Lack of Knowledge

A Land Being Destroyed By Lack of Knowledge

As the book of Judges closes, the future of Israel is so dismal. It had been that way for hundreds of years. Centuries before, the Jews had entered a land which flowed with milk and honey. Under the leadership of Joshua, they had conquered thirty-one kingdoms (Josh. 12:24). They could have had more if they had conquered the nations on their southern and northern borders.

The key to a successful future is knowledge of the past.

The key to a successful future is knowledge of the past.

God had blessed them. “The Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it” (Josh. 21:43). Two verses later, the Holy Spirit says, “Not a word failed of any good thing which the lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” The future outlook was so glorious.

As you read the book of Judges, you cannot fail to see how dismal the situation had become. How had all of this come about? To answer that question might help us understand what is happening in our land right before our eyes!

The generation which entered the Promised Land was so different from the preceding one. Their fathers had left Egypt and, even before crossing the Red Sea, they murmured, failing to remember what God had just done. They crossed the Red Sea and, before arriving at Mt. Sinai, complained about the lack of water and food. He gave them water out of the rock and over 12,000 days of free food from heaven. They then complained for the next forty years until the death of Moses.

That second generation was so much better. They knew God and obeyed Him. From the time they entered Canaan, they worshiped him. The Bible describes it this way, “So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua…another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor His work” (Judg. 1:7-10).

How did they leave God? They failed to listen to Moses. “The words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them to your children…“ (Deut. 6:7). The situation came about because they failed to teach their children!

The very same thing is happening in America. Our fathers knew the Bible. They knew about seventy-one men in the Bible whose thumbs and big toes were cut off; the dead man who as he was being quickly buried and came alive again; the king whose skull was crushed by a stone throw at him by a woman; fields of grain which were burned by foxes; the woman on the moon; the floating iron axe head; the man who killed a lion when it was snowing. They taught us about God and what He has done. What have we done? Look at the list above. Do your children know these things? Do you? Think!

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Standing Up

Stand, Defend, Prepare

In 1 Chronicles 21:1 we read a chilling state-ment, “Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David…” Because David gave in to the temptation of Satan God was “displeased” and “smote Israel” (v. 7). To David’s credit he took responsibility for his own actions, repented, and offered sacrifices to God.

Peter warns us to be sober minded and vigilant to defend ourselves from our “adversary” (1 Peter 5:8). When Satan stands up against us and provokes us to sin we have the choice of standing up against him and defending ourselves or giving in to the temptation. James makes it clear that the choice is ours (James 1:14). We need to stop blaming Satan and everyone else and turn a critical eye upon ourselves.

Secondly, we see David taking upon himself the responsibility of preparing for his son to serve the Lord, charging him in serve God, and praying for his son’s wisdom (1 Chronicles 22:1–6, 12). Before he died he wanted to ensure that his son would follow the Lord, and David, to an eternal reward. And that his son would have the wisdom to serve God and lead His people against Satan.

We bear a great responsibility in not only preparing ourselves for eternity but to prepare the next generation to be obedient and faithful unto the Lord as well. This begins with us standing up against Satan when he stands up against us. Setting an example for our children and arming them (Ephesians 6:11–13) with the necessary tools to “fight the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Satan is going to stand up against us. He is going to tempt us as he tempted Christ (Hebrews 4:15), he is going to attempt to deceive us (Revelation 12:9), hinder us (1 Thessalonians 2:18), and try to stop the Lord’s will from being done (Matthew 16:23). Brethren, stand, defend, and prepare; and “Be not over-come of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). [Tim]

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COMPETITIVE CHRISTIANITY

COMPETITIVE CHRISTIANITY?!?

As this article is being authored, the NCAA season of college basketball and it’s “March Madness” is coming to a close with the 2016 champions to be crowned within the next few days; the NBA & NHL’s regular season games are down to single digits for most teams, with the impending play-offs imminent; “America’s favorite pastime” is about to burst onto the scene as Major League Baseball is ready to begin with everyone’s’ favorite team tied for first place; and local spring sports are springing forth on fields and in sports complexes everywhere. The heartbeat of the American sports scene is alive, abuzz, and absolutely thriving… and unfortunately it seems, still spilling into the church of our Lord in places on a level it should never be allowed to.

Christianity is not a competition. No person is superior to another.

Christianity is not a competition. No person is superior to another.

And no, this is not an article on the atrocity of church leaders being reminded not to schedule gospel meetings or other activities on evenings when major sporting events are occurring because Christ and Christianity cannot apparently compete anymore with such “things of the world” (1 Jn. 2:15-17) as currently capture the hearts, minds, souls, and attentions of men – even way too many men in the church of our Lord – although it certainly could be. But no, this is instead an article on the insidious seepage of the sports and competition mindset, into the one body and church of Christ. Please let me explain…

We, as the Lord’s church, all preach, and teach, and claim to believe that we are all one in Christ Jesus just as Jesus and nearly every book of the New Testament states in one form or another (Jn. 17:20-23; Acts 5:32-35; Ro. 12:1-18; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; 2 Cor. 13:11-14; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 2:13-22, 4:1-6; Phil. 1:27-2:8; Col. 3:12-17; 1 Thess. 5:9-28; 2 Thess. 1:3-10; Titus 3:1-11; Hebs. 2:10-13; Jms. 4:1-12, 5:13-20; 1 Ptr. 3:8, 4:8-17; 1 Jn. 3 and 4; 2 Jn. 1:5; plus many more…). We are all on the same “team,” so to speak. After all, we all wear the same ‘uniform,’ and team “Logos,” having “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27; Acts 4:12, 11:26; Ro. 16:16).

In other words, there is really no such thing as “Competitive Christianity” – or at least there shouldn’t be (SEE: Matt. 23:1-12; Lk. 18:9-14!!!). A faithful eldership or evangelist who serves a congregation of 25, is just as worthy of our love, support, and respect, as a faithful eldership or evangelist who serves a congregation of several thousand! Someone who has tried for many years to lead someone to Christ and has been blessed to finally succeed – or even if they haven’t yet -, should never be seen or made to feel insignificant of inferior by someone who has baptized a hundred. And this is ultimately true across the entire spectrum of our beloved brotherhood. It relates to everything from our publishing companies, to our young people’s bible bowls, to congregational attendance and everything else in between.

Every saint has a place and a service to perform in the body of Christ, having been put there by God Himself (1 Cor. 12:18). Every member is vital, important, essential, and special (1 Cor. 12:20-27), having been purchased by no less than the pure and spotless, sinless blood of Christ Himself (1 Ptr. 1:17-23). There is absolutely no room for pride, politics, or personal positioning for power that pits one brother against another, or that puts or portrays any of the rest of one’s brethren in Christ at a distinct disadvantage or lesser level of importance in anyone’s eyes in the Lord’s Kingdom. James and John already tried that; Jesus derailed and sought to re-direct it (Matt. 20:20-28; Mk. 10:35-45). John must’ve learned something from that encounter by the way he later dealt with the pridefully disobedient Diotrephes (3 Jn. 9-10). Solomon had sought to show us repeatedly how desperately God hates such prideful, arrogant, and competitive attitudes in the Book of Proverbs. The Apostle Paul had to address it at length with one of the most pride infested congregations of self-promoters that probably ever existed when writing his epistles to the Corinthians – read through them again!

Look brethren, we’re all co-workers and co-heirs in the same kingdom. All of us got into the Lord’s church and onto the Savior’s “team” by virtue of the same blood, and will only make it to heaven by the same great grace of God – and none of us are good enough to get there otherwise. God bought us, and blessed us, and assembled us to work together to expand His kingdom. This is not a competition, nor is it a game. Ours is a blood-bought privilege to work side by side with other blood-bought brethren; to be of like mind, faith, and doctrine, as we all work together as one, for the One. Our battle is not against one another but “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12)! That is a battle we can only win standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder, and completely united against a common foe (Phil. 1:27-2:7). And there is no room for prideful, sinful, personal self-promotion at the cost of others, or feelings of superiority over any of our brethren in any of us. See: Matt. 18:4, 23:12; Lk. 14:11, 18:14; Jms. 3:13-4:10; and 1 Ptr. 5:6! And then may God impress upon us, how Competitive Christianity, is actually not Christianity at all!

 

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LA PREDESTINACION BIBLICA

LA PREDESTINACION BIBLICA

El tema de la predestinación es uno de los más controvertidos incluso dentro de las Iglesias de Cristo, pero no tan difícil de resolver si tan solo existiera el puro y único deseo de ver, que dice Dios al respecto. No podemos de ninguna manera obviar la confusión existe al rededor, pero todo se debe a dos factores importante: 1) Ausencia de  una adecuada educación para interpretar las escrituras. 2) El origen calvinista del asunto. Ambas cosas combinadas forman las conclusiones erróneas que hoy vemos y oímos en muchos.

La predestinación de la Biblia está enfocada en la Iglesia Gloriosa de Cristo

La predestinación de la Biblia está enfocada en la Iglesia Gloriosa de Cristo

DEFINICION

El diccionario de la real academia española actualizado, define predestinar en dos partes: 1) disponer o decidir el destino de una persona o de una cosa de antemano a su comportamiento o conducta. 2)En teología, elegir Dios desde la creación del mundo a las personas que por medio de su gracia gozarán de la salvación.

Otra aportación a la definición la hace Vines, el dice: proorizo (proorivzw, 4309), (pro, por anticipado; orizo, determinar; cf. DETERMINAR, No 3), denota determinar por anticipado, ordenar por adelantado, «habían antes determinado» (Hch 4.28); «predestinó» (Ro 8.29,30; 1 Co 2.7); Ef 1.5: «habiéndonos predestinado»; v. 11: «habiendo sido predestinados». Véase DETERMINAR, No 4.¶ Notas: (1) Este verbo debe ser distinguido de proginosko, conocer con antelación. Este último se refiere especialmente a las personas conocidas por Dios con antelación; proorizo se refiere especialmente a aquello a lo que son predestinados los objetos de su conocimiento anticipado.

Creo que es fundamentalmente importante entender esta definición de predestinar, ya que lo que se utiliza  la misma palabra en varios pasajes. La iglesia de Cristo NO niega el hecho de que Dios si predestina, el asunto es ¿a quién? o ¿quienes?. Antes de observar algunos pasajes, es de vital importancia entender que es el “calvinismo” . Usted se sorprenderá de que irónicamente existen miles de personas que practican, defienden, creen y sostienen las enseñanzas calvinistas sin siquiera conocer el origen de las mismas, y en ocaciones las personas no se dan cuenta que están defendiendo el calvinismo. Juan Calvino, igual que Lutero se había cansado de los muchos abusos del catolicismo romano y buscó reformar el cristianismo. En especial objetó la teología de Roma basada en obras y creyó que solo la soberanía de Dios traía la salvación.   

Total depravación hereditaria

Elección incondicional

Limitado Sacrificio

Irresistible Gracia

Perseverancia de los santos

 Los 5 puntos teológicos sostenidos por  Calvino son “la cuna de la falsa doctrina” él argumentaba que el hombre no tenía parte en su salvación y no podía hacer nada para lograr su salvación, estaba totalmente depravado a causa del problema del edén. Con esto el calvinismo establece que Dios es capaz y está dispuesto por virtud de su omnisciencia, omnipresencia y omnipotencia, a hacer lo que sea que desee hacer con su creación. Sostiene que dentro de la Biblia están las siguientes enseñanzas: Que Dios, por su gracia soberana predestina a las personas para salvación: que Jesús murió solo por los que estaban predestinados; que Dios regenera al individuo donde esté y solo entonces es capaz de querer seguir a Dios; y que es imposible para los redimidos perder su salvación.

El calvinismo enseña que la regeneración ocurre cuando el Espíritu Santo directa y milagrosamente cambia la naturaleza de una persona, de ser hijo de ira a ser hijo de Dios. Enseñan que el arrepentimiento y la fe vienen como un regalo de este cambio milagroso y que el hombre no regenerado es incapaz de fe y arrepentimiento por su propia capacidad. Tristemente, las falsas doctrinas del calvinismo no solo han impregnado a muchas denominaciones evangélicas, sino que también se han adentrado en las iglesias de Cristo.

LA VERDAD

La verdad de las cosas es que Calvino estuvo total y absolutamente equivocado en su manera de ver la Biblia. Pasajes como Romanos 8:29-30; Hech 4:28; Ef 1:5,11, entre tantos más, la predestinación es siempre grupal(PARA LA IGLESIA DE CRISTO), NO DE INDIVIDUOS, Dios no ha predestinado a Casimiro Lopez para ir al cielo y a Manuel Chavez para ir al infierno, afirmar y sostener tal cosa sería tanto como acusar a Dios de “tirano”. El Dios mío y del cual leo en la Biblia es totalmente diferente. Pedro observo y entendió esto cuando dijo en Hechos 10:34 “ en verdad comprendo que Dios no hace acepción de personas”. 

Si usted logra notar en los contextos de estos pasajes anteriormente mencionado, siempre se menciona a la Iglesia, el problema es que la gente No quiere aceptar que Dios estableció, pensó de antemano, predestinó a la iglesia para ser salva, pero no a cualquier iglesia sino a la Iglesia de Cristo, única y exclusivamente. Entonces si una persona está dentro de la Iglesia de Cristo está predestinado para ir al cielo pero no la persona en sí, pero más bien en sentido colectivo. Las palabras que aparecen a lo largo del capitulo 1 de Efésios; nosotros, vosotros, fuisteis, nos, etc… se encuentran en plural lo que indica que se refiere a una predestinación colectiva  y no a individual.

Existe un par de casos que pudieran dar dolor de cabeza a muchos; como lo es el que se encuentra en Romanos 9:12-13 “se le dijo: El mayor servirá al menor. como ésta escrito: A Jacob amé mas a Esaú aborrecí”. En primer lugar el texto debe ser entendido en el contexto general de Romanos. Desde el capitulo 1 hasta el 11 el apóstol Pablo trata con un tema especial y es que ya no existe diferencia entre judío y gentil sino que ambos gozan la misma bendición de ser parte el maravilloso cuerpo de Cristo; la Iglesia de Cristo. En el pasaje antes mencionado Dios vio con anticipación  que los descendientes de Esaú iban a ser malos pero no fue por acciones de ellos  tampoco, esta elección NO  fue de una manera arbitraria  departe de Dios como lo enseña Calvino. Aunque le pueda sorprender, la Biblia enseña que hay algunas cosas que Dios NO puede hacer dentro de esas cosas está violar el libre albedrío del hombre ya que eso iría incluso en contra de su naturaleza divina. El calvinismo llegó para quedarse y la Iglesia del Señor necesita aborrecer y rechazar cada una de estas doctrinas con la Biblia en mano. Cualquiera que simpatice con algunos de esos 5 puntos, automáticamente está adquiriendo y  abrazando todas las doctrinas Calvinista. El hermano Felipe Sanders sobre este tema concluye de la siguiente manera:

      A pesar de que el calvinismo se ha mantenido dominante entre la cristiandad evangélica, está muy lejos de la enseñanza de Cristo en el Nuevo Testamento. Los bebés no nacen en pecado, y los jóvenes no son incapaces de responder al evangelio. Una operación milagrosa directa del Espíritu Santo no es el medio que Dios usa para llevar a cabo nuestra salvación. La gracia de Dios y la salvación pueden y son resistidas. El evangelio predicado todavía es el poder de Dios para salvar. Nadie está incondicionalmente predestinado para el cielo o el infierno. Nuestra salvación por la gracia de Dios no es una garantía de que no podamos perder nuestras almas, si caemos en el pecado o la incredulidad. El calvinismo es una falsa doctrina, y su falsa esperanza seguramente llevará a muchos a la destrucción.

La Biblia enseña que el hombre no trae el pecado original sino que es culpable por su propio pecado y responderá al creador un día, por ello Ezequiel 18:20. Dios nos ayude a responder siempre con la Biblia y a refutar estas falsas enseñanzas. La predestinación de la Biblia está enfocada en la Iglesia Gloriosa de Cristo, por tanto más le vale al hombre ser parte de esa única Iglesia verdadera predestinada desde antes de la fundación del mundo, para ir al cielo si es que el ser humano desea ser salvo. Dios No aparecerá en un rayo de luz como lo afirmó calvino, El nos ha dado lo que necesitamos para buscarle y hacer su voluntad…LA SANTA BIBLIA (2Timoteo 3:16-17). Dios tampoco envío a su hijo a morir en la cruz del calvario por un grupo limitado de personas (Juan 3:16), muchísimo menos Dios ha utilizado o llamado a nadie en contra de su voluntad, al contrario su naturaleza impide que vaya a ser tal cosa. A los ángeles, que son seres espirituales creados por El mismo les dio libertad y les dará su pago(Judas 6) y a nosotros nos llama constantemente. Cada vez que un predicador diserta el evangelio Dios nos está llamando (2 Tesa 2:14).  Y por último la cada caída está segura para aquellos quienes han conocido a Dios y deciden apartarse, el “una vez salvo, siempre salvo”, no tiene un pelo de ser una verdad Bíblica. Judas cayó en pecado y transgredió la ley de Dios por su propio deseo, explica el apóstol Pedro (Hechos 1:18). Pablo mismo reconocía el peligro de ser eliminado y caer tal como lo hizo Judas (1Cor 9:27).

La falsedad del Calvinismo es totalmente evidente e incoherente. El peligro más grave es enamorarse de una de ellas porque si lo hace así deberá bailar con todas las demás 4 mentiras. Recuerda esta verdad siempre pero eterna; Dios no predestinó a nadie para condenación o salvación, Dios predestinó a la Iglesia de Cristo desde antes de la fundación del Mundo( Efe 1:2-4).

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Confusing Leaders

Confusing Leaders

Churches of Christ are technically “elder-led” (1 Peter 5:1-3). They use various Scriptures to point out that it is the elders that shepherd the flock and guide them in their walk with God, during worship and also keep an eye on the souls of those that they lead. Elders are selected by the congregation who feels that certain men meet the various characteristics laid out in the Scriptures (Acts 6; 1 Timothy 3). But, sometimes elders are not chosen based on their godliness (Acts 20:29-30). Some are appointed and accept the position as just a representative of the church. Some unsound elders believe they must make every decision about everything. Some questionable elders do not listen to a godly congregation, nor do they listen to godly deacons nor a minister and they do not seek advice from anyone. Sadly some want the preeminence (3 John 1:9; 1 Peter 5:3). But, why would any elder and/or eldership seek to lead in this fashion?

An unqualified leadership is a wrong way road.

An unqualified leadership is a wrong way road.

When we look out among the Church of Christ, we find problems. But, you will find problems no matter where you go. Still, there are many problems that arise simply because less spiritually mature Christians know they are in charge. What do I mean by this? There are leaders who love to raise a stink about trivial things (Titus 3:9). There are leaders who dominate others and cause pain and suffering to good brethren (Romans 16:17-18). There are leaders who refuse to help anyone from the church treasury or support any works even when they are into a massive abundance of wealth (1 John 3:17). In some cases, leaders act like little children when they don’t get their way (Luke 7:31-35). Why?

Now on the other hand, there are leaders who tend to only listen to the will of the people (Colossians 2:1-4; 1 John 4:6; 2 Timothy 4:4). Why? Why are some leaders toss about with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14)? More importantly, why do some eldership lead by not “wanting to rock the boat” or to get people upset and so, they will settle for watered down Gospel preaching (John 12:37-50). Does this really challenge the body of Christ to grow? No. And, while I have a great respect for leaders in the church, some are simply afraid of their own shadows. How can leaders in the church be apathetic? Is it because they have forgotten whom they serve (2 Peter 2:20)? As a result, there are congregations that are going nowhere. They are not improving themselves as the body of Christ. They are not growing spiritually nor numerically. Why? Why are many local congregations declining in size and are getting older. Could it be that we have apathetic Christians and leaders who encouraged them to be this way by their example and leadership?

Now, this may be a lot of negativity. But, all positive writings do not help us face things that we must improve upon because the church is very frustrated. We are no longer acting like the body of Christ. Some are acting no better than a business. Others are imitating denominations. Why? And, why are we not doing more? Does not the Bible tell us to be better than the world (James. 2:14-26)? Does it not tell us to reach out and teach (Matthew 28:19-20) and to restore (Galatians 6:1-4)? We all need to be working together for good. We all need to stop frustrating each other. We need to encourage people to not leave the church or to go elsewhere just because of a tradition we refuse to give up or an un-Christ-like attitude we refuse to change. Christians are so beautiful when we are not acting like the world. So, let’s work on these things. Stop being so judgmental. Stop the plate-spinning ministry and let us pray for more unity (John 17).

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