The Suffering of the Righteous

The Suffering of the Righteous

When we are suffering, it is common nature for us to ask, “Why?” (Psalm 73). “Why is this happening?” “Why won’t it go away?” “Why did God allow this to happen to me?” Sadder even are those who, on such occasions, blame God and turn their backs on Him and walk away. Paul gives some great advice and perspective in the beginning of 2 Corinthians concerning our attitude toward suffering.

What Good Comes from Suffering?

What Good Comes from Suffering?

First of all, he says that when we suffer and are comforted by God then we are able to comfort others who are suffering (1:4). It is important to remember that living Christian lives is predicated upon our emptying of ourselves (Matthew 16:24) and serving others (Matthew 25:31–46). He wanted the Christians at Corinth to comfort the man who had repented and confirm their love toward him (2:7–8).

Secondly, we gain strength through our ministry, for God and toward others, to “faint not” (4:1).

Thirdly, the greatest comfort comes through the ministry of preaching and sharing the gospel of Jesus and while doing so Paul says, “We are troubled…but not distressed…perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (4:7–9).

Considering all that Paul had been through it is amazing that all was but “light affliction,” but that it worked for “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (4:17). How are you using your suffering to serve God and others?

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People Problems

People Problems

Check your bible. The Lord’s church in first-century Rome certainly had its challenges. So did the church in Corinth – there’s were colossal, widespread, and very well-documented in God’s eternal record. The first-century congregations of Christ’s church in the Galatian region were certainly shown to have grappled with their fair share of struggles. The Ephesian, Philippian, and Colossian congregations were surely not without their conflicts either. Neither were the congregations of Thessalonica, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, or Laodicea without their problems, conflicts, or issues. In fact, it is somewhere between extremely difficult and downright impossible to even peripherally read through the majority of some of those epistles and not come to the conclusion that the main reason they were written in the first place, was to address and correct some of the multitudinous problems in those congregations.

Much of the Bible deals with people problems.

Much of the Bible deals with people problems.

And even in first-century congregations of the Lord’s church which were not necessarily mentioned in the Scriptures, you can be sure that they certainly endured and had to deal with a plethora of seemingly impossible internal problems as well. Why? Because the church is the people. And wherever you have people seeking to work together in close proximity, you can count on having, and having to deal with, problems – even, and sometimes especially, in the church.

Several congregations that I am currently, personally (even if only peripherally) acquainted with through some of its members whom I know and love, either has had, or seems to be having, some measure of “people-problems” over the past few months. This is nothing new. This is to be expected. This is what will eventually, inevitably happen, anywhere and everywhere you have a plethora of imperfect people seeking to work so closely together. Even amongst some of Jesus’ closest and most spiritually intimate first-century disciples, they couldn’t always get along, and therefore had to learn to endure, resolve, and overcome some pretty nasty pride and personality problems (Matt. 20:20-28; Mk. 9:33-37, 10:32-45; Lk. 9:46-48, 22:24-27; Jn. 21:20-22; Acts 15:36-40; Phil. 4:2-3; Jms. 3:2-5:9)! And the reason is: because the church is the people. And wherever you have people seeking to pull together over a lengthy period of time, you can absolutely count on encountering, and having to endure and deal with, some sort of “people-problems” – even in the church. And sometimes, especially in the church. And here’s how and why…

Whenever one repents and is baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38-41), they are to bury the old man of sin there and rise to walk in newness of life (Ro. 6:1-11). However, the old man of sin doesn’t always stay dead, down, and drowned. He, with all of his ego-driven, pride-powered, selfish ambition and self-promoting sin won’t stay down without a constant and hard-fought daily fight to keep him there. Don’t think so? Then why did the once-humble sister servant-saints of Philippians 4:2-3 still have a problem? Also, please reconsider Colossians 3 if you would. It was written to those who were already Christians (Col. 1:2, 2:11-15, 3:1-4). And yet, what does the apostle Paul tell his Colossian brethren by divine inspiration in verses 5-17? ‘You’ve got to keep putting the old, sinful, selfish, petty and prideful man of sin to death!’ In other words, it is a continual, everyday, and ongoing process (2 Ptr. 1:1-11)! It is an everyday battle we all must personally fight (Lk. 9:23-25; Ro. 7:14-24; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3:12-14).

But sometimes we slip up, and the old man of sin slips out. Sometimes, someone will push just the right button, at just the wrong time, and before we can even begin to take the proper precautions, he shifts his ‘wait,’ sheds his shackles, and shoves his way past the ivory bars that have held him back and in check for so long. And when he breaks free, it all breaks loose. Feelings get hurt; friendships get sunk; relationships are severed; and reputations are ruined. And in some of the more tragic scenarios entire congregations can get ripped apart… while under the withering onslaught of such satanic and sinful immaturity and criticality, many blood-bought and priceless eternal souls can be lost forever, becoming spiritual casualties as a result of getting caught in the crippling, congregational crossfire of such needless warfare.

But while the church is the people; and where you have people you have problems; Jesus has and is the answer, having not changed in all the centuries since He was here. Whenever such personality and pride-driven conflicts erupt, they are the same types of “teachable moments” that Jesus’ disciples were continually given the opportunity to learn godly wisdom from (Matt. 20:20-28; Jms. 1:2-5) as are we. The Great Physician’s all-soothing, all-healing balm of Gilead (Jer. 8:22) can be abundantly found and applied, from God’s divinely-inspired prescriptions for all such certain-to-happen problems, in places like: Jn. 13; Rom. 12-16; 1 Cor. 1-3, 8, 12-13; Gal. 5-6; Eph. 4-6; Phil. 2-4; Col. 3; 1st Thess. 2-3 and other chapters, as well as entire books like James and 1st John.

Yes, the church is the people. And yes, wherever you have people, you will inevitably have problems – in the world or in the church. But the difference in the church, is that we have the divinely-inspired and all-powerful antidote and cure for all such issues directly at our fingertips! This, in the form of the eternal written word and wisdom of the almighty God of peace Himself! What a gift! May His people diligently learn, apply, and utilize it on a daily basis! …For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another… Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God (Rom. 14:17-19, 15:5-7).

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PECADOS Y ROMANOS 7

VENDIDO COMPLETAMENTE AL PECADO, UNA MIRADA A ROMANOS 7

Escuchando el debate del año 2016 sobre las aguas del bautismo entre Michael Brawner y el hermano Jack Honeycut, el ministro bautista hizo una mención a Romanos 7 para invalidar algunos argumentos sobre la necesidad del bautismo. Para el reciente debate entre el mismo predicador bautista y el hermano B.J Clarke Romanos 7 volvió a relucir dentro de las notas personales del señor Brawner en esta ocasión para tratar de invalidar la clara enseñanza de la palabra de Dios de que un creyente puede caer de la Gracia y perder eternamente su salvación. Es obvio que este pasaje con particularidad al versículo 14: “..más yo soy carnal, vendido al pecado”, ha sido durante años el refugio más prominente para cada bautista, pentecostal entre muchos otros más que han seguido la falsa enseñanza que inicio un día con Juan Calvino. No vamos a negar que este pasaje ha sido uno que se en lista dentro de la categoría de difícil interpretación de los cuales Pedro alude en 2 Ped 3:16 “los indoctos e inconstantes tuercen para su propia perdición”. Con todo no significa que sea imposible interpretarlos o que usted necesite un doctorado en Teología sistemática para hacerlo. A travez de la hermenéutica  Bíblica cada estudiante diligente puede llegar a ver el verdadero significado de este de otros pasajes difíciles, pero hechos una mirada a Romanos 7.

Romanos 7

Romanos 7

PRIMERO  ROMANOS 6: La Idea con la cual Pablo arrancó al escribir la epístola es la misma desde el capitulo 1 y no podemos por efectos de tiempo regresarnos desde allá, pero si podemos con claridad encontrar un patrón definido en cada capítulo de que la salvación se encuentra en Cristo solamente, no el Judaísmo y la ley de Moises ni tampoco había justificación para ningún gentil que argumentara que ellos no tenían ley de Moises para obedecer. En el Capitulo  6 Pablo recuerda a los santos que estaban en Roma como fue que ellos obedecieron el evangelio y el verdadero significado de esta obediencia en el bautismo (Ro. 6:1-6).  Así que el recordatorio a estos cristianos es no vivir ya más en pecado sino “morir con Cristo” (v10) , “murió al pecado” (v10), “No reine más el pecado” (v12), “ni presentéis vuestros miembros al pecado” (v13), “ el pecado no se enseñoreará de vosotros”( v14).  Al menos en 5 ocasiones el Apóstol está exhortando a no vivir en pecado y está asegurando que es posible rehusar vivir en pecado. Por favor tenga esto en mente y muy presente cuando lea el capítulo 7 ya que la Biblia simplemente no puede contradecirse así misma. Tenemos 5 versículos que contradijeran a Ro 7:14 donde Pablo escribe estoy vendido al pecado, ¿Realmente cree usted, que en estos versículos fue eso lo que estaba enseñando a su audiencia mientras que un capítulo antes les exhortó a no vivir más en pecado?¿ Cree realmente usted, que Pablo fue tan hipócrita para enseñar un cosa a su audiencia y luego declararse el mismo culpable de aquello de lo que estaba enseñando en contra de…? Amado lector, yo no creo que ese haya sido el caso, creo que Pablo era honesto al igual que debemos de serlo nosotros mientras continuamos  estudiando.
ROMANOS 8: Ahora tan solo un capítulo después observe con detenimiento las veces en las que aparece la palabra carne.
  • No andan conforme a la carne  V1.
  • Debil por la carne V3.
  • Condenó al pecado en la carne V3.
  • Porque los que son de la carne, piensan en las cosas de la carne V5.
  • Porque el ocuparse de la carne es muerte V6.
  • Los designios de la carne son enemistad contra Dios V7.
  • Los que viven según la carne no pueden agradar a Dios V8.
  • Más vosotros no vivís según la carne V9.
¿Sabe usted a que se refiere específicamente Pablo con carne?  En Gálatas 6:12 Lo define como la ley antigua en Ro 8:1explica que también a nosotros que estamos en Cristo, bajo el Nuevo pacto ya no estamos bajo condenación. El v15 de este mismo capítulo afirma que ya no estamos bajo esclavitud para estar en temor.  Luego un tanto más tarde pasa a mencionar la Nueva creación, por supuesto la Iglesia del Señor que es el lugar en donde se encuentra la salvación (2Ti 2;10).
 ROMANOS 7: Habiendo discutido brevemente ambos capítulos al rededor de este 7, ¿ De que cree usted que se esté tratando? Ciertamente de ninguna otra cosa diferente de la que se trató en el 6 y en el 8.  Los versículos 5 y 6 son la clave para entender los versículos 14-20. La Biblia dice: “Porque mientras estábamos  en la carne, las pasiones pecaminosas que eran por la ley, obraban en nuestros miembros llevando fruto para muerte. Pero Ahora estamos libres de la ley; por haber muerto para aquella en que estábamos sujetos…”(Ro. 7:5-6 énfasis HLM añadido). Observe por favor como se usa intercambiablemente el término carne con relación a la ley. Tanto así que Pablo utiliza una ilustración al inicio del capítulo 7 para que estos hermanos pudieran entender que al igual que una pareja está unida hasta que uno de los dos muere, la ley que los unía se deshace y es libre de esa ley. Ese es el punto de todo esto… ¡YA NO ESTAMOS BAJO  LA LEY DE MOISES!. Cuando Pablo llega a nuestros versículos de controversia simplemente se está poniendo él mismo en el lugar de los Judíos que se sentían atados a ley de Moises. Este es el mismo asunto que trata en Gálatas 2:20 él dice que con Cristo está juntamente crucificado. Cientos de veces este pasaje ha resonado desde un centenar de púlpitos, totalmente fuera de su contexto.  A lo que Pablo estaba crucificado era  a la ley de Moises. 
La doctrina calvinista ha propagado mucho su falsa doctrina de la total depravación hereditaria y de la mano con el gnosticismo han afirmado que no hay nada bueno en la carne que todo es malo. Hay mucho más que puede argumentarse en contra de estas creencias sin embargo a travez de los contextos es muy sencillo de comprender la verdadera intención de Pablo en Romanos 7. Los contextos siempre nos ayudarán a quedarnos donde tenemos que estar… en la correcta interpretación. Por lo tanto en la conclusión de este artículo esperamos haber colaborado mostrando los contextos del pasaje y no lo que yo aprendí, ni lo que el hermano X dice sobre el versículo ni mucho menos lo que siento es de lo que está hablando. Colocarse Pablo mismo en lugar de aquellos hermanos Judíos que querían regresar a la ley podía aclarar lo que en el 10:4 va a expresar sin tapujos “el fin de la ley es Cristo”. Amigo mío así fue, Cristo puso punto final al Antiguo Pacto y abrió la puerta al nuevo con mejores promesas, con mejor mediador, con mejor esperanza y con mejor ley. Es triste que muchos y cientos de miles de personas hoy al igual que algunos Judíos en los tiempos de Pablo quieran devolverse al yugo de esclavitud (Gal 5:1). Cualquier cristiano si así lo decide puede vivir alejado del pecado Juan escribe “Estas cosas os he escrito para que no pequéis” (1Juan 5:13). Yo creo lo que Juan escribió hace muchos años atrás, de que un cristiano puede decidir no vivir en pecado¿ y usted?.
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The Importance of Pegs

Let Me Be a Peg

There are verses in the Bible which seem so strange to us because we do not understand the culture when they were written. For example, Peter going “up on the housetop to pray” (Acts 10:9) seems so strange until we learn that the roofs of the houses were flat and a vital part of the lives of people in the first century. The same is true when we read about “ pegs ” in the house of those in Bible times.

The work of a peg is significant.

The work of a peg is significant.

In Isaiah 22, we read of two men who are described by God as being “ pegs. ” What possible meaning could this have? To understand this, consider that many of the homes and buildings in ancient times had nothing like we have, when we use closets and cabinets to store our possessions. Their possessions were placed on pieces of wood embedded in the walls of buildings as they were built. Clothing was not strewn on the floor (like we find in some rooms of teenagers today) but were hung on these pegs. Ezekiel 15:3 shows that these pegs were used as a place to hang vessels. They were a vital part of the lives of the Jews but could seem so insignificant and be easily undervalued.

There was an important person named Shebna in the kingdom of King Hezekiah (he is called a steward, a treasurer), who was so evil that God sent Isaiah to deliver a personal rebuke for the evil he had done. He had an important place, but he had failed to fulfill his responsibility. God said of him, “The peg that is fastened in the secure place will be removed and cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it will be cut off” (Isa. 22:25). The peg had failed to fulfill his purpose.

Isaiah then described the godly man who was to replace Shebna. God said He would clothe this man, Eliakim, with the robe which had belonged to Shebna and give him great authority. “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open” (22:22). Then, he added, “I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his father’s house.”

What can we learn from this imagery? Far too many think that unless the service they render to God is visible and appears important, then there is little they can do for God. Nothing can be farther from the truth. There were important men in that day—the great prophet Isaiah and the godly king, Hezekiah—yet God looked at “ pegs ” and saw how important their “insignificant” roles were in the big picture.

The world may think that only those who are decorated “pillars and columns” are important. It is wrong. God sees the worth of “ pegs. ” God help us to be His “ pegs. ”

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Does God Keep Score?

Does God Keep Score?

Several years ago, I was having a conversation with someone about getting credit for ideas. I mentioned to them that it doesn’t matter to me if I get credit for an idea or not, because God knows who did what and I was content to let God handle such things. This person then wondered whether or not God really credited man with such things. In essence, the question can be framed, Does God keep score?

Does God Keep Score?

Does God Keep Score?

First, we need to understand that God does not keep score in the sense that if we could only get enough points, then we would win salvation. The Bible teaches us that salvation isn’t something that we earn. Jesus said in Luke 17:10, So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. When we do everything that God tells us, we still haven’t earned our salvation. We are still dependent upon Him for eternal life. Salvation is a gift that God gives upon the condition of faith and obedience (see Hebrews 11:6 and Hebrews 5:9). Neither our faith nor our obedience earns our salvation; but God promises to give us salvation when we trust and obey Him. It is the promise of God in which we trust, not in our own faith or obedience. In that regard, God doesn’t keep score because no matter how high a score we get, we’ll never be high enough to earn our salvation.

Second, neither does God keep score as to how long we have been a faithful Christian as if that would make a difference in our salvation. Jesus told the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16. In the parable, the vineyard owner agrees with laborers for the same wage though they begin working at different times in the day. At the end of the day, they all get the same pay. The ones who started early complain, saying that they worked longer than the others. The owner asks them whether or not they agreed to that pay. They did, so that is what they got. The lesson from the parable is that salvation is available for all and it doesn’t matter when you started working for God, everyone, whether young or old gets the same pay eternal life and for that we ought to be very thankful. No, God does not keep score in regard to one’s longevity of service in His kingdom.

Third, there is a sense, however, in which God does keep score. In Hebrews 6:10 we read, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. We learn from this passage that God takes note of those who do good things and He remembers those things. Moreoever, Jesus said, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal (Matthew 6:20). What are these treasures that we are to be laying up in heaven? He explains in Luke 12:33, Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. When we do good things for others, we lay up treasures in heaven. Are they for earning our salvation? No. What then are these treasures for? There is only one explanation. It is because God wants us to appreciate the results of the good things that we did once we are in heaven. That will be our treasure!

Does God keep score? He doesn’t keep score when it comes to good works meriting salvation. Regardless of how high the score, it would never be enough to earn salvation. However, He does keep score when it comes to having treasure in heaven over which we can appreciate the results of our good efforts. And so John can write, Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward (2 John 1:8). God doesn’t keep score to determine who earned what, but to determine who IS what!

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