Drawing The Line

Where do human rights and religious freedom conflict?  Many Christians are against gay marriage and rightly so, for it is not biblical (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:27; 1 Cor. 6:9) nor sanctioned as God's plan for man.  But all humans have rights bestowed by God, such as the right to survive which includes the right to look for work or to eat.  We are all sinners and it would be like saying you don't want to serve an alcoholic or a felon.

One cannot deny basic rights conferred by God because said person is a sinner who offends you (this is not promoting or approving their lifestyle).   It would only be prejudice to refuse some service at a restaurant because everyone has a right to eat and this doesn't conflict with any doctrine or teaching of Scripture--all humans are to be treated with respect and dignity as they are all in the image of God, even though marred and tarnished.  Now if the government told a preacher he had to perform a gay marriage, he has the right to refuse--but he may do at his peril and lose his privilege to marry!  He must be willing to pay the price for standing up for right and wrong (we believe in absolute right and wrong--some things are always right, some always wrong).

 No one should be forced to participate in gay marriage in any way that makes him an accessory such as making the wedding cake or taking pictures either (if this is interpreted as their endorsing it like having his name on it or getting publicity).  Why? This clearly goes against sound doctrine and is evil  (male and female He created them ... and said that it was very good). The freedom of religion is not absolute--one cannot say that he has the right of polygamy in America or that he is cannibalistic, for instance.  But all rights have limits (one's rights end where another person's begin): one cannot yell "fire" in a theater either. One must be very careful in legislating that could cause discrimination because that is morally wrong.

But the constitution guarantees the free practice of religion and it cannot restrict its free exercise or force someone into a creed or practice.  Forcing someone to be an accomplice in evil is clearly going over the line morally; I am not a homophobe and do not even object to gays in the military as long as logistical problems are resolved, no one is forced to get "intimate" with them, and no one's privacy is invaded.  But the government crosses the line in forcing the military to "celebrate" or even associate with gay pride in the service which I interpret as "endorsing" it.  They have a right to pride, but not in making me an accessory or accomplice.

In conclusion, the example of a caterer supplying cake to the wedding being interpreted as "endorsing" it (i.e., putting our name to it or making the news or getting publicity--note the example that Paul brings up about the meat sacrificed to idols--for conscience's sake don't ask) would be wrong, but just supplying food or cake to any sinner is not a sin because that is not "endorsing" it.  Let each act according to their own conscience, but if they act in civil disobedience, they must suffer the consequences.   You have to draw the line somewhere:  everyone could be considered an indirect accessory, even the truck driver that brought the dough, but when they "endorse" it in a legal sense we draw the line--we cannot be forced to give our approbation or imprimatur to evil.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Parameters Of Sin

You can't always determine whether some habit or activity is a sin per se, but anything not mentioned specifically or implied in Scripture is not sin and we shouldn't get a guilt complex--Satan likes to accuse and condemn, but the Holy Spirit demonstrates an open-and-shut case without a doubt and there "is no condemnation for those who in Christ Jesus" according to Romans 8:1.  What is the nature of sin, but to be a violation of the nature of God--sin cannot coexist with the divine nature of God in His holiness, just like matter and antimatter.

Sin estranges us from God (one need only read Isa. 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God...."  Alienation of affection or a broken relationship is the idea--we can't get along or agree with others about it and make enemies.  We are God's enemies as sinners!  Sin also enslaves us because we are the servant and slave of sin before we get set free in Christ (cf. Rom. 6:14, "For sin shall have no dominion over you..., and "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed," says John 8:36).

We are dead to sin as believers and under the Law of Moses (any thought, word, action, omission, or desire contrary to the Law is a sin).  The Law has lost power to condemn and judge us as believers--we are no longer "under the Law" according to Romans 6:14. Does this activity enslave us, do we control it or does it control us?  Moderation is the key, anything in excess might be a sin or going overboard (C. H. Spurgeon was asked when he'd give up smoking:  He replied, "When it becomes a problem!").  Idolatry is one of the essences of sin and putting anything in the place of God or making a god out of it is sinful--the key is to keep God in His rightful place in our lives and always first and foremost in priority--not just important, but first place.

It is not our job to convict our brother of his sins, but it is the sole role of the Holy Spirit.  The preacher is not to get personal or use someone as an example without their permission if he is a member of the church.  Some people may say that smoking is not a sin, but it certainly estranges us and enslaves us just like a vice or sinful habit would, but I am not on a crusade against smokers, who may be trying to quit and are aware of their shortcomings and failures.  Something may be sin to one person and not to another: "For whatever is not of faith is sin," says Rom. 14:23 and James 4:17l says, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it., it is sin for them."   These verses imply a conscience, though not explicitly stated.

The only sin against the body is adultery according to Paul in 1 Cor. 6:18. Therefore to say that smoking is a sin because it's bad for you is fallacious reasoning, and one could go on to say that meat is a sin because it causes heart problems due to its cholesterol, or being out of shape and not exercising is a sin because we should glorify God in our bodies.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Is Preaching Unique?

A disclaimer:  I am not anti-intellectual or anti-scholastic, but realize God uses all types of personalities and people.   I am not trained in what is called homiletics in seminaries and, though it is considered a what I like to call a no-no to read a sermon, unless you can read like Jonathan Edwards or the Senate chaplain Peter Marshall,  I have witnessed the Spirit's unction regardless--it is the Spirit doing the work, not us.

The prophetic preacher knows how to make the comfortable feel ill at ease, and the needy and poor in spirit to get the good news of encouragement.  There is something for everyone: that's why Jesus said to feed His sheep and His lambs.  We never get tired of the milk of the Word, though only the mature can handle the meat.  The preacher never gets tired of repeating things because even Paul didn't.  It is good to shock the sheep out of their comfort zone and so they are challenged by the message, and not be satisfied only in an academic manner.

Only upon mastering his theology and honing it to perfection, being immersed in the Word and prepared by prayer can he communicate effectively (with illustrations that make you identify with the sermon) what God has laid on his heart and deliver the goods, having a purpose in his preaching.

Preaching is more a thing of the spiritual health of the preacher and not his intellect, though God uses what intellect he has (we are to love God with our whole mind), it is necessary, but not sufficient.  "Where is the wise person?  Where is the teacher of the law?  Where is the philosopher of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Cor. 1:20).  Paul learned on Mars Hill (Acts 17) that he was to proclaim the gospel and not debate it, that it wasn't an intellectual thing:  He then resolved to know nothing (i.e., keep the main thing the main thing and not to major in the minors), but Christ and Christ crucified (cf. 1 Cor. 2:2).

To say:  "You are a great speaker!" (George Whitefield was known for his oratory, but he had the Spirit too) is not really a compliment, unless one has the concurrent or simultaneous unction of the Holy Spirit.  Discern whether he has the Spirit, not whether he is a brain, or worse yet, an intellectual parading his learning  Some parishioners are impressed with their preacher's brains, not their relationship with Christ or their wisdom--they are to be men of God.  If he wants to be known for his brains, he should really be a prof in a seminary.


There is a difference between being spoon-fed the facts in an encyclopedic or systematic way and listening to a Spirit-led sermon--Jesus didn't lecture (you may get a lot of info, but nothing practical to apply), but preached and taught because the sheep don't need a lecture but a Savior.  If an unbeliever can do it, such as lecturing, it is not preaching.  The preacher should be able to assert divine inspiration or illumination to be "led by the Spirit" to expound on a message as a "word from the Lord"  (if he doesn't recognize the leading of the Spirit he has no business in the pulpit and should at least wonder if that is his gift).

They can get strong impressions and illuminations or even feel a burden they can't resist sharing.  People want to hear what God has been speaking to you about, not just what the so-called scholars have to say (they may be good to cross-reference, mention in passing,  or footnote though)--the better we know our Lord the better we will be able to preach, but learning to depend on the unction or anointing of the Spirit is paramount to good, sound preaching.

We should never attempt to preach in the flesh or without God's leading ("As many as are led by the Spirit are sons of Gods," which implies to be "filled with the Spirit").  The good preacher knows his audience, class, or congregation and where they are spiritual.  He doesn't preach over their heads, nor try to "wow" them with his scholarship and appear pedantic.  He may have to condescend or reach down to their level, but not be patronizing or insulting to them.  It is always a fine line to walk and he is bound to offend some no matter what.

Some preachers never preach well enough to get rejected and just gather crowds not families, which are bodies of Christ. The aim is not to be popular but to speak in the name of the Lord.  He cannot please them all and even Christ didn't go for quantity, but quality!  Only a man of God can say,  "I was led by the Lord to expound on so-and-so or such-and-such."  This doesn't mean he had some mystical experience, but that he knows the Lord well enough to recognize His leading and impressions created to do something about a subject matter.

Being called a gentleman and a scholar is not a spiritual complement, because the Pharisees were scholars and knew what the famous revered rabbis had to say too.  On the other hand, Jesus spoke like no other man to His day and didn't footnote, but dared to claim His own authority (He would indirectly quote by saying, "You have heard it said...")--He didn't say, "Thus says the Lord," but "I say unto you." He dared to be different and broke the mold, thus raising the bar for preaching and prophesying.  His listeners should be eager to hear "a word from the Lord." If he has the gift, he may even prophesy during the sermon.  In the last days, a word from the LORD will be rare: See Amos 8:11.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Learning a Christian Worldview

"No nation has survived the loss of its gods" (George Bernard Shaw).

A worldview is a way of interpreting your world, such as purpose in living, where you came from, and where you are going--our role in the world-system--questions such as:  Is there right and wrong? Is there a God?  What is the meaning of life? How do you interpret reality?  There is a current war of ideas in the world:  Marxism (basically an economic understanding, but also totalitarian, aiming to establish a domination of the proletariat or working class and abolishing the bourgeoisie in class warfare), secular-humanism (basically that man is the measure of all things, up with man down with God, or deifying man and dethroning God, and reality starts from man), New Age (the idea of cosmic consciousness or supra-consciousness, being in touch with the inner god), postmodernism (founded by Nietzsche as the patron saint,  saying that "God is dead" or irrelevant and we can live without Him), Islam (believing the future belongs to Islam and being bent on world hegemony), and  Christianity (Christ's kingdom is in the hearts of man and not of this world and the church is a power to transform and preserve society) itself--the first five have one thing in common in that they oppose Christianity.  Any viewpoint that doesn't start with God is evil!

We are to discern good and evil to be able to handle the meat of the Word (Heb. 5:14).  Once we get saved, the battle has just begun and we enter Satan's turf as the god of this age.  But the battle is the Lord's  and as John said in 1 John 4:4, "Greater is he who is in you, than he who is in the world."  Paul says in Rom. 8:31, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"  We have to know our enemy according to Sun Tzu in The Art of War because he believes in dividing and conquering, and playing mind games, and waging psychological warfare.

"For we are not ignorant of his schemes" (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11).   Don't give him a beachhead, but arm yourself with a divine viewpoint to understand what he is doing.  Do not fight among yourselves as Lord Nelson noticed his troops doing when he said, "Gentlemen, remember, the enemy is over there!"  In Walt Kelly's cartoon Pogo, he says, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."   We can be our own worst enemy because the three enemies are the world-system itself, the devil and his minions, and our own flesh or sin nature (cf. 1 John 2:15 -16).  The government is not the enemy, for all the powers that be are established of God (Rom. 13:1).

We are exhorted to "hate that which is evil and cling to that which is good" in Rom. 12:9 and in 1 Thess. 5:21-22 it says, "...hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."  [which means that when evil appears, resist it.]  Only those who have their senses trained to "discern good and evil" can digest the meat of the word and the infants in Christ can only live on the milk of the Word according to Hebrews 5:14.  We need to love God with our whole minds and not be indolent or anti-intellectual--we are to use the minds God has given us (Mark 12:30).

 We are in the world, but not of it according to Scripture (John 15:19 says, "You are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world").  If we love the world-system or cosmos of Satan, the love of the Father is not in us--indeed he entices us with many delicacies of the world to compete with our spiritual appetites.  Beware of the pseudo-philosophies of this age as the admonishment in Col. 2:8 says, "Let no man spoil you through philosophy or vain deceit..."  We need to "contend for the faith" like Jude said in Jude 3 and that means taking stands for Jesus and sticking up for what is right in an evil world.  We are the salt and light as the children of God.

Paul's swan song was:  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).  We all have a conscience and can tell right from wrong (Rom. 2:15), and we are all responsible and don't have any excuses for knowing God (Rom. 1:18-20).  In 1 Chron. 12:32 it says that only a few people were able to interpret the times and knew what to do.  Daniel 11:32 says that the "people who knew their God "shall be strong and do exploits."  At the time of the end, the wise will understand and the wicked will not (Dan. 12:10).  When Nebuchadnezzar realized that God was sovereign he came to his senses (Dan. 4:35).

 Today we seem to be doing what's right in our own eyes (similar to the Israelites in Judges 21:25--"They did what was right in their own eyes").  The culture says that there is no standard of right and wrong--it is all relative and you can't force your morality on another person.  It isn't that we can't legislate morality, it's whose morality we legislate.

In Allan Bloom's book, The Closing of the American Mind, he says that people now believe "all truth is relative"--if that is true then that statement has no value because it is also relative. They say nothing is always wrong and nothing is always right; what matters is sincerity.  This goes back to Satan's lie:  "Hath God said?" xd. Gen. 3:1).  They seem to believe that the only truths that are relative are those that defend the Christian worldview!  One prof was reported as saying, "You can know nothing for certain." One astute student asked, "Are you sure?"  "Yes, I am!"  Jesus was the Truth itself, the incarnation of Truth with a capital T and came to bear witness of the truth--the Romans, including Pilate, doubted the existence of absolute truth (true no matter who believes it and whether anyone believes it).  They thought that "might made right."  This was the epitome of cynicism and an insult to Christ's veracity--he didn't even wait for an answer! The secret is to stay away from extremes:  "Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil" (cf. Prov. 4:27; Isa. 30:21; Josh. 23:6; 1 Kgs. 22:2)).

As Christians we are to "submit [ourselves] to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors..." (1 Pet. 2:12-13)  Paul says something similar:  "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God" (Rom. 13:1).  We are to "render unto Caesar" according to Matthew 22:21 and even be light and salt in the world, trying to make people see the light to get saved according to our gift.

With privilege there is the flip side of responsibility; they go hand in hand.  There is such a thing as "social justice" and a social commission, but not a social gospel, though.  Our social commission has not been rescinded.  One only need refer to the prophets, Amos and Micah.  We assert that  God is the only legitimate legislator (legal positivism says that man can make any law he desires) and His character is the law of the universe. Isaiah said, "Woe unto them who decree unjust laws..." (Isa. 10:1-2).  It has been said, "If we have contempt for government, we get contemptible government."

God's providence works all things according to His divine decrees and He has no Plan B; He has no other plan, but to use us as His vessels of honor and to bring glory to him (cf. Isa. 43:7).  Everything is going according to plan as Isaiah says in Isa 37:26 and He is in control according to Isa. 14:24, 27 and 46:8-11. "Behold, the nations are as a drop of the bucket..." (Isa. 40:15).    "He's got the whole world in His hands."  Psalm 22:28 says that God is sovereign over the nations and we can be sure even over every molecule in the universe.  Eph. 1:11 says that God works out everything according to His will.  John Wesley used to read the paper to "see what God is doing in His world."  God is even in control of the toss of the die (Prov. 16:33) and in control of the whims of the king (Prov. 21:1).  He leaves nothing to chance:  Einstein said, "God doesn't play dice with the universe."

Christian worldview sees social injustice: "What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the face of the poor...?" (Is. 3:15).  "Rescue the weak and the needy..." (Ps. 82:4).  The believer who knows the Lord is concerned about the plight of the poor (Ps. 41:1) and the evil in the world:  he doesn't just see evil and say, "Why?" He also sees good and says, "Why not?"  This is what it means to know the Lord according to Jeremiah 22:16--to be concerned about those less fortunate and defending those who can't defend themselves, the weak ("He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; Then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?" declares the LORD [in Jer. 22:16]).  Amos and Micah are champions of the underdog and the underprivileged and deplore how "they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals--those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth and turn aside the way of the afflicted (cf. Amos 2:6-7).  "...Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy..." (Amos 4:1).  Malachi is appalled at those  "who oppress the hired worker in his wages..." (Mal. 3:5).  We are not to be partial to the poor nor to the rich but show justice to all (Deut. 19:15).  Charity and welfare were mandated in Israel according to Lev. 19:4, Deut. 15:4, and other passages--they were allowed to "glean the fields" of the landowners.  There was to be "no poor in Israel."

Now, what kind of values are Christians supposed to espouse? They should subscribe to the sanctity of the family unit as having preference over the government's authority, because it was established before it; it should believe in the inherent worth of the individual  (you have rights, but they end where mine begin--you can swing your fist but not hit my nose!) as being in the image and likeness of God (the imago Dei), and that means having a mind to know and communicate with God, a heart to love Him, and a will to obey Him.  These are called unalienable rights and our culture is based on it in the constitutional Bill of Rights.  We are merely stewards of God's riches ("The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof" says Ps. 24:10) and are responsible to Him to give account at the judgment.  (There is a Protestant work ethic mentioned in 2 Thess. 3:10 that declares that those who are not willing to work shall not eat.  


All authority ultimately comes from God and we get our rights and dignity form Him; "unless you assume a God, the question  of man's purpose is meaningless," and without God, man is a "useless passion." (Bertrand Russell and Jean-Paul Sartre).  We believe the government has limited power derived from God--it is not a necessary evil, as Augustine said, but necessary because of evil.  We have a duty to this government since we owe them our security and protection of our property and our person from crime--justice and law and order are the primary functions.  Marriage is to be held in honor and a "man shall leave his mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" and "God made them male and female and said that it was good."  No rights are absolute, such as you say it's your religion to be a cannibal or that you can yell fire in an auditorium!  Sometimes it may be our duty to disobey, which is termed civil disobedience--God's laws trump the government; shall we obey God or man? ("We must obey God rather than man," according to Acts 5:29).

I believe firmly that the Bible sanctions no certain type of government, as long as human rights are respected.  Government was first documented to be divided into three parts in Isa. 33:22 into the legislative, judicial, and executive branches (king, judge, lawgiver).  I refer to Lord Acton's adage  that is a cliche now:  "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely."  We do not believe that our rights (note that the obverse of rights is responsibilities necessitated) are derived from the government, but directly from God, who gives us dignity and worth as man in His image or the ikons of God, as it were.

In the final analysis, it is vital to know Scripture to combat the prevalent secular humanistic viewpoint (deifying man and denying God) in the world and not to fall into the devil's trap.  Sir Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power."  And the Bible backs this up in Proverbs 10:14 saying, "The wise lay up knowledge..." And Proverbs 24:5 says, "And a man of knowledge enhances his might."  We must not remain silent and concede everything away.  They are trying to eradicate Christianity from the marketplace of ideas and the public square.

"If there is no God, everything is permissible" (Dostoevsky).   But we believe in transcendent or natural law that everyone is able to know by nature apart from the government.  Law is designed for wrongdoers but God confers rights on us.  People are in a state of rebellion against our so-called bourgeois values (which really is the Judeo-Christian heritage of Western civilization).  As the psalmist says, "What can the righteous do when the foundations are destroyed?" (Ps. 11:3).  For one thing, we should pray for our leaders, not condemn them [It is our God who put them there, as Paul said (cf. Acts 23:5), "It  is unlawful to speak evil of a ruler of your people"]

Christians are not "utopians" but are waiting for Christ to usher in His Millennial Kingdom at His second coming.  A word to the wise is sufficient: Christians have no geopolitical aspirations like the Muslim world bent on dominating the world with their hegemony, and they should not sound the alarm, but "occupy till He comes" (business as usual).  As Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world."

In conclusion, we have read the last page of the Bible and know how it all will turn out and are assured that we are on the winning side and victory is inevitable in the end.  N.B. Keep the faith!  "The LORD frustrates the counsel of the nations; He thwarts the plans of the peoples...Happy is the nation whose God is Yahweh!" (Ps. 33:10-12).  A word of encouragement--all is not lost:   God is able to heal our land if we confess our corporate sins and humble ourselves in repentance as His people (2 Chron. 7:14).  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Testimony Of Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus was a publican, which was worse than being called a sinner because he collected taxes on Rome's behalf and swindled all he could manage.  But one day he heard that Jesus was coming to Jericho and he was curious enough to climb a sycamore-fig tree to see him, seeing he was short in stature.  Jesus surprised him and invited himself over to his house for dinner.  Jesus convicted him of his shortcomings and failures as a fallen sinner and he showed genuine repentance by giving restitution and owning up to his cheating, in addition to just confessing it. Zacchaeus wanted to come clean and from what he did, it sounded like he did more than eat his humble pie. He wasn't just seeking fire insurance, but a relationship with Jesus; then he was good to go!  He sold out lock, stock, and barrel to Jesus and became a new person.  Note that Jesus was not afraid to get down and dirty with the scum of the earth and the most despised.  He didn't condone their sin, but welcomed sinners and even ate with them; this infuriated the Pharisees and Jewish hierarchy.

[Repentance is doing a 180-degree turn, an about-face, or a U-turn-- radical turning from sin to God.   It means you have stopped trying to save yourself and are willing to trust and obey Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Luke 3:8 says that we must bring forth the fruits of repentance.  We must turn from dead works to serve the living God.  We must not only repudiate and renounce sin but all our sins-- and decide to follow Jesus in obedience to the faith, in the act of abiding in Christ and His Word.  It is more than a change of opinion, but a whole change of heart, mind, and will.  We must be convicted of our sins, feel sorrow or regret for them, and be willing to turn from them and follow Christ as His disciple.]

There is no saving faith without genuine repentance because they go hand in hand and one is the flip side of the other:  one could use the terminology penitent faith or believing repentance.  Nevertheless, Zacchaeus' change of heart was real and he knew it.  He had changed his way of thinking and was willing to assume all the responsibilities for his errant ways--there is a cost to discipleship:  ironically there are the twin truths that salvation is free, but it costs everything, because Christ wants us to surrender to His will--it is no longer a yoke of the Law, but the yoke of Christ's will.   I suggest that he had a vacuum in his heart that Jesus filled and he recognized the Savior.  He had already come to the conclusion that riches don't satisfy the longings of the soul and one cannot buy happiness or love.

This is an example of how Christ, the Good Shepherd, finds us and brings us to the fold when we are lost; but we must realize we are lost first.  He came not to call the righteous (those who think they are okay), but the sinner (who knows he needs God and cannot save himself or has literally given up).  What did Jesus save him from?  From a life of sin and purposelessness, of pleasing and living for self, and empty meaningless existence.  In short, he saved him from his sin (that's why His name is Jesus) and only He has the power to set us free from our sin nature;  our sinning doesn't demonstrate our freedom, but proves our slavery!

Being saved doesn't mean we have the freedom to live in the flesh just because we know we are saved, but the power to live in the Spirit.  Zacchaeus didn't have to clean up his act or turn over a new leaf to get saved, he got saved first and God changed his from the inside out.  God wants us to obey Him out of love and gratitude (he who is forgiven much loves much), not out of slavish fear.  Love is the strongest power in the universe and God is love and when we know God we learn to love our enemy, our neighbor, and our brother. You could fulfill the demands of a law, but not of love.   Zacchaeus got more than he bargained for, he was just looking for acceptance and answers and found love; no one is looking for God according to Romans 3:11, but the search for God begins at salvation--he finds us, we don't find Him!  Pascal said that he would not have found God, had He not first found him.

The lesson of Jesus reaching out to this publican is that no one is too bad a sinner to be saved--we are bad, but not too bad for salvation.  We are not to look down on "sinners" because George Whitefield said it well:  "There, but for the grace of God, go I," when asked about a condemned man going to the gallows.  Zacchaeus was informed and deformed by sin, but meeting Christ transformed him.  Once is never the same after meeting Christ--there is no neutral ground; one must decide to be for or against him.  The Scripture is right in saying that we must "repent and bring forth the fruits of repentance."  We must demonstrate our new faith and if we don't share it we will lose it--we cannot be a secret disciple, but must be willing to confess Him before men openly and without shame.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Our Common Salvation

Jude wanted to write a treatise on "our common salvation," but was diverted to discuss heresy that had crept into the church.

This is a subject known doctrinally as soteriology, from the Greek soter, or to save.

The common man has no comprehension of what salvation means, and probably relates to a boxer being "saved by the bell."  A renowned theologian (R. C. Sproul) was asked if he was saved:  "Saved from what?"  The man was taken aback and had no answer; he didn't know what our salvation is from!   Actually, we are saved by God and from God (delivered from the wrath to come according to 1 Thess. 1:10).  We are as bad off as can be, but not too bad to be saved!

Christianity is a religion of salvation and this is pivotal.  "Salvation is of the Lord," says Jonah 2:9, and this means that God does all the work and gets all the credit and glory.  The other two possibilities are to be saved by a  combination of our efforts and God's, or to be saved by our efforts alone.  Only in the scenario that has God doing everything, can we have the assurance of salvation?

The Bible proclaims the saviorhood of God; this is His purpose in dying  ("...and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.").  The Scriptures speak of Christ as being the only way to be saved and that there is no other Savior (cf. Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Hos. 13:4;  Isa.43:11).

All three offices of Christ take part in our salvation:  as Prophet, we are saved from ignorance of sin; as Priest from the guilt of sin; as King from the dominion of sin (per D. James Kennedy).

There are many aspects to look at our salvation.   At the point of salvation we are saved from the penalty of sin or justified, then we are sanctified or saved from the power of sin, and in the state of glory, we will be saved from the presence of sin.  Another way of looking at this is that of our position (in Christ), our condition (fellowship and sanctification), and our expectation (glorification).  From the standpoint of the tenses, we are saved, we are being saved, and we shall be saved.  Our outlook is given perspective so that we have a worldview:  "Our past is forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured."  This all began in eternity past, is realized in time, and looks forward to, and is consummated in heaven.

Our salvation is a done deal, a fait accompli, a finished work--a divine accomplishment, not a human achievement.  Religion is a do-it-yourself proposition and says, "Do," but God says, "Done!"  The entire Trinity took part:  the Father planned and authored it, the Son secured and accomplished it, and the Holy Spirit applied it.

Only in Christianity can we have the assurance of salvation and this is not meant to be permission to live in the flesh, but the power to live in the Spirit.   Assurance enhances growth and is assuredly a boon to our spiritual well-being--otherwise, we are stunted and paralyzed in our walk.  Note that assurance and security can be distinguished, but not separated.  They go hand in hand and without one, you cannot have the other.  Assurance is not to satisfy idle curiosity, but meant to strengthen our faith, and is a sign of faith, not presumption.

Salvation is not by knowledge--that would be intellectualism--and not by emotion--that would be emotionalism--and not by works--that would be moralism.   It is not by faith plus works, not by faith plus being good, nor by faith plus law-keeping.  It is by grace alone, through faith alone,  in Christ alone.  Principle:  Don't divorce faith and faithfulness!  What kind of faith is saving faith is the issue:  only obedient and repentant faith will do.

There are only four possibilities for salvation to note:  by works alone; by faith plus works; by faith alone bringing about good works, and by faith alone equaling salvation minus good works.  The first is religion, the second is legalism, the third is correct Reformed teaching, and the last one is only antinomianism or easy-believism.  [This labeling from R. C. Sproul]  The formula during the Reformation was that we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.

Our faith is simple--so simple a child can do it-- but not simplistic; it is childlike, but not childish.  It's not a matter of trying, but trusting--trust and obey!  It is the work of God (John 6:28-29 answers this question:  "What shall we do, to do the works of God?  It is the work of God that you believe..."); because we are incurably addicted to doing something for our salvation, according to Chuck Swindoll.   The reformer called this Soli Deo Gloria, or to God alone be the glory!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Agreeing To Disagree

This is almost a cliché now but it cannot be stressed enough in the body of Christ:  "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"  (Eph. 4:3). We don't want to be contentious, disagreeable, nor divisive, that is to say.   It has been well said by Chuck Swindoll that if you drink of only one fountain, you will lose your discernment.  What that means is to keep an open mind and don't think you or your group have monopolized the truth and get a Bible-club mentality.  We all need each other and are all part of the story, as it were--the Spirit of truth will lead us into all truth.  The church is to be semper reformanda, which means "always reforming" and we never will complete arriving at truth until Christ perfects His Bride.

 In a marriage, it is good to have an agreement, but disagreement can serve a purpose also:  It challenges our wits and brings to light issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.  If they agree all the time, one of them is unnecessary!  In a church body we want to strive for unity in the Spirit, of course, but leave room for disagreement or dissension in the body.  Aurelius Augustine of Hippo said, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."  There are certain doctrines that we cannot compromise on like the Trinity and salvation by faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone.   We have to agree to disagree even in the body and not "muzzle the ox that treads out the grain," [hinder or restrain someone from proclaiming the truth] so to speak.  We need healthy dialog and debate in the body to grow in the faith--that's why Jude says to "contend for the faith."

The whole idea behind the Protestant Reformation was what Martin Luther proclaimed:  "I dissent, I disagree, I protest!"  We are not at the mercy of church dogma any longer and realize our God-given right to interpret Scripture on our own and form our own beliefs and convictions; however, we are not free to fabricate our own truths and are responsible for our doctrines.  Roman Catholic churches do not allow this liberty and laypeople are at the mercy of the clergy and the Pope to interpret for them.

We need more healthy dialog in our churches and believers who aren't too timid or intimidated to speak up for the truth as they see it.  Most churches today have come full circle:  "What do you believe, Sir?"  "I believe what my church believes."  "What does your church believe?" "What I believe!" "What do you both believe?"  "We believe the same thing!"  We might as well be Catholics as blindly follow a teacher without question, no matter how good he is.  No one is apostolic today, despite the Pope claiming apostolic succession, and is inerrant or infallible.  To err is human!  Augustine said, that he had learned to hold only the Scriptures as inerrant and infallible.

The condition for arriving at the truth is to realize that you don't know all of it yet and have an open mind, that is willing to admit it could be wrong.  The truth is not arrived at by vote or majority rule, but by the conviction of the Holy Spirit that is called the illuminating ministry and God can convict us of the truth--"If any man will to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine..." (John 7:17).  Soli Deo Gloria!

What Kind Of Soil Are You?

In the parable of the sower, in Matthew 13, Christ depicts four types of individuals who hear the gospel and how they respond.  There is the soil along the path, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil. It is important to evaluate the condition of our own soil because we can go through phases in life where it may vary--we are not always apparently good soil, even if we are saved.   We may identify with these kinds of soils at some time in our spiritual journey, but to enter the kingdom of God we have to be good soil--we may just backslide or revert to our old nature at seasons of our life though.  But it is erroneous to conclude that there is a whole new category of a believer called a believer with a thorny soil;  he must have been good soil at one time or he never would've been saved in the first place.

It has been shown that the average person rejects the gospel 7.6 times before accepting it--that is an average and one person may reject it 8 times and another 7 times, and so forth.  That is proof that we are not always receptive to the message of truth and aren't usually ready for it as given or sown the first time.  But God prepares our hearts over time and when we are prepared soil we do respond affirmatively. "Salvation is of the Lord," says Jonah 2:9 and we do not cooperate in it as Rome teaches but simply accept it by faith with God doing all the work, even giving us faith as a gift--it is not something we conjure up by our efforts.   All of us can relate to once being thorny soil that had other things on our mind or even rocky soil that doesn't want to pay the price of persecution or tribulation and hasn't counted the cost--Jesus warned His followers to "count the cost."

In this parable, the sower is the same, the seed is the same, and the soil is the same; what is different is the condition of the soil and this is the responsibility of the recipient.  The sower sows wherever he has the opportunity or sees an open door.  Only in so-called  "good soil" does the seed germinate and take root to go on and bear fruit.  Why is fruit important?  John the Baptist said, "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance..." (Luke 3:8).   "By their fruits, you shall know them."  Jesus "appointed [us] that [we] should go and bear fruit and that [our] fruit should abide..." (John 15:16).  We should "bear much fruit and prove to be [His] disciples." (This fruit is the outcome of our lives for Christ, doing good deeds foreordained for us and not the fruit of the Spirit since the listeners of Jesus knew nothing of this and the Spirit was not yet given!)

I am of the persuasion that faith without works is dead and without fruit, there is no faith--true faith produces fruit and this fruit is good works (though converts is a good work, it is not the only one); we are not saved by good works, but we are not saved without them either-without works our faith is suspect.  There may be Christians who don't amount to much and may end up with no reward according to 1 Cor. 3:15 where they are saved, as if by fire, but they do produce some fruit and end up losing or forfeiting their reward.   The condition of the soil is up to us and we are culpable for soil that is unresponsive to the gospel and has no place for the Word in our lives.

Lots of people are superficial and initially believe the Word of Christ, but don't have genuine saving faith, having good intentions, but poor follow-through.  The purpose of this parable is to show three types of recipients to the general call of the gospel when we preach or evangelize and why they don't accept our message.  It is meant to encourage us to sow a seed and that some will inevitably fall on good or tilled soil.   Hearing the Word is not sufficient, one must be obedient to the gospel and go on to follow the Lord as His disciple.  Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is A Significant Prayer?

The most perfect and ideal prayer we can make is to commend ourselves unto God's care, let His will be done in a prayer of relinquishment, and have the faith to mean it when we say, "Amen!"  We must dismiss the notion that we can change God, but let successful prayer change us.

Jesus rebuked the vain repetitions of the Pharisees and the meaningless long-winded prayers they were wont to do, then He formulated the Lord's Prayer because the disciples asked Him "Lord, teach us to pray," of all things to want to learn.   This prayer was never meant to be a recital or vain repetition, but the answer to the question, "How shall we pray?" (not "What shall we pray?).  It is never wrong to go through the petitions and pray them as long as one comprehends it and meditates on it while doing it.  Therefore, everything we need to know about prayer is in this paradigm or framework Jesus gave us if we understand and apply it rightly.  The vital link is, "How big is our God?" because this affects our prayer life and our faith in the answers--that is why it is said, "Be it done unto you according to your faith."

God's name or reputation is holy and worthy of praise; for He exalts above all things His name and His Word (Psalm 138:2).   Prayer, by definition, is communion or communication with the Almighty and that means it is two-way--not just us doing all the talking.  We have to learn to listen like Samuel who prayed, "Speak LORD, for your servant hears." The more we listen, the more we hear; we must practice this fervently because hearing God, as well as a prayer to Him are like muscles one must exercise to be fit--we don't want to become unfit or turn a deaf ear to God by negligence or because we are remiss or derelict doing our part.  

The book of Job says that God speaks to man, but he doesn't hear.  God always speaks to me when I read the Scriptures because I have trained myself in this discipline.   Sometimes God has much to say and we do all the talking.  One way God speaks to us is by verses we have committed to memory, something a believer told us in edification, or some circumstance.  Being cognizant of His control or providence shows our faith and how we will interpret the answers.

Psalm 100:4 says to "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, enter His courts with praise."  For the LORD "inhabits the praises of His people" according to Psalm 22:3.  The essence of prayer is communication and to change us, not change the unchangeable one!  The purpose of prayer is prayer--we should love to touch base with God and stay in fellowship with Him by keeping short accounts of our sins and confessing them ("If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the LORD would not have listened," says Psalm 66:18)  and we should "pray without ceasing," which means that we keep the conversation going (our attitude and fellowship) as Brother Lawrence, the humble cook in a monastery, did in the 16th century when he wrote The Practice of the Presence of God, which is a classic on the continuity of daily fellowship  in our labors.

When we do corporate or public prayer one goal is to be a witness to others and teach them how to pray and be an example; and, if possible, to convert any unbeliever by our witness.  All prayer should be in the power of the Spirit, as it says in Jude 21:  "Pray in the Spirit."  We should strive to put our hearts into our prayers, but sincerity is not everything if we ask amiss or are wrong.  Just because we can put a lot of emotion into it is no guarantee that God will answer affirmatively.  Prayer is, in summation, acknowledging God for who He is and what He has done; thanking Him for what He has done, and praising Him for who He is.  The better we know God, the better our prayers.

 When we pray we should think of putting on Christ and assuming our role and position as a son of God and having the authorization to use Christ's name and permission to call the Most High our Father--the angels don't have this authority and power to influence God--remember prayer is the ordained means that God uses to accomplish His will and we are acting as vessels of honor, being used for His glory.   This implies intimacy and the more we pray, the closer we get to God--if we don't pray much, it is because we probably don't believe God is listening or answering our prayers.

Finally, our prayers are in the power enabling the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who puts our feeble words and baby talk or lisping into groans too deep for words to the Father. "For we know not how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us."   We go to the top in our prayer, the Most High, who is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has an open-door policy, which means we are always welcome and God is never inconvenienced.

We should think of the attributes of God when we pray:  His greatness or awesomeness (nothing is too great, nor too small for God--they are all small); His sovereignty (we can be assured that He is in control and we are on the winning side); God is omnipotent or almighty (nothing too big for God--"Is anything too hard for Me?" says the LORD in Jeremiah 32:17);  God is eternal and everlasting (He has all the time in the world to answer our prayer and time is no object, because He is not bound, defined, limited, nor in the time/space continuum that we are slaves to--this means God knows the future from the past and can forgive our sins past, present, and future as an example.   God is worthy of praise, worship is essentially "worth-ship" because only God is worthy to be worshiped--we can't praise God too much, in fact, there is power in praise!

Prayer is where the action is and is the acid test or the so-called litmus test of our spiritual relationship. Many people have weak prayer life because they take themselves too seriously; we should pray as we can and not as we can't.  It is a trick in prayer to learn to pray the Word and claim its promises.   It is not to be seen as a duty but as a glorious calling and honor. Learn to be sensitive to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit and the promptings He will give.  God does speak; it's just that man doesn't listen.  "Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it"  (Job 33:14).   In sum, the greatest prayer is one of relinquishment, uttering in the manner of Jesus, "Thy will be done!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Answering the Mystics

In reference to believers who claim an inside track or hear God's voice: I suggest this disclaimer, I do not doubt the validity of these episodes nor the veracity of the witnesses to God's audible voice, but what I question is, is their motives and spiritual maturity.  Mystics are those who interpret God's Word or His will by their experiences rather than their experiences by the Word of God.  There are flaky Christians out there and many seem to get into the act--I have seen many in mental hospitals who hear voices and end up "cured."  We test our experience by the Word, not the Word by our experience.

I used to be in a church where believers  commonly said that "God told them, this or that."  I don't see any precedent in the Scripture that warrants a special class of believer that doesn't need to read the Bible to have God speak to him--and I don't mean having an existential experience like goosebumps, chills down the spine, or a burning in the bosom.  God spoke to Samuel the prophet through the Word as it says in 1 Sam.3:21 as follows:  "...and there He revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word." It seems that the way it works is that we must accept God's Word first and not expect special messages or a special pipeline, as it were, to God, that others don't have.  I am not precluding God's prerogative to speak to us any way He chooses--He can use the air vent if He wills--but He has ordained His Word to be His focus.

The trouble with people speaking to individuals is that they get puffed up as being an elite Christian or a special class of privileged ones.  If we have an experience with God, it is meant to be between us and God and not to brag about as to promote ourselves or seem like we are "closer" to God.  What pleases God is faith, according to Hebrews 11:6:  "For without faith it is impossible to please God."

Now Paul experienced more than any other Christian and had bragging rights you might say, even having been caught up to the third heaven--but he didn't willingly admit this, but was forced to.  God didn't answer his prayer to remove his "thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble and said, "My grace is sufficient for you..."  My conclusion is that some of us have been given great minds and God expects us to use them and we should not compare ourselves with other believers according to 2 Cor. 10:12, nor commend ourselves and feel inferior; we are all individual works of God for His purposes.

I would rather have great faith and a great mind than just have some existential experience or hear "voices" from above--which, by the way, can be duplicated by Satan and some people are really fooled by the voices of spirits and mislead into heresy. It's not wrong to hear from God audibly, but that is not normative, We shouldn't depend upon it nor expect it.  If one hears from God he should be able to quote Him word-for-word and not have any doubts that it is God--does it line up squarely with the Word?

God always confirms His Word--He's not going to tell you some personal message that isn't verified by other witnesses, the Word, or circumstances (cf. Isa. 44:26; Jer. 1:12).  That's the litmus test! Also, Isaiah 8:20 says that if they speak not according to the Word, it is because they have no light in them.  The problem is that they may very well be convinced God spoke to them, but how do we know that?  Soli Deo Gloria!