What is the first thought that comes to mind when you think of worship? Chances are, you think of singing songs in church. But has it ever occurred to you that the worship of the Lord is much broader than the mere singing of hymns? If it were not, those who were tone-deaf would never have a chance to worship the Lord. Of course, most of my readers should probably already know that worship is more than singing songs. So, moving on ...
Let us take a look at what the Word of God says about worship.
It is to be directed at God only. Exodus 34:14 "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God"
It is not limited to the confines a building. John 4:24 says "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
It is something we do with our lives, not merely with our lips. Romans 12:1 says "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service ('acceptable worship', ESV)"
We dedicate ourselves to that which we worship. If we worship God, it must be in spirit and in truth, out of a surrendered heart.
The truth is, there are many who 'worship' God with their lips but not with their lives. Although they may seem blissfully sincere as they passionately sing hymns or worship songs in Church, what comes out of their mouth when they are not in church or in the presence of Christians? One may sing songs passionately enough, but that does not mean He is truly worshipping as our Lord commands.
Hebrews 13:15-16: "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
We are to give thanks to God with our lips, for that is indeed a manifestation of worship to God. However, we are also told not to forget to 'do good', that is, practically live our faith.
Romans 6:16: "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
By yielding our lives to God, we worship Him. This is true worship. We do not need to have a CCLI license, or a good worship team to worship God. While singing praise to Him is well and good, it is merely a manifestation of worship, not worship itself. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds (Deut. 6:5). That is essence of worship.
So then, here are some things to think on. Do we worship God merely with our lips, or with our lives? Are we pretending to worship him when in reality we worship another god? These are provocative questions, no doubt, but consider them prayerfully.
Friday, 29 April 2016
Saturday, 23 April 2016
Reflection: Do I ACTUALLY love God?
Do we actually love God? This may seem like a strange question, but it is something we should ask ourselves. Personally, it is becoming apparent to me how little I actually love God (as if there were varying degrees of love). He gave His Son for me, and yet I cannot even give myself completely to him. He loved me enough to go through such lengths to spare me from the fires of hell, yet I do not love Him enough to obey him fully and completely when He leads me to do something against my arbitrary wishes.
'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God', exclaimed the apostle John. (1 John 3:1) And I must agree - His love surely surpasses all understanding. There is no comprehending its limits. How could a just, holy and righteous God regard a wretched, stubborn, stiffnecked sinner is simply beyond me. And it is all because of Jesus, and what He did upon the cross.
'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:5-6) It was for me He died. It was for my sin He suffered. He willingly bore my sin, even though all I deserved was eternal punishment. And yet I grumble about doing His will, and close my ears when He speaks to me.
Do I actually love God, or do I merely talk as if I love Him? Am I living the life of one who has been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, or am I sounding like a Christian on this blog and living like a sinner the rest of the time?
'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.' (Deut. 6:4-5) Do you realize how important this command is? If we always followed this command perfectly, and truly loved the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, it would make all the difference in the world. It is our love for the Lord that causes us to trust Him, follow Him, obey Him, etc. Love is the fulfilment of the law (Romans 13:10).
'And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity [Love].'
Why is Love the greatest of these three? Because it is love that causes us to have faith and hope.
Now back to the question ... do I actually love God? It is something we should reflect on. Let us pray that God would continue to perfect us in love, that we may serve him out of a sincere heart.
'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God', exclaimed the apostle John. (1 John 3:1) And I must agree - His love surely surpasses all understanding. There is no comprehending its limits. How could a just, holy and righteous God regard a wretched, stubborn, stiffnecked sinner is simply beyond me. And it is all because of Jesus, and what He did upon the cross.
'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:5-6) It was for me He died. It was for my sin He suffered. He willingly bore my sin, even though all I deserved was eternal punishment. And yet I grumble about doing His will, and close my ears when He speaks to me.
Do I actually love God, or do I merely talk as if I love Him? Am I living the life of one who has been redeemed by the blood of the lamb, or am I sounding like a Christian on this blog and living like a sinner the rest of the time?
'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.' (Deut. 6:4-5) Do you realize how important this command is? If we always followed this command perfectly, and truly loved the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, it would make all the difference in the world. It is our love for the Lord that causes us to trust Him, follow Him, obey Him, etc. Love is the fulfilment of the law (Romans 13:10).
'And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity [Love].'
Why is Love the greatest of these three? Because it is love that causes us to have faith and hope.
Now back to the question ... do I actually love God? It is something we should reflect on. Let us pray that God would continue to perfect us in love, that we may serve him out of a sincere heart.
Saturday, 16 April 2016
Lessons from Goats
If you know me, chances are you know that I happen to have goats. In this post I will attempt to extract some meaning from four years of goat caretaking.
Goats are exactly what we as Christians are called NOT to be - rebellious creatures. When the door to the pasture is left open, they escape. When a bucket full of oats is left in their reach, they will eat themselves to death. They, as all animals, live after the flesh and mind the things of the flesh. I won't even get started on goat bucks (males) ... suffice it to say that they are about as stinky and obnoxious as a mammal can be.
These are perhaps some of the reasons why the 'Goats' are at the Lord's left hand in our Lord's discourse in Matthew 25.
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." (Matt. 25:31-33)
Goat lovers evidently find this characterization rather 'unfair', but, having taken care of goats for four years, I completely agree with Jesus's characterization here. Goats are stubborn, rebellious and naughty creatures which will very eagerly disobey and escape if they are given the chance. Sheep, on the other hand, will follow the shepherd and not stray from the herd.
Therefore, if we would endeavour to learn anything from these creatures, it would be negative exhortation - stuff not to do! If we were to hold these animals up to a moral standard (yes, this is rather laughable, but hear me out), they would fall short in the following ways:
Walking after the flesh, doing that which they desire, and never willingly acting contrary to their fleshly instincts, something which Paul condemns in Romans 8:13.
They generally establish a top-to bottom hierarchy, in which the top goat is never bullied, the second from top goat will be bullied only by the top goat, and so on, and the bottom goat is bullied by absolutely everyone. This is rather contrary to the scriptures, where we are commanded to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, and forgiving (Eph. 4:32).
Having said that, Goats are cute and adorable. Despite the fact that they are brats (to put it crudely), they are very entertaining creatures. Besides enjoying them, we can learn a lot from them (specifically concerning what not to do).
To cap off this short discourse, I will treat my readers to some pictures of my baby goats, which were born late this afternoon. This is the mother of the babies:
This is a picture of the twins. The white one is a male, while the brown is a female.
This is another picture of the twins:
This is a closer-up picture of the female. We were very glad to get a female, as our two other goats who have birthed gave us only males, and we were beginning to be concerned that we would only get male babies this year.
I hope you enjoyed this rather different post. For those of you who are more interested in deep theology than goats, I am writing another post which (do not worry) will not contain any pictures of goats. But, then again, it is sometimes good to be reminded that there is more to the Bible, Christianity, and life itself than endless theological matters. While we may immerse ourselves in theology, we must remember that God created and cares for even the fowl of the air (Matt. 6:26).
Let us not become so caught up in the logistics of Christianity that we miss the point. Christ died so that we may live, and His love is an everlasting love which endures to all generations. Our faith is not merely an academic exercise of the mind, but a reality that transcends all realities. Let us not be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). The gospel is not meant to be complicated - it is a call which even the simplest of people should be able to understand. I'll probably get around to writing a post on this topic sometime soon, so thank you for putting up with my rambling. God bless!
Goats are exactly what we as Christians are called NOT to be - rebellious creatures. When the door to the pasture is left open, they escape. When a bucket full of oats is left in their reach, they will eat themselves to death. They, as all animals, live after the flesh and mind the things of the flesh. I won't even get started on goat bucks (males) ... suffice it to say that they are about as stinky and obnoxious as a mammal can be.
These are perhaps some of the reasons why the 'Goats' are at the Lord's left hand in our Lord's discourse in Matthew 25.
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." (Matt. 25:31-33)
Goat lovers evidently find this characterization rather 'unfair', but, having taken care of goats for four years, I completely agree with Jesus's characterization here. Goats are stubborn, rebellious and naughty creatures which will very eagerly disobey and escape if they are given the chance. Sheep, on the other hand, will follow the shepherd and not stray from the herd.
Therefore, if we would endeavour to learn anything from these creatures, it would be negative exhortation - stuff not to do! If we were to hold these animals up to a moral standard (yes, this is rather laughable, but hear me out), they would fall short in the following ways:
Walking after the flesh, doing that which they desire, and never willingly acting contrary to their fleshly instincts, something which Paul condemns in Romans 8:13.
They generally establish a top-to bottom hierarchy, in which the top goat is never bullied, the second from top goat will be bullied only by the top goat, and so on, and the bottom goat is bullied by absolutely everyone. This is rather contrary to the scriptures, where we are commanded to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, and forgiving (Eph. 4:32).
Having said that, Goats are cute and adorable. Despite the fact that they are brats (to put it crudely), they are very entertaining creatures. Besides enjoying them, we can learn a lot from them (specifically concerning what not to do).
To cap off this short discourse, I will treat my readers to some pictures of my baby goats, which were born late this afternoon. This is the mother of the babies:
This is a picture of the twins. The white one is a male, while the brown is a female.
This is another picture of the twins:
This is a closer-up picture of the female. We were very glad to get a female, as our two other goats who have birthed gave us only males, and we were beginning to be concerned that we would only get male babies this year.
I hope you enjoyed this rather different post. For those of you who are more interested in deep theology than goats, I am writing another post which (do not worry) will not contain any pictures of goats. But, then again, it is sometimes good to be reminded that there is more to the Bible, Christianity, and life itself than endless theological matters. While we may immerse ourselves in theology, we must remember that God created and cares for even the fowl of the air (Matt. 6:26).
Let us not become so caught up in the logistics of Christianity that we miss the point. Christ died so that we may live, and His love is an everlasting love which endures to all generations. Our faith is not merely an academic exercise of the mind, but a reality that transcends all realities. Let us not be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). The gospel is not meant to be complicated - it is a call which even the simplest of people should be able to understand. I'll probably get around to writing a post on this topic sometime soon, so thank you for putting up with my rambling. God bless!
Saturday, 9 April 2016
On Jesus as the only way and Universalism
In this post, I will once again have to address the topic of Jesus Christ as the only way. It seems that, despite all the biblical proofs that those who believe on Jesus will be saved and those who do not will be damned (John 3:36, Mark 16:16), it seems that even Christians are too ready to doubt this essential doctrine because it is too harsh on their ears.
Why do I say this? Why do I uphold this doctrine? Is it because I hate people? Is it because I feel like arguing for the sake of orthodox Christianity just so I can for once feel like I am right? I should hope not! I should hope tell the readers these things because I care about their soul, and their eternal well-being. If it is true that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, and those who do not believe on him will perish, then we must go out and tell as many people as possible about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Let us begin by laying some biblical groundwork.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
1 Thess. 1:7 - 9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power
These scriptures should serve to adequately prove that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.
Now let me introduce you to a certain book that seems to be very popular among Christians. Written by Rob Bell, this book is entitled Love Wins: a Book about Heaven, Hell, and the fate of every person who has ever lived. In this discussion, it would be inevitable that this book is discussed.
This book begins by encouraging the reader to ask questions. In the preface, before the first chapter even begins, Bell encourages readers to question preconceived notions, especially as pertaining to the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation.
He says this: "A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It's been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus's message of love, peace, forgiveness and joy that our world desperately needs to hear."
Allow me to say a few things in response. His wording "a select few Christians" is misleading - all true Christians will be in heaven, not just a "select few" of them. He protests the doctrine of hell, calling it "misguided and toxic", but what basis does he have to do that? If he is to persuade me that the doctrine of hell is false, he must to do so from the scriptures, not merely by using emotional appeal. Also, we have no right to call God unfair. The Apostle Paul, speaking on an issue very central to this discussion, said this:
"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?" (Romans 9:19 - 20)
Chapter 1 of this book has one purpose - to plant seeds of doubt in the reader.
"Really? Gandhi's in hell? He is? We have confirmation of this? Somebody knows this? Without a doubt? And that somebody decided to take on the responsibility of letting the rest of us know?"
Without a break, he continues the appeal: "Of all the billions of people who have ever lived, will only a select number 'make it to a better place' and every single other person suffer in torment and punishment forever? Is this acceptable
to God?"
Here he is saying that if the doctrine of hell were true God would be unfair. He is doing so without any regard to the scriptures, and what he says reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the attributes of God.
It seems to be that one of the major questions underlying the book regards to the reconciliation of two seemingly contrary attributes of God. "How can a loving God also punish people in hell?", people say.
We ought to have no problem answering this question. God loves us, but he cannot tolerate sin. Hence, those who's trespasses are not forgiven will not see God. But those who are covered in the blood of Jesus Christ His Son will see God, and have eternal life.
However, instead of going to the word of God for the answers to this supposed conundrum, Rob Bell goes on to contradict the clear word of God. He throws the reader into an array of confusion, confusing the reader on what one must exactly do to be saved, talking about Age of Accountability, and questioning whether an atheist who dies has no hope, etc. etc. etc.
Having questioned the word of God to that point, he goes on to propose answers opposite to the word of God. While I could go on and critique the whole book, I shall not, for the sake of brevity.
Bell's conclusion, in his own words, is this:
“At the heart of this perspective is the belief that, given enough time, everybody will turn to God and find themselves in the joy and peace of God’s presence. The love of God will melt every hard heart, and even the most ‘depraved sinners’ will eventually give up their resistance and turn to God."
This is called universalism - the belief that everyone will, in due time, be saved. Is this a biblical teaching?
Let us again turn our attention to the scriptures.
Rev. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Matt. 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
In light of these terrifying proclamations pronouncing eternal doom for the sinner, what do we make of these scriptures?
2 Timothy 2:4 ...Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
From these scriptures, we conclude universalism is incompatible with the Bible. For it would take a rather large leap of the mind to try to force these scriptures to teach that. One would have to argue that the verses about eternal suffering do not really mean eternal suffering, and that those who do not believe on the Son would one day see eternal life, in direct opposition to John 3:36.
As for 2 Timothy 2:4, it merely states God's desire for people to be saved. Romans 5:19 likens the imputation of Adam's sin to the imputation of Christ's righteousness. Neither teach universalism.
We cannot expect God's love to override His holiness. God is loving, but he is also pure, holy, and just. We cannot preach a God who is just loving, nor can we preach a God who is not loving and only just. We must present the God of the Bible - the God who wiped out thousands of Israelites on multiple occasions for their wickedness, while also sending His Son to redeem us from the curse of sin.
The Bible underscores God's love, and it also underscores God's justice.
Therefore I urge the reader to repent and put his trust in Christ if he has not yet done so. There is coming a day when it will be too late. Do not expect any mercy from God on judgment day, if you never had the free gift of salvation in your life. God's mercy is extended towards man now. Unlike what heretics like Rob Bell say, His mercy will not be extended towards sinners forever.
Jesus is the only way to God. Do not expect your good deeds to get you into heaven, nor live in sin now and expect Him to forgive you after you close your eyes in death.
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven?
If you are a Christian, I urge you not to buy into these teachings simply because they make you feel more comfortable. Christianity is not comfortable, and doctrines such as that of hell are offensive, but let us accept the whole truth rather than misusing our God-given intellects by explaining away all the 'uncomfortable' aspects of God's word.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. " - Proverbs 3:5 - 7
Footnote: I do realize that I have not discussed pluralism (the belief that all roads lead to God) and annihilationism (the belief that people cease to exist in hell). I may do so in another post ... we will see.
Why do I say this? Why do I uphold this doctrine? Is it because I hate people? Is it because I feel like arguing for the sake of orthodox Christianity just so I can for once feel like I am right? I should hope not! I should hope tell the readers these things because I care about their soul, and their eternal well-being. If it is true that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, and those who do not believe on him will perish, then we must go out and tell as many people as possible about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Let us begin by laying some biblical groundwork.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
1 Thess. 1:7 - 9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power
These scriptures should serve to adequately prove that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.
Now let me introduce you to a certain book that seems to be very popular among Christians. Written by Rob Bell, this book is entitled Love Wins: a Book about Heaven, Hell, and the fate of every person who has ever lived. In this discussion, it would be inevitable that this book is discussed.
This book begins by encouraging the reader to ask questions. In the preface, before the first chapter even begins, Bell encourages readers to question preconceived notions, especially as pertaining to the doctrine of hell and eternal damnation.
He says this: "A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It's been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus's message of love, peace, forgiveness and joy that our world desperately needs to hear."
Allow me to say a few things in response. His wording "a select few Christians" is misleading - all true Christians will be in heaven, not just a "select few" of them. He protests the doctrine of hell, calling it "misguided and toxic", but what basis does he have to do that? If he is to persuade me that the doctrine of hell is false, he must to do so from the scriptures, not merely by using emotional appeal. Also, we have no right to call God unfair. The Apostle Paul, speaking on an issue very central to this discussion, said this:
"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?" (Romans 9:19 - 20)
Chapter 1 of this book has one purpose - to plant seeds of doubt in the reader.
"Really? Gandhi's in hell? He is? We have confirmation of this? Somebody knows this? Without a doubt? And that somebody decided to take on the responsibility of letting the rest of us know?"
Without a break, he continues the appeal: "Of all the billions of people who have ever lived, will only a select number 'make it to a better place' and every single other person suffer in torment and punishment forever? Is this acceptable
to God?"
Here he is saying that if the doctrine of hell were true God would be unfair. He is doing so without any regard to the scriptures, and what he says reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the attributes of God.
It seems to be that one of the major questions underlying the book regards to the reconciliation of two seemingly contrary attributes of God. "How can a loving God also punish people in hell?", people say.
We ought to have no problem answering this question. God loves us, but he cannot tolerate sin. Hence, those who's trespasses are not forgiven will not see God. But those who are covered in the blood of Jesus Christ His Son will see God, and have eternal life.
However, instead of going to the word of God for the answers to this supposed conundrum, Rob Bell goes on to contradict the clear word of God. He throws the reader into an array of confusion, confusing the reader on what one must exactly do to be saved, talking about Age of Accountability, and questioning whether an atheist who dies has no hope, etc. etc. etc.
Having questioned the word of God to that point, he goes on to propose answers opposite to the word of God. While I could go on and critique the whole book, I shall not, for the sake of brevity.
Bell's conclusion, in his own words, is this:
“At the heart of this perspective is the belief that, given enough time, everybody will turn to God and find themselves in the joy and peace of God’s presence. The love of God will melt every hard heart, and even the most ‘depraved sinners’ will eventually give up their resistance and turn to God."
This is called universalism - the belief that everyone will, in due time, be saved. Is this a biblical teaching?
Let us again turn our attention to the scriptures.
Rev. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Matt. 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
In light of these terrifying proclamations pronouncing eternal doom for the sinner, what do we make of these scriptures?
2 Timothy 2:4 ...Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
From these scriptures, we conclude universalism is incompatible with the Bible. For it would take a rather large leap of the mind to try to force these scriptures to teach that. One would have to argue that the verses about eternal suffering do not really mean eternal suffering, and that those who do not believe on the Son would one day see eternal life, in direct opposition to John 3:36.
As for 2 Timothy 2:4, it merely states God's desire for people to be saved. Romans 5:19 likens the imputation of Adam's sin to the imputation of Christ's righteousness. Neither teach universalism.
We cannot expect God's love to override His holiness. God is loving, but he is also pure, holy, and just. We cannot preach a God who is just loving, nor can we preach a God who is not loving and only just. We must present the God of the Bible - the God who wiped out thousands of Israelites on multiple occasions for their wickedness, while also sending His Son to redeem us from the curse of sin.
The Bible underscores God's love, and it also underscores God's justice.
Therefore I urge the reader to repent and put his trust in Christ if he has not yet done so. There is coming a day when it will be too late. Do not expect any mercy from God on judgment day, if you never had the free gift of salvation in your life. God's mercy is extended towards man now. Unlike what heretics like Rob Bell say, His mercy will not be extended towards sinners forever.
Jesus is the only way to God. Do not expect your good deeds to get you into heaven, nor live in sin now and expect Him to forgive you after you close your eyes in death.
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven?
If you are a Christian, I urge you not to buy into these teachings simply because they make you feel more comfortable. Christianity is not comfortable, and doctrines such as that of hell are offensive, but let us accept the whole truth rather than misusing our God-given intellects by explaining away all the 'uncomfortable' aspects of God's word.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. " - Proverbs 3:5 - 7
Footnote: I do realize that I have not discussed pluralism (the belief that all roads lead to God) and annihilationism (the belief that people cease to exist in hell). I may do so in another post ... we will see.
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
Sin
We hear it said again and again we must not sin. It is assumed that we know what sin is. It seems to be assumed that sin is doing 'bad things'. Yet, wherever we look, we see sin rearing its ugly head. We see even professed Christians unabashedly sinning without the slightest contrition or repentance. At least part of the problem is that we no longer know what sin even is. So I will spend this post describing sin in a biblical manner.
Before I do so, however, I must implant within the reader's mind a sense of the holiness of God. For apart from a proper understanding of the holiness of the Lord, no one will truly understand what sin is.
At the beginning of Isaiah's ministry, he saw a vision the Lord (Isa. 6:1). High and exalted, sitting upon a throne. He observed with awe the seraphims calling out "Holy, holy holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isa. 6:3).
After seeing such a marvelous vision, what was his response? "Woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" (6:5) He very quickly realized the full extent of the holiness of God and his own depravity in comparison.
In the Law of Moses, the holiness and justice of God is emphasized to the uttermost. God repeatedly tells them to be holy, as He is holy. We see repeated examples of God's justice throughout the Bible. God gives the Israelites the law, in which were laid out the demands which one must follow in order to actually please God. Of course, no one could completely follow the law, so atonement had to be made so the transgressions of the person would not incur God's wrath.
As a result, sacrifices had to be made continually.
When one fully realizes the holiness of God, sin takes on a new definition. Sin is rebellion against God. Sin makes a person unacceptable in the sight of God. Sin is transgression against God, and we have all sinned (Rom. 3:23). Sin is the exaltation of self above God - those who sin please themselves at the expense of obedience to God.
God does not change. He was the same when He led the israelites out of Egypt as He is today, in the Christian era. The only difference is that Christ, as the second person of the Godhead, came down to this earth, fulfilled the law, and laid down His life as an offering for sin, and now all Christians are justified by faith alone through grace alone.
We are bent to sin - as lost sinners our hearts were bent against the things of God. This fact caused the Psalmist to cry "There is none that doeth good, no not one".
We were guilty and subject to eternal damnation, but God send His Son to make atonement for us. Just because we are forgiven, does this give any of us an excuse to sin? Does this give us the right to pretend that God now tolerates sin? Believe me, He no more tolerates sin than He did when He killed all those Israelites in the wilderness for their murmuring, or when He punished the pagan nations for their absolute wickedness.
What have we been saved from? Sin? Since Sin is our enemy, ought we not to treat it as such? Ought we not to obey the advice of Romans 6:12, where we are told not to let sin reign in our mortal body? As I have said before, we are never supposed to ask 'how far can I go (that is, walk in the flesh) before I make God mad?' Believe me, I have been guilty of asking this many times. I still ask it from time to time, usually to find justification for doing something I don't feel right about doing.
The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). We have been saved from the consequences of sin, but does this mean we can keep sinning now because Christ has taken the punishment for our sins? Let us consult the Word of God, which is, by the way, very clear on this issue.
Sin is surrender to ourselves and our flesh, and worship is surrender to God. When we sin, we are committing idolatry by exalting ourselves above God. We are therefore urged to die to sin (Rom. 6:11).
We are not under the law. The law was ineffectual in making people well-pleasing to God. We, as Christians do not follow the law, but we walk after the Spirit. We surrender ourselves to God, and thus do His will.
Just as we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, we are now supposed to die to sin. We die to sin by putting to death the deeds of the flesh in the Spirit. As we do God's will, we put to death the flesh with its lusts.
Having the aforementioned concepts in mind, read the following passage:
"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:15 - 23.)
We can either yield to the flesh or the Spirit. Which one shall it be, O reader?
Before I do so, however, I must implant within the reader's mind a sense of the holiness of God. For apart from a proper understanding of the holiness of the Lord, no one will truly understand what sin is.
At the beginning of Isaiah's ministry, he saw a vision the Lord (Isa. 6:1). High and exalted, sitting upon a throne. He observed with awe the seraphims calling out "Holy, holy holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isa. 6:3).
After seeing such a marvelous vision, what was his response? "Woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" (6:5) He very quickly realized the full extent of the holiness of God and his own depravity in comparison.
In the Law of Moses, the holiness and justice of God is emphasized to the uttermost. God repeatedly tells them to be holy, as He is holy. We see repeated examples of God's justice throughout the Bible. God gives the Israelites the law, in which were laid out the demands which one must follow in order to actually please God. Of course, no one could completely follow the law, so atonement had to be made so the transgressions of the person would not incur God's wrath.
As a result, sacrifices had to be made continually.
When one fully realizes the holiness of God, sin takes on a new definition. Sin is rebellion against God. Sin makes a person unacceptable in the sight of God. Sin is transgression against God, and we have all sinned (Rom. 3:23). Sin is the exaltation of self above God - those who sin please themselves at the expense of obedience to God.
God does not change. He was the same when He led the israelites out of Egypt as He is today, in the Christian era. The only difference is that Christ, as the second person of the Godhead, came down to this earth, fulfilled the law, and laid down His life as an offering for sin, and now all Christians are justified by faith alone through grace alone.
We are bent to sin - as lost sinners our hearts were bent against the things of God. This fact caused the Psalmist to cry "There is none that doeth good, no not one".
We were guilty and subject to eternal damnation, but God send His Son to make atonement for us. Just because we are forgiven, does this give any of us an excuse to sin? Does this give us the right to pretend that God now tolerates sin? Believe me, He no more tolerates sin than He did when He killed all those Israelites in the wilderness for their murmuring, or when He punished the pagan nations for their absolute wickedness.
What have we been saved from? Sin? Since Sin is our enemy, ought we not to treat it as such? Ought we not to obey the advice of Romans 6:12, where we are told not to let sin reign in our mortal body? As I have said before, we are never supposed to ask 'how far can I go (that is, walk in the flesh) before I make God mad?' Believe me, I have been guilty of asking this many times. I still ask it from time to time, usually to find justification for doing something I don't feel right about doing.
The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). We have been saved from the consequences of sin, but does this mean we can keep sinning now because Christ has taken the punishment for our sins? Let us consult the Word of God, which is, by the way, very clear on this issue.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
(1 John 3:1-10)
These 10 verses has a lot to say about the marks of a true Christian. Are these verses teaching sinless perfection? Certainly not - see 1 John 1:8. However, what it does say is that someone who says he is a Christian but doesn't act like a Christian is probably not a Christian. Those whose lives are characterized by continual, unrepentant sin are most likely lost, and in need of repentance. Remember, sin is a direct affront to God, and if we say God is our Father in Heaven, and we have been bought by the precious blood of Christ, we ought to live as if that were the case.
Our carnal flesh is still at enmity with God. It constantly nudges us to sin against God. And oftentimes, we fall and stumble. Does this mean we are not true Christians? No. It simply means we must continue on to completion (Heb. 6:1). Instead of mulling over our failures, we must focus on becoming more and more like Christ.
And we as Christians must repent - often daily, it seems. This is why surrender (and the faith and trust which lead to it) is so important. When we surrender, we do God's will rather than our own. When we fail to surrender, we sin, for we choose ourselves and the things which please us more than the God.
It is impossible to overcome sin on our own - it must be done with the help of the Holy Spirit. When we walk after the Spirit (which is impossible unless the Spirit Himself dwells within you) we do the will of God.
Romans 12:1 says "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." When we do this, we are worshiping the Lord in spirit and truth (John 4:24), we are walking after the Spirit (Rom 8:1), and we are doing the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21).Sin is surrender to ourselves and our flesh, and worship is surrender to God. When we sin, we are committing idolatry by exalting ourselves above God. We are therefore urged to die to sin (Rom. 6:11).
We are not under the law. The law was ineffectual in making people well-pleasing to God. We, as Christians do not follow the law, but we walk after the Spirit. We surrender ourselves to God, and thus do His will.
Just as we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, we are now supposed to die to sin. We die to sin by putting to death the deeds of the flesh in the Spirit. As we do God's will, we put to death the flesh with its lusts.
Having the aforementioned concepts in mind, read the following passage:
"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:15 - 23.)
We can either yield to the flesh or the Spirit. Which one shall it be, O reader?
Friday, 1 April 2016
Dicsipleship
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 14:25 - 35)
This passage is perhaps one of the most offensive in the whole of the new testament, but it is necessary that people read it. It puts to shame the notion that following the Lord will make your life better.
He begins by telling the multitudes in the strongest terms possible that he who values his family more than Christ cannot be His disciple. If that was not enough to get their attention, he spoke of people bearing their cross. To those who witnessed roman crucifixions, this was a very shocking statement. No one would ever willingly choose such a death, but here Jesus tells them that if they wish to follow after Him, they must pick up their cross.
"But wait", some unbeliever may say. "Doesn't the Bible say a man is justified by faith? This sure doesn't sound like Justification By Faith to me!" In answer to any such objection, I would urge the reader to look at all the Christians throughout the ages who have been brutally tortured and killed in every conceivable manner. For them, becoming a Christian often meant casting off everything that made them acceptable to the culture around them. It often meant turmoil within families as well. So then, this has little to do with the means whereby we are justified. Jesus said in Matthew 10:35:
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law."
Throughout the ages, becoming a Christian has meant becoming at complete odds with the culture. This is the case today in North America, and it was the case in the 1st century Roman Empire.
When Paul told us not to be conformed after the pattern of this world (Rom. 12:2) he meant it. Being a Christian witness does not mean appealing to the world as much as possible. Can we speak to them in a way that they understand the gospel? Certainly! Look at Paul on Mars Hill - he even quoted from the Greek poets whilst presenting the gospel. But we must not compromise the gospel, or water it down to make it more acceptable to the culture.
Jesus' point in this passage is to make clear the cost that could be incurred by following Christ. Those who would follow Christ must be prepared to forsake their all to follow Him. Indeed, we must surrender our all (Rom. 12:1).
In this day and age, persecution of Christians is becoming more common and more rampant. Besides those who are brutally killed in the Middle east, we have am increasing tide of postmodernism here in north America that destroys many who would believe in Christ.
When we believe in Christ, we are rebelling against this world. We are following Him who has overcome the world.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 14:25 - 35)
This passage is perhaps one of the most offensive in the whole of the new testament, but it is necessary that people read it. It puts to shame the notion that following the Lord will make your life better.
He begins by telling the multitudes in the strongest terms possible that he who values his family more than Christ cannot be His disciple. If that was not enough to get their attention, he spoke of people bearing their cross. To those who witnessed roman crucifixions, this was a very shocking statement. No one would ever willingly choose such a death, but here Jesus tells them that if they wish to follow after Him, they must pick up their cross.
"But wait", some unbeliever may say. "Doesn't the Bible say a man is justified by faith? This sure doesn't sound like Justification By Faith to me!" In answer to any such objection, I would urge the reader to look at all the Christians throughout the ages who have been brutally tortured and killed in every conceivable manner. For them, becoming a Christian often meant casting off everything that made them acceptable to the culture around them. It often meant turmoil within families as well. So then, this has little to do with the means whereby we are justified. Jesus said in Matthew 10:35:
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law."
Throughout the ages, becoming a Christian has meant becoming at complete odds with the culture. This is the case today in North America, and it was the case in the 1st century Roman Empire.
When Paul told us not to be conformed after the pattern of this world (Rom. 12:2) he meant it. Being a Christian witness does not mean appealing to the world as much as possible. Can we speak to them in a way that they understand the gospel? Certainly! Look at Paul on Mars Hill - he even quoted from the Greek poets whilst presenting the gospel. But we must not compromise the gospel, or water it down to make it more acceptable to the culture.
Jesus' point in this passage is to make clear the cost that could be incurred by following Christ. Those who would follow Christ must be prepared to forsake their all to follow Him. Indeed, we must surrender our all (Rom. 12:1).
In this day and age, persecution of Christians is becoming more common and more rampant. Besides those who are brutally killed in the Middle east, we have am increasing tide of postmodernism here in north America that destroys many who would believe in Christ.
When we believe in Christ, we are rebelling against this world. We are following Him who has overcome the world.
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