Ushering In The Kingdom

Many believers assume geopolitical considerations concerning the faith as if it's the social gospel (actually a misnomer) or political reform were the Second Great Commission. "Seek the prosperity of the city..." (cf. Jer. 29:7). This a social mandate, not a social gospel. We are its salt and light, not its savior. America is a secular nation and not a Christian one, no matter how many believers make this land their home. Always keep the main thing the main thing and save souls as Job One.

We are not to stoop to the level of radical or fundamentalist Islam and institute Christian Shari'ah law, which forces everyone to live like a Christian, whether they are Christian or not.  God doesn't expect heathens to live like believers.  We are held to a higher standard!   Our nation established freedom from religion, as well as freedom of the exercise of religion, and no sect has the right to impose its views on the others--note that secular humanism and atheism are considered religions. We may have started out with our forefathers as a predominately Christian nation, but today it is highly multicultural and diverse ethnically and religiously. We are the salt as preservatives of morality and to give meaning and enjoyment to life, and also as light to show the way and how people should live in spiritual darkness--not political darkness, but moral depravity and in need of salvation, as the Bible sanctions no specific or certain type of government or economy.

What is legal is not always moral or right and could be sin or evil, and what is illegal may be the moral thing to do in an act of civil disobedience to unjust laws. The state may recognize gay marriage, for example, but that doesn't mean God recognizes it--it doesn't become right or moral by an act of governmental decree. We cannot legislate morality, law is merely the majority vote that licks all others, according to Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, though Christians differ because they believe that God is the only Legislator and all law must comply with Him. Christians should never cease to drive basic morality in society as salt and light, but be aware that there are gray and doubtful or questionable areas where people should be free to make their own personal choices. Government is a "social contract" according to John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whether we want to be in it or not, or knowingly or not, according to contract laws. The Bible sees government ordained by God to restrain evil in the world.

Jesus alone will usher in His kingdom and His kingdom is not of this world--we are not to get too comfortable in this life and become too much at home, for our conversation and real citizenship is in heaven! Remember, at your homecoming you are not home yet! Oliver Cromwell failed in making England a Christian nation. The Puritans also attempted to make a Christian nation and John Calvin even tried his hand at it while mayor of Geneva--both utter failures and examples that the Great Commission is to spread the gospel and change lives, not to change the government--the Bible is a beacon of light unto salvation, not a social tool for government reform.

Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony wanted to "advance the kingdom of Christ" when he settled here, but he misunderstood the Great Commission and the doctrine of eschatology. It is a well-known fact that the Salem witch hunts showed the failure of instituting the Christian faith and making the Bible itself the law of the land. Jesus will bring about His kingdom in due time when the body is full and complete with all His lost sheep saved.

Jesus told Pontius Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world. Pilate then perceived Him to be a philosopher or harmless dreamer, but no threat to Caesar. If His kingdom were of this world His followers would fight, but we have no such marching orders. Many misled, though sincere believers throughout history have tried to usher in the kingdom of God, and thought that the church's job was to aid in doing it. As William Bradford, Pilgrim governor in Colonial America, said that his mission was to "advance the kingdom of Christ." The Puritans also tried legislating Christianity in early America, but it failed and turned out to have evil fruit, such as hanging innocent women accused of witchcraft. John Calvin even tried to enforce biblical mandates on Geneva, like mandatory Sabbath observance and even forbidding anyone from naming children anything but biblical names.

Only Christ will usher in the kingdom of God and our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, not to reclaim a nation for Christ. Yes, we are light and salt, but we must not lose focus and keep the main thing the main thing. Christians are not to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society unless God calls them specifically to this. The "social gospel is not only a misnomer but has no place in the church. We are interested in saving souls and winning people, not becoming political activists. The Bible is meant to be a light for salvation, not government reform or social activism. Everyone has the obligation to be involved in his society that behooves a responsible citizen.

Entering the kingdom is synonymous with getting saved. The whole purpose of announcing the kingdom of God to be at hand is to make people realize the urgency to repent and get ready for the second coming of Christ in glory. The first words out of John the Baptist and Jesus in their ministries was to repent. The kingdom is both present in the here and now, and future to be fulfilled at the Second Advent. Presently Christ reigns in the hearts of His followers and we shall all reign with Him in His millennial kingdom after the tribulation period. Jesus said that if He cast out demons by the finger of God, "the kingdom of God has come upon you." Salvation (the fulfillment of our redemption) is nearer now than when we first believed according to Romans 13:11.

We are to do kingdom living while sojourning on this earth as pilgrims, this is not our home and we should realize that our true citizenship is in heaven (cf. Philippians 3:20). We are just passing through and have spiritual green cards and this life is but a staging area or tryout for eternity, where each note we play has eternal vibes. We are rehearsing for kingdom living and our faith must be tested and God wants to prove our faithfulness and reward it according to our deeds done through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 26:12; Hos. 14:8). Like Paul said (cf. Rom. 15:18), he would not venture to boast of anything, but of what Christ has accomplished through him.

We are not to seek nor store up treasure in this life nor to seek earthly fame, fortune, nor power, but to seek spiritual riches and to learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit in God's kingdom. God's kingdom is invisible and only God knows who is in it for sure or who the elect are (cf. Mark 13:27 "... and shall gather his elect from the four winds..."). Jesus said to "seek ye first the kingdom of heaven" and this means that our number one priority is kingdom living in God's economy, and when we put God first in our lives all else falls into place. As it says, "all these things shall be added unto you."

The richest people are not those with worldly wealth, but those most content in what God has blessed them with and faithful stewards of our resources, time, talents, gifts, money, and opportunities. Someone has said that riches are not in the abundance of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants. When we seek first God's kingdom all our priorities become focused on Christ and our life is oriented in the right direction and given divine purpose and meaning. In sum, we ought to live one day at a time in light of eternity--not regretting the past, nor worrying about the future. 

Though Pilgrims made a compact to usher in the kingdom of God. or literally to "advance the kingdom of God," it failed.   Little doctrine did they know but that Christ will usher in His kingdom, and that His kingdom is not of this world. America is supposedly the "Great Experiment." They would've done a better job of it and speeded His coming (cf. 2 Pet. 3:12); we ought to always be about "hastening the day of His coming." The question is how this is accomplished. It doesn't mean passing legislation or beginning new governments such as a great experiment. Or like the Social Experiment that failed called Prohibition. Jesus gave us the Great Commission to spread the good news and make disciples, some seek the Second Great Commission to reform society to their agenda and to be a social gospel to help the needy and down and out, we must be lights and not just turn stones into bread but spread the good news.

Jesus kingdom would reign in human hearts, not on the throne of an earthly king or monarch. All authority has been given Him. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords and we are to make this real in our lives, not force it on others. We don't conquer territory in the name of Christ, but hearts with love. We love them into the kingdom. "Love conquers a multitude of sins," God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing and God saves us to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13) and we are heirs of Abraham as believers.

We never stop expanding Christ's kingdom and when He comes the church age will cease and Satan will have a pass or permission to bring in his idea of a kingdom dominated by him and the antichrist. There have been many antichrists so to speak that had the notion to conquer the world: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, et alia. The ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires all aspired to world domination, but the Spirit restrains the evil one. The spirit of antichrist is already here.

We are never to despair that God is not in control ("Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD"). His Providence is governing all events and creatures small and great. Yes, God doesn't just reign, He rules ("For the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is the governor among the nations") not like a do-nothing king or the monarch of the UK who has no powers though they reign. But we are to receive Christ as Lord of our hearts and let Christ's kingdom grow from there by the preaching of the gospel message and living it out as witnesses. We must admit we are not in charge, nor is any earthly ruler in charge, without any reservations in our lordship decisions--submission is an issue for some.

("The king's heart is in the hands of the LORD..."). What does this mean but we owe complete allegiance and obedience to Christ. We pledge allegiance to the Lamb on the throne! No governor or ruler can do anything outside God's will or permission (cf. Lam. 3:37). We must be encouraged that the only king who is capable of ruling hearts is Jesus. He has been called the Emperor of love. Christ is indeed the only Potentate and Ruler of heaven, the entire universe, not just earth--all things visible and invisible.

We must not just render lip service to God but bow in obedience to His sovereignty. Every knee shall bow to Him! This obedience is to the command to repent and stop the charade or hypocrisy and also to put our complete faith and submission in Christ as Lord and trust as Him as Savior. Christ demands the throne room of our hearts, the pass key to our complete soul, and if He isn't there, we are there and in control of our lives, it cannot be neutral! We must give Christ the ownership of our lives.

We must remember that Satan claims the soul of the infidel and actually influences him to evil and sin, and the only way to get free from his tyranny and power is to surrender to Jesus: We must say "No!" to Satan before saying "Yes" to Jesus. It is obvious that Satan is having his heyday and we must seek to be set free. "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed." But after the church age, Satan will have his day to do as he wills: to take over the world for a period of tribulation on earth. After we belong to Christ, we are no longer in Satan's kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and belong to God in His kingdom and are protected from the evil one who cannot touch us. Soli Deo Gloria!

Our Marching Orders In Perspective

"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (cf. Proverbs 29:18).
"A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the LORD's work! ..." (Jer. 48:10, NIV).
"I will show you my faith by my good deeds" (cf. James 2:18).
"Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding..." (Isaiah 5:13, NIV).
"[M]en who understood the times and knew what Israel should do..." (1 Chron. 12:32, NIV).
"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (cf. John 13:17).

We take our marching orders directly from the top--Jesus Himself, who has an open-door policy through the prayer ministry! He issued the Great Commission and has entrusted the faithful to bring it to fulfillment until the day of the "Great Completion." We are not here to usher in the Millennial Kingdom nor to be utopians, but to be salt and light in a dark and lost world that doesn't know the way- Christ is the Way. Christ is to restore the kingdom (cf. Acts 1:6). Christ, who Himself will usher in His kingdom and we are here to advance His agenda and cause in making Christ known to the lost, while also paying heed to our cultural mandate or "Social Commission," which is not a social gospel.

This is not to be confused with the so-called social gospel which is a misnomer (noting that every great social cause in history can be attributed to the church, from universities to hospitals and missions) and we are to be the hands, eyes, heart, and ears of Christ that needs a helping hand--we are to multiply bread and fish and "feed the people" or to meet needs as well as preach. We are commanded to "remember the poor" (cf. Gal. 2:10). We are not to merely turn stones into bread, or do good deeds for their own sake, or lose focus of the main objective which is to preach the Word; there's no social gospel, but there's a social mandate to combat evil and be salt and light.

The church is meant to fulfill more than the gospel, but also to make disciples and to teach and prepare for the ministry to the needy, so that they will obey all that Jesus taught. We are examples to the world to whom we may be the only light they will witness. There is just enough light to see and just enough darkness not to, and we are to make a difference to those with a positive and willing attitude--(cf. John 7:17) "If any man will do His will," he shall know the truth to set him free.

But witnesses are to tell their personal story that cannot be refuted (Psalm 107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so..."), though there is never enough evidence for the unwilling or skeptic, no one can disbelieve for lack of evidence, for there is ample evidence for the willing and open-minded. You must be willing to go where the evidence leads to find the truth and not rule it out as a possible reality from the get-go. Christians with faith have nothing to fear from the facts because it's an evidence and fact-based faith. Unfortunately, skeptics have their minds made up and don't want to be confused with the facts--no amount of evidence will convince them.

Now, what purposes do the churches fulfill in detail? The primary one is the worship of God, the second is of love towards our fellow man demonstrated by works and good deeds as a witness to the world of Christ's love (mission), the next is to train up the people of God, and then provide for an opportunity of fellowship and communion of the body (contrary to popular opinion, the primary purpose of going to church is not to hear a sermon--that's only part of the equation). The discipline or training up of believers is a primary function of the church (cf. Eph. 4:13). People are to get a positive image of Christ and this can only be done when the church is doing its job, but unfortunately, today's church is largely absentee and in dereliction of duty, and many people see evil in the world and wonder where God is, but should be wondering where the church is--e.g., it has a calling to pray for all those in authority.

Secondly, the church must support mission work and contribute to the needs of the saints in the body--there should be no one who is overlooked in the time of need by a body that is blessed in order to be a blessing. The church that is not reaching out is a contradiction in terms. People often wonder what's wrong with the world and should be asking what's wrong with the church. A focus of the church largely ignored is what the Roman Catholic Church did in colonial days-- spread the light of Western civilization to a primitive world and be a cultural force to be reckoned with. It isn't necessarily the turf of the church to directly involve itself in political movements but to train in the Christian worldview that believers can go on to be a force for good in the world at large.

The church needs to realize what's going on in the world become informed and heed the wake-up call to action, flying its colors and taking its stand for Christ wherever needed no matter the cost--it must defy evil and illegitimate decrees from the government, for Augustine said that "an unjust law is no law at all." Isaiah 10:1 pronounces woe on those who decree unjust laws. The church is not to sanitize society, but to be a positive force and influence for good so that there will be an opportunity to preach the Word and minister to those in need (sad to say, though, the church has become lax in its social commission, even as the moral conscience, compass, or fiber of society). NB: It's not the government's role to outlaw all sin but to keep evil at bay and protect human rights.

In God's economy, there's always a right way to do things, and we must realize that the pragmatism of politics is evil. The world cannot survive without the aid of the church as its preservative. The apostolic church devoted itself (cf. Acts 2:42) to sound doctrine, prayer, fellowship, and communion or the breaking of bread (which presumably included fellowship meals to share with the needy and reach out in ministry and mission).

The church is to reach out to more than one demographic, recipient, or audience: the seekers, the skeptics, those of another faith or no faith, the infidel, the pagan, the atheist, the agnostic, the nihilist, the polytheist, the anti-theist, the agnostic, the mature, and last, but not least, even the baby or newborn believer--anyone's guess who's in church. Meanwhile, it must inform, educate, enlighten, and transform by preaching and teaching the Word faithfully, giving heed to sound doctrine (for heresy can creep in unawares and people become blind or callous to an orthodox faith). We must admit that doctrine is not too arcane for the Average Joe believer, for it's a matter of the enlightening of the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of one's heart--though some have become hard of hearing spiritually speaking. All this is accomplished in toto by the cooperative effort of the body exercising their God-given gifts of the Spirit--all needing each other in some respect to use in ministry to each other.

The calling of the church is five-fold: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry (to believers), and mission (to the lost). Above all, the church belongs to the family of God and is to be known as a house of prayer for all members. Unfortunately, today's church seems to be the so-called "Church of What's Happening Now" and into the latest fad or movement (political or social), and is guilty of moral and spiritual laxity and negligence all for the purpose of making a name for itself, not a name for Jesus (for we are to minister and reach out in His name--e.g., too many churches are erecting edifices at great expense but have their priorities misplaced).

Our marching orders may be summed up as follows: occupy or stand our ground till Christ returns, do business as usual, not be doomsayers, purify ourselves in holiness in sanctification (living each day in readiness for the Lord), watching for Christ's return (i.e., reading the signs of the times and being ready), worshiping and glorifying our Maker and Redeemer, all while reaching out to a lost world that needs salvation. All in all, it should be the custom of believers not to forsake (cf. Heb. 10:25) the assembly together of themselves (all the more as one can see signs of the coming of Christ) and to meet with God regularly with a genuine and real encounter or experience with the Almighty in the fellowship of the body where no one is the rock but Christ (1 Cor. 10:4).

The church has always been a light to the world of its devotion and mission: Saint Theresa said she wanted to build a convent. Someone asked her how much were her resources, and she replied twelve pence. They told her that even Saint Theresa couldn't build a convent with only that at her disposal. She retorted that Saint Theresa and twelve pence and God can do it! We need to be examples of our faith in action and that God will always provide the provisions for His work and will. "Seek the welfare of the city I deported you to..." (cf. Jer. 29:7).

This goes a long way in making an impact on the community making a difference for Christ in the world at large and setting the example for the body of Christ at large, and so God has done something about the evils and problems in our world--He made the church and expects believers not to be remiss of their commitment to it, knowing that true faith expresses itself, because the faith we show is the faith we have!

The bottom line of the church's mission is that the members should know their place in the body (or they'll be a fish out of water!) and know what they believe (instead of pointing fingers and fixing blame we should find solutions and take responsibility) and realize the faith is defensible and they should be ready to take a stand for the truth in the world as Christ's ambassadors--the church is not a hotel for saints as much as a hospital for sinners and a training camp for soldiers of Christ to be equipped for the angelic and cosmic battle with Satan and his minions; i.e., having a working knowledge of apologetics and be ready to be defenders of the gospel and Christ. In other words, Job One is the Great Commission and we must never lose focus to keep the main thing the main thing--getting people saved is only the beginning; there must be a follow-up!

We don't just go to church just to hear the preaching of a sermon (or corporate worship), but to get a spiritual checkup, take spiritual inventory, interact in the body by means of fellowship, minister in accordance with one's gift, serve one another even in the order of the towel or the servile act of foot-washing as an example of humility if need be, to charge one's spiritual battery pack, and ultimately to prepare for the mission, which is the world, and for the angelic conflict, fulfilling the Great Commission in accordance to one's gift and preach the good news and the Word where the door is open. However, though the church at large has a directive from God, it's focusing on movements for pragmatic and expedient reasons.

"And do this, understanding the present time: the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed" (Rom. 13:11).
"Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8).

KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING! DON'T MAJOR ON THE MINORS!

The church today is sidetracked with many foci that are not commissioned by Christ--personal agendas and political causes, for instance. The church was given the Great Commission and this should be the focal point of its ministry. All other ministries are secondary and should be relegated to a lesser degree of importance--they are not of paramount value compared to the number one goal of achieving the calling given us to spread the gospel and make disciples of all nations. This commission, by the way, is not any one person's burden, because no one person has all the gifts, but it is the shared burden of the church at large. We need to do our part as an individual, as well as corporately as a church.

What we have today is the social gospel where churches are into causes so much that they are derelict in their evangelical duties (not just for evangelists--Paul exhorted preachers to do the work of an evangelist). You might say they are turning stones into bread or multiplying bread to feed multitudes and attract crowds, not converts. People are being converted to the cause, not to Christ. Bleeding Hearts is into the church and taking over because they see it as a social vehicle for change--an opportunity to spread their agenda. They have no interest in Christ Himself and no love for Him, but if He is not the center of church life they feel right at home because they have a concern for the betterment of society and to usher in their idea of peace on earth--and the church is only a vehicle for change.

The priority of the church is the Great Commission and if this loses emphasis the people never get converted to anything other than a cause. They are, in reality, converted to a program, not to Jesus Himself. The Great Commission includes making disciples (not just converts--they must be followed up and mentored or trained in the Scriptures), and in taking part in spreading the good news first at home (teaching members how to spread the good news too is implied), then elsewhere via missionaries, etc. There is no limit to the amount of impact one obedient church can have, and this does not depend on its size, because Christ was more interested in quality than quantity.

Today, with all the so-called mega-churches, we see attention given to size as what is impressive, and what most of them are is really crowds, not families; a church is a local body of believers who function as a family in Christ, not strangers who just happen to worship together. The order of growth is to believe in Christ, to belong to His body, and the church, and to grow and become what He wants for you in Christ.

Until Christ comes the marching orders for the church are not to sound the alarm as doomsayers as some today are wont to do, (we are to be ready, yes, but not to predict or act as if we know some secret revelation from God Himself as a latter-day prophet would), but to occupy the land or you might say do business as usual, in obedience; to proclaim the Lord's death till He comes; to purify ourselves in holiness and sanctification; and to watch the signs of the times (be ready saying every day, "Lord, will this be the day?"), so that we can judge for ourselves whether we feel the time is near and as we do to not forsake the assembling together of ourselves (Heb. 10:25); and most of all to worship God corporately and personally.

We are not to have an agenda of being prophecy nuts or of warning people of the coming of Christ and of coming judgment as if we are unbalanced or fanatics (what we need are more clear-thinking interpreters of the times who understand the Christian worldview, not self-appointed ministries claiming indirectly to be prophets or to be prophesying).

Many errant preachers have presumptuously predicted the coming of Christ and have been wrong (i.e., William Miller on Oct. 22, 1844, called the Great Disappointment because Christ was a no-show). The last hour was announced by John (cf. 1 John 2:18) over 17 million hours ago and Paul rebuked believers who jumped to the conclusion that the coming was near and refused to even work. It should be comforting and encouraging that Christians will be finally delivered ("Therefore comfort ye one another with these words").

In summation, '"Where there is no vision, the people perish." (cf. Prov. 29:18):   The sole emphasis of the obedient and model church is the Great Commission, and any other ministries are only secondary as they only should serve to unite the body and to reach out and spread the good news as a body. Liberal causes are rampant in the church and the church has no business getting into political causes or the so-called social gospel, which is a misnomer, and should stay focused on the gospel. The great inquiry and judgment on that day of judgment will be whether we did our part in this Commission. Causes are not taboo, but the church's function is not that; individual believers can be involved in them, but this is their own business and calling in life as they see fit. The church can give out bread, but only if it also gives out the gospel first. What we need is a wake-up call to the church, not an alarm to the world at large! Soli Deo Gloria!

Going One On One In Discipleship

"... Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass the on to others"  (2 Tim. 2:2, NLT).  

What is the chief function of the gospel but it to spread to all the world?  (When it is preached to all the world, then the end shall come according to Matt. 24:14.)  We all must do our part in exercising our specialized gift in the organism of the local church as it corporately fulfills the Great Commission (the chief function of the church and believer), as well as the fact that we have individual responsibilities due to our gifting. If we want to keep our faith, we must let it shine and be willing to make it known to others.  Billy Graham says we must "give it away!"    NB:  In God's economy we keep it by giving it away!   We must be people on a mission!  Some sow, some water, some reap; but God gives the increase.  We must be ever aware of the fact that it's God working in us and through us and we are just vessels or tools of honor doing God's good pleasure and will, to which we are the called according to His purpose (per Romans 8:28).

Before service comes prep.  The key to discipleship is discipline and experience or on the job training in the trench warfare of real-life--Reality 101, the divine curriculum.  Only battle-tested warriors for Christ can defeat Satan in the angelic conflict because they know the full armor of God and are not ignorant of the schemes of the devil.  His chief strategy is to divide and conquer and that's where party-politics can divide a church if not done according to the Christian worldview. "They do not reckon God in their worldview"(cf. Romans 10:4).   Literally, "there is no fear of God before their eyes"  (cf. Psalm 36:1; Rom. 3:18, NIV).   Example: the principles of the rule of law, and the concept of liberty and justice for all are paramount (the church has a duty to teach these core values as taught in Scripture).

NB: the Bible endorses no political party or type of government just so that the rule of law is observed and people's God-given rights protected. By the rule of law we must agree that no one is above the law and we are not governed by the arbitrary whims of men, but of duly passed legislation and consent of the people.  This was first delineated in 1644 by the Rev. Samuel Rutherford in Lex Rex, which means "the law is the king," [the king is not the law].   And so, true and ready discipleship includes familiarity with the Christian worldview. There should be unity concerning what the Bible does teach and note that God isn't partisan and that means we shouldn't be either (He is no respecter of persons and shows no partiality).

Paul taught the one-on-one principle or that we should invest ourselves individually into the life of someone and teach them what the Lord has taught us.  There are no shortcuts or easy formulas, just hard work, faithfulness, and discipline.  We must be gung-ho for the Lord--spiritual lukewarmness will not do.  We must follow the Lord wholeheartedly and single-minded so as not to be distracted by the world's temptations and what the devil has to offer--"Love not the world."  So, this means a full commitment or surrender is necessary without reservation, full relinquishment and I say this because most believers haven't really had their wills tested yet to see just how far they are willing to go with the Lord or how close to walk with Him.  It may turn out that we may have no friends but the Lord, and we must know how to cope spiritually with that relationship intact.

If the above principle were actually practiced, the world would be evangelized in one generation; all it takes is for everyone to commit to someone and then that person returning the favor to the Lord by doing likewise.  In discipleship, one thing is important:  keep it simple and put into practice what you learn realizing what you are or are not good at--don't get in over your head but be patient with the small responsibility God has granted you by grace.  Remember, the goal is to spread the gospel and that entails knowing the gospel (and most believers don't) and how to present it should someone ask them how to be saved.

If they don't know how to help someone else to salvation or show the way, how can they be assured themselves?   If they do get saved, we must never offer false assurance for it's not our job to grant it, but God's; we only offer reassurance. Assurance comes solely by the Word of God coupled with the testimony of the Holy Spirit per Romans 8:16 ("The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God.") and this is done by searching one's heart and examining one's fruit.   This is vital to know because the believer's assurance is a key to his witness and if he has any doubts it will stifle, cripple, paralyze, or disable his witness or it may even jeopardize or compromise his testimony and he will be neutralized as a witness and paralyzed in growth.   "Our lives are known and read by all men," (cf. 2 Cor. 3:2, NKJV)."

Confidence breeds confidence!  Love begets love; faith, faith!  Faith is not conjecture but certitude and confidence about our salvation and we need not be stunted by doubts.  Doubt is an element of faith, not its opposite!   No one has perfect faith; the best we can have is sincere, honest faith (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5).   But being honest with them takes fortitude and courage and one step to growing in faith is to admit them and not repress them.  It's our duty to be assured and this is not a sin of presumption (it's commanded in 2 Pet. 1:10), it's faith!  We all live on the doubt-faith continuum and must overcome our fears and questions as we grow in the faith; little faith is still faith!  We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18).  We go from "faith to faith in a continuum (cf. Rom. 1:17).   Doubt is an element of faith, not the opposite of it, and must be dealt with. So, the chief duty of the mentor is to build this confidence in their gift and salvation itself and prepare them to pass the baton or carry on this work of spreading the Word.   

The main error of evangelism is lack of follow-up (too many evangelists count heads and end there).  One must realize that it takes commitment and faithfulness to the person wherever needed.  We can accomplish little without a firm foundation in the Lord and this begins with the boldness to confess Christ before men, not to be ashamed of our Lord but to look for opportunities as He opens or shuts doors. Timothy was taught that he does the addition and God the multiplication (2 Tim. 2:2). Remember, investment will pay dividends.

But don't forget that the word disciple means learner and that means we are all learners and matriculated in the school of Christ and never stop learning, also that we only need be a step ahead of the learner to teach or mentor.   Anyone can do it; availability, not ability is the key, for the filling of the Spirit is what's needed and one's dependence on God for guidance, not human wisdom or fancy gimmicks to teach. When we have been discipled, we owe a debt of gratitude to that person and are eager to pass it on and share what we have come to experience in Christ--to know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge.  Our mission doesn't end with making disciples, but to contend for the faith, defending it in the open marketplace of ideas in the public square.  This entails the ideals of  1 Peter 3:15 and 2 Tim. 2:25:  being prepared to defend our faith and making an effort to know the Scriptures via study or other means available 


CAVEATS:  DO NOT TEACH OVER SOMEONE'S HEAD, FASTER THAN THEY CAN LEARN, OR ASSUME TOO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OR BACKGROUND INFO,  BUT DON'T INSULT THEIR INTELLIGENCE EITHER.  KEEP IT SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT MORE SO!    DON'T GET AHEAD OF YOUR STUDENTS BUT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY.  WE DARE NOT GO IT ALONE AS A SPIRITUAL LONE RANGER OR LONE WOLF, BUT MUST GO ONE ONE ONE AND BE ACCOUNTABLE SUBMITTING TO AUTHORITY.  TOO MANY OF US BELIEVE OUR DOUBTS AND DOUBT OUR FAITH; WE SHOULD DOUBT OUR DOUBTS AND BELIEVE OUR FAITH!       FINALLY, KNOW, RESPECT, AND SET PERSONAL BOUNDARIES.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is There A Social Gospel?

"They asked only that we remember the poor, which  I made every effort to do" (Gal. 2:10, HCSB). 
"... 'He defended the cause of the poor and the needy, and so all went well.  Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the LORD"  (Jer. 22:16, NIV).  
"The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern" (Prov. 29:7, NIV).

Jesus brought the good news to the poor, but He met them where they were at in their need.  For instance, he never sent a crowd of listeners away hungry.  But the primary purpose was to focus on the gospel message and make it relevant.  There is no social gospel, which is a misnomer; however, we have another commission--the Social Commission, which hasn't been rescinded, to practice what we preach and to care for each other in the family and our community as good neighbors so our testimony will not be jeopardized as a church body.  Jesus said we would be known by our fruits and we must all practice practical, sacrificial love to our neighbors, especially to the family of faith.

But we want to keep the main thing the main thing (the Great Commission), but also realize our call to turn stones into bread.  And we must not end there; being known primarily as do-gooders; even Jesus didn't want to be known as a miracle worker and didn't do any for show, but only out of compassion and to illustrate a point in His teaching, especially His Deity.  The church must not despise the poor or down and out, but show mercy (this is a spiritual gift) and reach out to the people who are down on their luck.  Some people feel used and manipulated and are taken advantage of even by the church.   We must not stereotype them as lazy or having made bad choices, but be gracious with the attitude:  "There but for the grace of God, go I"--the words of George Whitefield.  It could happen to you!  Anyone could need someone to help them get back on their feet someday.

Sympathy would help the church to put themselves in the shoes of the destitute, the homeless, and the needy or ill.  Why do you think we have high crime rates, but due to social injustice?  Part of the problem is systemic; namely, our education and economic safety net.  This means some have the cards stacked against them from the get-go.  Poverty can happen to anyone because God says He's the One who makes one rich and another poor.  You even hear of lottery winners declaring bankruptcy.  Sometimes all it takes to begin the cycle of poverty is an unexpected car repair, an extended sickness, drug abuse (illicit or prescription), alcoholism, mental illness (treated or not), hospitalization, divorce (one's fault or not) or long periods of unemployment (voluntary or not).

 Many people in our country live paycheck to paycheck believe it or not.   Loss of a vehicle can limit one's opportunities, but Christians don't believe in equal outcome, redistribution of wealth, or complete equity of income, but in fairness which demands equal opportunity and social justice for the all under the law.  God hates the exploitation of workers (cf. Mal. 3:5) and of the rich taking advantage of the poor in their vulnerabilities.

Social nets and programs don't always fill in the gap or meet all the needs--there are manifold ways and reasons for poverty.  Many people rely on family, but what if you've had to burn bridges?  Certain personal problems such as depression and PTSD are becoming more prevalent and these people are becoming stigmatized, which is detrimental and counterproductive to the society's "general welfare."  Depression itself is a highly debilitating illness and many don't understand what it can do to a person and these people often commit suicide before getting help and don't know how to seek help or send out warning signs and their cry for help is ignored or unnoticed.

People can be victims of circumstance like a flood, tornado, fire, etc., and have no control over them--this can happen to anyone and they will find their need for the Red Cross or Salvation Army.  People may ask, "Where's God?"  But the real question should be, "Where's the church?"  It has been said that many philanthropists do the work of God because they don't feel God is doing it--touche!

People need to believe they have hope and can overcome their situation (when a man has nothing to lose he is capable of nearly anything) and find their way out of the cycle of poverty (the Bible doesn't teach that poverty is necessarily due to laziness or is one's' own fault); often success stories and motivation speakers can inspire and give hope, but the gospel is the good news they need to hear and take to the bank. One can never understand the value of an education for getting ahead in our technical age and some have been left behind and are still living in the last century!

People can get victory over their problems with Christ as their champion, hero, Lord and Savior, but they must want to be healed and helped, putting God first in their lives at the helm ("Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" --Matt. 6:33). Christians must remember the words of Mother Teresa, canonized by Rome and 1979 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, saying:  Christ has no feet to go for Him but ours; no hands to lend a helping hand but ours; no eyes to see problems but ours; no ears to listen to others but ours; no voice to speak for Him but ours; no mind to solve the problems with but ours!  We have an eternal debt to provide for the needy and to work for the betterment of society (cf. Jer. 29:7)

They must never give up because there's always hope and no one is beyond the grace of God.  I am a great believer that government is neither the source nor the solution of all our problems and don't believe we need a government program for everything--government is not the means of salvation nor of achieving utopia.  We are not here to usher in the kingdom of God nor advance His kingdom by our efforts--it's not of this world!  They say an Englishman is a self-made man who worships his creator!   I do not believe in self-help (we all owe a debt to our community) or in becoming a self-made man (there is none!), but in learning to walk by faith and to give God the glory following His will--that's why we're here (cf. Isa. 43:7).  The worldly-savvy will tell you that "God helps those who help themselves"; however, God "gives more grace" to the humble (cf. James 4:6).

Most people just need a second chance and are willing to go the extra mile if required--they aren't afraid of work, they just haven't found something they're suited for or what they can enjoy or is gainful employment--everyone has a gift and we shouldn't sell anyone short and just think they are fit only for being slaves or common laborers like Aristotle thought of the mass of men--it's a sin to underestimate or shame men and refuse to give them their warranted dignity and self-worth, just as much to honor a fool or promote a scoundrel.

Christians don't believe in castes, karma, classes, discrimination, or prejudice of any kind (cf. Gal. 3:28), but that every believer is a child of God and capable of doing God's will to glorify Him.  We believe in the dignity of man and sanctity of life and that man is in God's image, not an animal to be treated without rights conferred by God.   Christians don't believe in rugged individualism nor in communism but in being a member of a family, a community, and a body of Christ.  Each of these three institutions ordained by God (family, government, church) have their own sphere of sovereignty and responsibility over us.

When a person gets saved and finds the Lord their whole life can be turned around and he can start over with the God of a second chance and fulfill God's best for his life.  It's never too late to get on board with God and to be commissioned by Him in His work and will.  No one is beyond hope in God's eyes!  There's a reason why the Beatitude pronounces blessings on the poor in spirit.  They have the right mindset!  Getting saved implies more than pie in the sky and spiritual hope, but also the redemption of one's life for God's will!  It's never too late to get with the program and look redeemed as a witness to the world and contribute something to it!

CAVEAT:  We must be careful not to endorse "prosperity theology" or that God promises financial gain for our spirituality, supposing godliness is a means to financial gain (cf. 1 Tim. 6:6).  God does promise to reward us by making us prosperous in doing His will (cf. Heb. 13:21) and this is different to different people (cf. Josh. 1:8; Psalm 1:2; Jer. 17: 8).  We have no guarantee of achieving the so-called American Dream, for example, but we will be blessed in doing God's will and He will supply all we need to do it out of His provision (cf. Phil. 4:19).   It is God who gives us the power to get rich, but the evil can also prosper--it's no sign of God's blessing or countenance of our lives.  He teaches us the way we should go!  (cf. Deut. 8:17-18; Isa. 48:17).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Our Marching Orders

"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (cf. Proverbs 29:18).
"A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the LORD's work! ..." (Jer. 48:10, NIV).
"I will show you my faith by my good deeds" (cf. James 2:18).
"Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding..." (Isaiah 5:13, NIV).
"[M]en who understood the times and knew what Israel should do..." (1 Chron. 12:32, NIV).
"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (cf. John 13:17).

We take our marching orders directly from the top--Jesus Himself, who has an open-door policy through the prayer ministry!  He issued the Great Commission and has entrusted the faithful to bring it to fulfillment until the day of the "Great Completion."  We are not here to usher in the Millennial Kingdom nor to be utopians, but to be salt and light in a dark and lost world that doesn't know the way-Christ is the Way.  Christ is to restore the kingdom (cf. Acts 1:6).   Christ, who Himself will usher in His kingdom and we are here to advance His agenda and cause in making Christ known to the lost, while also paying heed to our cultural mandate or "Social Commission," which is not a social gospel.

This is not to be confused with the so-called social gospel which is a misnomer (noting that every great social cause in history can be attributed to the church, from universities to hospitals and missions) and we are to be the hands, eyes, heart, and ears of Christ that needs a helping hand--we are to multiply bread and fish and "feed the people" or to meet needs as well as preach. We are commanded to "remember the poor" (cf. Gal. 2:10).   We are not to merely turn stones into bread, or do good deeds for their own sake, or to lose focus of the main objective which is to preach the Word; there's no social gospel, but there's a social mandate to combat evil and be salt and light.

The church is meant to fulfill more than the gospel, but also to make disciples and to teach and prepare for the ministry to the needy, so that they will obey all that Jesus taught.  We are examples to the world to whom we may be the only light they will witness.  There is just enough light to see and just enough darkness not to, and we are to make a difference to those with a positive and willing attitude--(cf. John 7:17) "if any man will to do His will," he shall know the truth to set him free.

But witnesses are to tell their personal story that cannot be refuted (Psalm 107:2 says, "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so..."), though there is never enough evidence for the unwilling or skeptic, no one can disbelieve for lack of evidence, for there is ample evidence for the willing and open-minded.  You must be willing to go where the evidence leads to find the truth and not rule it out as a possible reality from the get-go.  Christians with faith have nothing to fear from the facts because it's an evidence and fact-based faith.  Unfortunately, skeptics have their minds made up and don't want to be confused with the facts--no amount of evidence will convince them.

Now, what purposes do the churches fulfill in detail?  The primary one is the worship of God, the second is of love towards our fellow man demonstrated by works and good deeds as a witness to the world of Christ's love (mission), the next is to train up the people of God, and then provide for an opportunity of fellowship and communion of the body (contrary to popular opinion, the primary purpose of going to church is not to hear a sermon--that's only part of the equation).  The discipling or training up of believers is a primary function of the church (cf. Eph. 4:13).  People are to get a positive image of Christ and this can only be done when the church is doing its job, but unfortunately, today's church is largely absentee and in dereliction of duty, and many people see evil in the world and wonder where God is, but should be wondering where the church is--e.g., it has a calling to pray for all those in authority.

Secondly, the church must support mission work and to contribute to the needs of the saints in the body--there should be no one who is overlooked in the time of need by a body that is blessed in order to be a blessing.  The church that is not reaching out is a contradiction in terms.  People often wonder what's wrong with the world and should be asking what's wrong with the church.  A focus of the church largely ignored is what the Roman Catholic Church did in colonial days-- spread the light of Western civilization to a primitive world and to be a cultural force to be reckoned with.  It isn't necessarily the turf of the church to directly involve itself in political movements, but to train in the Christian worldview that believers can go on to be a force for good in the world at large.

The church needs to realize what's going on in the world and become informed and heed the wake-up call to action, flying its colors and taking its stand for Christ wherever needed no matter the cost--it must defy evil and illegitimate decrees from government, for Augustine said that "an unjust law is no law at all."   Isaiah 10:1 pronounces woe on those who decree unjust laws.   The church is not to sanitize society, but to be a positive force and influence for good so that there will be an opportunity to preach the Word and minister to those in need (sad to say, though, the church has become lax in its social commission, even as the moral conscience, compass, or fiber of society). NB:  It's not the government's role to outlaw all sin, but to keep evil at bay and protct huma rights.

In God's economy, there's always a right way to do things, and we must realize that the pragmatism of politics is evil.  The world cannot survive without the aid of the church as its preservative.  The apostolic church devoted itself (cf. Acts 2:42) to sound doctrine, prayer, fellowship, and communion or the breaking of bread (which presumably included fellowship meals to share with the needy and reach out in ministry and mission).

The church is to reach out to more than one demographic, recipient, or audience:  the seekers, the skeptics, those of another faith or no faith, the infidel, the pagan, the atheist, the agnostic, the nihilist, the polytheist, the anti-theist, the agnostic, the mature, and last, but not least, even the baby or newborn believer--anyone's guess who's in church.  Meanwhile, it must inform, educate, enlighten, and transform by preaching and teaching the Word faithfully, giving heed to sound doctrine (for heresy can creep in unawares and people become blind or callous to an orthodox faith).  We must admit that doctrine is not too arcane for the Average Joe believer, for it's a matter of the enlightening of the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of one's heart--thought some have become hard of hearing spiritually speaking.   All this is accomplished in toto by the cooperative effort of the body exercising their God-given gifts of the Spirit--all needing each other in some respect to use in ministry to each other.

The calling of the church is five-fold:  worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry (to believers), and mission (to the lost). Above all, the church belongs to all the family of God and is to be known as a house of prayer for all members.   Unfortunately, today's church seems to be the so-called "Church of What's Happening Now" and into the latest fad or movement (political or social), and is guilty of moral and spiritual laxity and negligence all for the purpose of making a name for itself, not a name for Jesus (for we are to minister and reach out in His name--e.g., too many churches are erecting edifices at great expense but have their priorities misplaced).

Our marching orders may be summed up as follows:  occupy or stand our ground till Christ returns, doing business as usual, not being doomsayers, purifying ourselves in holiness in sanctification (living each day in readiness for the Lord), watching for Christ's return (i.e., reading the signs of the times and being ready), worshiping and glorifying our Maker and Redeemer, all while reaching out to a lost world that needs salvation.  All in all, it should be the custom of believers not to forsake (cf. Heb. 10:25) the assembly together of themselves (all the more as one can see signs of the coming of Christ) and to meet with God regularly with a genuine and real encounter or experience with the Almighty in the fellowship of the body where no one is the rock but Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). 

The church has always been a light to the world of its devotion and mission:  Saint Theresa said she wanted to build a convent.  Someone asked her how much were her resources, and she replied twelve pence.  They told her that even Saint Theresa couldn't build a convent with only that at her disposal.  She retorted that Saint Theresa and twelve pence and God can do it!  We need to be examples of our faith in action and that God will always provide the provisions for His work and will. "Seek the welfare of the city I deported you to..." (cf. Jer. 29:7). 

This goes a long way in making an impact on the community and making a difference for Christ in the world at large and setting the example for the body of Christ at large, and so God has done something about the evils and problems in our world--He made the church and expects believers not to be remiss of their commitment to it, knowing that true faith expresses itself, because the faith we show is the faith we have!

The bottom line of the church's mission is that the members should know their place in the body (or they'll be a fish out of water!) and know what they believe (instead of pointing fingers and fixing blame we should find solutions and take responsibility) and realize the faith is defensible and they should be ready to take a stand for the truth in the world as Christ's ambassadors--the church is not a hotel for saints as much as a hospital for sinners and a training camp for soldiers of Christ to be equipped for the angelic and cosmic battle with Satan and his minions; i.e., having a working knowledge of apologetics and be ready to be defenders of the gospel and Christ.   In other words, Job One is the Great Commission and we must never lose focus to keep the main thing the main thing--getting people saved is only the beginning; there must be a follow-up!

In sum, we don't just go to church just to hear the preaching of a sermon (or corporate worship), but to get a spiritual checkup, take spiritual inventory, interact in the body by means of fellowship, minister in accordance with one's gift, serve one another even in the order of the towel or the servile act of foot-washing as an example of humility if need be, to charge one's spiritual battery pack, and ultimately to prepare for the mission, which is the world, and for the angelic conflict,  fulfilling the Great Commission in accordance to one's gift and preach the good news and the Word where the door is open.  However, though the church at large has a directive from God,  it's focusing on movements for pragmatic and expedient reasons.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are We All To Witness?

Witnessing primarily denotes telling of what has happened to you and your personalized side of the story--usually, there is no way to refute or deny it either, such as the blind man saying, "I was blind, but now I see."  When Christ has changed your life, you should bear witness of the miracle that only He can do ("Let the redeemed of the Lord say so..," says Psalm 107:2)--a changed life in Christ is one of the greatest of all miracles.  The glory should go to Christ and you shouldn't glamorize your sins or former manner of life.  Soli Deo Gloria!

On the other hand, some Christians don't have a "testimony" in the sense of a dramatic story of conversion (I'm saying this is all right!), primarily because they were saved at a very young age and grew up in a Christian home. Should they "witness?"  Note that Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that we "shall be witnesses" not might be when power shall come upon us (i.e., all of us).  Paul said, "that God had called us to preach the gospel to them"  (Acts 16:10, NASB).  Therefore, a non-witnessing Christian is a contradiction in terms.  But what do we mean by this? Preaching the gospel IS witnessing. Standing up for Jesus IS witnessing!  Sharing your testimony IS witnessing. Standing up for Jesus to be counting and showing your Christian colors IS witnessing!

Now, Jesus said that we are witnesses ("You shall [not might be] witnesses..."), and that means if we don't "witness" we are not saved, but a vessel of dishonor; we are all witnesses (sometimes even bad), testifying of the gospel in shoe leather or according to us.  Jesus was saying that we shall receive power and then witness.

By definition, a witness witnesses.  We are not witnesses of the resurrection, for instance, as the apostles were.  The issue:  Is there a difference between witnessing and preaching the gospel, of which we are all commanded to do as ministers of reconciliation (he gave us the "ministry of reconciliation" according to 2 Cor. 5:18).  (They are not mutually exclusive, but one can do both or either one, you can witness without preaching the gospel, unfortunately, depending on your definition of "witnessing.")

Witnessing and preaching the gospel is something any believer can do, and he must know the gospel, first of all, to be effective and know Scripture as the seed to sow and trust God for the increase and timing, as well as open doors.  We just have to be ready "in season and out" to plant seeds.  Some sow, some water, and some reap, but God gives the increase.  Note:  Just saving souls is not all that is entailed in the Great Commission, as some infer; there is the subsequent making of disciples (not just converts) through baptism, teaching and preaching in edifying onto maturity so that they are ready to go out and start the cycle over again.

Many believers today say they witness, when in reality only a very small percentage (less than two percent by some polls) are engaged in any regular kind of active witnessing, and it has usually been a long time since they have shared their faith.  We must be willing to speak up for Christ and to stand up for Jesus, as it were. We must pray for opportunities to open doors (as even Paul had to do), and for God to make it known to us where we fit in and our role in the body.  The church body at large is to fulfill the Great Commission together and each one exercising their gift is a common way to do this--if they don't know their gifts they will be mainly ineffective or neutralized.

Just telling your own story without mentioning the way of salvation or the gospel (you must make a beeline for the gospel message as soon as the door opens) and this kind of witnessing can be duplicated by a another religious convert who testifies of how Buddha or TM changed his life, or that Allah lives in his heart for a Muslim.  The point is not your personal story, but the power of the gospel to change lives ("... [F]or it is the power of God unto salvation..," according to Romans 1:16).

In conclusion, to say that you don't witness, in that you don't believe in telling your personal testimony, but do share the gospel and your faith in Christ unabashed, is not unbiblical, because the Great Commission refers to sharing the good news of Jesus as the way of salvation basically in any manner necessary or that works--find your niche in the mission!  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Window Of Opportunity...

You never know when God opens the door to communicate the gospel or to tell your personal testimony.   The first step is to break the ice and get the conversation rolling--pique their interest with something like:  "Have you ever considered what happens on the other side?" There are manifold opening lines one could concoct to challenge a person to think about eternity--don't force it, but wait for God's timing ("He makes all things beautiful in his time"), and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Don't be contentious, divisive, or argumentative, but try to build bridges and find common ground to start a dialogue. There are many barriers to break in witnessing:  The first mention of God; the mention of Jesus; the testimony of your salvation; and the way of salvation itself to challenge a person to make a decision--not making a decision is a "no" decision!

We are not to judge our witness as to its effectiveness, but only plant seeds (relying on the Word of God as you know it), water them and let God give the increase.  Caveat: Don't try to convict the person of his sins, but let the Holy Spirit do His job as He will.  The most important aspect of witnessing is our faithfulness and not our knowledge--God can work with what we know and will give us the words to speak at the time.  You don't need to feel you need all the answers to witness and you never will.

There will come a time when you will have to get to the real issue--the moral decision and not the smokescreen of an intellectual problem, as if they are feigning some ability to believe--they can believe; they just won't, unless they are willing to do His will (cf. John 7:17).  You cannot argue a person into the kingdom and it shouldn't be attempted--it will only feed their ego and reaffirm their skepticism and cynicism.  You must make it clear that there is enough evidence for the willing person who wants to believe, and never enough for the person not willing to do God's will.

How do you open doors? (Even Paul prayed for open doors in Eph. 6.) When God opens the door, no one can close it (cf. Is. 22:22).  You must absolutely realize that only God can and will with prayer--speak to God about the person before speaking to the person about God as a good rule of thumb.  But don't be hesitant, but be always ready, in season and out, as Peter says--preach the Word boldly and let them see your faith in action!   You will find that God is giving you the wisdom to speak His Word and will guide you by the filling of the Holy Spirit--enabling to do His work.  

If you genuinely care about a person they will sense it and will give you the opportunity and time to share a testimony or give a reason for the hope within you, as Peter says.   We don't preach to people, but share and relate to them on their level--find out where they are (neither go over their heads nor condescend), and level with them in an area of commonality.

Your story uniquely qualifies you to witness to certain people that others cannot reach.  In a sense, we are all things to all people or people for all seasons in this regard.  When you see God opening doors, know that He is blessing your witness and proceed faithfully and confidently with this assurance.  But note:  Once you see the door open to share the gospel message, make an immediate beeline to the way of salvation--sometimes this window of opportunity is very small and we must be attentive to see its arrival.  Remember, you are in a win-win situation when witnessing because God is responsible for the outcome and result, while He expects you to just be a faithful witness and tell your own personal story. You cannot lose!  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Reluctant Prophet VII

Israel was commissioned by God to be His messenger of the gospel to the world, but they botched it miserably and that is why the church had to come into being--to make Israel jealous.  God's grace has never been limited to one family, clan, tribe, nation, race, or peoples; but always open to all who have faith like Abraham ("Everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham," says Gal. 3:7).

Jonah was a type of Israel who was ordered to go to Nineveh to tell them to repent and went to opposite way! Now, before you condemn him for his disobedience, compare this to sending a Jew to Hitler in Berlin during the Holocaust to tell him to repent or else!  It was a suicide mission, to say the least, and Jonah had a survival instinct--get as far away from it as possible.  He actually didn't believe God would hassle him in Tarshish, and may God wouldn't have any authority there.  He asked the next boat if they were "going his way" and he was off to escape God.  But he found out you cannot run away from God but the Hound of heaven will always catch up.  Jonah was out of fellowship and fell asleep in the hold of the ship during a violent storm.

To say the least, Jonah was a reluctant prophet and a negative example in Scripture of how to obey.   God used Him anyway and turned the situation around by His providence.  Jonah is the most famous, infamous, and even notorious of all prophets and people sure like to mock his faith and story as fiction--but Jesus, Himself, believed it.  Jonah is indeed a lowlife in this book who happens to be the only one not on board with God--the ship's crew repents, the city of Nineveh repents and Jonah is "angry enough to die."  He has a death wish, but I wouldn't say he is suicidal--he is in a depressed funk and takes it out on God.  

Why?  His prophecy didn't come true about God destroying the city and he actually wanted it destroyed--he didn't love his enemies.  Jonah must have been aware of the doctrine of the providence of God and could've seen how God was moving behind the scenes in the small details of his life as He prepared (Providence in action!) a storm, a fish, a goad, and then a worm to convict him.

Jonah should not be judged by us, but only looked upon as a lesson to learn from, even if negative. He is one of the few prophets in the Bible that was successful and got the people to repent.  He certainly didn't want to be known as a "false" prophet and humiliated; on the other hand, he had no right to be angry and should have recognized that God reserves the right to have mercy on whom He will have mercy.  This is a lesson on universal grace and for us not to have self-pity and lack compassion for our fellow man--we shouldn't be so willing for them to be judged.

In summation, we are all reluctant prophets who must complete our "commission" to share the gospel message to the lost everywhere God plants us and sends us.  We cannot run from God, but must reckon that if God wants to use us as a vessel of honor, nothing will stop him and there is no Plan B--get with the program!    Soli Deo Gloria!

Do You Qualify?

Have you ever wondered if you were good enough for heaven?  Did you ever think you were on probation or on your scout's honor to do your best till Jesus comes or you die?  The fact is is that we are never good enough to be saved, but must realize we are bad enough to need salvation.  We cannot compare notes at our judgment as if we would be graded on a curve and think that we have a advantage over someone less fortunate.  "Who makes you to differ?  What do you have that you didn't receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7).  God doesn't grade on a curve and if He were to mete out justice to all, none of us would be able to escape hell; salvation is not because we deserve it, that would be justice, not mercy. 

The requirements for heaven are to have the righteousness of Christ, and the only way to get it is by imputation or God just reckoning it to our account.  We are not just forgiven of our wrongdoings and brought to a place of neutrality, but given the righteousness of Christ to boot--actually we are declared righteous or reckoned as righteous, but we are not made righteous, which would be different. We tend to think that God is looking for our achievements, or even cares about them, but God is looking for our obedience. 

Religion is about man's achievement; Christianity is about God's accomplishment.  Religion tries to reach out to God, while, in Christianity, God reaches out to man.  God doesn't even call us to success but to faithfulness.  What the world regards as success, I am saying, is not how God sees it.   You cannot be a man of the world and a man of God, they are mutually exclusive.  John exhorts us not to love the world (cf. 1 John 2:15) are not to be of the world (John 15:19).

People shouldn't come to their judgment and tell God about all the works they did, even if they were miracles, (Matt. 7:22) because Christ may say He never knew them.  We are not to put our faith in our works--works are no substitute for faith and works don't save--only faith in Christ saves. It is the object not the faith that saves.  Let me repeat:  Faith doesn't save; Christ saves.  

We live in an era when people applaud faith, even blind faith and most don't care what your faith is as long as you have it.  When someone says, "Keep the faith," it is meaningless and has no spiritual value. The reason the people are rejected who did great works in God's name is because they put their faith in their works and not in Christ.  They had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge as it says in Rom. 10:2. You can have a lot of faith, but if it is misdirected, it does zilch and is worthless. 

Who gets saved, but the lowest bidder!  It is not the person who says he meant well, and was sincere, and did his best and believed the right creed, but the person who comes to God with nothing to offer and knows his wretchedness and knows he is at God's mercy, saying:  "God be merciful to me, the sinner." The way up is down in God's economy!   Don't think so highly of yourself!  You cannot think too lowly of yourself in God's eyes (actually humility is not thinking of self at all!), because you are just that:  Your righteousness is as filthy rages (cf. Is. 64:6).  You must despise yourself, hate your life, and realize you have nothing to offer God.

It cost a lot to be saved, and Jesus never made it seem easy, but it cost more not to be saved or to ignore His gospel message of being saved solely by grace, through the instrumental means of faith, in the object of Christ as Lord and Savior--God gets all the glory and the authority is the based on the Word of God.  Anything less is heresy, and corruption of the gospel and not evangelical in emphasis, but influenced by false teachings [the three heretical twists of the gospel's purity].   

"Salvation is of the Lord," (Jonah 2:9) and of the Lord alone (we contribute naught)--that is its essence. God has done it all--"It is finished!" Reckon it as a done deal.  There are religions galore that emphasize our achievements; however, Christianity stresses divine accomplishment, not human achievement!   Soli Deo Gloria!

The Power Of The Gospel

As Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes..."  (Rom. 1:16).  Our faith does not rest in the wisdom of man nor of the energy of the flesh, but in God's power; [we] "... were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God"  (John 1:13, ESV).   I am appalled at the present-day presentations of the gospel message of giving a heaven without a hell, a salvation without repentance, an abundant life without lordship, and a joy without sin.  If a minister's outreach is fading or not as effectual, possibly it is because there is no passion for the gospel--the power is there unto salvation and also as the message never gets old to believers, it gives power in preaching to deliver the goods.

There is the flip side to every coin.  They only preach half the gospel who preach only the good news of Christ without telling the bad news first (get them lost first!):  they are lost in sin and headed toward hell and eternal damnation apart from Christ.  We are depraved and cannot save ourselves or get our act together; we need a work of grace or unmerited favor on our behalf.  There are some preachers who refuse to "go there" when it comes to the "killjoy" word of "sin." They preach what can be termed "gospel light" (a truly dumbed-down version of the evangel).  Why raise eyebrows and make the donors feel uncomfortable and uneasy they say? We don't want to be "people-pleasers" or "crowd-gatherers," but gospel preachers.  Don't "domesticate" the gospel, but preach it in all its power and authority!

When we preach the simple gospel message it has power and we must just leave the results to God--it is a win-win situation. The gospel doesn't just inspire or motivate, it radically alters our life from top to bottom and does an overhaul on our system to make us new creatures in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).   God's Word "will not come back void" according to Isaiah 55:11.  (No one has our story and can tell it like we can; we are all one in Christ and individually members of His body, each for a particular function.)  Proclaim the gospel, don't debate it!  Let the world know you are a satisfied customer and a happy camper! "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so" (Psalm 107:2).

We are saved by grace: Christ paid the debt He didn't owe for a people who couldn't pay their debts they did owe.  Some people stress that grace is sufficient, and indeed it is--but it is also necessary!   No one can say that they are good enough to get saved or can prepare themselves for it; it is work of grace all the way from beginning to end.  We wouldn't have come to Christ apart from grace and we are saved by the grace of God--it's all grace from beginning to end (the Father has to draw them or woo them per John 6:44,65).  Apart from His sovereign grace (cf. Rom. 5:21): and  "...grace reigns through righteousness," none of us would've believed!  We are no more qualified nor wiser, but can only say as we see another sinner lost in sin:  "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

Grace is necessary because we cannot merit God's mercy nor can we demand it--it would be justice and not mercy then. We have no claims on God--He didn't have to save anyone!  We don't deserve it, we cannot earn it, and we can never repay it!  They say in theological terms that grace is the sine qua non of salvation or that it is the thing without which we cannot have.  It is necessary and sufficient. This is important because Romanists will admit grace is necessary, but that you have to had merit to it or that it isn't sufficient. They add works to faith, and merit to grace; thus confusing the work of salvation on our behalf.

Jesus is in the business of changing lives from the inside out and the gospel has the power and authority to do it. Shakespeare may inspire but the gospel transforms!  (As Paul said:  "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection" in Phil. 3:10.)  He's still in the resurrection business! All religion says, "Do."  Christianity says, "Done." Religion has good works as an "in order to." Christianity has them as a "therefore."  Viva la difference between a "have to" and a "want to."   Religion is a do-it-yourself proposition, but Christianity is a done deal or fait accompli.  Christ said on the cross: "Teltelestai" or "It is finished." Religion is man reaching out to find and gain the approbation of God, while in Christianity God reached down to find man; we didn't find God--He found us!

The one concept that distinguishes Christianity is the idea of grace or unmerited and undeserved favor (that we aren't saved by our works or good deeds being weighed against our bad ones).   Because of this only Christianity gives us the assurance of salvation (if salvation depends on works you can never know for sure how much is enough) and that no other religion can offer in the here and now assurance to live the Christian life--sure the radical Muslim believes that, if he dies in a Holy War or Jihad, he will go to paradise; however, he doesn't live his whole life in that hope--you won't find a Muslim who is sure he will go there beyond a doubt.

When we add to the work of Christ, it is as asinine as putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa and thinking you improved it, or have the gall to think you can improve the Sistine Chapel art by Michelangelo!   It insults God to the max!   What if you invited someone over to dinner and afterward they said, "What do I owe you?"  Wouldn't you be offended?   God wants us to accept His grace salvation by faith and just be thankful and live our lives accordingly.

We don't want to be accused of watering down, domesticating, dumbing down, or toning down the gospel by our sensibilities by making it too easy to get saved: what is known as easy-believism, libertinism, or Antinomianism. Whereas, one doesn't have to be an obedient Christian to have faith--faith and obedience are eternally equated and linked (Rom. 1:5; 16:26; Acts 6:7).  "They were obedient to the faith."  There is a cost to discipleship--Christ tended to discourage half-hearted seekers and not encourage them.  We must take up our cross and go where ever He leads and bloom where he plants us.  We don't have to be so apologetic about the gospel because it has intrinsic value to change hearts and lives and open eyes. Would you defend a caged lion?  Well, the gospel can take care of itself too!

The power of preaching is in the presentation of the gospel message and in the cross of Christ, as Paul proclaimed in 1 Cor. 2:2:  "I strive to know nothing but Christ, and Christ crucified."   The devil doesn't like to hear about the passion and Via Dolorosa of Christ and how he shed His blood on our behalf.  The devil will do everything in his bag of tricks to keep this from transpiring.

I'm not saying that the only job of the preacher is to preach the gospel, but that he comes to the realization that God honors only the power of the gospel message to change lives. Believers never get tired of hearing the gospel message in a different light or text.  If no one's heart was stirred in an eternal manner during a sermon and it was just "interesting" or "thought-provoking," and not utterly challenging and even offensive or upsetting, the preacher has missed the mark and preached in vain. Christ was not merely interesting; He upset the applecart; He was divisive, invading the turf of the Pharisees, challenging, and even offensive to some--no one was unaffected or remained neutral after an encounter--their true colors showed.   But note well:  It should be Christ and the gospel that should offend and not us as just obnoxious Christians--He is the Rock of Offence and Stone of Stumbling.    Soli Deo Gloria!

Go Ye Therefore ....

Those are words out of the Great Commission of our King in Matthew 28:19-20, and it is given to the church universal and local to be fulfilled as a body working in Christ using the various gifts of the Spirit, and each doing his or her part as God gives the opportunity. Our marching orders, as it were, are reiterated by the way in all three synoptic gospels and in Acts.   Many Christians think that when it says "Go ye therefore and make disciples..." it means that they have to go somewhere. Some don't want to become Christians because they think God will send them to Africa.  An apostle is actually a "sent one" and some of us are fighting on the home front.  Actually, in the Greek, it means "as you are going" make disciples!  

This means that we surrender our everyday life to a commitment to look for each opportunity God gives an open door that we can utilize.  Or you could say as we are going about our daily activities.  We are to be busy doing everything in the name of the Lord and to His glory in our daily tasks and routines.  We need to "practice the presence of God," as the sixteenth-century, humble, Carmelite monk in a French monastery named  Brother Lawrence, called it, and just be sensitive to His promptings and leading--seize the day and don't regret a lost opportunity.

To whom much is given, much is required (cf. Luke 12:48); therefore no one is overwhelmed and in a position, he cannot bear or get a handle on or grip on.   Before we talk to someone about the Lord, it is advisable to talk to the Lord about the person.  The Great Commission, it has been said, is not an option to be considered, or The Great Suggestion, but a command to be obeyed.  God gives no suggestions in Scripture and this is not the Great Suggestion, as some are deluded to believe.  The Great Commission was important enough to be at the conclusion of each synoptic gospel  (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47 and in Acts 1:8).  The book of Acts begins with the command to go into all the parts of the earth with the gospel as witnesses.  Jesus said that as soon as the gospel had been preached to every nation He would return.

"Go ye therefore and make disciples" means evangelism, and we must all have a mission and vision for the future ("For without a vision, the people perish," says Proverbs 29:18).  "Baptizing them" means to bring them into the fellowship of the body and accept them--giving them the "right hand of fellowship." Baptism is the initiation whereby we proclaim publicly our faith.  "Teaching them" entails discipleship; this never ends either.  Follow-up is too often forgotten in today's church--getting them saved is only the beginning.   I have heard it said that a great Christian has a great commitment to the Great Commission.

The message we preach (per 1 Cor. 2:2 is "Christ, and Christ crucified") is to be the gospel message about Jesus--that God settled the sin nature and personal sins question once and for all by the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. The sin question's remedy is justification by the blood and the fact that we have sin natures is delivered by the cross of Christ. Saved from the penalty of sin and delivered from the power of sin!  The way of salvation should be simple and straightforward:  We are saved by grace alone (no merit involved); through faith alone (faith as a gift and no works involved); and in Christ alone (not in the leadership or church dogma or even yourself).

Christianity is more than dogma or creed to be believed; it is a lifestyle and relationship with the living Christ and we are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (get a spiritual workout). We cannot work for our salvation--we show works as proof of it (we are not saved by works, and not without them either--dead faith--without works--doesn't save).  We are not saved by works, but unto (i.e., foreordained) works ("For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto [for the purpose of] good works...").  (James 2:17 says:  "Faith without works is dead".)  The Reformed formula was:  "Saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone [without works]."

The gospel is profound, yet not too difficult for the child to understand.  It put to shame the wisdom of this world.  Paul said he got his gospel from Jesus Himself and Romans is the most complete dissertation on salvation in the Bible--a compendium on the subject.  When we get a handle on the gospel message we can share it and leave the results to God. We all need to pray for doors to open and for the right words to use; even Paul did!  Don't be a bystander or stand on the sidelines;  do your part because no gift is insignificant, even waiting on tables like Philip and Stephen did.  What is most effective is when we make our message our own and give a testimony that cannot be refuted:  "I was blind, but now I see." Let us proclaim with Paul in Romans 1:14-16:  I am a debtor, I am ready, and I am not ashamed! We cannot always choose our place of service but must learn to bloom where we are planted and be a sower of the Word.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You In A Movement?

Let me make this clear to start:  I am against movements.  Many have come and gone in the church and some more influential and misleading than others:  Some even rather harmless, but all wrong and not of God, regardless.  There are many so-called movements prevalent today or remnants of old ones remaining:  Keswick Movement, Perfectionist Movement, Neo-Pentecostal Movement, the charismatic movement, conservative-right political movement, WWJD, (or even WWJT) known as the "what would Jesus do?" movement [I am not against the imitation of Christ as Thomas a Kempis wrote his famous, widely read book, My Imitation of Christ--this is another ballgame], the "Church of What's Happening Now" movement, the one that isn't defined or named is when believers think God wants them to hang around sinners, like the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing.

Scripture says to choose your friends carefully in Proverbs 12:26 and Paul say that bad company corrupts good morals in 1 Cor. 15:33.  The thing you have to look at is who was calling them sinners (the evil Pharisees who were blind) and we are all sinners and if Jesus wasn't our friend where would we be now?   But hanging around them is different and Jesus is our friend when we were his enemies, right?  We are not Jesus and need to be careful with whom we spend our time; however, this does not mean that we need to fear man ("The fear of man proves to be a snare," says Prov. 29:25).

As an illustration, when you get saved it means you should witness to your circle of friends, not go to the local tavern and hang around expecting God to open the door for you--they will influence you more than you influence them and the devil has you right where he wants you.  If you must go there go with a fellow believer for support; Jesus sent them out in groups of two.  You are not some one's friend if you don't witness to them and they will accuse you and blame you for all eternity if you don't at least try!  Jesus didn't condone sinners in their sin, nor did He get tainted, because He couldn't; you can be!

We worship Jesus because of what He could do as the God-man.  Evil company should make us feel uncomfortable and uneasy like it did Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah--don't get callous and insensitive!  "Come out from among them and be ye separate, and I will accept you," says the Lord. (I blogged about this Sept. 7, 2014).  This was meant to be derogatory but remember:  Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  He told the woman who sinned:  "Go and sin no more."  He didn't condone nor participate in sin--he didn't party like one of the guys!

What's wrong with WWJD? Most Christians know their Savior in a very shallow manner--they know the Scriptures a bit, but knowing Christ comes with maturity and the searching for Him is the main business of the Christian life and begins at salvation, not ends (it's better to concentrate on obeying Him than trying to be Him).   Firstly, they don't really know what Jesus would do, they just imagine it.  They might know what their mother would do if she is a Christian, that is, but they can only guess what Jesus would do.  Would he be a teetotaler?  Would he ever speed?  There are difficult questions and God gives us the liberty to have our own conscience and like it says in 1 Cor. 6:12:  "All things are permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything."  "Mama told me not to come" is a popular rock lyric. Another:  "Mama said, 'You better shop around.'"   I've heard it said, that you should always question authority, but never mother!

What's on earth is so bad about the Neo-Pentecostal movement?  They teach unsound doctrine for number one, though I admit most of them have their heart in the right place and that is important, but false teachers like to be mostly right and add a little error to deceive and the element of truth makes it palatable.  We are commanded to teach a sound doctrine as teachers (Tit. 2:1).  This movement is in competition with and even infiltrates other churches and steals sheep or proselytize by impressing them that there is "something more or missing in their experience" just like Paul was admonishing the Colossians to be aware of (mysticism, asceticism, and legalism).

The Perfectionists started with John Wesley who thought you could reach a stage of willful or unintentional sin as a mature believer or that you "have arrived."  Even Paul didn't claim such:  "I do not claim to have laid hold of it yet..." (Phil. 3:12).  The psalmist says he has seen the limit of all perfection in Psalm 119:96.  Proverbs 20:9 says:  "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin'?"

The Keswick movement is still alive via Andrew Murray's writings and devotional classic by Oswald Chambers My Utmost For His Highest."  Reading that book, I came across many doctrinal errors and whether you believe this or not, he believed in a second blessing and this is very controversial and not traditional (I blogged about this in "Where is Oswald Chambers Coming From?").  Chambers believes in perfectionism and what's called the "entire sanctification"  He believes that tongues are the initial "initial evidence validation" of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The point is that most people are ignorant of his erroneous teaching and fall for his balderdash and pious talk.  He makes a dangerous dichotomy between discipleship and salvation and doesn't seem to understand just how to become a Christian in the first place!   (I blogged on this March 3, 2014).

What's wrong with the "church of what's happening now?"  They have been led astray by Satan's masquerading as an angel of light like the rest and are on side issues away from the Bible.  They may be into the latest prophecy rage on the Internet or something else like blood moons that tickles their fancy. J. Vernon McGee was orthodox in that he entitled his study: "Back to the Bible."  The devil wants the church to get away from the Bible and doesn't deny that it's important, just not paramount!

It is better to be a "cloistered" church that sticks to the Bible (after all the Bible is all we need for spiritual growth and is not only necessary but sufficient).  They may have coffee shops in their church and a bookstore and many extra-biblical activities that get away from the Bible, like overeaters anonymous and whatnot.  So what is the latest fad, they wonder.

What's wrong with the Evangelical right?  The Pope tries to dictate politics and make members vote according to his understanding!  Most black churches are in the so-called Christian left!  First of all, not all sincere and knowledgeable believers are in agreement politically:  This does a grave disservice to Christ by labeling him politically, when He is beyond description and defies analysis.  People are going to judge Christianity by a party and Jesus is not a member of any party!  You cannot put God in a box, nor limit God!

The charismatic movement is more subtle in that it infiltrates even the Roman Catholic Church and many denominations while not having one of its own.  Basically, if you believe that the gift of tongues is a bona fide gift, you are charismatic!  Most churches today are either considered mainline denomination (which is in the state of near heresy and apostasy, losing members rapidly), the evangelical wing (like most Baptists or those who are actively "saving" people and spreading the gospel and not the so-called social gospel (which is a misnomer).  The charismatic tend to make a dichotomy among believers and make them think they are missing out; this makes them have spiritual wanderlust and they eventually leave their home church and become spiritually vulnerable.

A true church will get you into the Word and make it paramount; teaching sound doctrine devotedly.
The church is the body of Christ, not the parachurch or the electronic church.  Watching TV is no substitute for one-on-one, accountability, and fellowship.  I'm not suggesting that we don't need these organizations, because they do serve a purpose; Chuck Swindoll says that if you drink of only one fountain, you lose your perspective: however, there is some pastor out there that is just right for you right where you are spiritual. We need to stay connected and in touch spiritually and not become lone ranger type believers who are doing their own thing.

We are all entitled to opine (to have our own opinions), but not to have our own facts, and fabricate at will.  Many preachers have a personal agenda many a church has an extra-biblical program that they want to promote.   Causes are not taboo, individuals can do whatever they get called to do:  Look at William Wilberforce devoting himself to the end of slavery!   We can even have a political agenda that is self-serving, but we do not have the right to label it as "Christian."

The church needs a wake-up call:  It's okay to hand out bread, but put the gospel in its rightful place--don't get caught turning stones into the bread like Jesus was tempted to do!  "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8).  Don't get converted to a cause or movement, but to Christ!   In conclusion, the only movement I want to be in is (Christ) the fulfilling of the Great Commission, which ought to be the main business of the church and its raison d'etre--don't forget our Marching Orders!  Soli Deo Gloria!