Point of View

Point of View

It is not uncommon for people, when approaching the Bible, to take the point of view that the verse in question,regardless of which verse is in question, is meant for someone else and not for them.

Sometimes this is done overtly. For instance, in Matthew 19, Jesus quite pointedly talks about marriage and divorce, and God’s expectations regarding the same. Over the years since, quite a bit of time, resources and ingenuity have been invested in explaining why what Jesus said to His followers should not apply to this or that person today.

Just as frequently, the assumption that certain passages have no relevance to the reader is made without thought, and the passages in question are glossed over during reading. Many Bible readers, if they are honest, will confess that they have a tendency to skip over such things as the genealogies found in scripture. Or maybe, when they come to some of the personal remarks in the apostles’ epistles they tend to simply read them without thinking and move on.

Point of View

Context and Audience is important in viewing any passage.

But let us assure the Bible student that, yes, that verse was meant for you.

The Bible teaches us, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17; ESV)

“All scripture,” means every single verse. Every bit of it, as originally penned by the inspired authors, is from God. And, every bit of it, as given to us through the apostles and the prophets, is profitable for the reader.

It is true that passages must be read in their context, and that the reader is not always the one being directly addressed. But that does not mean that God did not have the reader in mind when He inspired the writing of the passage in question. Concerning the Old Testament, a set of books written well before the Christian age, and directly addressed to people long since dead, we are told, “Now these things happened tothem as an example, butthey werewrittendown for our instruction,on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11; ESV)

So, when you come to a particular passage, God meant for that passage to be profitable and useful to you, today, as you try to serve Him.

There is a story that is told concerning one passage in 2 Timothy. The context of the epistle is that Paul, the apostle of Christ, is languishing in a Roman prison and is, from that state, writing to Timothy, who is busy preaching elsewhere. Paul knows he is going to soon be executed. He is somewhat lonely, but has not quit teaching and preaching, even from the confines of prison. In that context, Paul makes a request of Timothy, saying, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.” (2 Timothy 4:13; ESV).

Many reading this verse might well wonder why such a request would be relevant to anyone but Timothy? What lessons could be learned therefrom?

One preacher of more recent years came to a point in his financial life wherein he felt rather desperate. As the bills piled up, he thought about selling his library. But before he did so, he recalled this simple passage and was struck by the realization that the apostle Paul, one of the greatest preachers to ever live, felt the need for books by which he could study. If it was necessary for Paul to read and study, then so too with us. Recalling the passage, he resolved to keep his books, and found another way to pay his bills, a decision that in better times he was thankful for. The passage, obscure as it might seem to some, had a profitable lesson for that minister, one that helped him make an important choice at a crossroads in life.

We may not always, when reading a passage, understand the exact application to ourselves, but that does not mean there is not one. God wrote down what He did in order to instruct us and equip us. All of which is to say: you are well served to learn as much of the Bible as you can, because, although you never know when that which you have learned will prove most useful, all of it, every single word of it, was written for your benefit.

 

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Conversations with God’s Words

Conversations with God’s Words

For there to be meaningful conversations, both the speaker and the listener must use the same definition of words as they speak. If this does not happen confusion will always be the result.

An illustration of this involves the time Gene Puckett and I were talking. I suggested to Gene, since he knew Noah built the ark out of gopher wood, that a good way to remember where the ark landed was on those mountains named Mt. Ararat. The obvious connection between gopher and “a rat” (I know it did not land on Mt. A-rat, but on Mt. Ararat) seemed such a good way to remember these facts.

Discussion Word

God’s Words Clearly Describe – Not Ours – Not Drama – Not Puppet Shows – Not Emotionalism

Gene told me he did not know what I was saying. When I asked him what a gopher was, he described it as a turtle commonly seen in Florida. Now everyone knows (at least everyone in Alabama) that a gopher is a very large rat. Gene, being from Florida, used exactly the same word I used with a totally different meaning. It was not long after that, when Gene and I were together, he saw a “gopher” and called it to my attention. It seems like in some places a gopher is not a rat but a turtle! Different definitions of the same word result in confusion.

Now imagine two men with different religious backgrounds having a discussion. One of them, because of his religious background, defines the word “baptism” in the way he has always seen it practiced. His background involved religions who sprinkle water on an infant and call it baptism.

The other man, because of his background, understands baptism so differently. His lifetime experience has been to use the word “baptism” to be the practice of immersing an adult in order that his sins might be forgiven. The person to be immersed has verbally affirmed that with all of his heart he believes Jesus is the son of God.

The first person asks, “Do you believe that for one to go to heaven he must be baptized?” The second person answers, “Yes.” However no communication has taken place. The first person has actually asked, “Do you believe that for a baby to go to heaven he must have water sprinkled on him?” Phrased that way, the second person would answer, “Absolutely not.” The same question results in two totally different answers. Why? Because each person has his own definition of the word “baptism.”

What is the solution to having meaningful religious conversations? Let each man give up their own definitions and let the Bible define baptism. Let them agree that they will use Bible words, defined as the Bible defines them, in the way the Bible uses these words. This is how true unity comes!

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A Standard Greeting from the Churches of Christ

A Standard Greeting from the Churches of Christ

[Editors Note:Below is a typical greeting you will hear from those of the Churches of Christ.  It represents a pattern approach to the Word of God and how the Church approaches those it is reaching out to help grow.]

We wish to extend the warmest of welcomes to all of our friends, neighbors, and family members, who have chosen to join us this Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10) as we seek to worship the Lord in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). We want you to know that we consider ourselves blessed and privileged to have you with us as our honored and welcome guests. Subsequently, we would like to make you aware of a few things that might be new to you if you are not familiar with the worship assemblies of the churches of Christ as found in Scripture (Romans 16:16).

First and foremost, we fully believe and accept without exception, exemption, or hesitation, that the Holy Bible is the full and absolute truth of almighty God (Psalm 19:7-11; John 17:17); that it’s every word is divinely-inspired (Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4); and that it is never, therefore, a matter of one’s own interpretation (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Churches of Christ

The Bible is what the Churches of Christ strive to follow.

Because we believe the Bible is the word of God, we also believe that it contains everything we need to know, in order to know and to please Him completely (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, you will find that every single aspect of our worship service is very humbly and carefully carried out in faithful accordance with that same, exact, Biblical pattern of sound words (2 Timothy 1:13) which the Lord’s church has followed ever since its establishment in the first century A.D. (Acts 2:37-47, 20:7; 1 Corinthians 1:21, 16:1-2; Ephesians 5:17-21). The same holds true for the sermon as well. We will not waste your time nor belittle your efforts to be here with us by preaching to you pointless human wisdom, empty human philosophy, or the vain worship causing commandments of men (1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Colossians 2:6-10; Mark 7:5-13). Instead – and just like every other aspect of our worship service – the sermon will be fully and faithfully referenced and built upon the pure, “black and white,” “book chapter, and verse” truth, of almighty God Himself.

We are truly grateful that you have chosen to be our honored guest this morning.  As such, please understand that we do not expect you to place any money in the collection plate as it passes by. That is a privilege reserved for members only (1 Cor. 16:1-2). However, if you would like to have a personal Bible study to further examine what you experience here, or to answer any of your other Bible questions, please indicate that on your visitor’s card before placing it in the collection plate instead. We are here to serve the Lord, by serving you! God bless!

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The Exodus of the Young

The Exodus of the Young

It’s like a slow train wreck you can’t stop watching. For 18 years a young person attends your local congregation and is present every Sunday. But then they leave home, take the high dive into the world, and slowly start to live a life that does not reflect Christ. And sadly, they appear to love this new life of worldliness. Their clothes get more immodest. Their social media posts get more immoral. Their language becomes less about Him and more about themselves. And little by little you watch as this once faithful person begins to embrace sin.

youth exodus

Social events? Teen only classes? Youth Days? What about serious Bible study?

Why? Why are we not better grounding our young people to run away from worldliness and run toward holiness? Why do we sit idly by and assume this is “just a phase” everyone must go through? Why do we no longer blush? Why is it okay for a 20-year-old to dishonor the bride of Christ publicly through social media and no one does anything? Why do we act like souls are not at stake?

I fear that it is because, in too many cases, their hearts were never turned toward God in the first place. Sure they wanted to get baptized and sure they wanted to avoid the fires of hell. But they never put on the new man. They never agreed to be a servant/slave to Christ.

Yes, they wanted salvation and forgiveness, but they did not want Him as a Lord over their life. They simply wanted a comfortable Christianity that still allowed them to live as they wanted to live. It’s time parents, church leaders, and Christians take a serious look at the hearts of their young people and ask: “Who is on the throne of your heart?” Is it a video game? Is it themselves? Is it a boyfriend/girlfriend? Is it theater, football, or band? Is it high grades and honor roll? Is it being popular or having the right phone? Or is it Jesus Christ? How many more will we watch fall away before we realize that something needs to be done?

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SEGUIDORES DEL DIABLO

SEGUIDORES DEL DIABLO: PARTE 1

Existe una página en internet donde usted puede buscar su propia genealogía. Para las personas es importante saber qué hicieron sus antepasados y si alguno de ellos fue famoso o hizo algo importante. Al final, todo puede ser resumido a 2 familias; uno es parte de la familia de Dios o es parte de la familia del Diablo. Al llegar a Juan 8 nos encontramos con un capitulo de contrastes y son muy variados. Por mucho mucho tiempo los Judíos habían estado atacando a Jesús en muchas y diversas maneras y él había sido muy paciente para con ellos. Al llegar a este capítulo 8 entendemos por qué razón el Señor fue tan abierto y tan franco en su declaración para con ellos. Como usted sabrá, Dios siempre ha sido extremadamente paciente para con el hombre y ha buscado siempre razonar con él, pero como todo y como todos, Dios también tiene un límite. El Límite de Dios en la carne estaba llegando a su fin y ahora Jesús les dice lo que ellos no querían escuchar.

El Diablo juego

La realidad del diablo y sus seguidores no es un juego.

                  Juan capítulo 8 también es una de las declaraciones más alta que existe en las páginas del Nuevo Testamento con respecto a la Deidad del Señor Jesús. La opresión de Roma por casi doscientos años, cuando el general Pompeyo en una de sus muchas cruzadas pone su mirada en Palestina, principalmente Jerusalén. Los Judíos después de siglos habían  gozado tan solo unos 80 años de libertad y es en el año 63 a.C. cuando una situación conflictiva interna entre Aristobulo II e Hircano II, que Pompeyo se aprovecha y le pone el pie encima con pesados tributos y exigencias de su nuevo “amo” Roma. Esto les había enseñado a respetar la ley romana, sin embargo se nos muestra aquí la más grande resolución por parte de los Judíos para matar a Jesús e incluso irrespetar  el señorío de los Romanos.

                  En asuntos de contexto usted puede apreciar que en este capítulo la narrativa gira entorno a algunas palabras o verbos  significativos: 1)La verdad, 2) La palabra, 3) La esclavitud, 4) La descendencia, 5) La mentira, y por último 6) La deidad. Es también aquí en esta sección del Nuevo Testamento donde el Maestro hace 4 de sus muchas declaraciones del “Yo Soy”  aunque muchos alegan que solamente son 7, el caso es que implícitamente hay más de siete de esas declaraciones (Yo soy la luz 8:12, Yo soy el que doy testimonio 8:18, Yo soy la verdad 8:32, Yo soy el que Liberta 8:36)

                  Iniciando desde el v.11 Tenemos el primer contraste entre ley y Gracia. Del 12-20 luz y tinieblas, del 21-30 otro contraste entre vida y muerte, del 31-43 libertad y esclavitud , del 44-47 hijos de Dios versus hijos del Diablo y por último del 47-59 un contraste entre honra y deshonra. A pesar de que el estilo del texto en esta ocasión es comparativo y bastante profundo para ahondar en él, nuestra atención estará enfocada en la porción del 44-47 bajo el tema asignado para esta oportunidad; “Seguidores del Diablo”.

                  Sin lugar a dudas los Judíos estaban siguiendo al diablo en todas las formas posibles, particularmente el grupo de entre ellos el grupo radical de los fariseos. En la porción anteriormente asignada nosotros podemos con claridad apreciar que ellos eran seguidores del diablo en 4 pasos.  No es necesario a lo mejor correr con el diablo para ser su seguidor, tan solo cuatro pasos y los fariseos con sus apariencias tan limpias y descontaminadas estaban detrás del diablo compartiendo su naturaleza, deseos, y metas. Estudiemos Juntos esos cuatro pasos detrás de satanás:

PASO 1 LA MENTIRA V.44

                  Sabe usted que muchas veces utilizamos términos que realmente no comprendemos a cabalidad y aún así los utilizamos. La palabra original  para mentira aquí es la palabra “ψεῦδος” (pseudos). En la RV60 la expresión en griego aparece 9 veces en el N.T, siendo utilizada mucho más veces en 1Juan y Apocalipsis. Es probable que tanto ustedes como yo hemos escuchado el término “pseudo-cristiano” y lo que a uno se le viene a la mente es, un cristiano a medias. Los domingos es cristiano y de Lunes a Viernes su boca está sucia, se ríe de chistes calientes, visita sitios no deseados en internet, le grita a su esposa etc… ciertamente tal cristiano es un  mentiroso (pseudo) y está en el camino más antiguo de este mundo; el camino del diablo. Una verdad a medias es una mentira completa, un hijo de Dios sólo los Domingos es simplemente  hijo del diablo completo. La afirmación de ellos  en V.33 de que los descendientes de Abraham nunca habían sido esclavos era por cierto falsa, y hasta absurda. Los judíos habían sido esclavos casi 5 siglos en Egipto, fueron oprimidos por siete naciones poderosas, según se registra en el libro de Jueces. Las diez tribus del norte fueron llevadas cautivas a Asiria, y las dos tribus del sur habían estado setenta años en cautiverio en Babilonia. Habían sido como un balón de futbol pasando de pie en pie durante el periodo de 400 años con los Ptolomeos y los Seleucidas. En esa misma hora los judíos ¡se hallaban bajo la férrea bota de Roma!  Y como dijo el hermano Wayne Jackson en su comentario sobre este versículo “Entre los Herodes y los Romanos, eran un sandwiched” (Comentario al Nuevo Testamento Tercera Edición, Wayne Jackson pg.166)¡Ellos eran mentirosos ahí mismo en el contexto, el v.33! De hecho, si usted nota en cada una de las intervenciones de ellos, mienten, no le podían dar a una siquiera.

                  Ellos estaban tan orgullosos de que Abraham fuera su Padre que afirman no haber nacido de fornicación (V.41). Se sabe que esto era una afirmación muy sucia de los falsos rumores de que Jesús había sido procreado antes de que María se casara con José. Un texto tardío del Talmud Judío dice que Jesús era el hijo ilegitimo de María con un soldado Romano llamado Pantera. Y conociendo a estos líderes religiosos es probable que estuvieran apelando esto. Obviamente otra mentira implícita.

                  La mentirá tendrá su específica condenación el día del Juicio. De hecho es la primera en la lista de Ap.21:8. Es trascendental comprender que mentira no solamente es una actividad de labios ¡fue una mentira blanca o negra!, dicen algunos. No, la mentira la cual la Biblia condena es una vida doble. Uno puede estar subscrito para seguir al diablo y al mismo tiempo estar sentado en un escaño de edificio de Iglesia. Jesús dijo que solamente la verdad nos puede hacer libres (8:32) Solamente cuando el hijo nos libertare. La libertad no es a nuestros términos es en los términos del Señor.

PASO 2 ES HOMICIDA V.44

                  El mismo autor, el apóstol Juan escribe más tarde que ningún homicida tiene vida permanente en él  (1Jn.3:15). La palabra en su original es un tanto más compleja ya que es una palabra combinada, basta decir que es el resultado de la mentira. Las palabras son hermanas gemelas que comparten un mismo padre; el Diablo. Existe un proceso negativo al seguir al diablo, observe:

Diablo——————Caín———————Fariseos—————————Yo

Gn.3                           Gn.4                            Jn. 8                                      Iglesia

Mintió                         Mintió                        Mintieron                               Miento

Mató                            Mató                          Mataron                                  Mato

                  Uno puede matar a otros…matar la reputación de un hermano, matar la reputación de la Iglesia…lo peor de todo es que cuando mentimos y llevamos vidas dobles, nos estamos matando a nosotros mismos. Seguir al diablo paso a paso nos llevará siempre a donde el va, y Jesús dijo que va al castigo eterno (Mt.25:46). Satanás es un mentiroso y homicida. Mintió a nuestros primeros padres (“¿Conque Dios ha dicho…?”) y consiguió que murieran. Caín fue hijo del diablo (1 Juan 3:12), porque fue tanto un mentiroso como asesino. Mató a su hermano Abel y mintió al respecto (Génesis 4). ¿Es sorprendente que estos dirigentes religiosos hayan mentido en cuanto a Jesús, contratado testigos falsos y logrado que lo mataran? La peor esclavitud es la que el mismo preso no reconoce.

                  El diablo deseaba matar no sólo a Adán y Eva. Adam Clarke comenta: “Fue a través de él que Adán transgredió, en consecuencia la muerte entró al mundo. Este era el mismo sentimiento que embarga a los Judíos…su deseo intenso por matar”.  Es  verdad que ellos tenían una meta pero también un deseo en cuanto a la muerte de Cristo. El Señor dice: “Porque los deseos de vuestro padre queréis hacer” (V.44). “Télo” es la palabra Griega para deseo y en la construcción gramatical de esta palabra (Verbo, presente, activo, indicativo, segunda persona del Plural) la esencia de lo que el Señor les dijo al utilizar tal palabra fue: “a ustedes les encanta en un estado constante y sin pausa realizar los deseos de su padre”Quien ha matado una vez,  disfrutará en las ocaciones que tenga en el futuro continuar matando. Los cristianos somos gente que ya no vivimos en el pecado y que cada vez que pecamos nos duele y hacemos lo mejor de nosotros para no volver a hacerlo. Los Cristianos no disfrutamos el pecar, no buscamos ocasión para hacerlo porque, “Nosotros que hemos muerto al pecado, ¿Como viviremos aún en él? (Rm.6:2 LBLA). No estimado lector, quienes disfrutan el pecar, buscan la ocasión y viven en él son aquellos seguidores del Diablo.

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