Richard Mansel's Blog, page 9

Is Jesus the God of the Second Amendment?

by Richard Mansel

A radio announcer talked about a church where they were celebrating guns and Jesus. My reaction was, “What does one have to do with the other?”

Christians are citizens of a spiritual kingdom despite living in a fleshly country (Philippians 3:20; Romans 13:1-5). We are to be salt and light, commissioned to bring the lost to Christ (Matthew 5:13-16; Mark 16:15-16).

Political ideas and Biblical teaching sometimes do intersect (abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, etc.). When they’re two separate issues, we must be careful to keep them apart so as not to taint God’s Word.

One of the most passionate issues in our nation is gun control. Some want to take guns away from citizens in order to stop crime. They mean well, but good intentions cannot override a bad idea.

Christians understand sin (Romans 3:9-18, 23; Genesis 6:5) and unless the entire world fully embraces Christ and his Word, true peace will never exist. And that’ll never happen (Matthew 7:13-14). We cannot get laws just right so crime will vanish.

Gun control advocates think criminals will give up their guns along with law-abiding citizens and we’ll be safe and glorious. Ridiculous! Instead, the innocent will be defenseless against armed criminals. People forget crime predated guns.

It’s too late to take away firearms. There are too many of them. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution should continue to allow citizens to own guns for protection. However, that is a political issue and not a Biblical one.

Our ultimate enemy is spiritual and only through spiritual weaponry can we defeat Satan (Ephesians 6:10-17). Only through obedience (John 14:15; Romans 10:17) and the blood of Christ can we be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 1:7).

Guns have nothing to do with God’s will and mission and when we portray him inaccurately, we’re violating Scripture (Colossians 3:17), and there will be serious repercussions for that (Matthew 16:23; 18:6).

We can be passionate about God and guns as long as we never forget the boundaries.

We have no right to get angry with those who use God to promote their non-Biblical ideas when we do the same thing. It is just as silly for PETA to call Jesus the Prince of Peas as it is for us to call him the God of Guns.

Meeting the Preacher at the Door after the Sermon

by Richard Mansel

There is a time-honored tradition of the preacher meeting people at the door as they exit the building after worship. Few Christians give any thought to how fragile and weighty that moment can be.

As soon as the last amen is uttered, the race begins. Attendees who don’t want to talk nearly run out the door. The preacher is outnumbered and barely gets a chance to shake a few hands as the wave moves past him.

Various threads are possibly running through his head.

He wishes he could make more of an impact on those fleeing attendees.
He’s wishing he could have been more effective in his sermon.
He’s wondering how many were in attendance.
He’s hoping people were edified and affected by the sermon.

Those in attendance leave; children rushing, parents chasing, brethren chatting. As they file past the preacher they may share a greeting, handshake or hug and maybe a perfunctory “good sermon” or “enjoyed your lesson.”

A kind word is always appreciated but when it’s uttered out of habit or compulsion, it doesn’t carry the same weight. The preacher is looking at people’s faces wondering how they were impacted by the sermon.

If no one says anything about the lesson, the preacher is left wondering. Satan may seek an inroads to discouragement (1 Peter 5:8). Preachers are susceptible like anyone else (Romans 3:23).

Many preachers are passionate about God’s Word and they spend many hours preparing their sermons. He puts all he has into the lesson and would probably enjoy discussing the sermon to get some feedback.

Sound preachers are special people and deserve our respect (Romans 10:15). The least we can do is support them.

Offer genuine comments about the sermon.
Let him know what parts touched you.
Engage and edify.
Ask constructive questions.
Inspire him to keep going.
Show appreciation.

It’s easy to take the commonplace for granted. We must make a conscious effort to be better. A great place to start is helping preachers grow in confidence and resolve. While sometimes silence is golden, it is often deadly and dispiriting.

What about faithful Christians with unfaithful adult children?

by Richard Mansel

Certain topics matter very much to Christians in the pew, but they’re rarely addressed from the pulpit. We must open the window on a topic that causes pain for many Christians.

What does the Bible say about faithful Christians who have unfaithful adult children?

We must tread lightly because raw nerves lie exposed. Some Christian parents do have unfaithful children because of the mistakes they made. Extrapolating that belief to all families is both dangerous and dishonest.

Scripture says a lot about parenting. The Old Testament is brimming with good and bad examples (Genesis 18:18-19; 1 Samuel 1:11).

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV).

Proverbs are true, but complicated. Parents should teach their children about God and righteous living at every opportunity (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Ephesians 6:4). What the child does with that teaching is a separate issue.

For example, Elders are commanded to have “faithful” children (Titus 1:6) and to have “his children in submission with all reverence” (1 Timothy 3:4; cf. Ephesians 6:1). These are important principles for all parents.

When children are under our roof, we have greater control over whether they attend and serve God. We can ground them in Christ, teaching them to be sound Bible students and how to make good spiritual decisions.

Yet, when they leave home, it becomes increasingly complicated because they have new jobs, friends, relationships and communities. Their values and beliefs may undergo a tidal change based on new indicators and influences.

The pliable toddler becomes an adult with a thousand moving parts that we can’t control and the concept of freewill takes on a new perspective.

Raised faithfully means remaining faithful is by no means a law. Yet, too many Christians with faithful adult children think it is. What one parent does with their children will not necessarily work with every child.

Blaming someone for something that isn’t their fault is cruel and unchristian. Parents with unfaithful children suffer already and when they’re met with disdain rather than support, it compounds their misery.

What can we do with unfaithful Children?

First, pray for them.
Second, live a good example in love and understanding.
Third, keep the lines of communication open.

We don’t know what may lead them back to Christ and we want to be there when they do. Model the faith and value the Savior before them and live a transformed life (Romans 12:1-2). Hopefully, they will watch and listen, providing more opportunities for dialogue.

We must not, however, ignore the teachings of Scripture and rationalize away their sin. That would do them eternal harm (Luke 13:3-5).

Our children must be aware that we disapprove of their unfaithfulness. However, our unconditional love serves as an anchor of hope.

Pray for faithful Christians with unfaithful children and pray that their children will repent.

The Face of Evil

Satan’s influence in this world is firm and all-encompassing. Throughout all of society, we see the existence of evil. His ways have touched the hearts of men leading them to do all manner of evil.

Years ago I watched a two-part documentary on the “History International” channel on “The Third Reich.” The second part of the series discussed the fall of the Nazi party in Germany. They examined film, audio and remembrances of the German people during World War II. It was unlike anything I had ever seen.

One part was especially chilling.

A 21 year-old Nazi soldier named Willy Peter Reese talked about how the Nazis marched into Russia. In his video footage he had built a small gallows, where he had suspended three stuffed animals with tape. He had piled wood underneath them and he set the wood on fire to burn their bodies as they hung from the gallows. He said, “We marched into Russia. Murdered the Jews, strangled the women, killed the children. Everyone knows what we bring.”

That was one of the most frightening things I had ever heard. I couldn’t get it out of my mind and I watched that scene several times. We need to be reminded from time to time that such evil exists and that in Christ, we are free from Satan’s grasp (Revelation 20:7-10).

Every person is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). However, with some, their good parts are frozen from disuse. They have given themselves completely to, what C.S. Lewis called, “Our father below.” Satan is constantly out to destroy us and steal our humanity (1 Peter 5:8; Luke 22:31).

Only through Christ can we be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ’s blood will wash away our iniquities, freeing us from the disease of sin (1 John 1:7; Acts 2:37-38).

We cannot control what other people do, and the evil in their hearts. All we can do is serve the Lord and be ready when we take our last breath (Luke 13:3-5). Evil may kill our bodies, but it is defenseless against a soul that is washed in the blood of Christ (Romans 5:6-11).

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Is Baptism Always the Right Argument?

We should want desperately to reach the lost for Christ (Matthew 28:18-20). Laying out the truth of salvation, we face ridicule and, at times, open hostility. The pervasive division in the religious world creates endless complications.

In matters of the gospel, this is also true. We must find a way to convince more people that Scripture is clear in its plan of salvation.

Salvation comes by grace because we cannot merit salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5). We show from God’s Word that we must have faith that Christ is the Savior and Son of God (Hebrews 11:6). Having done so, we repent of our sins (Luke 13:3-5) and confess Jesus as the new Lord of our lives (Matthew 10:32).

Having submitted to Christ, we come and have our sins washed in the blood of Christ through the waters of baptism (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21).

With the mention of these clear passages comes the aforementioned ridicule and hostility. The argument that these teachings violate grace and constitute salvation by works quickly spills out of their mouths. They are wrong, however.

Experience and meditation lead us to wonder if baptism is the right point to begin the debate. We hasten to add that baptism for the remission of sins is true and should be taught vigorously. Instead, we may need to stop and realize that their stubborn attitudes on baptism are not because they refuse to hear or that they hate baptism.

In truth, almost every religious group teaches baptism in some form or another. However, they teach it erroneously because they have problems before they reach baptism.

Teaching the lost, the gospel must affect them at the point of their misunderstanding. Otherwise, it is just an academic argument. We must be wise and see the source of contention so we can reach their souls with the good news.

If the student perceives baptism as a violation of grace and constitutes salvation by works then we need to back up and address their misunderstanding. The debates that have occurred through the years on baptism have been useful, but thousands have left unimpressed. If we can help them see the truth on grace and works then we can possibly reach more souls for Christ.

Baptism for the remission of sins and the impossibility of salvation by meritorious works are both Scriptural doctrines. We must study to see how they coexist.

Meritorious works cannot save us (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet, Ephesians 2:10 teaches that good works must be existent in our lives if we wish to be saved. These works glorify God rather than force God to act on our part (Ephesians 3:20-21).

The process of being born again through water and the Spirit occurs because we have submitted ourselves completely to Christ (John 3:3-5; James 4:10). Christ’s blood saves us through the cleansing waters of baptism.

We do not force God because he owes us anything or because we have lived perfectly enough, because neither is possible. He cleanses our sins so we can enter his kingdom and become tools to glorify him through good works (Acts 2:47). It is all about Christ, not man’s goodness.

The Minimums

by Richard Mansel

They’re sitting in church pews on Sunday mornings, participating in worship to varying degrees. They’ve likely arrived late or at the last second. When the service is over, they will leave immediately, speaking to as few people as possible.

Accordingly, very few people in the congregation know them. By choice, they are largely invisible.

They are an intriguing group that needs a connection to the congregation, yet they’re not looking for one. They compromise a subset called the Minimums.

The Minimums are people who, whether consciously or subconsciously, have decided that there is a level in the Christian life at which God will be pleased and will have to save them. They think they have attained that level and do not wish to move any further.

Why would they? Is salvation not enough?

To the Minimums, there are different levels of Christians. Some are super-motivated to do more for the Lord. They Motivated want to attend all the worship services of the Church and all the activities, for some strange reason.

The Motivated are just Type A personalities who can’t sit still. They just wish the Motivated would stop pestering them about becoming one of them!

They already have salvation, so why should they miss their favorite program on television? They don’t need a guilt trip from some Bible verses. Everyone has his or her own truth anyway.

The Minimums think they understand true Christianity. Jesus wanted them to believe in him, have their sins washed away and live a moral life, and that was all. He did not want them to be nerds or super-Christians who never had any fun.

Their social status is very important and some Christianity gives them some respectability. However, their friends don’t want Bible-thumpers around.

The Motivated always talk about God’s grace and that salvation only comes because of Christ, not because of their efforts. They needed a Savior who could wash away their sins. His blood justifies them so they could have access to God.

The Motivated even think that when they become Christians they must change their lives so they will glorify Christ in everything. They’re always badgering the Minimums about their language and clothing, as if that mattered to God. They’re in worship aren’t they? No need to get carried away.

The Minimums feel fine with what they are doing. One hour a week of religion is enough for anybody. After all, they take communion and give a dollar or two. What more could be asked of them?

The Minimums know that avoiding hell is what the Christian life is all about. If the Motivated wanted to go on about how striving for heaven was more important than simply trying not to go to hell, that was fine. The Minimums can shake their heads and be polite.

The Minimums don’t need a Church family. They already have friends. Let the loners find a family. They just had to satisfy God for the week so they can go back to their lives.

The Motivated can have the rest because they, well, might be fanatics. Who needs that?

Guest Editorial: The Single Minister

[Editor's Note: About 20 years ago at one of my first try-outs as a graduate of the Master of Ministry program at Freed-Hardeman University, I was told that a congregation would hire me if I were married. You don't forget such moments and ever since then, I have been an advocate for men who are single being allowed into the ministry. Stan Mitchell does an excellent job arguing for that very thing. Please take notice of his message.]

by Stan Mitchell

“For a man to remain a bachelor, he must either keep a cool head, or cold feet.”

Barnabas, Jeremiah, Paul, Jesus Christ. What do these men have in common? They were single ministers. Bachelors who served the Lord.

It fascinates me how resistant the church is today to the idea of a single man in the ministry. I don’t know how many church members say, “We prefer our preacher to be married.” That single preacher probably prefers to be married, too.

I am heartbroken to say I can name numerous men who have given up their dream of preaching because churches will not hire a man who is single. Is this any way to further the kingdom?

The New Testament tells us that elders are to be the husbands of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2). It says no such thing about a preacher’s wife.

Some suggest a single preacher may “have trouble with the women of the congregation.” Really? Isn’t that a question of character, not marital status? Have you ever known a married man to fancy himself a big hit with the ladies? Hire a man of character, regardless of his marital status.

Others suggest a single man is not mature. Folks, some of the most immature people I have ever known are married.

Still others suggest the wife can be involved in women’s activities. First, this places an unfair and unbiblical burden on preachers’ wives. The Bible says as much about the preacher’s wife as it does about the Hunger Games trilogy. (That was a joke; the Bible says nothing about the ubiquitous movie phenomenon).

The single preacher can minister to an increasingly growing demographic group in our churches, namely, single Christians. These people’s souls are just as valuable as the souls of married people. What is more, a singles group properly motivated can be one of the church’s greatest, most evangelistic assets.

Most startlingly important of all: We have placed a rule on our churches that the Bible never does. When we deny single ministers the opportunity to serve, brethren, we are being unscriptural!

Single women, too, can serve (under biblical conditions, naturally). They served both Paul and the Lord. Why not now?

Paul thought being single was an advantage in ministry.

“The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:22,23).

Jesus declared there was an honored place for the single, those who have chosen to be single “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:12).

Brethren, it’s time someone said something about this! We are limiting ourselves as a fellowship when we shut these good people out of service. On the mission field, single people can serve without the limitations of a married man; in our pulpits they can serve with distinction, just as preachers in Bible times did.

The Lord’s kingdom has been hurt by our blinders, our prejudice against single people. Let me be blunt and urgent. It needs to stop!

Have you tried using a minister who is single? Before you dismiss the idea, keep in mind the time he can give to the task, the concentration he can place on it. Or simply do this. When considering a man for ministry, look at his qualifications, his experience, his character. Leave his marital status to the Facebook page.

What Is a Proselyte?

I. INTRODUCTION

A. We hear it in lessons or classes, yet how many of us know what it is and why it matters?

B. The more we know about the Bible and God’s plan, the more we appreciate His wisdom and work

II. WHAT IS A PROSELYTE?

A. The word “proselyte” is Greek, meaning to make a convert.

B. The word for proselyte was first used in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Often, the Hebrew word “ger,” meaning a “sojourner” or an “immigrant” was translated by the Greek word for proselyte. In time, the first meaning was dropped completely. [1]

III. SOJOURNER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

A. Abraham (Genesis 23:1-4).

B. Moses (Exodus 2:22).

C. Israel (Exodus 22:21).

D. God made provisions for sojourners among the people of Israel.

1. If a sojourner was circumcised, they could take the Passover (Exodus 12:43-49).

2. Circumcision implies that he has become a convert (Genesis 17:9-14).

3. The sojourner must bring offerings to the tent of meeting (Leviticus 17:8-9).

4. “Clearly, a ‘ger’ must be united with the people of God before he can be cut off from them.” [2]

5. “To sum up, the ‘ger’ in Israel was a resident alien. Even if a ‘ger’ did not join the people of God he was to be treated justly and fairly. But if a ‘ger’ submitted to circumcision, he was a recipient of the same covenant privileges as the native Israelite.” [3]

IV. PROSELYTES

A. Jews were dispersed throughout the world, so more people were exposed to Judaism (Acts 2:8-11).

B. Ancient writers tell us that the Jewish religion was popular where the Jews lived.

1. Josephus quoted Strabo:

“Now these Jews are already gotten into all cities; and it is hard to find a place in the habitable earth that hath not admitted this tribe of men, and is not possessed by them; and it hath come to pass that Egypt and Cyrene, as having the same governors, and a great number of other nations, imitate their way of living, and maintain great bodies of these Jews in a peculiar manner, and grow up to greater prosperity with them, and make use of the same laws with that nation also” [Ant. XIV, 7.2]. [4]

2. ”In his letter to Caligula, Agrippa I also noted that there were Jews worldwide: in Egypt, Syria, Phoenicia, Asia Minor, the Greek Islands, Europe, and beyond the Euphrates [Philo De legatione ad Gaium 281f]. [5]

3. ”The hostile reaction that the Jews sometimes received from the ancient world testifies to the breadth of the Jewish dispersion and the success of Jewish proselytism. Cicero charged that the Jewish religion was a ‘barbaric superstition’ [Pro Flacco 28]. Tacitus was especially disturbed with proselytes because the Jews taught them to be antisocial.” [6]

C. “The synagogue was a place where foreigners could hear God’s word explained and applied. Such a place of worship may have particularly appealed to Greeks because such a mode of worship was similar in some ways to Greek philosophical schools.”  [7]

D.  ”Several features of the Judaism appealed to many Gentiles: the pure monotheism, the high ethical standards, the philosophical (rational and nonsacrificial) worship of the synagogue, an ancient and inspired written revelation, and the social cohesiveness of the Jewish community.” [8]

E. Circumcision was required in Scripture for males who wished to become proselytes.

1. Since women didn’t have to be circumcised, far more women became proselytes.

2. “Circumcision was not only painful but also disgusting to Greeks and Romans, hence many more women than men became proselytes. Often the men, husbands of the women converts, accepted the moral teachings and religious practices of Judaism without accepting the stigma of circumcision and so full identification with the Jewish community.” [9]

3. “The male child born into a Jewish family or born to parents who had already become proselytes received circumcision on the eighth day after birth. This was the covenant seal, a sign that the boy was within the elect people.” [10]

V. PROSELYTES AND NEW RULES

A. At some unknown point, likely the first century A.D., the rules changed as to how someone could become a proselyte. Not only did male proselytes have to be circumcised, water purification was added. We don’t know for certain if this was a response to what Christians were doing, or not. However, it’s hard to see how else it could have happened.

B. Jews constructed Mikvehs, a word meaning “immersion pools” all over the Jewish world.

C. Mikvehs were built so that an adult person could be fully immersed. The Mishnah [11], a book of the Rabbis, had clear rules for how large it should be and the amount of water it must hold. It also had to be water that was not drawn, but poured into the Mikveh. [12]

“The mikveh is valid, however built, providing that it has not been prefabricated and brought and installed on the site, since in that case it constitutes a ‘vessel’ which renders the water in it “drawn water.” It may be hewn out of the rock or built in or put on the ground, and any material is suitable. It must be watertight, since leakage invalidates it. It must contain a minimum of 40 se’ah of valid water, and, although it was originally laid down that its height must be 47 in. (120 cm.) to enable a person standing in it to be completely immersed (Sifra 6:3), even though he has to bend his knees (Sifra 6:3) it was later laid down that providing there is the necessary minimum quantity of water, immersion is valid while lying down.” [13]

D. The immersion in the Mikveh was self-administered, but it “required the presence of witnesses who gave instructions in the commandments of Judaism.” [14]

E. “Proselyte baptism also was administered to any children in the family. Those born after the family’s  conversion did not have to be immersed, for they were born ‘in holiness’ and the males only needed to receive circumcision.”

VI. OBSERVATIONS

A. ”The common, technical term for ‘making a convert’ in rabbinical literature is ‘kabbel’ (to accept), or ‘kareb tahat kanfe ha-Shekinah’ (to bring one near, or under the wings of, the Shekinah).” [15] Can’t help but think of Ephesians 2:14-18. The Jews were spiritually near the Father because they were the covenant people of God and the Gentiles were separated from Him. When Jesus died on the cross, He eradicated that barrier that existed for the Gentiles and brought them near. Immersion in baptism and the blood of Christ cleansed them of their sins and added them to the body of Christ (Romans 5:6-11; 1 John 1:7; Acts 2 :42,47). The fact that God developed the plan for a foreigner or stranger to become one with the covenant people during the Old Testament is illustrative of God’s overall redemptive plan (Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 2:1-2).

B. God’s covenant has always stood and in baptism by immersion, all can be included (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Galatians 3:27-28).

C. If the Mikveh was modeled after what Christ’s disciples were doing, and every indication points in that direction, then there cannot be any doubt that immersion was the only mode of baptism during the New Testament period. My book, The Most Important Question addresses this at length. The Greek word for baptism always meant immersion in Scripture and in Greek literature, as well.

 

Citations

1. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia 3:1005

2. ISBE 3:1006

3. Ibid.

4. Antiquities of the Jews 

5. ISBE 3:1007

6. ISBE 3:1008

7. ISBE 3:1007

8. Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 512.

9.  Ferguson, Backgrounds, 515.

10.  Ferguson, Backgrounds, 513.

11. Everett Ferguson, Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, 63.

12. Ferguson, Baptism, 64.

13.  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/mikveh.html

14. Ferguson, Backgrounds, 514.

15.  http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12391-proselyte

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Sermon on the Role of Elders

This is from a lectureship at the Church of Christ in Hinesville, Georgia in August of 2013. Being a lectureship, this is longer than a regular sermon.

I was asked to speak on the Role of Elders. We can get caught up in the minutia of the qualifications and miss the larger picture.

When we step back and see what kind of man God wants in leadership, we develop a healthier understanding of the true intent behind the qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9). Like most everything else in the New Testament, the secret lies in the perpetual struggle between the fleshly and the spiritual (Romans 12:1-2).

The audio of the sermon.

Interesting Reading for History Buffs

As a student of history, I want to share some stories that I find interesting. Hope you enjoy them. You’ll find articles about Archaeology, the Civil War, World Wars One and Two, Naval history and English history.

1. A photographic history of President Abraham Lincoln.

2. A letter from a soldier in World War One was recently found and delivered 98 years after it was written. 

3. Archaeologists discover the remains of 21 Germans preserved in World War One shelter

4. The Confederate sub, the H.L. Hunley, became the first sub to sink an enemy ship.

5. A photographic gallery of the Gettysburg battlefield in winter.

6. Coffee Houses in 17th Century England

7. The Declaration of Independence Desk Created by Thomas Jefferson

8. The USS Essex Sails Around Cape Horn and into History

9. A 13th Century map of England and Scotland

10. The Death of the Apache Warrior, Geronimo 

11. The Mausoleum of Roman Emperor Augustus 

12. The Riddle of Aztec Dog Burials

13. Archaeologists in South Carolina race to uncover a Civil War Prison

14. Red Cross Workers were Suspected of being spies by Germans in Second World War

15. What did ancient Brits eat? 

16. Roman era school found in Egypt

17. How big were Ptolemy’s African War Elephants?