Jesus and Scandal

Jesus, Ferguson, Scandals, and Headline News

Dont let scandals and headlines bypass your spiritual life

Don’t let Scandals & Headlines bypass your Spiritual Life.

“Police Officers shot in Ferguson,” the headlines declared. The mainstream media was scrambling to determine how badly the officers were injured and to provide as many details as possible, adding to the already palpable tension.

Living in the narcissistic age that we do, we often detach the Bible from such headline news, thinking that it would have nothing to say about situations like Ferguson. After all, they didn’t have 24-hour news channels back during the time of Jesus. Sure, we may offer up some generalities, like “love your neighbor as yourself,” but oftentimes we read headlines without giving much thought as to how Jesus dealt with major news stories.

Jesus’ response to breaking headline stories would probably astound most Americans today. In fact, many would not heed His admonishment. Why? Because His response is not what our human ears wants to hear.

In Luke 13, we find Jesus being confronted with major headline news—bigger than what we find in Ferguson, MO. It was around 30 A.D. and Pilate had proposed building a new water conduit system. While the Jews had agreed to the construction of this new system, they were not aware that Pilate had assumed he would get some of the money from the temple—since it would benefit from the new water system. When the Jews learned Pilate was planning on using money that they considered to be consecrated to God they were outraged. There was a group of Galileans who were quick-tempered and easily inflamed in political fights. They were quick to rush the palace and protest. Pilate, predicting the hot-headed Galileans would demonstrate, had staged guards—dressed as Jews—all over the area. When the Galileans rose up in protest, the soldiers rose up against them. As the blood from those killed or wounded flowed down the streets, some of it mingled with the blood of the animals that were being offered as sacrifices. This situation infuriated many Jews, but had others asking if the Galileans should have stormed the palace in protest. Were this to have happened in modern times, it would have been wall-to-wall coverage on channels like Fox News and CNN.

So, what was Jesus’ response? Did He immediately take a side? Did He grab a sign and march in the streets? Did He write a stinging blog post or post His feelings on Facebook? No, He didn’t do any of the things we see going on with situations like Ferguson. Instead, He refused to judge—something we have trouble with. Second, he told those with Him that they should repent.

Consider that for just a moment. Those with Him were questioning Him, wanting Him to weigh in on the scandal of the day, and yet He refused to judge. These individuals were wanting to know: “Were the Galileans justified or not for their actions?” Instead of focusing on those involved in the scandal Jesus focused on those around Him. Jesus said, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:2-3). Imagine for just a moment that you want Jesus to make His opinion known on something like the Ferguson case, or same-sex marriage trial, or the O.J. Simpson case and he turns the spotlight back on you.

Not only did He not judge, but He told these individuals to repent. They were the ones living when this scandal happened. It happened on their watch. Instead of people treating each other with love, respect, and humility they were causing strife and division.

Is this hard medicine to swallow? Absolutely. It’s so easy to get emotionally charged and take a side. It’s so easy to pronounce what we consider to be the right judgment. But the Master teacher gives us a different response—a response that causes us to look deeply at ourselves and realize we too have some more work to do.

As major headlines and scandals occur all around us, may we as Christians follow the words of Christ—refusing to cast judgment and repent. If we really want to see differences in our communities and nations then we need to start with  ourselves!

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The Kingdom of Christ

Christ’s Kingdom

Contrary to popular belief, Christ’s kingdom exists today. Paul writes to “the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae” (Col. 1:2), and mentions the Heavenly Father “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us unto the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13). According to Paul, this process of translation (defined in the Greek as “to transfer, to remove from one place to another”) has happened in the past. They were already members of the kingdom of Christ. This is very important, since some teach today that the kingdom of Christ has not come and will not come until Christ returns. Those who hold this doctrine (called premillennialism) also advocate that the future kingdom will be an earthly kingdom, but the Bible simply does not teach this. When Jesus and His disciples preached, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17; 10:7), they were speaking of that kingdom which would come relatively soon. In fact, Jesus told an audience on one occasion that some of them would actually see the kingdom come with power during their lifetime (Mark 9:1). The final question that the apostles of Christ would ask before He ascended into heaven was, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). They still had completely misunderstood the nature of His kingdom. However, His answer included the fact that they would receive power after the Holy Ghost came upon them (Acts 1:7-8), which happened in the very next chapter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Since they received power on the day of the Pentecost, and the kingdom was to come with power (cf. Matt. 16:28), then we can conclude that the kingdom of Christ came on the day of Pentecost. Thus, the church is not an afterthought or some “Plan B,” but it was “according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11). The kingdom of Christ exists today. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see (defined in the Greek as “to experience, i.e. to partake of salvation in the kingdom of God,” Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon, p. 1492) the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Christ’s kingdom is universal. Its worship is not limited to a certain area (John 4:21). In His kingdom, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Its gates are open to all of every nation who believe and obey the gospel (Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19).

Christ’s kingdom is mobile. Its citizens are considered nothing more than “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13; 1 Pet. 2:11), looking “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10). “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Heb. 13:14).

If you are not in Christ’s kingdom today, please contact us, and we will be happy to assist you on your journey to the kingdom of Christ!

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Are You A Greek Scholar?

I Am Not a Greek Scholar

you dont need to know greek to be a scholar

You Don’t Need to Know Greek to be a Scholar.

Over the years, through many lessons, sermons, and discussions, the phrase “You do not need to be a Greek scholar to understand the Bible” has echoed in my ears. I heartily agree with the statement and have said it myself. This means what it says, but it does not mean that ignoring the Greek (or any language of the Bible) is acceptable. Not being a Greek Scholar does not give anyone the freedom to misuse an English word in place of an accurate English translation. There are no inspired translations. The only inspired words of the Bible were the original ones.

The accuracy of translations today depends on the degree to which they express the original meaning of that which was given by the Holy Spirit. There is great humor in the frequently statement, “The King James Version is the only inspired translation!” No, it is not inspired. It wasn’t even produced until a thousand years after the inspiration of the Spirit had penned the Gospel. So what is the point? Simply put: Accessing the inspired original languages of the Bible, instead of a mere translation, will at times provide a clearer and therefore proper understanding of God’s Will.

Consider the English translation of Psalm 81:3: (KJV)

“Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.”

These words make it sound as if a trumpet needs to be destroyed. The original language would make it clear that the playing of the instrument is the proper understanding.

Consider the English translation of James 2:3: (KJV)

“And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:”

Increasing generations would consider this a verse expressing kindness to a homosexual. Rather, the term “gay” is a reference to expensive or luxuriant clothing.

The above are simply verses where the meanings of English phrases have changed over time. Going back to the original languages can clarify what was meant. But what about John 1:1 (New World Translation):

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God.”

Other English translations read “the Word was God”. Examining the original Greek statement in John 1:1 no article “a” is discovered. To say the Word (Jesus) was a god, vs. saying Jesus was God is a huge difference. Without having access to the Greek, a profound misunderstanding could have been established.

There are countless translation issues that make the Bible confusing at times. Not being a Greek Scholar, but being willing to use a Greek / Hebrew dictionary can answer a lot of questions and correct many false understandings. Such resources are available most everywhere in physical print and digital formats. Accessing this material will deepen and broaden your understanding of scripture, aiding you in being a Christian Scholar as was commanded in Matthew 28:19:

“Go ye therefore, and make disciples [enroll as scholars] of all the nations,…”

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Hope is Our Anchor

Hope is Our Anchor

does your anchor of hope see you through the storm

Does your anchor of hope see you through the storm?

Our theme for this year is With GOD We Can, and the emphasis for this month is that with Him we can anchor our hope in Christ. Our world is so complex and is so rapidly changing.  Televisions, phones, computers and other electronic devices become outdated so rapidly. We seemingly move from house to house and job to job far more frequently than before. Relationships and our roles in our family are so different as we rush through life. Is there nothing stable on which we can build our lives?

The answer is found in the closing verses of Hebrews chapter six. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast and which enters the Presence behind the veil.” God has given us hope and that hope is the anchor of our souls.

Hope is based on His immutable promise. The Bible clearly shows that we are saved by hope (Rom. 8:24) and this hope is the anchor of our souls. The writer of Hebrews ties hope to the promises of God. God’s promises to Abraham enabled the patriarch to see what others could not see. God spoke the promise to Abraham and His word was enough. Yet God wanted Abraham to know how much he could trust Him. So God confirmed this with an oath (Heb. 6:13-16). The writer then says this same hope, our hope, is our anchor.

Hope is based on the promises which are secure. Hebrews say that the hope we have is sure and steadfast (Heb. 6:19). What could be more sure? The omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal and Almighty One have given us His promise and He cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). Life is filled with uncertainty but the hope we have is far beyond all certainty. It is the basis of all of life’s decision. It is truly the anchor of the soul!

Hope is based on the promises which are steadfast. His promise and our hope are both sure and steadfast (Heb. 6:19). There is no variance in the trustworthiness of our anchor. The life’s philosophy of some is forced to change throughout their lives from day to day, but the faith we have is constant and unchanging. As our faith grows stronger, the anchor becomes more secure. It is always there. It is always secure. It is the anchor for our soul.

Hope is based of the life of Jesus and reaches from earth to heaven. Look again at Hebrews six. Jesus our forerunner has carried the anchor and has taken it into the very presence of God. No wonder it is an anchor sure and steadfast. The anchor line extends from our hearts, from our trials, and reaches into heaven. Hold on to that anchor. It will never move for it is anchored in eternity. God, hasten the day when we arrive at the place where we have anchored our lives! God, we thank You for the anchor You have given to us!

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One Lord? One God? One Faith?

One?

one single solitary solo only lone specific precise

One. Single. Solitary. Solo. Only. Lone. Specific. Precise.

Ephesians 4:1-6, written by the divinely-inspired Apostle Paul (Eph. 1:1; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) to the first-century congregation of the church of Christ (Rom. 16:16) that worked and worshipped together in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-38; Eph. 1:1, 3:8-12; Rev. 2:1-7), has been the subject of countless millions, probably even billions I daresay, of sermons, bible studies, gospel meetings, conferences, seminars, articles, and spiritual dissertations of all sorts since it was written in the mid first-century. It is one of the simplest, most beautiful, most unifying, and straightforward texts in the entire, sacred collection, echoing and underscoring our precious Savior’s sentiments on “one-ness” which He poured out in prayer to His heavenly Father (with whom He enjoyed such one-ness), as recorded in John 17. Listen to it again; let it wash over your soul; let it sink deeply into your heart and mind, yet one more time….

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

Let us also try one more time, to not only see and appreciate the simple beauty of this sacred text, but to seek to do so in such a way that our denominational friends and neighbors might be able to better internalize and benefit from its beacon of eternal truth as well. And this we will try to do, by starting with the portions of the text which we all most certainly agree on.

No denominational seeker would disagree with the fact that there is but ONE GOD. But which God? Well, the ONE GOD of the Bible of course! The ONE GOD of the Bible who created the heavens and the earth; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save lost sinners’ souls, just as Scripture says (Gen. 1; Acts 3:13; Jn. 3:16).

Likewise, no denominational seeker would disagree with – but would adamantly defend in fact – the undeniable fact that there is but ONE LORD. But which Lord? Well, the ONE LORD Jesus Christ, and Him alone (Acts 4:12; Col. 1:15-18)! The ONE LORD we also read about in the bible, who became flesh and dwelt among us; who humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross; and who was raised up to the right hand of the Father in heaven to intercede for us just as Scripture says (Jn. 1:14; Phil. 2:5-11; Hebs. 7:25).

And (and here’s where the difficulty seems to be for some of our denominational friends and neighbors to see and accept – but certainly not because it’s not simple enough to understand), in exactly the same way, the same sentence, and the same sentiment, we read that there is also only ONE FAITH and ONE BAPTISM, according to the ONE GOD. And which ONE FAITH and ONE BAPTISM is that exactly? Well, the ONE FAITH and the ONE BAPTISM which we also read about in the sacred Scriptures in exactly the same way – and none other whatsoever!

It is the ONE FAITH which all of God’s children are to have in common, and in which we are to all be unified, undivided, and undenominated (Phil. 1:27-2:3). It is the ONE FAITH which was once for all delivered prior to the end of the first-century (Jude 3) and which we can therefore explore in its entirety within the pages of the New Testament. It is the ONE FAITH to which one must be obedient, in which one must stand by faith, and from which none must deviate (Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5, 16:26; Col. 1:19-2:14; 2 Cor. 13:3; 1 Tim. 1:19, 4:1, 6:10, 20-21) in order to be saved God’s ONE WAY.

And the ONE BAPTISM that is therefore the only one valid before the ONE GOD and ONE LORD is obviously also only the ONE BAPTISM which we read about repeatedly in the New Testament Scripture since the Lord’s church was established in Acts 2. It is the act of faith in the working of God who raised Jesus from the dead, which makes us children of God by our faithful obedience to it (Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:26-27). It is a full, ‘by faith’ burial in water specifically and exclusively FOR the forgiveness of one’s sins, to wash away one’s sins, and the exact point in time at which a lost soul is saved and added by God to His Son’s blood-bought church of Christ (Ro. 6:3-4; Acts 2:37-47, 22:16; 1 Ptr. 3:21).

And just as Ephesians 4:4-6 tells us about the ONE and only Holy SPIRIT (Matt. 28:18-20), and our ONE HOPE (Rom. 5:1-5), it also tells of the ONE BODY of Christ… The same ONE BODY which the apostle Paul earlier, in that same epistle to the Ephesian Christians, also called the “church” (Eph. 1:22-23; see also Col. 1:18, 24). If the “church” and the “body” are ONE and the same institution – as God’s word says they absolutely are – and if there is only ONE BODY as Eph. 4:4-6 clearly says, then there is only ONE – and there is no way there can be more than ONE – church (which is His body – Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18, 24; etc)! Again, the terms “church” and “body” are used synonymously in Ephesians and elsewhere in the sacred, New Testament Scriptures, to refer to the ONE saved, undivided, undenominated group of people purchased, pardoned, and belonging to Christ.

Now, here’s the bottom line. What does “ONE” actually mean? Because whatever it means when it says “ONE LORD,” “ONE GOD,” and “ONE SPIRIT,” it means exactly the same thing when it says “ONE HOPE,” “ONE FAITH,” “ONE BAPTISM,” and “ONE BODY” (church). People who believe that there are multiple different churches that God finds acceptable, and that God is okay with people attending any “church of their choice” never found in Scripture, then they must also believe that God is okay with people believing in many different “gods,” or worshipping “the god of their choice” not found in Scripture either.

Conversely, if there is only ONE GOD and ONE LORD, and a religious person truly believes and accepts that there is only the ONE GOD and ONE LORD which we find in the bible, then they must also understand that there is only the ONE FAITH, ONE CHURCH, and ONE BAPTISM we read about therein as well! We can’t have it both ways! There can’t be many different faiths, baptisms, and churches found outside of Scripture that God is still okay with our being a part of, while at the same time holding us to the standard that there is only the ONE GOD and ONE LORD found in Scripture!

So what exactly does ONE mean to you? Because whatever it means in any ONE of those phrases, it means in every single ONE of them: ONE BODY (CHURCH); ONE SPIRIT; ONE HOPE; ONE LORD; ONE FAITH; ONE BAPTISM; and ONE GOD. Does it mean “ONE?” Or, does it mean many? Does it mean instead of “ONE” that there are therefore:

  • Many different religious bodies/churches, never found in Scripture, but for which Christ died and of which God still approves?
  • Many different Holy Spirits, never found in Scripture, but for whom Christ died to send and of whom God approves?
  • Many different hopes of destinations other than heaven which are never found in Scripture, but which Christ died to secure for us and of which God approves?
  • Many different Lords other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who are never found in Scripture, but of which Christ and God both approve of us worshipping and following?
  • Many different faiths (denominations, divisions, and departures from the original such as the Catholic Faith; Baptist Faith; Lutheran Faith; Methodist Faith; and etc, which are never seen named in Scripture because they came along hundreds of years after the New Testament was written which contains the ONE FAITH delivered for all the saints: Jude 3), but of which Christ and God still approve of us practicing and following?
  • Many different baptisms (such as sprinkling or pouring instead of being “buried,” and for multiple and various reasons such as to show that one has been previously saved by saying the so-called “sinner’s prayer;” as an “outward sign of an inward grace;” or to cleanse from so-called “original sin”) which are never found in Scripture, but of which Christ and God both approve of us practicing despite the ONE BAPTISM they commanded for salvation in the New Testament?
  • Many different gods, who are never found in Scripture, but which Christ and God approve of us worshipping anyway? (By the way, please check out Deut. 5:6-10, 10:12-13; Matt. 22:35-38; and Hebs 12:22-29 if you think “ONE” means “any one of many” in this case!)

So; does ONE mean ONE… or many? Faithful to the New Testament, “old paths” (Jer. 6:16) congregations of the Lord’s ONE New Testament church (or world-wide blood bought body of saved people – Acts 20:28; Ro. 16:16) simply, in humble, obedient, submissive and trusting faith in almighty God and His divinely-inspired word, understand and accept that when their ONE God said “ONE,” He meant… “ONE.” What do YOU believe?

 

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