¡VAMOS A EMAÚS!

¡VAMOS A EMAÚS! (SUFICIENCIA DE LAS ESCRITURAS) 

Por varios meses estuve orando y pensando cómo y bajo qué categoría escribiría más específicamente una refutación a la teoría de la Iluminación del Espíritu Santo. En su momento logré pensar en una docena de cosas que podían ser refutadas, pero entonces perdería la magia de poder argumentar de forma positiva. Esta sección dedicada a exaltar la palabra de Dios es sin lugar a duda la ideal. En camino a la aldea llamada Emaús al oeste de Jerusalén, ciertos discípulos caminan con lo que ellos pensaron era un forastero. En la conversación sale a relucir que  uno de aquellos dos se llamaba Cleofás (Lc.24:18). Luego al revisar el relato de Juan observamos que la esposa de Cleofás estuvo contemplando la infamia más grande del hombre al colgar en una cruz al santo hijo de Dios para luego darle muerte. Lo que explica muy bien el  porqué Lucas incluye el detalle del nombre de solamente uno de los dos caminantes y como es que este conocía estas cosas sino es por su esposa.EMAÚS

El relato continúa y nos muestra cómo es que ellos lograron reconocer al Señor. El versículo 27 nos muestra que desde Moisés pasando por todos los profetas les mostraba lo que las Escrituras decían de él. Vaya, parece que teniendo todo el poder después de haber vencido la muerte, el Señor está escogiendo “abrir la mente o entendimiento” mediante la palabra escrita. ¿Acaso no podía haber otras maneras…mucho más… novedosas? Por supuesto que sí, claro que tenía todo el poder para desafiar la naturaleza, sin embargo, es trascendental la elevación que le hace al autor del Libro, el Espíritu Santo.  Es que, si el Espíritu no fuera el autor y estuviera viendo a la Biblia como un libro común, entonces no tendríamos este conflicto no habría necesidad de escribir tanto. La iluminación que ellos necesitaban, vino del Espíritu, es verdad, pero mediante su obra escrita.  Las declaraciones del v.32 son remarcables porque notamos una secuencia:

§  Primero: Abrir las escrituras” v.32

§  Segundo: “Abrir los ojos” (es decir el entendimiento) v. 31

§  Tercero: “Abrir el corazón” v.32.

Considero que, al ordenar los hechos de forma cronológica, encontramos el arreglo anterior, lo constituye un orden repetitivo en muchos de los relatos trascendentales en el N.T de la obra de Dios y el rol del Espíritu en la salvación del hombre.

El v.32 también nos informa que el corazón de ellos ardía y menciona dos elementos: 1) Mientras les hablaba en el camino” y 2) “cuando nos abría las Escrituras”. Observe con detenimiento que cuando les hablaba usaba palabras y cuando les abría la escritura igualmente eran palabras ¿En dónde vemos una conexión mística sobrenatural? La iluminación sobrenatural del Espíritu, tal y como algunos lo quieren ajustar, está ausente en la evidencia que sustentó de fe a los del camino de Emaús. De cierta forma es el camino en el que deseo transitar, un camino que provee evidencia indubitable para que descanse la racionalidad.  Imagino que fue de gran alivio para estos hombres que su fe fue sustentada de tal forma con aquel libro con el que posiblemente estaban familiarizados.  Realmente Jesús aparece en cada libro del Antiguo Testamento, y es el centro del tema de redención. Esa es toda la iluminación que necesitamos para ser salvos (Jn. 8:24; 14:6; 20:31). Cuando la verdad acaricia el intelecto, los sentimientos deliberadamente se someten a las conclusiones formadas por la razón. Casi al finalizar el relato, el Dr. Lucas fiel a su estilo reporta que esos dos discípulos tenían información que había aparecido a Pedro. La conexión se da cuando ellos regresan con apuro a donde estaban los once reunidos con los demás incluido Pedro. ¿Qué tenemos?

A.    Que, de todos los discípulos, aparte de Judas, Pedro fue quien cayó más bajo negándole, pero a él se le aparece el Señor. La conclusión lógica para quienes conocían a Jesús es que ese precisamente fue el mensaje y su esencia divina.  ¿Qué acaso había otro mejor apóstol para perdonar? Pedro era el indicado, esos del camino de Emaús juntaron la evidencia… ¡fueron razonables!

B.    El instante en que partió el pan, fue cuando lo lograron reconocer. Sin embargo, él ya había manifestado su intención de apartarse del camino, pero ellos le rogaron que se quedara con ellos.  Al final del día estos hombres podían ver hacia atrás y entender que todo fue a propósito y que la razón que se había quedado era precisamente para poder partir el pan y que ellos lo reconocieran.  Si tuviera una obsesión con las premisas lógicas lo vería más o menos así.

Solamente a través del partimiento del pan ellos lo reconocerían.

–Jesús decide quedarse para partir el pan con ellos.

 –Por tanto, concluimos que Jesús quería ser reconocido.

Deseo que observe necesariamente que existe un proceso de racionalidad que el mismo Jesús estaba construyendo para que pudieran ver por lo que a todas luces no le falló. Ellos lograron ver ¡ellos fueron razonables!

C.    Por último, otro elemento vital aquí es el acto sobrenatural no solo de su resurrección sino de su nueva condición de glorificación. El v.29 informa que el día ya había declinado. Es decir, ya estaba oscureciendo. Luego de haber reconocido al maestro estos dos hombres volvieron a toda prisa de regreso a Jerusalén (no era común que los judíos viajaran de noche por lo que observamos la urgencia con la que viajaban).  Al llegar se encuentran con la noticia de que otros ya habían reportado lo mismo y Marcos menciona que ellos los apóstoles no creyeron. Juan relata en 20:19 que era de noche aquel mismo día… el primero de la semana es decir domingo (mismo día en que aparece a los dos hombres en el camino de Emaús ya que ellos mencionan es el tercer día ya” v.21) a la misma hora… al llegar la noche. ¿ Cómo fue que pudo estar tan lejos, en dos lugares distintos al mismo tiempo? De la misma forma que hizo retroceder a la muerte temprano ese día por la mañana, simplemente él es Dios. Realmente dudo que estos dos hombres hayan tenido algún grado académico en Filosofía o Física cuántica.  El principio de la Identidad fórmula básicamente que uno no puede ser dos personas al mismo tiempo y unido al principio de la no contradicción resulta imposible estar en dos lugares al mismo tiempo. Esta crisis del intelecto orilla a cualquiera a la única conclusión lógica posible… él es Dios resucitado ¡ellos fueron razonables! Aun cuando la razón no tenía solución a disposición.

Para finalizar esta sección, la teoría de una iluminación del Espíritu santo en tu vida, o aquella idea fanática de que el Espíritu Santo te va a Iluminar al predicar el domingo por la mañana, como si al cerrar tus ojos el Espíritu te susurra en silencio al subconsciente  su voluntad y estimula tus neuronas para que recuerdes lo que has estudiado, es una teoría sin fundamento. Creo que la doctrina calvinista y la iluminación del Espíritu Santo adherida a la misma después de todo no es tan convincente. Tal es el caso que me encontré con el comentario del Señor Warren Wiersbe quien profesó ser militante de la iglesia Baustista, sorprendentemente escribe lo siguiente en su comentario a nuestro texto en cuestión, él señala:

Mientras más hablaba Cleofas, más se condenaba a sí mismo y a su amigo por su incredulidad. ¿Qué más evidencia querían? Había testigos (incluyendo los apóstoles) que habían visto la tumba vacía. Ángeles habían anunciado que Jesús estaba vivo. Otros testigos le habían visto vivo y le habían oído hablar. ¡Las pruebas estaban allí!

“La fe es por el oír, y el oír, por la palabra de Dios” (Romanos 10:17). Esto explica por qué Jesús les abrió a estos dos hombres la palabra mientras los tres siguieron caminando hacia Emaús. El problema verdadero no estaba en sus cabezas, sino en sus corazones (ve Lucas 24:25, 32, y nota el v. 38). Podían haber debatido del tema por días y nunca habrían llegado a alguna respuesta satisfactoria. Lo que necesitaban era un entendimiento renovado de la palabra de Dios, y Jesús les dio esa comprensión. Les abrió las Escrituras y entonces les abrió los ojos, y ellos se dieron cuenta de que Jesús no sólo estaba vivo, sino que estaba ¡allí mismo con ellos![1]

Me encanta el énfasis de Warren a la palabra de Dios. De hecho el objeto principal de este artículo no es señalar el error solamente o plantar discordias, sino más bien con una fuerte voz pero amorosa, llamar a la racionalidad, la cordura y que juntos regresemos a la palabra de Dios que nos conformemos a ella y dejemos de un lado lo místico ilusionista e absurdo que ha rodeado las intenciones calvinistas a través de los años. Dios quiere abrir nuestro entendimiento y corazón mediante su palabra. ¿La abriremos nosotros?

 


[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Valientes en Cristo: Estudio expositivo de Evangelio Según Lucas Capítulos 14–24 (Sebring, FL: Editorial Bautista Independiente, 2005), 154.

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Death: Closing the Coffin Lid

Death: Closing the Coffin Lid

The coroner closed the door, and another death was recorded.

Years earlier a diagnosis had been made and treatment was started.

For months doctors tried to get the patient turned around and moving in the right direction.

Lab work and scans were ordered, but often the results were ignored or overlooked.

A specialist was brought in to try and treat the problem.

The bad habits that resulted in the patient’s death had started literally decades ago.

Sadly, the family never felt like the doctors were identifying the real underlying problem.

When the family was finally consulted about the seriousness of their loved one, it was too late.

In the end the patient coded, and a crash cart was rolled into the room as everyone did everything they could think of to save him.

But in the end the patient died.death coffin

How would you feel if you knew the death above was the result of negligence or malpractice?Would it make you angry or frustrated? What if it could have been prevented?

Look at the case above through a different pair of lenses.

The coroner closed the door, and another death was recorded.

What if instead of talking about a patient it was talking about a local church? There are a lot of congregations today that are dead or on spiritual life-support. We read about the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1: “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”

Years earlier a diagnosis had been made and treatment was started.

Years earlier the leadership of the church listened to the culture around them about preaching too strongly, thinking they were the only ones going to heaven, and as such they instructed their preacher to “go easy” on the listeners. Don’t preach hellfire and brimstone sermons. Instead focus on love and grace. Stop preaching on the uniqueness of the church or divorce, and instead focus on loving God.

For months doctors tried to get the patient turned around and moving in the right direction.

For months the elders tried various programs to get people involved in the church in an effort to increase numbers. They had movie nights, Valentine banquets, kite days, youth lock-ins, trunk-or-treats, senior member outings, and more in an effort to please the masses. What they failed to realize is most of their internal programs did very little to spread the Gospel and save the lost. Church became a social club instead of a church family committed to doing the will of God.

Lab work and scans were ordered, but often the results were ignored or overlooked.

While the “numbers” on the board were hanging in there, the spiritual health of the congregation was deteriorating rapidly. Marriages were crumbling. People within the congregation were unforgiving and holding grudges for years. Young people were leaving the church in droves. Some kids were experimenting with homosexuality and transgenderism. Others had abandoned the idea of marriage and were instead happy to commit fornication, while living at home with no responsibility. Many young women had become radical feminists and were rebelling against biblical patriarchy. Many young men were refusing to give up their videos games and grow up. And most families were happy just living in the world.

A specialist was brought in to try and treat the problem.

A youth minister was hired to fix the problem. However, this 22-year-old individual just exacerbated the problem by promptly removing the children from their parents—parents that had been commanded by God to train up their children. Instead of correcting the problem, this newly hired youth minister set up what would ultimately become spiritual welfare—a supplement that was supposed to be implemented in the home. In addition, he often offered advice or suggestions that went against what the parents were trying to teach at home. And sadly, he even had sexual relationships with at least two of the young ladies in the youth group.

The bad habits that resulted in the patient’s death had started literally decades ago.

Decades earlier the leadership had shifted all their attention toward not missing the assembly—so much so that the entire congregation got the message that “church” was only something you did for 1-2 hours per week. Rather than teaching them that Christianity was a lifestyle that should be lived 24/7, the leaders focused all of their attention on the numbers on the attendance board in the front of the auditorium. The neglected teaching them how to have home devotionals or how to have their own relationship with Jesus Christ. The elders held weekly or monthly “board” meetings at the building rather than going to the homes of their sheep. They were running a business rather than shepherding sheep. And as a result, the congregation stopped studying and became spiritually sick.

Sadly, the family never felt like the doctors were identifying the real underlying problem.

In too many cases, some of the members recognized the problem. They realized the congregation was no longer growing spiritually. They longed to be out in the community carrying out the Great Commission. But the leaders felt that might make other members uncomfortable. The cure these members suggested was more than the current leadership wanted to take on. After all, they didn’t want to cause any ripples in the water—just keep everything nice and smooth. All the while problems and issues were conveniently swept under the rug. Until finally, the rug could literally hold no more!

When the family was finally consulted about the seriousness of their loved one, it was too late.

Usually the “cry for help” is only sounded when numbers start going down permanently. As long as the budget numbers are met and the attendance does begin to fall then everything is viewed as okay. But once those two criteria begin to fall the leadership normally will sound the alarm. First by preaching sermons about giving and attendance. Then it may even get more serious with home visits or letters.

In the end the patient coded, and a crash cart was rolled into the room as everyone did everything they could think of to save him.

Oftentimes, as a church is dying the leadership will try anything to keep it alive. Entertainment? Check! Modern music? Check! Cotton candy sermons? Check! Expanding women’s roles? Check! At this stage in the downward spiral so many members are on the milk of the word that any meat offered is often regurgitated and spit out.

But in the end the patient died.

Yes, we are seeing congregations close their doors all across the country. Some have suggested as many as 400-500 per year. But there are also many congregations that die spiritually, even though they have their doors still open. Insanity is often described as doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. It’s time we address the spiritual health of our congregations—and get serious about discipleship.

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Are You Worthy of Salvation

Are You Worthy of Salvation

Are we worthy of salvation? There is a sense in which we are and a sense in which we are not. One is not worthy in the sense that he cannot earn his salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). In that sense, one will never be worthy. However, we are worthy in that God paid the price for our salvation. That price was the blood of His Son, and it was high, but God certainly thought that it was worth it, and in that sense, we are worthy (1 Peter 1:18-19). In this sense, when we do what God commands, even under difficult circumstances, he says that we are worthy (Revelation 3:4). And if God says a person is worthy, then he is worthy, even though, that worthiness did not originate from him but from God.Worthy of Salvation

Forgiveness of sins is similar. Romans 4:8 says, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” If the Lord says, my sins are forgiven, then they are forgiven, even though ultimately, that forgiveness does not originate from me, but God (i.e. I don’t forgive myself). The result is as if I never had any sins to begin with. That doesn’t mean I never sinned, but from the Lord’s perspective, He chooses to see it that way (Colossians 1:22).

I could say that because I have sinned, I am not worthy (Luke 15:21), but the good Father who loves his children says, “Don’t say such things. You are my son. I love you, and I say you are worthy (2 Thessalonians 1:11), not because of what YOU have done, but because of who I AM and what I have done for you.” As far as the Father is concerned, we are worthy, and that’s the final word.

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The Invisible God

The Invisible God

One of God’s attributes is that He is invisible. Paul wrote, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). John wrote, “No one has seen God at any time” (John 1:18, 1 John 4:12). He is the “invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

This attribute of invisibility is not trivial. God is invisible on purpose! Hebrews 11:3 states, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” God desired to be invisible from the beginning of the creation. He placed a “veil” between earth and heaven. This was illustrated in the tabernacle by a veil between the holy and most holy place (Exodus 26:33, Hebrews 9:3). Hebrews 6:19 says God’s presence is behind a veil. Why this obscurity?

God wants us to have faith in Him. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). God has established a contrast between our five senses and Himself. In other words, between Him and me. The five senses are limited to the present. They cannot confirm the past; they cannot predict the future. But He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Revelation 1:8, Isaiah 44:6). Will I trust my limited self over the unlimited God? That’s the question Abraham wrestled with when he offered Isaac. We wrestle with it daily. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Visible self, or invisible God. Who will we believe?

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Praying During the Sermon

Praying During the Sermon

In a recent evangelistic sermon, I heard David Sproule speak to those assembled and told them that he had been praying specifically for them. As I listened, I thought of the great impact it would have if every Christian did this. At that point of the sermon, I began to pray the same prayer.

Have we not all sung, “While we pray and while we plead; while you see your soul’s deep need; will you not my brother come?” However, is this true? How often do we sing these words, telling the lost who are in the assembly that we are praying and pleading with them to respond? Is it possible that we may never have been praying that the lost might respond and told them that is precisely what we were doing?

That decision made it so much easier to follow what was being said. I began to listen to the message from the viewpoint of the lost and in my prayers I became part of their lives.

When the church began, they were forbidden to preach or teach anyone about Jesus. It had to be exciting as they had seen the church grow into thousands of members. Consider what they did. They came together to pray for those who were teaching others, that they might boldly present God’s message (Acts 4:32). Can you imagine how this impacted those who prayed, whenever they next listened to the gospel being preached to the lost?

Almost every preacher has had to deal with those who listen to the sermon to find some misspoken word. Every week, when they exit, they usually tell the preacher how he could have improved the lesson. When individuals do this week after week you wonder how much they are truly worshiping during the preaching of the sermon. Constructive criticism is so helpful, but constant critiques of every sermon is so discouraging.

On the other hand, those comments and private emails are one of the greatest joys. Words like: “Thank you for this lesson, it really helped me”; “Thank you for the way you used the Bible, I am a better person because I heard it”; “I want you to know that I was praying for you today”; “Thank you. My friend was not here to hear this message, but I am sending a copy of it.”

Be honest. Be sincere. Be that person like Barnabas who helped Paul so much, but he did not have to be in the forefront to encourage.

So let me suggest you just do what I did.  Pray for the preacher and the lost during a sermon. It changed me. So, when he preaches a lesson directed to Christians, do not pray for others, pray for yourself!

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