Randy Green's Blog, page 476
June 13, 2012
Spiritual Amnesiacs – Part 3
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory [Colossians 3:1, 3-4].
Rather than push immature Christians into active duty, it might serve the Lord’s purpose better to put them through boot camp first. Let’s continue discussing our topic now.
In the text quoted at the start of this study, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in the city of Colosse. As he did in all his epistles, so too did Paul in his letter to the Colossians. He began with doctrinal teaching, with theological instruction about what it means to become a Christian and be a part of the Body of Christ, His Church.
After submitting his teaching portion of his letters to the churches, Paul finished them with practical instruction for living as a Christian. First we need to know who we are, you see, and then we need to realize what this means for us in day-to-day living. This bears a strong resemblance to Paul’s directions to church leaders in Ephesians 4, to which we made reference already.
Paul didn’t pounce on the young Christians like a ravenous lion, threatening to make them his lunch if they didn’t get busy serving Jesus! He instructed them as to what it means to be a Christian. Then he directed them as to how they were to conduct themselves in their daily living.
It will never suffice for actual Christian living, to install programs and activities in the church in order to draw in new pew-sitters. This contemporary approach to “church growth” is about as intelligent as attempting to have a family by purchasing a half-dozen mannequins, and then lecturing them to get busy and help out with the family responsibilities. Yea, that’ll work.
Indeed! It might be easier than getting along with a spouse, while suffering through the teenage years with real kids. But I bet you a barn full of cows the kids will never amount to much! Rearing kids and having a family is hard work. So too is rearing a congregation from birth through spiritual maturity.
When the emphasis is on first being born again and then getting busy for Jesus, spiritual amnesia follows almost automatically. It is like a baby in the crib. The little thing cries. So its diaper is changed and a nipple is stuffed in its mouth. The dear soul sucks himself full, gurgles and burps, then falls asleep. When nappy time is over, he repeats his routine: cry, diaper, nipple, gurgle, burp, sleep.
Can you imagine mom and dad rudely awakening the little tot from his sleep, then growl at him to stop lying in the crib. After all, he should get up and get busy helping out with the house cleaning and cutting the grass. He might only be 4 months old, but that’s no excuse!
Pardon my fun, but I can’t help myself. Sometimes we Christians are so outrageous in our thinking, it’s inexplicable! Especially when we have Bibles we can read in a cudzillion different translations. I hear a voice from heaven thundering, “Pick one up and read.” Novel thought anyway.
Let’s pause on that note and sleep on it. Oh, we might want to talk with Jesus about it before sleeping on it. Catch you again tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Rather than push immature Christians into active duty, it might serve the Lord’s purpose better to put them through boot camp first. Let’s continue discussing our topic now.
In the text quoted at the start of this study, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in the city of Colosse. As he did in all his epistles, so too did Paul in his letter to the Colossians. He began with doctrinal teaching, with theological instruction about what it means to become a Christian and be a part of the Body of Christ, His Church.
After submitting his teaching portion of his letters to the churches, Paul finished them with practical instruction for living as a Christian. First we need to know who we are, you see, and then we need to realize what this means for us in day-to-day living. This bears a strong resemblance to Paul’s directions to church leaders in Ephesians 4, to which we made reference already.
Paul didn’t pounce on the young Christians like a ravenous lion, threatening to make them his lunch if they didn’t get busy serving Jesus! He instructed them as to what it means to be a Christian. Then he directed them as to how they were to conduct themselves in their daily living.
It will never suffice for actual Christian living, to install programs and activities in the church in order to draw in new pew-sitters. This contemporary approach to “church growth” is about as intelligent as attempting to have a family by purchasing a half-dozen mannequins, and then lecturing them to get busy and help out with the family responsibilities. Yea, that’ll work.
Indeed! It might be easier than getting along with a spouse, while suffering through the teenage years with real kids. But I bet you a barn full of cows the kids will never amount to much! Rearing kids and having a family is hard work. So too is rearing a congregation from birth through spiritual maturity.
When the emphasis is on first being born again and then getting busy for Jesus, spiritual amnesia follows almost automatically. It is like a baby in the crib. The little thing cries. So its diaper is changed and a nipple is stuffed in its mouth. The dear soul sucks himself full, gurgles and burps, then falls asleep. When nappy time is over, he repeats his routine: cry, diaper, nipple, gurgle, burp, sleep.
Can you imagine mom and dad rudely awakening the little tot from his sleep, then growl at him to stop lying in the crib. After all, he should get up and get busy helping out with the house cleaning and cutting the grass. He might only be 4 months old, but that’s no excuse!
Pardon my fun, but I can’t help myself. Sometimes we Christians are so outrageous in our thinking, it’s inexplicable! Especially when we have Bibles we can read in a cudzillion different translations. I hear a voice from heaven thundering, “Pick one up and read.” Novel thought anyway.
Let’s pause on that note and sleep on it. Oh, we might want to talk with Jesus about it before sleeping on it. Catch you again tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 12, 2012
Spiritual Amnesiacs – Part 2
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory [Colossians 3:1, 3-4].
In our last study we were discussing being born again and then growing up spiritually. Let’s continue with this discussion now.
The born again part is known as justification. The growing up part is called sanctification. The born again part occurs as a one time act, just as being born is a one time act. The spiritual growing up part is a continuous process for the rest of our lives, just as is the case of growing up in the natural realm.
And therein lies the problem, dear friends. Not many Christians realize this fact of spiritual life. It is common in the churches to exhort folks to come to the front of the church and “receive Jesus”. When they do so they are patted on the back, given a certificate which declares they are now born again, and sent to the pews to live as good old boys in the church.
Once or twice a year they are subjected to a “revival” service, where they are excoriated for sitting on the pews! They weren’t saved to sit on a pew, you know. They need to get up and get busy! What are they to get busy doing? Your guess is as good as mine. Just stop sitting in a pew and start serving Jesus, y’all hear?
Yep, that is known as revival in the churches. Poor Jesus had to suffer horrifically to get us into heaven. Will we dare repay Him by sitting on a pew like a bump on a log? The shame of it all. Repent, you scalawags! Show Jesus you really love Him. Get busy.
Seems like any ol’ good work is appropriate, so long as we get busy. Trouble is, that is not in the b-i-b-l-e, BIBLE! As Rule #2 for Bible study teaches, “The Bible is our sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.”
Hmm. I have a novel idea. Maybe we should find out what the Bible wants from newly born again folks, rather than bury them alive under a pile of guilt feelings and send them off half-cocked to “serve Jesus”, whatever that means.
Perhaps church leaders—that would be us, my fellow preachers and teachers—perhaps we might want to read Ephesians 4:11-16 to see how the Bible instructs us to rear the spiritual young’uns under our care. The Holy Spirit gifts each Christian with at least one spiritual gift. This gift defines what ministry the Lord assigns the Christian.
It is the job of church leaders to teach this novel concept to the young’uns, not intimidate them into getting busy for Jesus. We need to be familiar with spiritual gifts, so we can help Christians to discover theirs and know how to direct them in putting them into use in the church. Think that might work? Hmm…
This would be a fine time to reflect on the subject at hand. Let’s call it a day and meet with Jesus for a spell. See you back here tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
In our last study we were discussing being born again and then growing up spiritually. Let’s continue with this discussion now.
The born again part is known as justification. The growing up part is called sanctification. The born again part occurs as a one time act, just as being born is a one time act. The spiritual growing up part is a continuous process for the rest of our lives, just as is the case of growing up in the natural realm.
And therein lies the problem, dear friends. Not many Christians realize this fact of spiritual life. It is common in the churches to exhort folks to come to the front of the church and “receive Jesus”. When they do so they are patted on the back, given a certificate which declares they are now born again, and sent to the pews to live as good old boys in the church.
Once or twice a year they are subjected to a “revival” service, where they are excoriated for sitting on the pews! They weren’t saved to sit on a pew, you know. They need to get up and get busy! What are they to get busy doing? Your guess is as good as mine. Just stop sitting in a pew and start serving Jesus, y’all hear?
Yep, that is known as revival in the churches. Poor Jesus had to suffer horrifically to get us into heaven. Will we dare repay Him by sitting on a pew like a bump on a log? The shame of it all. Repent, you scalawags! Show Jesus you really love Him. Get busy.
Seems like any ol’ good work is appropriate, so long as we get busy. Trouble is, that is not in the b-i-b-l-e, BIBLE! As Rule #2 for Bible study teaches, “The Bible is our sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice.”
Hmm. I have a novel idea. Maybe we should find out what the Bible wants from newly born again folks, rather than bury them alive under a pile of guilt feelings and send them off half-cocked to “serve Jesus”, whatever that means.
Perhaps church leaders—that would be us, my fellow preachers and teachers—perhaps we might want to read Ephesians 4:11-16 to see how the Bible instructs us to rear the spiritual young’uns under our care. The Holy Spirit gifts each Christian with at least one spiritual gift. This gift defines what ministry the Lord assigns the Christian.
It is the job of church leaders to teach this novel concept to the young’uns, not intimidate them into getting busy for Jesus. We need to be familiar with spiritual gifts, so we can help Christians to discover theirs and know how to direct them in putting them into use in the church. Think that might work? Hmm…
This would be a fine time to reflect on the subject at hand. Let’s call it a day and meet with Jesus for a spell. See you back here tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 11, 2012
Spiritual Amnesiacs – Part 1
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory [Colossians 3:1, 3-4].
He was a most pathetic character indeed. He got up in the morning and didn’t know who he was. He didn’t know where he came from. For that matter he didn’t even know where he was! Sounds like a cartoon or a joke, right? Wrong! It’s called amnesia.
Sometimes amnesia is mental, other times physical. Sometimes it is accident related, other times emotional due to shock. Sometimes amnesia occurs as a symptom of illness. Anyone knowing a poor unfortunate with Alzheimer’s Disease abruptly recognizes their memory problems. Stroke victims don’t only face loss of motor skills. They sometimes encounter memory malfunction.
How horrible not to remember a foundational part of one’s life. What must go through the minds of those still in their right senses, as far as recognizing the reality around them, yet they don’t recall their name or where they’re at or what they should be doing. Could anything be more disconcerting, dear friends?
Yes, I can think of something much more disconcerting. Spiritual amnesia is qualitatively more disconcerting! The problem with spiritual amnesia, what makes it so devastating to life, is that those afflicted with it don’t know they have it.
In the natural realm amnesiacs know that they don’t know. They recognize that something’s amiss. In the spiritual realm amnesiacs go right on thinking all is well with the world, when in fact all is anything but well.
The reason for this discrepancy between amnesia in the natural realm versus in the spiritual realm is simple. We live and breath and conduct our lives in the natural realm. I mean, if we didn’t we would no longer be in the natural realm. We would have died already and gone into eternity! Ergo, since we function in the natural realm, we recognize when our natural functioning is out of kilter.
Alas, but this isn’t necessarily the case with our spiritual functioning. Even more, it isn’t usually the case, which is what makes it so dangerous and life-threatening. When we become new creations, born again as spiritual recreations, we are still in our natural bodies in time, space, and matter.
Before a person is born again, he functions only naturally. Christians function both naturally and spiritually. Any person, including a Christian, can easily enough function naturally. After all, it’s natural! A Christian must attempt to function spiritually because it doesn’t happen naturally.
To function spiritually a person must first be born again. Next the person must grow up as a new creation. He must mature spiritually. He must stop being conformed to this world and instead be transformed by the renewing of his mind, so that he recognizes what the good and perfect will of God is (cf., Romans 12:1-2).
We will press the pause button here and call it a day. See you tomorrow. Enjoy Jesus today!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
He was a most pathetic character indeed. He got up in the morning and didn’t know who he was. He didn’t know where he came from. For that matter he didn’t even know where he was! Sounds like a cartoon or a joke, right? Wrong! It’s called amnesia.
Sometimes amnesia is mental, other times physical. Sometimes it is accident related, other times emotional due to shock. Sometimes amnesia occurs as a symptom of illness. Anyone knowing a poor unfortunate with Alzheimer’s Disease abruptly recognizes their memory problems. Stroke victims don’t only face loss of motor skills. They sometimes encounter memory malfunction.
How horrible not to remember a foundational part of one’s life. What must go through the minds of those still in their right senses, as far as recognizing the reality around them, yet they don’t recall their name or where they’re at or what they should be doing. Could anything be more disconcerting, dear friends?
Yes, I can think of something much more disconcerting. Spiritual amnesia is qualitatively more disconcerting! The problem with spiritual amnesia, what makes it so devastating to life, is that those afflicted with it don’t know they have it.
In the natural realm amnesiacs know that they don’t know. They recognize that something’s amiss. In the spiritual realm amnesiacs go right on thinking all is well with the world, when in fact all is anything but well.
The reason for this discrepancy between amnesia in the natural realm versus in the spiritual realm is simple. We live and breath and conduct our lives in the natural realm. I mean, if we didn’t we would no longer be in the natural realm. We would have died already and gone into eternity! Ergo, since we function in the natural realm, we recognize when our natural functioning is out of kilter.
Alas, but this isn’t necessarily the case with our spiritual functioning. Even more, it isn’t usually the case, which is what makes it so dangerous and life-threatening. When we become new creations, born again as spiritual recreations, we are still in our natural bodies in time, space, and matter.
Before a person is born again, he functions only naturally. Christians function both naturally and spiritually. Any person, including a Christian, can easily enough function naturally. After all, it’s natural! A Christian must attempt to function spiritually because it doesn’t happen naturally.
To function spiritually a person must first be born again. Next the person must grow up as a new creation. He must mature spiritually. He must stop being conformed to this world and instead be transformed by the renewing of his mind, so that he recognizes what the good and perfect will of God is (cf., Romans 12:1-2).
We will press the pause button here and call it a day. See you tomorrow. Enjoy Jesus today!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 10, 2012
Gnosis, Moses, or Gospel? – Part 3
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees?...These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence [Colossians 2:20, 23].
Listen to how Paul in our text for this study depicted the world religious systems known as Gnosticism.
1. self-made religion
2. self-abasement
3. severe treatment of the body
I ask you, does that not sound like monks in a monastery? Indeed it does! Once man rejects God’s Word, all he has left vis-à-vis spiritual understanding is “religion”. Religion is any collection of beliefs about how to know God and relate to Him.
By definition any religion is “self-made”, aka man-made. Only God knows God. Man can only know and relate to God based on God’s Word. In His Word God instructs man about Himself and eternity and His requirements. Once man rejects this instruction, all he has left is his own imagination. Religion by definition is “self-made” or “man-made”.
In order to feel that he is basically “good”, man via his religion abases himself. The monks in a monastery hide from the wicked world behind walls of seclusion. They flagellate themselves to beat the wicked flesh into submission and make themselves behave according to the rules and regulations of their man-made religion. As Paul noted, this is “self-abasement” and “severe treatment of the body”.
Trouble is, it is nothing more than “will worship”. Man of his own will determined these rules and regulations. God didn’t. Ergo, by means of religion man worships his own will, not God. Man’s rgood works don’t satisfy God in any way. They only serve to convince man that he really isn’t so bad after all, and so God must be pleased with him.
The result of religion is that man becomes convinced God is pleased with him, while all along God most definitely is not! Hence religion serves to stupefy man, so that he never goes to God to get right with Him. Getting right with God requires the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not religion. It requires God’s grace, not man’s good works.
Listen to Paul’s summation of Gnosticism specifically, and of religious good works in general:
• have…the appearance of wisdom
• are of no value against fleshly indulgence
See, the trouble with monkery in a monastery is that the evils of the world stem from the sin in man. Hide as we might behind monastery walls, we cannot escape ourselves. We might keep the rest of the world out, but we are still inside and sin in us is present.
Sin inside man is his natural condition, his nature. Flogging the outer body does nothing to the inner man…except stupefy him into thinking he is now okay with God since he whipped his poor aching flesh! Such self-styled good works “have the appearance of wisdom”, you see, but they “are of no value against fleshly indulgence”.
Do you get it? How much gnostic blood runs through our veins today? How much of church attendance is composed of “the appearance of wisdom”, while the sin nature (“fleshly indulgence”) runs amuck in our lives. Not to worry though, since we have been stupefied by our self-made religious rites into thinking all is well with God!
Nay, nay, kind Christians. Let us flee religion and betake ourselves to the true City of Refuge, aka the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to the Father. Religion is always a false route to take to God.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Listen to how Paul in our text for this study depicted the world religious systems known as Gnosticism.
1. self-made religion
2. self-abasement
3. severe treatment of the body
I ask you, does that not sound like monks in a monastery? Indeed it does! Once man rejects God’s Word, all he has left vis-à-vis spiritual understanding is “religion”. Religion is any collection of beliefs about how to know God and relate to Him.
By definition any religion is “self-made”, aka man-made. Only God knows God. Man can only know and relate to God based on God’s Word. In His Word God instructs man about Himself and eternity and His requirements. Once man rejects this instruction, all he has left is his own imagination. Religion by definition is “self-made” or “man-made”.
In order to feel that he is basically “good”, man via his religion abases himself. The monks in a monastery hide from the wicked world behind walls of seclusion. They flagellate themselves to beat the wicked flesh into submission and make themselves behave according to the rules and regulations of their man-made religion. As Paul noted, this is “self-abasement” and “severe treatment of the body”.
Trouble is, it is nothing more than “will worship”. Man of his own will determined these rules and regulations. God didn’t. Ergo, by means of religion man worships his own will, not God. Man’s rgood works don’t satisfy God in any way. They only serve to convince man that he really isn’t so bad after all, and so God must be pleased with him.
The result of religion is that man becomes convinced God is pleased with him, while all along God most definitely is not! Hence religion serves to stupefy man, so that he never goes to God to get right with Him. Getting right with God requires the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not religion. It requires God’s grace, not man’s good works.
Listen to Paul’s summation of Gnosticism specifically, and of religious good works in general:
• have…the appearance of wisdom
• are of no value against fleshly indulgence
See, the trouble with monkery in a monastery is that the evils of the world stem from the sin in man. Hide as we might behind monastery walls, we cannot escape ourselves. We might keep the rest of the world out, but we are still inside and sin in us is present.
Sin inside man is his natural condition, his nature. Flogging the outer body does nothing to the inner man…except stupefy him into thinking he is now okay with God since he whipped his poor aching flesh! Such self-styled good works “have the appearance of wisdom”, you see, but they “are of no value against fleshly indulgence”.
Do you get it? How much gnostic blood runs through our veins today? How much of church attendance is composed of “the appearance of wisdom”, while the sin nature (“fleshly indulgence”) runs amuck in our lives. Not to worry though, since we have been stupefied by our self-made religious rites into thinking all is well with God!
Nay, nay, kind Christians. Let us flee religion and betake ourselves to the true City of Refuge, aka the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to the Father. Religion is always a false route to take to God.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 9, 2012
Gnosis, Moses, or Gospel? – Part 2
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees?...These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence [Colossians 2:20, 23].
The Christians of the city of Colosse were surrounded by a belief system known as “Gnosticism”. Gnosticism’s tenets included belief that matter is inherently evil, while only spirit is good. This tenet perforce rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ because Jesus is the God-man, both God (spirit) and man (matter) in one Person.
Once the Gospel of Jesus Christ is eliminated from consideration, all that’s left is some form of religion. The difference between religion and the Gospel is that religion promotes good works in order to be saved, while the Gospel insists on the grace of God as the only way to be saved.
The word “grace” means that God did the works on man’s behalf, and man is to believe God’s Word about this and by faith accept God’s free offer of salvation. God’s grace comes via the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was why the Son of God took upon true humanity in the first place, viz., in order to die to pay the penalty for man’s sins and be able to offer man this paid-in-full blessing free of charge (i.e., grace).
Whereas Gnosticism denied that Jesus is the God-man, they rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This left them with religion, some rules and regulations which their devotees were obligated to obey in order to be good and holy and acceptable to God. Gnosticism was rampant in the Roman Empire’s Asia (i.e., Turkey or Asia Minor of today). Colosse was located there. Ergo, Colosse was infested with Gnostics.
When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Christians of Colosse (i.e., the Colossians), it was to address the system of works which the Gnostics promoted, so the Colossian Christians wouldn’t fall into the quagmire of gnostic beliefs. Evidently they were doing so and Paul wanted to steer them straight with regard to the Gospel.
Paul lumped the entire gnostic set of beliefs into one bag and labeled it “the elementary principles of the world”. It could not be otherwise. In the Bible the phrase “the world” is employed to refer to peoples and nations in opposition to God. The world stands in stark contrast to God and His Word. The world shakes the fist at God and says, “We won’t have this man to rule over us!” Jesus the Son of God is the man the world refuses to submit to.
Hence “the elementary principles of the world” by definition have nothing to do with God’s grace. This leaves the world’s people with only religion, and religion always promotes a set of good works to follow. The specific good works, the specific rules and regulations to obey, depends on which religion one belongs to.
Before going any further, permit me to note that the name Gnosticism comes from the Greek word “gnosis”, which means “knowledge”. Also, there was not just one set of beliefs with Gnosticism. Several schools of thought made up Gnosticism.
We will conclude this study on the morrow. We still have time to meet with Jesus before bed however. Let’s do so, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The Christians of the city of Colosse were surrounded by a belief system known as “Gnosticism”. Gnosticism’s tenets included belief that matter is inherently evil, while only spirit is good. This tenet perforce rejects the Gospel of Jesus Christ because Jesus is the God-man, both God (spirit) and man (matter) in one Person.
Once the Gospel of Jesus Christ is eliminated from consideration, all that’s left is some form of religion. The difference between religion and the Gospel is that religion promotes good works in order to be saved, while the Gospel insists on the grace of God as the only way to be saved.
The word “grace” means that God did the works on man’s behalf, and man is to believe God’s Word about this and by faith accept God’s free offer of salvation. God’s grace comes via the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was why the Son of God took upon true humanity in the first place, viz., in order to die to pay the penalty for man’s sins and be able to offer man this paid-in-full blessing free of charge (i.e., grace).
Whereas Gnosticism denied that Jesus is the God-man, they rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This left them with religion, some rules and regulations which their devotees were obligated to obey in order to be good and holy and acceptable to God. Gnosticism was rampant in the Roman Empire’s Asia (i.e., Turkey or Asia Minor of today). Colosse was located there. Ergo, Colosse was infested with Gnostics.
When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Christians of Colosse (i.e., the Colossians), it was to address the system of works which the Gnostics promoted, so the Colossian Christians wouldn’t fall into the quagmire of gnostic beliefs. Evidently they were doing so and Paul wanted to steer them straight with regard to the Gospel.
Paul lumped the entire gnostic set of beliefs into one bag and labeled it “the elementary principles of the world”. It could not be otherwise. In the Bible the phrase “the world” is employed to refer to peoples and nations in opposition to God. The world stands in stark contrast to God and His Word. The world shakes the fist at God and says, “We won’t have this man to rule over us!” Jesus the Son of God is the man the world refuses to submit to.
Hence “the elementary principles of the world” by definition have nothing to do with God’s grace. This leaves the world’s people with only religion, and religion always promotes a set of good works to follow. The specific good works, the specific rules and regulations to obey, depends on which religion one belongs to.
Before going any further, permit me to note that the name Gnosticism comes from the Greek word “gnosis”, which means “knowledge”. Also, there was not just one set of beliefs with Gnosticism. Several schools of thought made up Gnosticism.
We will conclude this study on the morrow. We still have time to meet with Jesus before bed however. Let’s do so, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 8, 2012
Gnosis, Moses, or Gospel? – Part 1
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees?...These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence [Colossians 2:20, 23].
When I was a boy I played games with the other kids. During school recess we played ball outside. After school we played soldiers with toy guns, or Zorro with sticks for swords. We were serious, mind you. We gave it our best effort at fighting the war or jabbing with the stick sword. But we weren’t really soldiers or Zorro. Nor were we NBA or NFL or MLB stars.
There is a point to this glance in the rear view mirror of life, dear friends. Reality is, well, real. Good intentions and sincerity doth not reality make. If I’m not Zorro, try and try as I might, all the swords in the world won’t make it so, not matter how sincere I might be about it. Fact of the matter is, the more sincere I am about being Zorro, the more self-delusional I demonstrate myself to be. And that’s not a good thing!
We folks in the churches are sincere, very sincere, no, even more sincere than that! We have good intentions too, let me tell you. But you know, all is to no avail in being right with God, if good intentions and sincerity are our guiding light. It is like playing church, just as surely as I sincerely played Zorro with a stick sword back in the day.
In the 1st Century A.D. there was this spiritual movement afoot in the Roman Empire. It seems to have been strongest in the area of what is now Turkey. The city of Colosse was located there. At the time this area was known as Asia, a part of the Roman Empire.
Anyway, this spiritual movement wore the epithet “Gnosticism”. I won’t bore you with a detailed explanation of its tenets. For our purposes in this study, suffice it to say that the Gnosticism believed matter was fundamentally evil, while pure spirit alone was good or holy.
In the context of Christianity this denounced the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christianity’s fundamental tenet is that the Son of God took upon true humanity circa 3 B.C. The Son of God is by definition God, and God is spirit. True humanity is by definition flesh, which is matter. Ergo, Jesus is the God-man, both God and man simultaneously.
Such a tenet goes counter to the tenets of Gnosticism because matter (which is good) cannot mix with spirit (which is bad). Accordingly Gnostics denied that Jesus is both God and man.
Some said Jesus wasn’t really a man at all, but as the Son of God He simply took on the appearance of a man. Others claimed Jesus wasn’t really God but only some angel-being distantly removed from God. This angel-being possessed Jesus for a while and performed the miracles. When Jesus went to the cross, the angel-being left Jesus, who was really only a man.
Oh, but we’re out of time already. Shucks. I am really having fun. Oh, well. We’ll return to this subject tomorrow. For today let’s enjoy time alone with Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
When I was a boy I played games with the other kids. During school recess we played ball outside. After school we played soldiers with toy guns, or Zorro with sticks for swords. We were serious, mind you. We gave it our best effort at fighting the war or jabbing with the stick sword. But we weren’t really soldiers or Zorro. Nor were we NBA or NFL or MLB stars.
There is a point to this glance in the rear view mirror of life, dear friends. Reality is, well, real. Good intentions and sincerity doth not reality make. If I’m not Zorro, try and try as I might, all the swords in the world won’t make it so, not matter how sincere I might be about it. Fact of the matter is, the more sincere I am about being Zorro, the more self-delusional I demonstrate myself to be. And that’s not a good thing!
We folks in the churches are sincere, very sincere, no, even more sincere than that! We have good intentions too, let me tell you. But you know, all is to no avail in being right with God, if good intentions and sincerity are our guiding light. It is like playing church, just as surely as I sincerely played Zorro with a stick sword back in the day.
In the 1st Century A.D. there was this spiritual movement afoot in the Roman Empire. It seems to have been strongest in the area of what is now Turkey. The city of Colosse was located there. At the time this area was known as Asia, a part of the Roman Empire.
Anyway, this spiritual movement wore the epithet “Gnosticism”. I won’t bore you with a detailed explanation of its tenets. For our purposes in this study, suffice it to say that the Gnosticism believed matter was fundamentally evil, while pure spirit alone was good or holy.
In the context of Christianity this denounced the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christianity’s fundamental tenet is that the Son of God took upon true humanity circa 3 B.C. The Son of God is by definition God, and God is spirit. True humanity is by definition flesh, which is matter. Ergo, Jesus is the God-man, both God and man simultaneously.
Such a tenet goes counter to the tenets of Gnosticism because matter (which is good) cannot mix with spirit (which is bad). Accordingly Gnostics denied that Jesus is both God and man.
Some said Jesus wasn’t really a man at all, but as the Son of God He simply took on the appearance of a man. Others claimed Jesus wasn’t really God but only some angel-being distantly removed from God. This angel-being possessed Jesus for a while and performed the miracles. When Jesus went to the cross, the angel-being left Jesus, who was really only a man.
Oh, but we’re out of time already. Shucks. I am really having fun. Oh, well. We’ll return to this subject tomorrow. For today let’s enjoy time alone with Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 7, 2012
Grief and Relief – Part 2
Let the day perish on which I was to be born, and the night which said, “A boy is conceived.” [Job 3:3]
Job went through hell on earth. Then his three friends arrived to comfort him. They began well, sitting down beside Job for three days and nights, speaking nary a word but being there so Job didn’t feel alone. That much was a good thing.
Job soaked up their presence and endured all the longer through his grieving process. In grief we begin by being overwhelmed and wiped out. After some time this changes to anger and we lash out, even if it’s only against the air. We are reeling in the pain without any recourse for bringing it to an end, so we let off steam by blurting out our frustration. The worse the grief, the more severe the venting.
This is where chapter 3 comes in. Job sat with his three friends and their companion for seven days and nights. He was doubled over with emotional devastation inside him, unable to cope with all that had transpired in his life of late.
Remember, his life was one of wealth and status. Now it was all gone, including his ten children and his health. He no longer had a life for all intents and purposes. That much is a given, when it comes to survival in this world. Instead of helping others and feeling good about himself, Job now had nothing about himself to feel good and he found himself in desperate need of being helped.
The fermentation welling up inside him at last popped the cork and erupted into a lava flow of frustration. He rued the day of his birth, wishing he had never been born. Even more, he pronounced a curse on the day of his birth, wanting to get even with that day by casting it into the eternal infernal place!
This is real stuff, dear friends. If you’ve never faced anything so severe, praise the Lord! I am happy for you. But don’t get cocky like Job’s three friends did with him, thinking you could never have it so bad. Such thinking is wrong on several counts, the most compelling one being pride.
Suchlike thinking means we see the sufferer not as the victim but as the instigator of his woes, as deserving whatever he gets. But not us! Oh, no, we aren’t bad enough to deserve that! We’re good old boys.
Such was the mentality of Job’s three friends, falsely so-called. Small wonder, then, that their help did more harm than good—scratch that; their help did all harm and no good. As friends go, those three rascals were no good!
When we face the obstacles and roadblocks life puts in our way, especially the extremely severe type which leave us ruing the day of our birth, let us find our comfort in the only place it is guaranteed. Job did. The Book of Job concludes with Job bowing to the Lord and giving Him the glory. In consequence of his repentance the Lord gave Job his deliverance.
Friends may come and friends may go, but the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever. He knows a thing or two about suffering—I mean REAL suffering—and He can empathize with us no matter how severe a struggle we have to endure. We cannot honestly say that about our friends.
So let’s not sing a pitiful country song about trying to find friends in all the wrong places. Let’s find Him Who is a true Friend indeed. He is to be found in the only right place, viz., in prayer and Bible alone with Him.
I must tell Jesus all of my troubles. I cannot bear my burdens alone. Sing it with me, won’t you?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Job went through hell on earth. Then his three friends arrived to comfort him. They began well, sitting down beside Job for three days and nights, speaking nary a word but being there so Job didn’t feel alone. That much was a good thing.
Job soaked up their presence and endured all the longer through his grieving process. In grief we begin by being overwhelmed and wiped out. After some time this changes to anger and we lash out, even if it’s only against the air. We are reeling in the pain without any recourse for bringing it to an end, so we let off steam by blurting out our frustration. The worse the grief, the more severe the venting.
This is where chapter 3 comes in. Job sat with his three friends and their companion for seven days and nights. He was doubled over with emotional devastation inside him, unable to cope with all that had transpired in his life of late.
Remember, his life was one of wealth and status. Now it was all gone, including his ten children and his health. He no longer had a life for all intents and purposes. That much is a given, when it comes to survival in this world. Instead of helping others and feeling good about himself, Job now had nothing about himself to feel good and he found himself in desperate need of being helped.
The fermentation welling up inside him at last popped the cork and erupted into a lava flow of frustration. He rued the day of his birth, wishing he had never been born. Even more, he pronounced a curse on the day of his birth, wanting to get even with that day by casting it into the eternal infernal place!
This is real stuff, dear friends. If you’ve never faced anything so severe, praise the Lord! I am happy for you. But don’t get cocky like Job’s three friends did with him, thinking you could never have it so bad. Such thinking is wrong on several counts, the most compelling one being pride.
Suchlike thinking means we see the sufferer not as the victim but as the instigator of his woes, as deserving whatever he gets. But not us! Oh, no, we aren’t bad enough to deserve that! We’re good old boys.
Such was the mentality of Job’s three friends, falsely so-called. Small wonder, then, that their help did more harm than good—scratch that; their help did all harm and no good. As friends go, those three rascals were no good!
When we face the obstacles and roadblocks life puts in our way, especially the extremely severe type which leave us ruing the day of our birth, let us find our comfort in the only place it is guaranteed. Job did. The Book of Job concludes with Job bowing to the Lord and giving Him the glory. In consequence of his repentance the Lord gave Job his deliverance.
Friends may come and friends may go, but the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever. He knows a thing or two about suffering—I mean REAL suffering—and He can empathize with us no matter how severe a struggle we have to endure. We cannot honestly say that about our friends.
So let’s not sing a pitiful country song about trying to find friends in all the wrong places. Let’s find Him Who is a true Friend indeed. He is to be found in the only right place, viz., in prayer and Bible alone with Him.
I must tell Jesus all of my troubles. I cannot bear my burdens alone. Sing it with me, won’t you?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 6, 2012
Grief and Relief – Part 1
Let the day perish on which I was to be born, and the night which said, “A boy is conceived.” [Job 3:3]
Have you ever had it so rough that you wished you were dead? Hope not, but it can happen. Life has been known to throw some fast curve balls, and it’s hard not to strike out when it happens.
I’ve known this from personal experience. At times I have to watch myself that I don’t succumb to despondency. On such occasions I almost become convinced that I was born under a bad sign—but such thinking belongs to astrology, and I don’t subscribe to astrology.
Once there was this man named Job. He was a man of like passions as all men. His social estate was one of wealth and status. He wasn’t supercilious about it though. He aided the weak and less fortunate, helped the widows and orphans, and in general served his community with distinction.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the supermarket one day. Without warning his property perished through supernatural causes. Oh, nature was the agent of destruction, but behind the scenes Satan was the culprit.
As if the loss of his livelihood wasn’t enough, his seven sons and three daughters were dispatched to eternity in the blink of an eye. Again, nature was the agent of destruction, but behind the scenes Satan was the culprit.
One would think it couldn’t get any worse for Job at that moment…but it did! His wife turned on him and told him God was against him. To listen to wifey, he should get it over with. Stop clinging to his righteousness. Curse God and die!
She had some swell advice, don’t you think? Especially coming, as it did, at such a time in Job’s life. The only positive Job could cull from the situation by then was that the worst was over. I mean, what else was there that could go wrong, right?
Wrong! Job still had his health. Oops! I shouldn’t have said it. I jinxed him. Job lost his health too. Again, nature was the agent of destruction, but behind the scenes Satan was the culprit. Egads! Won’t it ever end? God, help me!
Such was the mess in which Job was embroiled, when we get to the story at chapter 3. Oh, no, I forgot a crucial detail to the story. Job still hadn’t reached rock bottom. He still couldn’t catch a break.
Job’s three “friends” arrived to “comfort” him, and they brought a young dude along with them who meant well but hadn’t the experience to actually do well. This young guy did have enough sense, though, to zip the lip and let the adults speak first. Alas for poor Job. He would’ve been the better if they had kept quiet too.
But we’re getting ahead of the story because, as chapter 3 commences, Job’s friends hadn’t yet begun to flap their jaws with their religious tripe and empty clichés. They did begin on a good note, by sitting beside Job for seven days and nights without attempting to give him advice.
Their presence no doubt was an encouragement to Job. That much was their duty as friends, dear people. They were there to keep quiet and be available for Job, so he didn’t have to feel alone under such duress. He needed their moral support, not their oral retorts.
Would that the story concluded on such a high note. Alas, but it didn’t. We will continue the tale on the morrow. For the present let’s spend some time alone with Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Have you ever had it so rough that you wished you were dead? Hope not, but it can happen. Life has been known to throw some fast curve balls, and it’s hard not to strike out when it happens.
I’ve known this from personal experience. At times I have to watch myself that I don’t succumb to despondency. On such occasions I almost become convinced that I was born under a bad sign—but such thinking belongs to astrology, and I don’t subscribe to astrology.
Once there was this man named Job. He was a man of like passions as all men. His social estate was one of wealth and status. He wasn’t supercilious about it though. He aided the weak and less fortunate, helped the widows and orphans, and in general served his community with distinction.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the supermarket one day. Without warning his property perished through supernatural causes. Oh, nature was the agent of destruction, but behind the scenes Satan was the culprit.
As if the loss of his livelihood wasn’t enough, his seven sons and three daughters were dispatched to eternity in the blink of an eye. Again, nature was the agent of destruction, but behind the scenes Satan was the culprit.
One would think it couldn’t get any worse for Job at that moment…but it did! His wife turned on him and told him God was against him. To listen to wifey, he should get it over with. Stop clinging to his righteousness. Curse God and die!
She had some swell advice, don’t you think? Especially coming, as it did, at such a time in Job’s life. The only positive Job could cull from the situation by then was that the worst was over. I mean, what else was there that could go wrong, right?
Wrong! Job still had his health. Oops! I shouldn’t have said it. I jinxed him. Job lost his health too. Again, nature was the agent of destruction, but behind the scenes Satan was the culprit. Egads! Won’t it ever end? God, help me!
Such was the mess in which Job was embroiled, when we get to the story at chapter 3. Oh, no, I forgot a crucial detail to the story. Job still hadn’t reached rock bottom. He still couldn’t catch a break.
Job’s three “friends” arrived to “comfort” him, and they brought a young dude along with them who meant well but hadn’t the experience to actually do well. This young guy did have enough sense, though, to zip the lip and let the adults speak first. Alas for poor Job. He would’ve been the better if they had kept quiet too.
But we’re getting ahead of the story because, as chapter 3 commences, Job’s friends hadn’t yet begun to flap their jaws with their religious tripe and empty clichés. They did begin on a good note, by sitting beside Job for seven days and nights without attempting to give him advice.
Their presence no doubt was an encouragement to Job. That much was their duty as friends, dear people. They were there to keep quiet and be available for Job, so he didn’t have to feel alone under such duress. He needed their moral support, not their oral retorts.
Would that the story concluded on such a high note. Alas, but it didn’t. We will continue the tale on the morrow. For the present let’s spend some time alone with Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 5, 2012
TRP Bandits Are the Worst! – Part 3
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ [Philippians 3:7-8].
The Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3 are quite special, just as the Apostle himself is. If ever there was a man, our Lord Jesus excepted, who was worth emulating, it was Paul. It would be to our hurt to move on from verses 7-8 without further rumination.
Before he was born again, Paul was a young man with a most promising future in Judaism. His own words in the New Testament incline us to believe he was already a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council of that day. He was taught by one of the foremost Jewish teachers of the time, Rabbi Gamaliel. To contemporize it, Paul was already a Harvard educated Senator from New York, on a fast track to the White House.
Such a one owned the world. He was the man! He boasted of his pedigree. All doors flew open when he approached. He excelled at his job of persecuting the Christians. He was the desire of the ladies and the envy of gentlemen. His future was bright indeed.
But a strange thing happened to Paul (aka Saul) on his way to the city of the Damascenes one day. The Jewish authorities entrusted him with official paperwork to the authorities there, authorizing Paul to seize Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem to stand trial for heresy.
Can you guess what happened? As they drew near the city, suddenly a blinding light from heaven shone on Paul and his underlings. Paul heard a voice speak to him from heaven, but the underlings only heard indistinguishable noise. The voice queried Paul, “Why are you persecuting me?”
“Uh, who might you be, sir?” Paul responded.
“I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting,” was the retort. “Now get up and go into Damascus. A man named Ananias will tell you what you must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Paul arose, but he couldn’t see the end of his nose! No way he was going to Damascus. Lucky for him his underlings could see, which is interesting since the light blinded Paul but not them. Not only could they not recognize a voice speaking from heaven, but they apparently were unable to see a blinding light from heaven too. I think it had something to do with faith or lack thereof. Paul had it, they didn’t. Ergo, they didn’t recognize the Lord’s presence or receive His impending blessing.
Anyway, they led Paul to Damascus and, sure enough, a man named Ananias paid Paul a visit. The long and the short of it is that Paul was born again, his eyesight returned, and his life of advancement in Judaism was replaced with a life of deprivation in Christianity.
Paul was persecuted relentlessly by his erstwhile associates, and it never ceased until his death. He suffered shipwreck, was whipped the maximum forty lashes minus one for his faith on more than one occasion, faced plots to assassinate him by the Jewish authorities—in fine, plunged from top of the food chain in Judaism to bottom of the rubbish heap in their eyes.
Not to fear. Paul couldn’t have been more content because he was walking in obedience to the Word of God and enjoying fellowship with the Lord Jesus daily. He gladly renounced all the perks he once had in Judaism, in favor of adoption into the family of God known as the Church.
Read Paul’s words one more time before closing this study. Understand them in the context of today’s review. Are you pumped or what? I want to experience the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”, which Paul valued so highly. How about you?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3 are quite special, just as the Apostle himself is. If ever there was a man, our Lord Jesus excepted, who was worth emulating, it was Paul. It would be to our hurt to move on from verses 7-8 without further rumination.
Before he was born again, Paul was a young man with a most promising future in Judaism. His own words in the New Testament incline us to believe he was already a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council of that day. He was taught by one of the foremost Jewish teachers of the time, Rabbi Gamaliel. To contemporize it, Paul was already a Harvard educated Senator from New York, on a fast track to the White House.
Such a one owned the world. He was the man! He boasted of his pedigree. All doors flew open when he approached. He excelled at his job of persecuting the Christians. He was the desire of the ladies and the envy of gentlemen. His future was bright indeed.
But a strange thing happened to Paul (aka Saul) on his way to the city of the Damascenes one day. The Jewish authorities entrusted him with official paperwork to the authorities there, authorizing Paul to seize Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem to stand trial for heresy.
Can you guess what happened? As they drew near the city, suddenly a blinding light from heaven shone on Paul and his underlings. Paul heard a voice speak to him from heaven, but the underlings only heard indistinguishable noise. The voice queried Paul, “Why are you persecuting me?”
“Uh, who might you be, sir?” Paul responded.
“I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting,” was the retort. “Now get up and go into Damascus. A man named Ananias will tell you what you must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Paul arose, but he couldn’t see the end of his nose! No way he was going to Damascus. Lucky for him his underlings could see, which is interesting since the light blinded Paul but not them. Not only could they not recognize a voice speaking from heaven, but they apparently were unable to see a blinding light from heaven too. I think it had something to do with faith or lack thereof. Paul had it, they didn’t. Ergo, they didn’t recognize the Lord’s presence or receive His impending blessing.
Anyway, they led Paul to Damascus and, sure enough, a man named Ananias paid Paul a visit. The long and the short of it is that Paul was born again, his eyesight returned, and his life of advancement in Judaism was replaced with a life of deprivation in Christianity.
Paul was persecuted relentlessly by his erstwhile associates, and it never ceased until his death. He suffered shipwreck, was whipped the maximum forty lashes minus one for his faith on more than one occasion, faced plots to assassinate him by the Jewish authorities—in fine, plunged from top of the food chain in Judaism to bottom of the rubbish heap in their eyes.
Not to fear. Paul couldn’t have been more content because he was walking in obedience to the Word of God and enjoying fellowship with the Lord Jesus daily. He gladly renounced all the perks he once had in Judaism, in favor of adoption into the family of God known as the Church.
Read Paul’s words one more time before closing this study. Understand them in the context of today’s review. Are you pumped or what? I want to experience the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”, which Paul valued so highly. How about you?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
June 4, 2012
TRP Bandits Are the Worst! – Part 2
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ [Philippians 3:7-8].
No one is born a Christian. Doesn’t matter who our parents are or if we are in church seventy-three times a week. No one is born a Christian. Every person must be born again to become a Christian.
In the natural realm after a person is born, he must then grow up. He must mature into an adult who can contribute to society. He must study and learn and gain experience and put it all together by practicing what he learns.
The spiritual realm has its counterpart to this. Every person who is born again must then grow up. We do so by eating hearty spiritual meals from the Word of God—from the whole counsel of God rather than picking and choosing what we like. We also grow strong spiritual muscles through prayer and Bible meditation while alone with the Lord Jesus. Then we put into practice what He teaches us, as the Holy Spirit gifts us and directs and empowers us.
One thing each and every Christian must do as a part of maturing spiritually is to prioritize what is important and what is not. In the natural realm my Tootsie Roll Pops were not important, as least not to anyone who matured a bit. There are also many spiritual TRPs which exist. The Christian must prioritize between what is a spiritual TRP and what is a spiritual principle.
Sometimes this is phrased in today’s parlance “major on the majors and not on the minors”. Alas, but the spiritual immaturity in many churches is prominently on display, when minor, insignificant points serve as a soapbox, while the weighty matters are left by the wayside. Such conditions usually are a sign that the lunatics are running the asylum! Beware the spiritual bedlamites!
Let’s list a few hills in the Body of Christ which are worth dying on:
• growing up in Christ
• discovering our spiritual gifts
• employing our spiritual gifts in the ministry assigned us by the Holy Spirit
• holding to the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible
• insisting on the Bible as the sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice
• holding to the deity of Jesus Christ
• holding to the humanity of Jesus Christ
• holding to Jesus as being the only way of salvation
• holding to the necessity of being born again to get to heaven
• holding to the requirement that only born again folks can have church membership and hold church positions
This list is by no means exhaustive. It is given to open our eyes to the reality that there are some things on which we dare not compromise. Then again, on other things we should be prepared to compromise. Many of them are good. Others are quite helpful.
But in the end these other things don’t get anyone into heaven or keep them out of heaven. They are useful in helping us to understand the Lord and His Word better. Still, there is room for us to agree to disagree with regard to them, without compromising our salvation or witness for Christ.
Let us recognize this truth and demonstrate our spiritual maturity. Let us build up the Body of Christ, not tear it down by majoring on the minors. Paul abandoned all the things he once deemed essential and necessary, all for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus better and growing up in him. That is the essence of his words which we quoted at the start of this study.
We will do ourselves good to emulate this fine man of God on that point. After all, the Holy Spirit did inspire Paul to pen these words for our learning. That is reason enough for me to want to emulate the behavior. How about you?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
No one is born a Christian. Doesn’t matter who our parents are or if we are in church seventy-three times a week. No one is born a Christian. Every person must be born again to become a Christian.
In the natural realm after a person is born, he must then grow up. He must mature into an adult who can contribute to society. He must study and learn and gain experience and put it all together by practicing what he learns.
The spiritual realm has its counterpart to this. Every person who is born again must then grow up. We do so by eating hearty spiritual meals from the Word of God—from the whole counsel of God rather than picking and choosing what we like. We also grow strong spiritual muscles through prayer and Bible meditation while alone with the Lord Jesus. Then we put into practice what He teaches us, as the Holy Spirit gifts us and directs and empowers us.
One thing each and every Christian must do as a part of maturing spiritually is to prioritize what is important and what is not. In the natural realm my Tootsie Roll Pops were not important, as least not to anyone who matured a bit. There are also many spiritual TRPs which exist. The Christian must prioritize between what is a spiritual TRP and what is a spiritual principle.
Sometimes this is phrased in today’s parlance “major on the majors and not on the minors”. Alas, but the spiritual immaturity in many churches is prominently on display, when minor, insignificant points serve as a soapbox, while the weighty matters are left by the wayside. Such conditions usually are a sign that the lunatics are running the asylum! Beware the spiritual bedlamites!
Let’s list a few hills in the Body of Christ which are worth dying on:
• growing up in Christ
• discovering our spiritual gifts
• employing our spiritual gifts in the ministry assigned us by the Holy Spirit
• holding to the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible
• insisting on the Bible as the sole and final authority in all matters of faith and practice
• holding to the deity of Jesus Christ
• holding to the humanity of Jesus Christ
• holding to Jesus as being the only way of salvation
• holding to the necessity of being born again to get to heaven
• holding to the requirement that only born again folks can have church membership and hold church positions
This list is by no means exhaustive. It is given to open our eyes to the reality that there are some things on which we dare not compromise. Then again, on other things we should be prepared to compromise. Many of them are good. Others are quite helpful.
But in the end these other things don’t get anyone into heaven or keep them out of heaven. They are useful in helping us to understand the Lord and His Word better. Still, there is room for us to agree to disagree with regard to them, without compromising our salvation or witness for Christ.
Let us recognize this truth and demonstrate our spiritual maturity. Let us build up the Body of Christ, not tear it down by majoring on the minors. Paul abandoned all the things he once deemed essential and necessary, all for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus better and growing up in him. That is the essence of his words which we quoted at the start of this study.
We will do ourselves good to emulate this fine man of God on that point. After all, the Holy Spirit did inspire Paul to pen these words for our learning. That is reason enough for me to want to emulate the behavior. How about you?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
