But Why Do You Call Me “Lord, Lord”

But Why Do You Call Me “Lord, Lord” and Do Not the Things that I Say?

According to researchers about 33% of the world’s population claims to be Christian. That number is declining, as is the number of individuals who claim no religious affiliation whatsoever. All the while Islam is growing and the number of Hindus and Buddhists are remaining constant. However, in the United States, according to a 2009 study by the American Religious Identification Survey, “Seventy-five percent of Americans call themselves Christian.” Yet they go on to note that in 1990 that figure was 86 percent. (http://articles.cnn.com/2009-03-09/living/us.religion.less.christian_1_american-religious-identification-survey-christian-nationevangelical?_s=PM:LIVING). More than a 10% fall off in the past 20 years.

Now obviously this number includes the hundreds of fractured denominational groups currently littering our religious landscape. And the Lord’s church makes up only about 1% of the overall population of the “Christian” community. When you whittle that number down to those who are really faithful the numbers are staggering, depressing and certainly cause for alarm.

Now this will certainly come as no surprise to those who are faithful to Christ and His church. We remember that the Lord said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). My purpose here is not to focus on the hypocritical masses, but to draw attention to what may be our hypocritical selves.

We are often so preoccupied and critical of those worldly masses that don’t care enough to come together with the church and worship God that we forget to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). I have said on numerous occasions (and I am sure I am not the first to do so) that, “if the Lord returns on Sunday morning there will be a lot of folks left sitting in their pews.” (Add to that number and the heathen, many preachers in pulpits, Christians at home in bed, at a ball game, the lake or on the golf course). In the Judgment scene of Matthew 25 many of the religious are left wondering why they have been commanded to depart into everlasting fire (v. 41). The Lord tells them it was simply because they hadn’t done
what he had told them to do (v. 45).

Jesus said the wise man hear his words and does what He says (Matthew 7:24). James writes, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:23-25).

Now I don’t want anyone to think that I am saying we should be unconcerned about the lost and only about ourselves. But if our hearts aren’t right with God then WE are lost and won’t be able to help anyone else go to heaven with us. Christ teaching of the “speck” and the “plank” (Matthew 7:3-5) is certainly applicable here. As is His instruction to let our light shine before men (Matthew 5:16). Remember the first and great commandment, “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). And, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Be faithful!

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Can You Call Someone a Fool?

In Matthew 5:22, we find Jesus calling one a fool.  Well, from this text we see that Jesus had touched on the seriousness of wrongful attitudes and deeds that are commonly mixed into them.  It should be noted here that while sin has stages, God notices the very first seed in the heart, long before it ever becomes feelings of violence and anger.  Thus, failure to control oneself makes one subject to a greater punishment (James 1:13-15).  Therefore, this verse is not about calling someone a fool as it is about learning to control one’s unrighteous anger.

Now, on the other side, in Matthew 23:17, we learn that Jesus said that they were “fools and blind men.”  Now, Jesus earlier had called these same people hypocrites and blind guides.  So, he was clearly identifying those whom he spoke against.  But, when we go deeper into calling one a fool, we find Solomon stating that an atheist is called a fool (Psalm 14:1), the slanderer is said to be a fool (Proverbs 10:18), those who despise instruction are fools (Proverbs 15:5), a contentious person is a fool (Proverbs 18:6), the one who lives for pleasure is a fool (Luke 12:13-20), and the one who trusts in his won heart is a fool (Proverbs 28:26).  All of these individuals are called fools by God.  But, does this mean that we can call people fools?

Well, I want to point a couple of things out here.  First, this word for fool in the New Testament is where we get the word for moron in the English language and that is how that word came to be.  Second, this word fool simply means foolish or stupid as we find in Matthew 7:26-27 with the wise man and foolish man.  So basically, those who are not built upon the rock of Christ’s teachings, are foolish.

Now, in the Old Testament, the word for fool means unbeliever, insolent in religion, stupid in practical things, foolish and idiot.  These individuals are those who attack someone’s reputation, who hates instructions, who loves to disagree with others, causing controversy, who lives for their desires and lives by their own heart.  So basically again, those who are not built upon God, who seek their own ways, are foolish.

Now, me personally, I would not call someone a fool because it is often a word that shuts more doors that they open.  However, I have called people foolish before and would do so again should it be biblical to call them such.  But sadly, there are some pretty crude people out there in the world who will call one a fool or a moron without even realizing what they are saying.  I guess my point is, if they do not have a Christ like spirit in the way they present things, how would it bring glory to Christ (Colossians 3:17)?

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What is Personal Work?

Galatians 6:10, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.” (ASV)

James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, (and) to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (ASV)

There are many people in the church today who do not know what personal work is. Many times Christians would do personal work if they understood what to do. In this article we want to list some of the things that personal work includes;

PERSONAL WORK INCLUDES – (but is not limited to the following):

1.  It is giving someone you know a gospel tract on some subject that they may be interested in.

2.  It is discussing the Bible truth with a friend, neighbor, or relative either at you home or their home.

3.  It is telling or showing your neighbor, friend, or relative the happiness and joy that you have found in your relationship to God.

4.  It is inviting interested person to join with you in a study of God’s Word.

5.  It is picking up the telephone and calling an absent church member to find out if they are sick, or if you can assist them in some way.

6.  It is setting up a Bible study to be conducted on a regular basis in you home or somewhere else.

7.  It is going from house to house distributing literature about the church of Christ.

8.  It is gathering your children together on a regular scheduled day and time to study THE Bible – also invite the other children that your children play with.

9.  It is working for the GOSPEL MEETINGS as they come about each year.

10.  It is using your own car to bring someone to church service.

Indeed, personal work is many things, but to sum it up, it is concern for the lost and glorifying Christ.

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Confronting God Face to Face

Americans do not like confrontations and will do all they can to avoid them. We have a spirit of compromise and seek to find common ground by using “politically” correct speech in dealing with matters. This is so different from the way God deals with us.

Our God is a confrontational God. In the very beginning, He confronted those in error. His questions, “Who told you that you were naked” and “Have you eaten of the tree,” forced Adam and Eve to face Him (Gen. 3:11). Later, when Moses descended from Mt. Sinai, our Creator forced another decision. Moses said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me” (Ex. 32:26)! God’s confrontation does not allow for one to “straddle the road” and not make a decision.

This Divine nature was manifested again when Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. The prophet assembled Israel and said to them, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21,ESV). Even though the people refused to answer, this confrontation provided the answer. Their silence showed where they actually were.

When Immanuel was born in Bethlehem, His teaching was confrontational. His question to the Jewish leaders forced them to make a decision when He asked about the baptism of John—“From where did it come? From heaven or from man” (Matt. 21:25)? Confrontation of this type leaves no room for a middle ground.

What about you? Has your study of the Bible caused you to come “face to face” with God where He forces you to make a decision? You may not have seen it this way, but His revealed words demand that you make a decision. You sit in a Bible class or listen to a sermon where you hear something that is different from what you believe. How do you respond? What is being taught may be wrong, but it cannot be wrong if this is what His word teaches. When your belief about a matter is opposite from what He teaches, it is not enough to say, “I just don’t believe that.” God has confronted you, and you have made a decision to reject Him, even though you may not realize it. When you refuse to make a decision, you still have made a choice, even though you may not see it that way.

The seriousness of this matter is shown when we realize that in such dilemmas both positions cannot be right. There is no option. One belief is from God, the other is simply a lie. So when God confronts you, take it seriously. Your eternal destiny is being decided by the choice you make!

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Homosexual Marriage

The topic of so-called homosexual “marriage” and “rights” frequently makes headlines. President Obama, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have recently announced that they will push for such “rights” internationally as part of the policy of Obama’s administration. Since the passage of the Defense of Marriage act in 1996, the homosexual lobby has pushed more and more for the acceptance of homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle and for individual states and the federal government to recognize and legalize homosexual marriage in the United States. They seem to be gaining ground because in a 2011 Gallup Poll, the organization claimed that for the first time in their polling this issue, fifty-two percent of those surveyed said that they favored homosexual marriage.

On November 10th, 2011, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the “Respect for Marriage Act” by a vote of 10 to 8 primarily along party lines (Democrats were in favor; Republicans were against). This Act would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act which establishes that the federal government will only recognize marriages between one man and one woman. This is the first step in getting homosexual marriage recognized in the entirety of the United States. If this passes the main body of the Senate, the House, and ends up on the desk of President Obama, he will sign it. Subsequently, it will not be too long before each state will be required by the federal government to recognize homosexual marriages.

The Bible is clear on this topic. Homosexuality is a sin against God, and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. The apostle Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: “Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (ASV). The ESV translates these verses as follows: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

There are two Greek words in this passage that have to do with homosexuality. The first is the word malakos. The literal meaning of this word is “soft, or soft to the touch.” As Koine Greek developed, the word came to refer to a catamite, that is, a young man that is employed for sexual purposes, a male prostitute. The second Greek word is arsenokoites. It is a compound word literally meaning he who beds a male, or man of the bed. This word simply means “homosexual.”

Lesbianism does not escape the condemnation of scripture. Such behavior is condemned in Romans 1:26- 27 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error” (ESV). Note that the text says that God has given them up to commit dishonorable, unnatural, and shameless acts.

Marriage would normalize such relationships in our society. It would give license to those who practice homosexuality to commit homosexual acts under sponsorship of the government. To a certain degree, the government would then be liable for those marriages and the consequences of them, whatever they might be. The financial, moral, and political implications of normalizing homosexuality would take a costly toll on our society. We have already seen the amount of money that has been spent on AIDS—billions upon billions of dollars. This is a disease that is mostly spread through homosexual behavior. We also witness the appalling behavior of homosexuals in public such as the scandal surrounding Jerry Sandusky and the Penn State athletics program. Such behavior would only increase as a result of normalizing homosexuality through marriage.

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