tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153495022024-03-13T22:13:02.787-07:00Building Biblical PillarsThoughts and things about Christians living in a world that wants only to hear fiction.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger509125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-27257804128436644072024-02-26T07:21:00.000-08:002024-03-01T05:56:19.797-08:00The Great Commission<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><sup><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></sup></i></b></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">18 </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.<br />
<b><sup>19 </sup></b>Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:<br />
<b><sup>20 </sup></b>Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.<br />
</span></i><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Matthew 28:18-20</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Great Commission? Do I really want to bite this one off?
Will I dare to attack The Great Commission with literalism? I know of nothing
better than to attack the whole of the Bible with literalism. What is the
alternative? If God does not really mean what he says, where logically are we
left? To guess whatever we want, to add whatever we want, to emphasize whatever
we want, and thus to sometimes ignore the plain things he has said and taught.
It is a very healthy thing to go back to the text and see what sense we might
make of the context. That is called applying the historical/grammatical
interpretation to the scriptures.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our earliest forefathers tended to take the literal
interpretation. But by the time of Augustine, literalism had fallen to a
symbolic interpretation where our forefathers were allowed to freely imagine
what might be meant. Augustine, I am told, was more literal in his beginnings,
but became allegorical (symbolical), changing from a pre-millennialist to a
post-millennialist. I do remember in the Confessions that Augustine devised six
sermons to depict each one of the six waterpots that Jesus had changed into
wine (Jn. 2). Imagine, if you will, a time when looking at the waterpots
suggested sermons from God. Even with the great return to Scripture during the
Reformation, there was little interest in looking afresh at the Scriptures;
meanings of great passages had already been chosen. There were traditions
challenged (confessing to a priest), and some doctrines examined (communion was
looked at intensely), but for the most part, the bulk of the gospel was carried
forward without a lot of fresh examination.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is my conclusion, then, that every piece of Scripture
ought to be examined under that light of literalism. Is our view really in line
with what God is saying? If not, how can we change our view to agreement with
God? The unexamined life is not worth living according to Socrates, but I say
the unexamined Bible is scarcely worth following. Let me therefore examine the
passage and see what is actually taught, that we together should follow it.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew 28<br />
<i>In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the
week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.<br />
<b><sup>2 </sup></b>And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the
angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone
from the door, and sat upon it.<br />
<b><sup>3 </sup></b>His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment
white as snow:<br />
<b><sup>4 </sup></b>And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became
as dead men.<br />
<b><sup>5 </sup></b>And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear
not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.<br />
<b><sup>6 </sup></b>He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see
the place where the Lord lay.<br />
<b><sup>7 </sup></b>And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is
risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall
ye see him: lo, I have told you.<br />
<b><sup>8 </sup></b>And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear
and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.<br />
<b><sup>9 </sup></b>And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus
met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and
worshipped him.<br />
<b><sup>10 </sup></b>Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my
brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.<br />
<b><sup>11 </sup></b>Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch
came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were
done.<br />
<b><sup>12 </sup></b>And when they were assembled with the elders, and had
taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,<br />
<b><sup>13 </sup></b>Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and
stole him away while we slept.<br />
<b><sup>14 </sup></b>And if this come to the governor's ears, we will
persuade him, and secure you.<br />
<b><sup>15 </sup></b>So they took the money, and did as they were taught:
and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.<br />
<b><sup>16 </sup></b>Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee,
into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.<br />
<b><sup>17 </sup></b>And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some
doubted.<br />
<b><sup>18 </sup></b>And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth.<br />
<b><sup>19 </sup></b>Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:<br />
<b><sup>20 </sup></b>Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.</i></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Summary</b><br />
Followers of Jesus have noticed that Jesus is raised from the dead, beginning
with women (v. 1), who had the appearance of angels (v. 5 and following) to
confirm the resurrection. The angels directed the women to tell his disciples
(the eleven?). Jesus appears to the women (v. 9), and also sends them to the
brethren (the eleven?). Jesus appears to all the eleven in Galilee (v.16), and
they worshipped, but some doubted (v. 17). Jesus came (again? v. 18) and spoke
to the eleven, giving The Great Commission.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b></b></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Statement</b><br />
Jesus meets with the eleven, imparting a last command to them regarding the
building of the church. It is today known worldwide as the Great Commission. This
is the context of what happens before the giving of the commission. Jesus is
giving his last teaching to the eleven disciples. He imparts to them nothing
new, for had they not practiced going, and teaching, and baptizing? But he then
adds new things. The command of the passage is definitely to make disciples.
But there is something accompanying the making disciples command that cannot be
ignored. Jesus points to things only the leaders of the church were doing. Going,
baptizing, and teaching were all things they were already doing. Making
disciples was to become the new emphasis. Teaching them whatever Jesus
commanded you (the you is again referring to those that Jesus was speaking to,
the eleven) and that he will be with them always (v.28).<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">I have seen a long history of people misapplying the Great Commission.
Often they wrest make disciples ought of context, but I have even heard
preachers who wrest teaching out of context. They maintain that anything which
may build a little bit of character is making disciples; they maintain that
teaching here is not the gift of teaching. In my studies, I came across this
tidbit about the verbs of the Great Commission:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">This one Greek sentence (vv.
19–20) continues with two present participles—“baptizing” (baptizontes) and
“teaching” (didaskontes)—that are grammatically dependent on the main verb,
“make disciples.” They do not specify two results of the formation of disciples,
but at a minimum they describe two simultaneous actions that accompany
disciple-making. More probably, they depict the two primary but separate means,
but not necessarily the only means, by which obedient disciples will fulfil
Jesus’ basic command to make disciples.<sup>1</sup></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If I am understanding Harris correctly, he states clearly
that these verbs, “teaching” and “baptizing” must accompany “make disciples”.
It would be inappropriate to try to separate them as so many unwittingly do. He
goes on to say that these are probably the means, but not the only means, by
which obedient disciples will fulfill Jesus’ command.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Note:</b> What a comfort it must have been for the eleven
to know that they might always trust the Lord to be with them, all throughout
their days. I note that Jesus did not give the Great Commission to all his
followers. He chose to give it to the eleven disciples, the men whom he had
spent years training exactly for this moment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Acts appears to me to be the fulfillment of
that Great Commission, as it largely depicts the acts of the apostles as they
strive to carry out the commission.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Conclusion:</b> The Great Commission is not given to
every believer, except in the sense that it is the overall plan of God for the
church. Every believer should have that plan incorporated into their lives, or
at least be tacit support for the commission. This interpretation goes against
many traditions and customs which are taught today without question. Evidently,
from the scriptures, this was the very plan of Christ, handed off to the
eleven, who then spread it about the church. It was taken up in Acts by some,
namely Stephen, Philip, and one Saul of Tarsus. In the epistles, we find
Timothy and Titus picking up leadership skills, and helping to implement the
Great Commission. It evidently is still carried on today by leaders in the
church, though as I pointed out, all Christians should have the same overall goal
for the church.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why not everyone? Let us follow the command closely and see.
Go (v.19), it says. The Greek indicates this word might better be translated as
“going or having gone”. Who are they that Jesus is speaking to that already
have gone? Answer: The eleven. Not many others, unless we were to count the
seventy sent out, are eligible to fit this category. Next, the verse says.
“teach” (v. 19). Again, teach might be better rendered “teaching”. Who were
those involved for years in teaching? Again, the answer is the eleven. Next the
command is baptizing (v.19). Who were the baptizers? Again, the eleven seems to
be the consistent answer. Now we come to the explosive words, “make disciples”.
My understanding is that this is the main command of the passage. The real
command Jesus is giving the eleven is to make disciples.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Look again at the context. How do they make disciples? They
were the men who were “going”. They were the men who were “teaching”. They were
the men who were “baptizing”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot
think of any others who might fit these criteria. And we are left with the fact
that Jesus was speaking to the eleven. In what sense were they making
disciples? They were taking the people they had gone to, taught, and baptized.
Those were the ones that they were commanded to “make disciples”. I would
suggest that the making disciples was a foundational act, where they taught and
built into the lives of the new believers’ basic doctrine.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">Over the years I have heard lessons where “making disciples”
becomes a term which means anything the speaker wants. But the text here is
talking about building foundational doctrines into the new believers’ lives.
Sometimes imaginative speakers have said bringing someone to church, or to a
Bible class is making disciples. And in a remote sense they are correct. But
they are no longer using the word as Jesus was—taking someone who is a new
believer, and building into their whole character something which would make
disciples. They are confusing their terms, swapping them out so that they may
make the point that we all make disciples.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">Now this is not so wrong. In the first place many who teach
so are highly motivated to preach and lead others to Christ. They correctly see
the church’s mission as carrying out the Great Commission. In their confusion,
they become willing to look at any act of education in the church as “making
disciples”. But it is only remotely true, and certainly not following the
command of the commission. Has everyone gone? No. Has everyone taught? No. Has
everyone baptized? No. Then we are forced to the logical conclusion that not
everyone makes disciples. There is no other clear conclusion that can be made.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Paul refers often to gifting in the body. Making disciples
is not included on any of the lists. I speculate that is because making
disciples results as the synthesis of many gifts: teaching, preaching, healing,
and the working of miracles. Was not one of the first mass evangelisms done as
a result of Peter healing the lame man? I am but speculating, it does seem to
me that several gifts must be involved in making disciples. Paul ends 1
Corinthians 12 with these questions:<b><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></sup></b>Are all apostles? are all prophets? are
all teachers? are all workers of miracles? <b><sup> </sup></b>Have all the
gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? (1 Cor. 12:29,30)
It seems to me, again speculating and not wanting to overstate the Word, that
he might, had “making disciples” been included in the list, have also added:
“Do all make disciples?”</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Peter, in Acts 10, may be describing the Great Commission.
It is interesting to read what he says. “Not to all the people, but unto
witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after
he rose from the dead.<b><sup>42 </sup></b>And he commanded us to preach
unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be
the Judge of quick and dead.” (v. 41,42) Peter does refer to a composition of
gifts which seems to preclude many people from being able to make disciples.
Not that he refers to preaching and testifying. While all people might be
correctly imagined to have witnessing as part of their gifts, in no way can
preaching be imagined to be the same. If Peter is referring to the Great
Commission here, it is obvious that making disciples is being done by those who
are preaching and witnessing.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the second place, I often note that such teachers often
carry a great burden for the lost. They want to share this burden and sometimes
feel that if everyone only shared the burden as they do, then the world might
be reached for Christ. A noble aspiration, but it does not really fit the
Biblical narrative. Thinking of making disciples as being the leader’s main job
is probably close to the truth. We support our leaders and missionaries in
carrying out the Great Commission, but it is not a mandate for every believer
to go, to teach, to baptize, or to make disciples. It is a difficult
responsibility, requiring many gifts, to go, teach, baptize and make disciples.
It is the place of the church, and especially the leaders, to stand against the
hatred of the world and dare to preach the love of Christ.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I recently heard a man, exclaiming in his being carried away
with his vision, that if everyone engaged in disciple making his church would
double every year, and shortly the world would be reached for Christ. Unfortunately,
a large dose of reality needs to hit this man. John 15:20 says, “Remember the
word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying,
they will keep yours also.” We very much live in a world of dominant darkness.
If they crucified Jesus, what will they do to you?</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is a definite reason the world cannot be reached for
Christ. The world hates the idea of Jesus, and it hates those of us who would
carry the message. The Bible remains the number one banned book in the world.
Our challenge is to reach sinners in the darkened world, not to convert the
world. It simply is not going to happen, though many Americans have believed
such. In the 1800’s the Christians worked hard to produce heaven on earth, believing
if they did so, then Christ would come. But only when they had “perfected the
world”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the twentieth century, Christians
joined with Woodrow Wilson to build a world of heavenly attractions that would
be worthy of Christ’s return. The result was WW2, the war that devastated the
world. We are not ever going to produce a good world. Our challenge remains to
carry beacons of light into the darkened room, hoping that some might hear. But
never ever will we reach the whole world.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Where is the proper place for the
desire for evangelism? I have spent my life telling others about the Jesus who
found me, in hopes that good news might find its way into their hearts. Many
have come, but most do not listen. It is the same problem that Jesus faced. By
all accounts the greatest task church leaders face today is how best to implement
the Great Commission. But along with that perhaps we should not strive quite as
hard to train those not gifted in making disciples. Instead, those of us who
have a heart for evangelism might better spend our time crying out together to
the God alone who is capable of carrying out revival. In our last great revival
(I think it was an awakening), God chose an unlikely group for salvation: the
dirty scroungy hippies. Who could have foreseen his sovereign choice? Certainly,
the church would not have made such a choice. But there it is. God is the
primary agent of all true revivals. I am convinced that our gathering together
and asking for revival is one big step to see it happen. May God see us and
favor us again with his blessings of revival.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">In a sense, it never depends on
us. It always depends on God. But our faithfulness is needed, and that tension remains.
Are we being faithful in what he has called us to do? And are we pleading to
his sovereignty that he will bring revival? He is always in charge. We are but
beggars, lifted to divine heights, but still beggars telling other beggars
where to get bread. It might do to soberly remember what the world did to our
Christ when he offered himself.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can quite imagine that my short Bible study from a literal
viewpoint could be upsetting. I can imagine some Christians strongly resisting
the force of the passage, perhaps exclaiming, “But the tradition of the church
is so well established.” Yes, tradition says one thing. But the Bible is clearly
saying something else. Though I freely admit possibly not to be correct in
every literal interpretation, and along those lines I would welcome discussion,
it is no good saying, “tradition says I am right”. We ought to be “rightly
dividing the Word of truth” and it there solely that disagreement should occur.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><sup>1</sup> Harris, Murray James. Navigating Tough Texts: A
Guide to Problem Passages in the New Testament (p. 38). Lexham Press. Kindle
Edition.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /></div></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-5384568559667728872024-02-18T14:36:00.000-08:002024-02-26T09:30:34.056-08:00<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b>Sovereignty and the Will of Man- Old Testament Style</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><sup><o:p> </o:p></sup></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So you are dying to figure out how sovereignty and free will
work together? So am I, but according to the passages I am going to present, we
may never understand how they work. This literal lesson is how the Bible
beautifully presents the sovereignty of God and the will of man. I remember
when I was a young Christian I thought I could almost understand how they work
together, but every attempt I made to explain how they might work together
collapsed when I tried to present it. In the Old Testament story of David
numbering Israel, the story is likewise presented and I can almost see how it
works, but in the end, its working is still inexplicable. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Background: <br /></b>
David is nearly the last of his life, and for some reason he wants Israel to be
numbered. Joab, the leader of the military whom David could not find the
political power to be rid of, is actually the hero of the story. He tries
desperately to get King David to change his mind, and his noble attempts to do
so were recorded in Chronicles and in Samuel. “<b><i><sup>3 </sup></i></b><i>And
Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more
as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why
then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to
Israel</i> (1 Chronicles 21:3)? Also: <b><i><sup>3 </sup></i></b><i>And
Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people,
how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king
may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing (2 Samuel 24:3)?</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The three responsible agents:</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->God himself is responsible<br />
<i>And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he
moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.<br />
2 Samuel 24:1</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Satan is responsible<br />
<i>And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.<br />
1 Chronicles 21:1</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></i><!--[endif]-->David takes responsibility three times<br />
<b><i><sup> </sup></i></b><i>And David said unto God, I have sinned
greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the
iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.<br />
1 Chronicles 21:8<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i>And David said unto God, Is it
not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned
and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine
hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house;
but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.<br />
1 Chronicles 21:17<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><i>And David's heart smote him
after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I
have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord,
take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.<br />
2 Samuel 24:10<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b>Question: who is responsible?<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">David? For he confesses his sin at
least the three times. Satan? For the scripture plainly says he provoked David
to number Israel. God? For the scripture plainly says he was angry against
Israel, and he moved David to number Judah and Israel. All three are implicated,
and we must accept the charge of scripture. All three are responsible for the
numbering of Israel. How can that be? SomeONE must be responsible. Not all
three. It just is not logical.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">Logical it isn’t. Yet, I can sort
of see how all three might be responsible. God, angry at Israel, moves David to
number Israel. Perhaps he did it somehow through inciting Satan to tempt David.
We are not told even this much, yet my imagination lets me see how the three of
them may have been responsible at the same time. I can almost explain it, just
as I thought I could explain it those decades ago when I first tried to
understand sovereignty and free will. But in the end, it is like gazing at a
fresh bowl of jello, and trying to scoop it up with my fingers, only to watch a
chaotic mess result. God is God and man makes choices; more than that
we are not allowed to know.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">But when I contemplate these
verses, I can appreciate the sovereignty of God working hand in hand with the
will of man. I understand it not. Nor can any man understand it. But surely we
can appreciate it. I believe this text provides a great teaching for the rest
of scripture. All throughout the New Testament endless speculation arises on
the sovereignty of God and the will of man. I believe the Bible presents this Old
Testament to make us appreciate that, on some level beyond our comprehension,
harmony between the two does exist. What a wonderful scripture passage!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">But I would be remiss without
explaining that God had a whole other plan mixed in with this. He intended to
make the future site of the temple to be exactly where he wanted. David, who
wanted to build a temple for God was denied that privilege. But David got to
buy the actual site, and to save Jerusalem from further effects of the plague. Today,
the Moslem temple, Dome of the Rock, sits almost precisely on the site God
designated for his own temple. Recent digs suggest that the Moslems only built
partially on the site of the temple, perhaps explaining Revelation 11:2, <i>“But
the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is
given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty
and two months.”</i> The verse is obscure, and will no doubt be revealed in its
time, but it does seem as if the court itself is part of the site of the Moslem
temple. But perhaps part of the holy temple site is not taken by the Moslems? Could
the Jews use that part to rebuild on? Watch Israel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-34631757085224333882024-02-12T05:29:00.000-08:002024-02-12T05:30:42.727-08:00<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Abiding- Another Look<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I am a consistently frustrated literalist. I insist that the
Bible has a story to tell. We need to be looking at the context of that story—its
details, the circumstances, and the whole background to see what the Bible
actually says. The problem with today’s passage is huge, and complicated by the
fact that it is a wonderful deep passage that has so much application to Christians.
But I insist that each passage carries its own meaning and if we are to find
the meaning that God wants us to have, quite apart from devotional application,
then we have to go through the principles of seeing what actually is taking
place. Application has many provinces and beautiful sermons are often built
with applications to Christians built in, but that should not stop us from
examining what God is actually saying. In the passage we are looking at today, all
too often the actual story is skipped so that the wonderous applications of
abiding are taught. Today’s literalist lesson is on John 15.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John 15 (NIV)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">“I
am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. <b><sup>2 </sup></b>He
cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that
does bear fruit he prunes<sup>[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15&version=NIV#fen-NIV-26702a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</sup> so that it will be even more fruitful. <b><sup>3 </sup></b>You
are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. <b><sup>4 </sup></b>Remain
in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it
must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">5 </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">“I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me
you can do nothing. <b><sup>6 </sup></b>If you do not remain in me,
you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked
up, thrown into the fire and burned. <b><sup>7 </sup></b>If you
remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it
will be done for you. <b><sup>8 </sup></b>This is to my Father’s
glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">9 </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">“As the Father has loved me, so
have I loved you. Now remain in my love. <b><sup>10 </sup></b>If you
keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my
Father’s commands and remain in his love. <b><sup>11 </sup></b>I have
told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. <b><sup>12 </sup></b>My
command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. <b><sup>13 </sup></b>Greater
love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. <b><sup>14 </sup></b>You
are my friends if you do what I command. <b><sup>15 </sup></b>I
no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s
business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned
from my Father I have made known to you. <b><sup>16 </sup></b>You did
not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and
bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the
Father will give you. <b><sup>17 </sup></b>This is my command: Love
each other.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">18 </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">“If the world hates you, keep in
mind that it hated me first. <b><sup>19 </sup></b>If you belonged to
the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates
you. <b><sup>20 </sup></b>Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not
greater than his master.’<sup>[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15&version=NIV#fen-NIV-26720b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</sup> If they persecuted me, they will
persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. <b><sup>21 </sup></b>They
will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one
who sent me. <b><sup>22 </sup></b>If I had not come and spoken to
them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for
their sin. <b><sup>23 </sup></b>Whoever hates me hates my Father as
well. <b><sup>24 </sup></b>If I had not done among them the works no
one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have
seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. <b><sup>25 </sup></b>But
this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without
reason.’<sup>[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15&version=NIV#fen-NIV-26725c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]</sup><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">26 </span></sup></i></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">“When the Advocate comes, whom I
will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the
Father—he will testify about me. <b><sup>27 </sup></b>And you also
must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was deeply dissatisfied with my first attempt at writing
on this great passage. I find, that though I glory in the truth of the passage,
I also glory in having heard some great lessons taught about Christian abiding.
It is a majestic passage, but the timing of the words makes it difficult for
this literalist to grasp. Noting the full context needs to be always down before
interpreting the passage. Also, the passage has lots of applications to
Christians, and that is a difficulty when we are sifting context. John later
talks about abiding too Christians specifically in 1 John 2:28, “<b><i><sup>28 </sup></i></b><i>And
now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”</i> Abiding in him
remains one of the sweetest themes of the Christian life. John extends its
meaning plainly to all Christians throughout 1 John.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is there anything more majestic than telling us that Jesus
is the Vine, and the Father is the gardner? We are the branches, being pruned
and differentiated, that the harvest might be even more fruitful. But in this
passage a question may be asked. Are we really the branches Jesus is referring
to here? It may surprise you, but comparing Israel and God and the vine has
appeared before in Isaiah. Israel depicted as a vine was not new. Jesus was
probably taking the picture of Israel being the vineyard from Isaiah, changing
it slightly as the Master Teacher does. Look at the words of Isaiah:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">Now will I
sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My
wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">2 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">And he fenced it, and gathered out the
stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the
midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should
bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">3 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">4 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">What could have been done more to my
vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should
bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">5 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">And now go to; I will tell you what I
will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be
eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">6 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">And I will lay it waste: it shall not
be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also
command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">7 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">For the vineyard of the Lord of
hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he
looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a
cry.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">8 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">Woe unto them that join house to
house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed
alone in the midst of the earth!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">9 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">In mine ears said the Lord of
hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without
inhabitant.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><sup><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">10 </span></sup></i><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;">Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield
one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.<br />
Isaiah 5:1-10<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having freely explained the majesty of this passage, I find
myself hesitant to apply context to it, for it does say something differently
than is usually looked at. And I have not a single problem with what is said devotionally
about abiding and pruning—I only want to point out the context, because I think
that the impact of Jesus’ last words are sometimes missed. What is the context
of what is said? Can we find the meaning Jesus was giving to the eleven during
this discourse?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And that is what keeps me persevering. John is my favorite
gospel, if not my favorite book of the Bible. At one point in my life I set out
to memorize the entire gospel, giving up in chapter ten somewhere. I can hardly
wait to meet John and see what sort of person this is, that terms himself the “disciple
whom Jesus loved”. I love what has been called the Upper Room Discourse. What I
want to do today is make John 15 come alive in the way that it was written. Let’s
leave the wonderous applications to Christians for another time. I have just
finished Bruce Wilkenson’s Secrets of the Vine, and found it challenging and
applicable. Bruce tends to have that effect with his worship and graceful
thoughts of love and vines and abiding. For now, I just want to stick to the
text.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have printed the KJV of John 15 above and will be referring
to it without repeating it again. Please use it to check for understanding.
Briefly summing up chapter 13, Jesus, in the middle of the last supper, predicts
his betrayal by Judas, saying to him, “Whatever thou doest, do it quickly.”
Peter attempts to make himself “shine” as faithful to Jesus, but is told by
Jesus himself that he, Peter, will deny Christ three times. Chapter fourteen begins
his discourse, and Jesus actually is finishing dealing with the comments of four
disciples. He has already dealt with Peter’s objection, who strenuously says
that he will follow Jesus even unto death. Thomas objects that they do not know
where Jesus is going and how can they know the way. Next, Philip asks Jesus to
show them the Father. Last, Judas (not Iscariot), asks Jesus how he will
manifest himself to the disciples without manifesting himself to the world.
Jesus uses the question to introduce again the idea of the Holy Spirit. Overall,
it is as if Jesus is dealing with the last minute questions and objections of
the disciples before he begins his majestic sermon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the very end of chapter fourteen, Jesus reminds the
disciples that he will not say much more, because the prince of this world was
coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is the prince of this world?
Well, we know Judas was coming with the Jewish soldiers and the leaders.
Evidently, at least in their minds if not physical presence, the prince of the
world was very present. This is the context. This is the last remark of Jesus
before starting on his vine description. Jesus, aware that he has but little
time left, wants to leave a sound message to his disciples. We have the Old
Testament allusions to Israel being the vine, with God being the owner and
keeper of the vineyard. Coupling these facts together, the conclusion is that
the vine Jesus was talking about had to do more with the picture of Israel than
it does with Christians. Certainly we make the application to Christians in
many fine ways, but the focus I have is simply what was Jesus talking about?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I believe the branches are best looked at as parts, or
characters of Israel itself. When Jesus is talking about remaining in him, he
is not directly referencing Christians here. What he seems to be talking about
is the very time he finds himself in. Judas, in his betrayal, has not remained in
the vineyard. The leaders who have not remained in the vineyard, are those
being talked about. Remain in me, or if you will, abide in me he tells the
disciples. What is he saying but that others, Judas and the leaders, are making
choices of not remaining in him, and are subjected to being like a branch that
does not remain in the fire and are thrown into the fire to be burned (verse
6). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is perhaps the most exciting truth I find from textual
evidence. I have seen others write about the possibility of someone losing
their salvation, taken directly from verse six. Yet, the context strongly
suggests that Jesus is talking about Israel, and those who are following him
compared to those who are not. Christians though they are faithless, will still
find him to be faithful. I need not worry about losing my salvation from this
verse. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now, please note I am not saying we are not to similarly
abide in Him. Rather the epistle of 1 John makes it clear that the thoughts of
abiding for Christians is something for everyone of us to ponder. And bringing
back those verses of 1 John to this passage makes us notice many fine things
about abiding and being fruitful. Well and good. But Jesus is talking about
something else altogether. When he says in verse 2, “He cuts off every branch
in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he
prunes so that it will be even more fruitful,” is he not thinking of Peter?
He has just finished admonitioning Peter and telling him of his upcoming
denial. Is it not probable that he had Peter in mind when he referenced pruning
so it would be more fruitful? He had already told Peter that he would make him
to be a fisher of men. Were his denials and his restoration all part of the
process of being pruned?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He calls the disciples his friends. No longer, he says, do I
call you servants. I am aware that we are termed friends of God, even sons of
God in other passages. But look at the context. Do not forget, Jesus has said
he is running out of time for words. He is looking at the hand-picked disciples
that he is about to leave and calls them friends, promoting them from servant
status. If it were me saying this, I would be choked up with tears, hardly able
to express the words. And though we have no evidence of tears being shed, is
this not one place where the raw emotion of Jesus is being freely expressed? He
is directly saying to the men he has given years of himself to train, that they
shall be his friends. What does that mean? Probably it would be best looked at
as if Jesus was strongly suggesting these 11 were to be in a very special category
of friendship.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I can call my pastor my friend. Everything we communicate
about seems to be open and honest and friendly. Yet, we do not know each other
that well, and do not spend much time together. I mostly sit at his feet,
wondering at the wisdom that God has gifted him with. I do not think Jesus was
talking about “friend” in this way. Rather, these were men he knew well, had
spent years with, walking and talking and teaching and correcting. He knew these
men in a special way, and they knew him, perhaps more intimately than any
others. When Jesus gives them the designation of friends, I cannot help thinking
he means so much more than just a casual acquaintance. He is preparing to leave
the world, he has just given them a first promise of the Holy Spirit, and he is
turning over the job of telling the world about the gospel to these eleven men.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In thinking this passage through, I was reminded of a verse
in Matthew that perhaps tells us how serious Jesus was about this new term,
friends. Jesus was referencing the future in Matthew as Peter has just asked a
question about his and the disciples’ destiny, “And Jesus said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when
the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt. 19:28).These
disciples, eleven of them at this time, were promised to one day rule all of
Israel from twelve thrones that they would be given. Friendship, indeed!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If Christ is the vineyard, the branches are Israel, and the
present circumstances are revealing branches which are fit for nothing but to
be cast into the fire. Namely, Judas and the leaders of the Jews coming to
crucify the Christ. God will take the waste parts of Israel and remove them
from the vineyard, casting them into the fire. But what about the rest of what
Christ says in this chapter to his disciples?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If Jesus is truly talking to his disciples about Israel and
remaining in the vine, then the rest of the passage about the vine ought to fit
that context. Does it? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, his
command to remain in him is directed directly at the disciples. Similarly, he bids
them to remain in his love. He also commands them to love one another. He tells
them that they are appointed for a “special mission” to go and bear fruit. He
promises that the Father will give them whatever they ask. They are to love
each other.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I want us to appreciate a little more strongly the words
he has just said. In the middle of these commands, Jesus reminds them that “greater
love hath no man than this that he should lay down his life for his friends”.
Remember he just called them friends, pointing out that they were no longer
servants. Now, he reminds them of the future that they do not yet guess. He is
going to lay down his own life directly for the friends whom he loves. He was
very much looking at the cross, waiting for his betrayers to show up.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now the Master Teacher talks at length about how his disciples
will be hated by the world. Jesus teaches them that the world will hate them
because they first hated Jesus. The context of Jesus talking to his disciples
in his last words fits this whole chapter. He was not teaching Christians to
abide; later John does that very thing wonderfully throughout his epistle.
Rather he was placing in context the behavior of both his friends and his
enemies. He explains that Israel is fundamentally dividing over the issue of
Christ, that some are remaining in the vine, but some are worthless branches to
be cut out. And that is the literal message of John 15.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Does it fit when we apply it to Christians? Somewhat. I have
already noted that the part about losing your salvation, of being declared
worthless and cast into the fire, does not fit with the security of salvation
taught elsewhere. But when we note the context, and see that Jesus was likely
referring to Israel and his disciples, then the verse makes much more sense.
Again, another gift of literalism.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-215690460084093672024-01-25T04:45:00.000-08:002024-02-28T04:47:15.641-08:00A Literal Look at John 14:3<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">A Literal
Look at John 14:3<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Today, I
would like to take another look at a very famous verse, one that is quoted all
the time. In fact, these verses are often quoted as favorites. I remember from
my days working in the mission in Los Angeles that when the homeless got the
chance to sing, “I have a mansion just over the hilltop”, they did so with
obvious excitement and enthusiasm. The homeless were looking to their promised
home. The promises of a mansion (I do love so the translation of KJV here!)
occur just before verse three. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Let’s look at
this passage literally. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Who is
talking?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Answer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">: <br />
Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">To whom
is he speaking?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;"> <br />
to his disciples, eleven in number since Judas has just left to betray him<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">What is
the context of the passage? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The immediate context is that they are
in the upper room, celebrating the Passover a day early since Jesus was going
to be the Passover Lamb the next day. The disciples are given the opportunity
to ask questions and there are three questions given by three different
disciples. First Peter asks where Jesus is going (13:38), and Jesus replies
that he is going to a place where Peter cannot follow him now but will later. The
second question is asked by Thomas with a comment by Philip. In the middle of all
of this, Jesus makes an astounding proclamation.<br />
After telling Peter that he is going to a place Peter cannot follow, Jesus
expands on that idea in the first of John 14:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Let
not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my
Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I
go to prepare a place for you. <b><sup> </sup></b>And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I
am, there ye may be also. <b><sup> </sup></b>And whither I go ye know, and
the way ye know.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Here
Jesus is telling the disciples he is going someplace where Jesus himself will
prepare a place for us, that he may come again and take us there. What does
that mean?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Is
he talking about his coming violent death? It cannot be so, though that might
have been very much on his mind. Let’s imagine a bit to try to figure out what
he was saying. Where is Jesus ultimately going? To the Father. Where is the
Father? In heaven. So, Jesus must be talking about going to heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">What
is he going to do in heaven? He clearly teaches that he is going to prepare a
place for us. Why? Jesus goes to prepare a place for us that where he is, we
may be also. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Now comes the hard question. When does all this take
place? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;"> <br />
It takes place when he comes again. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">It
cannot be at death, which a few church fathers have suggested, for it follows
his “coming again”. It must still be a future event since he has not yet come.
When he comes, he will receive us that where he is there we may be also.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Hence,
the only conceivable time is near the second coming. But we know that when
Jesus returns, he will come here to earth to reign. We saints will will be with
him on earth and not at all in heaven. So, after he visibly returns to earth, and
reigns in Jerusalem, we will be at his feet, not in heaven. He must be talking
about the rapture, since it is the only possible time we have to spend with
Jesus in heaven. It cannot be now, for we are waiting for him to come back. It
cannot be after the hour of temptation because Jesus will be taking over
leadership of the earth, and we will be with him. That only leaves some special
time apart from the second coming. The only possible time is the Rapture before
the tribulation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Where
does this promise best fit?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Answer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">:<br />
The passage best fits as a promise of the rapture. Yesterday, we learned that
the whole church is to be kept from the “hour of temptation”. Here in John 14,
we learn that Jesus will take us to heaven, preserving us from that hour of
Jacob’s trouble, the hour of judgment come upon the whole earth. The curiosity,
for me in these two passages, is that neither one of them is thought of as
“rapture verses”. Yet, a literal look at each shows a very different picture
painted by our Lord. He is coming to gather his people up and preserve them
from the judgment time, the 70<sup>th</sup> week of Daniel. After all, one of
the major points of becoming a Christian is to avoid the judgment of God. It
makes sense that God would choose not to put his people through this
incomparable judgment coming upon the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 357.8pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Evaluation:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">I recently
read a Bible commentator insisting that if Christ “comes” for his people, he
will come twice, not once. My objection to the rather bizarre charge is that I
have never heard of a single pretribulationalist claiming that Christ comes
twice to the earth. He does gather his people in the rapture, from the four
corners of the earth. There is no mention of a “coming” to the earth—rather he
is drawing his people out from the earth, where we will get to be in heaven for
about seven years. When he does return to the earth, his saints will be right
behind him according to Revelation 19:14, which says, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>And the armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.</i> As
it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the rapture happens that <i>so shall we
ever be with the Lord.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;">Another
thought occurs to me. I hear sometimes comments by others about those saints
who have passed on. They will frequently say that someone has “gone to heaven”
and think they will be there for eternity. Not so. We will all be taken to heaven
(<i>For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first.</i>)<span style="background: white; color: black;"> </span>where the Christ
Son will show off his bride to the Father. Every one of his will be able to
appreciate our Christ in the glory of his heaven as we behold visibly that
groom which the Father has given to us. What a delight! What a party we will
have!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;"><br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-5357846156939089762024-01-23T06:11:00.000-08:002024-02-12T06:30:35.678-08:00<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Literal Look at the Letters to the Seven
Churches<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">The letters
to the seven churches occur in Revelation 2 and 3. Revelation is perhaps the
most difficult book of the Bible to decipher. It is full of symbols, hidden
meanings, and all those incredible lists of sevens. I think it good to bring a
literal look just to the first chapters, to see what message is to the
churches. Traditionally, scholars have looked at these seven letters and have
seen a typical pattern that might fit our church history.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">I am going
to ignore that for the lesson purposes. I am just interested today in the
rewards that are given to the churches. Each of the churches, whether or not they
represent other periods of history, are given a tangible reward for enduring or
being faithful. I want to see what a literal interpretation will tell us about
those rewards. Sit back and prepare to be a bit dazzled.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chapter Two Revelation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Who was the author of these letters?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif;">Jesus is
probably the only one to fit the description given in verse 1: “<span style="background: white;">These things saith he that holdeth the
seven stars in his right hand” Who else besides Jesus would be able to judge
these churches? And who else would have the seven stars of the churches in his
hand? It must be Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The first church is the church at Ephesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
offer to give to the church at Ephesus?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"> <br />
verse 7, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Very nice! Jesus is offering rewards to the church at
Ephesus. But I ask, do these rewards differ in any way for Ephesus? Apparently,
this eating of the tree of life is given to all Christians, without exception.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The second church is the church at Smyrna.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
offer to give the church at Smyrna?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"><br />
verse 10, “I will give thee a crown of
life”. Again, same question, to whom does God give the crown of life? Every
Christian receives a crown of life, without exception.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The third church is the church at Pergamos.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
give the church at Pergamos?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"><br />
He promises two things. Verse 17, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of
the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written.” The church is promised two things, hidden manna, and a white stone
with a new name on it. Can other Christians expect these things too? Of course.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The fourth church is the church at Thyatira.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
give the church at Thyatira? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Verse 26: “to him will I give power over the nations.” In
verse 28, he says also, “And I will give him the morning star.” I note that the morning star is a reference
to Jesus, who is our bright and morning star. Does every Christian receive the
morning star? Undoubtedly, for that is who makes us Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Chapter Three
Revelation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The fifth church is the church at Sardis<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
give the church at Sardis?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Verse 5: “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in
white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I
will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Jesus will confess
the names of the saints at Sardis before the Father and his angels. Does every
faithful Christian get the same? Of course.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The seventh church (we are skipping number six and doing
seven first} is the church at Laodicea. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
give the church at Laodicea?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Verse 21: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me
in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his
throne.” Do Christians in general get to reign with Christ? Are we going to be
with him where he is? The answer is yes. We expect to be with Christ throughout
eternity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The sixth church (saved for last) is the church at
Philadelphia.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What does he
give to the church at Philadelphia?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Verses 9, 10: “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of
Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make
them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because
thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon
the earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">He is going to show those who have worshiped falsely the
faithful and true Christians. In verse ten he promises to keep the church from
the hour of temptation that is coming on the whole earth. Can we expect the
Lord to validate that we Christians have followed the Truth? Yes! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">And in light of every promise of the letters to the churches
applying across to all Christians, so must this promise of “keeping us from the
hour of temptation” apply to Christian generally.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Summation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">In every letter to the churches we see that God is providing
and blessing them exactly the way he will bless all of the faithful believing
Christians. In the sixth letter, he promises that he will show those who
worshipped him in truth to the hosts of heaven and earth. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">But he also promises the church at Philadelphia that he is
going to keep them from “the hour of temptation” coming upon all the world.
Thus, we conclude that since all the other promises apply to Christians
generally, this promise must also apply. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">Therefore, we have the direct promise of God that he intends
to take the church away from the earth when he is pouring judgment out on the
world. This is a huge conclusion, for the rapture is getting great debate. Is
it not wonderful, that hidden in Revelation, this promise to the church to “keep
them from the hour of trial” is given?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;">The rapture is definitely being promised to the church. He
will keep us from the hour of temptation that is coming upon the whole earth.
Will you join with me as I delight in watching for the Author and Finisher of
our faith? Sometimes when we look for the literal view, we find much more than
we expected. This is one of those passages. Literalism.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-62463270071521463812023-03-08T05:19:00.002-08:002023-03-08T05:22:10.155-08:00Thoughts about the Awakenings<p>March 8, 2023 </p><p>I am excited about my new book, forthcoming sometime late this month? That is just a projection, and I am working cleaning up the manuscript, and fixing errors on the book cover. I chose the title, "America's Awakenings" for it. Jonathon Edwards wrote books defending the First Awakening, which I realized was too emotional for the times. I started wondering about the other awakenings, knowing almost nothing about them though I had been a Christian for decades, and an avid reader.</p><p>To my surprise, I found out that every awakening had its emotional excesses. I was no longer surprised by the lack of willingness to write about them. People were evidently just fearful to write about such emotional moments. But in my seventy years I have noted that people are often emotional and rarely rational. Does God not clearly see that and answer us according to our needs?</p><p>I go to great lengths in my book to state my Baptist background and stress that I am not charismatic. I have no doubt whatever that emotions are seized upon and ruthlessly used by the enemy. But I also recognize that God has long been working through emotions- remember the seventy that were gripped with prophesying? They included Saul, who evidently lost all reason while he was caught up in an emotional state. </p><p>Tell me what you think. Finding that emotions were used of God so often in the awakenings was a game changer for me.</p><p>Pat</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-19851285256404167952023-03-04T04:54:00.001-08:002023-03-04T04:54:45.314-08:00So You Think You are Important?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">So I was reading a Robert Parker
“Spenser” novel recently, and I found an intriguing scene in which Spenser is
observing a Hollywood man with a pinky ring in a restaurant, with, of course, a
pretty woman by his side. His ostentatious manners, bragging about his recent
trip to Europe, and his deplorable treatment of his waiter, all lent to the
very realistic scene of a self-made man. I remember sitting next to pompous
people who seem to have a deep love relationship with themselves, and I guess
we, as humans, have had this problem a long while (See Narcissus).
Reflecting on this scene, I thought about the many people who do literally think
the sun rises and sets on their whims. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">At the extreme of the selfish
spectrum are the murderers, for what can be more selfish than taking away
someone else’s life, but there are many of our society who are not that
extreme. Rather their selfishness is forged one quiet link at a time,
eventually building a chain that would make Ebenezer’s ghost jealous. Their
outlook is on themselves, and they never bother to notice what they miss by
such a selfish focus. I do think that C.S. Lewis had it right in his caricatures
of sinful people—such people even manage to perform acts of charity from a
selfish basis. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It is not that man cannot do good;
it is that the good is never done from the right mind set. Love of God ought to
drive every one of our actions. Lewis perfectly captures the wrong motivation
of people in <em><span face=""Tahoma",sans-serif">The Great
Divorce</span></em>. A mother may love her son, but in the end, unless the love
is properly placed under God, it is not love at all, but an extension of the
mother’s selfish person. I do confess that I find this most hard to see when I
look at others, but the Bible tells us that God looks on the heart rather than
on the outward appearance. Now we usually see that outward appearance, and
seldom do we catch more than a glimmer of what is going on inside. In that day,
we shall see God as he is, and perhaps we will see the hearts of those in
rebellion against God clearly, for the first time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">But that thought should be very
scary; I know it is to me. The idea of God opening up my life, and seeing all
the secrets of my heart, the heart that I know all too well, that idea is
frightening to me. I use that fear to drive me to live this day, the only day
that I have control of to live for God. I cannot change my sins of yesteryear,
nor even of yesterday, and I do not know what the uncertain tides of the future
may bring, but I can take the now, this present day, and turn it towards
worshipping and loving my God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It is almost as if success breeds
failure. Men, charmed by the constant success of life with its growing potency,
are lifted up to dizzying heights far beyond the common man. Yet, that lifting
up, that soaring beyond expectation—is the very thing that damns their souls
irrevocably. I read something recently where someone was praying for his
children—not that they should be rich and famous, but that they should be
righteous. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">But it is an uncommon person who
has the wisdom to seek first righteousness. Many of us seem to get lost in the
details of life—as if the pressing needs of daily living quench the youthful
quest for righteousness. I look at someone like Elvis, and I thank God that I
do not have his wonderful talent for singing. You might at first be bewildered
at my thankfulness, but I look at the enormous temptations that came to a young
man with his immense success. Wine, women, and song were literally his to do
with as he would, and his dismal record in living his life illustrates that the
temptation was too much. I do thank God that I did not have to face those
temptations; it is the very rare young person who finds himself strong enough
to remain as a young Joseph, fleeing from acts of unrighteousness. I look at
the Bible, and I understand when it says give me neither riches nor poverty,
not riches lest I look on my wealth and forget my God, not poverty lest I forget
and curse my God in my need. May God give us our portions, and the wisdom to be
satisfied with them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I have noticed the same thing in
presidents. What man is there that does not become irrevocably conceited and
proud by the time he reaches the highest office in the land? How much better
that he should learn righteousness before power! Both Coolidge and Truman seem
to be men capable of steering their own characters through the morass of
entanglements that come from too much power. But in the many other biographies
of presidents that I have read, it seems to me to be the exceptional president
who is able to put his character and integrity before the temptations of power.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Luther pictured any man coming to
the Bible, and being changed by the Word of God as God would have it. He
pictured a people of priests, actionable and responsible before God, made
righteous by faith alone, and that frightened the aristocratical church as badly
as anything Luther ever did. Their very power base, largely founded on
unrighteousness, was threatened by the idea of common people becoming priests.
If people could go directly to the God to be made righteous, what power would
remain to the church? I see the power of the church being so twisted that those
who did read the good news of the Bible reeled in horror at the atrocities of
the church. Luther was just one of many who were appalled at the things done in
the name of Christ. I do wonder if the greatest deed that Luther and Calvin and
the other great reformers did was to make the Bible available in common
language for everyone to read. No longer did common citizens have to depend on
the church to find out what the Bible said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">So what of the Bible? What does it
say to those of us who dwell overlong on ourselves? The Bible teaches us that
we have nothing of merit where we can stand before God. The answer is simple
wisdom: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you.” Someone once remarked that the next time you
think you are invaluable, put your finger in a bowl of water, and then take it
out, seeing what impression you have made. Our value in ourselves is absolutely
nothing. Some wise man once observed that you and I are a bunch of zeroes until
we get behind the right One. And, it is at that point that our only value, our
only worth, our only conceit should reside. I am behind the right One.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">When we at last come to the
realization of our utter worthlessness before him, is it not ironic that at the
same point he declares our worth? For who else has the Incarnation come, but
for man? Chafer<sup>1 </sup>reminds us that at the cross, God declared the
price of man to be higher than anything conceivable, as God himself willingly
endured the judgments against man, and that God stretched himself even more
than at Creation, paying the highest price, namely giving his all, that you and
I might be redeemed. There was no greater price that God could have paid—he did
everything possible for us in delivering himself to the cross. Now that is
grace!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Yes, you are important! Made that
way by God, but you only find that importance in him, and if you are going
about, prideful over being that self-made man, you are missing everything that
would define you as important. If you are such, you are in danger of being a
zero who is never going to get behind the right one.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em><span face=""Tahoma",sans-serif">For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.</span></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1. SCRIPTURE discloses the fact that the power and resources
of God are more taxed by all that enters into the salvation of the soul than
His power and resources were taxed in the creation of the material universe. In
salvation God has wrought to the extreme limit of His might. He spared not His
own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. He could do no more.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chafer, Lewis Sperry (2008-07-19). Grace (Kindle Locations
447-449). Taft Software, Inc.. Kindle Edition.<o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-5606204666418621202023-03-04T04:35:00.005-08:002023-03-04T04:37:03.459-08:00Can I Trust the Bible?<p> <span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The Christian Bible. Is it what it
claims to be? Is it really the communication of God to man, through 40
different and distinct authors, over the incredible period of about 1,500
years? Well, this short answer is not meant to cover all the reasons why the
Bible earns our complete trust, but there is a wonderful book that has been out
for many years, called, </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Evidence that Demands a Verdict</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">, by Josh
McDowell. I would recommend it for your delightful study, if you wish to study
the reasons the Bible is reliable. Nevertheless, I would like to point to some
of the most unusual features of the Bible that might make it highly
trustworthy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">First, I would like to point out
its collection into one book is unknown when compared to any other book. Forty
different authors wrote over a period greater than 1,400 years to make this
book. Prophets and priests wrote parts of the book, this book that we call the
Bible. Kings and slaves wrote part of this book, and musical people and wise
people wrote part of this book, and religious leaders and religious zealots wrote
part of this book, this book that we call the Bible. Songs and poetry fill this
book, but prophecy and narratives also fill this book. We even find fishermen
and tax collectors filling this book, this book that we call the Bible. From
every avenue of ancient culture, from every person, from least to greatest,
from the enemies of Christ to his best friends, we have a collection that is
united in one purpose. All Scripture is pointing to the grace of God which is
in Christ Jesus. Jesus himself proclaimed, “Search the Scriptures, for in them
you think that you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.”
No other book could ever compare to that!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Second, the prophecies of the
coming Christ border on spectacular. To name just a few: he was pierced for our
sorrows, he was born in Bethlehem, he fled to Egypt as an infant, that out of
Egypt he was called. These prophecies are one of the most amazing parts of the
Bible. Josh McDowell does a fine job of documenting the prophecies in chapter
nine of his book, and I do not want to repeat it here. There is an interesting
story about probability that I do recall from his book. Mathematicians took
just eight of the several score of prophecies and tried to figure the odds of
eight prophecies coming true. The odds were compared to covering the state of
Texas in two feet of silver dollars, with one dollar marked, and then releasing
a blind-folded man to randomly pick that one marked dollar. Spectacular is not
a big enough word to describe <i>all</i> the Christological prophecies that
were fulfilled. John, the apostle, spoke of himself in third person, saying of
his gospel, “The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.
He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Third, there is what I term the
seamlessness of the Bible, and by that I mean its continuity. Remember that it
was written by 40 different writers over a period of approximately 1,400 years.
The really strange thing is that a single-themed book would, or could, be
produced. Yet, when I read the Bible, that is exactly what I find. A great many
themes are started in Genesis, and completed all the way in Revelation. For
instance, sin separates man and God in Genesis, but in Revelation, Jesus brings
that separation to an end. The tree of life figures prominently in Genesis, and
we see it again, all the way to the end of the book, in Revelation. The earth
is new in Genesis, old and passing away in Revelation, with a new heaven and a
new earth to be revealed. God clothes Adam and Eve after their sin, and in
Revelation, the saints are clothed in white robes, signifying the righteousness
of God. A single author is what it takes to unify all these themes, and though
there were 40 writers, I think that we are forced to the conclusion that there
is but one Author. Paul, the apostle, signified the veracity of scriptures
famously, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The last testimony of the
reliability of the Bible is in the millions of lives that have been changed by
it. Look at Chuck Colson, who had a complete turnaround in his life when
confronted with the Bible. Oh, you say, that is just one man. But any astute
student of history will tell you that every generation has had its Chuck
Colsons. Every generation has been filled with people who have found something
in this great book which forever changes their lives. Look at the world around
you, and tell me which book is forbidden in many countries of the world. Which
book cannot be taught in many countries, and which book can you be thrown into
jail for even owning? The testimony is from both those who have learned to love
the Word, and those who hate it to such a point that they would ban it.
Millions of lives have been separated by the words of this book, and I find
that most persuasive as to its reliability. Peter tells us of the testimony of
his disciples, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of his majesty.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Reliable? Yes! Foundational? Yes! A
Stumbling Block? Only to those who willfully disregard God’s message. Perhaps
it’s time to take up the Bible with a new eye. Or at least a renewed eye—taking
a fresh look at an old message. Maybe God does have something to say to you,
and maybe it really matters enough for you to pay attention.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span face=""Tahoma",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="break-before: page; mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-19537734586793600862023-03-04T04:29:00.000-08:002023-03-04T04:29:15.729-08:00 So you want to know what I believe?<p><br /></p><p> Just take your Bible and open up to any verse. Read the verse. Ask yourself the question, “Now I wonder what Pat would say about this verse.”</p><p> </p><p> You may rest assured that Pat indeed believes the verse. </p><p> </p><p> “But what sense does Pat believe the verse?”</p><p> </p><p> I would answer to you that I believe it in the plain simple sense, trying to read it just as it was written.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> But you might ask, “What about difficult things like the trinity?”</p><p> </p><p> My answer is that I read my Bible. I find that Jesus claims to be equal with the Father, that the Holy Spirit is God also. I believe.</p><p> </p><p> “But that’s absurd,” you say. “You have to explain the triune nature of God somehow, because it is so important.”</p><p> </p><p> “If it is so important, then why did God Himself not explain it to us?” I answer. “Maybe, just maybe, He desired that we trust HIM for what we cannot explain.”</p><p> </p><p> “Oh,” you say. “I never thought of that before. You are saying that we should trust God for what is not explained.”</p><p> </p><p> “Exactly,” I reply. “The Scriptures tell us many things about God. We can build a systematic theology based on agreement of many of these things. Many of the early creeds did just that. But when we try to build out a systematic theology too far it becomes much more problematic. Just look at the disagreements between many of our godly historical figures.”</p><p> </p><p> You say, “But I am a bit dubious. Perhaps you can help me with other examples.”</p><p> </p><p> “I would be glad to point to another example. What is heaven like? I find myself, particularly in my older age, thinking of how God is going to make our lives. If I read my Bible right, we are to live with Christ (Paul says reign) in Jerusalem someday. We will partake of the water which is everlasting, and live with Him eternally. I often find myself, and hear others also, speculating what that life is going to be like. But too much speculation is not good for it goes beyond the ken of Scripture. If I go too far in assuming what that life will be like, I am sinning.”</p><p> </p><p> “How do you mean it goes beyond the ken of Scripture? I can see how one might get carried away. The Biblical allusions to heaven are many, and I like to dream also.”</p><p> </p><p> “Easy. Scripture says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” We will not know the extent of the wonderful estate God has prepared for us until we get there. </p><p> </p><p> “I chose this example deliberately, because it is rather easy to understand. Jesus tells us that he goes now to prepare for us “many mansions”. But we do not know what that means. I suspect that God has some rather tremendous surprises in store for us, but what they are I cannot guess. I rather think that God desires his children to be surprised.”</p><p> </p><p> “Okay, I get it. You are saying the mysteries of God sometimes need to stay His mysteries until the time comes “when we shall know even as we also are known.” Do you have more examples?”</p><p> </p><p> “Yes, you are getting exactly what I am saying. There are many other examples in the Scriptures where men of God have greatly differed over the years. One is the ordinance of communion. Some older churches think that communion is partaking of the actual blood and body of our Lord. Others think the passage is meant to be taken symbolically. But I read, “This is my body which is broken for you”, and I believe.”</p><p> </p><p> “So which viewpoint do you choose, the older church model, the symbolic model, or the one between?”</p><p> </p><p> “I say to you that it is not necessary to choose one of the viewpoints. It is necessary for me to believe what God says. I find it very easy to believe Him, because I assent to doing so, and I do not want to go beyond the scripture. Perhaps the Catholic view is correct, perhaps the Lutheran, or perhaps the symbolic. God asks us to simply do the ordinance, believing His scriptures. This I aim to do.”</p><p> </p><p> “Oh I see. You are saying that you should again let God decide how it is—rather your job is to have faith in the ordinance. Do you have another example?” </p><p> </p><p> “Yes, an example that I think most Christians will readily see. In my neighborhood, a very rich man has paid for billboards all over town proclaiming the Lord’s coming to be on a certain date in May. This particular soul has once before proclaimed the date of the Lord’s coming, and though shown to be wrong, has evidently not learned his lesson. Jesus himself clearly teaches us that “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Jesus is careful to tell us signs and that we will know the “season” of his return, but the Father has reserved to himself that date that the Son shall return. Many saints of God have gone astray when they have picked dates for his return, and they have always been wrong.</p><p> </p><p> “Simply put, the Bible says that Christ will return as a thief in the night, and Paul tells us that we shall all be changed in a twinkling. Again, it is my job to believe the Scripture and not to go beyond it. He is coming as “a thief in the night” and we saints are responsible to know the season of His coming, but not the day. “For no man knows the day.”</p><p> </p><p> “So are you saying we shouldn’t have developed creeds?”</p><p> </p><p> “No, not at all. I am saying, though, that there are many areas of Bible study that are unclear; sometimes the more we work to clear them up with our understanding, the more harm we do to the total of Scripture. God says it; that should be more than enough for the believer. I have a wonderful quote from A. W. Tozer on the same subject:</p><p> </p><p>It is a sure road to sterile passivity. God will not hold us responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination and the divine sovereignty. The best and safest way to deal with these truths is to raise our eyes to God and in deepest reverence say, "O Lord, Thou knowest." Those things belong to the deep and mysterious Profound of God's omniscience. Prying into them may make theologians, but it will never make saints.</p><p> </p><p>We believers have a main job: to preach the gospel to every person with the full expectation that many will hear the Word, believe, and begin to discover the deep love of God for themselves; it ought to be more than enough to keep us busy. “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-80015753662873869102020-03-01T18:49:00.005-08:002022-09-22T04:42:50.328-07:00What is Biblical tolerance?<br />
<br />
Tolerance is from a Latin word, tolerantia, which meant endurance. The idea is that one “puts up” with someone else’s lifestyle choices. This was the meaning that most of our American forefathers had when they began teaching about tolerance. The idea of putting up with someone else’s wrong belief is intrinsic to the beginning usage of this word. We are to endure one another’s choices, even though they may set our teeth on edge.<br />
<br />
When I study American history, I find the early immigrants to be people tired from being persecuted, mainly for their religious beliefs. Many, but not all, of the original colonies were settled by people who came across the ocean to find freedom to worship in the way that they chose. Roman Catholics settled Maryland, Baptists settled Rhode Island, Virginia was full of Anglicans, and Puritans settled Massachusetts. Each sect did not give up their beliefs when they formed the United States; rather they sought to keep and preserve their religious differences through state’s rights, something that figured very prominently in our early history. Thus, our forefathers tolerated, or endured other belief systems, and expected toleration of their belief system in return.<br />
<br />
However, today’s tolerance has come to mean something quite different from endurance. Many take tolerant to be a synonym for permissiveness. I was explaining this definition of tolerance to a liberal friend once, whose countenance fell rather dramatically when she at last understood my definition of tolerance. “Eww!” She exclaimed, “I don’t think of tolerance in that way at all.” In her mind, I daresay, tolerance had come to mean a permissiveness accompanied almost by an embracing of what is different. Culture was the main medium to introduce this heresy back into modern thought (for it has entered into our thoughts many times before), and today, we are all taught not just to tolerate other cultures, but to embrace all cultures as having equivalent value—on the face of it, an illogical and thus preposterous notion.<br />
<br />
Sometimes when I am trying to share what a life changing experience knowing Jesus has been, I am met with the casual comment: “Well, I suppose its wonderfully good for you to believe that, and I am glad for you.” There is a prevalent hidden seed from, perhaps, the dogma of toleration, where when one is challenged to change their lifestyle and believe God, they are able to defend themselves, saying tacitly, my beliefs work for me just as well. But, of course, they do not. Toleration has so confused their thinking that they no longer think in terms of right and wrong, but merely in what works for you or what works for me. In terms of moving away from Christianity, this generation’s move has been colossal. <br />
<br />
My father’s generation, who for the most part did not know Christ, knew at least there was a right and a wrong. They may not have been able to point to the reason for right and wrong—most did not know the Source of morality—but they passionately embraced their notions of right and wrong. Most of the time their notions were fairly close. But the modern generation has lost any notion of morality—and that is bound to lead to deep disaster. Tolerance and inclusiveness are the deceivers of the day; it takes a rare person to build a foundation of morality other than that which the state routinely sets out.<br />
<br />
Biblical tolerance was introduced in New Testament times when such a thing was almost unknown. I find it an irony that Paul is often berated for his attitude towards women, but most of the epic-setting free tolerance statements that we have, also come from Paul. Let’s examine the main toleration passages that he wrote, and try to contextualize them to see what they meant during Paul’s time. There are two epic toleration passages to look at:<br />
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.<br />
1 Corinthians 12:13<br />
<br />
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.<br />
Galatians 3:28<br />
<br />
<br />
In these statements, evaluate for a moment just exactly what Paul was saying. He made Gentiles to be the equal of Jews, something that no good Jew of that day would ever have done. He made slaves to be the equivalent of their masters. He made male and female to be equal, something that would have been tantamount to rebellion against all the known rules of that day. The barriers of race are crossed here, and those barriers have forever been thrown down. With these two statements, Paul was negating the values and traditions of all of the known world.<br />
<br />
However, as ecstatic as I am about these two great passages, there is one caveat. All belonged to the same club—to one Spirit—Paul says, or we are all in Christ Jesus. All were Christians. And here is one of the main differences in tolerance, as it is being taught today. All of us are together, but only if we are in Christ. We are to be tolerant, yea, more than tolerant, loving and giving toward one another. We are “to esteem others as better than ourselves” says Paul in another place. <br />
<br />
And for the Christian, there is to be another deep difference in toleration. Jude tells us that, instead of embracing their different lifestyle, that we saints are to be merciful to those who doubt, snatching others from the fire and save them. . . hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (v.22,23) Somehow, our society has fallen into the trap of comparing lifestyles one with another. But there is no, not one, lifestyle which will please our Lord. It is not a question about whether you are as good, or better, or worse, than me. It is altogether another question. How will you stand before God? There is only one way—and that way is through faith that leads to repentance for what we are. Not one person will stand before God and be able to justify himself on the basis of being a little better than his neighbor.<br />
<br />
Before I conclude, I ought to say something about that parenthetical remark above—this kind of modern tolerance has entered our society before. Though I know little of the study of the rise and fall of civilizations, it seems to me, at least, that this modern definition is taken often by societies just before they collapse. We do not have to look further than Paul to find evidence of a confused church, confused over the right way to tolerate. In the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul directs the man with his father’s wife to be expelled from the church. Most likely, the Corinthians had thought themselves “tolerant” for accepting this man. In the second letter to the Corinthians, Paul directs the church again, this time to take the man back into the church, because he had repented of his misdeeds. In both cases, the early church was already committing our modern sin—redefining tolerance to be something that it should not be.<br />
<br />
Those Christians who would be biblically tolerant would do well to remember the words of the Lord: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). According to Jesus, losing our lifestyles is the only way in which we can find our own lives. We are not to be engaging in pitiful contests with each other, vaunting the comparative nature of our lifestyle. We are to be humble and penitent, lest we neglect the treasure which we have now found. The spreading of the gospel has been properly defined as one beggar telling another beggar where to get bread. The Bread is not to be found in lifestyles. We are but beggars.<br />
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-34937651795985143782020-01-06T18:40:00.011-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.800-07:00Why is the Bible Important to Me?<br />
Why is the Bible Important to Me?<br />
<br />
I suppose I should start answering this question by first showing that the Bible is important to me. This objective, I think, should be easily accomplished by first giving my testimony. I was saved in May of 1972, after a couple of college friends witnessed to me about the last times. Now I was, up to this time, skeptical in the extreme of those who said that God was real, and I was quite used to challenging other friends about their church habits, wanting to know what it was that interested them in church. Never receiving a rational answer, I was growing a little more confident all the time in my skepticism, that is, until I listened to these two college friends. For several hours around lunch time, they prattled on like they actually had read the Bible, something that no one I knew admitted to doing, and once more, they actually acted like God was real and speaking through these books of the Bible. I was invited to receive Christ as my Savior, but far too independent to allow myself to be pushed into anything, I went home, somewhat rattled. <br />
I had lots of questions, many of them partially answered by my friends referring to the Bible. They kept quoting this book they referred to as Revelation, so I went home and began doing what I do best: read. I turned to the table of contents and found Revelation, tucked in right at the end of the Bible. I read Revelation all through chapter 22, and then remembering some of the other books they had quoted, I read Ezekiel, Nahum, and Daniel. After praying to God for understanding: God, if you are really there and caring, and part of what I read in the Bible, show yourself to me, that I may know. And believe me when I say, he answered the prayer in a dramatic fashion. I saw all the times of my life when God had been revealing himself to me. Even while I ignored him, he called to me, and now he was calling me again. I believed God, repented, and began a new life.<br />
<br />
In my lifetime of being a Christian, over 40 years now, I have found maybe one other Christian who claims to have read Revelation before believing. It is almost unique. So, I think you should readily see that I consider the Bible very important, and I think it essential for anyone who wants to understand what God is doing in our world. Revelation is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to its reader; try it and see for yourself.<br />
<br />
But it didn’t stop there for me—I mentioned that I love to read, and it was not long before I became convicted to use that love for the Bible. I began a Bible reading program that included one major book a day, and I get through the entire Bible about seven times a year. Along with it, I have committed many chapters of scripture to memory, just because they are such wondrous words. So you see, when you are asking why the Bible is important to me, I do want you to realize the magnitude of its importance.<br />
And, in the interests of full disclosure, the two college friends that talked so patiently with me—one is now my wife of forty-one years, and the other remains a close friend. That is enough of the how of the Bible’s importance, and now it is time to deal with the meat of the question, why is the Bible important to me?<br />
<br />
I have long observed that a Bible which is falling apart usually belongs to a man who isn’t. A truism, perhaps, but it contains the next truth that I am trying to establish. Look at what the Bible has done. Millions, perhaps several billion, of people have radically changed their living because of this one book. Of course, I realize that includes some people with whom I would disagree on foundational doctrine, but nonetheless, I recognize that this singular book has had more to do with changing mankind than any other book. Tozer tells us that, “The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.” <br />
<br />
Christianity, founded on the Bible, is, I think, radically different from any other book. Christianity alone points to man as the problem in the communication between God and man, and alone, of all the religions, tells man that he is completely beyond fixing, broken beyond putting back together, and then, offers love and renewal to those who will recognize their brokenness. <br />
<br />
I wonder at the American myth that each day is a new page, and I surmise that this famous myth of man being able to start completely anew, is out of the larger Christian story that tells of a grace freely offered to all, that anyone partaking of it might find an unlikely source in starting over. I will cast your sins into the depths of the sea, says the Bible, and I will remember them no more. I think that the experience of having God enter my life, and love me, and forgive me, and renew me with his matchless grace is the reason why I find the Bible so important to me. It points me to the Giver.<br />
<br />
It is no good for you to point to the many who have misused the Bible; I am aware of the fact that it has been used by Hitler, not so long ago, to institute his pogrom against the Jews, and I know that before that it was misused by many in the South to justify slavery. The list of its misuses is quite long, as it has been a stumbling block that evidently trips people in quite different ways, as some fall into the greed of TV marketing, and others take the paths of significantly different beliefs that lie in the many Christian cults. But that is just the point. If we find something so real, so concrete that the temptation of bad people to use it, seems to be so compelling, does it not again prove that there is a stumbling block, one that demands to be considered? I do not think it a reach of historical viewpoint at all, to declare that the Bible has been the axis around which history has revolved. Take the Bible out of history, and what would we have left? No Jews, no Christians, no Moslems—for remember, they built off of the tenets of the Bible. Though I realize we cannot know what the world would be like without the Bible, I do think I can say that western civilization would not have led the world to its present state.<br />
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No, the Bible stands all alone, by itself, and there is not one other book which could share its glory. It is a shimmering star, guiding those who will follow it to life, and condemning those who reject it. It alone winnows our people, the human race, into two separate and permanently hostile camps, with profoundly irreconcilable differences. Perhaps that is why it remains the unspoken number one bestseller, of all time, on all lists, in America. The Bible changes lives, has changed our history, and will change our future, if its message is to be believed. Nations which have forgotten its message, and rejected its truths, have themselves passed into the greying dust of history, to be almost forgotten by the nations who remember its importance. The Bible? Ask why it is important to me? You may as well ask me why I drink water.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-23136763711202019432018-05-31T19:03:00.001-07:002022-09-22T04:42:49.762-07:00 Why is the Seventy Years So Central to the Old Testament?The Seventy Years of captivity prophesied in the Old Testament acts as a major turning point. God, being gracious, has postponed judgment for years, but now the penance comes due. Just as today, scoffers are everywhere in our society, saying, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Peter 3). They are going to see the ugly truth—justice postponed is not going to be justice denied, and the longsuffering and patience of God is eventually going to run out. Israel thought the same as our current scoffers, saying that God would never hold them accountable. When God at last sent Jeremiah to proclaim that judgment was nigh, the nation scoffed, and they even tried to extinguish the voice of Jeremiah, throwing him into the well, and later trying to charge him with being a spy. God protected Jeremiah through all that conflict, and twice proclaims that the time of Israel’s captivity will amount to seventy years.<br />
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Actually, the story of the infamous seventy years starts all the way back in Deuteronomy. Moses, through the LORD, foresaw that Israel would compound its unfaithfulness to the point of bringing judgment upon themselves. I will quote from Deuteronomy in a bit, but first I want to show that everything has come about that the LORD has planned, in exactly the way that has been foretold.<br />
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Deuteronomy gives us foresight into what was going to happen to Israel, and is thus the beginning of a “hinge” of Israel’s history. When Josiah became king, many hundreds of years after Moses, this forgotten book of Deuteronomy was found again (many Bible scholars suggest it was exactly this book, though we are not certain), and read to King Josiah, who promptly repented, and even had the book read to the nation as a whole. The nation’s repentance is famous, for they celebrated the Passover Feast to such a great extent that had never been equaled.<br />
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When the nation was finally judged for its rebellion against God, the book became even more important, especially as the scattered nation looked to the LORD for redemption. Listen now to the final words of Moses, just as he gave them to the Israelites:<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:<br />
Deuteronomy 28:15 (NIV)</font></blockquote><br />
So far the LORD has promised but a curse. Read now as we see some of the details of the curse, for it was quite involved:<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>The Lord will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your ancestors. There you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone. You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples where the Lord will drive you.<br />
Deuteronomy 28:36-37 (NIV)</font></blockquote><br />
Here, as we say, in black and white, is the whole crux of the message to Israel. The scattering of Israel is foretold, and would certainly come to pass. Interestingly, in the book of Leviticus, Moses tells us again more specifics about this curse that would befall Israel:<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.<br />
Leviticus 26:33-35 (NIV)</font></blockquote><br />
Not only does the LORD foretell his intentions here, but he gives them the beginning of an actual time frame to fit their punishment. He says that the land will enjoy its Sabbath years, making up the time that the years were not observed.<br />
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In the writings of Moses, we are given many reasons to observe different Sabbath days and years. Chafer somewhere identifies 15 Sabbaths, and even a cursory study of the subject reveals at least ten different Sabbaths. Our culture today is remarkably akin to our history, and we pay little attention to the Sabbaths, except for the common one, the seventh day of the week. Read now what Moses wrote about the Sabbath year:<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you.<br />
Leviticus 25:4-6 (NIV)</font></blockquote><br />
Please note that this year was to occur every seventh year, and there is no record in the Bible that Israel ever attempted to keep this Sabbath. The LORD has already declared what is to happen to them because of their failure to observe the Sabbath year. He will scatter them to another nation, and give the land the very Sabbaths the Israelites had skipped.<br />
The alert reader might really question these verses, perhaps wondering if they were really that important. Yet the unknown writer of 2 Chronicles lets us know of its supreme importance:<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.<br />
2 Chronicles 36:21 (NIV)</font></blockquote><br />
We are given very specific information here. For 490 years Israel had failed to observe this Sabbath year, though they are commanded to observe it in both Exodus and Leviticus. By dividing by seven, we come to the all-important seventy years. Seventy years the land was to be given the rest the LORD had commanded, to make up for those 490 years that the Sabbath was not observed.<br />
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Second Chronicles mentions the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah is told by the Lord that the captivity is to last exactly seventy years and he is told this twice that it might be more definite.<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>“But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate forever.<br />
Jeremiah 25:12 (NIV)<br />
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This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.<br />
Jeremiah 29:10 (NIV)</font></blockquote><br />
These seventy years becomes very important. Remember when I listed the prophecy of the curses found in Deuteronomy? I call that the beginning of a great hinge on which the back part of the Old Testament hangs. But these seventy years that Jeremiah prophesies finishes the great hinge. Daniel refers to the seventy years, and bases his seventy weeks prophecy on it (Dan. 9:2). Ezra also relies on Jeremiah’s prophecy to write his own book (Ezra 1:1). I have already noted that it is mentioned in 2 Chronicles. And finally, Zechariah refers to it when he writes:<br />
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<blockquote><font size=-1>Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?”<br />
Zechariah 1:12 (NIV)</font><br />
</blockquote><br />
<b>It is no exaggeration to say that the whole of the back half of the Old Testament hinges on this great prophecy of Jeremiah.</b> But what is the lesson that we can learn from it? First, we learn that God cannot tolerate sin, and that there are always consequences for sin. Second, we learn that God is fully sovereign, knowing all along that Israel was to prove herself as unfaithful, and yet his plan comes to fruition notwithstanding. Eventually the Son of Promise was to come from this regathered nation, just as God had foreordained. What a comfort it is to know that God is completely in charge! Finally, we learn the reliability of prophecy, and it should give us comfort when we study yet-to-be-fulfilled-prophecy. God has a plan for us, and nothing shall ever change that plan; rather it is our job to look at the prophecies and unfold their meaning as God intended.<br />
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Daniel uses the prophecy of Jeremiah in chapter nine, presenting what he knows already from reading the prophet. God takes the prophecy of seventy years, and turns it into a new prophecy—that of the seventy weeks. In my next piece, I will look at the seventy weeks, and we will ponder its meaning together, trying to figure out what God has told us.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-2451493968048615462018-01-08T17:29:00.000-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.634-07:00What makes The Lord of the Rings such a story, that even after 70 years, still seems to dwarf all its competitors?One of the gifts which has seemed to come my way in early retirement is all the time I could wish to read, something that has all too seldom happened in the life of this reader. It is one of the most delectable feasts of retirement! As I finished my annual reading of <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, I found myself comparing it to the plethora of fantasy that has exploded in the years since the masters wrote, Tolkien and Lewis.<br />
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Last year, with time on my hands I wondered how many copies of The Lord of the Rings had been made, and I saw figures of many hundreds of millions sold, with Lewis himself following with about half the number of <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i>. These past decades I have thirstily searched for more good fantasy and I found myself comparing Tolkien’s work with all the others, discovering some distinctive differences that possibly can separate it from all others.<br />
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It is a trek that I have long been on—that of searching for other works that compare to the greats, for I have been a lifelong reader who discovered <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> in 1969 and later, after I became a believer, <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i>. I did not even consider Christian fiction until I was about 30, and having devoured all of Lewis that I could find (nonfiction), I finally discovered his fiction. In the decades since then, I have read (and reread) many good works, sometime well put together, but not even rising close to their masters. I cannot even begin to estimate how many forwards started with the author’s confession that he or she started at a very early age with devouring the works of Lewis and more often, Tolkien, and that reading gave them a lifelong impetuous towards writing fantasy. <br />
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The key to understanding Tolkien or Lewis is to note the basis of their starting premises. They both were highly trained professors in English literature, but more importantly, they viewed their world through the lens of being Christians. Grace reflected the beginning and ending of their world outlook, and that grace is transplanted throughout their writings. They, from different theological perspectives, one Catholic and the other the Church of England, but both knew absolutely that grace was given, and not to be earned. I will save Lewis’s writings for another time; there is more than enough evidence to cover in <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>.<br />
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But first let me broadly paint all the others, which seem to me to be always built on the foundation of works. Their plot shows a hero, gifted with some talent, usually magic, who acts more surprised about their discovery of their magical talent than seems to be warranted for such a tired theme. The character begins to work their talent, and often it works most dismally at first, erratically so that it cannot be trusted to be there when needed. Often the character is remonstrated to take training, which he or she finds frustrating. Eventually the character has to dig a little bit deeper, try a little harder, and the hero at last emerges.<br />
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While it follows the traditional Christian theme, it only does so in the “crucifixion- resurrection” sense that in its broadest themes but mimics the Greatest Story. Tolkien masters this plot idea magnificently, as more than one character is put under the cross, or crucified almost beyond repair, and then raised again. We see it most poignantly in the character of Gandalf, lost in the deepest abyss, but raised to be Gandalf the White. The problem of those lessor writers is that they have stopped with this basic plot.<br />
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They do not share the foundational beliefs of Tolkien and thus they cannot hope to emulate him. It is all about the main character trying a bit harder, and digging a bit deeper that finally resolve the climax. With Tolkien it is seldom about trying harder; rather it is a sense of every character (that is good) that they are part of something bigger than they are, that there is a sovereignty of which they are just a part, a piece in a mosaic that is beyond the character’s imagination. Indeed, it is meant to be bigger than even the reader can imagine, and it is not until we read <i>The Silmarillion</i> that we begin to see that sovereignty start to be unraveled. <br />
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I will give just a few examples, for the books contain entirely too many examples to be closely cited. First, when Frodo is first warned about the ring with Gandalf, Gandalf says, “Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker. In which case you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought.” Here the sovereignty of the unseen is declared, and no less than Elrond states this theme again, “If I understand aright all that I have heard,’ he said, ‘I think that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck?”<br />
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Elrond’s comment is exactly what I think Tolkien wants you to believe—that the four most unlikely beings were chosen out of time for just such a time as this. Each of the four hobbits meets his tasks unfit, and apparently unable to complete them. Pippin acts like an immature teen, and Merry is little better, yet Merry is the one to kill the Captain of the Black Riders, and Pippin is at hand to stop the madness of the Steward, Denethor, and save the life of Faramir. Still more of this inability is present in Frodo, who gives in to the Black Riders at nearly every turn, and in the end puts on the Ring, declaring himself to be the Lord. He is only saved by the greed of Gollum, who manages to bite off his finger before falling into the abyss. Sam is perhaps the strongest character, faithful to his master albeit in his bumbling way. Still, Sam considers himself an unlikely hero, and is amazed that he is considered such in the end of the story.<br />
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Each of the four hobbits share this common trait. They are forced into a complex problem which the book suggests repeatedly that they do not understand, and each of them bumbles through their tasks, getting the “grace” at the last moment to successfully accomplish them. Contrast the normal fantasy as outlined above, with the main character digging a bit deeper, training a bit more, and reaching a new level of knowledge. It thus is not at all by grace; rather it is works which a better time is reached. Tolkien knew nothing of these works. In Tolkien’s thinking, the elves were themselves unable to produce good works. In fact, he introduces us to the hobbit-world with the reader learning that all of the elves themselves were under a terrible doom, and Sauron himself was just a remnant of that doom, with the whole world in danger of disappearing into a black abyss of darkness without end.<br />
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All of which brings me to the conclusion that Tolkien is great because his characters are almost without hope of success, and their triumph in the end is entirely due to grace—a message profoundly resembling that which is found in the Gospel. Christ came to the cross, dying for sins, that you and I, who are totally inept, might find grace to help in the hour of need. Most of the other authors are engaging in self-redemption, and their works suffer as a result. So there you have it. Tolkien is greater because of the grace in his story, and the other authors are lessor because their books are works-based, very comparable to those who would attempt to save themselves without grace.<br />
<font size=-2><br />
1. Tolkien, J.R.R. (2012-02-15). The Lord of the Rings: One Volume (p. 56). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.<br />
2. Tolkien, J.R.R. (2012-02-15). The Lord of the Rings: One Volume (p. 270). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.<br />
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</font><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-10573106560654020502017-09-12T19:40:00.001-07:002022-09-22T04:42:49.674-07:00The Second Coming in GenesisReading my way through Genesis this last time, I was surprised to find seven places in it that seemed to symbolize the coming of the Lord. Here I must be careful, because there are many places in Scripture where we might think we find a type, but we cannot be sure unless the Scripture itself points them out. Then and only then can we be sure that we are looking at a type. Scofield, famous for finding types all throughout the Bible, himself notes somewhere that the only true types are those that have the warrant of Scripture on them. Please notice that I am not going so far as to suggest these are even the lesser types of Scofield; rather I have deliberately chosen the words “seemed to symbolize”. It makes a rather delicious study anyway, and so in that spirit, I offer them for your consideration. Some of them I think you will find to be surely true; others may be harder to see, but I present to you the seven places where the Rapture, the Bride, or the coming of the Lord might be seen.<br />
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First, there is the obvious one. Enoch walked with God and was not, Scripture says, for God took him. I believe this one, of all seven is perhaps the strongest, and has been suggested by many Bible scholars over the years. Do we not have a picture of the church here, where the church is walking before God, and then God suddenly took it? The faithfulness of Enoch in walking with his God is compared to the church, which Revelation says is going to be dressed in the righteous acts of the saints. A beautiful picture of God’s deliverance from a coming wrath, for remember that the seventieth week of Daniel is what we are escaping from. In Enoch’s day, the wickedness of men abounded so much that eventually God was to destroy all of mankind except for Noah, which brings us to the next place.<br />
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Noah, being rescued from the judgment of the earth, becomes a picture of the saint of the last days, being saved from the coming judgment. God, being merciful, isolates his salvation down to only his chosen, in the flood to Noah and his family, in the seventieth week of Daniel to all his chosen saints. It is illuminating to think of Noah spending all of those years building his salvation according to the plan of God. Surely it is no accident that God has told us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it God within you working to his own good purpose. Rather than working on an ark, we are working and building the body of Christ (by the power of the Holy Spirit), and when it is finally completed, God will take that body out of judgment just as Noah was taken. Which takes us to another man famously taken out of judgment, Lot. <br />
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Lot appears to be at least a lessor creature to me when he appears in the Old Testament. Abraham takes Lot with him on the journey that God has given him. Commentators have long pointed out that Abraham was told “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Note that Abraham chose to leave his father’s household behind, but he took Lot. And Lot caused Abraham lots of grief. The herders of Lot and Abraham could not get along, so Abraham divides the land, lets Lot choose, and Lot chose the fairest plain which happened to include Sodom. Not a wise choice. When I first read this passage, my thinking was that Lot was not spiritual, that he allowed his base motives to direct his actions. Not exactly an evil character, but certainly not a good one. That is what I thought until I came across this verse from Peter, “For that righteous man [Lot] dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” God, through his apostle Peter, evidently weighed Lot in the balance scale a lot differently than I might have. He was a righteous soul, and not only a righteous soul, but a soul that was vexed day and night by the evil deeds of those around him.<br />
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God took Lot from that place. It corrupted his wife, who looked back and turned to a pillar of salt. It corrupted his children, who later got their father drunk to sire children. Thus were born the Moabites and the Ammonites, who later became no end of problem for Israel. But Lot himself was a righteous man, a picture of the church who will be taken out from the world before wrath is poured out upon it. More specifically, we see the Bride of Christ being taken home to be with the Lord, escaping the wrath that will be poured out on the earth.<br />
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The fourth place I see the Rapture is a bit harder to glimpse, yet I think if you ponder on it a bit, you will see the grace of God again showing that future age. Isaac was the child of promise, and very long in coming. Abraham was promised a child that would eventually make him to become the father of nations, yet at 99, still found himself without child. Sarah, at an anything but spry 86, no longer considered herself to be able to bear children. Yet the faithfulness of God was not yet complete, until the coming of the son, Isaac, the child of promise. With that coming, which can be compared not only the first coming of the Son, but also the Second Coming. It is a promised coming, just as the comings of our Savior are promised. It is much delayed, just as the comings of our Savior were delayed—the first coming not happening for almost 2,000 years after Isaac, and the second coming still being waited on.<br />
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Rebekah, the chosen bride of Isaac, can also be likened to the marriage of the church (the bride) to the Lord. The marriage supper of the Lamb is yet to take place, yet when it comes it will surely follow many of the same things that happened to Rebekah. The faithful servant of Abraham stands as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, something commentators have long noted. The servant goes out and finds the bride, just as the Holy Spirit finds us, convicting us both of our sin and the righteousness of God. The faithful servant puts a bracelet around the wrist of the bride, sealing her as the bride of Isaac. Similarly, the Holy Spirit seals us into the body of Christ, guaranteeing us to be part of the bride. The servant then removes her from her home, and she is taken to an exalted position as the bride of Isaac, the chosen seed. One day when the Spirit is taken out of the way, at the same time, He will remove us from the earth, and bring us at last to the place the Lord has prepared for us.<br />
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Sixth, the family of Jacob, and Jacob himself are taken out of the wrath which is to come, remarkably like we are promised in Thessalonians. They are removed from the danger of drought and starvation, and brought to an exalted position. Indeed, Joseph has been made second only to the Pharaoh in position. The Christian will be saved from the wrath to come in the coming seventieth week of Daniel when the world is judged, and exalted beyond all hope as we find our inheritance in heaven.<br />
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Lastly, I see the dream of Jacob as a sign of the faithfulness of God. Jacob dreams of a ladder going to heaven. Jacob is forced to be a sojourner in a foreign land, just as we Christians are sojourners in a foreign land. Yet, God gives to Jacob the promise that he will one day be brought back to the land of promise, and so we Christians look forward to the completion of God’s promises that he will, at long last, bring us to the home which he has prepared and promised us.<br />
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All seven are thus given, and certainly not all are equal. Some are more obviously hinting at the coming of our Lord, while others perhaps only become obvious as we willingly muse about them. But this we have as a certainty, that the Lord himself told us to search the Scriptures for they are they which testify of him (John 5:39). Is it any wonder, then, that we should find much of Christ and his comings in the very first book of Genesis?<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-79800352858811906632017-09-08T09:46:00.003-07:002022-09-22T04:42:50.298-07:00End times<i>Everywhere I go lately, someone is talking about the end times and the disasters happening in our state and even the hurricanes hitting other countries and earthquakes. They are convinced it is the end times. I wanted to know your thoughts about this. </i><br />
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Denisa,<br />
What a question! I was looking for something to do this morning anyway, so I will attempt to answer as briefly as I may. Hopefully it will not be too much answer for you. I would first recommend that you read a great book on the subject of the rapture, called <i>The Rapture Question</i>, by John Walvoord. I am reading it through for my third time right now. He thoroughly covers the topic from A to Z, presenting the literal viewpoint of a pretrib rapture, and why the post-tribulation positions are so much less literal. You note that “your take is that we might spend less time talking about it, and using more time to tell others about Jesus.” What a fine observation! But it still should be the driving force of our need to talk to others about it, for as the song wonderfully asks, “What if it were today?” <br />
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So no, we should not just sit around and talk about it, rather it should be our motive to push us to be found busy following our calling.<br />
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Jesus is very clear about his expectations for his saints. Jesus tells us in Matthew 24, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” History is full of people who have erred grievously by trying to predict the day of his coming, and all have been wrong. But if we cannot know the day, Jesus does teach us that we will know the season, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door” (24:32, 33). He goes on to tell us, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (24:45).<br />
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So when your friends note that the season is near, they are doing exactly that which Jesus commanded. They are watching. But, as you did suggest, they ought to be doing more than watching. The epistles to the Thessalonians were both written to clarify the incidents that happen around the Second Coming, particularly the Rapture. I am so glad the Thessalonians became confused about the details, because it caused Paul to stop and write down the prophecies clearly, so that you and I might understand more about what is to come. (In fact, every chapter in the epistles of Thessalonians, except for one, tells us something about the coming of our Lord. Can you find the chapter that does not talk about the coming of the Lord? It makes for a wonderful Bible study!) Did you know that church history teaches that some of the Thessalonians were parking themselves on rooftops, so sure were they that the coming was near? They did not want to miss a thing, and were watching. They might remind you of the friends you mentioned that want to talk about nothing else. <br />
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You are correct when you observe that we need to be busy telling others about Jesus, and if we are truly following the Lord, our watching for his return should make us realize that our time is indeed short, and we will need to be found busy following our calling when he does return. So end time sentiments should be motivating us to work harder, lest we be caught unaware. So there is a place for both, and we need to watch ourselves so that we are not found on the rooftops, but rather in the harvest where we have been placed. <br />
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Knowing him is a beautiful thing that ought to be shared in hopes that others might hear and begin watching with the rest of us. Hope this very short answer helps, and don’t forget to check the book out!<br />
Pat<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-66537621745791918442017-07-19T16:04:00.000-07:002022-09-22T04:42:49.942-07:00Two Apparently Opposing Ideas<font size=-2><i>Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”<br />
Luke 9:23 (NIV)<br />
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”<br />
Matt. 11:28-30 (NIV)</i></font><br />
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How is it that our Lord should say two such apparently contradictory things? In Luke, he tells us to take up the cross and follow him. Not once. But daily. The cross is a symbol of suffering, of the persecution of the righteous, and it is to the cross we must go if we are to follow Jesus.<br />
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I get that. So I bow my head, bare my shoulders, and prepare each day for the cross. I must grit my teeth, mutter to myself that I can handle it, and stagger forward. But wait! He also said in Matthew that he will give us rest. He tells us that he is gentle and humble in heart, and that learning about him will give us rest. For his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Which is it? One or the other, I think, in my fleshiness. It cannot be that I carry a cross across my shoulders, and find the yoke is easy and the burden is light. Can it?<br />
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Two such oppositional ideas cannot be both true, except in the providence of God. God, having made his plans before the foundation of the world, purposed to make both ideas to be the center of the Christian life. He fully intends for us to have both in our lives, as contradictory as they might seem to be at first.<br />
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There are two examples of this that I would like to remind you of, since they both are such excellent examples of lives carrying the contradictory truths. First, I will look at the example of Stephen, our first martyr, and then I will look at the example of the apostle Paul.<br />
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Stephen is chosen to be a deacon, an office which seems to be more than the apostles first intended, and resulted in a great circle of men of faith. Stephen, the Bible assures us, is “full of faith and the Holy Spirit”. His cross to bear, that the apostles bestowed upon him, was evidently to see that the Greek widows were not overlooked in their needs. Nothing more is ever said about the deacon’s service to the widows, but God takes Stephen and molds for him a great cross to bear: he becomes the first church martyr.<br />
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The cross, at that point, must have been insufferably heavy. The Jewish leaders took him captive, and all in his future must have been terribly dark. But, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, begins to preach what is perhaps the most powerful sermon in the book of Acts. Please note that the Scripture does indeed refer to Stephen as being filled with the Spirit, and that is the key to understanding how to bear the cross that is given to us. We do not bear it under our own power, but with the very power and Spirit of God. Thus it becomes easy to bear. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Because it is God’s outworking of his Spirit within us.<br />
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Look at Stephen. Giving a powerful sermon, he only moved the haters to conspire to kill him. With practically his last breath, he looks toward heaven, asking for the Lord to receive his spirit. With his last breath, he mutters perhaps the most powerful prayer in all of Acts, saying, Father, do not hold this sin against them. Like his Lord’s cry from the cross, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. He faithfully took up his cross, and followed his Lord in death, but not in his own power, but with the very power of God to enable him. I submit to you that Stephen may have been a very good person, and probably was, but he was utterly dependent upon God to carry such a cross. And proving willing to bear it, he found to his delight that the yoke was indeed easy, and the burden was light. Therein is the secret of the apparent contradiction.<br />
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But I am not done, for Paul is yet unexamined, and I have yet to show his taking up the cross and following his Lord. Stephen’s last prayer was for those who were so dreadfully hating him, for the very people who had gnashed their teeth in fury, and could not throw the stones fast enough to kill Stephen. One young man in that crowd of haters, was diminutive, small in size, and perhaps with weak eyesight. Nevertheless, he utterly hated Stephen, and offered to hold the coats of those who were bigger, and more able to bring death quickly. Stephen prayed for that man, a man who was to change history. He prayed with the power of the Holy Spirit for God not to hold this vile deed against him. And God saw fit to answer that prayer, bringing salvation to Saul, the apostle who brought Christ to the Gentiles. To you and to me, as an answer to the very last prayer of the first martyr. Talk about drama!<br />
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Saul must have been haunted by that prayer. I have often wondered who it was that remembered that last prayer of Stephen. There is a case to speculate that it was Paul himself who later gave the gist of that powerful prayer to Luke, who went on to record it in the book of Acts. Perhaps it was, we may never know. But I do imagine that Saul heard those words that day, and that those words began to haunt him in all of his misdeeds. Everywhere he went, did he remember those words, that prayer for his forgiveness? How it must have tortured his soul to think of the young Stephen praying for Saul’s forgiveness even as they brought him death!<br />
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I do speculate here, but not so much that it might not have been true. When Christ at last appears to his last chosen apostle, is not the reaction of Saul quick and decisive? Does he not seem to capitulate very quickly, deciding that he was wrong? I do wonder if the prayer of Stephen had not eaten away at Saul’s heart, preparing him for the truth of his later vision, the vision of the living Christ, asking, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?<br />
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At any event, we have Saul being turned into Paul, who disdained all else, proclaiming the gospel to all who would listen boldly and without fear. Paul undergoes deprivations, shipwrecks, whippings, and even a stoning (Chafer suggests that stoning actually brought a temporary death). All of what he endured he counted as naught. Can we find a better example than Paul of carrying the cross of Christ? Yet, he found it true that his yoke was easy and his burden was light, not counting himself worthy to suffer for Christ, and finally telling us in 2 Timothy that he has fought the good fight and was looking forward to getting his crown of righteousness.<br />
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What is this amazing faith, this Christianity, that it should so radically change people? From the early years even until now it has always been this way, that Christians should disdain this world because of their vision of a better world to come. Throughout history the remarkable faithfulness of God is evident, teaching these words of Jesus. We are to take up his cross and find that it is not so heavy after all. Indeed, his yoke is easy and his burden is light, but only because of the great mystery, that Christ himself in the form of the Spirit, should be found in us.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-87339671777488412012017-02-18T14:31:00.004-08:002022-09-22T04:42:50.403-07:00Musings of a ReaderIt seems to me that there are a set of fixed rules that are as of yet unseen by mankind. These rules must have in some sense been affixed by God, and evidently he respects those rules also. Those rules evidently include allowing Satan to run over this world, to and fro, as Job says, and to constantly accuse. What his province, or his job is, at current is hard to say. He is called the prince of the power of the air, which indicates that, at the least, he has the power to range over the earth. Perhaps he is allowed to accuse, and perhaps God listens with the heavenly host as witnesses to those accusations. But more unseen is the Devil’s control over the minds of men. Evidently he is allowed, at times, to incite violent awful episodes of derangement in our world, of course looking forward to the seventieth week of Daniel where he is allowed to wreak havoc upon the earth, and all them that dwell therein. <br />
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I think it makes sense, at least to me, that Satan was behind barbaric acts such as what happened on 9/11, where he was able to use a handful of fools to perform his will. It seems to me obvious from living through that day that great wickedness was given a way forward that seemed to be allowed to get over great hurdles. Of course, we know from Job that God himself is sovereign even over what the Devil might do. In that way, God is sovereign over all, just as we understand our Bibles to so plainly teach us. But just as in Job, we see God using agents to perform his will. Did he not use Satan to perform his will? It seems that both statements are true—that God is sovereign, and that Satan is performing at least some of his will. Trying to reconcile the two has proven to be a Sisyphean task for theologians; no matter how hard they try, the two do not seem to fit together. Yet, it is these opposing truths which God presents us with in Scripture. We are never quite told how they reconcile, but the safest course for the Christian is to simply believe and trust that one day it will work out as God has promised.<br />
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But I want to reflect on how we got here. Theologians cover in depth our depravity, and they have done an excellent job, as far as it goes. But actually it is revealed in Scripture that we (mankind) are almost the postscript in a story that has been going on for a very long time. There are other beings, called angels (it is a wonder to me, but if I called these angels aliens, many people would perk up, willing to believe in that which we have not been told about instead of that which we are told about) and these angels were involved in a struggle in heaven. God evidently sent mankind, that these insignificant beings should be, to the wonder of heaven, the very instrument to bring about the demise of Satan.<br />
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We are, as I have written elsewhere, the pawns on the chessboard of life. But the insignificant pawn suddenly becomes very important in the chess game when the pawn finds itself on the seventh rank. All of a sudden the game focus shifts totally to that pawn, as the mover tries to “queen” his pawn, and his opponent does everything possible to prevent that. We are the pawns, on the seventh rank. Suddenly the whole focus of heaven is upon us, waiting for the significant move that God is about to make.<br />
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But let’s look at things from the point of view of the pawn, who scarcely knows what is going on. All of the other pieces are suddenly focusing on his power, but he does not much understand how he, being so little and unimportant, has become the center of attention. So we little understand the rules of the game; we cannot see why God should suddenly make us so important. Yet, with the Incarnation, he did just exactly that, deciding to become flesh, reconciling the world to him, but also bruising the Serpent’s head. In the cross lies the chess move of God, if you will, making man to suddenly be on the seventh rank, and in lifting the Son up, pronounces simultaneously the bruising of the head of Satan, and the lifting up of men to become the Sons of God.<br />
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Remember that this lifting up of man in the incarnate man is a marvel in all of heaven—it is almost as if the rules of the chess game have changed, to the utter amazement of watchers. Now we await the final promotion, when the pawn is crowned and the new queen presents herself to the King. Rules that we cannot understand or begin to fathom, but why should we expect to understand? Has he not asked us to walk by faith?<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-56254186524498898212016-12-17T14:34:00.000-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.860-07:00Where are you going on your life-journey?The most important question of your life. The problem is that many people deny what ought to be so obvious—that we are eternal creatures found in mortal bodies. Immortals bound with the decaying bodies of mortals. It should be self-evident to all of us, but strangely it is not.<br />
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By his word, he spoke the world into being, filled with animal diversity, and all the wondrous beauties of nature. The Bible teaches that it happened almost instantaneously; men have now stretched the life of the earth back to nearly 5 billion years, to try to make the impossible seem more likely with time, and still they find they have a monstrous task. But God says he did it, creating and making and fitting and designing all the things in the universe that would make the earth have life, and have it abundantly. But by their own designs, men have plotted to replace this work of God with a work of accident, time, and mutation. Still, the word of God rings for those who will listen: “Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away” (Psalm 102:25).<br />
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I understand on our life-journey, if we are lucky, we find animals to bond with. I have done that myself. But there is a great void of difference between us and the nearest animals. Perhaps Descartes came closer than he realized when he said I think therefore I am. Rationality is a great mark of difference, and though it appears in some of the higher animals, particularly the higher animals that spend time with man, it is not well formed. If man just fished, he would be like other animals. But man fishes with a hook and a pole, and there are fewer animals that can imitate that. How many animals take it a step further, and create a boat, that they might be more successful fishermen? Even if we find such an exception in the wonders of nature, how many of those boats are powered? And which animal cultivates and grows fish that he may eat? On every hand, man so far outstrips his fellow animals that there is a great divide between them than cannot be surpassed.<br />
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Men have thoughts—perhaps animals do some reasoning. I think I can see it in my dog at times. But man does not stop with reasoning. He writes. He collects ideas, and ruminates upon them. He puts them into books, and then builds libraries to hold the books. To make it yet easier on himself, he puts the books into electronic format, that he might literally have vast reservoirs of books at his whim. Animals never approach this standard. What does God say but that he breathed into man and he became a living soul? There is a vast ocean, broader than the Pacific itself, between man and animal.<br />
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All of this the tiniest child seems to intuit; it is only when we “grow up” that we forget our basic beginnings, our roots. For indeed, we are rooted in the image of our Creator, and stand in all our earth as something unique, the only animal, if you will, to receive the breath of God. Perhaps that is why Jesus directed us to be like the little children in coming to him. As a teacher, I saw young children all the time, and it greatly saddened my heart to see so many of them becoming captivated by the things of this world, instead of being opened to the Creator-God who makes all life possible. Their life journeys were being set in the wrong direction, a direction that leads them away from God.<br />
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Ezekiel, chapters 3, 18, and 33, all make it clear that the will of God is that the wicked should turn from their ways and find faith. I do not pretend to understand the sovereignty of God; in my morning prayers I see the hand of God as everything, all-powerful and everywhere present. And yet within God’s nature, as powerful as it is, he still commands us to turn from our self-centered lifestyles to one that is centered in him. Ezekiel makes it plain that it is not the will of God for men to perish; instead their plight remains upon their own heads as they careen their way through life, bashing their way through the stop signs of warning, never heeding those signs until their life ends in a stupendous crash. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.<br />
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In the time of coming judgment, the prophet warned Israel, prepare to meet your God, Israel. That warning certainly applies to all of us today. As eternal creatures, created by God in his image, our journey is this lifetime is as but the first step. It might seem strange to consider it so, with all of our years’ of experiences behind us, but the time of our lives is frequently compared to grass and flowers, which are here today and gone tomorrow. Still, God gives us this first step that we might start correctly, with him leading us throughout the rest of the journey.<br />
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Therefore, all the other journeys that we would take are by definition wrong. There is one way, Jesus teaches, the narrow way, and few there are that find it. The blindness of our world as they plunge into darkness is amazing to this old man. The tolerance taught in my own country is so wrong—Jesus also taught that the way to Hell is broad, and that there are many who are treading its pathway. Every lifestyle apart from one of faith is doomed to destruction; it matters not how virtuous one may paint such a lifestyle. <br />
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“I am okay,” says the non-thinking person. “I will be alright when I face that last day.” After all, they reason, I am better than my neighbor who is a drunkard. I raise my kids carefully. I do my best, they say, and I will trust God with the rest. Their ill-measured idea of God is that he will overlook their faults, and see somehow inside their hearts, and know that they are really a decent sort, worthy of heaven. But the reality is so far from that picture. We are a woeful and sinful people, and when we compare ourselves to others, we are taking our eyes off of our needs, and pointing fingers at others. The truth is that God does see into our hearts, totally and completely. He knows you better than you know yourself, even when you are being candid with yourself, which if you are like me comes all too seldom. God knows that heart of yours, that it is fully disobedient, and in desperate need of a divine solution. It is no good saying that you are better than someone else—it may be true, but it belies your need, and God cannot “fudge” the scales in your favor, and overlook your sin.<br />
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But such people can go blithely on through their life-journey, never seeing themselves as God sees them. What a surprise it is to so many when they fail their expectations of a glorious afterlife based on their own deeds. God has given a divine solution in our trusting Jesus Christ. You see, God did not overlook sin—instead, he poured out all of his divine wrath upon his son, that by believing we might be saved. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, John tells us, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Perhaps you are not familiar with the story. Poisonous vipers were loose and plentiful in the camp of the Israelites, biting and killing many of them. Moses, listening to God, took a pole, put one of the poisonous vipers on it, and commanded all who were bitten to look upon the serpent. Those who trusted Moses and looked upon the serpent were healed.<br />
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In a manner, the Son of God is like that serpent. He took upon himself all of your sins, indeed, the sins of the world, and in doing that, became a fiery serpent, drawing all the wrath of God. If you will look today and understand and have faith in what God did, you will be saved. But nothing less than divine wrath for your sins can get you out of judgment. What a folly it is to trust your own efforts, when provision has been made for you to escape the wrath of God. Yet, the blind go on, trusting themselves yet another day, and doom themselves to total and complete failure.<br />
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I know people who want so much to make it on their own; isn’t that the first cry of the infant who wants to do it for himself? But if you will not look to the cross, and see the provision that God has made, there remains no provision for you, and you doom yourself to perdition. How much better that the wicked man should turn from his way and live!<br />
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The classic definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. From the beginning of time, the pathway to Hell is paved with men and women who have tried it their way, presenting themselves to God, and expecting that to be merit enough. There is only one merit acceptable to God, and he had fully provided that in his divine solution, the only solution that will carry us on our life-journey to heaven. I close with something Tozer has to say about a man dying without Christ: “An old sinner is an awesome and frightening spectacle. One feels about him much as one feels about the condemned man on his way to the gallows. A sense of numb terror and shock fills the heart. The knowledge that the condemned man was once a redcheeked boy only heightens the feeling, and the knowledge that the aged rebel now beyond reclamation once went up to the house of God on a Sunday morning to the sweet sound of church bells makes even the trusting Christian humble and a little bit scared. There but for the grace of God goes he.”<sup>1</sup>Is it not ironic that men go through all of their lives, somehow never having looked seriously at the claims of Christ? There is not a more tragic event than someone who spent their life not looking where they ought to—upon the Christ who has been lifted up that all men might have life, and have it abundantly.<br />
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1. Tozer, A.W.. Man - The Dwelling Place of God (Kindle Locations 554-557). . Kindle Edition.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-91343223404453599932016-12-14T10:23:00.003-08:002022-09-22T04:42:50.457-07:00What do Christians look forward to? <i>My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come awa</i>y.<br />
Song of Solomon 2:10<br />
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One of the most precious prayers of Jesus occurs near the end of what is properly called the Lord’s Prayer, in John 17. It is found in verse 24, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” Some mistakenly interpret this verse to be talking about the death of the saints, but nowhere is death mentioned. Alliteration is totally in the mind of the interpreter, and he gives the text any meaning that he deems appropriate. That is why alliteration being used to finding meaning in the text of the Bible is so scary. The interpreter is allowed to bestow whatever fitting meaning he wants to on the text. One may look in vain for any mention of the doctrine of saint’s death and afterlife, and thus we ought to have confidence that whatever Jesus meant, he did not mean for us to be thinking about death and the afterlife. Instead, it is talking about the most beautiful love story of the universe. Jesus, the bridegroom, is so completely in love with his bride, the church. Over and again, he petitions the Father about the church, showing his love and steadfastness toward his bride. Can I prove this from the text? Very easily. Let’s look at the Lord’s Prayer and see evidences of his love for the church.<br />
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In verse nine Jesus prays, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” Looking forward, Jesus is actually praying for those the Father has given him, the church. In verse eleven, Jesus again prays for the church (specifically, those whom thou hast given me), “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” Again, in verse fifteen, Jesus prays, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” In all these three instances (and there are more), Jesus is clearly praying for his followers, his chosen ones, and is looking forward to those that the Father has given him.<br />
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This high priestly and intercessory prayer is thus made on behalf of the bride of Christ, present and future, the seed of what would become the church. His love is apparent throughout the prayer, as he most carefully prays through for the church. Notice again the verse of my topic, v. 24, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” Notice now in particular the petition part to the prayer, “I will that they. . .be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory.” Where was Jesus going? Of course, he ascends to the Father, and assumes his throne, where we see him in Acts. He is in heaven. This is referring to the translation, often called the Rapture, when Jesus will come and gather his church and take them to heaven, that they might behold all the fullness of his glory.<br />
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There are a great many arguments about exactly when in prophetic events this event takes place; there should be no argument about it actually taking place. There is a much more famous passage in John 14:2, 3, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Again, there are commentators who wrest this Scripture to be talking about the dead, or when Christians die and go to heaven. There is absolutely no context to support such a contention, and allegory, it should be remembered is always in the mind of the interpreter.<br />
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I believe that the Bible clearly teaches the Rapture taking place before the Tribulation, or the last week of Daniel. In fact, most believers have acknowledged the imminence of his coming, even while they may not agree on the order of prophetic events. Perhaps it is because Jesus warns us over and again to be watchful for his coming, lest we be surprised. The apostles follow up with this warning. It is very difficult for those who would place the Rapture after the Tribulation to follow this doctrine, of his imminent coming, if events of the Tribulation have to come first. That would mean, that instead of looking for Christ, we should be looking instead for the beasts and the false prophet. Instead of Christ’s sudden appearance we should be looking for these rascals. In our history, hundreds of saints have identified hundreds of people who were to be the beasts or the false prophet, and history has proven all of them wrong. That should give a holy pause to the student of Scripture. Nonetheless, this doctrinal ground has been furrowed by others better than me, and ought not to be the subject of this peace. I instead, just want us to look at the beauty of what is happening.<br />
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The passage of John that I started with, that of Jesus praying for us that we might be with him is not just beautiful because of the words. It is an altogether fine thing that we are called to be with him, and that we will see him in his glory, but if we stop there we do not see the love story. This whole prayer is full of Jesus’ love for the church; he is praying his last words as a living man for us, but more than that, this is the love of a bridegroom being expressed for his bride. I am told that there were three great steps to a Jewish wedding. First, while yet children the two in question are betrothed. The church and Christ fulfill this picture as the Bride and the Bridegroom are bonded in the Holy Spirit, sealed unto the day of redemption. Second, the groom comes and retrieves his bride from the home of the bride. This will be fulfilled when Christ, the groom, comes and finds us at home here on earth. Third, the groom takes the bride to his home, where they have a marriage supper. This picture is represented when Christ, the groom, gets the church, his bride, and takes us to his family home, heaven, and there we have the marriage supper.<br />
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Jesus is dripping with love and concern for his bride in his last intercessory prayer. His is the love of a groom infatuated with his bride; he is concerned with her welfare above all else. How else will we explain this beautiful prayer of Christ, that we may be with him where he is, and that we may behold his glory?<br />
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I think of when I was courting my wife. I remember sharing things little by little with her, as she learned to do with me. The delightful thing about falling in love was that we learned to trust one another. I would share a peculiar taste, or a favorite of mine, and she would endeavor to remember it, and make it precious to her. I did the same for her. We endeared each other’s peculiarities to each other, and so we learned to trust. It is all part of falling in love, and is very evident here. Christ has a warm and passionate love for us. He wants what perhaps all good grooms would want. <br />
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First, he wants to show us off to the heavenly host. Ephesians 5:26 says, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it [the Bride] with the washing of water by the word.” He has cleaned us, put us in clothes that shall never be sullied or dirty again. He has washed us as white as snow. But Revelation 19:8 tells us, “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” In other words, there are two things here Christ finds wonderfully attractive in his bride, that attracts his full love and devotion. First, he washed us white as snow, and second, we are clothed in the fine linen of the righteous acts of the saints. Not that these are works originated by us; rather they are works that the Holy Spirit has done in and through us, so that in both senses, we are the product of Christ’s adornment. <br />
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The trouble with the church today is that we are not acting much like the beloved bride. We do not seem to realize the divine favor that has been poured out upon us, and we do anything except act like a bride in love. And, I fear there are many of us, who do not seem to realize we are getting ready for the event of the universe, and we are not busy about our Father’s business. We are like rats scurrying around and working, but we have forgotten our purpose—we are to be serving the Master. Some of us endeavor to become experts in theology rather than worrying about being a bride ready for her groom. We are ready to argue points of doctrine, and will do so very often, even to the point of offending our brothers and sisters in Christ. Yes, doctrine matters, but we have lost sight of the fact that our brothers and sisters matter more. Christ prayed in the Lord’s prayer over and again that we might be brought to unity, that we might be marked by his love. The least knowledgeable saint found busy for his Lord is going to be immeasurably and fantastically ahead of us, for he has taken his little mite of knowledge, and applied it vigorously toward the one he loves. It ought to teach us to stop and ponder, how much of our day is really spent getting ready for our Groom? If we are really in love, hadn’t we better act like it?<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-80883775790264566902016-12-02T16:39:00.000-08:002022-09-22T04:42:50.340-07:00Who prayed the greatest prayer?In all of the Bible there are so many outstanding prayers. While yet at Biola, many years ago, I did a study in a class on prayer for Dr. Mitchell. I found thousands of verses on prayer, or which were prayers themselves, and most of the prayers were answered. A few of the exceptions were those offered while in obvious sin, like Saul did often when he was king. But the record of answered prayer is so great that it almost defies imagination. God hears our prayers, and Jesus tells us that now that we have the Holy Spirit living within us, the record of answered prayer is truer to even a greater degree. Jesus repeats his promise at least 3 times: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23, 24). Whatsoever, Jesus says. And we are not to ask Jesus, but rather the Father who loved us enough to send us the Son, and to give us the forever gift of the Holy Spirit. But who in the Bible prayed the greatest prayer? I am going to give you seven possibilities of the greatest prayer, but this is by no means a definitive answer, rather it is an opinion of someone who delights in the sovereign record of God answering his children.<br />
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First, it seems very hard to beat the intensity of the prayer of Jonah, answered so affirmatively by our Lord. Jonah, a type of Christ, in that he spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish, as our Lord spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the earth. But for all of that, I find Jonah to be a weak type of Christ in that he was an unwilling witness to the Gentiles in contrast to our Lord who came as a babe in the manger that he might grow into a willing sacrifice for us. Even in the end of Jonah, we find him watching the great city of Nineveh, hoping to see the judgments of God poured out. What a difference there was in our Lord, who came the first time in the guise as a mere servant, that we might be found ready for the second time he comes, as our Lord and our Master.<br />
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However, when I imagine myself in Jonah’s position, somewhere in the belly of the fish, it is easy to imagine the desperation of his prayer. Could any prayer be more desperate? I want to note for the record that God hears prayers even when we are disobedient. How often I would remonstrate the incautious Christian, who sins and then cries out to God! I would exclaim that you should not use God as a crutch, but that is exactly what Jonah did do—he disobeyed himself into a great quandary, and turning to God he sought deliverance. How I ought to learn of the mercies of our Father! He is willing, more than willing, to be our Father even when we are the naughty child. He loves us with a boundless love, and he does not stop being our Father when we are not following him. What a great comfort it is to know that God hears us even when we have been disobedient!<br />
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Of course the book of Daniel suggests two prayers that could easily be nominated as the greatest prayers of the Bible. Daniel in the lion’s den suggests awesome prayer—just think, Daniel spent all night with those lions, for all we know, staring at their dinner. What did he pray? The same with the three in the fiery furnace. They at least are more open about their prayer. God is able to deliver us, they declare, but whether he does or not, we will not bow down to your image. I connect these two prayers on the basis of their both being commands of the King to worship other than the true God, something that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all refused to do. How refreshing it is to learn of men of God who would not leave their faith because of new kingly morality! They were willing to stand on principle, even if it meant their deaths. How unlike the men of faith are compared to American Christians today, who seem to be willing to be anything, and follow the winds of heathen morality wherever it may lead.<br />
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It seems to me that in scoring their prayers, Daniel and company earn some extra points. Theirs was not disobedience, like Jonah. Rather their aim was to remain faithful to the most high God, whatever the cost. Their cry, for all of that, was meaningful, loud, and plaintive. They needed God’s intercession, and they needed it immediately. Their prayers, like that of Jonah, were necessarily short, abrupt, and to the point. “God help me!” Theirs was not a flowery prayer, built on hours of praising God, but rather on the needs of the next few seconds. Daniel and his friends stand in contrast to Jonah here, for we are told that they frequently prayed, and being trained as they were, undoubtedly had learned all the right ways to express gratitude and praise to God. But, like Jonah, the needs of the moment swallowed up all the needs to think about and praise and thank God. Could any of them prayed anything but, “God help me!”<br />
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David gives us the next prayer, a prayer that I think we dare not forget. It is the prayer of David for forgiveness, when his sin became known before all of Israel, before God, and all of his deceit became exposed by the light of day. It comes to us in Psalm 51. “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin,” David cries aloud to God. Now he had sinned, definitely in the murder of Uriah, but as much in the adultery with Bathsheba, and perhaps against the nation of Israel itself, because he involved his general in the murder plot, and tried to hide his behavior with intrigue and deceit. But what does David say? “Against thee, and thee only have I sinned.” There is a sense in which all sin that we do is against God, principally and chiefly. Thus, it was altogether proper for David to say, against thee, and thee only have I sinned. Leaping ahead in progressive revelation, long before it was revealed to us in teaching, David exclaims for God to take not his Holy Spirit from him, but to restore unto him the joy of his salvation. All of which God was more than willing to grant.<br />
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David’s prayer is a different sort than Jonah’s or Daniel’s. They were praying for their lives, that God might intercede for them. In Jonah’s case we have seen that he prayed to God in spite of his disobedience while Daniel prayed through to God with his obedience. Jonah did indeed pray that God might deliver him from the “hell” of being in the fish, perhaps metaphorically alluding to that greater hell also. But Jonah never seems to have a deep sense of his own corruption like David does. Jonah never seems to face the fact that he is in deep sin, but that is okay as we might not expect an early prophet to understand that which is not yet made apparent. David understands his folly, and I might expect that understanding to dismay and dishearten him, but quite the contrary happens. David looks at the mercies and love of God, and wants restoration, much like we would when we sin. What a joy it is to know that our Father loves us so!<br />
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The next prayer is that of Elijah while on Mount Carmel, and it simply is a spectacular prayer! Can you just imagine Elijah? He went to Ahab over 3 years before, and proclaimed to Ahab that there would be no more rain, “except by my word”, and then he disappears from Ahab. Ahab probably did not think too much about the crazy prophet dressed in a camel’s coat, hairy face, and perhaps a demented manner. But as the years passed and rain did not, did not, come, Ahab must have had second thoughts. In fact, the Bible tells us that Ahab scoured the land for this crazy man, this man that dared to face the king and stop the rain. At last, Ahab finds Elijah (not knowing it was the other way around—Elijah had found Ahab), and Elijah at last gets his confrontation. Summoning all the prophets of Baal, some 850 prophets, he takes them to the summit of Mt. Carmel. There he challenges them to get their god to answer by fire, and what a delight he must have had. I can quite imagine a line being drawn on the side of the mountain, with 850 prophets dancing and cutting themselves, and working themselves into a frenzy, trying to get the attention of Baal. What is Elijah doing all of this time? I can picture him by himself, on the other side of the line, lying down with a piece of straw in his mouth, watching the prophets dance their jig. The prophets of Baal work for hours, and Elijah mocks them. Then at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah rouses himself, lays the wood carefully, drenches it in water (where did they get the water?) three times, and then lays out his prayer to God. “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”<br />
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Oh, it was such a different prayer than those I have spoken about before! Elijah was engaging in something we term intercessory prayer—praying for others. Jonah’s prayer, and Daniel’s too, were used for others, but I think they were too caught up in the moment to worry about others. They were praying for themselves, but Elijah is praying for someone else besides himself—he is praying for the whole nation of Israel, and through the power of God, is about to pull off the biggest revival in the history of Israel. “Oh, that the people might know that you are the Lord God.” His prayer is built not on himself, but rather on God’s revealing himself to a lost nation. Does God answer? By the fires of heaven, in perhaps the most vivid and dramatic answer to prayer, Elijah has his answer. Elijah has yet to learn that God is found more often in the “gentle whisper”. It is enough for Elijah to know that his God is a God who answers by fire. I think in Elijah we see time to prepare that the others might not have had. The emergency was upon David and Jonah, but Elijah has three and one half years to pray, to get his thoughts marshalled for the big day. Thus, Elijah can teach us that preparatory prayer can be essential when we want to be used in the great event.<br />
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The next prayers I have selected to review are also intercessory prayers just as Elijah’s, and perhaps because they are prayers for others, we might deem them as a bit greater. The fifth prayer came from David’s son, Solomon. It came after the dedication of the temple, which Solomon was years in building. I think it must have been, like in the time of Elijah, a time of great revival. Actually, the first prayer of Solomon is also famous, and ought not to be skipped. Solomon prays not for riches, or wealth, or honor but for wisdom to govern the people of Israel. This prayer is actually done in front of the tabernacle, and it is years later, at the completion of the temple, that Solomon makes his longer prayer, again an intercessory prayer. Again and again, he represents the sinful people of Israel to God, asking God for mercies and justice and forgiveness in what may be the longest prayer of the Old Testament. Solomon, in both of these prayers, is a type of the Christ to come. Indeed, such a priestly prayer for people comes not again until John 17, the Lord’s prayer. In these prayers Solomon gives us a picture of the one who “ever lives to intercede for us.” <br />
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If Solomon’s prayer is long, the answer is also long, and I know of no answer in the Bible to compare to it. God seems to take each part of Solomon’s prayer and provide a specific answer to it. He famously provides the verses which shall yet guide Israel in the future, the near future if my guess is right. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” God promises mercy towards the repentant, toward the humble. Blessed are the meek, says Jesus, and this is the starting point of our relationship with God. <br />
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What an encouragement this prayer of Solomon is to those of us who pray for lists. Solomon must have figured out all of the needs of his people, and prayed for them specifically. God answers those prayers in detail, giving us all encouragement as the things that we see in our lives mount up into lists. We have a God who knows our needs, and when we are interceding for others, are we not taking on the very image of the One who loved us and gave himself for us?<br />
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The sixth prayer is the prayer of a great prayer warrior Nehemiah. I would remind you of how much of a prayer warrior he is, for in the beginning of Nehemiah we find him mourning and fasting and praying for the nation of Israel. He was very conscious of the sins of Israel, confessing them before God, and being mindful of the fact that God would be faithful in restoring Jerusalem. So it is not that Nehemiah is not a great warrior in prayer, he is that and more. But his great prayer is not long, and is but practically instantaneous. Nehemiah, being sad, appears one day before his king. The king, seeing his sadness, asks Nehemiah why. Nehemiah begins to tell the king why he is said, and the king asks plainly what is your request? Nehemiah does not even record his short prayer, merely telling us, “so, I prayed to the Lord of heaven.” Did he take a break from the question, and tell the king I will get back to you on that? Not likely. Very likely instead, he said a short prayer to God, which may again have been as short as “God help me.” It was his greatest prayer! Like Jonah, like Daniel, and like all the others, God answered his prayer, and brought the people of Israel back from their captivity.<br />
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But the seventh prayer, the prayer that I think overshadows all the others is found in a prayer of our Lord, almost his last prayer before dying on the cross. He gazes out at mankind through his bloody eyes, his marred face, and his broken body hanging on the cross, and declares, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Can a prayer possible be greater than that which was so given before you and I were ever in existence? We are born into the world, and if we have received the grace of God, we have been reborn. We lived and walked in our sin, and how gracious is the God who hanging on the cross, cried out for our forgiveness. Never shall there be a prayer to top this one. <br />
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Remember the first six prayers? Each of them answered, and many of them in dire circumstances. But without the coming and giving of our Savior it would amount to nothing. Thanks be to God for sending his son into the world, that we might be forgiven for we know not what we do. Thanks be to God for restoring us that we might walk, and fellowship, and have our prayers set before him. Let me end this piece with the reminder of Revelation where God takes all the prayers of the saints of all time, and burns them in a sweet smelling offering in heaven itself. This means that God takes your prayers, precious saint, and saves them. They are so important to him. He listens to your every word for your sonship is important to him, just as a caring father might do for his son. We can pray. We can have confidence. We can come knowing that he hears us, that he knows our hurts, that he shares our pain, and that he is indeed our loving Father. For the prayer of Jesus is answered, and we have been forgiven.<br />
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Lessons for our prayer lives:<br />
<br />
1. Jonah<br />
a. it is okay to pray expecting help even when you have been disobedient<br />
b. it is comforting to realize when we are hurting God is listening<br />
<br />
2. Daniel and friends<br />
a. standing for what is right definitely gets God’s attention<br />
b. refusing to do wrong, even when we do not know if God will protect us<br />
c. praying steadfastly in other times builds the character to stand when challenged<br />
d. all of them often prayed together, and gained strength through their community<br />
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3. David<br />
a. know that we have a forgiving and merciful God<br />
b. we can come with confidence and confession<br />
c. our deepest shame is known about plainly to God, and he chooses to love us anyway<br />
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4. Elijah<br />
a. God is our strength especially when we are one against many<br />
b. praying ahead of time builds our ability to pray effectively during stress times<br />
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5. Solomon<br />
a. there is great wisdom in seeking the welfare of others while in prayer<br />
b. detailed prayer offered in faith can get detailed answers<br />
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Nehemiah<br />
a. being a prayer warrior puts you in a place where God uses you<br />
b. building lists of prayers helps you focus sharply on God and his provision<br />
c. prayer before you get to the emergency is fruitful<br />
<br />
Jesus<br />
a. we are not worthless; Jesus gave his all that we might be forgiven<br />
b. we often do not know what we are doing, but we do have access to one who does<br />
c. even when we were against him, still he prayed for our forgiveness<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-65750505056276356602016-11-28T09:22:00.001-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.929-07:00How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?I am nearly at 160 questions now, and am about to publish the fourth book, each containing 40 questions. Yet, when I considered this question, I thought surely I have answered it already. But, no, I found that I have never answered this question, when I seem at last to be running out of questions. It is such a basic Biblical question that I assumed I had gotten to it. By Biblical, I do mean it is foundational, but also I mean it literally. It is found in the Bible. It is found in Hebrews 2:3, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?”. It is what we call a rhetorical question—or a question which suggests its own answer. The writer of Hebrews goes on to remind us that the Lord himself validated this salvation by his words, and then witnesses further validated it with signs and wonders brought by the Holy Spirit. <br />
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One of the many mistakes modern man makes is to assume the historical man was easier to fool. It is one major excuse I hear for not considering the gospel. They dismiss the gospel as silly superstition, and then, sadly, a great many people never consider it further. But man has always recognized that our world is governed by certain laws, even if they could not enunciate those laws. They knew already that miracles did not happen, voices did not speak out of heaven, and the dead did not rise. That these things did happen resulted in a huge historical reaction, with many people testifying of its truthfulness in the face of much persecution, even sometimes resulting in death.<br />
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It is natural for even an infant to know when these normal laws are broken. I was reminded of how quickly even babies know these rules recently when I saw a talking doll speaking to an infant. The infant showed surprise, dismay, and then began crying. She knew that only living things talked. She knew that all sorts of laws or rules were being broken when she heard one speak. It does little good to pretend that prior generations did not have this nearly innate ability to tell fraud from reality. Skeptics like Thomas have always said expressed their disbelief. Why do we believe Thomas’s skepticism when he wants to see the nail holes in the hands and the hole in the side? It is our reaction, one that we recognize we might well have said ourselves. Jesus had already shown the other disciples, and for Thomas, not being present at the time, that should have been enough. Instead, like many of us, he insists that he must see for himself. Imagine his embarrassment when Jesus later tells him here are the holes, thrust your hand into them. Thomas looks, and then replies, My Lord, and My God. It seems to me that too many of us are ready to believe the first initial skepticism of Thomas while not accepting his later testimony.<br />
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Behind it all, in the mind of Thomas, he must have been thinking that people are not raised from the dead—therefore the Lord could not have come back. You see, Thomas was just as rational as you or me, and he knew beyond a doubt that coming back to life was an impossibility. Of course, Thomas is wrong, but it is his presumption that I want to talk about here. I think Thomas was exactly like many of us living today. He knew that the miraculous did not happen. He knew that dead was dead, and for him that was the end of the question. He did not have to speculate on whether it happened or not. He already knew that it could not happen.<br />
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Thomas was guilty of the same presumption that many of us make. We say: there cannot be miracles because I have never seen a miracle. It is the worst sort of circular logic, and has led to the demise of many a soul. God could not have parted the Red Sea because I do not believe in the supernatural. Lewis had a firm hold on this notion when he has Aslan speaking into existence the creation of Narnia, but all Uncle Andrew hears is fearsome noise, and eventually he is able to shut that out. Our Father spoke from heaven declaring that before his Son went to the cross, that he had glorified his name and will glorify it again. Some heard the voice for what is was; others heard but a thundering; still others paid no attention at all to the voice. If you are determined not to see God, if you are willful and bent against even the possibility of his existence, if you only get angry when confronted with the miraculous, then God will let you have your way. For those who will be willfully blind in the end cannot see—not even the forest for the trees.<br />
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The time is drawing close to when a man shall be tested whether his foundation is firm or not. Who has built on sand and who has built on rock? As our pastor said this morning, “You cannot tell the foundation until the storm has passed.”<sup>1</sup> The time of the great storm is yet ahead, when the foundation that all men have built upon shall be tried. In that day, and at that time, every man’s choices will become clear, and we will know whether they have built on an enduring foundation or not.<br />
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Strange as it may seem to critics, Christianity is strong enough to withstand all inquiry, if the inquirer comes with real questions. There is a plethora of books which do a strong job of defending the particulars of Christianity, and one of the delightful things in coming to Christ is beginning to figure out the arguments and realize that your side is not the side of ignorance. Faith is quite capable of enduring questions, and even becoming stronger when tested. I would invite those who are skeptical, but at least questioning, to begin with taking a look at <i>The Case for Christ</i>, by Lee Strobel. It is a delightful read from the perspective of a questioning skeptic, and includes a lot of further resources to check out if you still find yourselves with questions.<br />
<br />
When I came to Christ at 19, I had pretty much already settled my beliefs. Yeah, there could be a God, but it didn’t seem likely to me. Science had nearly explained everything. I had three years of Biology at that time, and did not see much reason why it was not true. But then I made the mistake of taking chemistry. We learned the chart of elements and discussed the three states that matter is found in. It was while contemplating the three states of water, that I first began to get an idea of probable purpose and design. What if water had slightly different properties? Suppose it boiled at 95 degrees instead of 212 degrees? Suppose it froze at 50 degrees? Life could not endure on our planet if its properties differed in the least. And that was only one common molecule in our earth! There were a lot of other molecules, all acting in certain ways to enhance life on earth. Even looking at it from my rather simplistic viewpoint, it became obvious to me that things were highly organized, and that screamed design to me—and thus implied a Designer.<br />
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But even when I admitted Design as a possibility, that was a long way from the Christian God who is said to give his very presence to us. How could a God who designed the whole universe possibly care about me? It was a couple of years before I encountered Christians who claimed to have a personal relationship with the God of the universe, and when I investigated that, I found it to be true. It was the most mind-boggling experience of my life! It was not until much later that I would read in Psalm 40: “Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (v. 5). Perhaps it was not until that point that I would absorb the gospel. Nevertheless, it was the first time that I found out that the baby Jesus was more than just a baby.<br />
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You see, I had heard, with all Americans I think, that Jesus was a baby sent from God to come into the world, but if I had to explain the gospel to others, I might have stopped there, not at all realizing the sacrifice that Jesus had done—for me. Jesus said, “I have come to do thy will, Oh God.” And he came into the world, to be scourged and despised of men, to die an ignoble death on the cross, and be raised on the third day—for me. My sins were nailed to that cross, with him, that I might have life, and have it abundantly. And he did it for me. Knowing me, my inner sinful self, and still choosing to love me. For me.<br />
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I think we can supply all the answer books to questions that one could ask, but at the end of the day, there is no more powerful testimony than this: He changed my life, unalterably and completely. There is no better way of describing it than Jesus did when he proclaimed “ye must be born again”. Millions of people, throughout the previous 2,000 years have all proclaimed his saving power, and have lived changed lives because of it. That should be your most powerful reason to begin questioning whether there might indeed be something more to His story—for you.<br />
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1. From sermon delivered on 11/27/16, Sunday, Dave Flaig.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-67789645817753532582016-11-25T14:16:00.000-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.953-07:00Where is God when I need him?<i>Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?<br />
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.</i><br />
Psalm 139:7, 8<br />
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Evangelicals teach a doctrine of God being omnipresent. We believe it, and act upon it, trusting that a God who is completely sovereign is a God who always knows what is going on. Anywhere, anytime, anyplace. But anyone who has been a Christian very long knows that there are periods of drought in the Christian’s life, where God simply is not to be found. Our critics laugh in glee at those places, declaring that proves that God does not really exist, but the enduring Christian knows better. Time proves out the substance of faith and builds maturity to our faith. I want to show first that God uses those periods of drought to build our faith, and second that he uses those periods to use us in new places.<br />
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The Old Testament is so replete with examples of God teaching us through his supposed absence that I hardly know where to start. We find Joseph languishing in Pharaoh’s prison, sold into slavery by his scheming brothers, and without hope of his God-given dreams coming true. We see David, proclaimed and anointed the next king of Israel, running for his life, even to the point of fearing so much for his life he pretended madness. We see Jeremiah stuck in the mud at the bottom of a well, after being assured God would protect him. Yet, in all these cases and more, in the end of their doubts, they came to believe that God would do the impossible—as indeed he did. <br />
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It seems to me that we, as new converts to the faith, must go through a period of time where our faith is to be built up. I find it very common to find a building experience taking place in Christian’s lives, and for lack of a better term, I have called it the crucifixion-resurrection syndrome. In the Old Testament we find this syndrome again and again. Men are taken to places beyond rational expectation of help, and then they are spectacularly delivered. In my lifetime, I have seen this theme played out again and again in the lives of new believers. Men and women are taken to a place beyond themselves, and God takes their plight and makes a new stronger faith out of it so that they can thrive in the place that God has put them. It is almost as if there is a college of faith to go to when we become believers. Maybe the host in heaven looks at us in our new faith, and God decides that we need Faith101 to begin building our lives.<br />
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It is all the more painful to endure this faith walk because God seems to do something very remarkable in our new lives. I remember it well in my own early faith experience, and I frequently have detected it in the new walk of believers. We are told doctrinally that God does many things when we decide to believe. To mention just a few, our names are written in the Book of Life, we are baptized into the Holy Spirit, and we are given the lifelong gift of the Holy Spirit. Such a dramatic change takes over our lives, and I can remember my perspective on nearly everything changing. But early in my new life, there came a multitude of signs and wonders that confirmed to me the miraculous nature of what had actually happened. I see similar wonders and signs frequently taking place in the lives of new believers. Although there is an actual and literal sealing that takes place in our conversion, I think of this time of blessing as sort of a spiritual sealing into the body, where the believer is given plenty of assurance of being loved by God and part of his church. At this point, God is building the basic faith of the believer. But altogether too soon, it seems, he moves on further train us, and part of that training is to build our trust.<br />
<br />
We can liken this early stage of belief to Joseph, who early in his life had some dreams that did indeed come from God. At this point of time, God appears to be giving Joseph confirmation is his faith, declaring that one day he will rule over both his father and his brothers. But Joseph had a problem, a problem that many of us may share when we are newly growing. Joseph had pride, and in his pride, told his wonderful dreams to both his father and his brothers. Scripture actually says that Jacob took note of the dreams, as if he did not quite know what to do with them, but as for his brothers, we well know what the dreams did. In their fury, in their anger, in their need for revenge, they took their own flesh and blood and sold him into slavery. In acting out their condemnation of their brother, they ended up doing exactly what God intended all along, though Joseph was not to see the fruit for many years.<br />
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So it is with us, we often cannot guess what God is doing in our lives, and we see only the pain, but if we persist in following him we will end in a place of utter holiness, a place where he foresaw that we needed to be, and apart from the trauma would have no way of attaining. We have completed our Faith101 course, becoming certified in the place God would put us. We, figuratively, if you will, have been crucified and resurrected, following a similar model to the one that Jesus foreshadowed. So we see clearly that God builds maturity to our faith. Paul uses the analogy of the old man being put to death, that we might put on the new man, and it is the same sort of idea.<br />
<br />
But the new places frequently come at the end. Joseph, ministering for his owner, and running his estate was all along learning skills that would help him run all of Egypt. Even his being chased by his owner’s wife was to sharpen his character, to mold him into a person devoutly following what he thought was right. God repeated the administrative experience in the end, giving Joseph the duty of running the whole of the prison, and it was only after all of those experiences that Joseph finally came to realize his God-given dream. He did indeed come to rule over both his father, and his brothers, and in God’s plan so much more, becoming the second ruler over all of Egypt.<br />
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So if you are in pain, and it seems that God is not hearing you, perhaps you need to change your perspective. God may be hearing you loudly and clearly, and may even now be putting you through his school of hard knocks. Undoubtedly Joseph prayed when he found himself at the bottom of the pit. Undoubtedly Joseph prayed when he found himself in slavery, and then later in prison. In the end, did not God hear those prayers, even though perhaps Joseph felt abandoned? We are not told of his doubts, only of his persistence, but the doubts that he had to go through were part of his maturing.<br />
<br />
With the example of Job, it is much harder to see why Job endured so much tragedy. Job had his doubts, and unlike Joseph, they were vividly expressed. “In the most complete picture of doubt in the Scriptures, the book of Job, it is the questioning, doubting, yet stubbornly believing Job who is ultimately rewarded. As for Job’s friends, with their hard, sure answer and certain theology, at the end of the story God has Job pray that He would forgive their error.”<sup>1</sup> And it is to doubts now that I must turn and finish this short piece. <br />
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We are not told of those who failed in their faith. We are told of a God who teaches all the fullness of faith, but never of failures. Perhaps Jesus gives us the failures when he talks of the seeds cast into stony ground and burned up quickly by the hot sun. But I would urge you, as indeed the New Testament does, to continue on in that which you have begun. If you find yourself in a place where your visions do not make sense, logically either your visions must come true in an unexpected fashion, which would indicate God’s leading, or you must work on examining your vision. Isn’t it interesting that all the people who schemed against both Job and Joseph failed in the end? In the case of Job we are never to exactly understand why Job had to go through what he did; we only see in the end that God is faithful, and the poor counsel of his friends came to naught. With Joseph we see that all those who schemed against him came to naught, his brothers, his jailer, the false accusations from the wife—all came to exactly nothing when the purposes of God were fully revealed.<br />
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There is a Psalm which I take great comfort in—Psalm 2. It says that the kings of the earth will scheme and plan against the intentions of God, but will in the end come to exactly nothing. Persistence in seeking God through your doubts will have only one good outcome—the building of your faith just as God intends.<br />
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<br />
1. King, L. A. (1991). The way you believe: Thoughts on the nature of faith. Newberg, Or.: Barclay Press. <br />
p. 51<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-30963965251085057072016-11-22T11:36:00.000-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.775-07:00What does it mean to live well?<i>But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.</i><br />
Hebrews 11:6<br />
<br />
Of course a life that is lived well is a life lived by faith. But the question immediately arises: What is faith? Biblically, faith, in the same chapter, is said to be: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (v. 1). In other words, we look forward by faith to the things our God has promised. My problem with that kind of definition is that it is internal. How does faith exhibit itself externally? What kind of life reflects faith?<br />
<br />
I would say that first we have to have a life that is in tune with what God wants. Tozer says, “The tragedy is that our eternal welfare depends upon our hearing, and we have trained our ears not to hear.”<sup>1</sup> In my last post, I alluded to the tragic picture of Christ knocking on the Christian’s door, and asking to come in. What kind of life are we living if we are indeed leaving Jesus out on our front doorstep? He wants to come in and be treated as the guest of honor. I am come that you might be free, he says, and you shall be free indeed. If there is a place where this freedom is defined, it is in the freedom to lock Jesus out of your house, or to invite him in. You do not have to live a Spirit-filled life. Having come to Christ, you can wallow in the sins of the world, but you need to know that you will receive the worst censure. It seems to me that there are two possible outcomes for choosing to continue to wallow in the world’s pigpen.<br />
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First, you are ignoring the holy calling God would give you. He intends to make you to live saintly. You are already his saint, but he will spend your lifetime teaching you to live saintly, if you will listen. His will is plainly written, and a lifetime of study should be spent in the Word, that you might draw closer to him throughout your life. Once a long time ago, I bought an anniversary gift for my wife with the quaint and pithy saying, <i>More than yesterday, Less than tomorrow</i>. It was instantly a favorite of hers, for she got the meaning immediately. How much more we should say it to God! Our march onward through this lifetime ought to be one where we are loving him in an increasing fashion each new day—no matter the trials of life.<br />
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Second, if you are really content wallowing in the mire, is that not an indication that perhaps Christ is not in your life after all? God forbid that should happen, but over and again the New Testament warns us of people who think they are ready for the last judgment, only to find that they are not prepared at all. Christ tells us the story of the man finding himself at the wedding supper, but without the proper clothes. The apostles warn us repeatedly to check our hearts and lives to make sure of our salvation—to make sure that we are of the faith.<br />
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If we indeed picture our life as a house, and invite Christ into it, we might of course insist that he come into the guest room, where all is neat and tidy. We would want to entertain him with the best food, and the best company we could provide. But I should warn you, he is a guest unlike any other guest you have ever had. He is not content to remain a guest, sitting wherever you may put him. It will not be long before he will want to see your other rooms, the ones that are not so neat. Come in here, he will say, and let us see this room, perhaps taking you to the bedroom where chaos seems to reign. So you will find yourself straightening and cleaning and trying to get it just so. Meanwhile, he is off to another room. And that closet that you are sure no one knows about. You keep it tightly locked, so tightly locked that you are sure it is secret from all. Rest assured that your guest will aim directly for the closet, and all the locks you have placed on it will come bursting apart, the door will open, and even that embarrassing mess will become open. So our walk with Christ throughout our life should ever be one of progression, where we are finding old places to clean and mend.<br />
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If I left the analogy there, you might notice that it is all well and good that you have a cleaner house, but it is still a house that seems to be a “dirt-magnet”, and you can no more get it clean than you have to start the whole process all over. You can never seem to get it done. If God left us there, we could at least say that we were living the better lives for it, but still we are stuck in the cycle of dirt, of being always in need of cleaning. But he has a different plan, one that we will fit into as we follow him through our lives. He says I go now to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also. He plans on taking us one day to a new house, one that he is in charge of cleaning, just as he cleans us, and all this lifetime of helping us clean here is meant to prepare us for that new house.<br />
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Then we are to be the kind of people on The Great Journey, where we walk by faith all of our lives. “Be still and know that I am God,” says the Scripture. All through our lives we look constantly to him, with our eyes fastened on him. At first it takes great effort to bow our heads and pray, to study the word, and learn his will for our lives. It may take a little effort to fasten our eyes upon him at the beginning, when we have so much of the dusty glitter of the world caught up in our gaze, but as we go on we notice a difference. Looking at him is not an effort anymore; it has become interesting to look, and before we know it, we cannot tear our eyes from him, as we have found him to be of such compelling attraction that we disdain all else that we might maintain that fellowship, that sense of him being near, even in us. <i>Disdain</i> is even too strong a word; rather we find all else of <i>lessor importance</i>, though when we are called to do that of lessor importance, we find ourselves able to do that, whatever it is, with our eyes upon him. We are learning meekness, humility, and in learning it, we find to our great delight that whatever we do we are able to see him in the midst of it, and that he accepts this too for his service, since we are doing it as to him, and not unto men. Jesus said it this way, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” He who is meek has at the cross taught us what meekness is, and we find the rest of the phrase is true also. “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Our destination lies ahead, our destiny begins its fulfillment, now, with each step of faith we take beginning that celestial walk that with go on through eternity.<br />
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Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted no less than four times in the New Testament, “the just shall live by faith.” I think of the Christian walk as that Great Journey, where the new Christian is maturing as he should, but also the mature Christian finds to his marvel that he is maturing also. There seems to be no end to deepening faith in Christ, but if there is an end, I might suggest it comes when the Christian realizes that things, that life itself, dims to almost be invisible in comparison to that relationship with Christ. It does not come easily, as we learn from Christian in <i>Pilgrim’s Progress</i>, there are incessant attractions that would turn our gaze from him. The Holy Spirit, in us, constantly teaches us to love the bridegroom, and to prepare ourselves as the bride. And over the walk of life, we find him being closer, as our teeth and sight and hearing fail, yet he is closer, filling all of our sight, as we anticipate the marriage at last consummated. The Song of Solomon is becoming realized in the walk of faith, love is spilling out everywhere, and your eyes are fixed on your Lord, your Bridegroom. One day soon the day will come when that passion the bride and the Groom feel toward one another will light up our universe for all to see. For are we not the love story of creation itself?<br />
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Some of us, I think, only learn that final step of love when death rears its ugly head as the worst thing that can befall us. Yet, Paul teaches that not even death itself will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ, and those faithful Christians who come to their deathbed, seem so often to be able to look past the ugly monster to see the handsome groom awaiting his bride. Which brings me to the last point. Many passages allude to our needing to watch for the coming of Christ, and I have included but one, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). This is a great verse, not only telling us to watch, but also in the passage before Christ is giving us details of the great tribulation. Notice again the words of the verse, “that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things.” Those who believe in the rapture happening before the tribulation can look at this verse and see God’s promise of keeping us from that coming wrath. I go now to prepare a place for you, that where I am ye may be also. Where is Christ? In heaven. Where is he preparing the place? In heaven. When Christ returns with his saints, where does he go? To Israel, and we go with him. Says Walvoord, “The nature of the Tribulation is also one of practical importance. If the church is destined to endure the persecutions of the Tribulation, it is futile to proclaim the coming of the Lord as an imminent hope. Instead, it should be recognized that Christ cannot come until these predicted sorrows have been accomplished. On the other hand, if Christ will come for His church before the predicted time of trouble, Christians can regard His coming as an imminent daily expectation. From a practical standpoint, the doctrine has tremendous implications.”<sup>2</sup> But regardless of where you might place the rapture, the point is that all of us are to be watching and waiting, looking and hoping for the return of our King. It is one of the great hallmarks of our walk of faith.<br />
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<br />
1. Tozer, A.W.; Tozer, Aidan; Tozer, Aidan Wilson. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer (Special Kindle Enabled Edition with Interactive Table of Contents and Built in Text to Speech Features) (Illustrated) ... | The Writings of Aiden Wilson Tozer of) (Kindle Locations 820-821). Christian Miracle Foundation Press.<br />
2. Walvoord, John F. The Rapture Question (Kindle Locations 122-126). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-16466345679658770102016-11-18T20:54:00.002-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.735-07:00Is it logical to have faith?The answer to whether it is logical to have faith is a resounding yes, but it is a very large question with lots of possible answers. Let me see if I can narrow it down into the confines of a short answer. My answer to evolutionists is that it simply takes much more faith to believe in that fairy tale than it does creation. In evolution, an accidental bang of resources unexplained happens to start the whole universe. Out of the chaos of a massive blast comes a perfect mix of air, water, and resources to sustain life. Chaos is over the face of the waters for perhaps millions of years awaiting a mix of oxygen-less chemicals that immediately need oxygen upon coming together, and over the course of time, somewhere and somehow they find it. Mutation mixes with selection over the course of time to produce simple and basic life. Complex life was produced purely by accident, beneficial mutation and time working to produce the vast, different, and utterly complex forms of life we find today. There is no right or wrong, and all we see of life is here purely by random chance, with morality being only that which somehow evolution has given to us, that we might act to preserve the species. On the other hand, creationists believe that God designed the universe in a specific manner with all the full diversity of species suddenly. It seems a vastly simpler explanation to me, and on that basis alone, ought to be the one sought after.<br />
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In any case, evolutionists find themselves in a dilemma today. Even if it was accepted that all started with a big bang, who set the bang off? What was there in the first place to bang? A designer is self-evident within the theory. Those who will insist there is no reality but the one that they see will often see no other reality. In other words, they explain the rational world by the rules of the rational world. It might make sense to some people to test the world as such, but who made the rational rules? What is there within us that tells us there is a rational world? Can we be at all certain that our rationality can be the basis for understanding all of creation? But all of this is an aside to my argument: there is no right and wrong within mankind at all if we are just here as an act of selection.<br />
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And I think that is the strong argument, for it seems to me that man will have some right and wrong in spite of it all. We do live in a pluralistic society today, and there are many definitions of right and wrong, but I daresay there is more common agreement than might be thought. For instance, stealing would be something that most would agree is wrong, but if we are accidents of evolution, on what basis is it wrong? We are forced then to look at the “herd” and find some sort of rule that anything that harms the herd is by definition wrong. But even looking at the herd, and determining that rule, or standard, is, of course, making right and wrong out of nothing. What I am trying to say—perhaps poorly—is that the common basis of right and wrong in itself proves that Someone designed us. We cannot arrive at so many similar ideas of right and wrong without it clearly being placed within us—no matter how corrupt we have become. If you are still unconvinced that we have such agreement, I would point to things like the condemnation of slavery, warfare being so universally disdained, the rights of countries to self-determination, and the basic dignity of individuals. No matter that we do not in any sense maintain these ideals; the fact that we have them is in itself nothing short of miraculous. Somehow we were made with this common idea of right and wrong.<br />
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Tozer has this to say about one of my favorite Bible passages: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. —John 1:1 “An intelligent plain man, untaught in the truths of Christianity, coming upon this text, would likely conclude that John meant to teach that it is the nature of God to speak, to communicate His thoughts to others. And he would be right.”<sup>1</sup> If the Bible message is at all clear, it is evident that man is in a blinded condition, and he needs a message to clarify his condition. This is what the Bible is: God’s speaking to man, that if man will but heed, will set about rectifying the whole of creation—beginning with the inside of the heart. Paul is very clear when speaking about creation: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:20,21). Can God be expressing his thoughts through Paul? A common doctrine of inspiration says that is exactly what is happening; God uses Paul to tell us what we need to know. And what do we need to know? It seems to me evident that we are to know two things: 1) a casual look at creation should point to the Creator (the raccoon with his bandit mask certainly points to a Creator with a sense of the comic, whereas the evolutionist is forced to dream up unlikely scenarios for the mask), and 2) we are darkened or blinded to the very creator who built us.<br />
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There are a couple of analogies that can be drawn from Lewis in two of his books from <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i>. First, in <i>The Magician’s Nephew</i>, Uncle Andrew does not hear the voice of Aslan. His mindset is that there is no creator, neither can a lion talk, and all he does hear, sounds like noise or gibberish to him. How like the Bible this is, for in the gospel of John, it tells us that the voice of God was spoken to his Son, saying, “I have glorified it [his name] before, and will glorify it again” (12:28). The interesting thing is that the next verse lets us know there are people like Uncle Andrew. Instead of hearing a voice all they heard was thundering. It seems that Lewis found this passage and based his character loosely upon it. The blindness of men is not just in eyes that cannot see their Creator—it extends to ears that will not hear.<br />
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If you are determined not to see God, or even the necessity for God, you likely will receive the fruits of your expectations. At the most you might hear a thundering, or see a flash of light, but you will be incapable of seeing it for what it is. If you are determined to live your life within your expectations, God will likely allow you to do so. It is not that he is not speaking; rather it is that you are not listening. It is not logical. Missing the light and hearing only thundering when there is aught else to see and hear is the antithesis of logic.<br />
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The second book, <i>Prince Caspian</i>, is where only Lucy is allowed to see Aslan at first. Edmund alone trusts her, because of his prior misdeeds, but even he trusts without seeing Aslan. As Lucy pulls her group along, Aslan begins to glimmer and sparkle to one at a time, becoming more evident as they continue to follow Lucy’s lead. And thus we have a picture of progressive revelation—it is only as we begin to look and search that we begin to find validations for our beliefs. I am reminded of the man whose son was demon possessed, and asked Jesus if it was possible for him to be healed. Jesus replied to him that all things were possible to him that had faith. The desperate father’s response? “I believe. Help thou my unbelief!” He wanted help from God as he walked the path of faith, and Jesus gave it to him. So we, when we walk the path of faith, pleading for help, will find God becoming ever more visible to us.<br />
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As an old man, I marvel at the way that children so readily see him. It is as if they are not so far from what they should be when they are young, but sadly, when we grow older, do we not blind ourselves to the glimmerings and the sparklings? I see us being blind in so many ways. Did you know that Revelation 3:20 (Behold, I stand at the door and knock) is addressed to a church? We frequently misapply this verse to the picture of Christ standing at the heart of the unbeliever, and asking to come in. And so it proves to be an apt picture for receiving Christ. The tragedy is that Jesus, in this verse, is standing at the door of the church, and asking believers if he can come in. Sadly, too often, they let the door go unanswered, perhaps thinking that the knock was just a thundering. They miss fellowship with the Christ because they will not heed the knock. Too be able to see, we have to look. To be able to hear, we have to listen. That seems to me to be basic logic.<br />
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And when we come to the person of Jesus, as Chesterton and Lewis were apt to point out, there are but three logical choices. The first choice, taken by almost no one, is that Jesus is a madman, bent on confusing mankind with a diabolical fantasy that millions would uselessly give their lives to. Obviously, it is self-evident that he could not have been mad; his followers would have disavowed him instantly. Instead, most of them gave their lives away in his behalf. The second logical choice, taken by many people, is that Jesus is a great teacher, but this choice is not logically allowed by any student of the Bible. And if he was just a great teacher and a good man, then why did his teachings destroy so many? His teachings say that most people are on their way to Hell, hardly what most people would call good. The third logical choice, no matter how we may disdain it, is the only viable option. He is who he said he was. He was the Son of God come into the world. <br />
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Is it logical to have faith in him? I would submit that it is illogical not to have faith in him—to live a life that does not check his claims, a life that does not realize the logic behind the claims of God. If you only see sparklings and glimmerings I would encourage you to stay the course. Revelation often comes in bits and pieces; I still marvel at the new wonders of God he unravels for me as I get older.<br />
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Finally, there is the great logic of those who have gone before. I am not just talking crowds, but multitudes beyond counting, millions who have lived lives, professing knowledge of the Savior, counting themselves saved. That is no small testimony, and in every generation it has seemed to delight God to bring us Sauls of Tarsus, changing them into mighty Pauls. Last generation it was Whittaker Chambers, and this generation, my generation, it was Charles Colson. These men have found God, and changed mightily their lives as a consequence. I believe they are meant to be logical signposts along the way, that we might see them and take note of what God has done. Logical to have faith? I cannot see another way of getting there.<br />
<font size=-2><br />
1. Tozer, A.W.; Tozer, Aidan; Tozer, Aidan Wilson. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer (Special Kindle Enabled Edition with Interactive Table of Contents and Built in Text to Speech Features) (Illustrated) ... | The Writings of Aiden Wilson Tozer of) (Kindle Locations 775-779). Christian Miracle Foundation Press. Kindle Edition.</font><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15349502.post-54000097014941694612016-11-18T09:17:00.004-08:002022-09-22T04:42:49.838-07:00How shall we then live? <i>Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.</i><br />
Hebrews 11:1<br />
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If we will live ignoring God, pretending that he is not real, then God will, in the end honor that unbelief. I recently reread The Magician’s Nephew, and I want to recall the person of Uncle Andrew, as I think it important. The creator of Narnia, Aslan, begins his creation with a song, a song that Uncle Andrew at first hears, but finds strange. So strange does he find the song that in the end, he determines to not hear it at all, and it all turns to gibberish. To Uncle Andrew, the idea of creation coming through a creator (who is a lion) is inconceivable, and finally he determines to make it so. He cannot conceive of a beauteous creation, much less a noble creator behind it. To the children, Digory and Polly, the song is the most beautiful thing that they ever heard, and they listen attentively, striving to remember each note in all its beauty. Thus, Lewis masterfully paints the picture of the two types of man, both hearing the song, but one turning its beauty to utter gibberish, while the other sees the creator in the beauty of his creation.<br />
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So it is today we find two types of men, those who will see, and those who will not. Although the Bible is clear to us that God sovereignly and powerfully must present himself to us, or we would not be saved at all, still there remains something within us that must be willing to see, or if you will, to hear the song of creation. Behold, I stand at the door and knock, says the Lord, but if you will not answer, and if you will not listen to that knock, God does finally choose to respect your wishes.<br />
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Which brings us to the final judgment, of which there are two parts, one of which every man must face. There is the judgment seat of Christ which Paul talks about, and those who are his sons and daughters must appear to be judged for what they have done with his gifts, but there is also the last judgment to which every man must come, however unwillingly, if he has chosen not to become a child of God. It is referred to in Revelation as the Great White Throne judgment. <br />
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Many of us are given our seventy years, and if we choose, we can be like Uncle Andrew, holding our hands over our ears, and shaking our heads, as if to shake the music out of us altogether. If we persist with this and declare that there is no song, are we not saying no to God? At the end of our years, if we persist in saying no, will he not let us go? We are choosing not to hear the song, and in that choosing we elect to build our own song of life, as it were. In the last judgment, then, we must attempt to present God with our song, instead of the one he provides.<br />
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And in a very literal sense, that is exactly what so many choose to do. Rejecting the gospel, the free provision of God to salvage the ruins of mankind, we reject the only possible means of saving ourselves. Instead, making our own song, we will feebly present it to God, asking the impossible, that he might receive our song, flat and sour notes altogether. For sour and flat it must be when compared to that beautiful song which he provides. I know that those of you who might read this with a little discernment might wonder about what I am saying about election, and I wish you to know I absolutely hold up the sovereignty of God as complete and whole, doing everything for us in salvation, so at the end of our lives, we realize that we do indeed owe everything to God. Tozer says it well, “God will not hold us responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination and the divine sovereignty. The best and safest way to deal with these truths is to raise our eyes to God and in deepest reverence say, "O Lord, Thou knowest."”1<br />
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But still, in a way that may be beyond our comprehension, God very definitely holds us responsible for our choices. Do we still ourselves and listen to the song, or will we shut it out? Choosing the latter, man is left only with the works of his own hand, and it is with these works he will present himself at the final judgment.<br />
I am convinced that one of the outcomes of all of our creation, fall, and redemption is that the absolute holiness of God will be seen by all. No longer will there be mysteries, either unrevealed in the heart, or within the deep counsel of God, but we will see the love of God mingled with his mercy and judgment that will add scores to the music we have already heard, finishing a grand symphony in our heavenly march. God will be vindicated in his every judgment, and in his every mercy as his evident love for lost mankind will be exhibited to all.<br />
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So, how should we then live? Perhaps the writer of Ecclesiastes puts it best, for Solomon represents in many ways how a natural man might think of God. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecc. 12:13, 14). Know that for every act you do, whether in Christ, or out, you someday will be judged. In one judgment though, you will be judged as a son or a daughter. In the other judgment, you will be judged, not on the basis of your unbelief, though your unbelief has kept you from the easier judgment. Instead, you will be judged on the basis of your works, or the lack of your works, as the case may be. All of those carrying to the judgment their own good works shall perish in the outer darkness, where Jesus tells us there is weeping and the gnashing of teeth, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.<br />
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How should we then live? First, avoid that judgment. Cast all of your cares upon him, for he cares for you. Believe God for sending his own Son into the world to pay for that which you could not possibly pay. Be set free from your own works, and begin relying on that which has been done for you. Second, if you have already believed, be sure of your salvation. Are you indeed reflecting God’s sacrifice for you in your daily living? If God were to come today, would he find you busy at his tasks, working them in the power of the Spirit, which he so freely gave to us? God is a person, and every person can be known. If he is a person of your acquaintance, then hadn’t you better prioritize getting to know him? Does your life reflect one where your hunger for knowing him better is a consuming passion? Tozer reminds us,” Honoring Jesus Christ is doing the things which Jesus told you to do, trusting Him as your All, following Him as your Shepherd, and obeying Him fully.” How can we even begin to know him apart from his word, apart from earnest hungry prayer, apart from fostering and building a relationship with him? For God the Father sent Jesus the Son to fully satisfy all judgment, that we might enter into a HOLY relationship with him, forever, and for no other reason than he simply chose to love us.<br />
<font size=-2><br />
1. Tozer, A.W.; Tozer, Aidan; Tozer, Aidan Wilson. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer (Special Kindle Enabled Edition with Interactive Table of Contents and Built in Text to Speech Features) (Illustrated) ... | The Writings of Aiden Wilson Tozer of) (Kindle Locations 731-733). Christian Miracle Foundation Press. Kindle Edition.<br />
2. Tozer, A. W.. How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit (p. 41). CrossReach Publications. Kindle Edition.</font><br />
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