False Teachers

Waves and False Teachers

My idea of the perfect place to live is the mountains with the ocean at their feet. This is a blessing I was fortunate enough to visit frequently when I lived in Oregon. Mountains, hills, and canyons can be found relatively quickly in the United States. However, to reach the ocean, say from Ohio, is a bit of a trip. When my wife and I first married, I said I was willing to travel and live in a great number of places. However, the one caveat that I presented was I wanted to live near the ocean for at least one year.

False Teachers

False Teachers are Sneaky Waves.

The ocean is a bastion of pleasure. Man can build sand castles on its shores or swim in waters. He can explore its tidal pools or fish its depths. The waves can be calm and soothing or a raging force that can weaken the bravest of knees. The tides can pull so far back that you can hardly see the ocean or they can come in and leave no beach whatsoever. The ocean tides leave treasures of rocks, shells, wood, and more along the shore each day. The shores provide not only a continual treasure hunting ground, but a vast area for walks, picnics, and all sorts of recreation.

One of the most popular games children play at the ocean is running from the waves. Back and forth, back and forth, they challenge the ocean. How close can they get without getting wet? The problem with the game is sometimes, when the children lose, they also get into quite a bit of physical trouble. For instance, when I was a boy, I was knocked down by the waves. As I tried to stand, another wave came and hit me. This process repeated itself as I began to get weaker. My father eventually ran over and picked me up from the waves. Had he not done so, it is quite likely the ocean would have eventually dragged me off into deeper water at which point, I would have been no more. The ocean does not forgive the carelessness of youth, so vigilant eyes must be aware.

Even though I have been around the ocean frequently in my life, I do not approach it with recklessness. I have a great respect for its dangers. People on the shore and in boats get into trouble fast. We have all probably seen or heard of these dangers on television or on the news. My mother-in-law actually experienced the tragedy of losing two friends right in front of her eyes at the ocean. A sneaker wave came up and onto a rock and then they were no more. Ocean waves claim not only the young and weak, but the mature and strong.

The realization of the power of the sea was not lost on the seamen recorded in the Bible passage Jonah 1:4-5:

But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them.

Nor was it lost on the disciples of Jesus in Mark 4:37-38:

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

These men who were afraid included seasoned fishermen. They were not boys or infants. They knew how to handle a ship. Yet, they had fear. It was a healthy fear. No man can control the sea, it is the domain of God alone. Of course, this is exactly what God did for the men in Jonah 1:4-5 and Jesus did for the disciples in Mark 4:37-38.

Psalms 107:29 – He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

Four points stand out in examining the ocean: It draws people to itself, it is a quick danger to the weak, the wise have a healthy fear of it, and God has ultimate control of it.

With this knowledge, consider the ocean and man from a Biblical standpoint. It is true that God created the seas (Genesis 1:9-10). He also created man (Genesis 1:26-27). Both were created good, man in the image of God. Men do many things which draw others to them. Some are gifted athletically, some have amazing genius, some have wonderfully warm kindness, and still others may have voices talented in song which draw people. There are numerous wholesome aspects demonstrated by man which are appealing. However, there are also seedy, evil components which man has himself devised that attract as well. Men often do not at first run to the evil, but they are deceived and enticed to partake of it.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

God through the inspired writer Jude penned the following words to describe false teachers who were drawing others to them and imparting false words and beliefs:

Jude 1:13 – Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

False teachers are a danger to everyone, however, they are a quick danger to the weak. The truth that youths love to play with ocean waves has been mentioned. However, man also loves to play amongst the raging waves of the sea of false teachers. A false teacher typically does not waltz in announcing he is a false teacher. Rather, he portrays himself as a strong, knowledgeable follower of Christ. He attracts the immature Christians more quickly because they lack the strength to protect themselves alone and they do not proceed with wisdom as the Bereans (Acts 17:11). The false teacher encourages man to rely upon his own emotions rather than rest upon Biblical authority which they know to be true. Thus, these “Raging waves of the sea” draw soul after soul.

The wise have a healthy fear of false teachers. They remain cautious about their own actions and pay attention to the waves. When the waves are seen as raging waves, they rise to higher ground, warning others all the while of the danger that exists. Unfortunately, the immature and deceived often dally among the waves, not believing them to be as dangerous as the wise say. The false teacher takes the opportunity to knock one sound belief after another down as the deceived Christian gets weaker and weaker, farther from Biblical authority and the safety of their brothers and sisters. The stronger, mature Christian tries to send them spiritual lifesavers from the Bible, but are ignored as the raging waves call the deceived to rely on his own emotions and is drawn away to his spiritual death.

While many good people have been attracted to the false teacher, deceived by immaturity and foolishness, one must remember that God will calm the raging waves. He will put an end to the falseness. Consider these two passages from 2 Peter written by the apostle Peter in regard to false teachers:

2 Peter 2:1 – But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 Peter 2:12-13 – But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness,

God has control over the raging waves. They cannot pull him under, nor can they even tempt him. God has equipped man to prevail over the raging waves as well. He has given him the life preserver of His Word. He has given them wise, mature members of the Church to pull them from the waves and warn them not to play with the waves. The raging waves may attract, but they can only harm if the individual chooses to allow his emotions to reign over what he hears from the truth of the Word of God.

Psalms 93:4 – The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

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Pagan Children

Pagan Children in a Christian Home?

Every imperfect and normal family wants their children to turn out right. So, we establish goals for character development and try to create an environment where our children can mature. Church, school, sports teams, family relationships … each of these provides a context where our children can learn to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Unfortunately, our “good” objectives might have absolutely nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we inadvertently end up raising pagans instead of Christians.

children

What is Your Goal in Raising Your Children?

Too many times, (Christian) parents have it as their goal to make their children good and moral. It is as if the entire purpose of their family’s spiritual life is to shape their children into law-abiding citizens who stay out of trouble. The only problem with this goal is that it runs in stark contrast to what the Bible teaches. The gospel is not about making bad people moral, but about making dead people alive. And so, if we teach morality without teaching about the transforming power of the Gospel and the necessity of a life fully surrendered to God’s will, then we are raising moral pagans. And sadly, we end up teaching the wrong thing because we have the wrong objectives.

Consider for a moment, Veggie Tales. This is a wonderful cartoon. But, Veggie Tales creator, Phil Visher, in an interview stated that he had, “spent 10 years trying to convince kids to behave Christianly without actually teaching them Christianity.” He admitted that he was not teaching Christianity, but morality. And, what I learned is that the “American Christian” is a combination of Protestant work ethic, the American dream and the Gospel. And, we have intertwined them so completely that most cannot tell them apart anymore. And so, the Gospel has become a gospel of following your dreams and being good so God will make all your dreams come true. Is this true? Is this how we really feel? Most do.

4So, What is your objective? Do you teach your children/grandchildren to be good because the Bible tells you to or do you teach them that we will never be good enough without Christ and the sacrifice he gave? Do you see the huge difference here? You see, one leads to moralism and self-righteousness, while the other leads to brokenness and how Christ is everything we need. Far too often, parents are encouraging moral behavior in their children so God will bless their pursuits. But, consider as parents and as grandparents, what is the key objective for your children and/or grandchildren? Is it their happiness and their accomplishments? Or, is it for your children and grandchildren to intimately know a God who has everything they need?

Well, if I have your curiosity started, let me suggest some things that we can do as parents and as grandparents to create an environment where God can get to work in our homes and it starts by asking yourself this question: “Do you want to raise good kids or fully devoted followers of Jesus?” Now, if you want your children to be happy and fit into society, there is nothing wrong with that. But, keep in mind that pursuing personal happiness and building up the kingdom of God is at complete opposites and no one can successfully follow both. We should realize that raising children should be done so that they find their part in God’s agenda. If we don’t, then we are raising children like the rest of the world with a little Christianity sprinkled in for good measure. So, set some parenting goals.

Second, remember that Christ did not come to make bad people good but to enable dead people to come to life. Allow them to seek Christ. Most people of the world who claim to be Christians are practicing a form of self-righteousness. So, be sure that your children are seeking to be Christ-like and to produce the fruit of the faith. Give them all the opportunities to become alive through the transforming that Paul speaks of in Romans 12.

You see, number three you must help your children and grandchildren to fall in love with Jesus. I don’t mean, that you regularly bring them to church or how they were involved when they were growing up. Here’s the problem: Too many of our children fall in love with the church (and all its activity) instead of falling in love with Jesus. They like the trips, the events and the group and the experiences they have. But they don’t personally get to know Christ. We must teach our children to walk in a relationship with Him, where they listen to His voice and where they find Him leading their lives. This all happens because of love, not because of religion. And, the best way for your children and grandchildren to learn this is by watching you. And, they will learn what Christianity looks like by seeing your Christian life in action. And, if your life does not regularly reflect joy in your relationship with God, your children and grandchildren will have a hard time embracing God themselves.

Fourth in our consideration, is to make sure that everyone has an accurate view of the Gospel. Oftentimes, the youth are told stories until they become adults instead of seeing the Gospel for what it really is. So many parents look at the Gospel and just push baptism and as long as they are baptized and have good morals, that is enough. This is a very incomplete view of the Gospel and when we treat the Gospel like this, as a check box to be marked off, blunt as this sounds, it produces many church-goers but not Jesus followers.

Fifth, by all means, teach your children and grandchildren to DAILY submit themselves to God. This is the ONE thing that is missing in most Christian homes. We miss the fundamental realization that our lives are no longer our own. We have been bought with a price. He died for me and so I will live for Him. Well, this may mean that parents help their children to lay down their wants in order to serve and bless the people they are around. It means we teach our children to ask, “How does God want to use your life for his purposes?” instead of asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Do you see the huge significance?

We need to remember, as Christians, that it is not about them. It is about Jesus and making His name great! And so, our homes must be an environment that personifies the love and compassion of Jesus. And, this is not easy. Your children and grandchildren will get it wrong. And, you as a parent or grandparent will also get it wrong. But, all our actions should be a reflection of God’s love for us so that our children will have a lasting faith.

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Storms and Faith

Lord Save Me

Matthew 14:25-32 records the miraculous event of Jesus walking on water.  When His disciples saw Him walking on the sea they were troubled; but He said to them, “Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So Jesus said, “Come.”  Miraculously, Peter also walked on the water, and he walked toward Jesus; yet something went very wrong.  When Peter “saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’” Immediately Jesus caught him and said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Faith

Will Your Faith Survive the Storms of Life?

 

Peter’s experience is a great lesson for us.  Oh, it is certain that we will never walk on water, but we too can be guilty of having “little faith.”  When life is going well, fine.  But all too often when the winds and the waves of life become boisterous, we take our eyes off of the Lord and sink in our despair.  Friends, the key is: never take your eyes off of the Lord. When the storms of life hit, be even more diligent to stay focused on Him – “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…for consider Him…lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12:2-3).

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Luke 16 a Parable?

The Rich Man and Lazarus—A Parable???

The story of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16 has fascinated Bible students for years. While they lived on this earth, the wealth of one and the poverty of the other was obvious to all. When they both died, their roles were reversed. The beggar was blessed, but he who lived in luxury was tormented in the flames of Hades. Some have asked if they actually lived or if this is a parable of Jesus.

Parable

The Rich Man and Lazarus a Parable?

Before dealing with this question we need to define a parable. To do this we must first consider the definition of two words: fables and parables. Both are stories with moral teachings, but what is the distinction between them?

The fables of Aesop are known by many. He lived at least 600 years before the Lord and wrote many stories containing moral truths. Many of them concerned animals. He wrote of wolves, wasps, snakes, dogs, fleas, oxen, flies, dolphins, donkeys, cats, horses, goats, camels, mice, weasels, lions, ants, frogs, bees, sheep, deer, mules, elephants, bears, locusts, chickens, gnats, rabbits, swans, crabs, and geese. In these fables, the animals talked and interacted in conversation with each other and with people they met. The truth is that these stories never happened, nor could they happen. They all contain moral truths, but no one, other than small children, would ever think they are factual accounts.  Fables are so much like fairy tales.

On the other hand, there are the parables of Jesus. By definition they are “earthly stories with a heavenly meaning.” They concern men building houses, farmers sowing their fields, merchants, fishermen, families and their interactions, and a host of other earthly stories. Each of these could have happened! They are vastly different from fairy tales or fables.

So whether the rich man and Lazarus ever lived makes no difference in the truths surrounding them. There are angels who carry the righteous to a place of bliss, and there are either comforts or torments on the other side. There is Hades with its flames and the thirsting for water for those who are there. Some who want to advance the doctrine about the soul sleeping until the resurrection want this story to be a fable, but it is not a fable.  But, is it a parable?

Parables often begin with works like, “The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” but Jesus actually said, “There was a beggar named Lazarus.” Jesus said this specific man was at the gates of a rich man. This is far different from fables which could never happen. It has none of the characteristics of fables. Parables could have happened; fables could not. However, it is hard to ignore that Jesus said the beggar Lazarus lived and died. We need to believe what the Lord said about him.

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The Eternal Psalm

Psalm 23 – The Eternal Psalm

The 23rd Psalm, a Psalm of David, is perhaps the most beloved of all the Psalms.  The beauty that is contained within its lines testifies to its canonization among the greatest works of poetic literature.  Simply from an academic and secular perspective, this Psalm merits the highest accolades.  When we consider the great spiritual truths that it contains, we cannot but be affected by its words of guidance and wisdom.

psalm

Psalm 23… The Lord is my Shepherd…

Many have turned to this psalm for comfort in time of bereavement and rightly so.  This psalm has provided guidance to the poorest serf and to the highest noble.  It transcends all societal boundaries in its scope and application because it speaks to the core of the human condition.  We humans are folks who need both comfort and guidance because we toil in ignorance and suffer from our mortality.

This condition compels us to seek a higher, better, and greater explanation; such we find in God.  Paradoxically, then, this Psalm couches God’s reply to our query in human, humble, yet hopeful terms.  This psalm promises that despite our failings, shortcomings, ignorance, worry, anxiety, and fear, that for those who humbly trust in the guiding staff of the saving Shepherd, all will be well both in this life and in the life to come.

Consider Isaiah 57:15 in relationship to this Psalm: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Our attitude of humility before The Great I Am engenders a favorable response.  Yet God’s response comes in an equally humble way.

Being a shepherd in the ancient world wasn’t all that dignified an occupation.  Both David’s father and his brothers were content to permit him, the youngest, to tend the sheep.  It was lowly work.  How fitting, then, that God, the infinitely humble One, be described as being involved in such work.  How God stoops low to serve His people!  The metaphor typifies God’s patience, longsuffering, providence, love, mercy, grace, and comfort in relationship to His creation.  Oh that the world could know these great attributes of God!

The metaphor rightly forecasts the eventual role of the God-Man, Jesus.  His humility and hardship reflect the Shepherd’s work – toiling, suffering, and dying for the sake of the flock.  He is the Shepherd who seeks the sheep who have gone astray (Luke 15:4).  He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).  He is the great Shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews 13:20).  He is the chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).

Properly appointed pastors would do well to know this Psalm and to imitate the characteristics of God in their shepherding of the local flocks.  Grief counselors would do well to have this psalm framed and appropriately displayed so as to bring to their mind the human condition it conveys.  Husbands and wives would do well to consider this psalm as a model portrait of a loving and tender relationship that fosters and encourages personal support and development.  Parents would do well to apply this psalm as they seek to lead and guide their children in the home.  Preachers and teachers of God’s word would do well to both know and regularly teach this psalm to their hearers.

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