Judas: Betrayer or Confidant?

Judas: Betrayer or Confidant?

Skeptics and atheists have unleashed yet another assault on Christianity. Just days after proclaiming that maybe Jesus walked on ice instead of water, we are now asked to believe that the betrayer of Jesus was a good guy. This latest charge stems around thirteen papyrus sheets bound in a leather covering that were found in a cave in Egypt. This ancient text is being referred to as “the gospel of Judas.” And so once again we find the media more than willing to plant seeds of doubt—insinuating that the Bible is incomplete and misrepresents the man who betrayed Jesus.

God’s Word describes Judas as a thief (John 12:6)

God’s Word describes Judas as a thief (John 12:6)

The controversy stems around part of the manuscript in which Judas allegedly is given private instruction by Jesus, and is granted a vision into what the future holds for Jesus. One key passage has Jesus telling Judas: “you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me.” Thus, rather than acting out of greed or malevolence, he was simply following the “plan” that he and Jesus had prearranged—a plan that could be viewed as deceptive, a label Jesus would never wear.

Undoubtedly, this front page news story will have many questioning the authenticity and accuracy of the Bible. Did Jesus really walk on ice rather than water? Was Judas really in cahoots with Jesus? Many will second guess whether the gospel accounts they have learned are indeed accurate—placing more faith in this “front page” story than the infallible Word of God. Satan must be thrilled to have the popular media on his side.

If nothing else is gleaned from this latest round of attacks on God’s Word, we Christians should rest assured the Bible is complete. God in His infinite wisdom through inspired men was able to get His Word into our hands. We can know that the Bible we are holding today is exactly what He intended for us to hold.

Yes, the Judas codex may be authentic. And yes, it may have well been written between the suspected dates of 300-400 A.D. But this no way indicates that the Bible is incomplete or alters who Judas truly was. In responding to Jesus’ question as to who the angry mob was seeking, John 18:5 states: “They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am He.’ And Judas, who betrayed Him also stood with them.” God’s Word describes Judas as a thief (John 12:6), a betrayer on multiple occasions (e.g., Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22; John 18) and we are told that Satan entered him (Luke 22:3). Would this confidant hang himself after throwing down those thirty pieces of silver—if he and Jesus were really just carrying out a plan? Does this sound like someone who would become the closest confidant to Jesus?

Given the amount of fiction writing today—it is not hard to speculate that this writing may well have been “fiction” or could have been written by someone who was seeking fame through controversy. No matter what others speculate, Christians can know that this “gospel” is not a part of God’s Word.  We have been given everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

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LA INDESTRUCTIBILIDAD DE LA IGLESIA DE CRISTO?

PORQUE MATEO 16:18 NO ENSEÑA LA INDESTRUCTIBILIDAD DE LA IGLESIA DE CRISTO

Algunos han pensado de muchas maneras con respecto a este pasaje según Mateo. Hay tantas cosas y controversias al rededor de este pasaje: ¿Es Pedro la roca o es Jesús?¿Cual era la Iglesia que iba a edificar?…etc. Sin embargo lo que nos acerca a este pasaje en esta ocasión es el hecho, si Cristo prometió que la Iglesia Jamás iba a desaparecer de sobre la tierra. Antes de observar con detenimiento que enseña el pasaje en sí mismo, es trascendental primeramente examinar otro pasajes que tiene que ver con con la confusión y luego definir correctamente algunos conceptos.
 PRIMERO: LO QUE ENSEÑA DANIEL 2:44.  Una correcta aproximación a este pasaje, es echando una mirada primeramente al contexto histórico y al contexto inmediato antes de sacar cualquier conclusión o antes de hacer aplicaciones a futuro. Es irrefutable que el reino del que está mencionando Daniel en su profecía es en alusión a la Iglesia, sin embargo entendiendo el contexto, este reino no iba a ser dejado a otro reino como lo fueron; Babilonia, Medo-Persa, Grecia, etc… y aún como lo estaba siendo Israel. No sería Jamás destruido, entendemos  que este reino no podía ni iba a ser conquistado o reducido a cenizas como lo eran o más bien como iban a ser los cuatro que Daniel está mencionando. La razón principal es porque este reino iba a ser un reino espiritual, y Cristo afirmó tal cosa en Juan 18:36, esto es un hecho importante en esta profecía ya que los judíos esperaban algo terrenal (Jn. 6:15). Daniel bajo inspiración divina está revelando el carácter mismo de este reino, y ese carácter era espiritual. La última frase del V.44 “permanecerá para siempre”  del Hebreo “‘alam” y que según Strong, tal palabra puede también significar; tiempo indefinido o tiempo remoto, cuando está en adverbio puede ser leído como “por siempre”, o simplemente puede significar “viejo”. Esta parlaba aparece unas 20 ocaciones a travez de la Biblia  como tal y unas 325 ocaciones en otras formas. Hay que entender que la frase “Para siempre” no significa eterno, la Iglesia no ha sido eterna tuvo su comienzo .En Varios pasajes del A.T la frase “ Pacto perpetuo o pacto eterno” es expresada en referencia a el antiguo pacto (Gen 17:7, Nm 18:19, 1 Cr 16:17, Sa. 105:8, 111:5) pero ¿ En realidad fue eterno? Obviamente no fue eterno ya que tuvo su fin, con la venida de Cristo (Col 2:14-16, Efe 2:15-16, Hb. 8:9-13). Tal y como definió Strong ‘alam puede identificar tiempo indefinido, por lo tanto concluimos que fue eterno o perpetuo pero por solo cierto tiempo. Desde otro punto de vista los versículos anteriormente citados no han fallado ni están mintiendo en referencia al antiguo pacto. El pacto de Dios fue eterno mientras duró pero ¿Acasó eso garantizó la adoración a Dios siempre? De echo aunque el pacto estaba firme, hubo un momento en la historia  en el que por muchos años la adoración al Dios verdadero había desaparecido. Una mirada rápida a 2 Reyes 22:10 nos topamos con el hecho que desde los días de Ezequías hasta que llega Josías al poder, el libro de la ley de Dios estaba perdido, y sin libro no hay adoración, sin embargo la instrucción y la verdad continuaba estando allí, estaba contenida en esos papiros aunque durante todos esos años ellos no estaban “conectados”. Podemos entender el porqué en el versículo 11 el rey rasgó sus vestiduras. Regresando a Daniel y con todo esto en mente es mi convicción que este versículo no está asegurando la permanencia de la Iglesia de Cristo en nuestras comunidades. Ciertamente está asegurando que la Iglesia iba a ser establecida, una vez establecida nunca nadie iba a conquistarla y el concepto de una sola Iglesia no va a cambiar en la mente en la disposición o voluntad de Dios pero el hecho de mantener, sostener esa iglesia en la realidad, es el rol que nos corresponde a nosotros desempeñar y de ahí la tremenda responsabilidad que llevamos en nuestros hombros. Ya Dios hizo su parte estableciendo su Iglesia, revelando toda la verdad y preservando esta verdad para nosotros que jamás va a desaparecer a saber…la Biblia (1Ped 1:25) pero si usted piensa que Dios se va a asegurar de que la Iglesia de Cristo en el 2017 jamás desaparezca; ¡siéntese, tome palomitas de maíz y disfrute de la función… ! déjeme le adelanto la conclusión, al final de la película,  ruina porque la cosa ¡No es así!.
SEGUNDO: LO QUE EN REALIDAD ENSEÑA MATEO 16:18.  Esto es simple, Mateo 16:18 no enseña la indestructibilidad por el simple hecho que el Señor no estaba hablando de eso, no tenía esto en mente. Ahora ¿como sé yo eso? es básico por el contexto. Sin embargo hay que ampliar más la argumentación y mientras usted avanza en la lectura de este artículo ponga su mente en neutro, una mente preconcebida no podrá aproximarse apropiadamente a la verdad. Observe por ejemplo la explicación que el hermano Bobby  Liddell  reconocido predicador del evangelio, ofrece sobre este versículo, él dice: 
Las puertas del Hadez hacen referencia a las puertas de la muerte no iban a prevalecer frente al establecimiento de la Iglesia de Cristo, no iban a prevalecer frente a la profecía que acaba de hacer. El poder del Hadez no pudo retenerlo (Hch. 2:24-36; Rm. 1:4) El reino o la Iglesia  iba ser establecido con poder en los días de varios sobrevivientes de ese momento (Mc 9:1). (Estudios en Mateo editado por Dub McClish, Denton Lectures, 1995).
Teniendo un genuino respeto por el contexto de este versículo, esta es la explicación más lógica y más apropiada de lo que significa “y las puestas del Hadez, no prevalecerán contra ella”. Ciertamente así fue, el Señor cumplió sus palabras ya que nada pudo evitar el establecimiento de su Iglesia, sin embargo no significa que no hubo momentos críticos. Solamente piense usted, ¿Como se iba a establecer una Iglesia, con un apóstol ahorcado y los otros 11 amedrentados y esparcidos al observar al Maestro  de ellos colgado y muerto en un madero a las  afueras de la ciudad como uno de los peores malhechores? ¿ Piense, que persona iba a ser parte de una Iglesia así? Sin embargo Jesús había prometido establecer su Iglesia y con estas y más circunstancias adversas su palabra se iba a cumplir. En esto estaba pensando el Señor allá en Mateo 16, pero de ninguna manera estaba asegurando que la Iglesia jamás iba a desaparecer de la faz de la tierra.
De echo de regreso en la historia encontramos que este fue el caso con algunas Iglesias de Cristo. De acuerdo a la Arqueología en la región que modernamente conocemos comoTurquía, (antiguamente conocida como Asia menor), solamente quedan escombros de lo que fueron lugares de reunión de estas congregaciones. En Apocalipsis 2:5 por citar una de las varias referencias, la advertencia del Señor es “Arrepiéntete porque sino vendré pronto a ti  y quitaré tu candelero”. La arqueología entonces junto a estos pasajes respaldan la idea de que la Iglesia de Cristo NO es indestructible en un país especifico, en un continente o en el planeta. Si la Iglesia desaparece: ¿ De quién es la culpa? de Dios o de nosotros que nos tiramos para atrás en el sillón esperando que sea Dios quien tome toda la responsabilidad? ¡Que fácil!.
Es evidente a travez de las páginas del Nuevo Testamento que la responsabilidad de preservación de su Iglesia depende mucho de nosotros. Pasajes tales como Ef. 6 preguntamos: ¿Para que tomar toda la armadura de Dios si, El mismo prometió que la Iglesia no iba a desaparecer? ¿ Porqué contender ardientemente por la fe (como enseña Judas 3) que ya fue dada a los santos una sola vez, si al final es algo que le corresponde a Dios cuidar? ¿Me pregunto porqué razón Pablo hace llamar a los ancianos en Efeso y les encarga rigurosamente velar por el rebaño en el que el E.S los había puesto por obispos aclarando en el siguiente versículo que después de su partida iban a venir lobos rapaces, que no iban a perdonar el rebaño? ¿ Que significará la frase “No perdonarán al rebaño”?. Muy interesante esto ultimo dicho sea de paso ya que esta congregación y este ancianato que se le hace este encargo tan riguroso es la misma congregación de la que el Señor advierte y previene en Ap. 2:5 y que hoy no existe en ese lugar. Creo firmemente que el Señor puede hablar a cualquiera de nuestras congregaciones con las mismas palabras, obviamente a travez de las escrituras. Mateo 16:18 enseña en carácter profético lo Glorioso que iba a ser el establecimiento de la única Iglesia verdadera, solamente espero y oro que podamos andar como es digno de nuestra vocación (Ef. 4:1) para no manchar esa Gloria( Judas 12) y para no tener que ser cortados por el Señor.
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Do Not Be Frightened!

Do Not Be Frightened!

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:7-9

If Dwight Eisenhower stood in Joshua’s shoes, he would have much reason to be afraid.

If Dwight Eisenhower stood in Joshua’s shoes, he would have much reason to be afraid.

If Dwight Eisenhower stood in Joshua’s shoes, he would have much reason to be afraid.  Cross a body of water that separates you from the enemy’s terrain by…asking men carrying a box of gold to start to walk into it so that it will turn into dry land?? (Josh. 3:1ff)  Attack a walled, fortified city and cause its walls to fall down by…marching around it while playing music and shouting?? (Josh. 6:1ff)  I wonder how long it would have taken FDR to show Eisenhower the door if he had proposed similar battle plans for D-Day.  No wonder the Bible says Joshua and Israel did these things “by faith” (Heb. 11:30).

Here’s the thing, friends.  God has not asked us to perform miracles today like he did back then…but he HAS told us to abide by his Word and not turn from it just as he did with Joshua (Matt. 7:21-27; John 8:31-32; 14:15, 21, 23-24; 15:10, 14; Rom. 6:17-18; Heb. 5:9; 1 John 3:24; 5:2-3).  Of themselves, his commandments are not hard (1 John 5:3).  It is not inherently hard to submit to immersion for forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), to treat others as you would want to be treated (Matt. 7:12), to continually add to your faith the Christian attributes God would have you to possess (2 Pet. 1:5-11; Eph. 4:20-5:21), to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24), and to bring the gospel to a lost world (Mark 16:15).  However, what often makes them hard for us to accomplish as we should is fear and discouragement, the very things God told Joshua to avoid.  Even though what he has told us to do is in itself much easier than marching around a walled city expecting it to fall with a shout, how often do we find it hard to share the gospel because of the fear of persecution?  How often do we find it difficult let our light shine in the way in which God wants because of dismay and discouragement (assuming prideful, stubborn, selfishness is not also a factor)?

What we must remember is that the same God who promised to be with Joshua and give him success in his endeavors to obey his will is also with us and has given us that same promise (Matt. 6:25-34; 28:18-20; Heb. 13:5b-6; 1 John 4:4).  Not only that, but he has promised us continual forgiveness if we become Christians through penitent baptism (Acts 2:38; 22:16) and then humbly confess and repent of our sins afterwards (1 John 1:7-9; Acts 8:22; 2 Cor. 7:9-11).  That means that we have an inheritance in eternal Heaven no matter what happens to us in this life!  (1 Pet. 1:3-7)  If we make our top priority being faithful citizens of his kingdom and being righteous in his sight (Matt. 6:33), he will supply for us what we truly need both in this life and in the next!  So let’s be strong and courageous…for God is with us as we stand for him!

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Gifts? Knowledge? Prophecy?

Three Abiding Things

There is a striking contrast the apostle Paul makes in the thirteenth chapter of his first letter to Corinth. He speaks of three temporary things and three things which will abide. The church in Corinth was so enamored by the temporary gifts of tongues, knowledge and prophecy that they had lost sight of three things far more important.

Enamored by the past gifts of tongues, knowledge and prophecy? Move on.

Enamored by the past gifts of tongues, knowledge and prophecy? Move on.

It appears that many in the modern charismatic, Pentecostal movement have elevated their view of these same gifts, and they have failed to understand the message Paul wrote to Corinth. While the modern “tongues” are presented as being the same as those in the first century, such is not the case. Acts chapter two clearly shows that Bible tongues were languages which were spoken by people in various lands of that day. This is not what is being done in this movement.

The chapter opens with an affirmation that those early Christians who actually had the gift of tongues had not reached the highest level of spirituality. There was something far greater than tongues. It was love. Paul taught that if love was not present, the gift had the same impact as a clanging cymbal. The same was true of the gifts of prophecy (inspired preaching) and divine knowledge which was instantly imparted. Without love, these gifts from heaven were useless. The external display of “spirituality” is far different from true spirituality.

Read his words carefully which show the contrast between that which was temporarily part of God’s plan and that which is permanently part of God’s plan. “Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease, as for knowledge it will pass away” (1 Cor. 13:8, ESV).

These gifts were part of the church when it was in its infancy. Paul showed this when he stated, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (1 Cor. 13:11). God had something far greater than these gifts which were so necessary for the church as it began and part of His plan until the church reached maturity.

What was greater than these temporary things? Look at the last verse. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” These three qualities of godliness are external and come from a deep spiritual relationship with the Lord.

Think how this principle impacts us all. We are not spiritual simply because we look like Christians on the outside. So study His word and build your faith, and your hope will deepen. “Above all these things put on love” (Col. 3:14).

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Accessory to Sin?

Are You an Accessory to Sin?

Within the legal code of the various states within the U.S.A., one may be found guilty of being an accessory to a particular crime. If one supplies a murderer with a weapon knowing what the intent of the murderer is, then one will be found guilty of being an accessory to murder. If a person drives the get away car for a bank robbery, then he will be found guilty of being an accessory to the crime of robbery. There is also the crime of aiding and abetting a known felon that in essence is a crime of accessory. The law clearly makes provision to punish those who may have not committed the actual crime itself, but are involved to such a degree that the crime could not happen without their influence. Such a person is called an accessory to the crime and is held accountable and often punished for helping another do something that is wrong.

Are you an accessory to behavior's against God? A partner in crime of sin.

Are you an accessory to behavior’s against God? A partner in crime of sin.

As Christians, the crimes that we are concerned about avoiding are not merely against men, but against God. Such crimes against God are referred to in the Bible as sin. Isaiah states that sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2). James writes that sin when it is full-grown brings death (James 1:15). And Paul states that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The Holy Spirit makes it clear through these inspired men that sin leads to eternal separation from God and that sin is, therefore, serious and deadly business. Just as being an accessory to a crime is in itself a crime, so also being an accessory to sin is in itself a sin.

How does the Bible say that we can be an accessory to sin? One of the first passages that comes to mind is 2 John 10 and 11. In this passage, John writes to a Christian woman telling her not to receive false teachers into her house. There was nothing wrong with receiving strangers into one’s house to care for them as they were traveling through town. In fact, Hebrews 13:2 states that when Christian’s practice such they are acting in a way approved by the Holy Spirit. However, when receiving a false teacher into one’s home, the situation is different. John states in verse 11 that when one does this, one is partaking of that false teacher’s evil deeds. There is a difference between doing something that is right to support that which is right and doing something that would otherwise be right to support that which is wrong. The Holy Spirit says that the latter is sin. When we give aid and comfort to false teachers, that is being an accessory to sin.

A Christian can also be an accessory to sin by approving that which is wrong. We read in 1 Corinthians 5:1 that there was fornication among the church at Corinth. The response of the members of the church at Corinth was not to condemn that which was wrong, but to be proud about it (1 Corinthians 5:2). In other words, the church at Corinth was, through their attitude of pride concerning the fornicator, approving his action of fornication. Paul wrote in verse 6 that their “glorying” was not good. It was evil and they should not have been doing this. No doubt, many of the Corinthian Christians who were “glorying” in this man’s sin were not committing that sin themselves. Yet, because they were “glorying” in it, they were committing sin themselves: the sin of approving of something that is evil. Paul states in Romans 1:32 that not only are those who practice evil worthy of death due to their sin, but those who approve of such things are equally worthy of death due to their sin of approval.

Finally, a Christian can also be an accessory to sin by providing service to that which is sinful. John writes in 1 John 2:10 “He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” The one who loves will not provide an occasion of stumbling in another. The opposite is also true, the one who sets forth an occasion of stumbling before another does not love him. And, when one does not love his neighbor, he violates what Jesus calls the second command, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:39).

Providing service to that which is sinful is of itself a sin. It would be a sin to give an idol to the idolater though you yourself may not worship it. It would be a sin to provide a fornicator a prostitute, though you yourself may not commit fornication. It would be a sin to give drugs to an addict, though you yourself may not do drugs. It would be a sin to serve alcohol to a drunkard, though you yourself may not drink at all. It would be a sin to take a gambler to a slot machine, though you yourself may not gamble. At the least, a person who acted in such a way would be a hypocrite. Paul writes in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” When we act out of a non-hypocritical love toward our fellow man, we will not encourage him to engage in sinfulness by providing the means of his sin. Instead, we will abhor what is evil. Abhorring something means that we put it as far away from us as possible. If we serve evil, we fail to abhor evil.

At the most, the person who serves those who sin, while not actually performing the evil act himself, is participating in the evil act through his influence. In the first part of the book of Revelation, Jesus speaks directly to the seven churches of Asia through John. To the church at Pergamos Jesus said, “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14). Jesus had something “against” this church. They were guilty of the doctrine of Balaam. What was that doctrine? The verse says that he “taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel.” Balaam’s sin was not that he worshipped idols or committed fornication, but that encouraged others to do this through his influence. The incident to which this verse is referring is found in Numbers 25:1-7. An interesting fact in this regard is that Balaam had already left the proverbial “scene of the crime.” In Numbers 24:25 we read, “Then Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place:.” Yet, although Balaam was not present during the activities of Numbers 25, we see later that he was killed with the sword because of his transgression (Numbers 31:8) and that Moses held him personally responsible for the evil that had come upon the children of Israel (Numbers 31:16). Jesus stated to the church at Pergamos that Balaam was guilty of sin purely because he used his influence for evil and that the church at Pergamos was guilty as well because they taught his doctrine. How can we say that we are pure when we use our influence for evil? Jesus directly condemns such thinking.

Let us resolve not to be an accessory to sin whether we are supporting a false teacher, approving that which is wrong, or providing service to that which is sinful. Our end will be no different than those who practice the sin itself.

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