Not Ashamed

In Romans 1:16, Paul stated, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. The word ashamed is full of meaning. Paul is saying that he was not “to be ashamed.” In the past, we have done things of which we are now ashamed. For as Paul wrote, “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.” (Rom. 6:21). Therefore, we live now so as to not be ashamed when we face God. As John said, “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (1 Jn. 2:28). Thus, the person who is ashamed of Jesus and of His word will find that Christ is ashamed of him on the Day of Judgment. For, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mk. 8:38). So, Paul was not ashamed of the good news of Christ. He told it openly!

Another meaning of this word is ashamed is “embarrassed.” Paul was not embarrassed to suffer for Christ. “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12). Paul was not embarrassed and neither was the good man Onesiphorus who went to visit Paul in the Roman prison. “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he o[ refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:” (2 Tim. 1:16). Likewise, Timothy was also instructed not to be embarrassed when he preached about a man dying on a cross. For, “The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.” (2 Tim. 1:18). Therefore, no Christian is to be embarrassed when he suffers for Christ’s sake. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” (1 Pet. 4:16). Paul was not embarrassed by the gospel of Christ. He repeated it proudly and so should we!

This word ashamed also contains the idea of “disappointment.” Paul seems to use it this way when he says that his hope is based on Christ and because of that, he will not be ashamed. He said, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” (Phil. 1:20). Peter describes Christ as a cornerstone, tested and tried. He promises that the one who puts his trust in Him will not be disappointed. “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1 Pet. 2:6‐8). Paul was not disappointed in the good news about Jesus. He affirmed it confidently!

So, are you ashamed of the story of Jesus? Do you ever tell it to your friends? And, will Christ be ashamed when you face Him in judgment and say you are His?

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Living Like Your Dying

Living Like Your Dying?

In 2004 country music star Tim McGraw released the single “Live Like You Were Dying.” The song was written by Craig Wiseman and Tim Nichols and details a discussion between two men after the one had found out that he had a terminal illness. The question was, “How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news? Man whatcha do?” The answer amongst all the details was, “Some day, I hope you get the chance, to live like you were dyin’.”

This past week I was asked, “What would you do if you knew that you had only one day left to live?” Discussing that question with two other Christians we decided that we wouldn’t really do anything any different than what we do already. There wouldn’t be enough time to go skydiving, Rocky Mountain climbing, or to ride a bull. But as Christians we would just keep doing what we were doing. But the more I thought about that the more I thought it wasn’t really accurate.

What I would do would be to do MORE of what I already do and do it more fervently, passionately, and with more urgency.

I would…

  • Tell Those In My Life What They Mean To Me.
  • Tell Everyone I Came Into Contact With About Christ.
  • Tell The Church And My Family To Be Obedient And Faithful.
  • Tell God I Was Sorry For My Sins.
  • Thank God For The Blessings Of This Life
  • Thank God For His Son.

Unfortunately most people, including Christians, live as though they will never die. Yet, Psalm 89:48 says, “What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?” We are all going to die and then we will face God in Judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

Most folks don’t know the moment of their death. We far to often, as mere mortal creatures, step into eternity without preparation. But we do not have to! What we need to realize is this…

These realizations will change our lives and alter our eternal destiny. So live each day like you were dying. You may only have one left!

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Tolerance

The Heart of the Matter: Tolerance

Having looked into the tearful eyes of parents whose children have abandoned the Faith, I have learned that 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 hope to share with you what I hope to instill in the hearts of my own children and those whom I love.

At a recent seminar, a gentleman asked me what was so wrong with my children being educated in the public school system about the Muslim religion. His question mirrored the sentiments of many living today. Simply put, many people want us to be tolerant of everything. In fact, our children are being indoctrinated with the notion that the only real “sin” is the sin of intolerance. The mainstream media has done a phenomenal job of convincing our culture that we should accept all beliefs and all lifestyles, and to do otherwise is shameful. Anyone who dares not be totally accepting is considered narrow-minded or judgmental. Today, many people have embraced the notion that one belief system is as good as another and that one religion is as good as another. You have your God and I have mine. This idea of “total acceptance” and compromise has led many New Testament Christians to wonder if there really is one way, or will all “good people” go to Heaven?

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

I pray that you grow up with a healthy dose of intolerance in your heart. Intolerance is not a sin. Consider that the very first commandment of the Ten Commandments was “Thou shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Our God is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24), and He will not tolerate you accepting or embracing other gods. As we look through the Bible, we see multiple examples of individuals who were intolerant of unrighteousness. We know Elijah was intolerant of Jezebel (1 Kings 19). Paul was intolerant of witchcraft books (Acts 19:11-19). Peter was intolerant of the unrepentant Jews (Acts 2:37-39). Jesus, the Son of God, was intolerant of moneychangers making the temple into a den of thieves (Mark 11:15-18). Jehovah God was intolerant of the vile homosexual behavior in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19—Don’t forget, He even overthrew the inhabitants of the all the Cities of the Plain: Zoar [Bela], Admah and Zeboim v. 22).

Many of the same people who are crying for mankind to tolerate everything have overlooked many examples of intolerance that have utterly reshaped the country in which we live. For instance, what would this country be like if George Washington had tolerated British troops? Where would we be today if Thomas Jefferson had tolerated King George III? What if Fredrick Douglas had tolerated slavery, or Martin Luther King Jr. had tolerated segregation? What would America be like if Winston Churchill had tolerated Adolf Hitler or if Susan B. Anthony tolerated only men voting? Part of what made these individuals great was that they were strong enough to stand up for their convictions. They recognized something as “wrong,” and they didn’t tolerate it.

This doesn’t mean we are to be unkind or harsh—as there may be some occasions in which you find yourself having to tolerate a particular situation (e.g., drunk people downing more alcohol at a ballgame who paid money for a seat just like you.) We are always to live our lives as Christians, but we can still recognize things that are good and right versus those that are not. Tolerance of all beliefs means you don’t perceive anything as a standard for “right” or “wrong.” This embracing of everything ultimately means we are giving our approval to whatever behavior, belief, or lifestyle people choose.

 

 

Never forget, Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). That’s not a question of tolerance…it’s a statement of Truth! Those who profess a belief in God or Christianity need to grasp inflexibility of that statement. There is only one Way—period! You will meet many “good people” in your lifetime who may earnestly desire to go to Heaven instead of Hell, but unless they “tolerate” the words of the Son of God and obey Him, they will be lost. For those who believe this is judgmental, we should ask them why they question the Creator’s plan—are they intolerant to Him and His scheme of redemption for eternal salvation?

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Preacher, Reverend, Pastor, or ?

Question: Why do churches of Christ not call their preachers Reverends or Pastors like most of the denominations do?

Answer: Because both would be unbiblical at the very least, and perhaps blasphemous at the very worst, at least in one case. Consider; the title “Father,” when applied to religious leaders is strictly condemned by Christ Himself, “for you have one Father, who is in Heaven” (See Matthew 23:1-12 for comment and context).

Likewise, the term “reverend” is found only once in the Scriptures and that is in the great Psalm 111, verse 9 (KJV) where it says, speaking specifically of God alone, “Holy and reverend is His Name” (Emphasis mine – DED). Only Jesus is equal with God; certainly no mere mortal ever was, is, or ever shall be. Not even the miracle-working apostles ever dared lay claim to equality with God. And yet, unlike the Catholic religious leaders who, despite Jesus’ outright condemnation of such, continue to insist upon being called by the name reserved for God in Heaven alone and thereby presumptuously put themselves on His level, we believe that the term “Reverend,” which no human being in the Bible was ever referred to by, and a term which was Biblically said to be exclusively His Name, should certainly never be used to address or title any human being, as that would also presumptuously put them on His level as well, wouldn’t it? It would be like calling some mere mortal sinner “the Savior (of mankind),” “the Alpha and the Omega,” or, “the Head of the church;” descriptive terms respectfully and Biblically given only and exclusively to Christ Himself (1 John 4:4; Jude 25; Revelation 22:13; and Ephesians 1:15-23). Actually, I suppose that the  Protestant Denominations commit a similar atrocity when they remove the name that is above all names from their church and refer to themselves by Luther’s, the Baptist’s, or some other man-honoring name in which there is no salvation, instead of the name of Christ (Acts 4:12).

Speaking of Protestant Denominations and some of their man-made teachings, perhaps no other term of description for specific servants and their service in the church is as misused in the denominational world around us today as is the word “pastor.”

“ Pastor ” is from the Greek word “poimen,” which means “shepherd.” This is apparent from several passages in which Jesus Himself used the term to refer to Himself as “the good shepherd” in John, chapter 10 (verses 2, 11, 12, 14, and 16). In fact, in the 18 occurrences of this word “poimen” in the entire Greek N. T. text (Matthew 9:36, 25:32, 26:31; Mark 6:34, 14:27; Luke 2:8, 15, 18, 20; John  10:2, 11, 12, 14, 16; Ephesians 4:11; Hebrews 13:20; and I Peter 2:25) it is always translated as “shepherd” – except for the one verse in Ephesians 4:11 where it is translated “pastor.”

“ Pastor ” actually denotes one who is a shepherd of God’s flock. In the Bible, these very same shepherds are also known as: “elders,” and “overseers” or “bishops.” All four of these terms in Scripture are describing the same exact individual (Compare different translations on the following passages: Acts 20:17-30; Philippians 1:1; I Peter 2:25 and 5:1-4). But the Bible is crystal clear that these “poimen”/pastors, elders, overseers, bishops MUST possess certain qualities  without compromise; and these are the God-given “musts” of I Timothy 3:1-7, and Titus 1:5-9 (i.e., must be male, the husband of one wife, having believing children, etc). If one does not possess each and every one of these God-required qualities and qualifications, he simply is not a pastor/elder/overseer/shepherd according to God’s eternal standard. (Note: a very concise and in-depth study of this very topic can be found and downloaded completely free of charge from http://www.clevelandcoc.com/?page_id=148.)

So, how do we refer to our religious leaders in congregations of the churches of Christ? Well, biblically of course! (Whatever was good enough for God’s first-century church is good enough for God’s 21st or any other century church.) They are biblically, correctly, and therefore congregationally referred to as an “evangelist” (See Acts 21:8; Ephesians 4:11; II Timothy 4:5), a “minister” (See Luke 1:2; I Corinthians 3:5; II Corinthians 3:6, 6:4), and/or a “preacher” (See Romans 10:14; I Timothy 2:7; II Timothy 1:111; and II Peter 2:5).

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Adversity

Attitude Toward Adversity

When I think about all that Paul endured as a Christian, I am so amazed at the price he paid just to be a follower of Jesus.  False teachers in Corinth tried to parade all they had done for the Lord as evidence of the fact they preached the truth. This forced Paul to give an abbreviated summary of how much he had suffered. “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:24-28). Has anyone ever suffered more?

It is even more amazing to see how Paul describes such adversity. He calls it light affliction which is just for a moment, and says it is not worthy to be compared to what awaits us (2 Cor. 4:17; Rom. 8:18). Light afflictions? Wonder how he might look at what we are suffering.

Yet we get depressed when anyone says even one word about the religious convictions we have. We sometimes cower in fear and remain silent when others are advocating and defending sin. When we occasionally have to refuse to go where our friends are going because we know this is not a place where we should be, we feel bad.

Paul says that all who live godly lives in Christ will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). We may have fewer friends, who think it strange that now that we are Christians we cannot live as we once did (1 Pet. 4:3). We may have family problems simply because Jesus shows that being a Christian causes others to have such disdain for us (Matt. 10:34-35). Early Christians could not buy or sell or get money because they would not worship pagan gods. You may have been bypassed for promotion simply because you would not “go with the flow” of your employer.  It may be rare, but I have known Christians who have suffered physical abuse because they followed the Lord.

What do we learn from this? We are going to suffer in some way, but it is nothing to compare with what those early Christians suffered. If they called their torture light affliction, how would they describe the inconveniences in our lives? All that matters is our attitude. They rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer for Him (Acts 5:31). Do you have this joy?

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