The pricelessness of preciseness

Every one of us, I believe, values preciseness. In other words, we want folk around us to be exact, correct, and definite. If you ever fly on a plane, precision would be a chief virtue for your pilot, right? What about when you're having your taxes prepared, don't you want accuracy from your tax preparer? What if you're facing surgery, don't you want that person cutting on you to be careful?

It seems we DEMAND precision in EVERY area of life, EXCEPT when it comes to our spiritual lives. As stated earlier, we would NEVER settle for an inaccurate pilot. We would NEVER tolerate a careless tax preparer or an inept surgeon, Am I right?

Please understand my stress in this article, I'm not talking about false teaching per se. Many of us would recognize and condemn false teaching in a heart beat. My concern is for inaccurate teaching, teaching that is not precise.

Folks, hear me loud and clear, imprecise, inaccurate bible teaching negatively impacts both WHAT you believe and HOW you live. For example John MacArthur one of my favorite Bible teachers of all time has written a new book which inspires the following thoughts. Romans 1:1 from the NIV states: "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God". So what's wrong with the NIV's rendering of this verse? The problem is the word, "servant". According to the Greek, the language in which the New Testament was written, the word "servant" should actually read "slave". The Greek word translated by our English bibles as servant is the word, "Doulos" (pron, doo-los) and means slave, NOT servant. There is a world of difference between a "servant" and a "slave", a servant is hired, whereas a slave is purchased. A servant has rights, whereas a slave has no rights. One writer puts it this way, "A servant may serve another, but the ownership does not pass to that other. If he likes his master he can serve him, but if he does not like him he can give in his notice and seek another master. Not so with the slave. He is not only the servant of another but he is the possession of another". When Paul declares that he is a doulos of Christ, he is declaring that he is slave, not some hired hand. Paul understands that he was bought with a price out of the slave market of sin, and that He belongs totally to Christ his sovereign master. Paul understood when he used the word doulos , that as a slave, he had no rights of his own and that his will was swallowed up in the will of another, namely Christ's. I looked at seventeen (17) different English translations of this verse Romans 1:1, and only one of the seventeen translations translated the Greek word doulos as slave, all the rest translated doulos as servant. I can only speculate that the translation committees chose servant instead of slave because of the negative social connotations. Face it, to consider oneself a slave in today's social context is demeaning and politically incorrect. Because of imprecise teaching, we have replaced the slavery motif with that of some hired man idea.

Folks, as followers of Christ we are slaves, we belong to Him. We are not our own we were bought at a price. As slaves, we have no rights of our own and our wills are swallowed up in His. I hope you see the point, imprecise Bible teaching has had tremendous negative impact on how we view ourselves as Christians and how we live as Christians.

It is my prayer and desire to see men return to clear, accurate bible teaching because too much is at stake


For His Glory,

CoolImprov

Where's the word?

How many of you remember a series of Wendy's commercials in the mid eighties that featured the kindly old lady shouting out, "Where's the beef?” As a follower of Christ, I have a similar sentiment, "Where's the Word?” The more I'm exposed to Christendom (i.e. Christianity collectively) the harder it is to find the Word of God. Let me tell you the motivation for my writing this article. Earlier today I received an E-mail inviting me to attend a Men's Bible study. Okay, nothing wrong with a Men's Bible study, right? Here's the concern, "they weren't studying the BIBLE". As I continued to read the E-Mail I discovered that they would be using a book written by an Atlanta based motivational speaker/life coach entitled, "The 4:8 principle". This book is supposedly based on Philippians 4:8 and teaches you how to think rightly in order to change your life so that you can achieve your God given goals and success. Read one of the reviews of this book by one satisfied customer: "The 4:8 Principle is a fantastic book that we, as a family, are using as a framework to guide daily decisions."

Did you get that last part? They are using this guy's book as a, "...Framework to guide (their) daily decisions". Folks, isn't that the role the Bible should play in the lives of people?

Why in the world are Christian men studying a book ABOUT the Bible, and not the Bible itself?

One reason I believe is because we have lost CONFIDENCE in the SUFFICIENCY of Scripture.

As I close, allow me to remind us of three (3) important truths about Scripture:

First, it is the Scripture alone that sanctifies us (cf. John 17:17a). The word Sanctify means, “to make holy", "to set apart". Friend, ONLY God's word makes us Holy.

Second, it is Scripture alone that is truth (cf. John 17:17b). The word "truth" means, "that which corresponds with reality". Brother and Sister, Only God's word corresponds totally and absolutely with reality.

Third, it is Scripture alone that is inspired (2 Tim 3:16). The Greek word translated by the English word inspired is the word, "Theopnuestos"(pron, the-op-new-stoss). This Greek word speaks concerning the character and communication of God's word (in the original autographs). In the Greek NT this word is found only one time, in 2 Tim 3:16, and means, "breathed out by God". When the Scriptures were orginally penned God insured that what the authors wrote, they wrote without error. What this one Greek word tells me about Scripture is that the ONLY thing on planet earth that is without error is Scripture. The ONLY writing on planet earth that bears the character of God is Scripture. Our books aren't inspired, our dreams aren't inerrant, our visions aren't sufficient, and our songs aren't complete. Therefore, if the Bible alone Sanctifies, if the Bible alone is Truth, if the Bible alone is inspired, WHY, are we as Christians studying in our so-called "Bible studies" everything BUT the Bible itself?

Lord, where's the word, where's the word?

For His Glory,
CoolImprov

Desiring the pure milk of God's word (1 Pet2:2) - Todd McCauley

                         

I've been reminded afresh that like newborn babes we should crave the pure milk of the word (1 Pet 2:2). If you've ever been around a newborn Baby, you know that newborn babies crave only ONE thing, MILK. Peter states that followers of Christ should have the same focus. Ideally, there should be only ONE thing that we crave, the pure, sweet word of God.

Listen, if you have no appetite for God's word, the Bible, then you must realize
that there is a problem. The problem could be one of several things:

1. You were never born again (I.e.. You are not a Christian and therefore have no appetite for the things of God ).

2. You've spoiled your appetite with junk food (too many of you have eaten from the Creflo Dollar menu and you've contracted a case Olsteen disease).

3. You're sin sick (someone said, "Either the Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible").

The solutions to these above-mentioned problems are as follows:

#1. Repent and believe the Gospel.

#2. Change your diet. Lay off the Junk. Try this! For one whole month, every day, read the entire book of 1st John. That means read all 5 chapters in one sitting every day for 30 days. You will be amazed where your heart will be after just 30 days. During this 30 day fast, you should avoid any other books outside of what you are reading in first John, also, stay away from TBN, CBN, TCT, ESPN,
anything with initials.

#3. 1st John 1:9 has provided a wonderful solution to our daily sin problem, it's called confession. Once you've honestly fessed up to God about your issues, then press forward in obedience.

Why is craving the Word of God important? Well, finish reading 1Pet 2:2. The Word of God is to be craved because it is the means of the Christians Growth. When a Christian continually imbibes the Word of Truth, he/she will continually grow. It's also true, that when a Christian stops partaking of God's Word, he/she stops growing. Here's the myth, time fosters Christian growth. Wrong!!
a person can be a professing believer for 25 years and have never grown an inch spiritually, Why? Because Growth (I.e. Maturity) has nothing to do with time. Christian growth is based on diet.

Last thought, if you happen to find yourself in a church where the Spiritual food is inadequate or missing in action. My suggestion is to find a place where the pure word of God is clearly taught. Your spiritual health depends on it.

For His Glory,
Rev. Todd