On The Day of Judgment

On The Day of Judgment

All humans will stand before God to be judged one day.  Hebrews 9:27 says, “. . . it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 6:2 lists “eternal judgment” among the most fundamental teachings of Christianity.  Romans 14:12 declares, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”  This accounting will involve everything that we have done in our life: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Are you ready?

Are you ready?

The Christian has an advantage on the Day of Judgment: He has Christ Jesus in His corner.  All sin, but Jesus is the Christian’s advocate: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).  While Jesus advocates for the Christian, He will judge the non-Christian.  Paul declared in Acts 17:30-31: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

There is a judgment; Jesus is the judge; and His word will be the standard of judgment.  In John 12:48, Jesus said, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”  Learn Christ’s words so that you may be found approved!  God bless you and I love you.

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“Traditions” or Divine Traditions

“Traditions” or Divine Traditions

The Bible speaks so clearly about the place of traditions in our service to the Lord. Jesus lived in a world which was beset with Jewish “traditions,” which were so embedded in daily living that they often kept men from serving God. On the other hand, there are verses which clearly tell us we must keep traditions and never depart from them. How can this be? How do we distinguish between “traditions” which keep us from God and the Divine traditions we must embrace?

Are you following the Traditions of the Lord or man?

Are you following the Traditions of the Lord or man?

The clearest understanding of the difference comes from a careful reading of Mark chapter seven. Jesus’ disciples were criticized because they violated the “traditions” regarding eating with unwashed hands and ignored the “traditions” regarding the cleansing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels and couches (verse 4). Look carefully how Jesus delineates between “traditions” which are not binding and those which are.

The Holy Spirit describes the Jewish “traditions” as being the “traditions” of the elders (v. 3), and the Pharisees referred to them in the same way—the “traditions” of the elders (v. 5). Jesus called them the “traditions” of men (v. 8) and the your “traditions” (v. 9). He then sets before them that which supersedes all “traditions.” He rebuked these religious leaders for elevating their “traditions” above the commandments of God and specifically stated in their elevations of their “traditions” they had laid aside the commandments of God and rejected these Divine commands (vv. 8-9). Look at the results of such action: “In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (v. 7).

Some “traditions” make little difference. Whether one eats with unwashed hands or washed hands does not defile a man (vv. 18-19). However, when such are elevated to the same level as Divine teaching, worship becomes vain.

Think of this application in reference to our worship. Congregational singing is not a tradition in the church. It is precisely what the Lord commanded. The number of songs we use and the order of worship may be “traditional,” but acapella singing is not traditional—it is a commandment of God.

The Holy Spirit says, “Stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught” (2 Thess. 2:15).  He says to keep the traditions just as they were delivered (1 Cor. 11:2) and withdraw from those who do not walk after the traditions they received (2 Thess. 3:6). There is a difference between “traditions” and tradition.

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The Purpose of the Mission

The Purpose of the Mission

A Drill Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps: One of the most disdained, disliked, and maybe even in some cases detested – yet most vital and essential – people on the planet to those whom he has been charged with training and preparing for the life and death struggles they will soon be forced to face. His job is to take raw, untrained, and unprepared recruits, and turn them into elite members of the finest, fiercest, and most highly trained and capable fighting force known to man today. Should he ever even momentarily flinch or falter and for whatever reason forget the primary purpose of his mission, it would be at that precise point which he would then completely compromise and endanger both their mission, as well as their very lives.

Fulfilling the mission requires dedication and self-control.

Fulfilling the mission requires dedication and self-control.

He can never afford to lose sight of the fact that he is not there to make friends; he is there to make Marines. He is not there to win a personality or popularity contest; he is there to help prepare the unprepared to win whatever battles they may have to face in the future, so that they might live to make it back home to their loved ones once again.

Despite the potential loneliness, the perpetual resistance, and the persistent personal dislike for him and the essentiality of what he must continually seek to do if he is to give them the best possible chance of survival (during the worst firefights imaginable), he must “stay the course.” He must continue to push, train, challenge, and equip those under his charge, to become something far different, far stronger, and far better at and more capable of defeating the enemy than they have ever been or imagined they could be before. Otherwise, he knows that they will inevitably wind up enduring nothing but defeat and death at every turn. Ultimately, he knows that if he does not do what needs to be done in order to prepare and give them the best possible chance of victory later on – no matter how unpopular or uncaring that may make him seem at the moment – they will simply never survive to see the shores of home ever again.

As I’m sure many of my preaching peers will probably all too readily attest, there are certain similarities between a United States Marine Corp’s Drill Sergeant’s mission, and that of a faithful gospel preacher’s. As God’s faithful messengers (2 Timothy 3:14-4:5), we too are charged with taking raw, unprepared, untrained and newly converted sinners or ‘spiritual recruits,’ and guiding them through a divinely-designed, life-long and death-defying training process, so that they might be better able and equipped to identify, challenge, engage, and ultimately overcome and win the battle against the devil and his demonic deceptions and temptations on a daily basis (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:11-16, 6:10-18; James 1:12-16). Our mission is not necessarily to make men happy, but instead it is to make them holy (Galatians 1:10). We’re not here to make friends; we’re here to help make sure we do everything we possibly can, so that those we have been charged with training and equipping, can eventually win all their battles and make it home to be with us there forever.

However, amongst those whom we are divinely charged to constantly and consistently challenge, confront, convict, convince, change and better train and equip to win both their daily battles as well as the ultimate war for their eternal souls, there will almost always be some few who simply have no idea or understanding whatsoever of what is at stake or how powerful their adversary actually is. The continual resistance of such folks to this vital training and preparation process will inevitably come in many and varied – although very predictable – forms.

Some may come “kicking and screaming,” having to almost be “dragged” to such events as bible studies, worship assemblies, gospel meetings, and/or other spiritual service and training sessions. Some may come, but once there, simply choose to close their eyes, ears, hearts and minds to the messages, challenges, training exercises and instructions being presented, thus refusing to acknowledge – let alone going out and actually putting them into practice and/or honing and improving their skills with – them. It is quite likely that still others may simply cease attending such spiritual training sessions whenever strongly challenged to change or reconsider the way they have been approaching certain passages or practices, thus providing the enemy with a priceless opportunity for perpetually influential advancement into their eternal states and destinies.

It is also from within this small but often disgruntled group (which does not want to be charged or challenged to put forth the effort necessary to changing and becoming victorious; and which, obviously, cannot therefore honestly begin to understand the immeasurable size and scope of all that is eternally at stake and hangs in the balance for the winners and losers of this incredible battle), that most of the resistance, rejection, and rebellion against the spiritual trainer will originate.

However, for those who do have some idea of what is at stake, and therefore refuse to lose the battle for their eternal souls under any circumstances, the positive responses to this vital training and preparation process also comes in many, varied, and very predictable forms as well.

Although all such challenges and disciplines are somewhat difficult, they both embrace and endure them. Though the growth process may persistently pain them, they persistently push and grow through them. Comfort zones are constantly being exited and eliminated, while challenges are constantly being answered and overcome. They obviously do not enjoy every command or instruction to learn, exercise, exhibit, or practice some of their skills and abilities, but because they surely understand the eternal and essential nature of all such exercises, neither will they seek to deter, discredit, or disobey the instructor and his insistence that they do so.

These understand fully, that one reason he is constantly pushing, challenging, rebuking, correcting, and seeking to strengthen, equip, and transform them into the vital and invincible conquerors in this cosmic spiritual battle for their eternal souls that they so desperately need to be, is because he loves them – plain and simple. They also know that his orders (if he is truly insisting on only the black and white, “book, chapter, and verse” commandments contained in God’s holy word), come only and ultimately straight from the heavenly headquarters where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God – the same exact home that is exclusively reserved for those who train, prepare, engage in, and ultimately win and overcome in this war for their eternal souls! This is a battle that they dare not lose. Nor would they ever therefore, seek to resist the one who was diligently seeking to challenge, prepare, and equip them to overcome the enemy to get there.

 

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Powerful Words

Powerful Words

When we are kids, we are told that sticks and stones may break bones, but words can never hurt us. As many of us get older we realize just how wrong this is.

Words are powerful things, for both good and ill. The Bible, with more honesty than those who tried to inoculate us against words when we were youths, teaches, “With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.” (Proverbs 25:15; ESV)

Words... are powerful!

Words… are powerful!

Why are words so powerful? From a materialistic point of view, one might well wonder. They have no substance or strength of their own, being but a collection of sounds, or perhaps an arrangement of lifeless shapes. Yet, they are amongst the most powerful of tools in the human arsenal, and are imbued with an ability that greatly transcends their physical limitations. Which is, if one considers it, certainly an argument against a materialistically-centered world view.

Words, if we may take a moment to define them, are a vehicle by which ideas are conveyed. They are the tool which intelligent creatures use to communicate complex thoughts, allowing the sharing of memories, desires, and even commands. That in and of itself makes them rather special. But the believer knows that the truth goes beyond the mere way in which man uses words. For words are of a divine origin, being the very tool of God.

God is Spirit (cf. John 4:24). Spirit is a hard concept for men to comprehend, being limited by our own physical senses, but the one characteristic of spirit that we can relate to is “thought.” God thinks. Yet without a body, how does God work and act? One answer the Bible gives is, “words.” Words are the tool by which the thoughts of God are given shape and substance.

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and the tool He used was the spoken word. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1:3). The thought of God, expressed in words, produced results. God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass,” and the earth brought forth grass. (Genesis 1:14). God said, “Let the waters abound with living creatures,” and it was so. (Genesis 1:20) All of creation was spoken into being by the divine word of God.

Later, when God interacted with man, He used words again; this time to teach and provide guidance. God said, “be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28) God warned, “Don’t eat of that one tree.” Man did not listen to that last one, and trouble followed. (cf. Genesis 2-3) Whatever God wanted to teach man was communicated to man through the divine word of God.

Words then are the tool of God, the means by which He interacts with His creation, and the words of God are quite powerful.

The Bible says concerning the words of God that they are pure. We add to them, or take away from them, at our own risk. (cf. Proverbs 30:5-6).

There are those who worry that God, being infinite, may have trouble communicating with finite man. But such fears are groundless.God, being infinite in intelligence and wisdom, says exactly what He means, and knows how to say what He means in a way we can understand.Words, even human words, were His invention and He is the master of the art of linguistics.

The Bible also teaches that God’s words are eternal and unalterable.

“All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:24-25a; cf. Isaiah 40:6-8) God does not change, and His divine words change not either.

All well, and good, someone might say, but, they would ask, what does this have to do with me? Simply put, an appreciation of God’s word is instrumental in our salvation.

Jesus, we might note, by divine inspiration is called, “the Word.” “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This same “Word” took on flesh and dwelt amongst us. (John 1:1, 14). God had a message for man and Jesus was the vehicle by which that message was delivered.

Jesus once asked the apostles if they wanted to leave Him. Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go – you have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) They knew and had come to understand that God had a message for man, and that knowing and understanding the message would bring life. Jesus had taught them this, saying, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63; NKJV)

Years later, there was a man named Cornelius, who God wanted to save. God sent an angel to Cornelius who instructed: “Send to Joppa, for Peter, who will tell you words by which all you and your household will be saved.” (Acts 11:13b-14) Peter had learned the words of Christ, and was able to share them.

Today we have those words written for us: the vehicle through which God teaches us how to have life and have it eternal. Through hearing, understanding and applying these words, we, like Cornelius and his household, can be saved. More than this, by learning these words sufficiently, we can convey them to others, sharing with them God’s plan for salvation. Thus, God’s will can be communicated from person to person, bringing the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of eternal life to those who obey the given words.

Words are indeed powerful things, for both good and ill. They are the very tool by which God communicates to man. We are fools if we ignore the word of God.

 

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Opposing the Wrong, Supporting the Right

Opposing the Wrong, Supporting the Right

The prophets lived in a time of great moral turpitude.  Many were confused as to what was right and what was wrong.  So much so that many of the prophets call attention to the fact that the people in their day and time hated good and loved evil.  In Micah 3:2, God tells His people: “You who hate good and love evil.”  Amos found it necessary to say, “Hate evil, love good” (Amos 5:15).  The wicked man is described in the Psalms: “You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness” (Psalm 52:3).  Perhaps the most iconic passage is in Isaiah 5:2, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

What is wrong? What is right? How can we tell? The answer is in the Bible.

What is wrong? What is right? How can we tell? The answer is in the Bible.

There are things that are right and good and wholesome: mercy, love, patience, kindness, sobriety, forgiveness, purity, joy, humility, faith.  There are also those things that are wrong and evil and destructive: selfishness, hate, maliciousness, drunkenness, unbelief, pride, envy, greediness, lust, and anger.  As Christians, good citizens, family members, and lovers of wholesome things, we must oppose the wrong and support the right.  We must do this personally, in our families, in our churches, in our neighborhoods, in our communities, and in our nation.  It takes effort on our part to be vigilant and stand for what is right.  Peter wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).Let’s make an effort this week to take a stand for what is right and good and wholesome.  God is with us!  He sees the good that we do!  He will remember those good works (Hebrews 6:10)!  God bless you and I love you!

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