Who Indwells The Christian?

Most Christians will testify that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and hence the third person of the triune God does indeed indwell us. But do you realize that Christ himself has taken up residence if indeed you are born again? Rev. 3:20 which pictures Christ knocking at the door of our heart is a case in point where Jesus seeks to live in our heart and not just in our head as head-knowledge. Paul says in Gal. 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me...." We should come to the realization that not only is Christ God Almighty but that He takes up residence within us.



You may say that the word for "in" is to be used figuratively and not literally (Scripture warns against quarreling about words in 1 Tim. 6:4 and 2 Tim. 2:14), but Scripture after Scripture verifies this doctrine, and the clarity of Scripture forces us to take the obvious meaning, rather than argue over the meaning of words, "which only ruins the hearers." Col. 1:27 says that the mystery is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Col. 3:11 says, "...but Christ is all and in all." Rom. 8:10 says, "But if Christ is in you...." Eph. 3:17 says, "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Gal. 4:19 says, "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...." This concept is not taught from this vantage point, simply because most Christians never actualize the role of Christ in their lives. When others see Christ in you, you will know what I mean.



The union with Christ is called the mystical union, or the unio mystica in Latin. If you want to believe that this is only in theory or figurative, I won't call you a heretic; I'll just think that you don't quite get it--Jesus wants to be real to you! In a sense you are denying the Trinity unwittingly, because Jesus, being God, is omnipresent and by definition, there is no conflict with Him living in our hearts (Eph. 3:17 says, "that He may dwell in our hearts by faith")--or do you deny that possibility, thinking that Christ is limited to a physical body in Heaven?




Though Christ became a man He is still, and always was and will be God. (The finite cannot contain the infinite.) "Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever." During his earthly humiliation He merely gave up the privileges of Deity and His independent usage of His attributes; He never gave up any of His divine attributes--He is no less God than the Father or the Holy Spirit. And so, Jesus is physically in Heaven seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High, but in spirit, He is omnipresent--just like the Father. Jesus is here in a special way when two or more gather in His name or when we share the Lord's Table as He promised--this is another proof of His omnipresence (N.B. though Christ is in a body, He is not limited by it in His Deity).




The Monophysite heresy said that Christ was either a humanized god or a deified man, but not perfect man--perfect God or the infinite God-Man, as is taught in Scripture. The Chalcedonian definition of Christ was that He had two natures in one person which was neither mixed, confused, separated, or divided. He is vere homo, vere Deus, or truly man, truly God, joined together in a hypostatic union, beyond our comprehension (referred to as the unio mysticall).  'We are not to confuse the nature nor divide the person!  



Martin Luther was attacked for his belief of what became known as "ubiquity." His view was that Christ was physically present in the communion elements, which lead to the doctrines of transubstantiation and consubstantiation. These were wrong views of His omnipresence and I will not fault Luther for not being right on everything--he was human.




Let's not forget the Father, who also takes up residence spiritually. Eph. 4:6 says, "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Yes, the entire Godhead indwells the believer! (1 John 4:15 says, "Whosoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.) A pertinent exhortation is John 15:5 as follows: "Abide in Me and I in you...."This doctrine is the test that Paul used in 2 Cor. 13:5 which says, "Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.    Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Unless indeed you fail the test."  We are also exhorted to test ourselves at the Lord's Supper in 1 Cor. 11:28.




In summary, we should be as confident as Martin Luther that Christ lives in us. Billy Graham tells of how Martin Luther overcame the devil: "When the devil comes to the door, Jesus answers it, and when he asks for me, Jesus says, 'Martin doesn't live here anymore--I do!'"   Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus Freaks And Holy Rollers

It is an honor to suffer shame for the name of Christ-like it says in Hos. 9:7 when the inspired man is called demented, (not to be an offensive Christian though) and to be his ambassador proclaiming the good news; but holy rollers think they are "holier than thou" and refrain from so-called secular activity or worldly things, such as going to the movies or theater, watching TV, going to sports events or even concerts. The Amish tend to have this type of religiosity and think they are better by virtue of their separatist-type living and peculiar way of life-an insult to progress and technology.



My pastor seems to be proud to advertise himself as a Jesus freak, but he is an avid hockey fan and is not a holy roller also. These are not mutually exclusive terms and one can be both. Isaiah chapter 65 condemns those who think they are "holier than thou." 1 Pet. 1:16 says that because God is holy, we are holy ("You shall be holy, for I am holy," 1 Pet. 1:16) Because we are in Christ and have imputed or transferred holiness, which means consecration or being set apart for a use--otherness or "apartness." The only holiness we have is Christ's--not our own.

For instance, some believe in shotgun evangelism, in that you should tell literally everyone about Jesus, (which I call promiscuous and indiscriminate witnessing or canvassing) regardless of whether you have earned the right and have a testimony, and whether God has opened the door or not. The person who engages in this type of spreading the Word hasn't learned how God opens doors and even closes them. This apparently does more harm than good and puts a bad name of Christianity, because Jesus was not a freak or oddball, but a well-balanced and adjusted personality to be worshiped and adored. If these unbelievers actually met Christ they could find no fault in him just like Pilate didn't. I think this does more harm than good and is a waste of time--we are just being a stumbling block to the unsaved and not being productive.




You earn the right to speak up for Christ and don't ever be ashamed of your witness and testimony on Christ's behalf. Talk to God about the person before talking to the person about God! I believe the Great Commission was given to the church and not to individual believers who are to be witnesses (and we are, either good ones or bad ones). We should be in a church that is fulfilling the Great Commission and not just making converts but making disciples, teaching them to observe all that Jesus taught. But note well that follow-up is absolutely imperative!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus Freak Or Flakey Brother

"Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach ... Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil" (1 Tim. 3:2,7, ESV, emphasis added with italics).

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation..." (Isaiah 52:7, NLT).

"The best measure of a spiritual life," says Oswald Chambers, "is not the ecstasies, but the obedience." [Don't go by feelings, they are as variable as a weather vane in a whirlwind!]




By way of definition, I define a Jesus freak as one who has sold out lock, stock, and barrel and serves God with reckless abandon, loving God with his full heart, mind, and will.

Being a so-called "Jesus freak" (note that respectable people are usually not freaks by definition), and it isn't something you advertise, by wearing attire to that effect (don't tell me or announce it, show me and prove it--don't toot your own horn or brag, let another do it for you!): it's something you demonstrate by your daily witness and share with your testimony.

Jesus didn't go around advertising or promoting the fact that He was the Son of God or even Son of David (a Messianic reference), but He didn't deny it either. Nicodemus, for example, recognized that God was with Him! The prophet Daniel had the reputation of great integrity and piety in his faith, but he neither flaunted it nor privatized it. We are never called to show off our faith or to look for trouble, but to look for open doors and in the process never to privatize our faith or hide it from the public either. There comes a time to make a stand for Jesus and show our Christian colors, and there are times to keep it to yourself. According to Isaiah 52:7 (quoted above), even the feet are welcome of those who preach the gospel, and the key is that we are not to be offensive Christians, but only to bear the offense of the cross itself! I'm afraid they have a "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (cf. Romans 10:2).

If you are really a Jesus freak, you shouldn't have to tell someone, they should be able to discern it by your life's witness, whether you're a hypocrite or not. It's not a good idea to put Christian lapels on and try to make airs that you're one of the few real Christians who aren't ashamed of Christ. We must be sensitive to the One who opens doors no one can shut, and not strive to force them open by ourselves. We don't shove our religion down people's throats or push our faith on others, whether they are willing to accept it or not. The divine order is to pray to God about a person's salvation, before talking to that person and salvation about God!


Christians aren't called to be "freaks" in the common meaning of the term, but to have a sound mind and witness, and life that cannot be reprimanded or frowned upon. One example I should bring up: Putting Christian-promoting bumper stickers on your vehicle, when you have bad driving habits, bringing disrepute to Christ's name, which is really taking His name in vain. Now, all I'm saying is that we don't just tell our neighbor we're "Jesus freaks," but we become "Jesus freaks." How would it sound if you went around saying, "Hi! I'm a genius!"

Real Jesus freaks don't need to advertise--it's plain to be seen--there's evidence! I hope by "freak" one doesn't mean eccentric or oddball, as this is never a good testimony (even though John the Baptist was), but just a fully-devoted, Spirit-filled follower of Christ! If we really are, God will open the door and the Holy Spirit will anoint you, and it won't be you speaking, but God in you. I've seen people trying to promote Christianity and have a glum or sullen countenance, and this is a poor advertisement for Christ and does more harm than good. "For the joy of the LORD is your strength" (cf. Neh. 8:10).

Scripture admonishes us not to practice our piety before men, to be seen by them and this means to let God open the door and trust Him for the opportunities and He'll make you a fisher of men! There are certain "sound barriers" in witnessing, and we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading, and be filled with the Spirit (an example is the first mention of God, sin, salvation, faith, Christ, and finally the plan of salvation and the invitation as barriers to be broken down). Witnessing is to be natural, and not forced unto people when they're unwilling to hear the good news.

God absolutely must prepare a person's heart for the gospel to have any effect and it is only by His wooing that someone will come to Christ, not our persuasiveness or cleverness or gimmicks. In short, we must earn the right to witness and it must not belie our testimony and conversation in life or lifestyle--though there are exceptions to the rule, which only proves there is one.

In the strict sense of the word, all believers are freaks and this is not our home--our citizenship is in heaven (cf. Phil. 3:20)--for we are in the world, but not of it (cf. John 15:19). The spiritual man is appraised by no natural man: "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment" (1 Cor. 2:15, NIV). The world is bound to even hate us (John 15:18, ESV, says, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."). The world will reject you: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12, NIV).

However, as we willingly and openly confess Christ, we don't wear our religion on our sleeves and display a sort of offensive religiosity or superstition--we aren't Jesus freaks by virtue of claiming to be one, we must walk the walk as well--and the world's observing!

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Unconventional Jesus

Jesus was not consumer-driven or market-oriented, but marched to the beat of a different drummer than the crowds, not keeping pace with His companions and set apart from His enemies and accusers--i.e., the Pharisees who saw Him as a threat to their job security and domain of authority and as the up and coming challenger to the status quo who could really upset the applecart. Jesus didn't claim to know the truth, to tell the truth, or to teach about truth in theory, but to be the very personification of truth itself. The focal point of His ministry always put truth first and with no compromise. Indeed, Jesus did change the course of history (as secular historians will acknowledge) and turned the world upside down. He paid no attention to public opinion or what you would say the polls today, or He only followed the Father's will and agenda to do the work given Him.

Because of this, we must accept Jesus for who He is or we are rejecting Him and compromising His person. The culture in His day was religious and even pagan or to some degree still barbarian! The people expected a liberator and warrior to set them free from Rome but got a pacifist and one who taught about freedom from sin and another "kingdom, not of this world." He defied all human convention in His ministry, picking disciples who were ordinary men and concentrating on these men rather than go for numbers and be concerned about popularity--He changed the course of history with a band of twelve men! He chose to ignore public opinion and to preach the truth! He wasn't afraid of the authorities and the religious establishment and to call them hypocrites. Jesus saw His mission as from above and not of this world, with eternal consequences and results. He wasn't focused on the immediate and short term as much as the long-term effects of His agenda and ministry.

What shocked the authorities so much as how he knocked them out of the comfort zones and never played it safe with His preaching, but spoke like no man had ever done--not by authority, but with authority. He wasn't afraid to rock the boat and upset the religious applecart! Christ never foot-noted His sermons, claiming the authority of the respected rabbis or Pharisees, but claimed His own authority and pronouncement as God's Word. Other religious leaders have played themselves down and were self-effacing, but Jesus made Himself the focal point of His ministry, being self-promoting and self-advancing, making Himself the central issue, and the great question of the day: Basically, the question, "Who am I?" People don't tend to remember Him for His deeds, words, or ministry, but His identity as the Son of God--who He clearly claimed to be.

His credentials were unequaled and unmatched; His claims unheard of and unparalleled; His character and conduct perfectly blameless and unprecedented and very unique and consistent with His claims and credentials; and His effect on history undeniable and permanent, not to mention irreversible and into every manner of discipline. He will never be excelled, equaled, or surpassed in any way--He is unlike any predecessor and no disciple has matched His holiness and perfect nature, and no one can accuse Him of sin but only sense their own unworthiness and sinfulness in view His perfect holiness and balance of character--He cannot be pegged or put into a box; no one can label Him, describe Him, or define Him, but only know Him.

Jesus was a threat to the Pharisees' turf and upset their religious applecart. In fact, Jesus was antiestablishmentarian and fought the system, bucking the traditions of the elders and Pharisees, which knocked them out of the comfort zone and on the defensive, but they could not trap Him in His words or find fault with Him. The only charge that stuck was political, that He claimed to be the king of the Jews; however, He won over all those who dream of changing the system and becoming anti-establishment.

The biggest challenge to the traditions of the Pharisees which had made void the Word of God was His definition of sin. The traditions had externalized the Law of Moses and only made men clean in appearance and on the outside, but Jesus internalized the Law and made sins a matter of the heart and something from within--a matter of the condition of the heart of man. The Pharisees despised Him as the so-called friend of sinners and thought He was contaminated and a Sabbath-breaker--their fetish or favorite command. The Pharisees were attentive to minor points of the Law but missed the larger ones of justice, mercy, and faithfulness--Jesus saw through their duplicity and veneer.

As far as being considered clean by the traditions, for example, He was Mr. Unclean! But what really got the Pharisees angry and out to kill Him was their jaundiced eye and naked jealousy of His popularity with the common people who heard Him gladly. He made them all feel condemned by His His standards of conduct--He hated duplicity but no sin was found in Him, and the closer one got to Him the more sin one became conscious of.

Jesus had a plan and an agenda--He was par excellence a man on a mission--and what the public thought didn't faze Him nor concern Him---He took no cues from the so-called polls of the day. We would do well to follow His example and not pay attention to public pressure and be concerned with the truth. It has been said wisely that He demanded the highest ethical standard, but is also the highest inspiration and motivation to do it. In sum, we must also put our faith in God's plan that defies human reason and convention and realize that God's will is not to be thwarted or frustrated and He has no other plans--there's no Plan B--He completes it with or without our cooperation and help! Soli Deo Gloria!
9

Jesus Our Exemplar

Jesus is the man on a mission, extraordinaire, and no one is in a league with Him in doing the Father's will during their lifetime.  According to any secular standards, Jesus influenced history more than any mortal and is the person behind Western civilization, par excellence. No one gave Him authority, yet He commanded it and spoke with authority, not by authority, such as no man ever spoke--He would say, "You have it heard it said, but I say unto you...."  Without writing a book He inspired and set more pens into motion, granting more themes, without learning or schooling, led to the rise of more universities and scholarly writing, yet speaking with such eloquence, and without soldiers or money, conquered more hearts.



In sum, He taught us more in every field of scholarship more than anyone else in history. He was His own authority and never footnoted His sermons or quoted the authorities, His formula was simply, "It is written."   Millions would die for this itinerant preacher today, who only led a tight-knit band of twelve and an outer band of seventy during his tenure on earth, yet He is the model preacher and best teacher who ever lived bar none. Who was the greatest leader in history? The greatest example of morals?  The greatest leader?  Who did the most good for mankind?  No matter what aspect you're examining, Jesus is the model or icon to emulate.



Even though He only recruited the Twelve, it was enough because He so profoundly influenced them and they were the ones that could do the job (note that Judas was replaced after the resurrection by Matthias and then by Paul).  Jesus never was a number cruncher, always concerned about the quality not the quantity of His loyal band.  If He were asked why He didn't reach out more and have an alternate plan, should the apostles fail, He only would say, "I have no other plan."  Jesus invariably showed us what can be done with a preacher who preaches what he practices and practices what he preaches without duplicity and with candor.

Jesus' methodology or M.O. was unique in that he did miracles as signs to accompany a point in preaching or teaching He was doing.  I'll give you a for instance:  To illustrate Himself as the Bread of Life, he fed the multitude; as Life itself, He rose the dead.  He never did miracles on-demand or for show--never doing the so-called biggie miracle that the Pharisees demanded the ultimate proof. He never did miracles for personal gain, prestige, profit, or to attract attention for Himself.  It's true that miracles didn't hurt the draw, and also they are conducive to people making up their minds about Him; nevertheless, He didn't rely on His supernatural powers to prove Himself--His appeal was to hearts and He came to heal sinners and the sick, who needed a physician, and didn't want would-be disciples who didn't count the cost and weren't fully devoted.



The problem with miracles is that they don't automatically bring faith--sometimes they bring skepticism, and usually, they just bring the desire for more miracles!  Miracles don't produce faith, but faith produces miracles, and Jesus knew this!  Jesus certainly wasn't going to force Himself on anyone but wanted to reach the hearts of the people through His message.  His impact was such that He profoundly influenced everyone that came into contact with Him--there was no middle ground, neutral territory, or fence to stand on.



Jesus' life shows what can be done with little when God is in it:  Saint Theresa said she wanted to erect a convent and all she had as resources were twelve pence; her followers said that even Saint Theresa couldn't do much with twelve pence; she replied that Saint Theresa and God could do anything! When we look at the miracles of the feeding of the multitudes, we see that we do the addition and God does the multiplication, and smallness is no obstacle with God.  Nothing is small or big to God and what He is after is our faithfulness, not our success, which is up to Him in whatever way He sees fit to measure it by--not in the eyes of the world, though.   We are not to compare ourselves with others and wonder or judge, but faithfully do what God has called us to with His blessing.



In conclusion, we see the Jesus model, as the success of a ministry, not in its size or extent of outreach, but the quality of impact it has and the discipleship it does; the job of the church isn't merely evangelizing but teaching and raising up disciples who can do likewise with others as the whole church works in unison and corporately to accomplish the Great Commission as its goal. Jesus wasn't looking for admirers or halfhearted followers, but those who would sell out lock, stock, and barrel-like the original apostles did after the resurrection, willing to die for Him and carry the message to the ends of the earth, forsaking all for the kingdom.  True success is faithfully following the Jesus model and trusting Him for the results and appraisal of our work done in faith.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Knowing Jesus

"I desired ... the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6).
"[Jesus] will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
"Now that you know God, or rather are known by God" (Gal. 4:9).
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Cor. 13:5, ESV).

(Note: If anyone says he knows God and doesn't obey Him, he is a liar, according to Jesus).


More important than understanding who Jesus is theologically speaking, is to know Him personally as salvation, and the utmost value is in finding Him. The result: Do you love Jesus? The ultimate question: Who is He to you? In summation, let's realize that to know Him is to love Him!

It is one thing to be content to just be theologically sound concerning Jesus, and quite another to know Him intimately and personally in a living relationship that grows, and doesn't stagnate or static. You can be saved knowing remarkably little doctrine; God is looking at the heart and faith of the individual in Him and not in himself--we are God-confident, not self-confident, relying on our acumen or cognition or intellectual prowess.

Extremely naive and simple-minded people can be saved, and those of great education can miss it entirely--miss the boat! Christianity is not about a creed, but about knowing a person--how we are getting along--relationships are of utmost value. Job 22:21 says, "Acquaint now yourself with Him and be at peace." We must be willing to agree with God and see things His way, and not be stubborn and insisting on our way.

Faith is very simple: Even a child can have it, but it is not simplistic--it is childlike (you must approach God in this way), but it is not childish (God wants us to grow up and become mature). Subsequent to learning enough doctrine to become a renowned theologian we may lack people skills and not know our Lord hardly at all. For example, John Bunyan didn't know very much compared to the likes of John Calvin, but he knew his Lord. It is so much more important to apply what we know and realize that we will not be judged by what we know, but what we sow.

We are called to be lights in the world and that means we are ambassadors who represent our Lord in an evil world. The world sees the gospel according to you--what your lifestyle and story testify of. A man of simple faith who just knows Jesus is God and his Savior may utter simple prayers and have a constant dialogue with their Lord, while the scholar doesn't apply what he knows and just likes to be right or smarter than others.

Jesus said that eternal life is to "know Him" in John 17:3 and Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 9:24 that if we are to "boast" we should do so about knowing the Lord! J. I. Packer alleges that we can know a great deal "about God" and not much "of God." He concludes that a little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal about Him--touche! This only happens through a living faith and a vital relationship in a daily walk. A word to the wise: God is pleased with faith more than feelings or emotions, and tests our faith. We must learn to cultivate intimacy and get to know our Lord, basically through knowing others who know Him, the Scriptures, and ongoing prayer.

You can even know a lot "about" Christ, and not know Him as a living God, Savior, and Lord. We are to "grow in the grace and knowledge" of Him according to 2 Peter 3:18, and as we do good works we do also "grow in our knowledge" of Him according to Colossians 1:10. Doctrine can be "interesting" but some people are so assured of their relationship and know it must be put in its place--application is what it's about and the Bible was not written to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives. Jesus came to save us, not educate or teach us, though He did that too. In the final analysis, it is not that we know Him, but He knows us (Gal. 4:9) that is significant.

What Jesus is really looking for is someone after His own heart who wholeheartedly follows Him and is yielded to His will (2 Chron. 16:9). Theologians have their place, but this is not for everyone and we shouldn't expect everyone to have the same "interest" in the so-called deeper truths of the Word. It is a good idea to keep our faith as simple as possible and not to have such a heavy yoke to bear, expecting everyone to be at our mental capacity--remember, the "common people heard Him gladly."

Immature believers balk at learning doctrine and we must remember that "solid food is for the mature" who have learned to distinguish good and evil (cf. Hebrews 5:14). We must know where our listeners are and not go over their heads, meeting their needs where appropriate, as Jesus told Peter to feed the lambs. Sometimes it is tempting to "wow" the congregants with our scholarship, but this is ill-advised and we need to not depend on impressive words, but to rely on the power of the Spirit.

The more you know, the more responsible you are. God expects us to be initiators, comforters, instigators, teachers, peacemakers, mediators, good Samaritans, friends, counselors, advocates, cheerleaders, role models, prophets, priests, intercessors, encouragers, brothers, etc., (you get the idea--little Christs making use of their spiritual gift--that is what Christian means literally). You learn to take on the role and challenge of being Jesus to someone who needs you like John Wesley who vowed to be Jesus to everyone: "Do the most good, to all the people you can, all the time you can, every way you can, in as many places as you can, as long as you can, et cetera." He also said, "Earn all you can, save all you can, and give away all you can." What standards to live by!

The pastor has a role to fulfill to preach as if the oracles of God on His behalf and God speaking through him as His messenger; his voice and message may arouse some sleeping soul out of his dogmatic slumber, and save some who hear the Word through him. Paul said that they received him as Jesus Himself and we should be glad when people see Jesus in us (according to the verse "Christ in you, the hope of glory," in Col. 1:27).

But Paul couldn't wait to see "Christ formed" in them. The only Jesus some people will see is the one you show them and the one in you--what kind of example are you? We are not Jesus and cannot become Jesus, but we are His emissaries and icons who bear His image and represent Him and His authority. We cannot bail out theologically or ignore sound doctrine, and people don't care how much you know until they find out how much you care (to use a common cliche). Soli Deo Gloria!

How Does This Man Know?

They really wondered how Jesus could be so wise, having never learned (been taught)--He was self-taught by God. Some people have only second-hand knowledge of God and not a first-hand experience from walking with Him.  1 John 2:27 (ESV) says:  "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you.  But as his anointing teaches you about everything--and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you--abide in him." Psalm 119:99 (ESV) says, "I have more understanding than all my teachers...."




Christians are not meant to be dependent on teachers forever but come of age spiritually enough to learn to be noble enough like the Bereans, who searched these things out for themselves what Paul taught.   Some believers that aren't even teachers are mighty in the Scriptures because they have learned to abide in the Word--it doesn't take high intelligence or any arcane knowledge.  When you meet a genuine believer, you will find out that he has had first-hand encounters in the Word and has learned to attend to it to hear God speaking to him.



There is nothing to be privy to except basic reading skills and good study techniques.  We are not Gnostics claiming a secret knowledge that is necessary for salvation, but when we are able to discern good and evil (cf. Heb. 5:14) we can then be ready for the meat of the Word. The childish believer balks at learning the things of God in depth and remains an infant in the faith.  Deacons are called to "hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience [not reluctant to study the deeper truths]" (cf. 1 Tim. 3:9, ESV). The Bible is not abstruse and its basic message of salvation can be comprehended by children.




The simplicity of Scripture is a mystery and inscrutable to unbelievers who don't have the Spirit to enlighten them and show them the way. The way of salvation is not complicated nor a mystery to unravel, but the wise in this world, don't see its wisdom.  1 Cor. 1:25 ESV, says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men").  God makes the world's wisdom foolishness.  All it takes is to be teachable and receptive, having a willing spirit, an open mind, and a needy heart.




When we are in heaven we will know what we cannot know in the flesh and every question will be answered to our satisfaction (Jesus said that "in that day" we "shall ask [Him] nothing").  We cannot know the secret things of God because they are none of our business, but that which is revealed in Scripture belongs to us forever (cf. Deut. 29:29).  As Jesus quoted the prophet in John 6:45 (ESV): "They shall all be taught of God"




No prophecy is of any private interpretation and that means we have the privilege to interpret Scripture, but not to fabricate our own truths--God is not going to give us a personal revelation of the meaning of a passage or prophecy that He doesn't give to others--we are to avoid strange teachings and people claiming special links to God that makes them infallible like the pope does.  It is the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit that shows us the light in the Word and opens the eyes of our hearts.  We must learn to depend upon the leading of the Spirit and not depend on our own wits.




In summation, the aim of the teacher is to teach others and equip them to be able to pass on that which is committed unto them and spread the Word, and ultimately and hopefully so that they can also teach others and exponentially increase the ministry, rather than arithmetically. When they believe they don't need you anymore, that is good news and a blessing--the fulfillment of a ministry; we don't want them to become dependents!  2 Timothy 2:2 says to entrust these things to faithful men who will be able to pass them on to others.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Friend Of Publicans And Sinners

"The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray" (Proverbs 12:26, NKJV--italics and boldface mine).

"...to depart from evil is understanding"  (Job 28:28, NASB).

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil"  (cf. Proverbs 8:13).

"You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean" (cf. Lev. 10:10).

"A people without discernment will come to ruin"  (cf. Hosea 4:14).




Jesus was called the "friend of publicans and sinners" but did not say that of Himself ("You are my friends if you do what I command you," Jesus, in John 15:14, ESV), it was only assumed since He went where they were and was not afraid to get down and dirty with mankind. Jesus said that His friends were those who obey Him.  But it's the sinners who admit it that are closer to Him than those who think they're righteous   He was with them but did not condone their behavior, nor alter His mission to save man from sin.  He was not influenced by their sin, which is not something we can boast:  "Do not be deceived:  'Evil company corrupts good habits'" (1 Cor. 15:33, NKJV).  Note that He saved loved us before we were His friends.




Are we to justify our friendship with the world as being like Jesus?  He who is the friend of the world, is the enemy of God, according to James 4:4. If we spend most of our time with sinners and little of it with God's people, who will influence us the most?  Jesus could be exposed to sin and no corrupted by it because He is holy, but we are highly influenced by our surroundings and environment, not to mention the kind of people we choose to associate with.




We can not justify watching sinful programs that are indecent, lewd, suggestive, disgusting, and risque, because we are "friends of sinners" (like Jesus). Don't be like Demas who loved this present world and departed from the faith.  God has given us a discerning mind to know good and evil and we are to use it, to be wise as serpents, but innocent as doves.




You are what you think about.  It is also said that you're not what you think you are, but what you think you are. "Keep [guard] your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring [flow] the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV).  Be aware of the wiles of the devil and not ignorant (cf. 2 Cor. 2:11).  We are all vulnerable and susceptible to Satan's influence: He is the god of the media, entertainment world, academia, and even this world-system, and we are not to be influenced by this, but come out of it and be separate--that is what holiness is about.  "....without holiness shall no man see the Lord..."  (cf. Heb. 12:14).  We are to be cheerful that He overcame the world (cf. John 16:33).   He who walks with the wise will become wise, according to Solomon and a "companion of fools suffers harm."   Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus Incognito

"[To] reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles.." (Galatians 1:16, NIV, emphasis added).

"Whatever you did, for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40, NIV, emphasis mine).

Jesus interposed His Father's will over His: "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house [about my Father's business]?" (Cf. Luke 2:49, NIV).

"... A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household" (Mark 6:4, ESV).

According to English legend, King Arthur would sneak among the common people, without his regalia, just to find out what they really thought and to get on the same page with empathy--Jesus did far more than that in humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross (cf. Philippians 2:7ff). We are to have this same mind in us, as was in Christ (cf. v. 5)! We should be aware of the fact that Jesus is loose and at large in our midst invisibly via the Holy Spirit residing in believers:

Jesus "came unto His own and His own received Him not," according to John 1:11; He was a man on a mission to seek and to save that which was lost (cf. Luke 19:10)--the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who had gone astray--He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. He didn't promote or advertise the fact that He was the Son of David or the Messiah, but He never denied it either. He was known to use figures of speech when preaching, so as to confuse the religious leaders, especially the party of the Pharisees.

They had to ask Him bluntly: "Are You the Messiah, or are we to look for another?" He didn't always beat around the bush, but spoke plainly, and not in parables to keep the secrets of the kingdom known only to the sheep, but many were not willing to accept Him for who He was. They called Him the son of Joseph, the prophet from Galilee, the carpenter, or as a snide remark: Mary's son, the Nazarene, even just the carpenter, or the teacher (rabbi).

Only once did He openly proclaim His rightful place as Messiah, and that was during the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, as we call it now. It had been written that Israel would not see their messiah until they shouted, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD." The Pharisees were getting nervous about His popularity and were worried that if He were left alone, that the whole world would go after Him. They were worried about Job One, which was protecting their turf and influence over the people as their teachers and guides, but they did it out of jealousy and a jaundiced eye, which even Pilate saw at Jesus trial before him.

Jesus had foretold many times of His crucifixion and resurrection, but the disciples were dense and were clueless as to His real identity until they actually witnessed it on Easter morning. Peter had confessed Him to be the Son of the living God, but this was more of a theoretical interpretation than actual application, though they had worshiped Him on occasion, their basic attitude was, "What manner of man is this?" He gave signs, according to John's record, that He was God in the flesh, and His miracles were not helter-skelter, nor for personal gain, selfish motive, nor showy. To prove His identity beyond doubt, there was no biggie miracle that couldn't be denied, and even King Herod thought he'd get a show from Him like He was a clown or magician--but Jesus never did miracles on demand.

The Christian is likewise called to be Christ incognito: We are His mind to think Christlike thoughts; His heart to love others through; His voice to speak His message of love; His hands through which He can help others. As St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) has said, "He has no hands but our hands, and no feet but our feet" to help others. Note that some Christians are known to take this to the extreme and get a messianic complex, which can border on mental illness or delusion. People often pray for Jesus to help them and don't realize that He uses believers to answer prayers and to fill in for Him incognito.

When you've done it for the least of these His brethren, you've done it for Christ; for He said, "I was in prison and you visited Me, I was hungry and you fed me." We don't want to go to the other extreme and deny that Christ is at work through our brothers and sisters in the Lord, either. On the one hand people will want to know the gospel according to us, and on the other hand, we don't want to deny that the Lord Himself is at work through His children as vessels of honor: Just as Isaiah 26:12 (NIV) says: "... [All] that we have accomplished you have done for us." The King James Version renders it: "[For] thou hast wrought all our works in us."

The point is that not only are we Christ incognito, but we are to serve Christ as if He were incognito and undercover and at large! We are being renewed in the image of Christ, who is the replica, icon, or express image of God Himself. Christ is God with skin on, you might say, and we can put the gospel in shoe leather by living it out and making it real to others: Only when you love the gospel, long to make it known, and desire to live it out, do you actually believe it--it's not a matter of pure acquiescence, intellectual assent, or agreement. Those who have bowed to Christ are the ones He can use for vessels of honor and complete His mission, whose marching orders are given in the Great Commission--our raison d'etre or reason for being!

Our testimony must be for real, and not a masquerade, sham, nor facade; that is, we cannot be nominal Christians or believers in name only who have a bogus profession and no reality to back it up--there is a contrast between the reality of faith and the profession of faith and viva la difference! We represent Christ in our daily walk and people observe us and judge Him by our testimony and witness. We are Christ's ambassadors who have authority to speak in His name! "... We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20, ESV). When they see Christ in us, it has an impact on the unbeliever, because Christ becomes real to them lived out through us as a testimony that cannot be denied.

We can make Christ real by living up to our testimony and that means walking the walk, not just talking the talk. When they realize we are Christians they will watch our every step and judge our testimony to see if they are more righteous than us. But be glad that we have God's stamp of approval and He promises to use us for His glory as vessels of honor and "He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Remember the words of Paul in Colossians 1:27 saying, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Finally, Paul says in 2 Cor. 13:5 (ESV, emphasis mine) a word of caution: "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves,. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!


As believers, we know that Christ said He'd never leave us nor forsake us and that He'd be with us always, even to the end of the age (cf. Matt. 28:20). There is the promise that wherever two or three are gathered together in His name, that Christ is present incognito (cf. Matt. 18:20)! Our spiritual eyes are opened and we see Jesus as present in Spirit. The eyes of our heart are opened and we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (cf. Hebrews 12:2). "But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels..." (Heb. 2:9, ESV, emphasis mine).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Behold! Jesus At The Door

Is Jesus really knocking at the door of the heart of the unbeliever, as evangelists ostensibly quote Rev. 3:20 in their salvation formula?  This verse is addressed to the church of Laodicea, a so-called "lukewarm" fellowship, that had apparently no room in their hearts for Jesus. What is delineated by lukewarm is that Jesus didn't know where they stood spiritually; they wouldn't take a stand for Him and proclaim His name, but were sitting on the fence trying to remain neutral.  Jesus would rather mingle with people who are not believers (even publicans, sinners, and any so-called scum) than pretenders or hypocrites who feign belief.





God doesn't require perfect and complete faith, but sincere, unfeigned faith.  True faith is not ashamed to proclaim Jesus as Lord openly and to spread the good news.  True faith is contagious and people catch on and wonder what makes you different.  Jesus said that if you are not for Him, you are against Him, and that means lukewarm professors (and there is a difference between a profession of faith and reality of faith) are not believers and are in the same boat as unbelievers.




Jesus didn't say that if you're not for Him you are neutral or against Him!  But against Him without a doubt.  The problem with this church is that they had an outward show of religion, a memorizing of the Dance of the Pious, and no inward reality.  The true believer desires to live out His faith and to know Christ, as well as make Him known--possessing a burden for the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.




This verse applies to salvation, but it is not the whole equation.  The big picture is that you must believe in your heart and not have a story or head belief to be a genuine believer.  Faith is not mere mental assent or acquiescence!  Faith is something put into action, viz., knowledge and knowledge acted upon and demonstrated.  This church had not gone the route of loving Jesus with their whole heart and were only halfhearted followers, not having a vital fellowship and relationship with the Lord, which is what Christianity is all about--not a philosophy, but getting to know Jesus and how He thinks and fellowshipping with Him, the Father, and in the church.  Christ cannot open the door, the resident must and He desires true fellowship with us--the invitation is to all who hear His voice, and the sheep will hear His voice (cf. John 10:27).




In summation, saving faith is not believing merely in the Jesus of history, but in the one knocking at the door!  Someone has said:  Faith is not believing that there is a God, but in the God who is there!  Jesus must not be just born, but born in you!   Soli Deo Gloria!