Disqualified

Disqualified

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

When a person is disqualified, he has not met the minimum requirements to participate in something. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul is talking about how being a Christian is like participating in sporting activities like running and boxing. If one has not sufficiently trained himself, he will not be able to compete and earn the crown of victory. He concludes that he must bring his body into subjection so that he will not be disqualified himself. How could the apostle Paul have been disqualified?

He could have been disqualified by not exercising his faith. In the very next chapter,he discusses how the children of Israel failed to exercise their faith and consequently fell in the wilderness. He concludes, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). He knew that he was subject to that warning also. That was why he practiced self-discipline.

He could have been disqualified by not exercising self-control. Paul made it clear that sin was not to reign in our bodies. In Romans 6:12, he wrote, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” One must practice self-control, one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). Lack of self-control leads to fulfilling the works of the flesh, and those who practice such will not inherit the kingdom of God. They will be disqualified.

Not everyone will be qualified to enter heaven. Jesus said that only a few would (Matthew 7:14) and that the lawless would not (Matthew 7:23). We must be faithful if we expect to receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

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For Thine is the Kingdom… Really?

For Thine is the Kingdom… Really?

So many individuals know the words of the prayer Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. It begins by addressing God with the words, “Our Father which art in heaven. . .” and ends with “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (KJV—Matt. 6:9-13). What can be so easily overlooked is the prayer of David as he discussed the building of the temple by his son, Solomon. He said, “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power and the glory, and . . . the kingdom” (1 Chon. 29:11).

What does the expression “Thine is the kingdom” really mean? Look at the NKJV rendering of the words of David, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory. . .Yours is the kingdom, O Lord.” The kingdom is God’s. Thine (Yours) is the kingdom!

Now when we understand that John the Baptist, Jesus, the twelve and the seventy proclaimed that the kingdom of God was at hand, about to come in the first century (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Luke 10:9), should we be surprised that Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come”? Jesus said that the kingdom would come with power in the lives of those who heard His words (Mark 9:1). We know what that kingdom is. Those in the early church had been translated into the kingdom (Col. 1:13). Jesus said the kingdom would come in the first century. What came? That which came was the church.

Now note how the prayer the Lord gave said that the kingdom belongs to God! He said that kingdom is Yours (Thine). He planned it and the blood of Emmanuel bought the church (Acts 20:28). It is His and His alone! He is the King over the kingdom. He is the head over the church (Eph. 1:22-23). Look again at the prayer. The kingdom belongs to Him forever.

O the folly of any mortal, whose very life is dependent on the breath God gives him, to usurp the right of the King to govern His kingdom, to rule His church. But isn’t that what has been done in Christendom?

The whole basis of denominational division is that God has abdicated His throne and given the kingdom to mortals and the right to change anything in the church any man desires. God did not give men the right to change His rules for His kingdom about worship, the Lord’s Supper, congregational singing, church organization, baptism, and a host of other matters. Where is the authority for all these changes? Does it come from a church synod, the reverend pastor, the church board, etc.?

Read the Bible. Let God be King over your life. Let’s return to the way He designed His kingdom, the church. Let’s not just say the words, “Thine is the kingdom.” Let’s give the kingdom back to Him.

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What You Said

What You Said

“That is not what you said!” argued the woman.  “Yes, it is exactly what I said!” responded the man.  Have you heard or been in an arguement like this before?  What a person often hears is not what was said.  Their bias, mental condition, emotion, the topic at hand, or a plethora of othe factors regarding an issue blinds them to hearing anything except what they are sensitive to and offended by.what you said

The sermon on the mount demonstrates how this occurs.  In Matthew 5, the terms “You have heard” or “It has been said” are frequently stated by Jesus as to what the Jews thought they knew.  He then provides truth statements starting with the words “I say unto you”.  He does this because what they said or believed they heard, was not the full context of the instruction or command they had recieved under the old law.  Consequently, whether by accident or intent they had twisted scripture away from its intended meaning and purpose.

Consider specifically Matthew 5:31-32:

Mat 5:31-32: “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality [fornication], makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Now Examine Deteronomy 24:1:

“When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.”

Before commenting on what was said and what wasn’t said consider this about the word “uncleanness”.  In ancient Hebrew, the base of this word is to “see a man” and “nakedness” or using another common old testament phrase:  “to uncover a man’s nakedness”.  In fact, the word specifically is used as “nakedness” in Leviticus 32 times.  The most of any Old Testament book.  What did it mean to see/find/uncover a man’s nakedness?

Leviticus 20:11 – “And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

Leviticus 18 covers a plethora of examples of what this means. It means, having sex with someone with whom you aren’t aren’t authorized to have sex.

So back to our main thought.  The Jews claimed Moses stated if you divorce give a certificate.  That was not the whole story.  The whole story which Jesus correctly states was that if the wife was guilty of having sex with someone other than her husband she could be given a certificate of divorce.  Big difference from the idea of divorce for any reason at all.

Jesus knows every word we think or say.  We on the other hand tend to remember only what we want to hear.  If you are going to quote someone be sure to know exactly what they said.  If it isn’t in writing, video, or recorded in some manner then don’t declare with certainty what you think they said.  Even more importantly, if someone who knows for a fact you are wrong in your quote, say Jesus… or the person who stated the words in the first place, tells you that you aren’t correct.  Accept it.  Repent from your false statement.  Make things right if possible.  Move on, being far more careful with what comes out of your lips in the future.

Mat 12:34  “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

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Boring

Boring!

A teacher wrote, “Why do you like/don’t like math?” and “why?” The student circled “Don’t like” and then wrote, “takes too long,” and “boring!” Why did the student so respond? Is the problem math? Nope. Math helps us keep track of things like money, time, weather, property, and people. Life is a lot easier when we know basic math. It’s practical! This is why we teach children to learn it. The problem is not math, but the attitude toward it.

“Why do you/don’t you like going to church?” Many would respond in the same way. “It takes too long!” “It’s boring!” Many, however, have avoided prison because they remembered, “Thou shalt not murder.” Many have avoided great family strife because they remembered, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Like math, “Going to church” has practical value that will help us avoid tremendous problems if we will listen and obey the teaching. The problem is not “going to church,” but our attitude toward it.

That something is “practical,” however, is still an immature attitude to take toward things of great importance because one is still focusing on the benefit to ME! What can math do for ME? What can “going to church” do for ME? With this attitude, one has not advanced very far from declaring boredom. Boredom is a state of being where we run out of things to entertain the self. It is narcissistic to be bored because the sole focus is ME. Is there a better way? Yes.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). Focusing on others helps us to learn math and “go to church.”

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Save and Teach the Lost?

Save and Teach the Lost?

As a younger preacher, I overstated truth in an attempt to get the church to be more involved in saving the lost. I would say things like, “You cannot go to heaven alone, so go teach the lost.” I am sure that I wanted Christians to evangelize the world and chose words I would not use today.

Is it true that you cannot go to heaven alone? Think about what that would say about the preaching of Noah. I realize he saved his family, but his preaching never changed anyone except his family. What about the proclamation of truth by Ezekiel? When God called him, He said, “I am sending you to a…rebellious nation…for they are impudent and stubborn children…they are a rebellious house…they are a rebellious house…for they are rebellious” (Ezek. 2:3-7). This prophet is simply one of many of God’s messengers who may enter into heaven alone.

Is it true that every Christian has the ability to teach another? As a younger preacher, I probably overstated this. Read the closing verses in First Corinthians 12. Paul lists many leaders in the church and asks a series of questions about them. “God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers…Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all works of miracles…Earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:28-31). Obviously, the apostle is talking about spiritual gifts, but when God gave those gifts, He did not give the gift of teaching to every Christian.

Do not overlook this truth. While not every Christian has the ability to teach another, every Christian does have the ability to lead others to Jesus. As I have matured as a Christian, I understand with greater appreciation the Bible words, “Come and see.” It is found several times in the New Testament, and these words were used to bring others to the Teacher. These same words can be used by any Christian to bring others to those Christians who do have the ability to teach the lost. Not every person has the ability to teach, but every Christian has the words to invite!

What about the Great Commission given to every Christian in regard to every lost soul? Read it carefully. It does not say we are to baptize every person, but to teach them to do what Jesus said. Our work is to sow seed (even on the “wayside” soil), to water that seed and then let God give the increase. All are not teachers, but all of us have the ability to lead others to our Lord, simply by saying, “Come and see.”

The words of an old song perhaps say it best. “Are you sowing the seed of the kingdom, brother, all along life’s fertile way? You must reap at the last great day.”  “Come and See!”

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