Looked in the Mirror Lately? Body Building for Christians

One of the ways I study the Bible is to look at a passage that is so positive in nature and then think about the impact its truth has if the positive conditions in that passage are not met. Such is the nature of part of the letter Paul wrote to Ephesus. Paul described the results of every member being joined to Christ and the mutual edification which follows.

“But, speaking the truth in love,  (you) may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind” (Eph. 4:15-17).

The passage begins with an affirmation of truth and the proper communication of it. Some preach the Bible but seem to rejoice that they have the truth and use it to belittle those who do not know it. The body of Jesus cannot function unless we know truth and preach it in love.

Then there is the description of every member’s growth being tied to the head, Christ. What happens to the body when a member’s spiritual nourishment does not come from Christ. The answer is that the body of Christ is sick. Increase the percentage who are not being nourished by the head, and the body, the church, get even more diseased.

Next, the passage presents a picture of every joint of the body supplying the other parts of that body. A joint is where two members of the body touch each other, and God’s plan is for that connection to so impact both parts that the needs of the entire body are supplied. What happens when we touch other members, but fail to share with them the riches of Christ? The body, the local congregation, is crippled!

When every part does it share, the passage affirms that this causes growth of the body as it edifies itself in love. Now look at the negative as it concerns you. What if you are not doing your share? What if you are around your brethren and you do not seek to supply what another brother needs? What happens when your attendance becomes sporadic and those around you in worship are not edified by seeing you? What happens when in worship you are not diligent in singing, admonishing those who hear you? What happens when your actions keep others from focusing on their worship?

We live in an age where so much energy is given to developing our bodies. Let’s make sure we develop His body!

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Simple Questions Often Solve Complex Problems

Sometimes a complex problem can be solved by asking a simple question. My favorite story illustrating this concerns a group of world-reknowned scientists who had gathered to define the molecular structure of a universal solvent. There are compounds which dissolve in water, others in acids, others in gasoline. What would dissolve everything? Near the end of the day, the janitor who was cleaning the room overheard their deliberation and asked if he could ask one question. He said, “When you guys find that thing which dissolves everything, what are you going to keep it in?”

Sometimes, in our view of our own Biblical wisdom, we make a problem too complex. Imagine having the most learned religious leaders meeting in a conference to discuss religious divisions. With thousands of groups calling themselves Christians, how could men ever find unity? There are such differences in attitudes between the educated and the uneducated; between the western world and the rest of the world; between various ethnic groups of one culture and those of another. There is so much division that the average man seems lost in a denominational maze of discovering God, and some refuse to even attempt to enter that maze. What is the solution to all of this?

First, recognize that the world in which the church began had even greater diversity. There were those who knew about Jehovah and those who did not. There were those with an Old Testament background knowledge and those who  never knew it existed. There were those who were polytheistic and those who worshiped only one God. There were those who were educated and those who were illiterate. It was in that world of immense diversity where Christianity began.

Throughout that world millions embraced Christ and his teachings. They laid aside previous views of their gods and diversity of standards of morality. Nothing outside the teaching of Jesus became part of the Divine religion they accepted. There was not one congregation which differed from another in any way which was not challenged and rejected.

Now, here’s that simple question to help us understand this matter. What was God’s intention for the next generation of Christians? Did he see the second century Christians differing from the first? Read the verses—Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 1:10; Gal. 1:6-9; Eph. 4:13-15; Phil. 3:16-17; 1 Thess. 2:14; 5:20; 2 Thess. 3:14-15; 1 Tim. 1:3; 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:2-3; etc. throughout the rest of the epistles. Now if God never intended for the second century believers to differ, what about the 21st century believers? “Let us walk by the same rule” (Phil. 3:17).

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Justifying Sin Because of Birth Tendency of Environment

It was during a presidential election more than forty years ago when I overheard two men discussing the upcoming political race. The moral character of one of the candidates was an issue, yet one of these Christian men was adamant about his support. To him the only issue was the support of his political party. I remember his statement and also the reply of the other man. He said, “I was born a (his political party), I was raised a (political party) and I will die a (political party).”  It was the second man’s response that made such a profound impression on me and I think it will have the same impact on you. Before I tell you the other man’s unforgettable reply, look at some of the ways many use this same type of reasoning about their spiritual lives.

The attitude is as old as the first century. When John the Baptist began his preaching, some of the Jews sought to negate the impact of his preaching. Their attitude was somewhat like the man mentioned above. Their response was something like, “I was born a Jew, I was raised a Jew and I will die a Jew.” This had little to do with the moral issues John was trying to get them to change. His response was,  “God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Mt. 3:9).

There are those who sometimes seek to justify the use of drugs by talking about the fact their mothers used drugs before they were born and the were raised in a home where drugs were being used. They seem to say, “I was born a druggie, I was raised a druggie and I will die a druggie.” This has little to do with the moral issue of using drugs and is no justification for doing wrong.

Then there are those who believe that the only explanation of homosexuality is that it has a genetic origin. They seem to say, “I was born gay, I grew up gay and I will die gay.” However, this has little to do with the moral issue of homosexuality.

Now get back to the response of the second man in the story. When the first said he was born, raised and planned to die as a member of a political party (regardless of the moral issue that was involved), the second man said, “I am like you in some respects. I was born a (member of the same political party), I was raised a (political party) but I have been born again!”

That seems to say it best. It make no difference as to the moral issue that is involved. The aspects of our birth or the influence of our environment do not change what God says about what is right or wrong in moral issues. The issue is not our birth, but our rebirth!

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You Have Been Summoned for Jury Duty

Imagine a courtroom scene where the future of a man’s life was hanging in the balance. Twelve men and women sat in the jury box and heard evidence presented which was overwhelming. The witnesses gave absolute evidence of all that happened, and their testimony was identical, even down to the very words that were said. The defense attorney made a final attempt by trying to bring in “witnesses” who were not there, and so at best, they could only give hearsay about what they thought might have happened and what someone had told them might have been said. This evidence was not permitted as the judge told the jury that hearsay evidence simply was not admissible.  There was no way to substantiate it as truth.

There is an amazing parallel between this story and how it applies to our own lives. When it comes to finding spiritual truth we are like those members of the jury. There is that testimony of those who were there when Jesus actually spoke. Their testimony is not hearsay—some story that resembles a fable concocted after the event by someone who had an ulterior motive. The issue is, did God actually say that Jesus was His son? Listen to the testimony of one of the apostles with Jesus on the mount of His transfiguration.

“For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (2 Pet. 1:16-17).

They had sat at His feet and heard His words. To insure that their memory was not faulty and their testimony was complete He sent the Holy Spirit. Their message is not hearsay. It is absolute, without contradictions. It is understandable and trustworthy testimony.

Now since that time, others who were not there have brought in new teachings. They were not there, yet they still want those of us on the “jury” to trust them and their opinions of what He might have said or what He might have meant when He spoke. To elevate the testimony of those who were not there or those who did not receive the Spirit as admissible testimony for the evidence of our faith is nothing but folly.

In his first epistle John described how he had been with Jesus, had seen Him and touched Him. John’s joy was indescribable. John said he had written His testimony so that we might have that same joy.

Let me urge you as a fellow member of the “jury” to listen only to the admissible evidence.

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They Saw His Miracles, Yet, They Crucified Him

Think of how many people in the first century had the opportunity to become children of God. For the four hundred years prior to the coming of John the Baptist, God had said nothing to anyone on the earth. The silence must have been deafening! Every man needs God, yet He said nothing to them. Then in the wilderness of Judea appeared a man dressed in the skin of camels. His voice cried out and the people knew that God had broken His silence. Men were about to be given the chance to be brought even closer to God.

The response was remarkable. “Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matt. 3:5-6). When Jesus began His public teaching the impact was truly amazing. “The Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John” (John 4:2). The multitudes flocked to Him so that the only way one man of short stature could even get a glimpse of Him was to climb a tree, hoping Jesus would come that way.

When the Lord sent out the apostles and the seventy on their limited journey, even more could learn about Him in their own villages.  Could anyone ever say they had not heard?

Yet they crucified Him! They saw His miracles; they sat at His feet; they heard His words! But that time came in their lives when life’s circumstances changed and all they knew of Him meant nothing. They saw His miracles, yet they killed Him. We are so perplexed how this could ever happen.

It is still happening! Every sermon has those who hear about Him and turn away. They know the words being spoken are the words of truth, but they ignore them. Every church has been amazed when those who once were leaders in the church—elders, deacons, preachers, teachers—leave it all behind and go back to the world!  It is still happening.

The words of Solomon seem to sum it all up. “That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’? It has already been in ancient times before us” (Ecc. 1:9-10).  Truth does not change. The nature of man does not change. The way men respond to truth does not change!

What does that have to do with us? We must not forget how easily we could be like them. We must nurture and feed our faith every day. “Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall!”

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