A Life for His Glory

A Life for His Glory

You have worth! God has chosen you for His Glory!

You have worth! God has chosen you for His Glory!

When Paul was speaking to the church in Ephesus, he said, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6).  All that God has done in choosing, predestinating and adopting Christians is to the praise of the glory of his grace.  You see, with God, there is no mistake or accident about those who are in Christ and are a part of his grace.  And so, when it comes to our lives, while our friends may speak differently about our Christianity, you should know that you are the right answer, that is, you are the one who stands in this spot of history, in Christ, knowing that God had you in mind when he began the foundations of the world.  And, without you, without your being a Christian, there would be something missing to the glory of God, something missing from the world, something that is irreplaceable and precious.  You.

As we continue to understand God throughout our lives by his word, we know that our lives count and that God’s love surrounds us.  And while we may make the wrong choices in life, our feeling may overrule what we know is best, we may even go after things we want instead of what God wants for you, God extends his grace.  He offers us the chance to rework our life, allowing us to repent, giving us the opportunity to erase the mistakes we have made because he loves us so very much.

Therefore, we must always strive to be in the right.  We should keep in mind that asking God to forgive us, is not only a privilege for Christians, but that, we know Jesus paid the price of sin for us with His life upon the cross.  Our life counts with God.  So, feel free to speak to God and add to your faith joy and allow that joy to multiply in your life because you matter to God.  Your life counts with him.

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God Hardened Heart?

God Hardened Heart?

When one first reads those verses in Exodus about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart, he can so easily arrive at the conclusion that God forced Pharaoh to do wrong. He can decide that man does not have free will for God totally controls the will of man. Is it possible to reconcile these two concepts?

Has God hardened your heart?

Has God hardened your heart?

To answer that let me ask, “How does your heart feel toward the Fijian government’s plan to increase import duties on merchandise from the Cook Islands?” Is your heart hardened toward this? Is your heart tender toward such actions? The truth is that your heart is indifferent and neutral toward this.

Now consider Pharaoh’s heart toward God before Moses came to confront him. Was his heart “pro-God” or “anti-God”? It was neither. He had lived all of his life with a neutral heart toward God. This obviously changed once he met Moses. He was forced to take a position—either positive or negative toward God’s messenger.

Look carefully at those verses in Exodus. On two occasions before Moses ever confronted Pharaoh, God told Moses that He would harden the king’s heart (Ex. 4:21; 7:3). How did Pharaoh react when he saw Moses’ rod become a snake? He could no longer be neutral toward God, but when the Egyptian magicians duplicated what Moses did, “…the king’s heart grew hard” (Ex. 7:13). When Pharaoh saw the plague of the frogs he told Moses to remove the plague, and he would release the Jews, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said” (Ex. 8:15). God did not force Pharaoh. The king hardened his own heart when confronted by God.

The same reaction was seen after the plague of flies, for “…Pharaoh hardened his heart” (Ex. 8:32). It was the same after the death of the cattle (Ex. 9:12). Read carefully what was said after the plague of hail. “He sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart” (Ex. 9:34). Confronted by the miracles he saw, God indeed hardened the king’s heart (Ex. 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27), but it was Pharaoh who made the decision!

So, what about God hardening your heart? Before you first confronted the Lord in your life, you were neutral, but that confrontation forced you to make a decision—you had to make a decision. If your heart was hardened, it was done because the Lord’s gospel forced you to make a decision, but it was you who made the choice.

You can remain neutral about the Fijian/Cook Islands problem the rest of your life, for it does not involve your life. However, the response to the Lord’s teaching will either cause your heart to grow more tender or grow harder. God will force you to make that decision. You cannot remain neutral!

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Examining Beverage Alcohol

Take One Down and Pass It Around

Having looked into the tearful eyes of parents whose children have abandoned the Faith, I have learned there are a million miles between our children “going through the motions” in reference to their spiritual lives versus our children possessing hearts that dictate their actions. In this column, I plan to share with you what I hope to instill in the hearts of my own children and those whom I love.

What example are you sending with your attitude toward alcohol?

What example are you sending with your attitude toward alcohol?

Some of the most creative advertising minds in the world are using their talents for the alcoholic beverage industry. Their commercials entertain millions while quietly planting seeds of desire. Magazine ads frequently portray the illusion of youthful pleasure and inclusion for those who drink alcohol. Research studies are frequently used as a tool to promote the benefits of drinking alcohol. But this beautiful mirage is clouded by a war that rages between the perceived “fun” of social drinking versus the ever present danger of drunk driving and the reality of alcoholism. This is a war with extremely high stakes. On the one hand, lives are literally at risk, and on the other, beverage alcohol is a multi-billion dollar industry.

The controversy surrounding alcoholic beverages has found its way into the church as well. Scholarly men debate various Scriptures to either denounce or support drinking alcohol. Many congregations have quietly—almost unknowingly—segregated into clicks consisting of those who drink “socially” and those who don’t. Members argue the ethics of investing in beer companies that are making huge profits. Both sides go to great strides to justify their positions. This tension has caused many preachers and elders to remain silent and comfortably “settle in,” or ignore the issue altogether.

Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about beverage alcohol.

I have been the “gatekeeper” monitoring what is introduced into your life since you were born. In addition, your mother and I have been striving diligently to make sure that you were fed spiritually while under our roof. But I recognize that one day you will walk through that “gate” and I will turn these tasks over to you. When that day arrives, you will determine what things you allow through the gate. I hope that alcoholic beverages are not one of those.

When you reach the age of twenty-one, our government has declared it legal for you to drink beer, wine, and liquor. (Don’t lose sight of the fact that it is against the law before that time.) A common “right of passage” for individuals who reach this milestone is to go out and drink with friends. Let me strongly encourage you to find a better way to celebrate.

As you mature into adulthood, you will hear Christians argue about alcohol in the Bible. Many will correctly say the word oinos (wine) can mean alcoholic wine (Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:31-35). Others correctly point out that the same word can mean juice from grapes (Isaiah 65:8; Isaiah 16:10). I’ve listened to some extremely wise men argue both sides that Jesus’ first recorded miracle of making water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-10) was either alcoholic or simply grape juice. People in favor of drinking alcohol will point out Scripture like 1 Timothy 3:8 that says one should not be given to “much wine”—stressing the “much” or that a little is good for the stomach (1 Timothy 5:23). These individuals will also point out that the Bible doesn’t condemn drinking alcohol, but rather drunkenness.

A couple of things that I want to point out to help you fully understand this debate. First, individuals of that day were connoisseurs of grapes. Many men could probably tell you what region the grapes were grown simply from the taste. Secondly, clean water was not as prevalent as we have it here in the United States. Men living during this time in history didn’t have running water in their homes that had been chlorinated. In many regions—just like today—poor water would lead to sickness. As such, it was common for men to drink fruit juice with their meals. But refrigerators were also unknown at this time—so they needed a way to preserve juice and be able to drink it days or weeks after the juice was squeezed from the grapes. The process of fermentation allowed the juice to be stored for much longer periods of time. (I would point out to you that the alcohol content in their “wine” was MUCH less than what is used today.)

As I mentioned, I know the controversy exists—and the debate will likely rage on long after I’m gone. It is your mother’s and my prayer that you will throw all of the debate completely out the window and consider one thing: influence. As a faithful Christian, you must always consider how your influence affects others. What message are you sending the person from whom you purchase alcohol, or the individual who watches you carry it out of the store? This is one of those controversies that never needs to be a controversy. Rather than fret about alcoholism or justification of moderate drinking, just determine today that you will not use alcoholic beverages. It will make your life simpler and your influence stronger. Make a difference and be that shining light. You don’t need it to be pleasing to God. As Paul admonished, “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). I challenge you to be a gatekeeper who doesn’t allow alcoholic beverages through your gate!

Love,

Dad

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Association with Publicans and Sinners

Association with Publicans and Sinners

One of the criticisms that Jesus’ enemies so often employed was that He ate with the publicans and sinners. We find this criticism recorded for us in the following passages: Matthew 9:10, 11; 11:19; Mark 2:15, 16; Luke 5:30, 7:34, 15:1. This criticism was no doubt leveled at Jesus due to the fact that he associated with these people in order to teach them the gospel. The Pharisees had a strict standard with whom a “faithful Jew” could and could not associate. In essence they labeled out particular people in society and forbade the “faithful” to have relationships with them. These people included publicans, harlots, Samaritans, and “sinners.”

There must be a degree of association to reach out to the world.

There must be a degree of association to reach out to the world.

Publicans were basically the tax collectors of the day, and carried out the will of the Roman Empire by collecting from the Jewish people. From their frequent association with gentiles alone, this made them “off-limits” to the “faithful” Jew. Publicans also had a practice of taking more taxes than the government required. John the baptizer told these tax-collectors that they needed to repent of this practice (Luke 3:12, 13).

Samaritans were half-blood Jews and that made them impure in the mind of the Pharisees. The Samaritans were descended from the Jewish people who were left behind during the Babylonian captivity. These married the pagans who were already in the land and intermingled themselves so as to violate God’s requirements under the Old Law regarding marriage (Deut.7:3; Ezra 10:2).

The harlots of the day were what we would consider prostitutes today. They sold their bodies for money. The Pharisees did not associate with them, no doubt, to maintain their sparkling reputation of “righteousness” among the Jewish people. Sinners were just any other kinds of people that no doubt, sinned, but also, that the Pharisees would not associate on account of their “reputation.” These sinners might have been adulterers, thieves, or even other harlots and publicans. It was an all-inclusive category.

First, it should be clear to all that Jesus did not associate with these people in order to engage in their sinful practices. Jesus was the sinless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:19). He never once committed a sin nor even spoke an inappropriate word (1 Peter 2:22). Second, it should also be clear that Jesus did not associate with these people in order to legitimize their sin. Jesus called upon these people to repent (Matthew 9:13). He taught them that they needed to give up their sin and give their life to God (Luke 15:1-32). Third, it should also be clear that Jesus did not associate with these people to aid them to further commit sin. When the woman taken in adultery was brought before Jesus (John 8:2-11) Jesus did not condemn her to death; however, Jesus told her to “go, and sin no more.” His refusal to condemn the woman to death was not license for her to continue to commit adultery.

Jesus did associate with these people in order to teach and preach the gospel (Matthew 21:28-32). What ought we to conclude from Jesus’ association with these classes of society? First, we need to be out associating with those classes of society as well for the same purpose. As Christians, we need to be in the world, but not of the world (1 Cor.5:10). What does this mean? It means that we associate with people who are steeped in sin, but we don’t participate in that sin. If we were to stop all association with anyone who had sin in their lives, then we would have to go “out of the world.” While such may be possible (that is, to practice some bizarre type of isolationism); it is certainly not feasible.

Second, we ought to be telling these lost sinners about the gospel. More than anything else, these classes of society desperately need the power of the gospel (1 Cor.6:9-11). We ought to focus our efforts upon bringing these to salvation through preaching a message of repentance and love, not through shunning them and isolating them from the rest of society. This means that we have to spend time among them and get to know them personally (as did Jesus) so that we can call them to repent in those areas of life where they need to repent.

Third, we ought not to criticize those who are trying to do such. Such displays a true Pharisaical attitude toward teaching and preaching the gospel to the lost. I’m opposed to homosexuality, but I want the homosexual to repent and be saved. I’m opposed to adultery, but I want the adulterer to repent and be saved. I’m opposed to murder, but I want the murderer to repent and be saved. I’m opposed to immodesty, but I want the immodest person to repent and be saved. If that means that I have to be involved in wholesome community events where these people are at, then I will be there. When we oppose those, who are associating with these kinds of people in order to help them come to the gospel and repent, we are really saying that a certain class of people are not worthy of the gospel. God is no respecter of persons (Rom.2:11; Acts 10:34), and neither ought Christians to be.

We have a great challenge before us today to take the gospel to the lost. Instead of discouraging the hands of our brethren by criticizing (in the above way) their efforts at doing that job, we ought to be supportive and uplifting. It is not inconsequential that those who discourage others in this way, are often the least involved in evangelistic efforts. Such criticism is not only discouraging, but hypocritical. These would do well to heed the advice of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-5. Let us always remember the words of Paul the apostle to the evangelist Timothy, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim.1:15). Let us obey our Master, go into the world, and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19, 20).

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La Oracion a Jesus

La Oracion a Jesus

El hermano Thomas B. Warren mencionó hace mucho tiempo lo siguiente: “El hombre no tiene derecho a equivocarse en cuanto a la fe”. A pesar de que el tiempo ha transcurrido y que nuestro hermano ya no está entre nosotros, esta declaración continúa siendo totalmente verdadera y aplicable para todas las edades. Ningún humano tiene el suficiente derecho de cambiar lo establecido por Dios, pero la implicación a esto también está en que, deberíamos saber con precisión que quiere Dios de nosotros, de que manera y bajo que circunstancias.

podemos orar a Jesús

Podemos orar a Jesús?

El tema que nos concierne en esta ocasión es precisamente uno en el que la mayoría de Latinoamérica  a fallado y continúa en ello. Este escritor desea únicamente ayudar trayendo varios pasajes a colación para llegar a conclusiones correctas. ¿Podemos orar a Jesús? La respuesta a esta pregunta es un contundente NO.  En primer lugar tenemos el ejemplo de los magos que vinieron del oriente. Mateo escribe: “…Venimos a adorarle…”(cf. Mateo 2:2); “Y al entrar en la casa , vieron al niño con su madre Maria, y postrándose, lo adoraron…” (Mateo 2:11). La adoración a Jesús es algo que vemos con extremada claridad aquí y en otros muchos pasajes (Mateo 8:2; 9:18, Marcos 5:6,22; Lucas 8:41).

El asunto no es si debemos adorar a Jesús o no, eso está claro, más bien si podemos orar a Cristo. Amigos, hermanos debemos de reconocer que Cristo y Dios son uno en esencia, pero diferentes en función y este sencillo hecho de nuestro Dios es de difícil comprensión para muchos. Como en todas las cosas Dios ha sido especifico, y si usted considera Mateo 6 cuando Cristo enseña a orar a sus discípulos, El primero instruyó a ellos a dirigirse al Padre en oración. La Biblia está repleta de pasajes donde debemos de dirigirnos al Padre en oración  a travez de Jesús.  Más aún hay muchos otros pasajes donde en el mismo contexto, el Hijo es mencionado y el Espíritu Santo también pero en cuanto a la oración siempre va dirigida al Padre

En Romanos 15:30 note por favor como se menciona al Hijo y al E.S pero en cuanto a la oración se dirige siempre al Padre. Efesios 5:20 la palabra Griega que se utiliza es “pantote” y significa básicamente, siempre o sin variación. Partiendo de este pasaje la oración debe ser dirigida al Padre cada vez sin excepción alguna. El hermano Gary Workman firme y fiel predicador del evangelio sobre el tema escribe lo siguiente:

     1Timoteo 2:5 Se ha manipulado para implicar que es posible orar a Jesús, siendo que ´El es nuestro mediador entre Dios y el hombre. Sin embargo, esto no quiere decir que le hablamos a Cristo para que después El se lo comunique a Dios. Por consiguiente nuestro mediador, intercesor y sumo sacerdote dijo: Ora al Padre (cf. Mateo 6:6). Los cristianos del primer siglo entendieron esto, ellos se postraron al Padre (cf. Efe 3:14) y subieron su voz a Dios (cf. Hechos 4:24). El antiguo pacto también tenía un mediador y un sumo sacerdote (Moisés, Arón), pero los judíos no podían orar a ninguno de los dos. Nosotros no tenemos autoridad Bíblica para orar a Jesús el mediador, como tampoco oramos al E.S quién específicamente intercede por nosotros (cf. Romanos 8:26-27). (Gary Workman, Cults and Worship, in Spirits and truth , Freed Hardeman Lectures, ed . David L. Lipe. 1994, pg 481)

Tal como lo explica el hermano Gary No existe autoridad Bíblica para orar a Jesús. La iglesia de Cristo siempre ha obrado con libro capitulo y versículo en todo lo que hace, enseña y práctica. Con todo algunos se oponen con argumentos fuertes pero fuera de contexto, exactamente como el de Hechos 7:54-60, sosteniendo que Esteban oró a Jesús, sin embargo el clamor de Esteban NO es considerado como oración sino más bien como una Epifanía en el momento de su partida de este mundo.

De tiempo en tiempo la Iglesia entona un himno llamado Dilo a Cristo que va de la siguiente manera:

Cuando estés cansado y abatido,

Dilo a Cristo, dilo a Cristo,

Si te sientes débil, confundido,

Dilo a Cristo el Señor.

CORO

Dilo a Cristo, dilo a Cristo,

Él es tu amigo más fiel;

No hay otro amigo como Cristo,

Dilo tan sólo a Él.

Al subrayar el error en este himno deseamos notar con especialidad que los himnos no son inspirados por Dios y por tal razón es nuestro arduo trabajo analizarlos para ver si estos están en armonía con la palabra de Dios. Evidentemente este en particular NO lo está por lo tanto este servidor NO lo entona, pero ¿Cuantas Iglesias de Cristo cantan, y siguen cantándolo?. Suena bien pero no esta bien.

Para que alguien que sostenga que orar a Jesús y al Espíritu Santo está bien, deberá

  1. Ignorar la clara distinción que existe entre las personas de la Deidad.
  2. Sostener que alguien puede realmente honrar la Deidad sin obedecer a la Deidad.
  3. Explicar porqué Pablo mencionó a los miembros de la Deidad en Efesios 3:14-16 pero doblaba sus rodillas al Dios y Padre de nuestro Señor Jesuscristo.
  4. Explicar porque Jesús nunca oro al Espíritu Santo.
  5. Explicar porqué Jesús nunca enseño a sus discípulos a orar al Espíritu Santo.
  6. Explicar porqué en la supuesta “oración” de Esteban nunca terminó: “En el nombre de Jesús”
  7. Ignorar que Jesús oro al Padre en la institución de la cena del Señor.
  8. Desechar mas de cien pasajes Bíblicos donde se aborda la oración al Padre a travez de Jesús y no ha Jesús mismo en el N.T
  9. Proveer libro capitulo y versículo para mostrar que si se puede orar a Jesús.
  10. Mostrar un ejemplo aprobado en la Biblia fue el caso desestimado de Esteban.

Debemos recordar que no importa cuanto el hombre puede estudiar en su vida y cuantos títulos pueda lograr, la Palabra de Dios sigue siendo la autoridad absoluta y ¿Que dice esa autoridad? (Juan 16:23-29; Mateo 6:6-15, 7:7-11; Lucas 11:1-13, etc).  Jesus también dio ordenes a los apóstoles de que el hombre debe de obedecer (Efesios 5:20, Filipenses 4:6; Colo 3:17). Hermanos Dios no es autor de confusión (1Cor 14:33) Dios más bien es el autor de la paz, la paz que sobrepasa todo entendimiento (Efe 4:3). Les amo a todos y realmente es mi deseo que estemos unidos en la verdad de la Biblia. Así como nuestro Señor oró al Padre por unidad en su cuerpo, también es nuestra oración al Padre.

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