Inseparable - John 3:16-18

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:16-18

    When we at first read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12), we hear Christ teaching us how we are to behave as believers. His teachings are recognized and respected by most rational human beings around the world. When Christ teaches us the two greatest commandments in Matthew 22:36-40, we again hear Him declare what our purpose and duties are as believers. In neither instance does He ever mention HIS purpose for coming into the world. Both of the above mentioned instances describe Christ’s teaching. In a word, “love.” Love is the core of Jesus Christ’s teachings to the world: love of God and love for our neighbors. But His message differed from His purpose!
    Christ came into the world so that by his death we could have eternal salvation. He came to die for us. His death was the propitiation demanded by a just God for the sins of the world.  No mere mortal could ever have accomplished what Christ did by His death on the cross. As our title verse states, “He did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world.” God’s purpose was not to have his Son come down to convict and condemn mankind. The conviction of men was reserved for the Holy Spirit. The condemnation, as our verse tells us, was already in place. It has been in place since Adam and Eve ventured forth from the Garden of Eden at the command of God. No, God didn’t send His Son to condemn us; He sent Him to save us.
    So on one hand Christ is teaching us how we are to behave towards God and our fellow men. On the other hand He has a more dire mission to accomplish: his own death as a substitutionary payment for the sins of the world.  So, yes -  Christ’s teachings were important enough for Him to spend the last three years of His life drumming them into us. If His teaching were unimportant then he could have just as easily come into the world and immediately died for us. But it was not so. Christ spend endless hours teaching both His disciples and the crowds that came to hear Him speak. He was, as I implied earlier, an accomplished teacher of men. Yet, His teachings are not he reason He came to us; our redemption through belief and faith in Him is!
    So to understand - Christ’s teachings and commands in Matthew 5:3-12, Matthew 22:36-40, and His final command, Matthew 28:19-24, were all vitally important to us as believers. Though His teachings represent the sinless obedience of His life and set forth the example we are to follow it is His death which atones for our sins and gives us the assurance of our salvation. In His life we find the example of sinless obedience to God. In His death we are blessed by grace with our redemption and salvation. The one we must strive for; the other is a gift from God. Both are entwined in what we call belief, and belief leads to faith in God. Belief and faith: different yet inseparable. Should we ever attempt to separate the two than we are no better off than the demons. “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!” - James 2:19.
    Faith implies belief in and assent to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May our actions always be seen in such a light.

Humbled By Holiness - Luke 5:8

                   
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” - Luke 5:8

    What awe must Peter have felt for it to force his guilt to the surface of his conscience. His awe was inspired by the presence of the Lord. As Peter stood before Christ and felt the raw power of God in his midst his immediate response was to humbly admit that he was no more than a sinner, unworthy of Christ’s divine presence. Peter’s humility stood in stark contrast to his life  . . . before Christ. As a sinner Peter was constantly exposed to the pitfalls of a fallen world. As a sinner Peter constantly fell to the excesses of his own human pride, to the temptations and vexes of the world. But once in the presence of Jesus his worldly pride was ripped away from him as the angst of his guilt was fueled by the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. He stood, convicted of his sin before his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
     “The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.’ ” - Matthew 8:8. Humility often manifests itself in our unwillingness to seek the presence of God for fear that our sins are too great. Guilt makes us shrink away from holiness because we have finally recognized its power! Repentance abides in a man who humbles himself before the Lord. Why else would we take such a submissive position before God were we not confessing our sins? And if we are confessing our sins are we not also asking for forgiveness? “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” - Psalm 51:2-3.
    Let us be clear: humility has never existed side-by-side with pride. It cannot; it will not. We must lay our proud hearts aside. But unlike Peter we should bid our Lord to come nearer to us rather than leave us. As in the words of C.H. Spurgeon - “Come near to me, Lord, since I am a man and, being a man, am weak—and nothing can make me strong but Your Presence. I am a man so weak that if You depart from me, I faint, I fall, I pine, I die! Come near to me, then, O Lord, that by Your strength I may be encouraged and be fitted for service. If You depart from me, I can render You no service whatever. Can the dead praise You? Can those with no life in them give You glory? Come near me, then, my God, though I am so feeble! And as a tender parent feeds his child, and the shepherd carries his lambs, so come near to me.”* 
    May we always prostrate ourselves before the Lord God in humility and leave the pride of the world behind us.

*“Peter’s Prayer”, C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon # 3407, delivered 6/10/1869

Baby Steps – John 3:3

 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3
    There’s a new baby in the house. And while we are racing about trying to cover all the bases, the child is just beginning to see, hear, feel, and taste the world around him. Every move; every sense; every experience is new to the child. And so it is with us when we are “born again.” To understand the concept of being born again we must first consider what is evidenced in the natural first birth of man.
    From the moment of his birth he begins to grow, to advance, to mature. He learns to go from milk to meat. He learns to go from crawling to walking. He learns to go from infantile utterances to articulate speech. And as his life begins in earnest he grows into an adult with an adult’s perceptions, understanding, abilities, and strengths. This is the linear process of human life.
    But what of our “spiritual life?” This is the subject of Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus. When we are born again we begin to see with a Christ-centered perception. Our hearing becomes Christ-centered. Our speech becomes Christ-centered. And our actions become Christ-centered. To suggest otherwise would be tantamount to saying that a child has advanced to adulthood yet hasn’t progressed from mother’s milk to solid foods, or learned to walk or speak properly, or heard the sounds of the world around him. And just as the child could not mature and develop without these advances in both his communicative skills and physical manners neither can a Christian mature who does not find himself Christ-centered!
    Being born again involves more than simply claiming the experience, otherwise merely responding to an altar-call or signing a salvation card would be enough for redemption. No, Jesus Christ requires more! He requires that we be like Him. “ . . . but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:15-16. To be holy is to be Christ-centered.
    Just as that new born is learning to walk we too are learning to walk . . . like Christ! We are learning to think and talk and react and perceive things like Christ would. All these things we learn anew. Our old ways must be put to death and our new ways must take seed, flower, and blossom forth. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” - John 12:24. Our old selves must pass away for our new birth to take effect. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17.
    May we all recognize that we are new creatures in Jesus Christ and let that knowledge be reflected in our walk with Him.

The New and Improved Gospel? - Acts 13:45

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. - Acts 13:45

    But why? Why would the Jews be full of envy, contradiction, blasphemy, and opposition to what Paul was saying? Perhaps the previous verse alone will provide us with a reason - “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.” - Acts 13:44. Almost the whole city! It is clear that even in the early days of the church people hungered for the Word. Despite antagonism and persecution, people still wanted to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Is it possible then that the Word of Faith movement and the consequent Health, Wealth, and Prosperity ministries are filled with the same kind of envy today?
    It is clear that Paul taught a no-nonsense gospel which accurately preached the difficulty in following Christ. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:10. No where and at no time did Paul ever preach that following Christ would be as easy as responding to an altar call, signing a prayer card, or repeating a salvation prayer! Neither did Paul ever preach that as Christians we could have every expectation of worldly health or wealth if we merely “spoke” it into action. But almost the whole city came out to hear the word of God! So the wolves in sheep’s clothing say, “There simply has to be a way to capitalize on such a potential for our ‘personal aggrandizement and success.’ But then there is that pesky gospel which speaks of infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. That could certainly get in the way of our grand plans. Ahaa! We’ll simply change the message. We’ll ‘improve’ it to suit our needs. People will flock to accept our ‘proprietary brand’ of the Good Word. There won’t be any more needs or human frailties when they respond to our altar call. We’ll convince them that they can have it all.”
    And what happens when the health and prosperity is not forthcoming? These false teachers lead their followers to bitter disappointment when the promises given are not fulfilled. And it is usually blamed upon a lack of faith in the believer or at it’s worst - God! Men and women like Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Crefalo Dolar, Benny Hinn, and Rod Parsley cannot (and DO NOT) muster the providence of God Almighty and bestow it upon the deceived. These modern charlatans exhibit all the same satanic shortcomings that the Jews did in Paul’s day: envy, contradiction, blasphemy, and opposition to the true word of God, all because they recognized the people’s desire to know Jesus Christ! They recognize it and have chosen to market it! Is it possible that there is something they have missed, a point in holy scripture that warns against such bold and arrogant articulation of a false gospel?
    “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29.
    May we always keep our hearts and minds focused on the truly Good News of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, despite the satanic murmurings of false teachers.

Molehills and Mountains - Ephesians 4:14

. . . that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting . . . - Ephesians 4:14

    Thankfully I can say that it is not often that I see questions posted in this community which tend to be on the chaffing side of the Christian walk. These questions do not  outright challenge the foundations of our faith yet they are cleverly manipulated inquiries designed to sow discord. The answers to most of such questions are readily available in nearly any basic book on Christian theology.
    The test, as it were, seems to be either to draw us into a fruitless conversation about basic truths we all understand as Christians or to undermine and create doubts as to what we believe. For the life of me I cannot see how presenting such loaded questions accomplishes anything more than splitting hairs about the less important doctrines we either hold or reject. What kind of music is appropriate for worship? Which form of baptism is the correct form?  How often must we celebrate the Lord’s Supper? Is it sinful for a Christian to drink alcohol? These and a myriad of other inconsequential questions rise on occasion, and I thank the Lord it is only on occasion!
    Some might disagree with me that such questions have no place in the edification of fellow believers; however, when it comes to simple doctrinal disputes and differences,  molehills can quickly become mountains if we are not careful.
    “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” - Philippians 3:15-16. As believers we must concentrate on what Christ has provided for us through the grace of God: salvation! Edifying one another is not up for dispute; it is our role as Christians to encourage one another, not sow discord. “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” - Romans 14:19.
    And what of those who choose to distract us with their clever machinations?
    “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.” - 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
    May we always be more motivated by Christian love to move toward edification rather than conflict.

The Arrogance of Doubt - Isaiah 55:8

 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.”
- Isaiah 55:8

    Doubt. It was one of the most common human misgivings about God. For the unsaved - for those who do not believe - it is not unusual that they would question the very power, the very existence of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. And so when a tragedy like 911 occurs, or the shootings at Columbine or Newtown, or the beheading of innocent men at the hands of Muslim extremists . . . or the death of a loved one, many are quick to question why God would allow such things to happen.
    By our human sin-nature we have been programmed to believe that we can deduce the reason for anything that happens in the world; so when something happens that we simply can’t explain it is difficult for us to process. And far too often we avoid the old principle known as Occam’s Razor (and I am paraphrasing): when multiple explanations are given, the simplest (and most obvious) one is usually correct. The reason we avoid coming to conclusions based on the O.R. principle is because God is all too often the answer! But herein lies the conundrum for most people, believers included - why would an all-powerful and all-loving God allow terrible tragedies to occur? It is within these moments of doubt that our arrogance rises.
    ‘Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.’ - Deuteronomy 32:39. Never wonder; never doubt; never conspire to discover “why.” It is the epitome of arrogance for us to question God’s intent or motives. How dare we do so? Such behavior suggests we are sovereign, not God! Regardless of our pain, bewilderment, and anguish we must remember that God is in charge; God is in control; God has a plan and those plans often lead us to moments of consternation.
    Yes, God has ordains all that takes place in the universe . . . including the evil that overcomes us at times. The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. - Proverbs 16:4. We cannot understand it nor are we supposed to in our lifetimes. Lest we forget - there are many who will never understand even the obvious. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” - Deuteronomy 29:29.
    We must remember that God is all the time working for righteousness and goodness throughout His creation. If we remain faithful to our calling we shall also remember - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28. We may not realize it at the time but we must remain faithful to the end. God will never abandon those who have faith in Jesus Christ! “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” - 1 Peter 4:12-13.
    Jesus Christ has given us His solemn promise: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33. Have faith in the Lord. Those who don’t will forever flounder in the morass of doubt and condemnation. In their arrogance, they will shake their fist at heaven and demand answers that will forever escape them.
    The day will surely come when the faithful will find rest in God’s assurance - “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4.
    For those of us who believe and have faith in God we already have the answer that all too often eludes those who deny Him. God has already explained Himself, though he need never do so - “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:9
     May our doubts and misgivings forever be quenched by our everlasting faith in Jesus Christ.