save no one and He would still be God.  Yes, everything is going according to plan A and there is no plan B as a backup--God will not fail!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Hymn by Isaac Watts

Alas! and did my Savior bleed?
  And did my Sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
  For such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I have done
  He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity!  grace unknown!
  And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
  And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
  For man the creature's sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
  While his dear cross appears;
Dissolve, my heart, in thankfulness,
  And melt, mine eyes, to tears.

But drops of grief can ne'er repay
  The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away--
  'Tis all that I can do.

              Isaac Watts (1707, public domain)

What Is Fellowship?

When believers get together, what should be the topic of conversation?  (Jesus, as much as possible!) Is it real fellowship when they just talk sports or the weather or news events?  [N.B. I am not referring to fellowship with the Father and the Son, but fellow brethren.] Genuine fellowship (from the Greek word koinonia which means having something in common: Christians have Christ, a mission, ministries, purposes, the Bible, etc. in common)  which is two fellows in the same ship, as it were facetiously, is when honesty, authenticity, and real sharing takes place in the name of the Lord ("For when two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them," reads Matthew 18:20).  Sometimes it involves confession or empathizing and/or sympathizing.   Consoling each other as an example is fellowship (we are comforted so that we can comfort others--2 Cor. 1:20), but that can even take place even among nonbelievers in a technical sense. 

There is fellowship, and then there is fellowship.  What we ought to have in common is not the weather or our team, but our Lord.  Is the Spirit of the Lord present is all that matters, and if you have discernment in the Spirit you should be able to tell if the Holy Spirit shows up or is a "no-show" to your fellowship.  Sometimes all it takes is the mention of His name because He is not far from each of us and is in us already.

But we stifle the Spirit and hamper His free expression and quench His presence by our conversation--we need to be sensitive to what is pleasing in His sight (cf. Psa. 19:14).  The Spirit does not lie, exaggerate, jest, or tease, etc., but is full of love and that is the key to His presence in essence--Christians love the brethren, and His Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are the Sons of God.  The believers will know if they had fellowship, but an outsider would not be able to judge or discern, for he is unaware of spiritual things and blind spiritually.

There is no limit as to how far we can go into the realm of the Spirit if we but open the door and be willing to confess Him before man and be open and free in our spirit ("Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,' says 2 Cor. 3:17). When we are having fellowship, we are equal in God's eyes and there is neither Greek nor barbarian, slave nor free,  male nor female, etc.  Rank has its privileges, but not in Christ--we kiss our social position goodbye.  There is often a so-called esprit de corps of the Holy Spirit, you might say.   The possibilities are limitless and sometimes even ecstasy and euphoria are possible, as well as the other extreme end of the spectrum which is grief--some people don't feel they are really friends till they have cried together, not laughed together.

In summation, we must differentiate between surface-level chitchat and real genuine fellowship, which is not a given, even among believers--they may be out of fellowship with God.  We must put Christ into it or be inspired or led by Him in our conversation.  We share our walk and can relate to each other as to how we are doing, which is also key; but NB:   There is no fellowship (in my interpretation of Scripture) with an unbeliever:  "For what does light have in common with darkness?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"  (2 Cor. 6:14-15).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Live Today?

The problem with most people is that they don't know that the principle from Scripture (cf. Deut. 33:25) says that "as your days are, so shall your strength be."  We can get depressed by 3 states of mind:  dwelling on the past, misinterpreting the present, anticipating the future.  The well-known verse from Psalm 118:24  says, "This is the day that the LORD has made, let us be glad, and rejoice in it."  Tomorrow does not belong to you and is not guaranteed by God--He wants you to live each day to the fullest and "boast not [ourselves] of tomorrow" [cf. Prov. 27:1] for "tomorrow does not yet belong to us."

Each day when we arise we should gratefully thank God for a new day and new opportunity to walk with Him, asking Him if He might come that day.  Matthew Henry said that we should live each day as if it were our last.  We should always be prepared for our death, which can come at any time, and live each day as if it could be our last--and I mean to "occupy, purify, watch, and worship, (conduct main business as usual)" not to sell out and stop our affairs like quitting our jobs, and so forth.  The hedonist philosophy to "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die" is evil and presumptuous on God's mercy and grace (cf. Isa. 22:13; 1 Cor. 15:32).

 A real famous local pastor on TV in my youth used to start each sermon with the verse quoted above and it inspired me to be patient and live in the present:  "This is the day that the LORD has made...."  That verse is also the way many a church service is begun by tradition or custom. ( Focus on the now and you will be happier--God will take care of your tomorrows.  God will give the grace you need when the time comes.) Each day is a new beginning and a new chance to walk with our Lord, and we should be thankful as a state of mind for this opportunity.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are We Faithful to Our Church?

The issue we must face sooner or later in our walk is, "Are we to remain faithful to our church, as opposed to our Lord and our personal faith?"  Here's a case in point:  After many years and many ties to a church,  one finds out that he doesn't agree with the church dogma and it is a compromise on his faith to cooperate, where he doesn't feel he can grow in Christ according to his faith, even though he may have the opportunity to serve in that church--what is most important?

To cite an example:  My grandmother, God bless her soul, stayed faithful to one church for most of her 96 years, seeing the coming and going of countless pastors, programs, and opportunities.  I don't know whether she knew it or not, but the church had become quite liberal, theologically speaking, and I don't think she realized it (she may have felt she was just too old to start over in another church and thought maybe she could influence them more than they her).

In my own walk, I am glad I'm not where I was when I was young and knew nothing of doctrine.  It seems like I was at a different stage at each church and God had a purpose for me being there, but then called me out to move on in a spiritual promotion, as I matured. Thank God I'm still not going to the Lutheran church of my youth where I would probably be a somebody by now, but the church would be nowhere.

The issue is whether one should be in a church where he can serve, or where one can grow.  One deserves accolades for faithfulness, but not if he disregards principle or his faith to do it--his primary concern should be to grow in the Lord, his priority in service.   I believe that, if you seek to grow, the serving will come naturally, and we shouldn't tend to promote ourselves or to presume on God that he has to put us into service--He will call us in is timing. 

In the early church, there was no alternate church to go to if one disagreed, for example; one had to stick it out through thick and thin.   We recall the carnal Corinthians who split into factions, and Paul labeled that a fruit of the flesh.  Sectarianism ("I am of Paul, I am of Peter, I am of Apollos, etc.) is a sin and not in God's original design for the local church.  The Bible does teach the local body's autonomy and independence from other churches, and the individual responsibility of the believer for his own faith--he cannot say that the church told him so, and pass the buck, so to speak.

It is good to downplay denomination quarrels and not be so dogmatic about doctrines that divide--we should seek unity and not division--avoiding the Bible-club mentality.  We all need to under authority and be accountable so that we don't go off on our own tangent and get flakey. The key to doing this is to remain in fellowship with other believers and know the basic doctrines of the Scriptures as a grounding in the truth to stabilize ourselves.

We don't want to leave a fellowship for petty differences or for minor doctrines (don't major on the minors), but leave room for some disagreement--we can disagree, without being disagreeable; just don't be divisive, argumentative, or quarrelsome in the body and known as a trouble maker--keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as Eph. 4:3 exhorts.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Is There Political Theology?

I mean, is there a political litmus test of orthodoxy in theology?   Do our political "opinions" influence our theology?  Now, to be sure, we hold opinions, but convictions hold us.  There is something you believe, and then there is something you will die for.  For instance, in the Civil War, or the War between the States, families were often set against each other, brother against brother, and so forth.  This was such a strong political influence that people were willing to die for it and many volunteered for the war--the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry that was the first to volunteer when Pres. Lincoln called for regiments.  It should be obvious that our regional upbringing and background have a lot to do with what kind of politics we have--not many Minnesotans joined the South.

There were sincere people on both sides that believed in the same God, read the same Bible, and even belonged to the same church denomination who opposed each other.  God wasn't concerned about what so-called side they were on but the condition of their heart and whether they loved Him and their neighbors, to be specific.  He isn't going to ask us, "What side were you on in the War?" but "Did you love Me during the War?"

 It is unfortunate that in today's evangelical churches that stress is made on conservative politics, as if all Christians should be conservatives, to their definition.  You cannot put God in a box and label Him, how does one know what party God would be a member of?  Wouldn't that have to be a perfect party, since God is holy?  It is not the question asked, "Are you a Democrat or Republican? but "If you are a Democrat or Republican, do you love Republicans or Democrats?"

With all the bitterness and backbiting, and slander, libel, and insults, I really wonder if this is the case.  The point is, is that there are sincere believers on both sides, and it is just like a ballgame, in which we believe that God doesn't take sides in any way that we can figure out, but must leave the outcome to the providence of God. 

It is wrong to call a movement the "Evangelical Right" implying that this is the orthodox position and that there is a consensus here to be conservative among Christians.  Do you know that a lot of African-American Christian voters are Democrats and they are just as sincere in their faith as the White majority who vote Republican?   There ought to be a separation of church and state in the sense that churches ought to stay out of politics and stay with the main thing--the Great Commission, which is the only program they are to be converted to.  "Keep the main thing the main thing!"  I don't go to church to get propaganda about a pastor's political leanings.

 Let me apply the Bible as I see fit and leave room for disagreement in the body:  Remember Augustine's famous dictum, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." We are not to hate (and showing disrespect and dishonor is a form of it) our leaders who we elected in the providence of God is to be hypocritical to our faith--we should be trusting in God and praying for all in authority, even honoring the king, no matter who he is and how much we disagree.  Soli Deo Gloria!

God Reaching Down to Us

Christianity may be summed up in grace or God reaching down to us (condescending) and acting on our behalf in doing for us what we didn't deserve--this is unique in Christianity.  All other religions are based on works because man is incurably addicted to doing something for his salvation (cf. John 6:28-29) and are summed up in man's effort to gain the approbation or approval of God by his good deeds, rituals, morality, etc.   You might say man's vain effort in reaching out to please God.

The Christian life is about seeking God and His presence and face in our daily walk.  But this does not take place apart from grace:  we didn't find Him; He found us.  Pascal said that he would not have sought God, had He first found Him.  Paul said that "there is none that seeks God" in Rom. 3.  God's chief quarrel with man, says John Stott, is that he doesn't seek.  God is no man's debtor and if we seek we will find. 

The miracle is that He is found by those who were not looking:  "I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me" (Isa. 65:1). Many people are looking for the benefits, not the Benefactor.   Actually, according to R. C. Sproul, the search for God begins at conversion, it doesn't end there. Jonathan Edwards said that seeking God is the main business of the Christian.   When we say we found God, we really mean He found us.  We begin our search for God at salvation because only in the Spirit can we know Him and be aware of Him.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Belief's Correlation with Obedience

There is a direct relationship between faith and obedience; faith is manifested only in obedience--there is no such thing as disobedient faith.  Our faith is not perfect or faultless, but genuine faith is sincere and unfeigned ("The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith," says 1 Tim. 1:5).   No one has perfect faith or perfect obedience and perfectionism is a false doctrine.  We never reach a point of sinless perfection  (of sins intentional, or no)t.   "...He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him"  (Heb. 5:9). 

The Holy Spirit has been given to all who obey Him (cf. Acts 5:32).  Dietrich Bonhoeffer had a famous saying that is now an axiom:  "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes."  We are saved through the obedience of our faith that is a gift of God. ("...He greatly helped those who by grace had believed," says Acts 18:27).

There is no such thing as a brand of Christian called "disobedient Christian," though Christians can disobey, sin, and fall short; but they have a desire and longing within to obey in their spirit.  "For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ...For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I  who do it, but sin that dwells within me. ...For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being"  (Rom. 7:15-22).  In other words, we all fall short of our ideals and can't live up to our own standards--thank God for grace.

There is also no such thing as a carnal Christian having an excuse ("It's okay, pastor, I'm a carnal Christian") when caught in a sin.  He must repent and if he belongs to the Lord he will be disciplined ("For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives," says Heb. 12:6).  Christians don't get away with sin and are not happy out of fellowship with the Lord.  The exhortation to all believers is to "trust and obey"  and the song goes:  "For there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."

The acid test or the litmus test of the believer is his obedience and they are correlated in Heb. 3:18-19 as follows:  "And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?  So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." True faith is manifested or demonstrated by obedience only.  "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams"  (1 Sam. 15:22).  Soli Deo Gloria!

How Do You Prepare for Worship?

We don't just roll out of bed and show up at church for the show hoping we can get blessed!  Some believers go to see what they can get out of the worship and complain when they get nothing or aren't blessed.  We go to church to corporately worship God and it is a serious business.  Would you go to see the president dressed casually or as nice as you can?  Of course, it depends on how well you know the president!  But we are to worship God in holy array ("Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness," says Psalm 29:2b) and this is an inward attitude, not our outward appearance--"Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).  Come as you are (God won't let you stay that way, though),  God will change you from the inside out and make you a neater person or one that dresses to please others, and not just yourself.  

 Worship is not a performance we go to see, but it involves our effort and input as we become sensitized to the Spirit's message to us.  Unconfessed sin can get us out of fellowship and is a hindrance to worship--we must realize that sin is a barrier that must be overcome by confession and repentance.  Discover the power of praise and get your eyes off of yourself and onto Jesus--"looking unto Jesus."  It is depressing to get our eyes off of Jesus and focused on ourselves or the world.

We get into the spirit of worship or some may say the mood by entering His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise (a friend of mine says he gets into the mood at Bible study when they sing the hymns)--we just do it and if we are in fellowship with no unconfessed sin (cf. 1 John 1:9) it is God's pleasure to bless His children as they worship Him. 

 We must be patient and not go by feeling but wait on the Lord.  For me the best preparation is to read the Bible and let God speak to me--O how I love the Word--it is a vital part of my walk and fellowship (from the Greek koinonia, meaning sharing things in common).  Case in point:  "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" (Jer. 15:16).

Note that fellowship is not only vertical but horizontal--we prepare by making sure we don't have any unholy relationships and by fellowshipping with our brethren--that's why it is a good idea to show up early for worship and let the Lord lead you and enjoy the fellowship of believers in the Spirit and see why the apostles were so devoted to it (cf. Acts 2:42).   Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is A Healthy Church? Are You A Happy Camper?...

Rationale:  Other teachers have taught on this subject and I am not ignoring them, but my purpose is to tell my own personal insights after having been in many churches during my life.  First of all, let's tell my story, we have a choice to go to a church where we can be of service and God can use us, or we can go to a church where we feel we can fellowship and most importantly grow with others of similar doctrinal persuasion--just how important are our beliefs?  I had a sudden awakening where I realized that what I believed was important and I couldn't compromise that anymore.

I went to a church that had a motto of "a place for you."  I felt needed there and God gave me an opportunity to serve, but eventually I woke up and couldn't tolerate the church government and the doctrines of the church that I couldn't approve of any longer--specifically the watering down of the gospel message and the so-called agenda of the pastor who didn't seem to know the Lord any better than me--though I don't deny he was Spirit-filled and put a lot of fire into his sermons and he should've put more of his sermons in the fire!  I would fall asleep during his sermons because I heard it all before--he repeated himself as a methodology.  I was ready for greener pastures.

I now know that God can speak to me through a pastor who doesn't necessarily get that worked up, but is more the one that God wants me to listen to and I can relate to.  I firmly believe that we go through spiritual stages, that there is a right church for us at a certain level of maturity.  I started out as a Lutheran, and I am glad I didn't remain loyal to that denomination, seeing how liberal most of them have gotten.  We are not to be faithful to a church, but to Jesus Christ--there may come a time that we have to take a stand and decide where we want to be and what God wants us to do, and knowing who we are in Christ is vital, i.e., knowing our spiritual gift or calling (cf. 2 Pet. 1:10). 

We are not to look down on our brethren in other churches or to become sectarian (1 Cor. 1:10ff), which is a sin according to Paul who rebuked the Corinthians for saying they were of Paul, Peter, Apollos, or Jesus himself!  We don't take pride in our labels; in fact, we shouldn't label other believers at all and we are not called to straighten the church because we disagree and think they are wrong.  Who wrote the book on comparing ourselves?   God condemns those who cause division among the brethren or who are divisive, quarrelsome, or schismatic, and we should warn them to "strive for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (cf. Eph. 4:3).

A healthy church is a serving church that is involved and has opportunities to reach out and minister.  A healthy church must have a vision ("Where there is no vision, the people perish," cf. Prov. 29:18).  But some people will end up being converted to the program, not to Christ!  The pastor has to know where he wants to lead the flock and be one step ahead of them and not be a one-man show but is involved in the body, realizing that he needs them as much as they need him (for all parts of the body are necessary).  There should be no doubt that it is the Lord who is the head of the church and not an individual who is a control freak or power-hungry and likes to be number one like Diotrephes. 

Choirs are fine, but they are not necessary, because the goal is to get us to worship--worship is not vicarious, but involved--the question should not be "What did you get out of the worship today?" but "Did you give God the glory and worship Him adequately?"  Soli Deo Gloria!  Worship is giving one his due!  The church service is not a show where we see people perform but sincere heartfelt worship that involves us personally.  Worship leaders should not draw attention to themselves, but focus the glory on Christ--and this is a calling and gifting to be able to lead in worship. 

A healthy church is not a crowd but a family of interacting and fellowshipping believers or called out ones as the term, ekklesia, from the Greek implies.  Some churches give no opportunity to get to know the members and one can get lost in the crowd or lost in the shuffle--nothing against so-called mega-churches if they have interacting "mini-churches" or subunits that give the members the opportunity to reach out individually and exercise their spiritual gift.  Each member has a ministry to the church members and a mission to the unsaved.  Most of all the church is an organism, not an organization.  Many people are rightly against the institutional church because it smacks too much of institutionalism.  Jesus himself was anti-establishment and a revolutionary in his own right--turning the world upside down.

Many people are turned off by the church because it is too much like the establishment--we need to get away from that image and tailor the church to the needs of the members and not all churches are at the same level spiritually; but we should not think we are the only church in town doing God's will(a sect or cult thinks they are right and everyone else is wrong, being the only show in town), or have cornered the market on truth and have a sort of Bible-club mentality.  No church has a monopoly on truth or has the right to judge other churches--they are there for God's glory and He has a purpose for them and the people in them. 

We don't want to be a dead orthodoxy (it must preach the Word, as Paul taught the "whole counsel of God," and not just pet doctrines or passages, as commanded, and not be content just to be doctrinally correct) but a vibrant interacting fellowship that members can call their home church.  It should be their second home and the body of believers should be their second family.  The members are in solidarity with each other and don't feel someone is not needed or isn't useful to the body.  A healthy church recognizes elders and deacons among candidates who desire the office, it doesn't make or elect elders and deacons but recognize them--this is a gift and a calling and like teaching one exercises it and sees if God blesses him and given him the gift.

Harmony and unity (not uniformity) are essential in the church and discipline must be done to divisive brethren that cause division over nonessential doctrines.  St. Augustine's dictum was right:  "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."  The early church was known for four elements:  the Apostles' doctrine, fellowship, prayer, and the breaking of bread or communion (cf. Acts 2:42).  The sign of a powerful church is what Jesus said, quoting Isa. 56:7, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." As they say:  The church is not a hotel for saints, but a hospital for sinners--no perfect people need to apply!

In conclusion:   If you think you have found the perfect church don't join it (remembering that the Reformers called the church semper reformanda, or always reforming) because it will no longer be perfect!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Where Is the Scholar?

Paul was asking about the people who think they know something when in reality they know nothing worth knowing.  Jesus despised the manner of the typical Pharisee who "knew" the Scripture (often memorizing the Torah) but didn't recognize their king amongst them.  The Word should open our eyes and be the way God communicates to us.   "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about me" (John 5:39).

We need preachers who have more than just a second-hand knowledge of Christ and don't just quote the so-called authorities or experts like the Pharisees did--what has God revealed to them, not what do the great teachers say. What has God been showing them?  The point of the Holy Writ is to point to the person of Jesus and to aid us in finding our God.  Jesus rebuked them, "You know not the Scriptures, nor the power of God," (cf. Matt. 22:29).  Thus equating the two, but His interpreting of "knowing" the Scriptures was seeing Himself in them and the point is to lead them to Him.

Beware lest we get academic and study the Bible to know the "facts" or the trivia (distinguish between knowledge about the Bible and knowledge of the Bible)  and not the lessons, which are the real doctrines or teachings.  We should study to show ourselves "approved unto God," and that means a basic understanding and ability to interpret what is relevant to us as we apply it; mere knowledge for its own sake is vain and leads to being "puffed up" as Paul warns us in 1 Cor. 8:1 that "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."  Knowledge of the Word is a means to an end, and not the end or goal per se.   True knowledge of God is vital:  "Therefore, My people go into exile, for lack of knowledge" (Isa. 5:13);  "My people perish for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).

We can take pride in how much we know and this serves no purpose.  Some of us (e.g., pastors, teachers, and evangelists) have more so-called knowledge as a byproduct, but, for the run-of-the-mill believer, knowing the Author is more important than knowing the Word, however vital that is.   "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth, men should seek instruction--because of he a messenger of the LORD Almighty" (Mal. 2:7).   There is a need for theologians, for instance, but in a sense, all believers are theologians because they espouse and believe in certain doctrines; but they have a bad rap and many simply regard their knowledge in a matter-of-fact manner and don't apply what they know.

We are not to despise knowledge per se, because God has repeatedly rejected the priests who have turned against knowledge ("Because you have rejected knowledge, I have rejected you as my priests," says Hosea 4:6).  Proverbs says that the wise "store up knowledge" and "the lips of the wise spread knowledge" (Prov. 15:7).   "A discerning heart seeks knowledge, but a fool feeds on folly" (Prov. 15:24).   "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge" (Prov. 19:2).  "They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Rom. 10:1).   Therefore, we should not be against knowledge per se, but realize its place and a relative value; the real substance is in knowing Christ;  our relationship is with Christ, not the Word.

We develop a taste for the Word:  "O how I love thy Word, I meditate on it all day long."   "Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and they were the joy of my heart"  (Jer. 15:16).  Personally, I relate to Psalm 119:92 which says, "For if thy law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction."  David says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good..."  (Psa. 34:8).

We learn to love the Word, and there is nothing wrong with being a person of the Book (as believers were once called),  as we seek God's guidance and counsel to us (God is able to speak any way He chooses, but He has promised to speak to us in His Word);   Note Deut. 32:47:  "They are not just idle words for you--they are your life."   We turn to the Word, not to any person for authority.  Sola Scriptura (the Word alone)  was the cry of the Reformation and they took away the authority of the priest, pontiff, or tradition to compete with the sole authority of the Word.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Where Do You Get Your Strength?

We all have a crutch, whether we admit it or not, it could be a spouse, a habit, a drug, an escape, or even religion itself. No man is an "island" nor a "rock" as the song by Simon and Garfunkel goes and the words of John Donne--we all lean on something or someone in a time of stress.  We all know there are no atheists in foxholes.   Man is designed to worship God and get his strength from up above--Sir Francis Bacon said there is a God-shaped vacuum in all of us that can only be filled and satisfied with God Himself.  Ted Turner says, "Christianity is for losers."   Everyone has a god, whether they know it or not; we all worship someone or something.  However, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe"  (Prov. 18:10).

 We can all reach our potential in Christ as we tap into divine power.  "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me"  (Phil. 4:13).   "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength"  (Isa. 40:29).   Yes, "Let the weak say, 'I am strong'" (Joel 3:10).  "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:  that power belongs to God..." (Psa. 62:11).  We have to remember that this power is at our disposal and it is not intrinsic, but extrinsic:  "'...Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 4:6).

God wants all the glory and the credit, so to speak:  "You who rejoice in Lo-debar [nothing], who say, 'Have we not by our own strength captured Karnaim [the stronghold] by ourselves?'" (Amos 6:13). Truly "you have done for us all our works" (Isa. 26:12).  "Did we in our strength confide, our striving would be losing...." (says the hymn).   We must bear in mind that "apart from [Christ] we can do nothing"  (John 15:5).  I'm not against good works, just ones done in the flesh in our own power.

Until we realize the power of the Spirit in leading us and the empowerment ministry we are just plodding along in the energy of the flesh and cannot be rewarded.  All our works will be evaluated as to whether they were done in the right spirit and motive.  We must work "with all his energy which he powerfully works within [us]" (Col. 1:29).  He is able to do more than we can ask, "according to the power at work within us"  (Eph. 3:20).

In witnessing it is necessary to get the prompting and the leading and the open door of the Holy Spirit:  "And you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."  (Acts 1:8).  "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work according to his good pleasure"  (Phil. 2:13).  Knowing that it is God and not us is key and then we come to a knowledge of Christ working in us:  "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..."  (Phil. 3:10).

We don't want to be self-confident,  but God-confident and faithfully proclaim, "The joy of the LORD is [our] strength"  (Neh. 8:10).    In summation, let me quote the Apostle Paul, who went on to boast in the Lord:  "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Should We Debate Sin?

"Remember this:  Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way [unbelief and impenitence]  will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins"  (James 5:20).  This doesn't mean we go around pointing out our neighbor's sin, but to preach the gospel (our commission) and let God make the seed of the Word grow, leaving the results to God.

Looking back on previous posts, I noticed that several of them deal with whether some practice, such as gambling, smoking, Sabbath-breaking, sex during a woman's period, shaving sideburns, tattoos, etc.,  are sin.  "To his own master, he stands or falls...."   It is not our job to convict of sin, ("Preach the Word") but the sole responsibility and burden of the Holy Spirit--"He shall convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment" (cf. John 16:8).   If we faithfully preach the Word God, it will not come back void, but God will accomplish His divine purpose, according to Isa. 55:11.

"He flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin"  (cf. Psa. 36:2).   "...He commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong" (Psa. 36:4b).

Jesus came "not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (cf. Luke 19:1).  God wants us to admit our guilt and sinful nature, not that such and such is a sin.   "If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?" (cf. Psa. 130:3).

"You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence" (cf. Psa. 90:8).  Taking the beam out of our own eye, before trying to dislodge the speck in our brother's eye, as Jesus said.   We should be so busy being convicted of our own sins that we don't worry about our neighbor's sins and be like Paul who saw himself as the "chief of sinners."  Thank God, He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor reward us according to our iniquities (cf. Psa. 103:10).

We can miss the point and concentrate on "sins" and not the root problem of "sin" (I mean the problem of the sin nature or tendency to sin inherent in us).   Paul exhorted the Romans to accept him who is weak in the faith, but let each be fully convinced in his own mind.  It is a spiritual fact that something may be a sin to you, and not to others.  Whatever is not of faith is sin, said Paul.  ("He that knows to do good, and does it not, sins"--James 4:17)   Christians have the Law written on their hearts and need no one to tell them right and wrong, for walking in the Spirit trumps all legalism.

Some believers strive to keep the letter of the Law but miss out on the spirit of it. "The Law of the Spirit has set us free from the law of sin and death"  (cf. Rom. 8:2).  In my opinion and experience, it is vain to debate whether something is a sin--we get nowhere fast, creating more heat than light!  What matters most to God, is where the heart is,  He looks at the motives, that we cannot judge or perceive.   Note that there are so-called gray areas that we shouldn't let someone judge us in.

To conclude, virtually anything in excess can be a sin; the vital issue is whether you control it or it controls you.  "...Sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it"  (cf. Gen. 4:7).   "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him"  (cf. 2 Pet. 2:19b).   "'Everything is permissible for me--but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible for me --but I will not be mastered by anything"  (cf. 1 Cor. 6:12).   Case in point:  C. H. Spurgeon said that he would quit smoking when it became a problem!   Psalm 119:133 says, "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me...."  I have a good question:  Did  Rahab, the harlot of Jericho, sin, who lied to the officials?   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is There Real Freedom From the Law?

"Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes"  (Rom. 10:4, NIV).
"[B]y setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations..." (Eph. 2:15, NIV).


The Law does have a place in the believer's life to be a mirror that  shows us our sinfulness; however, we are not under the authority or tutelage of the Law (Rom. 6:14), which is only a shadow of the real thing--we walk in the Spirit and do the things against such there is no law (Heb. 10:1). I like the J. B. Phillips translation of Rom. 3:20 which reads realistically:  "It is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we really are."  "By the Law is the knowledge of sin," says Paul. We obey the spirit of the Law, and not necessarily the letter of it.  And we are not to rely on it for our justification nor sanctification because there is a curse on everyone who does (Gal. 3:10).  We don't have to become somewhat "Jewish" to be good Christians, says Chuck Swindoll--not good news to the new "Hebrew movement" sweeping Christendom.

The Law was made for "lawbreakers and rebels" (1 Tim. 1:9) and the unbeliever knows no law, while the believer needs no law. John Calvin said that the believer has the Law written on his heart.  This is part of the New Covenant mentioned in Jer. 31.  The Law should drive us to Christ for mercy and is our schoolmaster to brings us to a grace-oriented way of thinking ("For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty").

Gal. 2:21 says, "For if justification were through the Law, Christ died for nothing."  The Law and the Old Covenant are now obsolete because Christ abolished it in His flesh "with its commandments and ordinances"  (Eph. 2:15).  Watchman Nee, who founded more than 200 churches in China before being imprisoned for the faith, said that the day he was delivered from the Law was a day of heaven on earth.

What basically is legalism, but adherence to the letter of the Law, without regard to its spirit, according to eminent theologian R. C. Sproul.  The Law (which is a revelation of a perfect code reflecting a perfect God) measures men, it doesn't save them.   When given the Law, Israel promised they would keep it, instead of asking for mercy, not realizing the vanity of it.

The first usage of the Law is to convict of sin and that is why Psalm 19 says the Law is perfect (note that it is God's job to do this--not ours), converting the soul--it is good as an evangelizing tool to show people they are sinners.  John Bunyan says, "The man who does not know the nature of the Law does not know the nature of sin.  The world at large is under the law until they are redeemed from its curse."

Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim. 1:7 about those who want to be teachers of the Law.  The scribes were experts in the Law and Jesus warned of their "leaven."  "But avoid...arguments and quarrels about the Law" (Tit. 3:9).   The Law has no more authority over us than a deceased husband has over his living wife--death cancels all contracts.  "There is, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, to those who are called according to His purpose"  (Rom. 8:1).

The Antinomians (literally against the law),  say: "Free from the Law, O blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission,"  think the Law has no purpose and is in effect a law unto themselves.  Grace doesn't give us the right to do whatever we think is right in our own eyes nor to do what Scripture condemns or what is plain wrong.  They misinterpret the Scripture that says, "All things are lawful [or permissible]..."  (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:13).

 The antidote to legalism and Antinomianism, according to Sproul is a serious and legitimate study of the Word.  The Moral Law, basically the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, has not been rescinded, because, except for the Sabbath observance, they are reiterated in the New Testament.  What was moral then is moral now.  Many of the 613 commandments and prohibitions are merely elaborations of the Decalogue and common sense deductions.  Christ specifically voided the kosher laws, et al.

 Paul says the Law is good if one uses it righteously.  The Jews couldn't handle the yoke of the Law and the early church in Acts 15 decided not to burden them.  Obedience from the Christian should be a "want to" and not a "have to."  It is not an "in order to," but a "therefore." The Law is summed up in Gal. 5:14 where it says love is the fulfillment of the Law.  Jesus also said that the greatest commandments were to love God and our neighbor.  The Law adjudicates the sinner (points out his shortcomings and failures), but does not exculpate (free him from guilt) him!  The entire Law is summed up in the command:  "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The Formula of Concord (1577), the Lutheran confession of faith, established the so-called three-fold purpose of the Law:  To reveal sin; to establish decency in the society at large; and to provide a rule of life for the regenerated through faith in Christ, according to R. C. Sproul.   It does have a purpose because of all Scripture, according to 2 Tim. 3:16,  is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Getting What You Want...

It has been said that when the gods are angry with us, they answer our prayers.  Some Greek philosophers taught to only pray for good things because we don't know what good things are!   Many a preacher has done an exposition on unanswered prayer or when God says "no."  Remember that He said  "no" to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, so He certainly can do so to us.  Jesus does sympathize with our plight or dilemma. Usually, they say that God is just telling us to wait, or that He has something better;  a negative reply is for our own good.

God also says "yes" to our prayers when He is really saying,  "Okay, have it your way." As they say, "Be careful what you pray for; you may get it!   He alone knows what is best for us and is always interested in our welfare and works on our behalf, whether we want it or not.  Some of the ancient Greeks would only pray for good things because they didn't know what good things were, and they left the option open to God.  Just like wondering why God says "no," we should also wonder why He says "yes," just the same.  Are we praying, "Thy will be done?"

Some people get all they want and still aren't happy.  God has His glory in mind front and center:  We should always respond, "Why me Lord?"  Living hell has been described as the place where everyone gets what they want--and have no capacity to enjoy it.  I've heard of millionaires who have everything to live on and nothing to live for.

Some brethren believe God gives us a carte blanche or a blank check to get from God what we want as long as we abide by the right formula.  God isn't a genie or a vending machine!   Prayer is not to get our way, but to tap into God's will and get done through us. "I venture not to speak of but what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).    Psalm 106:15 says, "He gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them."   Another translation renders it:  "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls."  Think of the parable of the prodigal son who got what he wanted only to finally come to an end of himself and return to God in repentance.   God is really teaching Israel a lesson to trust in Providence.

We should always pray for God's will to be done, not ours; believe me, we would mess up our lives if we always got our way--"Father knows best."  The best prayer we can pray is simply:  "Thy will be done!" Even Jesus had to struggle whether He'd submit to the Father's plan or not.   I am an example of a  person who usually got his own way and now realizes the wisdom of God despite myself.   We need to thank God, that in His wisdom, He denies  some of our requests and we cannot  boastfully say, "I did it my way."   Soli Deo Gloria!

My Spiritual Journey

This is a first-hand account of my religious and/or spiritual pilgrimage, pitfalls and all, without glorifying the past--and sparing the details.   It's an example of a  believer who got his own way and ultimately learned to submit to God's will the hard way of "been there and done that."

I was baptized in California as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was my sponsor--we were corresponding for years.   I was also confirmed in childhood.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and my pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring of my pastor whether I should go into the ministry.  I even went to Bible camp and believed I  knew the Lord mainly because I was fascinated with the book of Revelation (reading Billy Graham's book World Aflame), and then shared insights with my mom.

I recall no particular moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible (I recall beginning the habit of underlining favorite verses).  I was a person of the Book as far as I can recall, even buying a children's Bible on my own.  My grandmother became very close to me and told me Bible stories.

I  made the big decision to dedicate my life to Christ in a Billy Graham crusade I heard on TV around my 15th birthday, and then got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Counseling with my pastor,  he told me to read  Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.   I then proceeded to write a paper debunking the sect and defending the Lutheran faith.  I also found out I am not Sabbatarian.   I don't believe in "forsaking the assembly together of ourselves, as is the manner of some." But to affirm that  there are no "hard-and-fast rules" for the Sabbath Day."

I went to Augsburg College (a so-called Lutheran Christian college), and was exposed to "higher criticism"  and liberal theology, finding out I didn't know all the answers. With no more motive to study and being confused in my beliefs, I dropped out to do some soul searching and to find myself--wondering if my experience was to no avail.

Joining the Army and looking for love in all the wrong places, I heard a Billy Graham crusade again, only this time it was from South Korea; it was translated into Korean, so he had to go very slow and not being a good listener, it sunk in that I needed to repent, the missing link in my walk ("Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," Acts 3:19; "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24:47").   I was under grave conviction of my sin and rededicated my life to Christ.   I called my mom and told her she will like the new me; she said she liked the old me!   It seemed like I had made this decision before, but this time it stuck. I had to get to the end of my rope before admitting my need.

Going back I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored.  Once you've experienced it,  you want to pass it on; so I got the bug to witness.  Witnessing to a  friend, he got saved; we became bosom buddies and hung around together the rest of my stint--I could not have made it through without his companionship and fellowship.   I credit the Navigators for teaching me devotions, witnessing, Bible study, and the discipline of committing Scripture to memory.  Then I taught Sunday School while in Okinawa and made many Christian friends.

I matured in my doctrinal viewpoints and the first doctrine I became interested in was eternal security--I even wrote Billy Graham to ask him his stand.   I perceived that repentance is a continual attitude and not just a one-time event and that God grants it by grace.  I frown upon "cheap grace," which justifies the sin, and not the sinner, as it were; giving a license to sin.  I had thought you could sin as much as you want as long as you confess it!  Repentance is an about-face, in military terms, and "If we regard iniquity in our heart, the LORD will not hear us."  We must get a new attitude, change our mind about our sin.  We can be very bad sinners, but never too bad to be saved ("Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow....").  

I became convinced of believer baptism and was officially dunked in the church--Dr. Johnson knew me and didn't give me a hard time.   I then shared my faith for the first time publically in the church, and had a personal revival and couldn't restrain myself--I had the "can't-help-it's" ( and I couldn't stop reading the Bible).  I was accused of living "under the influence.    And it was so strange that my mom committed me to the mental ward of the hospital for observation (they couldn't find anything wrong with me and released me).  I was accused of going overboard on my religion.   But I was scarred as a result and never got over it.  Afterward, I wandered the state of Texas flat broke, and went down to Mexico, and then committed myself to the VA.

Finally, I decided to move to Minnesota to live with my grandmother.  I gave my spiritual ambitions a rest and took up electronics and got a job at Honeywell troubleshooting torpedoes--I  wanted to pursue this as a career path.

Then I joined the Army again, but had issues with depression and wanted out,  and was given a medical discharge.  Later, I had many personal problems and found a girl who listened to me and fell in love--we were married for ten years.   During those years I was in and out of the mental hospital, being committed by my best friend, and then by my wife several times.  Once I spent 18 months in treatment, but, praise God,  have not had a relapse in over 20 years--but I do take medications,  and am under psychiatric observation, to be safe, considering my track record. 

I thought my hope had perished from the Lord, and  I was destined for mediocrity.   I found a church  where I  could continue to grow  (I learned that one must keep the main thing the main thing and that the purpose of the universal, as well as the local church, is to evangelize and fulfill the Great Commission), and this church had a place for me to serve; however, I wasn't that dogmatic anymore.

Later, after a lot of studies, I started to be concerned about my beliefs  (I became cognizant of the deity of Christ in a real way, and realized the Proverb "without a vision, the people perish"). I knew I had to exercise grace toward those I disagree with, and not be judgmental;   putting Augustine's dictum into practice:   "In essentials unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Since then I've had a meaningful relationship and friendship with my mom, who is not ignorant of doctrine, either--neither of us believes ignorance is bliss, and know our way around the block, theologically speaking.  We talk every day and usually have mutually edifying and lengthy fellowship; we are on the same page so we can bounce ideas off each other.

I am not a success in the world's eyes and haven't achieved the American dream:  But I believe what Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, "The Lord calls us to faithfulness, not success."  God isn't interested in our achievements; He's interested in us and our obedience--Isaiah says, "All that we have done [God] has accomplished for us," and Paul says, "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).

Doctrinally speaking, I am a Calvinist who believes in the gifts of the Spirit--an oddity.  Sometimes we must agree to disagree, and not be disagreeable, contentious, divisive, or argumentative.   Even Paul and Barnabas disagreed and had to go their separate ways:  There are more important things than being right all the time--relationships--our faith is a relationship with a person, not a creed.  We must accept one another in love because we are "accepted in the Beloved" (cf. Eph. 1:6) and always "speak the truth in love."

As far as doctrine goes, a good frame of reference for soteriology, the doctrine of salvation,  is important for witnessing and assurance of salvation.  Like they say,  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind."  I'm not what I ought to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be! I now live an abundant life with a capital L and am seeking God's Kingdom first.

In summation, I am what I am by the grace of God, and am blooming where God has planted me.  My mission is to the vets, my ministry is my Bible study, and my avocation is blogging to the glory of God--I thank God for my church home!    

My favorite Bible verses are as follows:

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word" (Psa. 119: 67).
"He brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps"   (Psa. 40: 2).  "Therefore, the LORD longs to have mercy on you, and He waits on high to have compassion on you" (Isa. 30:18).   "I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jer. 29:11).  "If thy Word had not been my delight, I would have perished in the way"  (Psa. 119:92).
"The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death"  (Psa. 118:18).

Most importantly:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Importance Of Knowing God

"There is no mercy or truth, or knowledge of God in the land"  (cf. Hosea 4:6).  

I'm not writing as one who has the inside track, has had special revelations or visions or has superior training, but I have studied the subject enough to arrive at some conclusions, mostly thankful to J. I. Packer's book Knowing God.

There's such a thing as knowing someone intimately, and knowing facts about them or knowing about them versus knowing of them.  God is so good that to know Him is to love Him, and knowing Him makes us want to love Him and be like Him.

Anyone who says he knows God (especially on the basis of some experience) and does not obey Him is a liar, according to Scripture (not me).   Knowledge of God, not knowledge about God, is a means to an end and we must apply what we know to relate to our relationship with Him--we long for more than just knowing about Him, which would be like having a theoretical cognition.  We find God (and Pascal says he would not have found Him, had He not first found him), and this is the main pursuit of believers, by seeking His face and searching for Him with our whole heart, mind and soul, and strength.

Our goal is knowing Christ personally, which is eternal life (cf. John 17:3),  and not moral perfection, which is only a side effect or result.   Life's major pursuit is seeking God and the first step is to recognize how little we know Him and need some answers and guidance.  Packer says, "A little knowledge of God is better than a lot of knowledge about God."  Note, knowing God doesn't excuse us from knowing about Him.  The goal, I reiterate, is to know God, not knowing ourselves, as the Greeks would say, "Know thyself."   Hosea says, "Let us know God, let us press on to know Him."  God's peeve or controversy with man is that he doesn't know Him ("And they do not know Me," says Jeremiah of God).   God says through the prophet Jeremiah, "Let not a man boast of his wisdom ... but that he knows Me."   This is a command according to 2 Peter 3:18 is as follows:   "Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ."


Job says, "Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace"  (cf. Job 22:21).  We do good deeds to grow:  "Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"  (cf. Col. 1:10).  Titus 1:16 warns of those who profess to know Him but deny Him by their deeds.

Why know God?

 1)  To know Him is to love Him.
 2)  Shapes morals and ethics.
 3)  It affects our response to life.
 4)  It gives strength in temptation.
 5)  It keeps us faithful.
 6)  It enhances our worship.
 7)  It determines our lifestyle.
 8)  It gives meaning to our life and religion.
 9)  It sensitizes our conscience.
10)  It stimulates hope.
11) It enables us to know what to respect and reject.
12) Is the FOUNDATION.

Five motives to know God:

1)  It gives us a desire to be like Him (Jer. 9:24).
2)   It reveals the truth about ourselves (Isa. 6:5).
3)  It enables us to interpret our world (Dan. 4:33-35).
4)  It makes us strong and secure (Dan. 11:32).
5)   It introduces us to the dimension of God and eternal life (John 17:3).

Loving God is the ultimate response, according to Chuck Swindoll.

He lists four things we cannot apprehend and never probably will:  Trinity (His persona); glory (personhood); Sovereignty (plan); and majesty (position).

What are we going to do with our knowledge of God?

--Do we become conceited?
--Do we see others as poor specimens?
--Does it make us toxic intoxicated and sour, as if not applied?
--Do we turn knowledge about God into the knowledge of God?
--Does it remain theoretical or become practical?
--Does it lead us to lead others to God and know the more?
--Do we meditate (a lost art) on the truths?
Paul said in Phil. 3:10:  "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection...."

Two caveats:  We can know a lot about Him as did ever 17th-century gentleman as a hobby, and not know much of Him at all--even getting A's in theology;  we can know a lot about godliness and be religious and not know God--it is not about being good or talking "God-talk", but being alive in Christ.  Christ didn't come to make bad men good, but dead men alive, says someone.

There are four evidences of knowing Christ according to J. I. Packer:

1)  Exhibiting great energy for God (Dan. 11:32).
2)  Having great thoughts of God (Dan. 4:26; 9:4,7,9,14).
3)  Having great boldness for God (Acts 5:29; 20:24).
4)  Having great contentment in God (Dan. 3:16-18).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Systematic Evidence For God's Existence...

"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless" (Bertrand Russel, atheist philosopher).

"What you see neither indicates the total absence of God, nor His manifest presence, but rather the presence of a hidden God"  (Blaise Pascal, Christian philosopher).

Note that the existence of God is "open-ended" and God is only pleased with faith--both choices require faith.  (Heb. 11:6).

1)  The Bible assumes it unapologetically and does not try to offer proof (Gen. 1:1).

2) People suppress it (Psa. 14:1).

3) God hides Himself and one must seek Him (Jer. 29:13; Isa. 45:15; 55:6).

4) Changed lives prove the validity of testimony and the veracity of the witness is often validated by martyrdom--people usually tell the truth on their deathbed!

5) There is a God-shaped hole in man's heart (He is made to be fulfilled in Him alone), says Pascal.

6)  There is anthropological proof because belief is universal and all primitive peoples believe in a god or deity.

7)  Cosmological evidence citing the law of causality (cause and effect) which needs a so-called first cause or ultimate causation (Heb. 3:4).

8)  Ontological evidence--where did we get this idea from--it is like a tug or a moving of the tide (Rom. 1:19)--no one is without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

9) The moral compass of man like a mathematical table, not like social evolution (Rom. 2:15).

10) Teleological proof means that there is order, purpose, harmony, and intelligence (design), which point to a designer or grand thinker or author. If things are in order, someone had to put them that way!

11)  The Big Bang implies that the cosmos had a beginning, so who pulled the trigger?  There must be a "Beginner."

12)  The personhood of man proves God must be a person, for He must be greater than us, as His "offspring" (Acts 17:29).

13)  Can't prove a universal negative--that He doesn't exist (can't even prove there are no little green men!).

14)  Infinite time plus chance is bogus reasoning and is called "junkyard mentality"  This is like hoping a blind person can solve Rubik's Cube (would take 1.35 trillion years).  (Even if the whole universe were filled with junkyards and a tornado went through all of them, a 747 would not be assembled by chance, and this is an analogy).

15)  There is more evidence for than against--it is the hardness and unwillingness of the heart that doesn't want to believe; there is plenty of evidence and sound evidence at that.

16) Atheism can't account for Big Bang, the universe's fine-tuning, anthropic design of earth, the origin of life, the resurrection of Christ, the Bible's confirmation, changed lives, DNA, biogenesis,  et al.

17)  Archeology has never controverted the Bible though many have tried to disprove it and failed.

18)  Miracles and prophecy of the Bible are consistent and unaccountable by any other explanation.

19) Pascal's wager says that you are wiser to bet there is a God and find out you are wrong than take your chance that there isn't one and end up in hell--there's a lot to lose!


20)  The moral argument shows that God cares a lot about right and wrong and ethics and where did fair play, good faith, altruism, goodwill, integrity, et al., come from?

Creation implies a creator; design, ipso facto a designer; order, ergo an Orderer; and art, therefore an artist! This is plain logic and common sense:  if you found a watch, wouldn't you say someone made it?    "God doesn't believe in atheists," some have well said.  Norman Geisler said, "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist!"  There is more evidence for God than against--in fact, what evidence is there really that there is no God?

You can experience Christ personally and God challenges you: "Taste and see that the LORD is good"  (Psa. 34:8).   It takes faith; if you could rationalize God or prove Him, it wouldn't take faith and He would be not worthy of our worship!

Finally, it is not egotistical to assert that there is a God, and Jesus is the only way to Him because He made that claim and we just take His word for it--it is not us saying it!
  Soli Deo Gloria!

Should We Respect All Authority Figures?

"Render to all what is due them:   tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor"  (Rom. 13:7).  Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable" (1 Pet. 2:17-18).  "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right"  (1 Pet. 2:13-14, NASB).

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God:  the powers that be are ordained of God.   Whoso resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God...  For he is the minister of God to thee for good...(Rom. 13:1-2,4a, KJV)."

The Word says to fear (respect) all that fear is due (I learned this pretty fast in the Army saying my first "Yes, Sir!"), but does this mean it is up to us to decide whether they are worthy of our respect or not?  All authority is given by God and established by Him and it would not have any power over us except that God has given it.  Disrespecting authority is a way of disrespecting God (e.g., parents are in loco Dei or in the place of God as the first authority figures a child has to learn to obey, and disobedience to parents was a crime worthy of death, according to Romans 1) and only when they ask us to do some evil or sinful act are we entitled and obligated to disobey, and even do civil disobedience--there is a limit to our obedience (Shall we obey God or man? is asked in Acts 4:19).

But just as the judge demands respect from the court, even if they disagree, so in the military services one respects positions of authority regardless of the personal opinions or whether one likes them--it is the office they hold that is the key.  When the judge enters the courtroom, all rise out of respect and call him "your honor."

 We are to honor all people because they are in the image and likeness of God, no one deserves contempt or inhumane treatment as if they weren't human or deserved any rights.  We believe in the basic dignity of man and that is why capital punishment is appropriate because a person in God's image has been killed.  In a church, we have an organization, though the church is an organism of believers.  Elders, deacons, and pastors and teachers are a chain of command and are there by God's decree.  It is vain to believe we can reform our church to our image and agree with our way of thinking--Martin Luther tried this and failed to change the Vatican, getting excommunicated in the process and having to start his own denomination, which was not his intent.

 Rebellion is a sin and so is sowing discord among brothers.  Being divisive, factious, or contentious is a fruit of the flesh and to be avoided and disciplined by the church body  (cf. Gal. 5:20).  We are not trying to start our little own following, revolution or movement to be counterproductive to the system--we want to church's blessing on our endeavor.    As an example, I have this blog and made sure that my pastor didn't object to my sharing it; I gave him a sample of my doctrine so he knows where I stand, and that I'm not way out there in some heresy or something, and dangerous to the church.  This is done in the "up and up" and not in secret--no hidden agenda. 

We are to work with the system God has set up and respect all authority, even if we don't like them.   Remembering Jesus' words to Pilate:  "You would have no authority over me, except it had been given from above." Jesus never showed any signs of lack of respect, though he didn't really cooperate as expected.  As Protestants we can take advice from Martin Luther who dared to stand up to heresy and take the consequences, saying:  "I dissent, I disagree, I protest."

 Summing up, we don't have to agree with everything, but in everything we do we must show respect and disagree in the right way:  Augustine's dictum, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity" applies, but that also means we are to leave room for disagreement from the church, and not just them leaving room for our disagreement.  There should be unity, but not uniformity in the body. "Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (cf. Eph. 4:3).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You An Antinomian?

"Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25).  We are not free to do what we want, but what we ought! 

A word to the wise is sufficient from Romans 14:1-5 as follows:  "Accept one who is weak in the faith, but don't argue about doubtful issues.  One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables.  One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,  because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another person's household slave?  Before his own Lord, he stands or falls.  And he will stand.  For the Lord is able to make him stand... Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind"  (HCSB).

My goal is to refute those who have become a "law unto themselves."  I want to emphasize that the unbeliever knows no law in effect, however, the believer needs no law in effect--a paradox.

We should never label our brothers, but for the sake of argument, let's analyze the issue.  Antinomianism refers to "anti-lawism," or being against law.  It is sometimes called libertinism, hedonism, or living by the philosophy that says, "Freed from the law, Oh blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission." It refers to moral liberty run amuck or moral laxity to the extreme.    We don't have the right to do as we want as believers and we are not a law unto ourselves--the Bible doesn't sanction a license to sin.  We never have the right to do what is wrong, and we believe in absolute right and wrong, defined by the Word of God, not our conscience--we are not lawless!  Certain of the more than 600 laws are now obsolete and don't matter to Christians, such as tithing,  cutting our sideburns,  mixing fabrics, or charging interest, but if it is serious it is reinstated in the New Testament in some manner.  Recall that Paul said love is the fulfillment of the Law.    We don't have to become Old Testament scholars to be good Christians--you can never go wrong by placing emphasis on the New Testament.

When we strive to obey the Law, we have "fallen from grace."  We don't have to become somewhat Jewish to become a Christian.  Neither justification nor sanctification is through the Law; instead, we are subject to the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ (Rom. 8:1-2).  The Pharisees were guilty of obeying the letter of the Law, and not the spirit of the Law--"As many as are led by the Spirit are not under the Law [how clear can the Bible be?]," says Gal. 5:18. The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the former needs no law, and the latter knows no law.   Yes, all the Law can be summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:14).

There is a question of definition and morality. Some say are obliged to obey the moral law (in fact we are not "lawless", but have an inner law given by God), as opposed to the ceremonial or governmental codes.   There are many moral precepts laid down in the Law that are relevant and are merely addendum's to the Decalogue and are spelled out to a dense nation that didn't know right and wrong.  There are plenty of sins to worry about already, that we don't have to find some obscure one to preach about--we should always keep the main thing the main thing and preach salvation and deliverance from the Law.  

I have heard it said that if we are under the Ten Commandments (except for the Sabbath observance, which is not repeated in the New Testament). and this has not been rescinded.  There are plenty of sins mentioned in the New Testament (see Romans 1 Mark 7,  or Gal 5:20-21), that we don't need a longer "to-do list" or "not-to-do-list," as it were (Christianity isn't a rulebook if you will).

It is a sound interpretation of Scripture that the New Testament trumps the Old and we should interpret each in light of the other.  The fault of legalists is that they see "sins" and not "sin," or the root problem.  The Pharisees strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel!   They neglected the important areas of love, justice, and mercy while being overly legalistic and demanding about the Sabbath, making it a burden to dread, not a joy.

Remember,  Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."  The early church (referring to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15) did not desire to burden the early church with a yoke their fathers couldn't bear and did not require them to follow the Law of Moses.  Christianity is a new faith and the fulfillment of, and not an extension or continuation of Judaism, which the early church struggled about.  Judaizers were an early heresy and Hebrews was written to combat this.  Soli Deo Gloria!