WORSHIP
PART 2
Psalm 21:3-6
Who may come into God's presence and worship?
David asked the question this way: who may ascend the hill of the Lord or who may stand in his holy place? He alluded to the tabernacle. David brought the ark to Jerusalem and made a tent for it there on a hill. (2 Samuel 6). To go to the tabernacle, you had to ascend the hill of the Lord. To stand in the holy place, in the tabernacle, you had to be clean. He specifically addressed clean hands, a pure heart, and a soul not given to idol worship.
"Hands", "head" and "heart" represent of other things. “Clean hands" does not refer to washing, but to actions that are right. If you steal something, you do not have clean hands. You have dirty hands. But if you have not done wrong, you have clean hands.
A "pure heart" does not mean one with no plaque in the arteries, but a person of pure motives. In Matthew 5:8, Jesus said "blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God". This means you come to truly worship, not to be respected or to look good or to socialize with your friends or to make business connections or to look for clients. Thus, the one who could come to the tabernacle was one who had not acted sinfully, one who had not come out of improper motives.
Finally, one could not worship idols and come into God’s house and worship. God commanded that only he be worshipped. This was the very first commandment of the covenant law.
We can see that the one God allowed to come into his presence in the tabernacle had to be holy. This makes sense because we know God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in his presence. That is Isaiah's vision of Christ in Isaiah 6. God said “I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44) Peter gave the same instruction to the New Testament Church, referring to this verse and writing “"Be holy, because I am holy." (1Peter 1:16)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
PSALM 24:1-2 Prelude to Worship
“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”
The earth belongs to the LORD. He owns it. It is his. Every thing in the earth and every one who lives in it is his. They are his possession.
Why does God own it? Verse 2 tells us. It is because (or "for" in this verse) he made it. "Founded" and "established" are metaphors for beginning a city or building a building.
The Bible often speaks of the foundations of the world. For example, Psalm 102:25 says "In the beginning, you laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands." The writer of Hebrews quotes this verse in Hebrews 1:10. So, the "foundations" means the beginning, the time of creation.
God’s creation of the world is an important concept in Scripture. Genesis 1:1 begins the whole Bible with the statement that God made the heavens and the earth. It then proceeds to show us that God created all things on the earth and all of the things in the heavens. As we discussed before, "heavens" means the sky and space, not just "Heaven" where God dwells. The God we worship is the Creator.
So, the one who makes it owns it. Deuteronomy 10:14 says "Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all that is in it." In Job 41:11, God said "Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole of heaven is mine." Paul even uses this argument when he writes about election in Romans 9:20: "But, who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"
The implication here is that, since God created us and therefore owns us, he is to be worshipped and he determines who may come to worship him. He determines how they must worship him.
“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”
The earth belongs to the LORD. He owns it. It is his. Every thing in the earth and every one who lives in it is his. They are his possession.
Why does God own it? Verse 2 tells us. It is because (or "for" in this verse) he made it. "Founded" and "established" are metaphors for beginning a city or building a building.
The Bible often speaks of the foundations of the world. For example, Psalm 102:25 says "In the beginning, you laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands." The writer of Hebrews quotes this verse in Hebrews 1:10. So, the "foundations" means the beginning, the time of creation.
God’s creation of the world is an important concept in Scripture. Genesis 1:1 begins the whole Bible with the statement that God made the heavens and the earth. It then proceeds to show us that God created all things on the earth and all of the things in the heavens. As we discussed before, "heavens" means the sky and space, not just "Heaven" where God dwells. The God we worship is the Creator.
So, the one who makes it owns it. Deuteronomy 10:14 says "Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all that is in it." In Job 41:11, God said "Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole of heaven is mine." Paul even uses this argument when he writes about election in Romans 9:20: "But, who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"
The implication here is that, since God created us and therefore owns us, he is to be worshipped and he determines who may come to worship him. He determines how they must worship him.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
It is no wonder conservative Anglicans are distancing themselves from the mother church in England. In a recent television discussion, the Archbishop of Canterbury said he believed that human beings had evolved from non-human ancestors but were nevertheless “in the image of God”.
Certainly this is not Biblical, nor the historical position of the church. In addition, it is stupid. It would mean that the non-human ancestors were made in the image of God.
The Archbishop went on to say that the explanation for the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis could not be taken literally. He said “The writers of the Bible, inspired as I believe they were, they were nonetheless not inspired to do 21st Century physics,” he said.
The Bible is not a science book. It does not have to square itself with science. It does tell us who God is and who we are and how we got to be who we are. This includes how God made us.
It would be nice if a leader of a major Christian denomination supported the truth of the Bible rather than denigrated it on national television. The Archbishop has certainly come a long way from the 39 Articles.
Certainly this is not Biblical, nor the historical position of the church. In addition, it is stupid. It would mean that the non-human ancestors were made in the image of God.
The Archbishop went on to say that the explanation for the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis could not be taken literally. He said “The writers of the Bible, inspired as I believe they were, they were nonetheless not inspired to do 21st Century physics,” he said.
The Bible is not a science book. It does not have to square itself with science. It does tell us who God is and who we are and how we got to be who we are. This includes how God made us.
It would be nice if a leader of a major Christian denomination supported the truth of the Bible rather than denigrated it on national television. The Archbishop has certainly come a long way from the 39 Articles.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
BE FAITHFUL IN MINISTRY
2 TIMOTHY 2:14-18
Paul gave Timothy commands or instructions on how to conduct himself faithfully. First, he dealt with faithfulness in ministry.
Paul knew the Apostles were passing from the scene. He would soon die. Peter would also die soon. He wanted to prepare Timothy for the time when the Apostles were not present to guide the church. We live in the time Paul worried about. So his guidance shows us how to live for Christ without the personal presence of either Christ or his Apostles.
First, Paul told Timothy to remind his congregation of “these things”. What are “these things”? They are the things Paul just instructed on, including the catechism of verses 11-13 and his explanation of the gospel in chapter 1. Basically, Paul wanted Timothy to continually remind his congregation of the gospel.
You might think that, once you become a believer, you do not need to hear the gospel again. Paul, on the other hand, wanted Timothy to continually remind them of the gospel. Believers should not see their conversion simply as one and done. They should continually live their life in light of the gospel. It should affect and influence every area of life.
Paul said the gospel was of first importance. (1 Corinthians 15:1-9)
American evangelism has been guilty of moving away from the gospel to center on either financial prosperity or counseling for emotional needs with psychology. But you cannot center your life on anything other than the gospel and live as God intended. The gospel message is the most important, most revolutionary and most astounding word off all time. When you know this, you live your life in the proper proportion. Christ is paramount, most important. You can bear loss, suffering, difficulty and need in light of eternal life. In contrast, if you are not focused on the great gift of God for eternal life, the concerns of the day will overwhelm you.
Paul lived that way. He said ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21) That is one of the most astounding statements in history. If Paul lived, he lived for Christ. He suffered for Christ, he preached for Christ, he worked for Christ, he did everything for Christ. If he died, it was to his gain, for he would be with Christ. He said “my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” (Philippians 1:23)
How do you handle getting older in a culture that worships youth? You do it by knowing you honor Christ by growing in grace as you grow in age. You do it by longing for heaven rather than clinging to earth.
How do you handle being poor in a society that worships wealth? You do it by knowing you are rich in grace and have the greatest gift of all: eternal life. You set your mind on heavenly things and not earthly things.
How do you handle being rich and needing to give away a lot of your money for the poor and for the ministry of the church? You do it be denying yourself and honoring Christ with your money.
But you cannot do any of these things unless the gospel is constantly before you.
Second, Paul told Timothy to instruct his congregation not to quarrel about words. The NASB uses the word “wrangle” which seems like a good Texas word. He is talking about “nitpickers” who live to argue. He said it does no good and ruins the hearers. (14)
It is important that we defend the gospel. No one will argue with you harder than I when it comes to defining and defending the gospel. But we should not get off into speculations about things not revealed to us, or get into fights over secondary issues, or secret meanings. We should not devote our time to discussions that do not lead us to Godliness.
The church has split into many, many divisions. This does not honor the Lord who claimed to have one body. Some of the splits had to occur because of doctrinal error. Others came over small issues of disagreement. I will stand against you if you deny the deity of Christ or the existence of the Trinity. I will not throw you out of church for being premillenial.
And always we must strive for a gentle and respectful demeanor. The meanness of our disagreements has driven many from us.
Third, Paul told Timothy to strive to handle the word rightly in order to be a worker approved by God and not ashamed. Erasmus interpreted this to read a workman that “does not blush”. Paul directed Timothy to think about the end, when he will stand before God to give an account of his ministry.
I think all the time about Jesus’ words in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. To the servant who invested and multiplied the talents entrusted to him, Jesus said “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:23)
It is essential that the preacher and teacher handle the word rightly or correctly. The word picture hear is of a tentmaker who cuts a straight line through his material rather than a slanted one.
Our world is saturated with teaching that abuses the word of God. These people will be ashamed when they stand before God. Some do it through ignorance. Some do it for manipulation. Both are bad.
Here is an example. I heard a man on the radio preaching about the story of the widow who gave the two mites, or copper coins. He read from the Cambridge Edition of the King James Version, which says she gave out of her “want”. In the language of that time, “want” mean poverty or deprivation. The later editions of the KJV uses “penury”, meaning poverty. Newer versions usually use “poverty”. So, this preacher said this mean she gave because she wanted something from God, so we should give to God to get from God. I do not know if he was ignorant of the meaning or manipulating the meaning, but he incorrectly used the text. You have heard many sermons on this passage that use it to promote giving. That is also a bit of a manipulation of the text. In context, this story is about the burdens the Pharisees put on others, including poor widows, so they could take away their property.
You must not only teach what the words say, but what they mean in the context. It is the word of God. You do not have the right to pervert it, even for good reasons. God will call us to account and we will be ashamed if we do it improperly.
Fourth, Paul told Timothy to avoid irreverent babble (ESV) or godless chatter (NIV). The reason is that the babble will lead people into ungodliness and spread like gangrene. Gangrene is a condition where the blood supply to tissue is cut off or restricted so that the tissue dies. Sometimes it is caused by an infection. If it is not treated, the area of dead tissue grows and gets bigger. If an infection is involved, the person gets septic and dies.
This is what happens when people come up with ideas that are not in the Bible and spread them as truth. They become ungodly because they are not bound by the truth. They infect others. Eventually, part of or even all of the body dies.
Paul gave an example. He named two men: Hymenaeus and Philectus. (17) Their irreverent babble was their theory that the resurrection had already happened. (18) This upset many, for they believed they had been left behind and so were not saved. Paul dealt with the same issue in Thessalonika. Paul gave specific instruction about this in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11. There are still some who hold to this concept today.
An example in our time might be Clark Pinnock who taught at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He embraced open theism, the idea that God does not determine or even know the future. He also did not believe that Jesus was the only way to get to heaven.
Jesus said it would be better for you to be cast into the sea with a stone tied around your neck than to lead someone into sin. (Luke 17:2) He also said teachers would be accountable for their teaching. James 3:1 says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
The teaching of the two men Paul mentioned shook the faith of some. But Paul says the foundation of our faith is firm. (19). The gospel tells us God knows those who are his. Jesus said “I know my own and my own know me”. (John 10:14) Since he knows us, he will not leave us behind.
A person who gets sidetracked by strange teaching often ends up in moral trouble. In fact, many non-biblical ideas have the goal of avoiding Christian morality or responsibility. One who is focused on the gospel will live to imitate Christ and please the Father. Paul said “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity”. (19) By putting away sin and embracing holiness, we reflect God’s nature and become useful to him. (20) We must act like those who are set apart because we are set apart.
BE FAITHFUL IN PERSONAL LIFE
2 TIMOTHY 2:19-21
After dealing with questions of theology, Paul dealt with questions of conduct. It is important that the minister of the gospel deal with the Word correctly. It is also important that he or she live a faithful and Godly life to demonstrate the power of the gospel.
First, Paul told Timothy to flee youthful passions. (22) Our society tells us to indulge youthful passions. There are whole industries that cater to and encourage your youthful passions. Marketing is directed at the flesh not the spirit.
Instead, Paul said Timothy and all who call upon the Lord from a pure heart (hopefully all believers) should pursue several traits that mirror those of God. They are righteousness, faith, love and peace.
Righteousness stands in opposition to youthful passion. When we seek righteousness, we deny our passions and take on the qualities of Christ. The Beatitudes of Jesus reflect this. Jesus specifically said “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”. (Matthew 5:6) Romans 8:5-8 says:
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
So this is clear. No matter what this culture tells you, the Bible says you cannot live in a way that pleases God and a way that caters to your flesh at the same time.
We are also to pursue faith. (22) We should constantly grow in faith, both in knowledge of our faith and in actual trust. Constantly examine yourself and see what areas of life need to be submitted, turned over, to Christ. Where do you fail to trust him? Repent of that and step out into faith. To believe is to change from dependence on self to dependence on Christ.
We are to pursue love. We know this is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) That should be obvious also because God is love. The Bible tells us to love each other. It also tells us to love our enemies. Maybe if we love our enemies, we will win them to Christ.
We are to pursue peace. Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) The person who has the Holy Spirit should be a person of peace. Jesus said the peacemakers are blessed. (Matthew 5:9) Deacons are charged to maintain the unity of the congregation. In my experience, the people of peace are revealed when change occurs. Many react to any change with hostility and anger. These are not the traits of Godliness.
In verse 23, Paul warned Timothy to avoid foolish or ignorant controversies, just as he was to instruct his congregation. It breeds quarrels. Paul went on to say the Lord’s servant himself should not be quarrelsome. (24) Maybe we should send this up to be read at the convention. I have heard horrible things said at both the state and national conventions, as well as private meetings of leaders.
Instead, the Lord’s servant should be kind to everyone. (24). That includes people who disagree with him or her. He should be able to teach. That is, he should be able to take the Bible and demonstrate the truth of his position.
It even means to endure evil. (24) This is very hard. When you are reviled, you want to strike back. Yet our model is Jesus, who was reviled but did not retaliate.
So, we correct our opponents with gentleness (25). That is because the goal is not to win the argument. But as verse 25-26 says, the goal is to proclaim the truth in a loving way in hopes that God will grant them repentance that leads to them knowing the truth and escaping the devil. In other words, the goal is to win souls not arguments.
I do not claim perfection in this area. I am better than I was a few years ago. I have been reviled by non-believers and believers alike. I pray that God will continue to work on me and in me so that I approach each of these situations in way that glorifies him and reflects Christ.
I pray also that you would live for the gospel: learn it, know it, defend it, proclaim it, and rejoice in it. It is precious. And it is entrusted to us.
2 TIMOTHY 2:14-18
Paul gave Timothy commands or instructions on how to conduct himself faithfully. First, he dealt with faithfulness in ministry.
Paul knew the Apostles were passing from the scene. He would soon die. Peter would also die soon. He wanted to prepare Timothy for the time when the Apostles were not present to guide the church. We live in the time Paul worried about. So his guidance shows us how to live for Christ without the personal presence of either Christ or his Apostles.
First, Paul told Timothy to remind his congregation of “these things”. What are “these things”? They are the things Paul just instructed on, including the catechism of verses 11-13 and his explanation of the gospel in chapter 1. Basically, Paul wanted Timothy to continually remind his congregation of the gospel.
You might think that, once you become a believer, you do not need to hear the gospel again. Paul, on the other hand, wanted Timothy to continually remind them of the gospel. Believers should not see their conversion simply as one and done. They should continually live their life in light of the gospel. It should affect and influence every area of life.
Paul said the gospel was of first importance. (1 Corinthians 15:1-9)
American evangelism has been guilty of moving away from the gospel to center on either financial prosperity or counseling for emotional needs with psychology. But you cannot center your life on anything other than the gospel and live as God intended. The gospel message is the most important, most revolutionary and most astounding word off all time. When you know this, you live your life in the proper proportion. Christ is paramount, most important. You can bear loss, suffering, difficulty and need in light of eternal life. In contrast, if you are not focused on the great gift of God for eternal life, the concerns of the day will overwhelm you.
Paul lived that way. He said ‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21) That is one of the most astounding statements in history. If Paul lived, he lived for Christ. He suffered for Christ, he preached for Christ, he worked for Christ, he did everything for Christ. If he died, it was to his gain, for he would be with Christ. He said “my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” (Philippians 1:23)
How do you handle getting older in a culture that worships youth? You do it by knowing you honor Christ by growing in grace as you grow in age. You do it by longing for heaven rather than clinging to earth.
How do you handle being poor in a society that worships wealth? You do it by knowing you are rich in grace and have the greatest gift of all: eternal life. You set your mind on heavenly things and not earthly things.
How do you handle being rich and needing to give away a lot of your money for the poor and for the ministry of the church? You do it be denying yourself and honoring Christ with your money.
But you cannot do any of these things unless the gospel is constantly before you.
Second, Paul told Timothy to instruct his congregation not to quarrel about words. The NASB uses the word “wrangle” which seems like a good Texas word. He is talking about “nitpickers” who live to argue. He said it does no good and ruins the hearers. (14)
It is important that we defend the gospel. No one will argue with you harder than I when it comes to defining and defending the gospel. But we should not get off into speculations about things not revealed to us, or get into fights over secondary issues, or secret meanings. We should not devote our time to discussions that do not lead us to Godliness.
The church has split into many, many divisions. This does not honor the Lord who claimed to have one body. Some of the splits had to occur because of doctrinal error. Others came over small issues of disagreement. I will stand against you if you deny the deity of Christ or the existence of the Trinity. I will not throw you out of church for being premillenial.
And always we must strive for a gentle and respectful demeanor. The meanness of our disagreements has driven many from us.
Third, Paul told Timothy to strive to handle the word rightly in order to be a worker approved by God and not ashamed. Erasmus interpreted this to read a workman that “does not blush”. Paul directed Timothy to think about the end, when he will stand before God to give an account of his ministry.
I think all the time about Jesus’ words in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. To the servant who invested and multiplied the talents entrusted to him, Jesus said “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:23)
It is essential that the preacher and teacher handle the word rightly or correctly. The word picture hear is of a tentmaker who cuts a straight line through his material rather than a slanted one.
Our world is saturated with teaching that abuses the word of God. These people will be ashamed when they stand before God. Some do it through ignorance. Some do it for manipulation. Both are bad.
Here is an example. I heard a man on the radio preaching about the story of the widow who gave the two mites, or copper coins. He read from the Cambridge Edition of the King James Version, which says she gave out of her “want”. In the language of that time, “want” mean poverty or deprivation. The later editions of the KJV uses “penury”, meaning poverty. Newer versions usually use “poverty”. So, this preacher said this mean she gave because she wanted something from God, so we should give to God to get from God. I do not know if he was ignorant of the meaning or manipulating the meaning, but he incorrectly used the text. You have heard many sermons on this passage that use it to promote giving. That is also a bit of a manipulation of the text. In context, this story is about the burdens the Pharisees put on others, including poor widows, so they could take away their property.
You must not only teach what the words say, but what they mean in the context. It is the word of God. You do not have the right to pervert it, even for good reasons. God will call us to account and we will be ashamed if we do it improperly.
Fourth, Paul told Timothy to avoid irreverent babble (ESV) or godless chatter (NIV). The reason is that the babble will lead people into ungodliness and spread like gangrene. Gangrene is a condition where the blood supply to tissue is cut off or restricted so that the tissue dies. Sometimes it is caused by an infection. If it is not treated, the area of dead tissue grows and gets bigger. If an infection is involved, the person gets septic and dies.
This is what happens when people come up with ideas that are not in the Bible and spread them as truth. They become ungodly because they are not bound by the truth. They infect others. Eventually, part of or even all of the body dies.
Paul gave an example. He named two men: Hymenaeus and Philectus. (17) Their irreverent babble was their theory that the resurrection had already happened. (18) This upset many, for they believed they had been left behind and so were not saved. Paul dealt with the same issue in Thessalonika. Paul gave specific instruction about this in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-11. There are still some who hold to this concept today.
An example in our time might be Clark Pinnock who taught at New Orleans Baptist Seminary. He embraced open theism, the idea that God does not determine or even know the future. He also did not believe that Jesus was the only way to get to heaven.
Jesus said it would be better for you to be cast into the sea with a stone tied around your neck than to lead someone into sin. (Luke 17:2) He also said teachers would be accountable for their teaching. James 3:1 says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
The teaching of the two men Paul mentioned shook the faith of some. But Paul says the foundation of our faith is firm. (19). The gospel tells us God knows those who are his. Jesus said “I know my own and my own know me”. (John 10:14) Since he knows us, he will not leave us behind.
A person who gets sidetracked by strange teaching often ends up in moral trouble. In fact, many non-biblical ideas have the goal of avoiding Christian morality or responsibility. One who is focused on the gospel will live to imitate Christ and please the Father. Paul said “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity”. (19) By putting away sin and embracing holiness, we reflect God’s nature and become useful to him. (20) We must act like those who are set apart because we are set apart.
BE FAITHFUL IN PERSONAL LIFE
2 TIMOTHY 2:19-21
After dealing with questions of theology, Paul dealt with questions of conduct. It is important that the minister of the gospel deal with the Word correctly. It is also important that he or she live a faithful and Godly life to demonstrate the power of the gospel.
First, Paul told Timothy to flee youthful passions. (22) Our society tells us to indulge youthful passions. There are whole industries that cater to and encourage your youthful passions. Marketing is directed at the flesh not the spirit.
Instead, Paul said Timothy and all who call upon the Lord from a pure heart (hopefully all believers) should pursue several traits that mirror those of God. They are righteousness, faith, love and peace.
Righteousness stands in opposition to youthful passion. When we seek righteousness, we deny our passions and take on the qualities of Christ. The Beatitudes of Jesus reflect this. Jesus specifically said “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”. (Matthew 5:6) Romans 8:5-8 says:
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
So this is clear. No matter what this culture tells you, the Bible says you cannot live in a way that pleases God and a way that caters to your flesh at the same time.
We are also to pursue faith. (22) We should constantly grow in faith, both in knowledge of our faith and in actual trust. Constantly examine yourself and see what areas of life need to be submitted, turned over, to Christ. Where do you fail to trust him? Repent of that and step out into faith. To believe is to change from dependence on self to dependence on Christ.
We are to pursue love. We know this is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) That should be obvious also because God is love. The Bible tells us to love each other. It also tells us to love our enemies. Maybe if we love our enemies, we will win them to Christ.
We are to pursue peace. Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) The person who has the Holy Spirit should be a person of peace. Jesus said the peacemakers are blessed. (Matthew 5:9) Deacons are charged to maintain the unity of the congregation. In my experience, the people of peace are revealed when change occurs. Many react to any change with hostility and anger. These are not the traits of Godliness.
In verse 23, Paul warned Timothy to avoid foolish or ignorant controversies, just as he was to instruct his congregation. It breeds quarrels. Paul went on to say the Lord’s servant himself should not be quarrelsome. (24) Maybe we should send this up to be read at the convention. I have heard horrible things said at both the state and national conventions, as well as private meetings of leaders.
Instead, the Lord’s servant should be kind to everyone. (24). That includes people who disagree with him or her. He should be able to teach. That is, he should be able to take the Bible and demonstrate the truth of his position.
It even means to endure evil. (24) This is very hard. When you are reviled, you want to strike back. Yet our model is Jesus, who was reviled but did not retaliate.
So, we correct our opponents with gentleness (25). That is because the goal is not to win the argument. But as verse 25-26 says, the goal is to proclaim the truth in a loving way in hopes that God will grant them repentance that leads to them knowing the truth and escaping the devil. In other words, the goal is to win souls not arguments.
I do not claim perfection in this area. I am better than I was a few years ago. I have been reviled by non-believers and believers alike. I pray that God will continue to work on me and in me so that I approach each of these situations in way that glorifies him and reflects Christ.
I pray also that you would live for the gospel: learn it, know it, defend it, proclaim it, and rejoice in it. It is precious. And it is entrusted to us.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Be Faithful
2 Timothy 2:110-13
Because the gospel is not bound, Paul was willing to endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they would obtain salvation. Paul used the Greek word ἐκλεκτός which transliterates to “eklektos”. It means “picked out” or “chosen”. And in our context, it means chosen by God. Sometimes it is translated elect and sometimes chosen.
He is thinking of those who will come to Christ, but had not yet. He was willing to suffer to get the gospel to them so they will share with him the salvation that is in Christ, in eternal glory.
Paul knew that preaching the gospel would result in the salvation of those God chose. That gave him hope and strength – his preaching would not be in vain. For example, God told Paul to preach in Corinth because (Acts 18:10) “I have many people in this city”. There were many who would come to Christ through Paul’s preaching because God had chosen them to do so.
Paul finished this part of his plea for faithfulness by using a song or possible catechism that was likely well known to complete his exhortation to faithfulness (2:11-13). The song has four couplets: 2 positive & 2 negative. Each starts with “if” to describe an action of a believer, then follows with the reaction of God. The “if” actually assumes it is true. We more commonly use the word “since” in this situation today.
The first one says, if we have died with him, we will also live with him. We often say that Christ’s death was substitutionary: he died for us or in our place. But his death is also vicarious. That is, his death is attributed to us. His death becomes our death.
In legal terms, a company can be held liable for the actions of its employees. It is vicariously liable. The actions of the employee are held to be the actions of the company. In tribal or clan cultures, the act of a member of a clan is the act of the clan, so another clan may kill an innocent member of that clan in retaliation.
Christians are deemed to have died with Christ. His death is attributed to us. In Galatians 2:20, Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ”. The result of that death is that he may now live for Christ and not for his own flesh. He said “for through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” (Gal. 5:19) He also said “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…” (Gal. 5:20)
Ironically, Christians live as dead men and women: dead to sin and flesh, alive to Christ. (Romans 6:1-4) Therefore, we may live to please him and bring glory to God.
The second couplet says “if we endure, we will also reign with him”. This is a reference to eternal life. It is endurance that proves salvation. It is the opposite of “apostasy”, which is to abandon the faith or the crucial tenants of the faith. One who sins or temporarily falls away is not apostate. The best example is Peter. He denied Christ three times, yet was restored and lived his life and died for Christ.
On the other hand, Charles Templeton used to tour and preach with Billy Graham. He began to question the Bible, however, and eventually renounced his faith publicly. He wrote a book about it and died without repenting. As far as we know, he was apostate.
The reason endurance to the end is the true sign of faith is that God preserves those who believe in Jesus and have been converted or saved. The Bible says this repeatedly. For example, Jesus said “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29). Romans 8:28-30 tells us that those God called, he glorified.
Peter put it clearly in 1 Peter 1:9. He said those God caused to be born again have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for them.
Jude 24-25 tells us God is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us to himself blameless.
It is also the point of Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13. The parable of the soils and the parable of the tares both show that we cannot know who is saved for sure until we see they endure. God knows, but we do not. The believer will endure to the end.
In contrast, the third couplet is a warning. If we deny him, he will also deny us. If we apostasize, or deny Christ and his teaching, he will deny us at the judgment. Jesus said “…whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven”. (Matthew10:33) This verse alone defeats the idea of Universalism, which teaches that everyone gets to heaven. Only those who confess Christ get into heaven. If Christ denies you, you have no basis as a sinner to get in.
The fourth couplet is also a comfort. It is a statement about the character of God. It says “if we are faithless, he remains faithful”. We have seen repeatedly that God was always faithful to his covenant with Israel, though they often were unfaithful. You may stumble and fall sometime. Some of us look back at times we fell in the past with great shame and remorse. Some will fall in the future. Some who were in the class in the past fell and are still fallen. God remains faithful. He will get the believer back.
The example again is Peter. Jesus found him and restored him to his place in the ministry. He hurt him a bit doing it, asking him three times if Peter loved Jesus. Peter was grieved. But Jesus drove home his point.
Paul added a line of explanation: “for he cannot deny himself”. God never changes. The theological term is immutable. One of my favorite verses is Malachi 3:6. There God says “For I the Lord do not change”. The context of the verse is that he is faithful even when Israel is not.
God the Father is Faithful. God the Son is faithful. God the Holy Spirit is faithful.
Therefore, we should be inspired to be faithful. One of the fruits of the faithful Spirit is faithfulness.
Be faithful, brothers and sisters.
2 Timothy 2:110-13
Because the gospel is not bound, Paul was willing to endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they would obtain salvation. Paul used the Greek word ἐκλεκτός which transliterates to “eklektos”. It means “picked out” or “chosen”. And in our context, it means chosen by God. Sometimes it is translated elect and sometimes chosen.
He is thinking of those who will come to Christ, but had not yet. He was willing to suffer to get the gospel to them so they will share with him the salvation that is in Christ, in eternal glory.
Paul knew that preaching the gospel would result in the salvation of those God chose. That gave him hope and strength – his preaching would not be in vain. For example, God told Paul to preach in Corinth because (Acts 18:10) “I have many people in this city”. There were many who would come to Christ through Paul’s preaching because God had chosen them to do so.
Paul finished this part of his plea for faithfulness by using a song or possible catechism that was likely well known to complete his exhortation to faithfulness (2:11-13). The song has four couplets: 2 positive & 2 negative. Each starts with “if” to describe an action of a believer, then follows with the reaction of God. The “if” actually assumes it is true. We more commonly use the word “since” in this situation today.
The first one says, if we have died with him, we will also live with him. We often say that Christ’s death was substitutionary: he died for us or in our place. But his death is also vicarious. That is, his death is attributed to us. His death becomes our death.
In legal terms, a company can be held liable for the actions of its employees. It is vicariously liable. The actions of the employee are held to be the actions of the company. In tribal or clan cultures, the act of a member of a clan is the act of the clan, so another clan may kill an innocent member of that clan in retaliation.
Christians are deemed to have died with Christ. His death is attributed to us. In Galatians 2:20, Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ”. The result of that death is that he may now live for Christ and not for his own flesh. He said “for through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” (Gal. 5:19) He also said “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…” (Gal. 5:20)
Ironically, Christians live as dead men and women: dead to sin and flesh, alive to Christ. (Romans 6:1-4) Therefore, we may live to please him and bring glory to God.
The second couplet says “if we endure, we will also reign with him”. This is a reference to eternal life. It is endurance that proves salvation. It is the opposite of “apostasy”, which is to abandon the faith or the crucial tenants of the faith. One who sins or temporarily falls away is not apostate. The best example is Peter. He denied Christ three times, yet was restored and lived his life and died for Christ.
On the other hand, Charles Templeton used to tour and preach with Billy Graham. He began to question the Bible, however, and eventually renounced his faith publicly. He wrote a book about it and died without repenting. As far as we know, he was apostate.
The reason endurance to the end is the true sign of faith is that God preserves those who believe in Jesus and have been converted or saved. The Bible says this repeatedly. For example, Jesus said “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29). Romans 8:28-30 tells us that those God called, he glorified.
Peter put it clearly in 1 Peter 1:9. He said those God caused to be born again have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for them.
Jude 24-25 tells us God is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us to himself blameless.
It is also the point of Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13. The parable of the soils and the parable of the tares both show that we cannot know who is saved for sure until we see they endure. God knows, but we do not. The believer will endure to the end.
In contrast, the third couplet is a warning. If we deny him, he will also deny us. If we apostasize, or deny Christ and his teaching, he will deny us at the judgment. Jesus said “…whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven”. (Matthew10:33) This verse alone defeats the idea of Universalism, which teaches that everyone gets to heaven. Only those who confess Christ get into heaven. If Christ denies you, you have no basis as a sinner to get in.
The fourth couplet is also a comfort. It is a statement about the character of God. It says “if we are faithless, he remains faithful”. We have seen repeatedly that God was always faithful to his covenant with Israel, though they often were unfaithful. You may stumble and fall sometime. Some of us look back at times we fell in the past with great shame and remorse. Some will fall in the future. Some who were in the class in the past fell and are still fallen. God remains faithful. He will get the believer back.
The example again is Peter. Jesus found him and restored him to his place in the ministry. He hurt him a bit doing it, asking him three times if Peter loved Jesus. Peter was grieved. But Jesus drove home his point.
Paul added a line of explanation: “for he cannot deny himself”. God never changes. The theological term is immutable. One of my favorite verses is Malachi 3:6. There God says “For I the Lord do not change”. The context of the verse is that he is faithful even when Israel is not.
God the Father is Faithful. God the Son is faithful. God the Holy Spirit is faithful.
Therefore, we should be inspired to be faithful. One of the fruits of the faithful Spirit is faithfulness.
Be faithful, brothers and sisters.
Sunday, February 05, 2012
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Enduring With Christ
One interesting thing about these people is that they were willing to suffer because of Christ and the resurrection. They were so excited about Jesus they would suffer for him. In fact, they were kind of happy about it. Look again to the book of Acts. After the apostles were arrested and beaten, they left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” (Acts 5:41) That means they thought it was a privilege to be beaten up for being identified with the name and person of Christ, so they rejoiced.
Paul felt the same way. Here in 2 Timothy 2:9, he said he was suffering for the gospel and was bound by chains as if he were a criminal. This is exactly what caused some of his followers to abandon him. But notice that Paul knows he can be bound but God cannot. He said “But the word of God is not bound!” (9) And it is not. The gospel roared forth from a few men to spread all over the world. By the time Paul wrote Colossians 1:23, he proclaimed that the gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven”.
Because the gospel is not bound, Paul was willing to endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they would obtain salvation. Paul used the Greek word ἐκλεκτός which transliterates to “eklektos”. It means “picked out” or “chosen”. And in our context, it means chosen by God. Sometimes it is translated elect and sometimes chosen.
He is thinking of those who will come to Christ, but had not yet. He was willing to suffer to get the gospel to them so they will share with him the salvation that is in Christ, in eternal glory.
Paul knew that preaching the gospel would result in the salvation of those God chose. That gave him hope and strength – his preaching would not be in vain. For example, God told Paul to preach in Corinth because (Acts 18:10) “I have many people in this city”. There were many who would come to Christ through Paul’s preaching because God had chosen them to do so.
Paul finished this part of his plea for faithfulness by using a song or possible catechism that was likely well known to complete his exhortation to faithfulness (2:11-13). The song has four couplets: 2 positive & 2 negative. Each starts with “if” to describe an action of a believer, then follows with the reaction of God. The “if” actually assumes it is true. We more commonly use the word “since” in this situation today.
The first one says, if we have died with him, we will also live with him. We often say that Christ’s death was substitutionary: he died for us or in our place. But his death is also vicarious. That is, his death is attributed to us. His death becomes our death.
In legal terms, a company can be held liable for the actions of its employees. It is vicariously liable. The actions of the employee are held to be the actions of the company. In tribal or clan cultures, the act of a member of a clan is the act of the clan, so another clan may kill an innocent member of that clan in retaliation.
Christians are deemed to have died with Christ. His death is attributed to us. In Galatians 2:20, Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ”. The result of that death is that he may now live for Christ and not for his own flesh. He said “for through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” (Gal. 5:19) He also said “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…” (Gal. 5:20)
Ironically, Christians live as dead men and women: dead to sin and flesh, alive to Christ. Therefore, we may live to please him and bring glory to God.
The second couplet says “if we endure, we will also reign with him”. This is a reference to eternal life. It is endurance that proves salvation. It is the opposite of “apostasy”, which is to abandon the faith or the crucial tenants of the faith. One who sins or temporarily falls away is not apostate. The best example is Peter. He denied Christ three times, yet was restored and lived his life and died for Christ.
On the other hand, Charles Templeton used to tour and preach with Billy Graham. He began to question the Bible, however, and eventually renounced his faith publicly. He wrote a book about it and died without repenting. As far as we know, he was apostate.
The reason endurance to the end is the true sign of faith is that God preserves those who believe in Jesus and have been converted or saved. The Bible says this repeatedly. For example, Jesus said “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29). Romans 8:28-30 tells us that those God called, he glorified.
Peter put it clearly in 1 Peter 1:9. He said those God caused to be born again have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for them.
Jude 24-25 tells us God is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us to himself blameless.
In contrast, the third couplet is a warning. If we deny him, he will also deny us. If we apostasize, or deny Christ and his teaching, he will deny us at the judgment. Jesus said “…whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven”. (Matthew10:33) This verse alone defeats the idea of Universalism, which teaches that everyone gets to heaven. Only those who confess Christ get into heaven. If Christ denies you, you have no basis as a sinner to get in.
The fourth couplet is also a comfort. It is a statement about the character of God. It says “if we are faithless, he remains faithful”. We have seen repeatedly that God was always faithful to his covenant with Israel, though they often were unfaithful. You may stumble and fall sometime. Some of us look back at times we fell in the past with great shame and remorse. Some will fall in the future. Some who were in the class in the past fell and are still fallen. God remains faithful. He will get the believer back.
The example again is Peter. Jesus found him and restored him to his place in the ministry. He hurt him a bit doing it, asking him three times if Peter loved Jesus. Peter was grieved. But Jesus drove home his point.
Paul added a line of explanation: “for he cannot deny himself”. God never changes. The theological term is immutable. One of my favorite verses is Malachi 3:6. There God says “For I the Lord do not change”. The context of the verse is that he is faithful even when Israel is not.
God the Father is Faithful. God the Son is faithful. God the Holy Spirit is faithful. Therefore, we should be inspired to be faithful.
Be faithful, brothers and sisters.
Enduring With Christ
One interesting thing about these people is that they were willing to suffer because of Christ and the resurrection. They were so excited about Jesus they would suffer for him. In fact, they were kind of happy about it. Look again to the book of Acts. After the apostles were arrested and beaten, they left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” (Acts 5:41) That means they thought it was a privilege to be beaten up for being identified with the name and person of Christ, so they rejoiced.
Paul felt the same way. Here in 2 Timothy 2:9, he said he was suffering for the gospel and was bound by chains as if he were a criminal. This is exactly what caused some of his followers to abandon him. But notice that Paul knows he can be bound but God cannot. He said “But the word of God is not bound!” (9) And it is not. The gospel roared forth from a few men to spread all over the world. By the time Paul wrote Colossians 1:23, he proclaimed that the gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven”.
Because the gospel is not bound, Paul was willing to endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they would obtain salvation. Paul used the Greek word ἐκλεκτός which transliterates to “eklektos”. It means “picked out” or “chosen”. And in our context, it means chosen by God. Sometimes it is translated elect and sometimes chosen.
He is thinking of those who will come to Christ, but had not yet. He was willing to suffer to get the gospel to them so they will share with him the salvation that is in Christ, in eternal glory.
Paul knew that preaching the gospel would result in the salvation of those God chose. That gave him hope and strength – his preaching would not be in vain. For example, God told Paul to preach in Corinth because (Acts 18:10) “I have many people in this city”. There were many who would come to Christ through Paul’s preaching because God had chosen them to do so.
Paul finished this part of his plea for faithfulness by using a song or possible catechism that was likely well known to complete his exhortation to faithfulness (2:11-13). The song has four couplets: 2 positive & 2 negative. Each starts with “if” to describe an action of a believer, then follows with the reaction of God. The “if” actually assumes it is true. We more commonly use the word “since” in this situation today.
The first one says, if we have died with him, we will also live with him. We often say that Christ’s death was substitutionary: he died for us or in our place. But his death is also vicarious. That is, his death is attributed to us. His death becomes our death.
In legal terms, a company can be held liable for the actions of its employees. It is vicariously liable. The actions of the employee are held to be the actions of the company. In tribal or clan cultures, the act of a member of a clan is the act of the clan, so another clan may kill an innocent member of that clan in retaliation.
Christians are deemed to have died with Christ. His death is attributed to us. In Galatians 2:20, Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ”. The result of that death is that he may now live for Christ and not for his own flesh. He said “for through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” (Gal. 5:19) He also said “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…” (Gal. 5:20)
Ironically, Christians live as dead men and women: dead to sin and flesh, alive to Christ. Therefore, we may live to please him and bring glory to God.
The second couplet says “if we endure, we will also reign with him”. This is a reference to eternal life. It is endurance that proves salvation. It is the opposite of “apostasy”, which is to abandon the faith or the crucial tenants of the faith. One who sins or temporarily falls away is not apostate. The best example is Peter. He denied Christ three times, yet was restored and lived his life and died for Christ.
On the other hand, Charles Templeton used to tour and preach with Billy Graham. He began to question the Bible, however, and eventually renounced his faith publicly. He wrote a book about it and died without repenting. As far as we know, he was apostate.
The reason endurance to the end is the true sign of faith is that God preserves those who believe in Jesus and have been converted or saved. The Bible says this repeatedly. For example, Jesus said “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29). Romans 8:28-30 tells us that those God called, he glorified.
Peter put it clearly in 1 Peter 1:9. He said those God caused to be born again have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for them.
Jude 24-25 tells us God is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us to himself blameless.
In contrast, the third couplet is a warning. If we deny him, he will also deny us. If we apostasize, or deny Christ and his teaching, he will deny us at the judgment. Jesus said “…whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven”. (Matthew10:33) This verse alone defeats the idea of Universalism, which teaches that everyone gets to heaven. Only those who confess Christ get into heaven. If Christ denies you, you have no basis as a sinner to get in.
The fourth couplet is also a comfort. It is a statement about the character of God. It says “if we are faithless, he remains faithful”. We have seen repeatedly that God was always faithful to his covenant with Israel, though they often were unfaithful. You may stumble and fall sometime. Some of us look back at times we fell in the past with great shame and remorse. Some will fall in the future. Some who were in the class in the past fell and are still fallen. God remains faithful. He will get the believer back.
The example again is Peter. Jesus found him and restored him to his place in the ministry. He hurt him a bit doing it, asking him three times if Peter loved Jesus. Peter was grieved. But Jesus drove home his point.
Paul added a line of explanation: “for he cannot deny himself”. God never changes. The theological term is immutable. One of my favorite verses is Malachi 3:6. There God says “For I the Lord do not change”. The context of the verse is that he is faithful even when Israel is not.
God the Father is Faithful. God the Son is faithful. God the Holy Spirit is faithful. Therefore, we should be inspired to be faithful.
Be faithful, brothers and sisters.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
I applaud the decision of the Komen Foundation, which raises money for breast cancer research, to stop sending funds to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.
First, I am glad to see anyone quit supporting abortion.
Second, I think it is unethical to raise money for breast cancer research, but give the money to kill babies. Many who would give to support breast cancer research would be horrified to learn their money had been used that way. These days, you have to research what a charity does with its money before you donate. You cannot assume that they only thing they do with your money is the issue they use to raise it.
First, I am glad to see anyone quit supporting abortion.
Second, I think it is unethical to raise money for breast cancer research, but give the money to kill babies. Many who would give to support breast cancer research would be horrified to learn their money had been used that way. These days, you have to research what a charity does with its money before you donate. You cannot assume that they only thing they do with your money is the issue they use to raise it.
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